Baker's Theory

One-Pot Garlic Parmesan Pastaroni

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I may have mentioned this before, but my husband is pretty great. I had a virtual happy hour with one of my childhood friends after work, and so Jim offered to make dinner so I could focus on catching up with my buddy. 

Not only did he offer to make dinner, he also accepted (with grace) my thrusting a recipe towards him, requesting that he make something specific. It was an emergency, of sorts. I was in a very urgent mood for PastaRoni. 

When I rejoined him following my call, the house smelled heavenly. You really can’t go wrong with garlic and cheese, right? It’s so creamy and saucy, and you can easily add grilled chicken or shrimp to it!

What’s great about this dish is that it comes together all in one pot. Contrast that to fettuccini alfredo which requires boiled pasta and its sauce which usually requires a second pot to make, and this one wins for ease and level of effort versus reward. 

If you’ve ever made boxed Pastaroni, you’ll know you boil everything–pasta, spice pack, butter, milk, and water in one pot. That is what I have written to do in this recipe, too. The reason the sauce gets nice and thick (okay, besides all the cheese added to it…) is that the milk and water combine with starchy pasta. It’s that starch that thickens the milk and water in to sauce! 

This pasta dish is a great alternative to fettuccini alfredo if you’re looking for a more low-fat, non-cream option. Hope you enjoy! 

One-Pot Garlic Parmesan Pastaroni

Alex
Like the boxed stuff but so, so, so much better. Also a great alternative to fettuccini alfredo because the sauce thickens from cooking directly in pasta starch instead of relying on cream!
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Course Main Course, Side Dish
Cuisine American

Ingredients
  

  • 3 tbsp Butter salted
  • ¼ tsp Onion salt plus more for adjusting to taste
  • ½ tsp Garlic powder
  • 1 tsp Parsley, dried
  • 2 tsp Better than Bullion Chicken base
  • 2 cups Water
  • 2 cups Milk 2% or higher fat content
  • 8 oz Dry pasta, long style i.e. spaghetti, bucatini, fettuccini, angel hair
  • ⅔ cup Grated Parmesan cheese

Instructions
 

  • In a medium-large pot on medium heat, melt butter. Once melted, add spices directly to butter and stir, about 30 seconds until fragrant. Pour in water and add chicken base. Stir.
  • Break pasta in half and add to the pot. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally, about 7-8 minutes.
  • Pour in milk and continue to cook another 5-7 minutes, until noodles are cooked, stirring often to prevent boiling over.
  • Stir in cheese until melted, about another minute or two. Turn off heat. Allow to sit for five minutes to allow sauce to thicken. Then serve!
Keyword homemade garlic parmesan pastaroni

5 Favorite Things

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Welcome to this week’s 5 Favorite Things. Happy Sunday! What do you have going on today? Around here, Sunday is my prized day. It’s such a sunny day, perfect for lazing about, though admittedly, I did not do much lazing today. 

We went to church, I had delicious brunch leftovers, and then went for a nice, long run! Now I have spent the last few hours working on my blog and getting ready for the week. I like to pause, however, and look back on the previous week for the highlights:

#5: "Gently, my friends, gently. Harsh words will not change our dilemma."

This is a quote from the second book of the Silk and Song series by Dana Stabenow, spoken by Hari, the religious one of the caravan traveling and trading along the Silk Road. It’s fiction, but these words stood out to me, especially in light of recent events. We live in a digital world where we are constantly connected and yet never more disconnected from each other. It seems it’s become easier to hide behind our keyboards and express our disagreements differently than how we would face-to-face. 

So even though we’re more polarized than ever, this quote was a great reminder that we can disagree and still show regard for other people. In fact, progress and change will stem from that mutual respect. I really believe that no matter where your allegiances lie, always speak with kindness and compassion. Anger can only take us so far. 

#4: Tulip-Peony hybrids

I buy flowers for myself. I don’t say this in a pathetic way, and my husband is very good at buying flowers for me. At the same time, I thoroughly enjoy flower shopping, and spring is the best time to do it. Peonies are my favorite flower EVER, and tulips are so lovely, that I always look forward to seeing this unique hybrid of them at Trader Joe’s. They bloom beautifully and smell even better. 

#3: Got my first COVID vaccine

Totally by luck, too. My boss was at Walgreens getting her second vaccine and the pharmacy announced they had several first doses they were trying to get rid of by the end of the day. She was able to add me to the list and half an hour later I was vaccinated! I can’t even begin to describe how relieved I feel to have it. Gatherings and outings are that much safer now!

#2: Discovering my oven has a warming drawer

Talk about a game changer. My cooking game seriously just leveled up. I honestly thought this drawer was for storing cookie sheets and cooling racks. Nope. It can heat between 200°F to 400°F, so the possibilities are endless. I used it most recently to help with preparation for a little brunch get-together we hosted. Going forward, I never have to worry about food getting cold! WAHOO!

#1: Brunch Club

Jim and I got to host our friends for brunch at our house yesterday and it was so much fun. We are very blessed to have plentiful food and wonderful people to share it with. I also got to take out the fun plates and glasses and play my favorite role: Hostess! 

I was so inspired after looking through Tieghan Gerard’s cocktails in search of a good brunch drink that I think I will start the ritual myself! 

What I really loved about this gathering was that this group created an atmosphere of honesty and understanding, whatever the topic. No judgment at this table! Not with these people. That’s so rare, especially living in such polarizing times. Hopefully the next brunch club we have will include some new faces and we can share even more. 

Have a great week and enjoy this sunny Sunday!

Brunch Club

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The backstory (there's always a backstory)

For weeks, the plan was to go to this cozy and iconic brunch spot about ten minutes from our house with our friends and pastor. Fr. Ben is our friend, too; I just want to give him the distinction of also being our priest. When time came to make reservations, the place was booked completely. 

I mulled it over in my mind before offering Jim the options. We could reschedule and go another time. However, there’s often a loss of momentum when you do something like that. The rescheduled event isn’t as special, you know? Or we could find another restaurant. I am very proud of having conquered almost every brunch nook in the east metro, so we weren’t at a loss for alternatives. But then…I do love any reason to host a gathering. 

After all, I am my mother’s and mother-in-law’s daughter. 

Jim, of course, being more drawn and introverted, preferred the rescheduling. But he’s so happy to make me happy that he agreed to host brunch here. 

I am so thankful for my husband and marriage. We tackle things as a team, of course, but I recognize that am blessed with the kindest, most thoughtful man in my life. He cleaned while I went for groceries. When I returned, he had my flour, sugar, yeast, measuring spoons and cups ready. He’d looked up my croissants recipe in anticipation. He ran out to get fresh mint when I didn’t have any. He’s my favorite person ever. 

We powered through the morning preparations. The day before our big brunch bash I had made a project management-type schedule for each dish–what it was, how long it took to prepare, to cook, what serving ware it required. This helped immensely in staying organized and calm. With every cutting board, knife, whisk, and bowl that I completed my tasks with, Jim was ready to wash, dry, and return to the cupboards. We were in perfect sync. We even had a few minutes before our guests arrived to bask in our hard work with mimosas. 

How to time brunch

Timing and logistics is everything when hosting a meal. It’s a difficult task to make a multi-dish buffet when you only have one cook, one stove, and one oven. So you can understand how my discovery of the warming drawer under our oven was revolutionary. I was able to make everything ahead of time and keep it hot until our guests arrived. Check your own oven for this nifty appliance. I always thought it was for storing cookie sheets. Silly me.

Approaching the schedule, I looked at what I was making and decided what could be made ahead of time and sit well under a 200°F warming drawer while I made everything else. For my menu, this included pancakes, bacon, shredded carnitas (for breakfast tacos!) and tortillas–made in that order. I decided I would make the scrambled eggs just as the last guests arrived, and the potatoes would be the only thing to occupy the oven.

I also thought about what could be made a day ahead or get outsourced. Croissants, of course, could be done early since they could be served at room temperature. My fantastic mother-in-law dropped off her delicious blueberry scones the morning of. 

After the big stuff, I considered the accoutrements–salsas for breakfast tacos, cheeses, avocado slices, butter, syrups, mascarpone-espresso whipped cream for pancakes. Then I broke everything down by serving bowl, container, dish, plate, tongs, and spoons. I placed labels on the counter where I would place everything. 

I know this sounds insanely tedious, but the absence of stress prior to hosting was well worth the level of preparation. One of my favorite quotes is by Abraham Lincoln where he says, “If you give me four hours to chop down a forrest, I will spend the first three sharpening my axe.” 

Presentation is everything

It’s not that often I get to break out the good china or use an absurdly tall cake cover, so I cherish these get-togethers for the simple reason I get to pull out all of my toys and showcase something I spend 90% of my time thinking about. It’s one thing to know how to cook well. It’s another to get to put it on display. 

Cake plates, fun straws, tea towels, Tom Collins glasses, tiny skewers for drink garnishes, and flowers. Lots and lots of flowers. This was the most fun I’ve had preparing a meal! I think the croissants felt like New York City models flipping its layers to the sound of house music for a photo shoot. 

While our time spent preparing everything was rewarding in itself, the best part definitely was spending it in really good company. The last year has been hard on many people, and the time interacting with others has been severely cut down. How refreshing it was to talk face-to-face with friends and have honest conversations about recent events! We are already looking forward to our next brunch club and hoping to add more faces to it.

Our brunch bunch

Recipes

Carnitas Breakfast tacos

For the breakfast tacos, I went SIMPLE. Trader Joe’s has a ready-made carnitas that you basically microwave for 3 minutes and shred. THAT’S. IT. TJ’s also has delicious salsa–Salsa Authentica and Salsa Verde. The only work I really did was crumble some queso fresco, sliced an avocado, and made scrambled eggs (made with heavy cream…)

OH. And pickled red onions. Then I wrapped flour and corn tortillas in aluminum foil (two tortillas per pack) and dropped them in the warming drawer until it was time to eat. 

Double. Chocolate. Chip. Pancakes.

Double chocolate chip pancakes with mascarpone-espresso cream was a big hit at brunch club. I just followed this recipe and doubled it. It made six stacks of three silver dollar pancakes–perfect for brunch for six people. You don’t want it to be so big that you can’t fit other yummy stuff on your plate!

I added a splash of Kahlua, substituted sour cream with mascarpone, and sprinkled in espresso powder to the whipped cream and it balanced the sweet pancakes nicely!

Don’t skimp on the Luxardo cherry on top, either. 

Croissants, biscuits, and scones

Croissants are one of my signatures, and I didn’t change a thing for this brunch. I actually learned how to make croissants from Sally’s Baking Addiction, though I modified the recipe a little. 

And speaking of Sally, my mother-in-law made these beautiful blueberry scones using the recipe from Sally’s website. Here is the recipe link.

EVERYONE loved these scones. They were a huge hit! The glaze on top was perfectly crackly. 

Cheesy potato casserole

The cheesy potato casserole is a family favorite, and it’s such a simple recipe. For serving ~8 people, use half a bag (32 oz) of frozen hashbrowns (thawed), a can of cream of chicken soup, 8 oz of sour cream, half a stick of butter, 2 cups of shredded cheddar cheese, 1 tsp salt, and 1 tsp onion or garlic powder. Spread into a buttered, 9″ casserole dish. Then melt another half stick of butter, toss with 2 cups of cornflakes, and dump them over the casserole. Bake for an hour at 350°F and serve!

Brunchy libations: mimosas and mules

My mom taught me how to make a proper mimosa, and I have gladly handed her wisdom down to Jim and Joe, whom I put in charge of preparing them. 

1 oz of Gran Marnier or Cointreau liqueur 
1/3 cup Orange Juice
1/3 cup Champagne or Prosecco 

That’s it. In that order. Don’t prep ahead of time. Tilt the bottle when popping the cork and when pouring. Garnish with berries. 

I stole the blackberry champagne mule recipe from Half Baked Harvest because I LOVE her blog. I also really dig how she used to do a cocktail recipe every Saturday! I might continue copying her and start doing that!

I am already SO EXCITED for the next gathering with these incredible people. 

Steakhouse Burgers

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I love to make all kinds of exotic, ethnic, fun foods. Risottos, falafel, pupusas, lumpia, whatever. I’ll try it, and they’re all real yummy. But I married one picky eater. Those things don’t get him psyched for dinner. Jim’s favorite food? Cheeseburgers. So I reign in my (probably overly) elitist cultural tastes (okay, yeah, overly for sure) and get back to basics to make Jimbo dinner. 

And you know what? Classics are classics for a reason. They’re delicious.* 

This burger recipe is pretty aggressively seasoned and impossible to overcook. If you think the recipe resembles meatloaf, you would be 100% right. It is the kind of burger you can expect at a steakhouse! Or at our house on date night 🙂 

*Jim and I had a date once where I made the burgers and he made chocolate shakes. Wow. We still talk about that dinner. Those shakes were life changing. I should do a shake recipe with him…

Last Saturday was Jim’s and my date night. I made the burgers while he toasted the buns. (I trust Jim wholeheartedly to butter toast and buns. He butters bread just like his mom and grandpa. He uses a very liberal amount of butter and this makes him an invaluable sous chef.) 

On our honeymoon, Jim bought me a silicon Mickey Mouse pancake mold, and I used it to melt cheddar cheese into the shape of Mickey. It looked great on my cheeseburger, but I was so hungry, I ate it before the camera could get to it. 

I also made homemade tater tots to go with our burgers, and while I really don’t recommend the recipe I used (so much pepper!?) the experience is worth attempting again, so stay tuned. Tots and shakes on the way! ‘Til then, order up! 

Steakhouse Burgers

An extremely easy burger recipe that you can have no fear of overcooking. It will remain juicy no matter what.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 15 minutes
Course Main Course
Cuisine American
Servings 4
Calories 485 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 1 slice White bread crust removed
  • 2½ tbsp Milk
  • 1¼ tsp Kosher salt
  • 2 cloves Garlic, minced ¼ tsp garlic powder is a fine substitute
  • ½ tsp Ground black pepper
  • ¾ tbsp Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 tbsp Ketchup
  • 1 lb Ground beef 85/15
  • 4 Buns
  • 4 Slices Cheddar cheese
  • Onion, lettuce, tomato, mayo, ketchup as desired

Instructions
 

  • Tear bread into small pieces and pour milk over it. Add salt, garlic, pepper, ketchup, and Worcestershire sauce. Stir with a spatula and add beef. Do not over mix.
  • Form into patties with a dimple in the center. Grill on a cast iron skillet, griddle, or grill for approximately 3-5 minutes per side. Add cheese in the last minute and serve on toasted buns with desired toppings.
  • *To toast buns, line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Liberally butter buns and broil face side up for 1-3 minutes, or until golden.
Keyword Steakhouse cheeseburger classic

Like this? Try these...

Jane’s Cucumber Tomato Salad

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I’ve been attending Jane’s famous Sunday dinners for almost three years now. I love and admire how my superstar mother-in-law incorporates seasonal dishes and vegetables into her weekly rotation. Jane knows exactly what to serve in any kind of weather, any day of the week, any time of the year. Next to my mom, she is the Supreme Hostess. For this, and a hundred other reasons, she is my hero. 

Her salad is a sign of warmer weather. It reminds me of a sandwich shop or 4th of July at the cabin, probably because Jane inevitably makes it when we go for the summer. 

I pressed Jane to share the recipe with me so I could make it for my family at Easter, and she said, “No real recipe! That’s it. Thinly sliced cucumber, tomato seeded and cut up, sliced onion, pour on a bit of oil, then pour on rice vinegar. Salt heavily!” I’m glad she and I speak this common language. She gets the gist of a recipe and can take it from there. 

Needless to say, she did end up giving more specifics. This is her recipe and pretty much everyone adores it! (Except Jim, who, for some reason prefers pies, cakes, and mac ‘n’ cheese and avoids all salad-y things…)

Part of this salad includes thinly sliced cucumbers and seeded tomatoes. A mandolin works great for slicing thin, uniform pieces of cucumber, but you don’t have one if you’re skilled with the kitchen knife. Additionally, I have found a grapefruit spoon most helpful in seeding tomatoes. 

I think this salad is also well met with feta crumbles to give it a bit of Greek flair, but it’s also perfectly delicious without! 

Of this salad, Jane has advised me: you definitely have to use the Kikoman Seasoned Rice Vinegar and a liberal amount of salt. It almost tastes like a lightly pickled cucumber! It is bright, acidic, and salty, perfect to balance heavier entrées like a juicy steak! 

This makes a great side dish and we see it a lot on the buffet line of Sunday night dinner in the summer. Thanks for the recipe, Jane!

Jane's Cucumber Tomato Salad

The summer go-to salad! Fresh, tart, and salty, like a slightly pickled salad. This recipe is my mother-in-law's so you know it's fantastic.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes
Total Time 15 minutes
Course Salad, Side Dish
Cuisine American
Servings 8
Calories 35 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 1 Cucumber large, sliced thinly
  • 4-5 Roma tomatoes seeded and chopped
  • ½ White onion sliced
  • 1 tsp Kosher salt
  • 3 tbsp Canola oil
  • ½ cup Kikkoman seasoned rice vinegar

Instructions
 

  • In a large serving bowl combine cucumbers, tomatoes, and onion slices. Toss to incorporate. Sprinkle with salt. Drizzle with oil and vinegar. Toss again to incorporate. Serve.
Keyword Tomato Cucumber Salad

Foolproof Filet Mignon

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If you haven’t made much of it before, steak can be really intimidating. Especially when you’re forking over $14/pound for a fancy cut like filet mignon. Understandably, you don’t want to mess it up! This recipe conquers the perfect steak in 15 minutes. But first, some basics!

Filet Mignon Anatomy and Nutrition

Let’s talk about the filet mignon cut, first. Filet mignons are slices of the tenderloin, which comes from the lower back of the cow, deep inside. It’s a pretty unused part of the cow’s anatomy and thus it is so tender. 

Beef tenderloin is also considered the most lean steak cut, but this does not mean it is fat free! A 4 oz filet packs 30 grams of protein, but also 20 grams of fat.*

*A trick for converting grams of fat to calories (kcal) is to multiply the grams by 9. For example, 20 grams of fat is equivalent to 180 calories of fat. The same applies for converting grams of carbs and proteins to calories, except that multiplier is 4. So 30 grams of protein is equivalent to 120 calories of protein. Therefore, a typical 4 oz filet mignon steak is about 300 calories (180 calories of fat + 120 calories of protein = 300 calories). 

Equipment for making steak (indoors)

These kitchen gadgets are really helpful for making steaks, but they are also kitchen essentials that will get more use than just an occasional fancy steak dinner! Invest in them and you will use them a lot.

1. 12″ Cast iron skillet. LODGE makes a great cast iron skillet and they’re no more than $40 usually. My skillet has grates but flat bottom cast iron skillets work just as well. (The grates just give nice grill marks. You can get one at Target here.

2. Tongs. Hopefully you already have some of these, but if not, make sure to pick up a pair. Not only will it help you turn your steak over in the skillet, it’ll grab healthy servings of salads, help your guests pick veggies in a buffet line, or even aid in reaching the cereal box that got pushed to the back of the cabinet…

3. Meat thermometer. People are particular about their steaks level of done-ness. Some like it medium well to well, while others like it rare and still mooing. The key to achieving the right level is a meat thermometer. It takes out all of the guesswork. This Taylor meat thermometer at Target is only $15!

4. Steak Seasoning. Montreal Steak Seasoning by McCormick is a really good all-purpose seasoning that I sprinkle over my steaks. Weber also makes an excellent spice blend for steaks, but salt and pepper also work just fine. Filets are not marinade-able cuts, so these dry spices provide a nice added flavor (though, filets are also delicious plain).

Steak Temperature Guidelines

This all comes down to personal preference. If you are worried about bacteria or consuming raw meat, cook your meat above 145°F. That will kill the most worrisome bacteria. You also do not need to let the meat come to room temperature prior to cooking. Doing so only promotes more bacteria growth. 

To measure the internal temperature of your steak, carefully handle the cast iron skillet with a heat proof glove or oven mitt, and then stick the thermometer into the inner most part of the steak: the center. Be careful not to go all the way through to the bottom, or you’ll just read the temperature of the hot pan, which is way hotter than the steak!

What to serve with filet mignon

Something starchy, to start. Mashed potatoes, scalloped potatoes, baked potatoes, sweet potatoes, rice, risottos, pastas or macaroni and cheese are all common side kicks to steaks. So is a nice hunk of buttered bread. As previously mentioned, filet mignon is 60% fat and 40% protein. Carbohydrates from starchy foods balance the meal’s macronutrients. 

Vegetables and salads also help make the meal more balanced. Roasted cauliflower, honey-glazed carrots, sauteed greens, steamed and buttered broccoli, roasted brussels sprouts, garlicky mushrooms, or poached asparagus are great choices that can stand up to a hearty filet. 

The Easiest Filet Mignon recipe ever ever

Easy Filet Mignon

Fancy name. Extremely easy to cook. Comes together in 15 minutes! Filet mignon comes from the tenderloin of the cow, so it is a very soft and unused muscle that is extremely tender. It is also extremely lean so it requires a little oil and butter to not dry out. Use a cast iron skillet or a grill.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 15 minutes
Course Main Course
Cuisine American
Servings 4
Calories 300 kcal

Equipment

  • Cast Iron Skillet or Grill
  • Meat thermometer

Ingredients
  

  • 1 tbsp Olive oil
  • 4 4 oz Filet mignon steaks, ~2" high (1 lb)
  • Montreal Steak Seasoning
  • 2 tbsp Butter

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 400°F / 200°C.
  • Sprinkle steaks with steak seasoning on all sides, pressing it in with your hands to make sure it sticks.
  • Drizzle olive oil into cast iron skillet. Heat cast iron skillet on the stove on medium high heat.
  • When oil is close to smoking, place all four steaks in the pan. Cook for 3-5 minutes, undisturbed. Flip the steaks and cook another 3-5 minutes, undisturbed.
  • Place ½ tbsp of butter on each filet and transfer the skillet to the oven. Cook for another 3-5 minutes. Check temperature for desired doneness. Serve immediately.

Notes

Filet mignon might sound fancy, but it takes such a small amount of effort to actually prepare. It's the last thing you'll cook before serving up dinner because it's that quick. 
If you prefer to use a grill instead of a cast iron skillet, drizzle the steaks with olive oil and then season with Montreal steak seasoning. Sear both sides for 3 minutes each with the grill open. Then add the butter and close the grill for an additional 3 minutes. Use a thermometer to check for doneness. 
Keyword Filet mignon steak easy

5 Favorite Things

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I missed last week’s five favorite things because Jim and I were out of town visiting my family for Easter! I really did mean to post, but traveling is exhausting! We returned home, picked up a few groceries, and slothed about on the couch reading books and snoozing. 

So today you get my five favorite things from the last two weeks. And in video form, no less! 

Also, I sincerely apologize for not getting any posts out last week! My normal schedule is doing a lot of the cooking/photographing/post-writing over the weekends and then share one recipe a day.

We were out of town last weekend and so my whole schedule was off and posting during the week can be tricky! All said and done, I spend at least two hours per post, and that doesn’t even include cooking time! 

Until then, here are my five favorite things from the last two weeks! 

#5: Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell. Great book about the illusion of successful people and the behind the scenes opportunities that fell into their laps.

#4: Garlic spread by Trader Joe’s (aka: Toum – a Middle Eastern condiment for kebabs)

#3: Girl’s night out with my friend, Lauren! And her smokin’ old fashioned!

#2: The Mighty Ducks. So ’90s. So my new favorite movie. Also, the TV show on Disney+ is excellent!

#1: Spending time with my family over Easter and getting to share it with Jim! 

Picnic Cake

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Hey strangers, it’s been a few days since I posted a recipe! Thought I’d offer up one of my favorites as a good gesture. I read this recipe a year ago in the newspaper and it is sublime. 

Did you know the majority of people prefer vanilla over chocolate? I was never one of those people. Chocolate all the way! But I think I’m becoming more grown up because things like creme brûlée, vanilla french toast, and this cake completely resound with me. 

And anyway, there’s like, half an inch of chocolate frosting on top. 

By the way, I am completely shameless when it comes to licking the frosting off the beaters once the cake is frosted. How could you not? 

And this frosting is such an applicable and classic chocolate frosting that is perfect on this cake and a dozen other things. Brownies, cupcakes, chocolate cake, or, ya know. Plain. “Mousse,” you might say. 

So silky smooth…

I am not good at frosting cakes, by the way. This chocolate frosting is extremely forgiving. It makes my terrible icing techniques look good. 

It’s also nice that you can frost it right in the pan, unlike round cakes which require a lot more attention!

So many sprinkles… Aren’t they fun?! They remind me of making hot fudge sundaes as a kid!

This cake received Jim and Joe’s nod of approval and they said it tasted like a donut. That’s a pretty high compliment coming from them. If I had to pick a mascot for my husband and his twin to represent a pair of people ready to take over the world, it would, without a doubt, be a flying donut. 

The cake is very vanilla-y, by the way. I should have named this a yin yang cake. It’s perfectly compatible and equal parts vanilla and chocolate. I have noticed any recipe with more than 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract are packing extra vanilla flavor and it’s a total delight!

It’s a perfect forkful and I hope you go crazy for it. Take it for a picnic now that the weather is getting nicer or make it for a birthday! It couldn’t be tastier OR cuter!

You could also dye the batter blue or pink, frost as usual, and use this for a gender reveal cake! Oh, boy. You can tell where my mind is at these days! 

Have a sweet day!

Picnic Cake

New York Times
Yellow cake and thick chocolate frosting, generously topped with sprinkles. Everything is so good, it almost tastes store-bought. The cake is very sturdy and tender-crumbed at the same time. The frosting is silky smooth and tastes like the stuff out of a can, but better.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 24
Calories 260 kcal

Ingredients
  

Yellow Cake

  • 3/4 cup Butter softened
  • 1¼ cup Sugar
  • 2 Eggs
  • 1 Egg yolk
  • 1 tbsp Vanilla extract
  • 1½ cups Flour
  • 1 tsp Baking powder
  • ½ tsp Baking soda
  • ¼ tsp Sea salt
  • ¾ cup Whole milk

Chocolate Frosting

  • ¾ cup Butter softened
  • 2½ cups Powdered sugar
  • ½ cup Cocoa powder
  • ½ cup Sour cream or Greek yogurt (full fat)
  • 2 oz Bittersweet chocolate melted
  • 1½ tsp Vanilla extract
  • pinch Sea salt

Instructions
 

Yellow Cake

  • Preheat oven to 350°F / 175°C.
  • In a large bowl with an electric mixer, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, one at a time. Add in vanilla extract and mix.
  • In another bowl combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and sea salt. Alternate adding this dry mixture and the whole milk to the rest of the batter, mixing gently in between each addition.
  • Pour batter, which will be thick, into a greased 9" x 13" pan. Bake 30-35 minutes. Cool completely.

Chocolate Frosting

  • With electric beaters, slowly combine softened butter, sugar, and cocoa powder. When it resembles large crumbs, add the sour cream, melted chocolate, vanilla, and sea salt. Increase mixing speed and whip until fully incorporated.
  • Spread frosting over cooled cake and top generously with sprinkles.
Keyword Yellow Cake Chocolate Frosting

Chocolate Oreo Peanut Butter Cream Pie

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A buttery Oreo-y crust topped with a Reese’s custard topped with a chocolate pudding custard topped with a whipped cream topped with…yep, an Oreo. 

I made a version of this pie sans peanut butter called Chocolate Cream Pie, and Jim was over the moon for it, very insistent the recipe go in The Arsenal. When he tried this 2.0 version, he said this was even better than the chocolate cream pie. 

It really is a pretty dessert with all of the distinct layers. (Clean your knife between cuts to get that beautiful profile!) And they are delicious layers. Think pudding, but thicker and holds its shape. 

Also…I didn’t actually use Oreos. Trader Joe’s has their version of Oreos called Joe Joe’s, and honestly, I think they’re 10 times better. You can actually see flecks of vanilla bean in them! Jim also thinks they’re superior to regular Oreos, so the proof is in the pudding and the picky eaters. 

However, I did use Reese’s peanut butter chips, and those are a non-negotiable. I don’t think it’s possible to create a substitute for those. I’ll caution you on them, though. They find a sneaky route to your mouth and before you know it they’re gone 😉 

Hope you love this pie, and if you make it, be sure to tag @bakerstheory on Instagram or Facebook!

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cream Pie

Alex
Oreo cookie crust and dense chocolate and peanut butter layers topped with a healthy amount of whipped cream, and of course, more cookie. Jim immediately directed it to the arsenal. It's like a Reese's cup pie made with pudding and it's something special. FYI it needs to chill for 6 hours, so make sure to plan for that!
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Chill Time 6 hours
Total Time 6 hours 25 minutes
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 8
Calories 680 kcal

Ingredients
  

Cookie Crust

  • 24 Oreo cookies
  • 4 tbsp Butter, unsalted Melted
  • pinch Salt

Fillings

  • ½ cup Sugar
  • 3 cups Whole milk
  • ½ tsp Salt
  • 6 Egg yolks
  • 2 tbsp Butter
  • 1 tsp Vanilla extract
  • 1 tbsp Peanut butter creamy
  • ½ cup Reese's Peanut Butter Chips
  • 1 tbsp Dutch processed cocoa powder
  • ½ cup Semi-sweet chocolate chips

Pie toppings

  • 1 cup Heavy whipping cream
  • 1 tbsp Powdered sugar
  • ½ tsp Vanilla extract
  • More Oreos, for garnish optional

Instructions
 

Cookie Crust

  • Preheat oven to 350°F / 175°C.
  • Combine Oreos, melted butter, and salt in a food processor on low speed. Process until paste-like.
  • Press wet crumbs into a 9" pie plate. Bake 10 minutes.

Fillings

  • In a large pot, combine sugar, milk, salt, and eggs on medium heat, whisking often so eggs do not cook. Bring to a boil, about 10-12 minutes. The custard should be thick and pudding-like. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla and butter.
  • While the custard is cooking, add peanut butter and Reese's chips in a medium-sized bowl. Once custard has boiled and thickened, add half of it to the bowl of peanut butter and Reese's chips. To the half remaining in the pot, add to it the chocolate chips and the cocoa powder. Allow them to sit for one minute until the chips have melted.
  • Stir both to combine well. Pour in the peanut butter layer over the cookie crust. Then pour the chocolate layer over the peanut butter layer. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least six hours.
  • After the pie has chilled, whip cream and powdered sugar with the whisk attachment of an electric mixer on medium speed until stiff peaks form. Spread whipped cream over the pie. Garnish with more cookies if desired. Slice and serve.
Keyword chocolate peanut butter cream pudding pie

Sweet Symphony Meatballs

by

Wow, guys. This recipe is a keeper. I love, love, love these chicken meatballs. They are sweet, a little spicy, and MEATY (without all the saturated fats). Perfect with rice and sesame roasted vegetables. 

Jim calls them “symphony meatballs” because he thinks my act of throwing the ingredients in a bowl and “inventing” the recipe is the culinary equivalent of a composition by Beethoven. Yep, I’m a meatball-making prodigy and composer. 

By the way, this Everything But the Bagel seasoning from Trader Joe’s is everything I ever want or need in a seasoning blend–garlic, onion, sesame seeds, poppy seeds, and salt. It also goes really well on a bagel….I think other companies are catching on because I saw a giant Kirkland brand container of it at Costco.

Yummy and 30-minutes to make!

These meatballs have a fun Asian flair from the sriracha, brown sugar, and sesame seed oil. To accompany them I roasted vegetables my usual way, but instead of olive oil, I used sesame seed oil, and instead of salt, I used this Everything but the Bagel Sesame Seasoning Blend. 

The whole meal came together in 30 minutes! Roasted vegetables in the oven, rice in the rice cooker, and meatballs in the cast iron skillet on the stove. It was quick and SO rewarding. And yes, you should get a rice cooker. 

Usually I have found leaner ground meats like turkey and chicken to be dry, but NOT THESE. Uh uh. These are juicy, sweet, and have awesome grill marks because my cast iron skillet has grates 😉

The amount of fat in it is really low, too, which I have to care about now to keep my heart in good shape! Somehow it manages to still be delicious without the heavy addition of oils!!! It’s a meatball miracle. 

The recipe makes about 24 meatballs / 4 servings, so that’s SIX MEATBALLS PER SERVING. Yes, please! I love the Yogi Berra quote when he’s asked how many slices he’d like his pizza cut into. He says, “Six. I couldn’t eat eight.” Cracks me up.

I love making these balanced meals now to make sure my macro nutrients are in check. It’s a challenge to cook with less fat (because butter really does make everything taste good…) but this recipe definitely accomplished that mission and I am very proud. 

Let me know what you think if you try them! And tag me on Instagram if you do! @bakerstheory

Sweet 'n' Spicy Glazed Chicken Meatballs

Alex
Juicy "grilled" meatballs tossed in a light sesame peanut glaze. Using a cast iron skillet to get a nice char on the meat, these are extremely flavorful and delicious! Perfect with roasted vegetables and a bed of rice!
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 15 minutes
Course Main Course
Cuisine Asian
Servings 4
Calories 300 kcal

Equipment

  • Cast iron skillet

Ingredients
  

Meatballs

  • 1 tsp Sesame seed oil
  • 1 lb Ground chicken
  • ½ cup Panko breadcrumbs
  • 1 tsp Soy sauce
  • 1 tsp Everything But the Bagel Seasoning
  • ¼ tsp Garlic powder
  • 1 tsp Mustard
  • 1 Egg lightly beaten
  • 1 tsp Seasoned rice vinegar
  • 1 tbsp Brown sugar packed
  • ¼-½ tsp Hot chili sauce like Sriracha

Glaze

  • ½ tbsp Creamy peanut butter
  • ½ tbsp Soy sauce
  • ½ tsp Everything But the Bagel Seasoning
  • ½ tsp Mustard
  • 1 tbsp Seasoned rice vinegar
  • ¼ tsp Hot chili sauce
  • Juice of one lime
  • pinch Salt

Instructions
 

Meatballs

  • Heat a large oiled cast iron skillet on medium heat for about 10 minutes.
  • In a large bowl, combine all of the ingredients for the meatballs so it is thoroughly homogenous. Form into 1½" diameter balls.
  • Place balls in the heated skillet. They should sizzle. Allow them to cook for 3 minutes, then turn them to brown on the opposite side. Cook another 3 minutes.
  • Flip to another side and then cover the pan with aluminum foil for 5-8 minutes, or until no longer pink inside. (Might have to slice one open to check!)
  • Transfer cooked meatballs to a shallow dish with the glaze in it and toss them to coat. Serve with rice and roasted vegetables!

Glaze

  • While the meatballs are covered and cooking, prepare the simple glaze.
  • In a small bowl, combine all ingredients with a whisk. Beat until smooth. Taste and adjust with salt if needed. Pour into a shallow dish.