Posted in #Recipes

Corn Dog Casserole

Posted on by Reluctant Retiree

A fun twist on the iconic state fair corn dog, this easy corn dog casserole is in and out of the oven in 30 minutes. Best of all, there’s no waiting in line.

A corn dog casserole is a homey way to mimic the flavor of that favorite fair food on a stick, without the fuss. The key ingredients are the same: hot dogs and a cornbread batter. Our corn dog casserole recipe includes a few more ingredients and skips the deep frying (and the stick) to create a family-friendly fare for casual mealtimes. Pair it with a side of roasted carrots and pop them in the oven at the same time.

This dish is also quick to disappear at potlucks. It’s hard to resist the cheesy, fluffy cornbread chunks of juicy hotdogs. Although we love the traditional flavor of all-beef hot dogs, feel free to use your favorite frank or sausage.

Corn Dog Casserole Ingredients

Corn Dog Casserole ingredients: Hot Dog, Milk, Cheese, Green Onion, Eggs, Pepper, Butter
Nicole Perry for Taste of Home
  • Butter: It does indeed make everything better. This recipe calls for it to be melted to saute the vegetables, adding a rich flavor.
  • Celery and green onions: The combination, gently cooked in butter until tender, adds a foundation of earthy flavor.
  • Hot dogs: For the best corn dog flavor, go for a high-quality beef hot dog.
  • Eggs: Not only do eggs help the batter rise, but they provide structure to keep the baked cornbread from crumbling to pieces.
  • Milk: The liquid adds moisture to create a thick and fluffy batter. We like 2% milk in this recipe, but nut milk works well, too.
  • Seasonings: Sage and pepper add boosts of savory flavors.
  • Cornbread/muffin mix: A corn dog casserole doesn’t taste the same without it! Cornbread/muffin mix is typically made with yellow cornmeal and is an easy-prep base for the batter.
  • Shredded sharp cheddar cheese: If you have a few extra minutes, grate your cheese. Packaged shredded cheese typically contains preservatives that make it a bit more difficult to melt.

Taste of Home

Posted in #Recipes

30 Valentine’s Day Snacks to Share the Love

Posted on by Reluctant Retiree

While I love making a special meal on Valentine’s Day, my real food love language is snacks. But I don’t mean a handful of baby carrots or a half-stale granola bar. Whether sweet or savory, the little nibbles that carry us through the day until that romantic date-night dinner can be just as thoughtful as the main course. That’s what this collection of Valentine’s Day snacks celebrates.

Here, you will find a mix of sweet and savory festive treats, so you can still enjoy a pink cupcake, a few chocolate-covered tuxedo strawberries or a slice of decadent chocolate cake for Valentine’s Day dessert without feeling as if you’ve gone overboard on sugar all day. For something that you can graze on all afternoon, try a snack board loaded with a combination of cheese, crackers and cured meats.

You can even turn these snacks into a meal by making a variety of dishes. Pair shrimp skewers or crab-stuffed mushrooms with steak bites for surf-and-turf vibes, along with a few different types of bruschetta for color and texture. The best part about these Valentine’s Day snacks is that they’re elegant and delicious yet easy enough to prepare so you still have time to spend with your Valentine.

Taste of Home

Posted in #Recipes

White Pizza Dip

Posted on by Reluctant Retiree

I think we can all agree that a hot, cheesy pizza is the ultimate party food. Whether you’re celebrating a birthday or gathering around the TV for a big game, nothing beats a fresh slice—except maybe some ooey-gooey pizza-inspired snacks.

This white pizza dip is the perfect shareable appetizer. It’s creamy, loaded with melty mozzarella, and bursting with all the garlic and herby flavor of a sauceless pizza. It comes together in just a few simple steps, and there’s no dough rolling required. Serve it with crispy toasted baguette slices or fresh veggies for a guaranteed crowd-pleaser.

White Pizza Dip Ingredients

A baking tray with toasted baguette slices sits on a counter next to bowls containing diced pepperoni, shredded cheese, cream cheese, and sour cream. A red-striped towel and a small bowl of dried herbs are also visible.
Taste of Home
  • Sour cream: Tangy sour cream gives the dip a silky, spoonable texture. Full-fat sour cream works best, but reduced-fat can be used if needed—just expect a slightly looser dip.
  • Ricotta cheese: Mild, milky ricotta adds body and balances the tang of the sour cream. Whole-milk ricotta is our choice for an extra-rich pizza-like dip, but you can use part-skim for a lighter version. If your ricotta is a little watery, drain it first in a fine-mesh sieve before mixing it with the sour cream.
  • Mozzarella cheese: Shredded mozzarella melts in the oven, giving the dip its classic pizza-style stretch and gooey finish.
  • Pepperoni: Use your favorite variety to add savory, meaty bites throughout the dip—regular, spicy and turkey pepperoni all work well here. Chop the slices finely for even distribution, or use mini pepperoni for a shortcut.
  • Soup mix: This recipe calls for a packet of Lipton Savory Herb with Garlic soup mix. It’s a convenient all-in-one seasoning option that includes dried herbs, garlic and onion with no measuring required. If you can’t find it, you can experiment with other varieties or substitute a blend of Italian seasoning, garlic powder, onion powder, salt and pepper to taste.
  • Baguette: Slice and toast a fresh baguette to create crisp, sturdy dippers for scooping up the warm, cheesy dip. Crackers, crostini, crunchy breadsticks and raw veggies are also great options.

Taste of Home

Posted in #Recipes

French Onion Beans

Posted on by Reluctant Retiree

f I had to pick a desert-island food, I would choose beans without a moment’s hesitation (and hopefully remember to bring a can opener). With their plant-based protein and fiber coupled with their unmatched versatility, there isn’t much that beans can’t do. This recipe is one of my favorite bean-y mash-ups. It features all the cozy, melty, cheesy flavors of a classic French onion soup, made even heartier with the inclusion of soft, plump butter beans. Meet: French onion beans.

You may know butter beans as lima beans, but by any name they’re creamy, buttery, and the perfect blank canvas for bold French onion flavors. Here, they pair perfectly with caramelized onions before getting blanketed by crusty chunks of bread (technically optional, but the bread adds a lovely crunchy texture) and a shower of nutty Gruyère cheese.

Why You’ll Love It

  • It’s got that classic, well-loved flavor. The same savory, slow-cooked flavors you love in French onion soup shine through in this comforting dish.
  • Equally great as a main or a side dish. Paired with a simple green salad, this is a hearty, filling meal. Or it can be the back-up singer to a roasted chicken or pork chops (although, like all great back-up singers, it will likely steal the show).
Baked dish in a cast iron skillet with toasted bread, melted cheese, and white beans, garnished with parsley.
Credit: Photo: Alex Lepe; Food Styling: Rachel Perlmutter

Key Ingredients in French Onion Beans

  • Yellow onions: Caramelized until they’re golden-brown, sweet yellow onions provide the signature French onion flavor in this dish.
  • Crusty bread (optional): In combination with the melted Gruyère, hunks of bread from a rustic sourdough loaf or baguette provide that quintessential French onion soup topping.
  • White wine: A splash gives this dish depth by balancing acidity and sweetness.
  • Beef or vegetable broth: Beef broth will deliver the savory umami flavors of a typical French onion soup, but don’t underestimate a good vegetable broth, which can easily make the dish vegetarian.
  • Butter beans: The backbone of the dish, providing the necessary heft and heartiness to make this a satisfying dish.
  • Sherry vinegar: Just a small amount will brighten the other ingredients here, adding a dynamic element that keeps you coming back for more.

The Kitch’n

Posted in #Recipes

39 Easy Three-Ingredient Desserts for Sharing

Posted on by Reluctant Retiree

I’ve always had a sweet tooth and love to end meals with a little treat. A square of dark chocolate or a scoop of ice cream usually does the trick, but making something from scratch is extra-satisfying. On those nights when even quick and easy baking recipes are out of reach, I turn to easy three-ingredient desserts. You’d be surprised what you can do with just a few simple pantry-friendly ingredients. From frozen treats to chocolaty fudge, there is a recipe here for every craving.

Each recipe in this collection has three ingredients or fewer, excluding water, salt, small amounts of oil and optional garnishes. These simple three-ingredient treats rely on clever shortcuts, like boxed cake or brownie mixes, and ingredients with bold flavors, like peanut butter and chocolate, to create something delicious. Some are as easy as melting and mixing a few ingredients together, but if you are in the mood to bake, there are a few classic cookie recipes, including one of my favorites: buttery shortbread.

Many of these quick three-ingredient sweets recipes adapt easily to dietary needs, so you can use dairy-free chocolate chips or gluten-free flour blends without missing a beat. These easy dessert ideas are perfect for taking to potlucks and parties, or when you make last-minute plans and don’t have time to run to the bakery. Whether you choose a frozen fruit-based dessert or a decadent chocolate truffle, you are only three ingredients away from your next sweet treat.

Posted in #Recipes

The 2-Ingredient “Lemon Bars” I Can’t Stop Making (They’re So Easy)

Posted on by Reluctant Retiree

Lemon angel bars are my go-to whenever I need to make a super-easy dessert with almost no effort. The fact that they only use two ingredients still surprises me every time I make them. Just stir together angel food cake mix and lemon pie filling, bake, and you’re done! The bars come out soft and airy, with a light texture and a bright lemon flavor. I make this recipe whenever I want something simple and not too heavy. Even better, it’s the kind of dessert I can easily throw together for a last-minute get-together or potluck.

What Makes Lemon Angel Bars So Great

This recipe works because the angel food cake mix provides structure and lift, while the lemon pie filling adds sweetness, moisture, and citrus flavor all at once. There’s no measuring, no mixers, and no complicated steps. The bars bake up fluffy and tender with a soft, cake-like crumb. Once they’re cooled, I like to dust the top with powdered sugar (although they’re just as good plain). These bars prove that minimal ingredients can still deliver big, delicious results.

The Kitch’n

Posted in #Recipes

Pizza Dough Focaccia

Posted on by Reluctant Retiree

There’s nothing quite like a fresh loaf of homemade bread. The smell, the taste, the texture … it’s truly divine. However, it can be hard to find the time to make bread from scratch. While some yeasted bread recipes can be made more quickly than others, others require more of a time investment. That’s why this shortcut pizza dough focaccia is our new favorite.

This recipe requires no measuring or mixing; simply snag a ball or two of your favorite store-bought pizza dough, let it proof, and then bake it in the oven with plenty of olive oil, herbs and flaky sea salt. The result is a soft, spongy flatbread with an open crumb and irresistibly crisp, chewy exterior that will fool everyone into thinking that it’s a traditional focaccia bread recipe. Add this one to your list of creative ideas for using pizza dough.

Ingredients for Shortcut Pizza Dough Focaccia

  • Pizza dough: For this recipe, you’ll need two balls of fresh or frozen pizza dough. Store-bought pizza crusts that have been parbaked will not work for this recipe.
  • Olive oil: Focaccia derives much of its flavor from the olive oil in which it’s baked. Therefore, this is a great occasion to splurge on a high-quality olive oil for best results.
  • Rosemary: Rosemary is a classic topping for focaccia. It has an intoxicating aroma and a warm, woodsy flavor.
  • Flaky sea salt: Flaky sea salt is a must-have for topping focaccia. It doesn’t dissolve as quickly as table salt, so it imparts a great texture and bursts of salty flavor on the top of the bread. If you don’t have flaked salt, you can substitute coarsely ground Kosher salt.

Taste of Home

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12 Homemade Dog Treat Recipes

Posted on by Reluctant Retiree

Your fur baby deserves the best, especially when it comes to food. Keep ’em happy and healthy with these delish dog treat recipes!

Taste of Home

Posted in #Recipes

Slow Cooker Hamburger Helper

Posted on by Reluctant Retiree

few years ago, practically everything I made came from the air fryer, and before that, the Instant Pot was our dinnertime hero. But if I had to choose a countertop kitchen appliance that has stood the test of time, there’s no doubt I’d pick my slow cooker. I’ve relied on my slow cookers (I own three of them and have no plans to pare them down) more often in some years than others. This year is already shaping up to be a banner year for my slow cookers, thanks in part to my version of Hamburger Helper. 

Growing up, we ate boxed meals of pasta, cheese, seasonings, and ground beef so often that it’s one of my go-to comfort meals. Just one bite of this slow cooker version of Hamburger Helper brings me right back to the kitchen table of my childhood. Every bite is packed with savory ground beef, tender pasta, and a cheesy tomato sauce. It’s delicious, filling, and even easier than the boxed version thanks to the slow cooker.  

Why You’ll Love It

  • Tastes even better than the casserole you grew up with. This dinner is much more delicious than any convenience casserole thanks to ground beef, a cheesy tomato sauce, and tender pasta.
  • It’s so flexible. This is one slow cooker recipe that works with your schedule, no matter what that schedule is. The bulk of the time is spent softening the peppers and marrying the flavors of the meat and tomato sauce, so you can cook it from as little as 2 hours on HIGH or 6 hours on LOW, adding the noodles during the final 30 minutes. 
Creamy beef and macaroni dish in a bowl, garnished with parsley and served with a spoon.
Credit: Photo: Alex Lepe; Food Styling: Anna Billingskog

Key Ingredients in Slow Cooker Hamburger Helper

  • Ground beef: Cook and brown ground beef while breaking it up into hearty crumbles before adding it to the slow cooker. Make sure to drain off any excess rendered fat. 
  • Cottage cheese: Cottage cheese adds creamy texture and a protein boost to this retro dinner. The curds mostly melt away during the cooking process, but for a guaranteed smooth sauce, blend the cottage cheese and tomato sauce together in a food processor or blender first. 
  • Tomato sauce: Canned tomato sauce is a budget-friendly way to add easy tomato flavor.
  • Beef broth: One can of low-sodium beef broth adds enough moisture so that the elbow macaroni can cook right in the slow cooker.
  • Elbow macaroni: Add 6 ounces elbow macaroni 30 minutes before serving so it can cook right in the sauce.
  • Cheddar cheese: Shred sharp cheddar cheese on the large holes of a box grater, or save yourself a step and buy a bag of pre-shredded cheese.

The Kitch’n

Posted in #Recipes

Slow-Cooker Chicken Tortilla Soup

Posted on by Reluctant Retiree

Chicken tortilla soup is warm and comforting—and now it’s easier than ever to make. This slow-cooker chicken tortilla soup recipe is the ultimate set-it-and-forget-it meal. It simmers away in the background until the chicken is tender enough to shred with a fork.

Like other Mexican-inspired soups, slow-cooker chicken tortilla soup is packed with spices and savory ingredients like fire-roasted tomatoes, black beans and corn. Topped off with crispy tortilla chips, a dollop of sour cream and a squeeze of lime, this homemade version might just make your weekly menu rotation.

Ingredients for Slow-Cooker Chicken Tortilla Soup

  • Boneless skinless chicken breasts: Chicken breasts are our go-to choice for slow-cooker chicken tortilla soup. The meat stays juicy in the slow cooker’s gentle heat and is easy to shred once cooked.
  • Chicken broth: Use homemade chicken broth, or pick up one of our Test Kitchen’s favorite chicken broth brands.
  • Black beans: These beans have a rich, earthy flavor, and they hold their shape well when cooked. We drain and rinse the black beans to remove excess sodium.
  • Fire-roasted diced tomatoes: Any diced tomato will work in this soup, but fire-roasted tomatoes add an extra dimension. They’ve been charred over an open flame, and they deepen the soup’s flavor with a subtle smokiness.
  • Frozen corn: We use frozen corn for ease, but you can easily substitute fresh or canned corn.
  • Spices: Chili powder, ground cumin, paprika, salt and pepper create a slightly spicy, smoky blend for this soup. We stir in minced cilantro just before serving to give the dish a fresh, herbaceous finish. (Don’t worry; you can substitute parsley if cilantro tastes like soap to you.)
  • Soup toppings: Crushed tortilla chips are an essential component of tortilla soup! Top each bowl with chips and other fresh garnishes, like chopped avocado, sliced jalapenos and lime wedges.

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