What if I don’t have a torch? Can you use a lighter instead of a torch for creme brûlée? Not every stay at home chef will own a brûlée torch. A common question then is: can a person use a lighter or even a candle instead to caramelize the sugar. The short and simple answer is no. Lighters and candles do not produce enough heat to caramelize the sugar evenly or in a timely manner....

This recipe comes from my Granny. Her parents immigrated to the United States from Germany and this is the recipe they brought with them. Spaetzle is a small, soft dumpling/pasta that originates in the regions of Germany, Austria, Hungary, and Switzerland. What do I do with spaetzle noodles? Spaetzle noodles can be dressed up just like any other pasta with sauces and additional ingredients, or it can be served plain or sautéed in a little bit of butter....

Cherry Options: There are tart and sour cherries, and then there are sweet cherries. Our easy cherry pie filling recipe calls for the sweet stuff! If you can’t find fresh, you can also use frozen. If you do opt for frozen, make sure that they are completely thawed before using. You also want to make sure to drain off any excess liquid before baking too! Some of our favorite sweet cherry varieties are:...

Hey again — it’s Courtney from Courtney’s Sweets! 🙂 If you’ve visited my blog before you’d know I have a thing for creating fun recipes that even kids can make enjoy too! This hot chocolate spoon recipe is kid-friendly and delicious! One of my favorite sweet treat drinks is hot chocolate. I love white hot chocolate just as much as I love regular hot chocolate. In fact, whenever I make hot chocolate on the stove I like to use a mix of semi-sweet or milk chocolate and white chocolate....

We went out for dinner last weekend at a fabulous little restaurant. They had the most delicious maple glazed brussel sprouts and with one bite we knew exactly what we would be doing with the bag of brussel sprouts in the fridge at home. Unlike a restaurant, we don’t enjoy smothering things in butter like they do, but the results were pretty darn good. We steamed the vegetables first because it was a huge dinner that required lots of hands on time, but you could do the whole thing in a skillet for that extra caramelization....

Banana muffins can be made using either ripe or over-ripe bananas. Over-ripe bananas generally have black spots on them. As bananas ripen, the starch converts into sugar so over-ripe bananas are sweeter and softer, making over-ripe bananas perfect for baking. For a fun twist on banana muffins, try adding ground cinnamon to the batter. Cinnamon banana muffins are always popular. You can also add a cinnamon-sugar mixture on top of the muffins to make them prettier and add a little extra sweetness....

Pro tip for keeping it cheap: buy your spices from bulk bins. Bulk bins are pretty popular in grocery stores these days. Bulk spices are a killer deal! You can refill your spice jars for under a dollar, sometimes for pennies. Prep Time: 5 minutesReady In: 50 minutesYield: 4 servingsIngredients 4 large chicken thighs1 lemon2 tsp paprika1 tsp cumin1/2 tsp turmeric1/2 tsp cayenne pepper1/2 tsp salt1/4 tsp cinnamon1/4 tsp ginger4 tablespoons butter, divided6 cups chicken broth3 packages ramen noodles, spice pack discarded4 boiled eggsfresh cilantro Instructions...

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Can I double Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies? Yes! Cookie recipes typically double rather easily. This recipe makes approximately 20 to 24 cookies, depending on how large or small you make them. Simply double all of your ingredients for approximately 48 cookies. You will need to either work in batches, or use 4 baking sheets. Chocolate Chip Options: The type of chocolate chips you use is a matter of personal preference. Both semi sweet and milk chocolate chips will work in this recipe, or you can use a combination of both....

Milk Options in Pumpkin Pie Oatmeal Smoothie: If you do not have almond milk, or simply have to stay away from almonds due to allergies, you can always substitute with regular dairy milk or another plant-based milk substitute. Greek Yogurt: The thickness of the Greek yogurt is rather important for the end result, so be sure to stick with Greek. You are free to use anything from non-fat to full fat....

Ingredients 1 large eggplant lots of salt 1 whole head of garlic 1/4 cup olive oil + more to drizzle 1/2 cup crumbled feta salt and pepper basil for garnish Instructions Peel the eggplant and then slice it into 1/2 inch rounds. Lay the sliced rounds out on a baking sheet and pour a disgusting amount of salt over them. Let stand 30 minutes, rinse, and pat dry. Don’t worry, the salt won’tn soak in, it just draws out the bitterness of the eggplant....

Why Cereal? The cereal crust provides a sweet, crunch exterior that is to die for! It is just so finger licking good. The chicken is seasoned and dredged in cornstarch then dipped in a water and egg mixture. Water is often used in restaurants to keep costs down. The water and cornstarch combination creates almost a glue to keep the cereal coating on. It also happens to make this fried chicken gluten free....

Vegetables in Southern Style Chicken and Dumplings: We prefer this recipe with all of the veggies in the soup base. You can always leave them out if you do not like vegetables in your chicken and dumplings. Alternatively, you can omit all veggies called for in the recipe and simple use a frozen bagged veggie mix, like pease and carrots, which would also work as a time saver! Drop Biscuit Dumplings vs....

Time To Make it: 20 minutes Yield: 6 Ingredients 1.5 lbs. ground beef (15% fat) salt and pepper 2 TB. Worcestershire sauce 8 oz fresh mozzarella, sliced 1 red onion, sliced 1 tablespoon olive oil 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar 2 tomatoes, sliced 2 cups fresh basil leaves 6 brioche buns Instructions Season the ground beef with salt and pepper and Worcestershire sauce. Divide into 8 portions. Take a portion into your hand and flatten it quite thin....

Can You Eat Kale Raw in a Salad? Because kale does have a naturally bitter taste, some chefs shy away from using it raw. That said, you can definitely eat kale raw in a salad! It has more of a bitter taste than spinach or lettuce, but by adding in some other ingredients to balance it out, it is the perfect salad base! Troubleshooting: Does Kale Need to be Blanched? Along the same lines as above, kale is sometimes blanched to soften the leaves and get rid of its bitterness....

It’s no secret that we love to cook here at The Stay at Home Chef. We’re constantly inspired by the meals we eat at restaurants, and takeout food holds a special place in our hearts. When we discover something we love, it’s always fun to recreate it in our kitchen. Not only do we love to experiment, but it’s also reassuring to know exactly what ingredients are used. No more mystery meat or too much salt....

Can I use a different kind of pasta? This recipe calls for spaghetti pasta, but you can use any other kind of pasta you’d like. Other pasta options that would work well this recipe include angel hair pasta, shells, penne pasta, and linguine. Tomato Options for 15 Minute Italian Garden Pasta: Any type of garden variety tomato would work in this recipe. You could use 2 large regular tomatoes, 3 medium sized heirloom tomatoes, 3-4 roma tomatoes, or you could even halve 1 pint of either grape or cherry tomatoes....

It’s fajita time! Time to wow your family with an easy, all-from-scratch recipe for savory fajitas. A tender, marinated flank steak is cut into thin strips to top a crispy tortilla along with perfectly seasoned, sautéed pepper and onion. The trick to making great fajitas is the meat. Be sure to select the right kind of steak—we prefer flank steak. Follow our pro tip by slicing the meat against the grain!...

Corn Syrup Options: We realize that not every home chef is a fan of corn syrup in baking. No worries! You can substitute with maple syrup instead if desired. It also adds a hint of maple flavoring which goes perfectly with the pecans. How Can You Tell If Pecan Bars Are Done? If you’re struggling to determine whether your bars are cooked through, there are a few ways to tell if they are done....

Is this breakfast or dessert? Does it matter? Pancakes have the word cake in them so I’m just going to roll with it and call this breakfast. Who says you can’t eat cake for breakfast? These chocolate pancakes are a family favorite of ours. They are super simple to put together and everyone is always happy to eat them. You can smother them with chocolate syrup (who am I to judge?...