Tag: #EasyandQuick

Posted in Book Reviews

Mediterranean Diet Meal Prep Cookbook: Weekly Plans and Recipes for a Healthy Lifestyle 

Posted on by Reluctant Retiree

Fresh, ready-to-go meals for people on the Mediterranean diet

Inspired by the wholesome, heart-healthy lifestyle of the Mediterranean region—and spotlighting regional ingredients like fresh seafood and produce—the Mediterranean diet has become one of the most popular methods of healthy eating. Packed with foolproof meal prep advice and deliciously balanced recipes, the Mediterranean Diet Meal Prep Cookbook makes starting and staying on the Mediterranean diet easy so you can reduce your total time in the kitchen—all while enjoying a lifetime of healthy eating.

Before you get cooking, dig into an overview of the Mediterranean diet principles and health benefits. Master the art of prep with the dos and don’ts of meal planning and helpful storage solutions before jump-starting your diet with 6 weeklong meal preps—each including easy-to-follow recipes and time-saving tips. You’ll find plenty of additional recipes to use as inspiration to customize your own meal prep menus, or even as a foundation for your own creative Mediterranean-style meals.

The Mediterranean Diet Meal Prep Cookbook includes:

  • Guess-free guidance—Take the guesswork out of what to eat with detailed shopping lists and colorful illustrations for essential equipment and grocery shopping tips.
  • Prepped for success—The 6 weeklong meal preps are simplified to keep your kitchen time down, including suggestions for every meal, as well as step-by-step cooking instructions.
  • Mouthwatering Mediterranean—Enjoy a taste of the Mediterranean with 95 delicious, nutritious recipes, including nutritional labels and storage tips.

With the Mediterranean Diet Meal Prep Cookbook, you’ll enjoy healthy, fresh, and fast Mediterranean flavors—without the labor.

Posted in #Recipes

25 Great British Baking Show Copycat Recipes

Posted on by Reluctant Retiree

America has many food and cooking competition shows, but none are as sweet and accented as The Great British Baking Show (or Bake Off for the Brits). From the early episodes with British treasure Mary Berry as a judge to Prue Leith joining Paul Hollywood, and Noel Fielding and Alison Hammond adding comic relief, the show keeps evolving in exciting ways. We’ve learned to make classic British desserts like a proper Victorian sponge and can now identify Northern and Southern English accents.

But honestly, we’re really here for the bakes. There have been some wildly incomprehensible technical challenges from Paul’s sinister mind (who can forget flaounes and dampfnudel?), but some are easy enough to make at home. These copycat recipes are inspired by the show, including one-offs from our favorite challenges and top bakers. No UK-to-American conversions necessary!

Taste of Home

Posted in #Recipes

St. Louis-Style Pizza

Posted on by Reluctant Retiree

If we measured pizza on a spectrum, Chicago deep-dish pizza would sit on one end, and St. Louis-style pizza would sit on the other. All other types of pizza would fall somewhere in between. St. Louis-style pizza is the antithesis to deep-dish pizza in every way, and you’ll understand why when you see it. It has a thin, cracker-like crust that’s cut into squares (known as tavern-style) rather than into wedges, which makes the slices easier to hold and supports the weight of the heavy toppings. But its most defining (and controversial) characteristic is the Provel cheese: a nutty, funky mixture of cheddar, Swiss and provolone that melts easily without being stringy.

St. Louis-style pizza is the easiest pizza to make at home, even when every part is made from scratch (like in our recipe). We’ll let you in on all the secrets to making the most authentic pie possible, including a Provel substitute if you can’t get your hands on it.

Continue reading “St. Louis-Style Pizza” →
Posted in #Recipes

Alfredo Baked Spaghetti

Posted on by Reluctant Retiree

Baked pastas are among my family’s favorite dinners. Homemade lasagna has earned the title of “Most Requested Birthday Dinner,” but since it is a labor of love to prepare, I reserve it for special occasions. But just because I won’t layer noodles and sauce on a weeknight doesn’t mean that pasta casseroles aren’t on the menu. 

When requests for lasagna start rolling in, I turn to recipes like baked spaghetti for inspiration. It has all of the essential elements of a family-friendly dinner, from the quick-cooking sauce to the tangle of spaghetti and cheesy finish. In this version of baked spaghetti, I’m tossing the pasta with another beloved Italian-American sauce, alfredo sauce. Alfredo baked spaghetti comes together with just 15 minutes of prep and tastes extra-creamy, cheesy, and delicious.

Continue reading “Alfredo Baked Spaghetti” →
Posted in #Recipes

Your 2025 Fall Baking Bucket List

Posted on by Reluctant Retiree

After a long summer season full of fruit pies and no-bake treats, the idea of diving into cozy fall desserts feels extra enticing. That’s why we made a fall baking bucket list, filled with all our favorite autumnal recipes. From warm chai cinnamon rolls to squash and sage focaccia, there are so many recipes we want to make that we had to start writing them all down!

Your Fall Baking Bingo Card

Ready to get in on the fun? All the recipes on our fall baking bucket list can be found on this bingo card. Bake five things in a row (horizontal, vertical or diagonal) to get a Bingo!

I was going to include the Bingo Card, but it has all the links to the recipes. Head over to Taste of Home to find all the wonderful treats waiting for you there!

Taste of Home

Posted in #Recipes

Chicken Bow Tie Pasta

Posted on by Reluctant Retiree

Making this creamy chicken bow tie pasta will make you feel like the star of your own cooking show. It’s an effortless dinner that comes together in about 30 minutes, but somehow, it makes you feel like you’ve pulled off something glamorous and worthy of applause.

There’s not much to it. Cook tender bites of chicken and yellow squash in a creamy garlic sauce, add the pasta and voila! Dinner. You don’t need fancy skills or ingredients; just a few pantry staples, a skillet and a little confidence. If you’re a fan of dreamy pasta dishes like fettuccine Alfredo or you crave comforting casseroles like chicken tetrazzini, this recipe is for you.

Continue reading “Chicken Bow Tie Pasta” →
Posted in #Recipes

28 Copycat Starbucks Recipes You Can Make at Home

Posted on by Reluctant Retiree

Try our versions of the coffee chain’s most popular drinks and eats with our copycat Starbucks recipes.

Taste of Home

Posted in #Recipes

Copycat Starbucks Pumpkin Bread

Posted on by Reluctant Retiree

It’s no surprise that Starbucks bakes a great pumpkin loaf. From their beloved lemon loaf to the iconic cheese Danish, Starbucks has its pastry case down pat. But in the midst of fall, the pumpkin loaf reigns supreme: Tender, fall-spiced and abundantly pumpkin-y, it’s almost worth the $4.75 for a 1-inch-thick slice. Almost. That’s why our Test Kitchen pros decided to crack the code on the recipe, creating a copycat Starbucks pumpkin bread that can be made right at home as a much more economical option.

Our recipe uses an entire can of pumpkin between two loaves, so it’s full of great pumpkin flavor, plus a perfected spice blend that helps it taste just like the pumpkin loaf at Starbucks. Before they hit the oven, the loaves are sprinkled with pumpkin seeds, mimicking the shop’s iconic pumpkin bread from the inside out.

To make it feel as if you’re buying the pumpkin bread right from Starbucks, cut the loaves into 1-inch-thick slices and pair a slice with a copycat Starbucks pumpkin spice latte.

Continue reading “Copycat Starbucks Pumpkin Bread” →
Posted in #Recipes

Monterey Spaghetti

Posted on by Reluctant Retiree

The star of Monterey spaghetti is Monterey Jack cheese, a mild, creamy cheese that gives the dish its melty, luscious texture (and its claim to fame). Monterey Jack was made famous in the late 1800s by David Jacks, a businessman from Monterey, California, who started selling this local cheese across the U.S. His name stuck, and so did the cheese’s reputation for being smooth, versatile and perfect for melting into just about anything.

This Monterey spaghetti recipe is a baked pasta casserole that’s cozy and just slightly nostalgic (in the best way). It’s packed with tender spaghetti, tangy sour cream, Parmesan for that salty bite, earthy spinach for a pop of green, and a crispy crown of French-fried onions. Whether you’re feeding a weeknight crowd, bringing a side dish to the holiday table, or craving a big forkful of comfort, Monterey spaghetti delivers a heap of melty goodness.

Ingredients for Monterey Spaghetti

  • Spaghetti: Regular spaghetti works great here, but breaking it into shorter lengths makes it easier to stir into the creamy base, and helps it bake evenly. Shorter noodles and smaller pasta shapes offer a better bite in casseroles.
  • Large egg: The egg helps hold everything together as it bakes and adds richness without extra fat. Beat it well before adding the other ingredients.
  • Sour cream: Sour cream lends tanginess, smooth texture and just enough acidity to balance the cheeses. Full-fat or light sour cream both work—just avoid fat-free sour cream, which may get watery.
  • Grated Parmesan cheese: Parmesan adds sharp, salty depth that enhances the Monterey Jack without overpowering it. For best results, choose freshly grated Parmesan or authentic Parmigiano-Reggiano. The U.S. versions labeled “Parmesan” are milder, but still totally usable.
  • Garlic powder: Just a touch of garlic powder gives the casserole warmth and savory depth. It’s subtle, but rounds out the flavor profile so you don’t need extra seasoning.
  • Shredded Monterey Jack cheese: Monterey Jack is one of the best melting cheeses with a mild flavor. It melts like mozzarella, but has a bit more character.
  • Frozen chopped spinach: Chopped spinach adds color, nutrients (including iron and vitamin A), and just the right amount of texture. Make sure it’s well-drained to avoid a watery sauce; press out any excess liquid with a clean towel or paper towels.
  • French-fried onions: These give crunch, flavor, and a signature golden finish. Half goes into the casserole for extra oniony goodness, while the rest is sprinkled on top at the end for crispy drama. Don’t worry about making them yourself; the canned kind has a cult following for a reason.

Taste of Home

Posted in #Recipes

26 Cast-Iron Bread Recipes

Posted on by Reluctant Retiree

The humble cast-iron skillet is also one of the most formidable kitchen tools. Its excellent heat retention is perfect for anything that needs a hard sear or golden brown color. It catalyzes a perfectly seared steak, an authentic deep-dish pizza and a beautiful English fry-up. But have you tried all the genius cast-iron bread recipes yet?

Cast-iron pans are excellent for quick bread and yeast bread recipes alike. The high-heat material ensures a crispy outer crust while the inner crumb stays soft and tender—aka the characteristics of the perfect loaf. Ready to try it for yourself? We gathered all our favorite sweet and savory bread recipes that bake in a cast-iron skillet, from cinnamon rolls and banana bread to cheesy bread loaves and cornbread recipes.

Before baking, make sure your cast-iron pan is well-seasoned and ready to go. Some recipes require you to preheat the pan, so read through the directions before breaking out the flour. Anyone who loves cast-iron cooking will love baking too!

Taste of Home