Month: May 2025

Posted in #Recipes

Kenai Dip

Posted on by Reluctant Retiree

Total Time
Prep/Total Time: 10 min.
Val Goodrich
By Val Goodrich
Recipe by Margaret Knoebel, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Tested by Taste of Home Test Kitchen
Taste of Home’s Editorial Process
Published on May 12, 2025

Jutting off the coast of southern Alaska is the endlessly picturesque Kenai Peninsula. Dotted with quaint Alaskan towns, crossed by rivers filled with king salmon and boasting views of snow-capped mountains, it’s known as “Alaska’s Playground” for a reason. It’s here where, in a town just next to the city of Kenai, sits Echo Lake Meats, the food market credited with creating one of Alaska’s best recipes: Kenai dip.

Alaskans love Kenai dip. They live in a big state where it’s not always feasible to visit Echo Lake Meats whenever the craving strikes, though. Thankfully, whether you live in Alaska or not, it’s easy to make this famous dip right at home.

What is Kenai dip?

Kenai dip is a cheesy, smoky, spicy dip from the Kenai Peninsula in Alaska. It starts with a mixture of mayonnaise, crunchy diced jalapenos and a few smoky and pungent spices. Shredded cheddar cheese is mixed in at the end to keep the long shreds intact. That’s it!

This regional delicacy is a popular appetizer for cookouts, camping meals, potlucks, picnics and any other occasion where you can take a cooler and a bag of Juanita’s tortilla chips.

Ingredients for Kenai Dip

  • Diced jalapeno peppers: Remove the seeds, then finely dice the jalapenos (you can keep the seeds for added spice). If you really like an extra kick of heat, buy another jalapeno and cut it into rounds to garnish the Kenai dip.
  • Mayonnaise: Mayonnaise is the tangy, rich and creamy base in authentic Kenai dip.
  • Garlic powder: This pungent seasoning adds the taste of garlic without the overpowering sharpness of raw garlic.
  • Paprika: Paprika adds a touch of spice. Use smoked paprika if you like your Kenai dip a little smoky (most Alaskans do!).
  • Cheddar cheese: Shred cheddar cheese using the biggest holes on a box grater.
  • Chips or crackers: Serve Kenai dip with chips or crackers, just as you would any other dip. In Alaska, the most beloved chips for Kenai dip are Juanita’s tortilla chips, which are sold nationwide under the name Juantonio’s.

Taste of Home

Posted in Book Reviews

Quick & Easy Korean Cooking: More Than 70 Everyday Recipes

Posted on by Reluctant Retiree

A Gourmet Cookbook of the Month. Learn how to make simple Korean dishes without sacrificing flavor from the James Beard Award–nominated author.

Imagine sitting down to a sumptuous and fragrant dinner of Dumpling Soup with Rice Cakes after a long day of work. And a hot summer afternoon just begs for a picnic basket stocked with Chilled Cucumber Soup, delicate Chicken Skewers with Green Onions, and Seaweed Rice Rolls. Using ingredients that are readily available and techniques already familiar to home cooks, these Korean specialties can easily be dinner any night of the week. With appetizers and snacks, soups and hot pots, side dishes, entrees, rice, noodles, and a whole chapter devoted to kimchi, Quick & Easy Korean Cooking will bring new flavors to the dinner table.

DeeDiDee
5.0 out of 5 stars Great Introduction to Korean Cooking
Reviewed in the United States on June 12, 2013
Verified Purchase
I bought Quick and Easy Korean Cooking on a whim. My mother-in-law is from a town close to Seoul. Her cooking is so delicious and her house is always brimful of tantalizing smells. I wanted an introductory book on Korean cooking just to give me some experience and give me confidence as I cook more and more of the foods my husband grew up with.

Quick and Easy Korean Cooking has been a wise investment for me. The author gives a beginning introduction to ingredients commonly used in Korean cooking and categorizes them as a, b, or c list, depending on how frequently they are used. She also provides a list of equipment frequently used. The chapters then follow as:appetizers and snacks; soups and hot pots; small side dishes; chicken, beef, and pork; fish and shellfish; kimchi and other pickled things; ice; noodles; sweets and drinks; and sauces and other basics. She concludes with lists of menus, mail orders sources for ingredients, and finally books and resources on the foods and culture of Korea. I
Posted in #Recipes

76 Better-For-You Chicken Recipes That Are Unexpectedly Good

Posted on by Reluctant Retiree

Healthy eating has had a bad rap as lacking flavor and inspiration for far too long. Here at Delish, we take this rumor personally. For Team Delish, eating healthy means maximizing variety, and we’ve got tons of healthy versions of your chicken favorites (lightened-up chicken Parm, anyone?), plus salads, lettuce wraps, sandwiches, and more. We know health looks different to different people, so we’ve included options for every diet, like low-carb, paleo, low-oil, and keto. Whether you’re reaching for chicken breasts, thighs (the favorite cut of the Delish kitchen), or a whole bird, the options are endless.

Let’s go back to that boring, plain piece of chicken breast for a minute. On its own, chicken can be a great healthy choice—it’s full of lean protein, amino acids (including serotonin-boosting tryptophan), and is a great alternative to red meat. No matter how good it is for you though, it doesn’t matter if you never want to eat it. Trust us—all it takes is some spices, sauces, and a bit of prep to make chicken dishes that’ll stand up to even the most decadent of options. Try adding different spices, like the taco seasoning in our chicken fajitas; extra-flavorful sauces, like in our sheet-pan harissa chicken & sweet potatoes or our goddess bowls; or replacing ingredients you’re avoiding with others, like in our keto fried chicken (breaded with pork rinds), our one-pan coconut-lime chicken (dairy-free!), or our chicken Alfredo spaghetti squash (no noodles, no problem).

And we can’t overlook our air fryer—it’s hands down the best kitchen appliance to invest in if you’re trying to cut down on oil in your kitchen. We’ve included some of our favorite air fryer chicken recipes here—like our orange chicken, crispy chicken sandwich, and garlic-Parmesan chicken skewers—but feel free to explore all the (100+!) other things you can make in one too.

Want more healthy meal inspiration? Check out our favorite healthy breakfasts, packed lunches, and low-calorie desserts too.

delish!

Posted in #Recipes

51 Easy No-Bake Desserts

Posted on by Reluctant Retiree

When it’s too hot to turn on the oven, but you said you’re bringing dessert to the barbecue, it’s time to whip up some no-bake desserts.

These cool and fuss-free treats—including icebox cakes, no-bake fruit desserts and ice cream pies—are just the thing you want to dig into on a warm day. You can explore some no-bake Thanksgiving desserts and make your preparations a bit less complicated. So make room in the fridge and whip up a few of these desserts while the temps soar.

Taste of Home

Posted in #Recipes

Cake Mix Bars

Posted on by Reluctant Retiree

When you need to bake for a big group, whip up a batch of these cake mix bars. Since they’re studded with multicolored sprinkles and white chocolate chips, they’re festive enough for a birthday party but simple enough for a casual potluck. The recipe starts with a box of cake mix, so it’s super quick to mix and guaranteed to yield perfect results.

Making bar cookies from cake mix is a great way to make a boxed cake mix taste homemade. Even the small additions of egg and milk enrich the mix, making it extra-flavorful and moist. Since the basic recipe is so simple, it’s easy to play around with too: Add your favorite candies to the batter or serve the bars with fruit or ice cream.

Ingredients for Cake Mix Bars

  • Yellow cake mix: Our favorite brand of yellow cake mix actually tastes great—you’d never think that it is not homemade cake.
  • Egg: For best results, bring the eggs to room temperature before baking. If you’re in a hurry, pop the eggs in a bowl of warm water for a few minutes after taking them out of the fridge to speed up the process.
  • Milk: We like to use 2% in this recipe, but whole or skim will work too.
  • Canola oil: When baking, using oil rather than butter allows the flavor of the yellow cake to shine.
  • White baking chips: White chocolate chips add pockets of concentrated sweetness.
  • Jimmies: Crunchy, colorful sprinkles add flair, making these cake bars from cake mix a fitting (yet less traditional) birthday party cake or dessert for any occasion.

Taste of Home

Posted in #Recipes

Chimichurri Chicken

Posted on by Reluctant Retiree

Let’s face it, it’s easy to fall into a chicken rut. You buy the chicken, stare at the package, and can’t think of one thing to do with it that you haven’t done hundreds of times before. Enter chimichurri chicken. This simple dish is a perfect candidate for weeknight dinners when you don’t have much time, but still want to make something out of the ordinary. The best part is that you don’t need any special equipment or ingredients—just lots of garlic, herbs, seasonings, olive oil and red wine vinegar.

If you love bright, herbaceous sauces like pesto, chimichurri will become your new go-to. A staple in Argentina and other South American countries, the garlicky sauce makes just about anything sing. In addition to grilled meats and seafood, it’s great tossed with roasted vegetables, atop empanadas and spooned onto egg dishes.

Ingredients for Chimichurri Chicken

  • Olive oil: Because it’s a big component of this sauce, make sure to use a high-quality oil—preferably extra virgin olive oil—in this dish.
  • Parsley: Parsley is the soul of chimichurri. The flat, Italian type is traditionally used to make this dish and has a punchy flavor. However, the milder curly type will also make a pleasing sauce.
  • Red wine vinegar: With vinegar, you typically get what you pay for. Inexpensive industrial vinegar can be harsh, while artisan vinegar often tastes more complex.
  • Garlic: Garlic is healthiest when minced and allowed to sit for 15 minutes before being used, so if you have the chance, prep the garlic a little early.
  • Oregano: It’s common to use dried oregano in chimichurri, but fresh herbs never hurt. If you’re using just-plucked leaves, double or triple the amount.
  • Salt and pepper: We give a guideline for how much salt and pepper to use, but you can always season your chimichurri to taste.
  • Red pepper flakes: A smidgen of these spicy flakes gives your chicken dish some additional zip. Leave it out if you don’t tolerate heat, or add more if you want extra burn.
  • Chicken thighs: We call for boneless skinless thighs, which make this recipe quick and easy, but bone-in, skin-on pieces would be juicier and more flavorful. If you use the latter, remember they’ll take a little longer to cook.

Taste of Home

Posted in #Recipes

Dubai Chocolate Cheesecake Bars

Posted on by Reluctant Retiree

Dubai chocolate cheesecake bars are the ideal baking project for when you want a delicious, elevated and trendy dessert. Harnessing the flavors and textures of the Dubai chocolate bar, these cheesecake bars are composed of multiple layers working together to create a truly indulgent dessert.

It all starts with a simple graham cracker crust, which is then topped with a dreamy pistachio cheesecake. Then, we add the essential components for Dubai chocolate, which include a nutty, crunchy layer made up of toasted golden kataifi (toasted phyllo dough shreds), pistachio cream and tahini. Finally, we finish the bars with a simple chocolate ganache to mimic the exterior of the chocolate bar. Even if you haven’t tried Dubai chocolate before, pistachio lovers in particular are sure to think this recipe is a hit.

What is Dubai chocolate?

If you’ve scrolled food posts on TikTok or Instagram, you’ve likely seen Dubai chocolate bars and other treats embracing the confection. The original Dubai chocolate was made by Dubai-based Fix Dessert Chocolatier, where they combined phyllo dough, pistachio and chocolate to produce a complex, flavorful and crunchy filling for a chocolate bar. It became an internet sensation in 2024 and has been used as inspiration for countless chocolate bars and other desserts.

Ingredients for Dubai Chocolate Cheesecake Bars

  • Graham cracker crumbs: Pulse graham crackers in a food processor to form graham cracker crumbs for the crust.
  • Granulated sugar: A touch of sugar is added to the graham cracker crust and the cheesecake filling for balanced sweetness.
  • Butter: Melted butter helps bind the graham cracker crumbs in the crust layer. It’s also used to toast the kataifi for a golden color and depth of flavor.
  • Cream cheese: Cream cheese is the key ingredient for the cheesecake layer. Soften your cream cheese to room temperature for the smoothest cheesecake.
  • Pistachio cream: Pistachio cream is a soft and spreadable mixture made of ground pistachios, sugar and oil. It provides a deliciously nutty flavor to these Dubai chocolate cheesecake bars. Use pistachio cream, not pistachio butter. Pistachio cream can be found at specialty stores or ordered online for this pistachio recipe.
  • Milk: A touch of milk is the liquid added to the cheesecake layer to help everything come together.
  • Vanilla extract: A small amount of vanilla extract is added to the cheesecake layer to help enhance its flavor.
  • Egg: One egg is incorporated into the cheesecake filling layer, contributing to its rich texture and flavor. Let the egg come to room temperature and beat it lightly in a small bowl before adding it to the filling. Baking with a room-temperature egg is best because the ingredients will mix more evenly.
  • Kataifi: Kataifi is delicately shredded phyllo dough. In Dubai chocolate and many Dubai chocolate-inspired recipes, as well as Greek and other Mediterranean and Middle Eastern dishes, the fine strands are toasted in melted butter until fully cooked and golden. Look for kataifi near frozen phyllo dough in your grocer’s freezer, at specialty food stores, or order it online.
  • Tahini: A couple tablespoons of tahini are added to the filling layer. Since it’s made from sesame seeds, tahini adds a nuttiness to enhance the overall taste of the bars.
  • Semisweet chocolate: These cheesecake bars are finished with a layer of luscious chocolate ganache on top. Use chopped semisweet chocolate bars to make the ganache for the best results.
  • Heavy cream: Heavy cream is warmed and poured over the chopped chocolate to make the ganache.

Taste of Home

Posted in #Recipes

74 Barbecue Sides Perfect for a Potluck

Posted on by Reluctant Retiree

If you ask me to choose between a barbecue potluck and a formal dinner party, I’d say a barbecue every time. Whether it’s the excuse to load up on barbecue sides, revisit retro barbecue recipes, pick out a ripe watermelon, or just the fact that I can wear shorts and sandals, I’m all in. I grew up in a large family in a perpetual state of controlled chaos. I love that barbecues have a slower pace that includes firing up a charcoal grill and lingering with friends until the fireflies twinkle.

This recipe collection is your go-to guide for all the side dish inspiration you could need for your next cookout or potluck. If you’ve already settled on the meaty barbecue recipes that make you feel like a pitmaster and have your favorite barbecue sauces lined up, we have you covered for the cool pickles, slaws, deviled eggs and baked beans that will round out the spread.

We also include recipes for grilled vegetables, breads, fresh fruit sides and, oh, so many corn and tomato dishes. It’s just not summer without them! The collection is also peppered with make-ahead recipes that get even better with time and are a breeze to pack up and transport. Just set out your dish and then focus on enjoying the other barbecue foods.

Taste of Home

Posted in Kitchen Tips

12 Grilling Safety Tips Everyone Should Know

Posted on by Reluctant Retiree

Warm weather calls for dusting off the grill and celebrating the summer with a backyard party. But you’ll want to brush up on these grilling safety guidelines before you grab the charcoal and get out those marinated meats and well-seasoned veggies. They’ll give you the peace of mind that your grill is appropriately set up, fired, and even extinguished, so you can enjoy the sunny outdoors while making your favorite grilled foods worry-free.

These grilling safety tips cover the safety protocols recommended for the outdoor grilling process, from beginning to end.

Taste of Home

Posted in Book Reviews

Taste of Home What Can I Bring?: 175 Dishes Ideal for Parties, Picnics & Potlucks (Taste of Home Entertaining & Potluck)

Posted on by Reluctant Retiree

Answer the question “What Can I Bring?” with crowd-pleasing dishes perfect for sharing.   

 

Need the perfect dish to pass? Rest assured, it will be a hit when it comes from What Can I Bring Cookbook! Regardless of the reason…and regardless of the season…all great parties, holidays and gatherings feature tasty foods, munchable snacks and impressive desserts. Let this all-new cookbook help you find the perfect contribution to cocktail parties, tailgates, backyard barbecues, bridal and baby showers, Christmas buffets and other events. Each recipe serves a crowd, travels well and offers the no-fuss ease today’s home cooks need most. In addition to more than 360+ make-and-take dishes, you’ll find packing and traveling tips, suggestions for the ideal foods to bring to specific get-togethers and other tricks for answering the popular question, “What can I bring?”

  • 360+ Potluck-Perfect Dishes. Each recipe in this colorful collection feeds a group and travels well. Best of all, every dish comes together easily with common ingredients, includes step-by-step directions and features prep and cook times.
  • Party Foods Chart. Not sure what to make for the barbecue or tailgate? Wondering what you can bring to the brunch on Sunday? Turn to the handy chart on the back cover flap. Organized by event , it offers suggestions for rave-worthy bring-a-dish contributions.
  • “Bring It” Tips. Scattered throughout the book, these ideas help you make the most of your contributions. Keep foods at the right temperature on a buffet, pack up the car with ease and help the hostess with these smart ideas.
  • Special Slow-Cooker Chapter. Slow cookers make it cinch to bring a hot and hearty dish to a party. Turn here for delish recipes that take advantage of your favorite appliance.
  • Chapter of Large-Yield Dishes. When you need to contribute to an extra-large event (think church supper, family reunion or pancake charity breakfast), you’ll want to check out this popular chapter. The recipes in the Big-Batch Dishes chapter are perfectly sized for a crowd…some even serving up to 50 hungry diners!

CHAPTERS
Appetizers, Dips & Spreads
Breakfast for a Bunch
Main Dishes
Salads & Sides
Big-Batch Dishes
Slow Cooked Favorites
The Sweetest Treats

SOME OF THE RECIPES
Caramelized Ham & Swiss Buns
Creamy Buffalo Chicken Dip
Overnight Layered Lettuce Salad
Chicken Salad Party Sandwiches
Spicy Touchdown Chili
Sweet Corn Muffins
Potluck Fried Chicken
Bacon & Eggs Casserole
Cheesy Spaghetti Bake
Easy Macaroni Salad
Mom’s Italian Beef Sandwiches
Big-Batch Jambalaya
Potluck Beans
Ham & Cheddar Brunch Ring
Burgers with Spicy Dill Salsa
Mint Chocolate Cheesecake
Slow-Cooked Rueben Spread
Beef Stew for a Crowd
Cheesy Meatball Sliders
Warm Rocky Road Cake
Strawberry Spinach Salad with Candied Walnuts
Simple Guacamole
So-Easy Sticky Chicken Wings
Slow-Cooker Bacon Mac & Cheese
Fudgy Brownies with Peanut Butter Pudding Frosting