Tag: #delish

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 Book Reviews

Delish Insanely Easy Casseroles – 80+ Amazing Comfort Food Recipes

Posted on by Reluctant Retiree

Amazing recipes for dinner, appetizers, brunch, even dessert!

  • The 184-page spiral-bound cookbook lays flat so you can keep both hands on cooking without losing your page.
  • Each recipe includes a full-page color photo of the finished dish so you know what to expect.
  • It’s loaded with easy-to-make crowd-pleasers, comfort classics, over-the-top spins on familiar favorites — and it can go from the oven to the table all in one dish.
Mr. Adam
5.0 out of 5 stars. 
Beautiful Photos with every recipe - innovative recipes.
Reviewed in the United States on October 2, 2022
Verified Purchase
This is a great cookbook! It’s not like any other you have seen. It’s unique, stylish and trendy recipes. It’s a change of pace and great inspiration to typical cookbooks! It’s not entirely outlandish with the recipes, either. They are pretty basic recipes using ingredients that most people have on hand, with a few exceptions. It definitely will inspire you to make some newer recipes and the photos are just so clear and tantalizing! I love the format that they do in their cookbooks! The only drawback to this item is that it is spiral bound. That is good when you want to have a recipe open, but I don’t like flipping through this as much because you have to be careful not to rip the pages, if it came a little warped like mine did. Also, I wish Delish used weight scales in their recipes. Some of the recipes are just cup measures, which can be inaccurate.

Amazon

Posted in #Recipes

Air Fryer Hot Pockets

Posted on by Reluctant Retiree

Here’s the deal: Hot pockets are a delicious convenience. Take the handheld cheese-filled bundle, heat it up, and you have a complete meal in under 10 minutes. The bread-like wrap somehow works with every ham and cheddar, bacon, egg, cheese, or copycat pizza combination. I discovered that “pop and fresh” crescent dough sheets minimize efforts; all you have to do is roll. Read on for some tips for how to make hot pockets at home.

Fillings
We’ve chosen a few that are super-easy to make. The separate recipes below create enough filling for 12 hot pockets, but if you want to mix and match, you can adjust the ratios to whatever you’d like. Your call.
– The Buffalo chicken filling is mixed with your favorite Buffalo sauce, broccoli, and cheddar cheese.
– The spinach-artichoke filling is garlicky and cheesy thanks to using both mozzarella and Pecorino. You can use Parmesan too.
– Finally, the pepperoni cheese filling features mozzarella, pepperoni slices, and tomato sauce. A sprinkle of dried oregano gives it that pizza touch. I used a high-quality jar of marinara sauce, but if you want to make your own, we recommend making our easiest tomato sauce.

Types of air fryers
There are a few types of air fryers on the market, so depending on which one you have, the cook time may differ. I tested the hot pockets in a dual air fryer-toaster oven, then in a single basket air fryer. The cook time was longer in the air fryer-toaster oven, but I was able to cook four at a time as opposed to two.

Storage
Hot pockets are best for up to 3 days in the refrigerator after being air fried. You can also reheat them using the air fryer or oven. You can also stuff them and store them uncooked in the freezer for up to 2 weeks.

delish!

Posted in #Recipes

Air Fryer Crab Cakes

Posted on by Reluctant Retiree

Crab cakes are the best because you get all the deliciousness of crab without all of the tedious, messy work of pulling meat from the shells. They’re also super simple to assemble, but it can be a mess to pan fry them all. Enter the air fryer. Crab cakes are the ideal dish to cook in the air fryer because you want that crispy texture all around without ending up with an oil-logged cake. 

This recipe sticks to the classics, with mustard, Old Bay seasoning, and chives, and Saltine cracker crumbs as the binder. You gently fold in a whole pound of jumbo lump crab meat before air frying the cakes until perfectly golden brown. The result: a crab cake that has big chunks of crab meat and just enough filler ingredients to bind it all together—all without a ton of oil to weigh things down. 

Served alongside a classic tartar sauce, these crab cakes make for an extra-delicious dinner. 

delish!

Posted in #Recipes

Air Fryer Fried Brown Rice

Posted on by Reluctant Retiree

Got leftover cooked brown rice languishing in the fridge? Then we have great news for you: It’s absolutely perfect in this healthy take on fried rice. Brown rice has a nuttier taste than white rice, and due to its higher fiber content, it keeps you full for longer. That means that a bowl of Air Fryer Fried Brown Rice doesn’t work as a side dish, but can be easily upgraded into a meal. If that’s your jam, top it with avocado or even a few slices of leftover steak. Pair Air Fryer Fried Brown Rice with Beef and Broccoli Stir Fry, Mapo Tofu, and Ginger Pork Pot Stickers.

The best thing about fried rice is that it works better with day-old grains. BUT we found this recipe works just as well with packaged cooked brown rice. Great news, cheaters! And, though you can cook brown rice in an air fryer, this recipe calls for already cooked brown rice. Have cooked white rice on hand instead? You can use that, too.

Cooking the fried rice in the air fryer is healthier than frying it in a pan, but it makes for a less crispy dish than the classic kind. If you’d prefer that, go with a wok or a skillet instead and use a traditional fried rice recipe, instead.

delish!

Posted in Kitchen Tips

I Tasted Countless Butters—This One Reigned Supreme

Posted on by Reluctant Retiree

Butter is trending. Once scorned in favor of margarine and shortening, this dairy product’s popularity has been skyrocketing for the past several years. Butter boards, butter candles, butter-colored stand mixers—you get the picture.

And the dairy aisle reflects it. What used to be a simple section is now brimming with a plethora of different types and brands, each boasting its own unique selling points. Organic, grassfed, European, cultured… the list goes on. In the midst of all these options— some of them with exorbitant price tags—we have to ask: Which butters are actually worth buying?

I blindly tasted butter from 16 different brands. Every butter sample was unsalted and served at room temperature, so I could taste the full, true essence of each product. After tasting each sample, I rated it on a scale of 1-10, based on texture as well as flavor. At the end, I determined my favorite butter in each of five separate categories, as well as my favorite overall. Here are the results.

delish!

Posted in #Recipes

100+ Recipes You Can Make In Your Air Fryer

Posted on by Reluctant Retiree

With our kitchen counters covered with appliances (slow cookers, waffle irons, stand mixers…), anything new has to be great. Turns out, the air fryer is TOTALLY worth it. Our top reasons why: We love deep-fried foods (who doesn’t?!), but we are not about all the oil, mess, and cleanup involved. The air fryer solves all of that, in less than half the time. It turns out the crispiest, crunchiest foods with juiciness still locked in, thanks to hot air convection cooking. Check out this list of all 100+ of our favorite air fryer recipes to see how versatile it truly can be—and if you don’t have one yet, consider this your sign to take the plunge!

What’s really wild is how often we use ours. It’s become our go-to for everything from breakfast to dessert, and has even edged out our toaster as our on-counter appliance of choice. Speaking of toast, you can make almost every one of your regular breakfasts in your air fryer. We’re talking omelets, muffins, avocado toast, sausage, bacon, pancakes… We know, WILD, right?

It’s just as good at helping you make delicious lunches and dinners too. If you’ve got a main dish you want to spend more hands-on time with, pop your sides in the air fryer and let it do all the work. Veggies like broccoli, Brussels sprouts, potatoes, zucchini, mushrooms & onions, and cauliflower all turn out incredible in the air fryer. You can also make your main dish IN the air fryer. It works magic with proteins like tofu, chicken drumsticks, meatballs, pork chops, fried chicken… even steak.

Need a last-minute appetizer? Stick with your favorites, but make them in your air fryer. Check out our air fryer stuffed Tuscan mushrooms, our air fryer deviled eggs, our loaded zucchini skins, or our air fryer everything bagel avocado fries for ideas—your air fryer can make them in half their usual time.

And we can’t forget dessert. The air fryer can turn out some really killer options, like a berry crisp, vegan zucchini chocolate cake (so moist!), apple pie “baked” apples, or GF peanut butter chocolate chip cookies. Also should be noted, the air fryer is great for reheating things, especially desserts. Have some leftover pie, and don’t want to turn on your oven to warm it up? Want to serve a warm brownie with your ice cream? Have a baked good that needs livening up? Pop them in your air fryer briefly and you’ll never guess they’re not fresh out of the oven.

delish!

Posted in #Recipes

35 Quick & Easy No-Cook Recipes For When It’s Too Hot To Function

Posted on by Reluctant Retiree

No matter the time of year, sometimes you just simply do not want to cook. Lucky for you, there’s plenty of clever ways to avoid turning on your oven or stove-top, full-stop. And we’re not just talking salads either! These easy, no-cook meals (like bowls chilled soups, sandwiches, and salads) come together in a flash and are chill in more ways than one, making them perfect for busy weeknights, lazy weekends, or a night when it’s way too hot to turn on the oven.

Just because it’s dinner time does not mean a hot meal should always be the main event. As we’ve found, a cold dinner is not only refreshing, but can turn into something extraordinary very easily. For a truly legendary no-cook, chilled dinner, focus on highlighting what’s in season or what’s looking good at the market. Dishes like gazpacho with burrata, salmon ceviche, and crab-stuffed avocados feature good-quality ingredients that just need a bit of prep to make into a no-cook dream of a dinner.

Still want some roasted, caramelized flavor only the oven can provide? You can still skip out on the oven (and get that home-cooked flavor) by doing our ultimate dinner cheat code: Picking up a grocery store rotisserie chicken. Grab one at the top of the week and you’ll be on your way to skipping to the good part all week long to make our Chinese chicken salad, Tuscan chicken wrap, and bruschetta-stuffed avocados.

delish!

Posted in #Recipes

32 Stunning Side Dishes For Pasta

Posted on by Reluctant Retiree

There’s something so special about pasta—it’s got the potential to be comforting or romantic, is a forever fave for weeknight family dinners, and usually comes together pretty quickly (great whether you’re a master chef or a beginner). Whether you’re craving spaghetti & meatballs, a bowl of creamy chicken Alfredo, or the famous baked feta pasta, a bowl of macaroni, penne, or spaghetti always satisfies. That said, even a big bowl of pasta can be improved with a side dish. If you’ve ever struggled to decide what to pair with your pasta dinner, never fear—these 32 sides for pasta are here for you.

Because of how hearty and filling pasta can be, we love to serve veggies alongside our meal, whether they’re grilled, roasted, or steamed. Check out our green beans almondine, our roasted fennel with delicata squash & apples, or our garlic butter mushrooms for ideas, but really, you can’t go wrong. You can also never go wrong with a refreshing salad (our simple arugula salad, our fun sheet-pan sheet-pan panzanella, or our classic antipasto salad are all delicious choices); the fresh crunch will give a stellar contrast to your bowl of pasta. Serving a big crowd? Bakes like our broccoli cauliflower casserole, our butternut squash casserole, or our zucchini casserole with garlicky bread crumbs guarantee you’ll have enough for everyone, with minimal effort.

Don’t worry, we didn’t forget about everyone’s favorite breads! In addition to classic garlic bread, we’ve also included some of our other favorite versions, including garlic knots, our share-and-tear cheesy garlic pull-apart bread, and our easily-adaptable focaccia. They’re just the thing for sopping up any leftover sauce from your bowl.

Looking for more dinner inspo? Check out our favorite Italian dinner recipes for more Italian-inspired weeknight dinners, or our top pasta side dishes for when you want pasta as your side instead of your main.

delish!

Posted in Kitchen Tips

7 Grilling Hacks To Turn You Into A Backyard Hero This Summer

Posted on by Reluctant Retiree

Grilling is a staple of summer in America. But as common as it is, most of us wouldn’t claim to be pros. Some of us even feel downright insecure about our abilities. Will the steak stick to the grates? Will the chicken burn before it cooks through? And what if we can’t get those gorgeous grill marks?

As someone who had a “grilling complex” for a long time, I can sympathize. But I’m also here to say that if I can master it, you can too. Follow my golden rules of grilling and you’ll be hosting your next backyard cookout with confidence.

1. Prep Your Grills Grates For Success

Before you even think about putting food on the grill, make sure it’s in good working order. Clean the grates, using a long grill brush to scrape off any charred bits or debris. This will be easiest to accomplish when the grill is already hot, as the heat makes it easier to remove any charred debris. Once the grates are scrubbed clean, make sure to oil them well. A paper towel dipped in oil works great for this. The goal is to lightly grease the grates but not to over-oil them to the point that the oil will drip into the flames and cause flare-ups.

delish!