What is Chicken Cordon Bleu?

Cordon Bleu is a dish with Swiss origin that is a derivative of schnitzel.

Chicken cordon bleu specifically is made of chicken that has been pounded thin, layered with ham slices, and topped with Swiss cheese. They layers are rolled snug or folded over, after which it's breaded with flour, egg and dried breadcrumbs. And to cook it's and either pan fried or baked.

In the United States it was a dish that was very popular between the 60's and 70's. In my experience as a kid growing up in the 90's I commonly remember chicken cordon bleu casserole which was a simplified version (which wasn't quite as good, but mimicked the same flavors).

You can serve it whole (note in this recipe though you'll only get four servings if doing so), or you can slice and layer them on a platter domino style. I prefer the later as you'll get more servings and presentation is eye catching with those pretty swirls.

And the creamy honey mustard sauce, which I believe is a staple to the dish, should be poured over each individual servings right before it's served (so the breading doesn't get soft, because that crispy crunch is a crowning finish!).

This dish is perfect for entertaining or for the holidays. It may be a little bit of extra effort but very well worth it!

Easy Crockpot Mac and Cheese!

This is hands the absolute easiest way to make macaroni and cheese! And believe it or not and it's unbelievably creamy, no broken curdled sauce, and the taste is simply perfect.

My tricks to a good crockpot mac and cheese are to use a combination of cream, water, and evaporated milk - instead of regular milk so it doesn't curdle. Then also waiting until closer to the end to add the cheese so that doesn't overheat and separate.

And another important key is to use a combination of cheeses for great flavor and texture. Sharp cheddar builds up the best traditional macaroni and cheese flavor, while each American cheese and Monterey Jack cheese create a velvety sauce.

The starches of cooking everything together in one pot (or slow cooker insert technically) also helps create a smooth sauce.

This is a family favorite! It has a well balanced flavor that isn't too harsh so people of all ages love it, and the cook will love the ease of preparation.

It's jam packed flavorful goodness in every bite and undoubtedly worthy of the holidays, but yet simple enough for a weeknight side dish!

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Chicken Fettucine Alfredo

Something about the colder seasons makes us ready for all the cozy meals. Bring on the pastas, casseroles, and all the carby goodness. We all need a good splurge meal sometimes.

This classic chicken alfredo is just that. It's a family friendly recipe that has stood the test of time.

It's such a loved dish because of it's rich cream and butter based sauce and all that flavorful parmesan to make it so crave-able. And the addition of browned chicken adds another layer of flavor and texture to it.

Alfredo sauce and chicken were just made to go together. It's such a simple yet delicious pairing.

This recipe doesn't require a whole lot but it always set to impress.

Since this is a rather heavy dish I recommend serving it with steamed or roasted broccoli or asparagus to finish off the meal.

Starbucks Copycat Pumpkin Spice Latte

This simple, sip-able drink is made with pumpkin puree, creamy milk, strong coffee or espresso, a sweet whipped cream topping, and crucial ingredient - plenty of flavorful pumpkin pie spice!

It comes together quickly and there are a several different ways you can make it (see ideas below). Plus with this recipe you can make it year round rather than waiting for the local coffee shop to make it seasonally.

You'll find this warm pumpkin spice latte to be the highlight of lazy fall weekends, the most welcome treat to bring along on chilly autumn walks, or it will make for a tasty pick me up to start a Monday.

If it's still hot out where you live you can also make it into an iced latte. Just use a little less milk, chill thoroughly, then serve it over ice.

Two great options to serve it - cozy and warm or chilled and refreshing. Either way I think you're going to love it!

What is Tiramisu?

Tiramisu is a beautiful, layered Italian dessert made with lady fingers that have been dipped in strong coffee and aligned in a baking dish, then spread atop is a layer of sweet and fluffy mascarpone custard, and it's dusted with a decadent cocoa finish.

In this tiramisu recipe the layering process is done twice but other versions may have a group of three repetitive layers or just a single set of layers.

It can be made to include a few splashes of alcohol such as rum, brandy or marsala wine, or it can be left out altogether. I prefer without because it really lets the flavors of the coffee and cocoa shine without an overwhelming flavor of alcohol (in a side by side taste test the alcohol free version won for me, but definitely make it how you'd like).

Another difference you'll find among tiramisu is raw eggs or tempered eggs. This version is uses just yolks (I think the whites can have an eggy flavor here), and they are tempered to kill off potential bacteria.

There are several other variations of the dessert. You'll find tiramisu cake, tiramisu cheesecake, there's also tiramisu overnight oats, cupcakes, a martini and trifles.

It also comes in various flavors. This is the coffee and chocolate version but other popular flavors include strawberry tiramisu, matcha, lemon and pumpkin.

This traditional tiramisu is one of my all time favorite desserts! You can't go wrong with those cakey soaked ladyfingers, roasted espresso, rich mascarpone and cream, and a chocolatey cocoa finish. It's such a dreamy dessert!

Easy Homemade Popsicles

A healthier dessert people of all ages will love! And they are perfect for serving any time of day.

These can be prepared in minutes, it just takes a little patience waiting for them to freeze but it's easily worth the wait.

After just one taste you'll instantly notice they are so much better than any popsicle you can buy at the store. They taste so fresh and fruity, they are only sweetened with honey (no sugar), and if you want to brighten the color you can use natural food coloring.

Sure they have a hint of cream but it makes a big difference in their taste and texture. It's such an enhancing highlight to the fruit - just think of that strawberries and cream or peaches and cream combo. Heaven!

They're amazingly tempting and perfectly delicious, plus a smarter dessert choice than say a big ice cream sundae (but those are great too when you want a splurge, right?).

Make one flavor or try them all! Those I made here include strawberry, peach, pineapple, banana, and blueberry.

Best Potato Leek Soup

Potato leek soup is a popular soup in Welsh and French cuisine. It's made up of mainly fresh potatoes and leeks.

And even though it's smooth and almost sauce-like in consistency, it's still hearty and filling since it is potatoes that build up the base of the soup (and they have a moderate amount of carbs, starchy fiber, and protein - specifically proteinase inhibitor 2).

It is similar to the typical potato soups found in the U.S. and elsewhere but rather it's pureed instead of chunky, and doesn't included meat. Plus it has a chicken broth base and not milk. Then another main difference is of course the use of leeks versus commonly found yellow onions.

They'll quickly become the highlight of any celebration!

Whether you are a long time follower or a new reader, I want to send a quick THANK YOU! I truly appreciate you visiting my site!

I started this blog 10 years ago as a hobby and it's grown into more than I could have dreamed. I'm very grateful to you for making my recipes, leaving reviews and feedback, sending e-mails and for your support and readership!

For a quick laugh check out my first post here. Luckily I've learned a thing or two since then. :)

I hope we have 10+ more great years of tasty, tested and perfected recipes ahead of us!

Now onto these tempting vanilla cupcakes with a rich and fluffy, luscious buttercream frosting to celebrate!!

The Best Honey Mustard Chicken

Our new favorite honey mustard chicken! The secret is the cream, doesn't it just make everything better?

Here we use a blend of two types of bright mustard, a fair amount of sweet honey, plenty of heavy cream, a nice balance of fresh herbs, and just enough garlic to build up flavor.

It's the perfect combination of sweet, savory, creamy, rich and tangy.

To finish the meal serve it with this delicious roasted vegetable blend (pictured above).

Or you could go the amazingly easy route and just serve it with baked red potatoes. Just pierce medium red potatoes with a fork (optionally wrap in foil) and bake at 400 until tender, usually about 40+ mins.

Then serve like a regular baked potato - top them with butter, cheese, sour cream, and/or chives. Its a go-to side at our house and we actually prefer them over baked russet potatoes.

What's an Icebox Cake?

It is a type of no-bake "cake" that is generally layered with crackers, wafers or cookies which alternates with a cream filling. They can also include fruits, nuts and other mix-ins and they come in various flavors such as chocolate or strawberry.

After assembly, the icebox cake is set in the fridge to rest while the cracker layer absorbs some of the moisture from the cream filling and softens and becomes cake-like.

Since the cake is served cold it's a great dessert for hot summer days.

This icebox cake, which is made with fresh raspberries, is my favorite version. It's adapted from my fluffy Raspberry Cheesecake Mousse, but instead of individual cups it's layered into a pretty cake-like form.

In this recipe, you can appreciate that we ditch any cool whip or pudding mix (often found in icebox cakes) and make the filling and topping from scratch. Trust me it's a thousand times better!

This dessert is decadent, fruity, fluffy, creamy, fresh, flavorful, lightly tangy, perfectly sweet, and just beyond tasty!

It's the dessert that's worth every bit of effort and it will earn high praise at the dinner table.