Tag: #EasyandQuick

Posted in #Recipes

Beef Chow Mein

Posted on by Reluctant Retiree

Our beef chow mein recipe combines crispy stir-fried noodles with colorful vegetables and tender, juicy stir-fried steak. A flavorful sauce made with Chinese cooking wine, beef broth, oyster sauce and other savory ingredients completes this tasty dish. While a wok is an ideal Chinese cooking tool for making this dish, you can use a high-walled skillet if you don’t have one.

Fun fact: depending on where you live in the United States, chow mein and lo mein may be entirely different dishes. While both are staples at Chinese American restaurants, the names are often interchangeable on menus. However, while they both contain meat, vegetables and noodles, the key difference is in the preparation. In chow mein, the noodles (mein) are stir-fried with the meat and vegetables until they’re crispy (chow means “fried”); for lo mein, the noodles are boiled and then tossed together with the meat and vegetables (lo means “tossed”). Lo mein also tends to have more sauce than chow mein.

Ingredients for Beef Chow Mein

Beef Chow Mein Ft25 9746 Jr 0722 1
JOSH RINK FOR TASTE OF HOME
  • Chow mein noodles: Use the noodles packaged in blocks (toss any seasoning packets) rather than the crunchy kind sold in canisters. You might also find fresh chow mein noodles at your local Asian market.
  • Soy sauce: This salty and savory sauce comes from fermenting or hydrolyzing soybeans. If you’re watching your sodium intake, use a low-sodium variety. Use products from the top soy sauce brands for the best flavor.
  • Chinese cooking wine: Also known as Shaoxing rice wine, this cooking wine can be found in Asian grocery stores. Its sweet and sour flavor complements the umami and salty flavors in this dish. If you don’t have it, use rice wine vinegar, dry cooking wine or a dry white wine.
  • Beef broth: Beef broth adds a savory flavor to the cooking sauce. Use a low-sodium variety to control the overall salt level of this beef chow mein recipe.
  • Oyster sauce: Oyster sauce is a savory, dark Asian sauce. It adds richness and umami to this recipe for beef chow mein.
  • Brown sugar: Brown sugar adds a bit of sweetness to the cooking sauce, complementing the salty and savory flavors.
  • Cornstarch: Cornstarch is used to thicken the sauce.
  • Canola oil: Canola oil is a neutral cooking oil with a high smoke point, making it an ideal choice for stir-fry recipes like this one.
  • Beef tenderloin: Beef tenderloin is a lean and tender cut of beef. Cutting it into strips ensures a quick cook when stir-fried.
  • Garlic: Minced garlic adds a punch of its characteristic pungent flavor to the beef chow mein.
  • Assorted fresh vegetables: Veggies are stir-fried along with the beef to add fresh flavor. Choose colorful vegetables like red bell peppers, carrots, snow peas, green onions and bean sprouts.

Taste of Home

Posted in #Recipes

27 Delicious Recipes to Make with Leftover Canned Pumpkin Purée

Posted on by Reluctant Retiree

hile there are many pumpkin recipes that use a full can of pumpkin purée, there are others that don’t. Finding a good use for leftovers can sometimes prove challenging. When in doubt: freeze it! Simply spoon the leftover purée into an ice cube tray and place it in the freezer. After the cubes are frozen, remove them from the tray and store in a freezer container or zip-top bag. Defrost them in the fridge the night before you’re ready to cook.

Pumpkin purée is an incredibly versatile ingredient. You can stir pumpkin purée into your favorite chili, add it to your morning smoothie, stir it into oatmeal, or jazz up mac and cheese.

Whether you find yourself with a one tablespoon or one cup of leftover canned pumpkin purée, here are 27 delicious ways to use it up.

The Kitchn

Posted in #Recipes

Pumpkin Mug Cake

Posted on by Reluctant Retiree

very autumn, as piles of pumpkins appear on porches, I start adding pumpkin purée to every recipe I can. I happily trade basic drip coffee for a pumpkin spice latte, and there’s often a Dutch oven filled with creamy pumpkin soup simmering on the stove for dinner. My favorite way to feature pumpkin in the fall is with a treat that’s just for me. 

Pumpkin mug cake is the most delicious combination of pumpkin bread and coffee cake, and it’s made right in my favorite mug. The batter uses canned pumpkin purée for a moist texture, and the warm flavors in pumpkin pie spice of cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger. The cake is topped with a buttery streusel that’s made from a portion of the batter. The best part is that the cake is made right in a coffee mug and baked in the microwave. From start to finish, this pumpkin mug cake is ready in just 15 minutes — ready for you to enjoy at any time of the day. 

Why You’ll Love It

  • It tastes like fall. This single-serve pumpkin mug cake is moist, warmly spiced, and topped with a sweet and crumbly streusel. 
  • Make it right in the mug. The cake batter is mixed right in the mug, and the spiced streusel topping is made from the same batter, which means it’s super simple to make.
Creamy dessert with crumbled topping and drizzled icing in a light-colored bowl.
Credit: Photo: Alex Lepe; Food Styling: Rachel Perlmutter

Key Ingredients in Pumpkin Mug Cake

  • Pumpkin purée: Canned pumpkin purée gives this mug cake its fall flavor. Make sure to use pumpkin purée and not pumpkin pie mix.
  • Pumpkin pie spice: This spice blend is a mix of warm spices including cinnamon, nutmeg, clove, and ginger. It’s easy to make pumpkin pie spice at home, use a store-bought spice blend, or add just ground cinnamon to the batter. 
  • All-purpose flour: This ingredient gives the cake and its crumble topping structure. 
  • Baking powder: This is the leavening agent that gives the batter its lift in the microwave. Baking powder and baking soda are not the same thing, so make sure you measure from the correct package. 

The Kitchn

Posted in Book Reviews

The Mediterranean Diet Cookbook

Posted on by Reluctant Retiree

From the Publisher of New York Times Bestseller The Mediterranean Diet for Beginners

The Mediterranean Diet Cookbook makes it easy to transition to a Mediterranean diet, one of the healthiest diets in the world, with 150 Mediterranean diet recipes that are delicious and easy to follow. These healthy recipes use fresh, whole foods that are low in carbohydrates and fats, and naturally high in disease-fighting phytonutrients and antioxidants. The Mediterranean diet plan is full of flavorful foods that are scientifically proven to reduce the risk of cancer and cardiovascular disease.

Let The Mediterranean Diet Cookbook change your diet forever with:

  • 150 Savory Recipes for delicious breakfasts, salads, soups, seafood and meat dishes, snacks, desserts, and more
  • Healthful Ingredients and super-foods packed with omega-3s, antioxidants, and fiber
  • Detailed Information on how a Mediterranean diet can help you lose weight, feel better, and drastically improve your heart health

Recipes include: Chicken Marsala, Italian Breaded Shrimp, Roasted Pork Tenderloin, Greek Kebabs, Baked Ziti, and much more!

The Mediterranean Diet Cookbook: A Mediterranean Cookbook with 150 Healthy Mediterranean Diet Recipes will show you how to live and eat healthfully on a Mediterranean diet, without sacrificing flavor.

Posted in #Recipes

Chocolate Pumpkin Tart

Posted on by Reluctant Retiree

At first, it may seem as if pumpkin and chocolate wouldn’t pair well. But if pumpkin chocolate chip cookies or pumpkin brownies couldn’t convince you, our chocolate pumpkin tart definitely will. The creamy fall-spiced pumpkin filling baked in a bitter chocolate crust with a ganache topping forms a powerhouse of complementary flavors. It’s kind of like a sophisticated version of pumpkin pie, with an elevated taste and matching look. I love crystallized ginger as the finishing touch, but you could also use candied pepitas.

Chocolate Pumpkin Tart Ingredients

  • All-purpose flour: All-purpose flour makes a tender, sturdy crust.
  • Baking cocoa: I always like to splurge on the best cocoa powder for quality-tasting chocolate desserts.
  • Pumpkin pie spice: Pumpkin pie spice is the perfect blend of fall spices. It’s so much easier to use than measuring cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and ginger one by one.
  • Butter: This recipe calls for only one stick of butter. Melt it and let it cool slightly before use.
  • Pumpkin: Use canned pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling.
  • Eggs: Eggs give classic pumpkin pie filling that custardy texture.
  • Orange zest: Orange zest may seem unexpected, but it’s a wonderful pairing with chocolate and pumpkin. Be sure to zest only the orange’s outer skin, not the bitter white pith underneath.
  • Heavy whipping cream: Heavy whipping cream thins the pumpkin filling without the filling losing richness. The cream also helps create the shiny chocolate ganache on top!
  • Ganache: Our chocolate pumpkin tart is finished with a gorgeous chocolate ganache. You can even add candied ginger as a decoration so the tart looks truly worthy of a bakery case.

Taste of Home

Posted in #Recipes

Mechado (Filipino Beef Stew)

Posted on by Reluctant Retiree

Mechado is one of those Filipino dishes that always tastes like home to me. It’s a slow-cooked beef stew with potatoes and carrots simmered in a tomato-based sauce. My mom used to make this for us when I was growing up, and it’s still one of my favorite meals. Whenever the pot was simmering on the stove, I knew dinner was going to be something comforting and delicious.

A lot of Filipino stews share similarities, but each has its own character. Afritada uses chicken and usually has a lighter tomato base, while kaldereta is known for its richer flavor and sometimes includes liver spread. Menudo is usually made with pork, along with smaller diced vegetables. Mechado sits somewhere in between — still tomato-forward, but with tender beef chuck that makes it especially satisfying. It’s cozy, hearty, and one of the most comforting meals you can make.

Why You’ll Love It

  • The best comfort food. With tender beef, rich sauce, and hearty vegetables, it’s a classic Filipino stew that the whole family will love.
  • Make it two ways. You can cook it low and slow on the stovetop, or in the oven. It’s perfect for making ahead, too!

Tips from Our Recipe Tester

This recipe tastes like my childhood. The beef was tender and the veggies were well-cooked. My daughter couldn’t get enough of the sauce. It was rich with depth and very flavorful. I appreciated that there were two cooking options, which gives flexibility to the cook. —Kristina, September 2025

Savory beef stew with chunks of potatoes, red peppers, and rice in a white bowl.
Credit: Photo: Alex Lepe; Food Styling: Brett Regot

Key Ingredients in Mechado 

  • Boneless beef chuck roast: Trim the excess fat and cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces.
  • Aromatics: Yellow onion and garlic build the foundation of flavor.
  • Vegetables: Use a combination of Yukon Gold potatoes, carrots, and red bell pepper for the stew.
  • Tomato sauce: This creates the rich, tangy base that mechado is known for.
  • Soy sauce: Adds umami and savory flavor.
  • Bay leaves: When simmered in the sauce, they add their signature aroma that ties the whole dish together.

The Kitchn

Posted in #Recipes

55 Cranberry Recipes You Won’t Be Able to Resist

Posted on by Reluctant Retiree

You know the holidays are approaching when cranberries arrive at stores and outdoor markets. Their ruby-red hue and sweet-tart bite make cranberry recipes a seasonal favorite, whether baking a sweet treat, stirring up cocktails or making a savory cranberry-glazed roast. Fresh cranberries brighten quick breads and hearty stuffings, while dried ones offer a subtle hint of sweetness in salads and sides.

Our collection celebrates the many ways to enjoy the fruit, from simple drinks and sauces to creative dips and mains. There are tangy cocktails, party-worthy pinwheel recipes and larger-format meals, like cranberry short ribs and meatballs. It also has fun and indulgent cranberry dessert recipes, perfect for a holiday cookie party or afternoon tea. With so many sweet and savory cranberry ideas, you won’t need to repeat flavors.

When shopping for fresh cranberries, look for firm, plump, deeply red ones. Before using, sort through the bag to remove any brown or wrinkled berries. No two berries will taste the same, so if your dishes are more tart than intended, balance the sharp edge with a drizzle of honey, maple syrup, agave or simple syrup. Don’t forget to toss a few bags in the freezer to enjoy cranberry recipes long after the season ends.

Taste of Home

Posted in #Recipes

25 Festive Fall Dessert Bars

Posted on by Reluctant Retiree

Autumn is the bridge between the warm days of summer and the busy, chilly holidays, and these fall dessert bars welcome and celebrate the flavors of the changing seasons. Filled with pumpkin, maple, apple, and cranberry, these comforting treats are easy to slice, simple to serve, and fit for both weeknight cravings and festive gatherings.

As expected, pumpkin dessert recipes are prevalent throughout the collection, whether paired with chocolate, cream cheese, or warm fall spices. But these easy fall dessert bar recipes also offer many other flavor options. Try buttery squares of apple-filled bars reminiscent of a classic apple pie, or easy treats full of crunchy nuts complemented by caramel, white chocolate, or cinnamon.

Most recipes are made from scratch, perfect for a cozy afternoon baking project. If you are short on time, try a no-bake cereal treat bar or one that uses cake mix, so it takes minutes to assemble and get into the oven. Many of these recipes freeze well, so you can bake once and enjoy for months whenever you need something sweet.

Taste of Home

Posted in #Recipes

35 Delicious Recipes with Vanilla Pudding That We Love

Posted on by Reluctant Retiree

That small box of pudding mix in the pantry may not look like much, but our recipes with vanilla pudding prove how versatile it can be. With a silky texture and mellow sweetness, vanilla pudding easily transforms into the base for pies, cakes, trifles and easy no-bake desserts.

These vanilla pudding dessert recipes range from rich and decadent, like a toffee brownie trifle or chocolate éclair, to lighter and fruit-forward, such as strawberry bliss or raspberry coffee cake. On warmer days, you can make frozen treats like pops and ice cream sandwiches in different flavors. Moreover, a simple swap to nondairy milk or adding a handful of seasonal fruits and spices can fit these recipes for any occasion, including potluck desserts.

Whether you’re looking for a quick weeknight treat, craving a nostalgic favorite or wanting a fresh spin for gatherings, these desserts using vanilla pudding prove the mix is anything but ordinary.

Taste of Home

Posted in #Recipes

Slow-Cooker Pork Medallions

Posted on by Reluctant Retiree

These slow-cooker pork medallions are a bit of an outlier among our wealth of slow-cooker recipes. While most are built around slow, low-heat cooking—designed to cook meats and vegetables to a meltingly soft texture in three to six or even eight hours—this one has a cooking time of around two hours. Pork medallion slow-cooker recipes are rare because tenderloins are already so, well, tender. Sure, the slow cooker is great for fixing tough cuts of meat. But the tenderloin doesn’t need fixing. You can pull it together before those after-school activities with the kids, and dinner will be ready when you get home.

Ingredients for Slow-Cooker Pork Medallions

  • Olive oil: Unlike most slow-cooker recipes, this one includes no added liquids. The oil coats the pork and keeps it from sticking and drying in the slow cooker.
  • Soy sauce: There’s just enough soy sauce in the recipe to give it a layer of savory umami flavors.
  • Montreal steak seasoning: This popular spice mixture provides a balance of savory, meat-enhancing flavors.
  • Pork tenderloin: Tenderloin is boneless and has no surface fat to trim away, so it’s a no-fuss meal option.
  • Wild rice or mashed potatoes: Serve the finished pork medallions with wild rice for an elegant meal, or with mashed potatoes for comfort-food vibes.

Taste of Home