Month: August 2025

Posted in #Recipes

Aperol Spritz Cookies

Posted on by Reluctant Retiree

Spritz cookies are a holiday season favorite, known for their buttery flavor and light texture. While they’re often consumed during the winter months, we still crave these cookies throughout the rest of the year. We found an excuse to enjoy them during the summer months by drawing inspiration from a popular summer cocktail and turning them into cute little Aperol spritz cookies.

An Aperol spritz is a simple cocktail made up of Prosecco, soda water and Aperol, which is an Italian aperitif with notes of orange and a touch of bitterness. These cookies embrace the flavor of Aperol with fresh orange zest in the dough, along with an Aperol glaze to top them off. Serve the cookies for any occasion on their own, or pair them with a glass of Prosecco or an Aperol spritz for an orangey summer treat.

Aperol Spritz Cookie Ingredients

  • Butter: The key ingredient in these buttery cookies is unsalted butter. Before you start baking, soften the butter to room temperature.
  • Confectioners’ sugar: Confectioners’ sugar not only adds sweetness but also plays a role in the structure of these light and airy cookies. This type of sugar is also the base of the Aperol glaze.
  • Salt: A touch of salt goes a long way in helping balance the flavor in these Aperol spritz cookies.
  • Egg: Just one large room-temperature egg is added to the cookie dough. The egg binds the other ingredients and helps the cookies rise slightly while baking for a light, airy texture.
  • Orange extract: Orange extract is key in this recipe. It enhances the overall taste of the cookie dough.
  • Orange zest: Fresh orange zest enhances the flavors of Aperol in this orange dessert recipe. The zest is incorporated into both the cookie dough and the glaze. Zest an orange the same way you would zest a lemon: with a Microplane, a zester or a box grater.
  • All-purpose flour: Finish the cookie dough with all-purpose flour. It provides a proper structure for the cookies.
  • Aperol: Aperol is the inspiration for the cookies, but it isn’t incorporated into the dough. Instead, its herbaceous orange flavor is prominent in the glaze used to dress up these cookies.

Taste of Home

Posted in #Recipes

39 Summer Potluck Salads for Your Cookouts

Posted on by Reluctant Retiree

Whether it’s Memorial Day, Father’s Day, Labor Day or a pool day, these summer potluck salads are a must on your food table! These dishes, which range from fruit salads to leafy greens to pasta salads, are made with abundant in-season produce for a real taste of the season. Plus, each recipe feeds at least 1o, so there will be plenty to go around.

Taste of Home

Posted in Book Reviews

How to Win a Cowboy’s Heart Cookbook

Posted on by Reluctant Retiree

This fun cookbook is full of charming cooking tips and advice for catching your man’s heart—through his stomach. The belly-filling recipes will satisfy the hardest working ranch hands, cowboys, farmers, and western-loving city folks. The recipes are organized into meals from the first date and “Hand Holdin’ in the Parlor” to when it’s time for “Impressin’ the In-laws.” The shopping list for a well-stocked western pantry will set you up for serving tasty grinds such as Sweet Potato Pancakes, All-Day Red Beans, Smothered Yardbird, Cowboy Cottage Pie, and Stewed Fruit with Sugar Dumplings when that dinner bell rings.


Editorial Reviews

From the Inside Flap

It’s been said that there are many ways to a cowboy’s heart–fast horses, silver-mounted spurs, or fancy tall-top boots–but the quickest and perhaps easiest route is a home-cooked meal. Kathy Lynn Wills’s recipe secrets will show you how to add flavorful cowboy style and frontier mystery to everyday meals. With quick preparation and easy-to-find ingredients, you will be winning hearts in no time with dishes like Chili Relleno Eggs with Stewed Tomato Sauce, Lonestar Buttermilk Custard Pie, Creamy Bean Soup, and Ginger-Honey Flank Steak. Come and get it!

From the Back Cover

Whether you’re “Hand Holdin’ in the Parlor” with Sugar Dumplings or “Waiting Together for the Thaw” over Cowboy Cottage Pie, this collection is the perfect way to celebrate America’s love affair with the West.
Recipes include:
Morning Home Fries
Creamy Corn Bread
Picnic Potato Salad
Double Fruit Cobbler
Sour Cream Mashed Potatoes
Chicken-Fried Steak
Also contains cooking tips and advice and a shopping list for the well-stocked western pantry.

About the Author

Linda K. Gage (illustrations on cover and chapter openings) is an illustrator and fine artist who works in pen and ink, pencil, watercolor, and pastel. She lives in Jordan Valley, Oregon.

Linda Bark’karie (illustrations throughout the recipes) is a western artist who specializes in black and white, primarily graphite. She lives in Pleasanton, California.

Kathy Lynn Wills spends her time among cattle and dogs in the dairy and rural ranchlands of Northern California, writing, cooking, and raising crops. Her blog, whatjameshadfordinner.blogspot.com, reports on her travels and, yes, nightly dinners on the farm.

Posted in #Recipes

25 Pasta Salad Recipes That Prove Noodles Are Best Served Cold

Posted on by Reluctant Retiree

I know I’m not the only one who eats pasta salad straight out of the refrigerator. It’s just so good! You can adapt pasta salad recipes to whatever boxed pasta, veggies and protein you have on hand. The result? Either a simple summer meal or a picnic side dish that’s an absolute hit.

The key to a perfect pasta salad is using fresh ingredients (and high-quality packaged ones, like olives and canned chickpeas), as well as balancing the al dente pasta with the fresh, satisfying crunch of vegetables and legumes. It’s still a salad, after all!

Taste of Home

Posted in Book Reviews

The Easy Puerto Rican Cookbook: 100 Classic Recipes Made Simple

Posted on by Reluctant Retiree

Master the melting pot of Puerto Rican cooking with 100 classic recipes

Puerto Rican cooking is rich with diverse flavors and textures that come together to create a unique culinary experience you could only find on the Island of Enchantment—until now. The Easy Puerto Rican Cookbook is packed with 100 classic recipes made simple, so you can create mouthwatering meals in your own kitchen with ease.

Discover dozens of weeknight-friendly recipes, including a number of dishes that take 30 minutes or less to prepare and serve. Simplify your routine with recipes containing five ingredients or fewer, one-pot meals, slow-cooker dinners, and more. The authentic recipes in this Puerto Rican cookbook focus on whole foods, so you get all of the incredible flavors of traditional cuisine without the salt, fat, and processed ingredients.

The Easy Puerto Rican Cookbook includes:

  • 100 delectable recipes—Get a true taste of the island with delicious recipes for every meal, from cocktails and small plates to entrees, desserts, and beyond.
  • Staples from scratch—Try 16 staple recipes like Chicharrón de Cerdo (Fried Pork Belly), Mojo Criollo (Garlic Marinade), and Pique (Puerto Rican Hot Sauce).
  • Your Puerto Rican pantry—This beautifully designed Puerto Rican cookbook offers a guide to stocking your kitchen with essentials like annatto seeds, guava paste, and more.

If you’ve been searching for a Puerto Rican cookbook that simplifies traditional recipes without sacrificing flavor, look no further—The Easy Puerto Rican Cookbook has everything you need.

Editorial Reviews

Review

“In this cookbook, you will find traditional Puerto Rican standards that can be executed for daily family meals or elaborate party favorites. Tony lays the book out in an easy to understand format, separating the recipes by ingredients and difficulty. This is a great book for your own personal use or as a gift. As a restaurant owner executing a variety of recipes on a daily basis, this is an easy to use, fun book to sample some traditional Puerto Rican recipes. I highly recommend it.” —Harlan Logan, owner of South Moon BBQ –This text refers to an alternate kindle_edition edition.

About the Author

TONY RICAN is a former professional wrestler who’s successfully transitioned to a culinary career. He teaches people how to prepare bold yet basic dishes via his YouTube channel, The Average Guy Gourmet. Tony is also the author of the best-selling The Easy Puerto Rican Cookbook. –This text refers to an alternate kindle_edition edition.

Posted in #Recipes

Tuna Macaroni Salad

Posted on by Reluctant Retiree

A summer cookout isn’t complete without a bowl of creamy macaroni salad. The best macaroni salad recipes are rich yet balanced, offering a variety of flavors and textures that keep the mayo-dressed pasta from feeling too heavy on a hot summer day. A dish gets bonus points if it’s filling enough to enjoy as a stand-alone meal, and this macaroni salad with tuna and hard-boiled eggs fits the bill.

We make our tuna macaroni salad recipe with a creamy mayonnaise-based dressing that perfectly coats the noodles to ensure each bite delivers a sweet and tangy flavor. The crisp celery and onions provide a little crunch, while the peas and hard-boiled eggs give the salad a chewy texture and bursts of color. Add water-packed tuna to create a well-rounded salad that’s pleasing to the eyes and even more gratifying to the taste buds.

Tuna Macaroni Salad Ingredients

  • Tuna: Some of the best tuna brands are packed in oil, but we like water-packed tuna for this recipe. It has a lighter texture and flakes better than oil-packed tuna.
  • Elbow macaroni: Look for a macaroni brand with ridges. The texture adds some fun to the pasta salad and helps the dressing cling to the noodles for a creamier eating experience.
  • Hard-boiled eggs: Hard-boiled eggs add richness to this macaroni tuna salad recipe. Here’s everything you need to know about how to make perfect hard-boiled eggs.
  • Macaroni salad dressing: The dressing in this recipe couldn’t be easier. Simply stir mayonnaise with sweet pickle relish, salt and pepper. If you prefer Miracle Whip vs. mayonnaise, feel free to make the swap.
  • Vegetables: This pasta salad gets color and texture from the peas, onions and celery. For a bolder flavor, use red onions instead of sweet onions.

Taste of Home

Posted in #Recipes

The 15 Best 9×13 Summer Recipes Worth Turning Your Oven on For

Posted on by Reluctant Retiree

We get it. When it’s hot out, the last thing you want to do is heat your house even further by turning on the oven. However, certain dishes are worth the extra heat, especially when they can be conveniently prepared in a simple 9×13-inch casserole dish. That’s why we curated 15 extra stellar (and easy) recipes that we’re willing to make an exception for, including lemon bars, pan pizza, and tater tot casserole. Keep reading for these great picks, and more.

Allrecipes

Posted in Book Reviews

The Easy Indian Slow Cooker Cookbook: Prep-and-Go Restaurant Favorites to Make at Home

Posted on by Reluctant Retiree

Authentic Indian cuisine served up with minimum effort and maximum flavor.

The Easy Indian Slow Cooker Cookbook introduces you to the history, culture, and flavors of Indian dishes and combines them with the modern magic of the slow cooker. It’s an Indian cookbook that lets you get recipes started fast, with minimal prep, and then leave them to cook in a single pot. Easy.

Author, blogger, and popular cooking instructor Hari Ghotra puts a simple, slow cooker spin on over 60 classic favorites—no need to reach for the takeout menu. From Butter Chicken to Chickpea Curry and Red Lentil Dhal, you can discover her own personal take on a traditional Indian cookbook—minus a million pots and pans.

Get cooking—and clean up quick with an Indian cookbook that offers:

  • 15-minute prep time—Most dishes can be simmering in the slow cooker in about 15 minutes.
  • Something for everyone—This Indian cookbook includes delicious meat, poultry, seafood, and vegetarian recipes.
  • Smart shopping—Find an appendix of Indian markets and stores by city, state, and online so you can stock up on all the spices and ingredients you’ll need.

Your favorite Indian dishes are just one pot away with The Easy Indian Slow Cooker Cookbook.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

HARI GHOTRA is a chef trained at Michelin-starred Tamarind’s of Mayfair and the founder of the biggest Indian food digital platform in the UK (www.harighotra.co.uk), where she develops and features hundreds of easy-to-follow recipes, videos, and informative blog posts. Her work has appeared in Huffington Post, the Independent, and the Guardian, among many other media platforms. She lives in London.–This text refers to an alternate kindle_edition edition.

Review

“Combining Indian food with a slow cooker offers a winning combination. This book is perfectly timed to help us all reconnect with our slow cookers and offers a wonderful range of recipes.”―Peter Sidwell, Founder of Simply Good Food TV

“With vibrant images throughout and informative writing both on the origins of these classic dishes and how to use this often neglected piece of equipment (the slow cooker), Hari has changed the way we look at and cook Indian cuisine. The book includes recipes to suit all tastes, including vegetarian and meat dishes, sides and even dessert! This is the perfect book for anyone with a busy lifestyle.”―Tony Rodd, Chef at Copper and Ink

“A genuinely useful, informative book. Hari makes a virtue out of the slow cooker appliance as it chimes so perfectly with the traditional slow cooking required for many Indian dishes―dishes you can do 15 minutes of prep for, then leave to cook to perfection while you get on with other things.”―Karen Barnes, Editor of delicious. Magazine

“These mouth-watering recipes will inspire you to create fabulous Indian-inspired soups, dhals, curries, rice dishes and sweets at home with minimum effort and maximum flavor. A must-have for all lovers of Indian food and fuss-free cooking.”―Saira Hamilton (@SairaHamilton)

“Hari’s book isn’t just full of recipes, there’s a ton of information about all the regions of Indian cuisine, how to get the best out of your slow cooker and even how to make your own spice blends.”―Jamie Spafford from Sorted Food (@JamieSpafford from @sortedfood)

“This is one of those cookbooks you know you will turn to again and again―and of all the cuisines, Indian is the one that really does taste so, so much better when made yourself. Who knew making real, fresh Indian food could be so convenient?”―Rachel Brady, http://www.mrsrachelbrady.co.uk

–This text refers to an alternate kindle_edition edition.

Posted in #Recipes

My Aunt Faye’s Jell-O Salad Is The Most-Coveted Recipe In My Family—and It’s So Easy To Make

Posted on by Reluctant Retiree

My Great Aunt Faye does not call herself a cook, but there’s one thing that she’s known for always nailing: Orange Jell-O Salad. When it came time to prepare for my Grandma’s 90th birthday party, we thought we’d serve some old family favorites—among them, the Orange Jell-O Salad, which my grandma remembers Faye making for her when she was a little sick or down. Sure enough, my Aunt Faye still had her old, recipe card handy, and my mom and I got to work at making it. Once it came time to serve it, we did so with bated breath—but just about everyone went back for seconds, and even thirds!

What Is Orange Jell-O Salad?

This dish isn’t your typical orange or strawberry “fluff‘ recipe, though it does contain similar ingredients: Whipped topping like Cool Whip, a gelatin mixture like Jell-O, crushed pineapple, and nuts. It’s more firm than fluffy, resembling a molded Jell-O, but served chilled, in a bowl. It’s tangy and creamy, but rounded out with a pleasant nutty bite from chopped pecans.

Allrecipes

Posted in #Recipes

11 Healthy Slow Cooker Dinners That Make Weeknight Cooking Easy

Posted on by Reluctant Retiree

Eating healthy can sometimes feel like a challenge, especially when it comes time to cook dinner after a long day. Enter: slow cooker dump dinners. Just dump your ingredients in the pot and, in a few hours, you’ll have a tasty and healthy dinner ready to go. It may sound too good to be true, but we’ve rounded up some of our healthy slow cooker recipes you need to try.

Allrecipes