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What if I don’t have pre-cooked chicken? This recipe calls for pre-cooked shredded chicken. You can use leftover chicken, rotisserie chicken, or pre-shredded chicken from the grocery store. If you don’t have any cooked chicken, simply place chicken in a pot of boiling water and boil until cooked, about 15 minutes. You can do this while your rice cooks. You can add some flavor to the chicken by boiling it in chicken broth, adding a couple cloves of garlic, and make sure your water is at least salted....

What kind of cucumber should I use for Easy Cucumber Salad? English cucumbers have more flavor and less seeds and are a perfect match for this recipe. If you don’t have access to English cucumbers, you can use regular seedless cucumbers. Since they are smaller, you will need to double the amount that you use. Sweating Cucumbers: This recipe calls for “sweating” the cucumbers. When sweating a vegetable you use salt to draw out excess moisture....

When I start seeing deals on in-season tomatoes, I’m reminded that it’s time to make Fire Roasted Spaghetti Sauce again. I look for a good sale and then buy a ton. Made from scratch spaghetti sauce is in a league of its own. First of all, homemade anything is almost always better than store bought, but this recipe, in particular, will spoil you for homemade spaghetti sauce. Don’t be afraid to try making sauce from scratch if this is your first time—you will love it!...

I’m always trying out variations on fish tacos since we eat them so frequently. This time there was a killer sale on avocados and heirloom tomatoes so I decided to do a simple fish taco topped with an avocado salsa. The result was pretty delicious. I realize it is still the dead of winter in most places in the US (my main hub of readership), and with the ground hog seeing his shadow there’s still 6 more weeks....

Hey there! My name is Molly Leonard and I’m the recipe developer, photographer and writer over on What Molly Made. I’m huge fan of The Stay at Home Chef and was thrilled to be able to contribute to the delicious library of recipes Rachel has created. I love sharing baking recipes (both healthy and indulgent) so get excited to start baking with me each month! If you want to learn more about me and my story head on over to my About page:) I am beyond excited to share this whole wheat greek yogurt banana bread recipe with you!...

Let’s talk cheese choices. You have many options when it comes to nacho cheese sauce, and they are all delicious in their own unique ways. Velveeta is a processed American cheese, and is a standard option when it comes to nacho cheese sauce. It will be thicker, smoother, and creamier than a shredded cheese. You can also use your standard cheddar cheese or other favorite melting cheese, which will make a thinner, slightly grainer sauce....

Do you need to peel the carrots? The peel on carrots is perfectly safe to eat. You do, however, need to be sure to wash them well. Carrots grow under the ground and will have dirt and debris on them. Rinse them thoroughly. You can choose to peel your carrots for aesthetic reasons or to thoroughly remove any dirt. Carrot Benefits: Carrots can be part of a healthy diet. They are full of antioxidants, essential nutrients, and vitamin A....

How is Couscous Traditionally Prepared? Before you jump into cooking couscous, we wanted to take a moment to share how this dish is traditionally prepared! We love getting inspired by recipes from all over the world, and we think it’s important to give credit where credit is due. This dish is traditionally prepared by steaming the grains. You can (of course) prepare it by pouring boiling water over it as outlined below, but if you want to get back to basics, you may be interested in learning how to cook couscous traditionally!...

Making homemade gravy is an important kitchen skill for any home cook. You can easily and quickly whip up a homemade gravy to accompany any meal. Make gravy for mashed potatoes, turkey, and pot roast or whip up some simple sausage gravy to serve over biscuits or toast. Traditional gravy starts with a roux. A roux is a 1:2 mixture of fat to all-purpose flour. The fat used in gravy making is usually butter, although other fats like oils, margarine, and even bacon fat can also be used....

Tomato Paste: When a recipe like this calls for such a small amount of tomato paste, we opt to stick with the tubes rather than cans. You can use a smaller amount without wasting the rest of a can! You should be able to find tubes of tomato paste right next to the cans in your local grocery store. Veggies in Instant Pot Beef Stew: We love a variety of veggies in our beef stew, but you can always omit anything necessary or substitute in with any other favorite veggies!...

Do I need to use a stand mixer? You can use a stand mixer or a hand mixer to make sugar cookie dough. Shaping: Sugar cookies that keep their shape require refrigeration of the dough. Once the dough is made, wrap it in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. This allows the fats in the dough to re-solidify, which prevents spreading during baking. Roll the refrigerated dough out 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick....

In this recipe we have you make your own quick fajita spice blend for complete control of the flavor. You can easily adjust the heat level of the spice mix by reducing or eliminating the red pepper flakes. Can I use a packet of fajita seasoning instead of the spices in this recipe? Fajita seasoning packets are pre-mixed spices which can be convenient and be used in place of the spices in this recipe....