Apple fritters are one of my all-time favorite fall treats. I love the crackly glaze, those irresistible crispy edges, and chunks of apple packed into tender dough. And while I’m usually quick to make my favorite bakery treats at home (looking at you yellow birthday cake), apple fritters are not one of them because I hate the hassle of frying. Instead, I make a loaf of apple fritter bread.

This is the apple recipe that everyone in my family looks forward to every year and friends beg me to make. It’s a fall baking bucket list item for sure! Between the layer of cinnamon apples rippled through tender quick bread and the crispy cinnamon sugar and glaze drizzled over the jagged layer of apples blanketing the top, this bread has serious apple fritter vibes and all the flavors you’d expect from the classic donut. Best of all: no frying necessary. 

Continue reading “Apple Fritter Bread” →

Lindsay Funston Editor-in-Chief, The Kitchn
published Jul 28, 2024

We create a lot of chicken recipes at The Kitchn. It’s a reliable, affordable protein most of our families can get behind, and there are seemingly endless ways to flavor it, cut it, and cook it. (Case in point: We’re newly onto “chicken bites” over here, whether you take yours flavored with garlic parm or French onion.) So I get ridiculously overjoyed when there’s a recipe that’s brilliant enough in its conception that it sticks out from the flock (had to) of other chicken dinners.

Continue reading “The Brilliant 4-Ingredient Chicken Dinner I Make When I Don’t Feel Like Cooking (Almost Every Week)” →

that still brings serious crunch and texture. You’ve got the cooling crunch of the cucumbers, juicy sweetness of the tomatoes, and sharpness from the onions. Tie that all together with some fresh herbs and a simple vinaigrette and you have a winning combo every time. It’s bright and fresh, with just enough sweetness to keep the acidity in check. 

It’s the kind of goes-with-anything salad that can brighten up any spread, equally at home stuffed into a pita sandwich as it is alongside a giant platter of braised meat. It’s the perfect thing to add to your meal when you can’t quite put your finger on what’s missing.

Why You’ll Love It

• Juicy but never soggy. Unlike a lot of other cucumber salads, this one’s not as watery. The secret: Using salt to draw out the excess water and concentrate the flavor.
• It goes with everything. This salad is juicy and flavorful, but the flavor profile plays well with nearly any spread.

Key Ingredients in Cucumber Tomato Salad

• Cucumbers: Thin-skinned English cucumbers don’t need to be peeled or seeded.
• Tomatoes: Use the best medium tomatoes you can find. You can even use bigger varieties like heirloom tomatoes if they look more delicious.
• Onion: Thinly sliced red onion adds color and loads of flavor.
• Kosher salt: Toss the cucumbers and onions in salt before assembling the salad to draw out excess moisture and concentrate the flavor.
• Sugar: While optional, a little granulated sugar can help to coax out the natural sweetness of the tomatoes.

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If you love the sweet-tart flavors of Key lime pie but don’t feel like turning on the oven, this Key lime pie mousse will be your new go-to. It’s everything the classic dessert is — bright, tangy, creamy, and just sweet enough — but it comes together in about 20 minutes and sets in the fridge. Think of it as the laid-back cousin to a traditional Key lime pie: same nostalgic flavor, way less effort. If you’re already a fan of no-bake desserts like peanut butter chocolate mousse or banana pudding, then this one will fit right into your repertoire.

The base is a quick homemade graham cracker crumble, lightly toasted in butter and sugar for that unmistakable pie crust crunch. The mousse itself is a dreamy blend of whipped cream, cream cheese, lime juice, and sweetened condensed milk (similar to what’s used in no-bake cheesecake or Key lime pie bars). It’s ultra-light and silky, with a generous swirl of whipped cream on top (don’t skip it!). If you’re planning ahead, you can make these little parfaits up to three days in advance — just hold off on the topping until right before serving.

Why You’ll Love It

• Meet the easier Key lime pie. All the bright, creamy flavor of Key lime pie — no oven (or pie crust) required. Its light, luscious texture feels fancy, but takes just 20 minutes to whip up.
• It’s make-ahead-friendly. Plus, you can chill it in the fridge for up to 3 days.

Key Ingredients in Key Lime Pie Mousse

• Cream cheese: This gives the mousse its rich, tangy body. Let it come to room temperature for the smoothest texture — no lumps allowed.
• Sweetened condensed milk: The real MVP for that signature Key lime pie sweetness and silky consistency. Beware similar-sized cans of evaporated milk — it’s not the same thing!
• Lime juice: Fresh is non-negotiable here; it adds a bright, citrusy punch. You can use either regular limes or key limes. In a pinch, you can use bottled key lime juice.
• Lime zest: A little zest offers big depth and fragrance. Use a Microplane and be careful to avoid the bitter white pith.08
• Heavy cream: When whipped to soft peaks, it makes the mousse airy and light. You’ll use it in both the filling and the topping.
• Graham crackers: Toasted in butter and sugar, these stand in for traditional pie crust. Crush them coarsely for the best texture (think: crunchy crumbles, not dust).
• Sour cream or full-fat Greek yogurt: When mixed into the whipped topping, it adds a tangy balance to all the sweetness. Use whichever you have on hand; they both work beautifully.

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Broccoli tastes delicious when it’s roasted with simple seasonings, and when it’s baked in a rich, cheesy sauce. Yet broccoli’s best-kept secret is that you don’t need to cook it at all. Broccoli salad is a side dish made of bite-size pieces of raw broccoli, a tangy dressing, and tons of tasty mix-ins. Cutting the broccoli small and keeping it uncooked helps maintain the salad’s signature crunch for days. This cowboy-style broccoli salad adds smoky chipotle chile in adobo sauce and pickled jalapeño brine to ranch dressing for a big boost in flavor. But it also doesn’t skimp on the mix-ins: Cowboys love the addition of smoky bacon, creamy cheese, sharp red onion, and crisp bell pepper to add a variety of textures and flavors. 

Why You’ll Love It

• It has all of the best textures. Every bite is filled with crunchy broccoli, crisp bacon, and creamy cheese, and because there’s no lettuce, the salad stays crunchy for days. 
• The dressing couldn’t be easier. Dress up store-bought ranch dressing with bacon fat, smoky chipotle chile, and pickled jalapeño brine.

Key Ingredients in Cowboy Broccoli Salad

• Broccoli: Cut broccoli crowns into bite-size pieces so that they’re easy to eat.
• Bacon: Toss crispy bacon into the broccoli salad, and stir rendered bacon fat into the dressing to give it a smoky flavor. Regular and thick-cut bacon slices can be used. 
• Ranch dressing: Use your favorite store-bought ranch dressing or make homemade ranch. Give the dressing cowboy flavor by adding smoky chipotle chile in adobo sauce.
• Cheese: Stir in shredded sharp cheddar cheese. Other cheeses that work well here include Monterey Jack, pepper Jack, and colby Jack.
• Pickled jalapeños: Add 1 tablespoon chopped pickled jalapeños to the salad and 3 tablespoons of the brining liquid to the dressing. If you only have fresh jalapeños on hand, use distilled white vinegar in place of the brining liquid. 

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Lasagna and pizza are two of my kids’ favorite meals. Well, anything with carbs and cheese makes it into the top 10. So when I learned about Trisha Yearwood’s Cowboy Lasagna, I knew I had to try it for them. They love this dish, and a pizza-lasagna mash-up is like kid heaven — and I’m all about making positive food memories with my kiddos. Packed with three kinds of meat, melty cheese, and a zesty sauce, this lasagna is a bold burst of flavor guaranteed to crown you the hero of dinner. 

How to Make Trisha Yearwood’s Cowboy Lasagna

Start by browning the meat. In a large pot or Dutch oven, brown ground chuck and sage-flavored sausage, leaving it on the chunky side. Once it has some color, add in fire-roasted tomatoes, tomato paste, fresh garlic and onion, water, a handful of aromatic spices, and even pepperoni. Yes, pepperoni! This is what gives it the pizza feel. Let this mixture simmer for 30 minutes to allow all those flavors to get cozy with each other.

While your sauce is bubbling away, Trisha suggests boiling up some lasagna noodles and prepping your cheese squad. There’s ricotta, mozzarella, and Parmesan. Then comes the fun part: layering! Create a lasagna stack that would make any cowboy proud — alternate between noodles, meat sauce, and generous handfuls of cheese. Lastly, pop it in a 350°F oven for about 40 minutes, and voila! You’ve got a bubbling, golden-brown masterpiece that’s sure to impress.

Tips for Making Trisha Yearwood’s Cowboy Lasagna

• Less is more. The pepperoni is entirely optional, in my opinion. I liked the flavor but didn’t think it was necessary — and certainly not a whole pound of it. I used half and still feel that I maintained the dish’s integrity. Pepperoni adds a distinct flavor and some salt. If you leave it out, you can compensate by adding some crushed red pepper flakes, sweet paprika, garlic powder, crushed fennel seed, and extra salt and pepper to maintain that flavor profile. 
• Go easy on the noodles. Instead of boiling noodles, use oven-ready lasagna noodles. This sauce is on the looser side, so oven-ready noodles can absorb moisture as they cook and save about 25 minutes of prep time. You’ll also only need about nine noodles for a 9×13-inch pan, not 16 ounces.
• Add some veggies. There is a lot of meat and cheese in this dish. I recommend adding sautéed diced bell peppers (similar to this recipe), mushrooms, and maybe even some spinach or zucchini between the layers. A fresh, bright side salad would also be more than welcome! 
• Let it rest. After baking, let the lasagna sit for the full 15 minutes. It’ll be easier to cut and serve, and you’ll avoid burning your tongue on molten cheese.
• Prep ahead. This is the quintessential make-ahead meal. You can assemble this lasagna a day in advance and refrigerate it. Just bake it for about an hour. It’s perfect to make on the weekend and cook (and reheat) during busy weeknights or when entertaining.

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Pasta salad is one of my quintessential summer staples. It’s filling, full of textural variety, and extremely make-ahead-friendly — all vital parts of a delicious, lazy meal when the temperature starts to climb. And while there are certainly wrong pasta shapes to use, we aren’t talking enough about the best possible shape: tortellini.

When you make tortellini pasta salad, you are guaranteed one extremely important thing: cheese in every bite. Between the fresh mozzarella and the cheese-filled pasta, you’re not getting a single forkful without cheese, and that’s a really beautiful thing. You can dress pasta salad in plenty of ways, but this might just be my favorite. Mix store-bought pesto with pepperoncini pepper brine for a dressing that is well-rounded, tangy, and full of flavor without any of the fuss.

Why You’ll Love It

• Every bite is cheesy! Between the tortellini filling, the pesto dressing, and fresh mozzarella, this salad is a cheese-lover’s paradise.
• 2-ingredient dressing for the win. All you have to do is stir together your favorite store-bought pesto with pepperoncini pepper brine for a balanced, tangy sauce full of flavor.

Key Ingredients in Tortellini Pasta Salad

• Cheese tortellini: Cook fresh or frozen tortellini pasta until al dente before adding to the sauce.
• Basil pesto: You can make your own pesto from scratch, but I like to keep things simple with my favorite jar from the store.
• Pepperoncini peppers: Add chopped jarred peppers to the salad and use the brine to thin out the pesto sauce and add bright, tangy flavor.
• Fresh mozzarella cheese: Use pearl-sized mozzarella for ease, or cut larger varieties into bite-size pieces.
• Salami: Grab any variety or size sliced salami you like, and cut it into bite-size strips.

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There’s no better way to end a meal than with a sweet treat, and dessert bars are my go-to. These squares are easy to make and ideal for sharing, as everyone gets the same serving size. Lemon bars, brownies, and blondies are classics for a reason, but sometimes I’m looking for something that’s more fruit-forward. For those who love the richness and tangy flavor of strawberry cheesecake, here’s how to turn that dessert into an easy, make-ahead bar. 

In this recipe for strawberry cheesecake bars, you’ll start by making a sweet and sturdy graham cracker crust that doubles as the crumble topping. Next comes a rich and creamy cheesecake layer that’s shockingly simple with our foolproof food processor method. Spooned into the cheesecake layer are strawberries cooked just enough so the juices start coming out but there’s still fresh strawberry flavor. Everything bakes together into a pretty bar that you can eat out of hand.

Why You’ll Love It

• It’s bursting with fresh strawberry flavor. Strawberries and cheesecake are a classic flavor combination, and these bars are the best way to showcase fresh, in-season strawberries. 
• They’re an ideal make-ahead dessert. These strawberry cheesecake bars need time to chill in the refrigerator before serving. Make them ahead and they’ll be ready when you are.

Key Ingredients in Strawberry Cheesecake Bars

• Strawberries: Cook fresh strawberries for a few minutes to drive off some of their moisture and concentrate the fruit flavor. Avoid frozen strawberries, which have a muted flavor and water-logged consistency, in this recipe. 
• Cream cheese: There’s no need to wait for the cream cheese to come to room temperature before making the filling. Just make sure to scrape down the sides of the food processor to make sure the cream cheese becomes evenly light and fluffy.
• Graham crackers: Use graham crackers as the base for the crumb crust and topping.
• All-purpose flour: Just 1/4 cup of all-purpose flour adds stability to the crust and gives the topping a crumble-like texture.
• Butter: Melted unsalted butter binds the graham cracker crumbs together and gives the crust and topping a rich, buttery flavor.

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