Month: August 2025

Posted in #Recipes

35 Easy Cream Cheese Appetizers

Posted on by Reluctant Retiree

You’ve used cream cheese before, but probably not like this, where it steps out from the background and becomes the centerpiece of the snack table. These cream cheese appetizers show why it remains a go-to ingredient for both casual gatherings and as party appetizers to feed a crowd. Its smooth texture and subtle tang make it the perfect base for easy appetizers with cream cheese, ranging from baked dips to cold spreads.

Each recipe in this collection highlights a different way to use cream cheese, whether melted into a warm, savory cheeseburger dip or layered under a pepperoncini spread with a bit of heat. It adds rich depth to golden sausage pinwheels and complements the flaky pastry of tourtieres. Even easy appetizers like pastrami roll-ups or lemon-herb salmon toasts feel more complete with a smooth layer of cheese.

Cream cheese also comes together easily with minimal prep. Let it soften until spreadable or whip it with a splash of milk for a lighter texture. Serve cream cheese dips with crisp veggies or crackers and finish with fresh chives or everything-bagel seasoning. For extra crunch, air-fry cream cheese bites until golden. These quick cream cheese snack ideas bring bold flavors that are perfect to serve and easy to love.

Taste of Home

Posted in #Recipes

Chicken Divan Casserole

Posted on by Reluctant Retiree

Sometimes, a casserole is more than just a casserole; it’s chicken Divan. This chicken Divan recipe is decadent, delicious and requires very little prep time, thanks to some already-prepared ingredients such as condensed chicken soup, cooked chicken and cooked rice. Even the broccoli is already cut. Easy broccoleasy.

What is chicken Divan?

Chicken Divan, sometimes called chicken broccoli casserole, is a casserole concoction of broccoli, chicken, sherry, a bechamel-style sauce and cheese, created generations ago by Chef Anthony Lagasi of the Divan Parisien restaurant in the former Chatham Hotel in New York City. (The building has since been razed.) No one’s certain exactly when this bubbling-hot casserole was first offered, but it’s listed on a 1943 version of the restaurant’s menu. Lagasi never divulged the exact ingredients, yet the recipe has lived on in countless iterations in cookbooks and kitchens for the past 80 years.

Continue reading “Chicken Divan Casserole” →
Posted in #Recipes

55 Best Labor Day Recipes

Posted on by Reluctant Retiree

Labor Day’s parades and outdoor activities work up a serious appetite, so cookouts and picnics are critical for the long weekend. But this holiday is supposed to be a no-fuss fun time for friends and family, so we turn to the best Labor Day recipes that satisfy without breaking a sweat.

These Labor Day recipes make the most summery dishes with as little effort as possible. Expect long-weekend staples in the form of appetizers, mains and desserts—like dips for a crowd, the best summer sandwiches, some Labor Day salads and classic Labor Day grilled meats—you know, all the good stuff that people want to eat when it’s hot out.

There are a few no-bake desserts on the list for when it’s too hot to turn on the oven, like our decadent marshmallow fudge, Oreo ice cream cake and no-bake blueberry pie. The day before hosting, prep a few easy batch cocktails and make sure there are a few nonalcoholic options for kids. You’ll be well on your way to the most enjoyable Labor Day yet.

Taste of Home

Posted in Kitchen Tips

14 Secrets for Keeping Cold Food Fresh All Day Long

Posted on by Reluctant Retiree

There’s nothing more refreshing than a cold bite of pasta salad on a hot day, but when it’s 80°F in your backyard, the heat might threaten to wilt your outdoor buffet—and even cause things to spoil. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) recommends leaving food out for no longer than two hours without refrigeration. That might feel hard to do at an outdoor event, but we know over a dozen ways to keep food cold all day long.

So go ahead! Prep that gorgeous fruit salad or a cold pasta salad, and use these tricks to maintain your meal’s freshness, no matter how long your party lasts.

Taste of Home

Posted in #Recipes

Orange Creamsicle Cookies

Posted on by Reluctant Retiree

Orange creamsicles are a beloved summertime treat, but those vanilla and orange flavors don’t have to stay in the freezer. Orange creamsicle cookies transform the classic citrus-ice cream combination into a delightful treat that won’t melt in your hands.

These pudding cookies are almost like chocolate chip cookies, except they have plenty of orange zest and white chocolate chips incorporated into the dough. They’re moist, chewy and flavorful—truly the ideal nostalgic sweet. Make a batch (or several!) for a bake sale or put out a platter for your next backyard barbecue dessert table.

Ingredients for Orange Creamsicle Cookies

  • Butter: Unsalted butter works best for this cookie dough. Be sure to soften the butter to room temperature before mixing for the best texture.
  • Sugars: Both granulated sugar and brown sugar add sweetness, while the brown sugar also introduces a depth of flavor to the cookie dough.
  • Eggs: Eggs bind the ingredients in the dough and help the cookies rise while baking. It’s best to use room-temperature eggs for baking.
  • Orange zest: Use fresh zest from one orange to add vibrant flavor to the cookie dough.
  • Vanilla extract: Using a good vanilla extract vs. imitation vanilla is better for the overall flavor of most baked goods.
  • Orange extract: Orange extract works with the orange zest for a bigger citrus punch.
  • All-purpose flour: All-purpose flour provides structure for these creamsicle orange cookies.
  • Instant vanilla pudding: A package of pudding mix contributes to the cookies’ taste and texture. It provides rich moisture while incorporating plenty of vanilla for an ice cream-forward flavor.
  • Baking soda: A small amount of baking soda goes a long way in creating excellent texture and shape for these cookies.
  • White chocolate chips: White chocolate chips paired with orange zest create the ideal orange creamsicle combination.

Taste of Home

Posted in #Recipes

20 Easy Pasta Salads Prepped in 20 Minutes or Less

Posted on by Reluctant Retiree

A creamy, easy pasta salad perfectly complements a plate piled with grilled meats and barbecue sides. You may think pasta salads are all the same, but this summer classic has so many variations. Maybe you’ve made a mayonnaise dressing for your pasta salad, but what about ranch? Have you ever changed up your pasta shapes? And don’t forget adding a protein like chicken.

The next time you’re looking for an easy summer recipe, start with one of these pasta salad recipes. We chose these recipes as quick-to-make odes to the classic pasta salads you’re already used to, with fresh new twists.

Taste of Home

Posted in Kitchen Tips

What Is Vinegar?

Posted on by Reluctant Retiree

You probably have at least one bottle of vinegar in your cupboard. It may not seem too exciting to some people, but vinegar easily one of the most important ingredients in any kitchen. The tangy, acidic liquid has been used for over 10,000 years for food preservation, cooking, medicine, and cleaning, according to the Encyclopedia of Food Sciences and Nutrition. Whether it’s in sauces and dressings or household cleaners, vinegar is one of the most versatile pantry staples.

Here’s everything you need to know about this powerful, multipurpose ingredient and its many varieties.

delish

Posted in #Recipes

Muffuletta Pasta Salad

Posted on by Reluctant Retiree

The muffuletta is an iconic sandwich that originated in the French Quarter of New Orleans. If you don’t already know, the classic muffuletta features olive salad and several meats and cheeses sandwiched between two hearty slices of fresh Italian bread. Luckily, the combination of ingredients that makes the sandwich recipe a winner also translates nicely to pasta salad—and that’s just what we created with our muffuletta pasta salad recipe.

This hearty side is sure to be a crowd-pleasing Mardi Gras recipe at your celebrations. Muffuletta pasta salad can also be served alongside favorite picnic recipes at a summertime potluck or backyard barbecue.

Continue reading “Muffuletta Pasta Salad” →

51 Easy No-Bake Desserts

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 Book Reviews

The $5 Dinner Mom Cookbook

Posted on by Reluctant Retiree

Family-friendly meals that are “simple, healthy, delicious and always affordable. Erin proves that budget cooking does not have to be boring!” —Stephanie Nelson, New York Times–bestselling author of The Coupon Mom’s Guide to Cutting Your Grocery Bills in Half

Erin Chase is the founder of “$5 Dinners,” the skyrocketing internet website that’s now the go-to source for families who want to eat well and stay within a budget. Erin became a supermarket savvy mom, challenged herself to create dinners for her family of four that cost no more than $5 and is here to share her fool-proof method with you in her first cookbook that contains over 200 recipes that cost $five or less to make. First, Erin will show you how to size up the best supermarket deals, clip coupons that will really save you money and create a weekly dinner menu plan. Then, in each recipe she shows you just how much she paid for each item and challenges you to do the same.

Here are a few of her favorites:

– North Carolina Pulled Pork Sandwiches – $4.90

– Curried Pumpkin Soup – $4.41

– Apple Dijon Pork Roastfour – $4.30

– Orange Beef and Broccoli Stir – $4.94

– Creamy Lemon Dill Catffours – $4.95

– Bacon-Wrapped Apple  – $4.96

– Country Ribs with Fries – $4.77

Join the army of devoted followers who have already let Erin Chase show them how to be savvy supermarket shoppers who cook tasty, economical meals. You’ll never spend more than $5 on dinner again.

“This book will give you the simple tools you need to become a strategic shopper, make meal-planning manageable, and rediscover the joy of cooking and baking from scratch.” —Crystal Paine, founder of moneysavingmom.com


Editorial Reviews

Review

“Erin’s $5 Dollar Dinner approach is ideal for my family–her recipes are simple, healthy, delicious and always affordable. She proves that budget cooking does not have to be boring!”–Stephanie Nelson, author of The Coupon Mom’s Guide to Cutting Your Grocery Bills in Half

About the Author

Erin Chase is the creator of http://www.5dollardinners.com. She has previously shared her savvy tips for saving on “The Rachael Ray Show” and “The Jean Chatzky Show” on Oprah Sirius Radio. She grew up in San Antonio, TX, went to Texas Christian University, and served as a missionary in the Dominican Republic where she met her husband. They live in Dayton, Ohio with their three children.