We could all use a dose of Good Fortune in the New Year! Symbolized by a nice slice of this delicious cornbread!

Who’s with me?!!

While we’re at it, we’re going to load up on Black Eyed Peas (symbolizing coins or wealth), Collard Greens (representing money) and Pork (as a sign of moving forward). Call it superstition or simply a delicious dinner!

Good Fortune & Good Intentions

Heading into the new year, I’ve been pondering my good intentions for 2022. Despite what cliche resolutions come to mind, for me it all comes down to making healthy choices. A healthy lifestyle, a strong healthy body, and mental peace and clarity are what I’m aiming for.

So to begin, I will continue to incorporate fresh ingredients into my cooking. And you know there will be plenty of fresh herb flavor-love woven throughout.

I will spend more time in the woods, my ultimate happy place. Hiking, strolling, deep breathing and looking up. All of which lead to a clear and peaceful mind.

Are you a resolutions kind of person? I certainly view the New Year as an opportunity to reset. Perhaps to a fault, I put off change as the the new year approaches. So I’ll add one more good intention in 2022 – I will be more timely when my path needs adjusting. And forgive myself when I veer off course.

Recipe Inspiration

My Sage Brown Butter Buttermilk Cornbread recipe is bursting with buttery herb flavors. It’s pretty darn good if I might say so. It’s that recipe that has inspired this Good Fortune Golden Cheddar Cornbread with Fire Roasted Poblanos.

Golden Cheddar Cornbread

Herbs and aromatics will elevate your cornbread. In this case, I use fire roasted poblano peppers to infuse the brown butter. While including some nice sharp cheddar cheese adds to the cornbread texture and the flavor.

This easy cornbread recipe is the perfect weekend comfort food yet also quick enough to prepare with a weeknight meal.

Wishing you health, happiness and good fortune in the year ahead. And may your plates be graced with delicious good eats!

Don’t forget to follow us @LemonyThyme on Instagram and Facebook! And check out our latest TikTok videos and Pinterest boards too!

All my best,
xo Libby

Pin It For Later

Print

Good Fortune Golden Cheddar Cornbread with Fire Roasted Poblanos

Good Fortune Golden Cheddar Cornbread with Fire Roasted Poblanos is a standout recipe with savory wonderful texture and buttery crisp edges!

Course Bread

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Servings 8

Author Libby with Lemony Thyme

Ingredients

• 2 poblano peppers fire roast, sweat, remove skins and seeds, dice
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 cups yellow cornmeal
• 2 Tablespoons sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 2 1/2 cups buttermilk
• 3 large eggs
• 1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese divided
• 1 stick butter

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 425° F.
• Fire roast poblanos until well charred on all sides. Place into a metal bowl and cover with plastic wrap for 5 minutes. Run under cold water to remove charred skins. Remove stem and seeds, then fine dice. Reserve.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients flour through salt. In a large bowl, beat buttermilk with eggs. Stir in 1 cup of shredded cheddar cheese, reserving 1/2 cup for topping.
• In a large cast iron skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Add diced poblano pepper, reserving 2 Tablespoons for topping. Saute peppers until tender and butter is turning golden brown. Pour all but 1 tablespoon of melted butter/pepper mixture into buttermilk/egg mixture and whisk to combine. Slowly whisk in dry ingredients. Pour batter into cast iron skillet. Sprinkle with remaining cheese and diced poblano pepper.
• Place skillet into preheated oven and bake for 20 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted into center comes out clean. Allow to rest for 10 minutes before serving.

The post Good Fortune Golden Cheddar Cornbread with Fire Roasted Poblanos appeared first on Lemony Thyme.

But if you don’t have one near by or prefer to make this copycat recipe at home, that works for me.

It’s not that it’s the only thing I crave on their menu however, they have so many great breakfast & brunch options. My kids even got me a First Watch cookbook for Christmas last year because they know I’m a breakfast lover!

If you’ve been following along with us for some time, you’re probably well aware that I love bacon. And this sweet and spicy million dollar version is down right addicting!

What I love about this recipe is it’s so easy to make and the bacon cooks in the oven. Easy clean up too!

The strips of bacon are raked through a simple glaze of brown sugar, maple syrup, cayenne and black pepper thinned with a touch of water. You then lay the strips on a rack over a parchment line baking sheet. Into a 325 degree oven for about 25 minutes.

What you end up with are mildly spicy lightly caramelized strips of perfectly cooked bacon. Completely acceptable to enjoy as a snack. Million Dollar Bacon will elevate your brunch game and your burger bar too!

You’re going to love our Ultimate Jack & Coke Bacon Cheeseburger! It’s got the million dollar magic!

Don’t forget to follow us @LemonyThyme on Instagram and Facebook! And check out our latest TikTok videos and Pinterest boards too!

All my best,
xo Libby

Print

Million Dollar Bacon (First Watch Copycat)

What you end up with are mildly spicy lightly caramelized strips of perfectly cooked bacon. Completely acceptable to enjoy as a snack. Million Dollar Bacon will elevate your brunch game and your burger bar!

Course Breakfast, Brunch, Burgers, Snack

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes minutes

Servings 6

Ingredients

• 1 pound bacon regular thickness

For the Glaze

• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup maple syrup
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 Tablespoon black pepper
• 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 325° F. Place a rack onto a parchment lined baking sheet. Combine the glaze ingredients in a shallow bowl.
• Drag strips of bacon through glaze and place on rack. Bake for 15 minutes. Rotate pan and bake another 10 minutes or until your desired doneness. Allow to cool slightly before serving.

The post Million Dollar Bacon (First Watch Copycat) appeared first on Lemony Thyme.

She thought of us when she saw it in a magazine and cut it out for me. It’s been laying on my desk patiently waiting.

The ingredients are quite basic, most well stocked pantries could handle. The instructions are straight forward, albeit there is yeast and resting/rising involved. However I’m certain most modest cooks could tackle this recipe.

Yet day after day, week after week, I avoided eye contact. What was it about this recipe that I was avoiding?

Oh I knew. Deep down I knew. And I’m here to admit to you.

I’VE NEVER MADE A CINNAMON ROLL.

Nope, not one.

Like you, I’ve seen hundreds of cinnamon roll recipes floating around the internet. I’m fairly sure there are Pinterest boards entirely dedicated to this delicacy. Yet I have managed to avoid making them until now.

Fear of failure is the only thing I can think of that has kept me from attempting this family favorite breakfast treat. But on this day I’m going in!

Making the Dough

Step 1 of the instructions is to “dissolve yeast in warm water and cream until foamy.” Sounds simple enough. The picture above is the 3rd attempt at foamy, which also included sending my husband to the grocery store to buy more heavy cream. That’s how committed I was to making this Giant Cinnamon Roll.

As it turns out the problem was not the temperature of my water and cream. Remember last year when covid first hit and everyone was home. We were all working on our honey-do lists, organizing closets, and baking bread. All that bread baking created a yeast shortage. Not sure the exact facts but my grocery stores were out for weeks, maybe longer. I finally broke down and ordered a 1 pound package of instant dry yeast online. That’s a lot of yeast and the same yeast I was using for this recipe, some 15 months later. There was no foamy action happening.

I thought about backing out. I mean this was part of why I have avoided making cinnamon rolls in the past. He must have seen the look in my eyes when he said “I’m going back to the grocery store to buy you fresh yeast.”

Bless him!

The moral of the story….face your fears & use fresh yeast.

As you can see in the above pictures I achieved “smooth and elastic dough” as Step 2 instructed. The dough also doubled in size and rolled out nicely into a 12″ x 15″ rectangle. The pizza cutter trick was brilliant too. Things were going my way. Confidence filled the air.

I rolled each 2-inch strip around the previous, creating a beautiful giant cinnamon roll, which doubled in size again! The magic that only fresh yeast can deliver (and an hour in a warm spot).

Making the Homemade Caramel Sauce

But then came the homemade caramel sauce. Good God. “Combine sugar and water in a small saucepan, cook over medium heat until it turns light amber.” Amber was no where to be seen. My sugar crystalized and turned to sugar concrete. Two batches in and we’re going with homemade “golden” syrup. It was buttery, sweet and delicious. One day caramel I’ll get you, but not today!

Recipe Note: because this recipe calls for caramel sauce I didn’t want to leave you hanging. But clearly I’m no expert. Here is a great link on how to make Quick and Easy Caramel Sauce. The trick….resist the urge to stir.

The Results

This iconic cinnamon bun, also known as a cinnamon swirl or danish was a giant hit with the whole family, including Ms. Pat. The dough was buttery crisp on the edges with a light center and a wonderful cinnamon flavor swirled throughout. I’m already thinking about my next attempt and how I’ll approach it with conviction.

Today marks what would have been my mom’s 90th birthday. Without question she would have loved this cinnamon roll. I have a folder of recipes cut, torn, rewritten from magazines and newspapers that mom knew I would like. It’s time for me to tackle the next one!

Don’t forget to follow us @LemonyThyme on Instagram and Facebook! And check out our latest TikTok videos and Pinterest boards too!

All my best,
xo Libby

Pin It For Later

Print

How To Make a Giant Cinnamon Roll

This Giant Cinnamon Roll was a hit with the entire family. The dough was buttery crisp on the edges with a light center and a wonderful cinnamon flavor swirled throughout.

Course Breads, Breakfast, Brunch

Prep Time 30 minutes minutes

Cook Time 40 minutes minutes

Rise Time 1 hour hour 30 minutes minutes

Servings 12

Author Leah Rekau, Milwaukee, WI

Ingredients

For the Dough

• 1 pkg. (1/4 ounce) active dry yeast be sure yeast is fresh
• 1/2 cup warm water 110° – 115° F.
• 1/2 cup warm heavy whipping cream 110° – 115° F.
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 3-4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 large egg beaten
• 3 Tablespoons butter melted

For the Cinnamon Filling

• 1/4 cup butter softened
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 Tablespoon ground cinnamon

For the Caramel Topping

• 1 cup sugar
• 2 Tablespoons water
• 6 Tablespoons butter
• 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream

Instructions

For the Cinnamon Roll

• Dissolve yeast in warm (110° – 115° F.) water and cream until foamy. I verified the temperature with my instant read thermometer. In a separate bowl, whisk together sugar, salt and 3 cups flour. Stir in yeast mixture, beaten egg and melted butter. Add enough remaining flour to create a soft dough.
• Turn dough out onto a floured surface. Knead until smooth and elastic, adding additional flour if mixture is too sticky. Place in a greased bowl, turn once to grease the top. Cover with plastic wrap or a clean dish towel and allow to rise until doubled in size, about 30 minutes.
• Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Roll into a 12-inch x 15-inch rectangle. Spread softened butter over dough, sprinkle with cinnamon sugar mixture. Using a pizza cutter, cut dough into (6) 2-inch wide strips. Roll one strip and place in center of greased 9-inch deep-dish pie plate. Wrap remaining strips around center. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise until doubled in size, about an hour.
• Preheat oven to 350° F. Bake until golden brown about 35-40 minutes.

For the Caramel Sauce

• To prepare the topping, combine sugar and water in a small saucepan over medium heat. Cook undisturbed until it turns light amber, about 8-9 minutes. Resist the urge to stir. Add butter, stirring vigorously. Remove from the heat, add cream and continue to stir vigorously. Cool slightly. Pour 3/4 cup over cinnamon roll. Serve with remaining caramel sauce.

The post How To Make a Giant Cinnamon Roll appeared first on Lemony Thyme.

Last week I shared what would be the first recipe in a new series called College Cooking. My 21 year old bonus-son and his roommates requested some recipe inspiration.

College Cooking Challenge

“Start a recipe series called College Cooking and give us a new recipe each week that we can prepare in our off-campus housing kitchens!

Be sure the ingredients are readily available (and affordable) but help us break free from blue box mac ‘n cheese, frozen pizzas, and fast-food meals.”

When we went down for their initial move-in visit, little did I know that they had planned a cooking challenge for me. A ‘Chopped-like’ College Cooking Competition.

They gave me 5 typical college survival ingredients and asked me to turn them into an Appetizer, Entree and Dessert.

Oh boy!

My College Cooking Challenge Mystery Ingredients

• Instant Mashed Potatoes
• Ramen Noodles
• Frozen Chicken Tenders
• Steak-umms
• Cap’N Crunch

I can honestly say all but ramen noodles were making their debut on Lemony Thyme!

Before I planned my recipes, I was able to ‘shop’ from their pantry and fridge/freezer. No question they have their staple ‘survival’ ingredients, but they also had a nice array of spices and cooking essentials.

We made a run to their local Walmart for the remaining ingredients! That was an adventure in itself. Envision a college town Walmart the day after move-in weekend. Chaos but we nailed it!

The College Cooking Challenge Results

Cooking for these kids was a blast! I found some pretty creative ways to incorporate their go-to staple ingredients. And most importantly they loved the results and ate every last bite!

For the Appetizer Round I made Nashville Hot Chicken & Waffle Sliders, incorporating the frozen chicken tenders.

And I also made these Loaded Baked Potato Tots with Sour Cream & Cheddar Dipping Sauce! They were a huge hit!

Loaded Baked Potato Tots

My challenged included a 4-pack of microwavable instant mashed potatoes. Let me say a couple things about that. Of all the mystery ingredients, this was the one I feared most. All I could envision were thin and flavorless ‘watery’ mashed potatoes.

I now feel a bit foolish! They are nice and thick and taste pretty darn good straight out of the microwave. I can see why these meat & potato loving kids stock their cupboards with them.

*Partly attributed to the sodium count which weighs in at 690 mg. per serving.

So for this recipe, whether you use instant or have leftover homemade mashed potatoes is completely your choice.

Loaded Tots Ingredients

• You’ll begin with 3 cups of mashed potatoes
• 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1/2 cup flour
• 1/4 cup finely chopped crispy cooked bacon
• 2 Tablespoons snipped fresh chives
• Panko or plain breadcrumbs

• Combine all ingredients and mix well
• Using a teaspoon, scoop out mashed potatoes and shape into ‘tots’
• Roll each tot in breadcrumbs
• Place tots on a parchment or foil lined baking sheet
• Bake at 375 deg. F. for 25 minutes
• Serve with Sour Cream & Cheddar Dipping Sauce

You can certainly pan-fry these tots but oven-baked yielded a nice crispy tot with cheesy loaded mashed potato inside! And this dipping sauce is crazy good with cheddar cheese and bacony love.

There was not a tot to be found after the appetizer round!

Don’t forget to follow us @LemonyThyme on Instagram and Facebook! And check out our Instagram Story Highlights for how the entire College Cooking Challenge went down! More recipes to follow!

All my best,
xo Libby

Print

Loaded Baked Potato Tots Recipe

You can certainly pan-fry these tots but oven-baked yielded a nice crispy tot with cheesy mashed potato inside!

Course Appetizer, Side Dish

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes minutes

Servings 8

Ingredients

For the Loaded Baked Potato Tots

• 3 cups mashed potatoes cooled
• 1 cup cheddar cheese shredded
• 2 eggs beaten
• 1/2 cup flour
• 1/4 cup crispy cooked bacon finely chopped
• 2 Tablespoons fresh chives snipped
• 1-2 cups dry plain breadcrumbs

For the Sour Cream & Cheddar Dipping Sauce

• 1 cup sour cream
• 2 Tablespoons cheddar cheese shredded
• 2 Tablespoons crispy cooked bacon finely chopped
• 1 Tablespoon fresh chives snipped
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic salt (or garlic powder & salt)

Instructions

For Loaded Baked Potato Tots

• Preheat oven to 375° F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or foil.
• Combine all ingredients in a bowl and mix well. Using a teaspoon, scoop out potato mixture and form into tots. Roll tots in breadcrumbs then place on prepared baking sheet. Bake for 25 minutes. Serve with Sour Cream & Cheddar Dipping Sauce.

For Sour Cream & Cheddar Dipping Sauce

• Combine all ingredients and chill until ready to serve.

Recipe adapted from Rachel Hollis.

The post Loaded Baked Potato Tots Recipe appeared first on Lemony Thyme.

Such a sweet way to incorporate my recent fresh fig score!

And boy are they delicious! The tender crumb is sweet and buttery and the jammy fig layer has a nice hint of lemon.

I wanted to keep this recipe simple and easy to recreate, so I let my food processor do most of the work. Here’s how we break it down.

You’ll have your Crumble and you’ll have your Fig Filling. Both are made in the food processor.

For the Crumble

• Flour, sugar, butter, and baking soda go into the bowl of a food processor
• Pulse until well combined
• Spread half of the mixture in a buttered parchment lined 8″x8″ baking dish
• Pour remaining mixture into a bowl and reserve
• Wipe food processor bowl clean

For the Fig Filling

• Fresh figs, lemon zest, sugar and flour go into the bowl of the food processor
• Process on low for one minute until figs are well blended
• Spread fig mixture over crumble crust

For the Topping

• Take the remaining crumble topping and squeeze handfuls to form clumps
• Place clumps on top of fig filling
• Continue until all crumbs are used
• Bake at 375 degrees F. for 60-65 minutes until lightly golden brown
• Allow to cool completely before cutting

Fresh Fig Crumble Bars have a coffee cake feel about them and are perfect for breakfast. I actually shared them with my neighbors one evening and they were a yummy evening sweet treat.

I’m already thinking about how I can incorporate other fresh seasonal product into crumble bars. Peach Crumb Bars anyone?

If you love figs like we do check out our Prosciutto Wrapped Mascarpone Stuffed Figs of Love!

Are there recipes that remind you of a favorite vacation that you’d like to see us recreate? I’d love for you to comment below. Your feedback is so important to me (and keeps the recipe love fresh).

Don’t forget to follow us @LemonyThyme on Instagram and Facebook! And check out our latest TikTok videos and Pinterest boards too!

All my best,
xo Libby

Print

Fresh Fig Crumble Bars

Boy are these Fresh Fig Crumble Bars delicious! The tender crumb is sweet and buttery and the jammy fig layer has a nice hint of lemon.

Course Breakfast, Dessert

Keyword Baked Goods, Fresh Figs

Servings 8

Author Libby with Lemony Thyme

Ingredients

For the Crumble

• 3/4 cup cold unsalted butter cut into cubes
• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

For the Fig Filling

• 8 ounces fresh figs stems removed
• 2 Tablespoons all purpose flour
• 2 Tablespoons sugar
• 1 zest of 1 lemon about 2 teaspoons

Instructions

For the Crumble

• Preheat oven to 375° F. Spray an 8"x8" baking dish with cooking spray. Line with parchment paper and spray again.
• Place the crumble ingredients into the bowl of a food processor. Pulse until butter and flour are incorporated well. Pour half of the mixture into bottom of prepared baking dish. Pour remaining mixture into a bowl and wipe out food processor bowl.

For the Fig Filling

• Add Fig Filling ingredients to the food processor bowl. Blend on low speed for 1 minute. Pour fig mixture over crumble base and spread out to edges.
• Take the remaining crumb mixture and squeeze a handful at a time so clumps form. Place them on top of fig layer. Repeat until all remaining crumb topping is used. Bake for 60-65 minutes until lightly golden on top. Allow to cool completely before slicing.

Recipe adapted from Martha Stewart

The post Fresh Fig Crumble Bars By Popular Demand appeared first on Lemony Thyme.

It’s gluten free and easy to make.

And I love brunch. Serious love affair.

I recently had a brunch date with my boyfriend (aka my bff husband). He ordered Huevos Rancheros and I had the sweet potato eggs benedict.

Clearly the inspiration for this recipe.

For my gluten free friends, sweet potato rounds are my jam! They make the perfect english muffin substitute in this recipe and make a pretty mean burger bun in this —–> recipe!

The Method

Simply oven roasting the sweet potato rounds until they’re browned and tender gives you the perfect base to build upon.

We bought these flavored salts while vacationing in New Mexico. So I added a little ‘Woodfire’ salt to our sweet potato rounds creating one more layer of flavor.

The bacon and the sweet potato rounds bake in the oven at 400 degrees F for 20 minutes, turning halfway through cooking. I made a little foil tray to contain the bacon grease.

And here’s how we build our Sweet Potato Eggs Benedict!

Roasted sweet potato rounds. Smashed avocado. Crispy bacon.

The Poached Eggs

Then comes the perfectly poached eggs. There are a lot of great articles out there (like this one) on how to achieve perfection. Below is my method.

• Bring a large pot of water to a gentle boil, then reduce the heat to low so it’s no longer bubbling.
• Add a teaspoon of white distilled vinegar (helps whites stay together).
• Use the handle of a wooden spoon to swirl the water creating a vortex (also helps the whites stay together).
• One at a time, crack the eggs into a fine mesh strainer and discard the milky liquid that drains through.
• Transfer egg to a ramekin, then gently slide into the water.
• Allow to sit undisturbed for 3-4 minutes. This will yield firm whites with a slightly running yolk.

The Blender Hollandaise

That incredibly creamy Hollandaise sauce was made in a blender. Actually I made it in my mini food chopper but a blender works great as well.

I’ve accurately named this Stress Free 5 Minute Blender Hollandaise.

The process is super easy. In fact I made a pretty cute video that I shared on TikTok. You should check it out.

• Melt 1/2 cup of butter over medium low heat until hot & foamy
• Place 3 egg yolks, 2 Tablespoons of fresh lemon juice, 1/4 teaspoon salt & pinch of cayenne in blender jar
• With lid on, run blender on high for 2 minutes
• While still running, slowly drizzle clarified butter through hole in blender lid (discard white milky residue)
• Turn off blender – adjust seasoning to taste

Add a poached egg to the sweet potato, avocado, bacon stacks and top with a generous drizzle of Hollandaise. Serve with a side of roasted asparagus and fresh berries and you’ve got yourself a date-worthy brunch!

The sweetness from the potato with the salty bacon and tart hollandaise will make your tastebuds so happy!

I hope you’ll give this recipe a try and let me know what you think in the comments below!

Don’t forget to follow us @LemonyThyme on Instagram and Facebook! And check out our Sweet Potato Eggs Benedict TikTok video!

All my best,
xo Libby

Pin It For Later!

Print

Sweet Potato Eggs Benedict with Blender Hollandaise

The sweetness from the potato with the salty bacon and tart hollandaise will make your tastebuds so happy!

Course Breakfast, Brunch

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Author Libby with Lemony Thyme

Ingredients

For the Eggs Benedict

• 1 large sweet potato cut into 1/4-inch thick rounds
• 8 slices bacon
• 8 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon distilled white vinegar
• 1 avocado mashed with salt & pepper to taste

For the Blender Hollandaise

• 1/2 cup butter
• 3 egg yolks
• 1 lemon juiced about 2 Tablespoons
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• pinch cayenne pepper

Instructions

For the Sweet Potatoes & Bacon

• Preheat oven to 400° F. Line baking sheet with parchment paper. Place sweet potato rounds on sheet. Season with salt & pepper. Place bacon on separate foil lined baking sheet pan. Bake potatoes and bacon for 20 minutes, flipping over half way through cooking time.

For the Poached Eggs

• Bring a large pot of water to a gentle boil, then reduce the heat to low so it’s no longer bubbling. Add a teaspoon of white distilled vinegar (helps whites stay together). Use the handle of a wooden spoon to swirl the water creating a vortex (also helps the whites stay together). One at a time, crack the eggs into a fine mesh strainer and discard the milky liquid that drains through. Transfer egg to a ramekin, then gently slide into the water. Allow to sit undisturbed for 3-4 minutes. This will yield firm whites with a slightly running yolk.

For the Blender Hollandaise

• Melt 1/2 cup of butter over medium low heat until hot & foamy. Place 3 egg yolks, 2 Tablespoons of fresh lemon juice, 1/4 teaspoon salt & pinch of cayenne in blender jar. With lid on, run blender on high for 2 minutes. While still running, slowly drizzle clarified butter through hole in blender lid (discard white milky residue). Turn off blender – adjust seasoning to taste.

To Assemble

• Layer each roasted sweet potato round with a spoonful of mashed avocado. Then add a slice of crispy bacon and a poached egg. Drizzle top with hollandaise sauce. Enjoy!

The post Sweet Potato Eggs Benedict with Simple Blender Hollandaise appeared first on Lemony Thyme.

I’m here to tell you it’s 100% true.

Start to finish you’ll be pouring Hollandaise over poached eggs or steamed asparagus or baked salmon in mere minutes.

And there are only 3 main ingredients! Life is good!

Hollandaise Sauce is one of the classic 5 mother sauces and definitely one you should master. So come along with me as we make this heavenly sauce.

Hollandaise Sauce Step 1 – Clarified Butter

Clarified butter is achieved by melting butter over medium low heat until hot and foamy but not boiling.

You see the white foam on top of the melted butter? Those are the milk solids which you’ll discard. You can either skim them off the top or strain them out as you pour your butter into the sauce.

Hollandaise Sauce Step 2 – Whip Egg Yolks With Lemon Juice

In the bowl of a food processor or blender add your egg yolks along with the lemon juice, salt and pinch of cayenne pepper.

You’ll want to whip this on high speed for 2 minutes.

Hollandaise Sauce Step 3 – Drizzle in the Clarified Butter

With the blender still running, slowly drizzle in the hot clarified butter. Discard the milk solids.

Beat the mixture on high until all the clarified butter has been added.

Hollandaise Sauce Step 4 – Adjust Seasoning to Taste

It’s as simple as that! Look at that creamy luscious goodness.

Perfection!

5 Minute Blender Hollandaise Sauce is rich and creamy with a nice lemony finish. It compliments eggs, steamed veggies and seafood so well.

Check out our newest recipe for Sweet Potato Eggs Benedict with Blender Hollandaise. Or perhaps you’d prefer Classic Eggs Florentine.

I don’t know about you but I’d love to find more time-saving stress-free tips. Drop me a comment below and share your favorites.

Don’t forget to follow us @LemonyThyme on Instagram, TikTok and Facebook!

All my best,
xo Libby

Pin It For Later!

Print

5 Minute Blender Hollandaise Sauce

5 Minute Blender Hollandaise Sauce is rich and creamy with a nice lemony finish. It compliments eggs, steamed veggies and seafood so well.

Course Sauce

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Author Libby with Lemony Thyme

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter cubed
• 3 egg yolks
• 1 lemon juiced about 2 Tablespoons
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• pinch cayenne pepper

Instructions

• Make the clarified butter by melting butter over medium low heat until hot and foamy but not boiling. Skim and discard the white milk solids that form off the top.
• In the bowl of a food processor or blender add your egg yolks along with the lemon juice, salt and pinch of cayenne pepper. Blend at high speed for two minutes.
• With the blender still running, slowly drizzle in the hot clarified butter. Discard any remaining milk solids.
• Taste sauce and adjust seasoning to taste.

Recipe adapted from Julia Child

The post Stress Free 5 Minute Blender Hollandaise Sauce appeared first on Lemony Thyme.

(thank you Ben & Jerry’s for that)

Be honest with me.

When you see {Gluten Free} is that a turn off?

I’m never sure if I should just slip in “Gluten Free’ or shout if from the roof top.

When you read gluten free, do you assume that whatever is pictured must have a weird texture or funny taste?

Because these muffins are really good! Yes, they happen to be gluten free, but not because they have funky earthy ingredients, but because oats ground into flour make damn good muffins.

For my non-Gluten Free friends, please give them a chance. Then let me know in the comments below what you think. Deal?

I know this is a post about Wholesome Chunky Monkey Muffins but when your kitchen is graced with such beauty as this bouquet of flowers, it’s hard to keep the camera off of them.

One of the many reasons I love going to our local Farmers Market each week. We’ve met some really great people, who happen to be flower farmers.

While I’m certain it has its challenges, waking up to fields of flowers must be an enchanting way to begin the day.

Back to these muffins. From the minute they come out of the oven, the sweet wholesome aroma will speak to your taste buds.

Hello….

You’re going to love my texture. Love my nutty sweet flavors. And most certainly want to share the love with your friends and family.

Chunky Monkey Muffins are moist, with nutty banana flavors, sweetened with chocolate chips.

I’m generally a savory breakfast girl, but there’s something special about a slightly sweet muffin with a cup of coffee. It’s kind of like having a biscotti with your coffee.

Are there recipes that remind you of a favorite vacation that you’d like to see us recreate? I’d love for you to comment below. Your feedback is so important to me (and keeps the recipe love fresh).

Don’t forget to follow us @LemonyThyme on Instagram, TikTok and Facebook!

All my best,
xo Libby

Pin It For Later!

The post Wholesome Chunky Monkey Muffins {Gluten Free} appeared first on Lemony Thyme.

Six times.

I tried six variations just to be sure and each was as delicious as the one before it.

I’m not sure if I’m more excited about having a gluten free option for Avocado Toast or all these yummy flavor pairings I came up with.

First things first.

I’m loving roasted sweet potato as a bread alternative.

I’m pretty certain I’ll be sandwiching a burger between a couple slices this weekend!

To Make Sweet Potato Toast

• Use a mandolin set to 1/4-inch thickness to slice an average sized sweet potato lengthwise
• Roast the slices at 425 deg. F. on a parchment lined baking sheet for about 25 minutes, turning slices over a half way through cooking time
• The result was golden browned, slightly crispy slabs of sweet potato.
  
  These crispy sweet potato slabs are the perfect vehicle for all those incredible toppings.

One sweet potato yielded six slices and one large avocado yielded enough mashed avocado for all of them.

I then pulled out all the half used containers of leftovers, fruits, spreads, sprinkles and other savory ingredients to come up with some really good toppings.

My sister and I sat at the table sample each combination, all different but each with big flavors.

It was pure joy for our tastebuds!

Working clockwise we have:

Buffalo Chicken
Cooked sliced chicken, buffalo sauce, crumbled blue cheese

Bacon & Egg
Soft boiled egg, crispy bacon slice, chives, flaky sea salt & fresh cracked black pepper

Everything Bagel
Whipped cream cheese, everything bagel seasoning, sesame oil drizzle

Southwest
Fresh salsa, black beans, fine diced jalapeño and red onion, crumbled Mexican cheese, cilantro & lime

Nuts & Berries with Honey Whipped Feta
Honey whipped feta, strawberries, cherries, blueberries, walnuts, honey drizzle

Caprese
Cherry tomatoes, fresh basil, mozzarella cheese, pine nuts, balsamic drizzle

Whether you choose one of my flavor pairings or come up with your own, Sweet Potato Avocado Toast needs to get on your brunch rotation!!

And if you’d rather slather mashed avocado on a slice of crusty bread, go for it!

We’ll likely have both options at our house too!

Don’t forget to follow us @LemonyThyme on Instagram and Facebook! And check out our latest TikTok videos and Pinterest boards too!

All my best,
xo Libby

Print

Sweet Potato Avocado Toast

Whether you choose one of my flavor pairings or come up with your own, Sweet Potato Avocado Toast needs to get on your brunch rotation!!

Course Breakfast, Brunch

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes minutes

Total Time 25 minutes minutes

Servings 3

Author Libby with Lemony Thyme

Ingredients

• 1 medium to large sweet potato sliced 1/4-inch thick lengthwise
• 1-2 Tablespoons avocado or olive oil (optional)
• 1 large avocado or 2 small
• salt & pepper
• Toppings: Bacon & Egg; Southwest; Caprese; Buffalo Chicken, Everything Bagel, Nuts & Berries

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 425° F. Slice sweet potato lengthwise into 1/4-inch slices using a mandolin or sharp knife. Place slices on a parchment lined baking sheet. Brush with avocado oil (optional). Bake 25 minutes, turning every 7-8 minutes.
• Meanwhile, mash avocado with a fork. Season with salt & pepper to taste. Spread a layer of mashed avocado on each toasted sweet potato slice. Then add favorite toppings. Enjoy!

The post Gluten Free Sweet Potato Avocado Toast {6-Ways} appeared first on Lemony Thyme.

It has the perfect balance of savory (hello pesto) with a hint of sweetness.

I’ve literally made five variations of it in the past several weeks, sharing it with friends & family along the way.

Rave reviews from all of my taste-testers!

For anyone following a gluten free diet, or looking to incorporate more veggies into their meals, or just loves sweet potatoes as much as I do….this is your new secret weapon!

Sweet potatoes are high in fiber, mineral rich (particularly potassium) and packed with vitamins (particularly immunity boosting Vitamin A / beta-carotene), which has anti-inflammatory properties – that’s music to my ears!

Sweet Potato crust is genius!

I first saw it in a Cooking Light post and instantly knew I would recreate it at home.

The Sweet Potato Crust Method

Because the crust is pre-baked before filling, causing the sweet potatoes to shrink, it’s important to overlap them a good bit and to be sure the diameter of the slices are large enough to stand above the edge of your quiche pan.

I’ve practiced several times now and believe I’ve found the right combination of slice thickness (1/8-inch), diameter (1-inch larger than the height of the pan), and spacing (overlap at least half of each slice).

Using a mandolin set at 1/8-inch thickness makes the slicing a breeze, but you can certainly cut the sweet potatoes by hand.

I found one large sweet potato will do the trick, but buy two just in case. The crust is baked at 375 degrees F. for 20 minutes before adding the fillings.

For the Veggie Quiche Filling

For this Veggie & Pesto Quiche I chose steamed broccoli, asparagus, and zucchini for my veggies, Basil Pesto, and feta and parmesan cheese.

The custard consists of 6 large eggs, 1 cup of heavy cream, salt, pepper and nutmeg.

Place the quiche on a baking sheet then bake a 350 degrees F. for 35-40 minutes, until the center is just firm to the touch.

Allow to cool slightly before slicing.

The result is a perfectly cooked sweet potato crust, with a delicious savory veggie filling.

The feta cheese and basil pesto really bring wonderful flavors to this dish and the ratio of custard to filling is perfect.

Not too ‘eggy’ as my husband would say.

Sweet Potato Crust Veggie & Pesto Quiche is easily one of my new favorite quiches.

Don’t forget to follow us @LemonyThyme on Instagram and Facebook! And check out our latest TikTok videos and Pinterest boards too!

All my best,
xo Libby

Print

Sweet Potato Crust Veggie & Pesto Quiche

This quiche has a perfectly cooked sweet potato crust, with a delicious savory veggie filling. The feta cheese and basil pesto really bring wonderful flavors to this dish and the ratio of custard to filling is perfect.

Course Breakfast, Brunch, Entree, Lunch

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 35 minutes minutes

Prebake Sweet Potato Crust 20 minutes minutes

Servings 6

Author Libby with Lemony Thyme

Ingredients

• 1-2 large sweet potatoes, peeled sliced 1/8-inch thick
• 2 1/2 cups steamed veggies (such as broccoli, zucchini, asparagus, yellow squash)
• 1/4 cup basil pesto recipe link in post
• 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
• 1/2 cup shredded parmesan cheese
• 6 large eggs
• 1 cup heavy cream or half & half
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 pinch ground nutmeg

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 375° F. Peel and slice sweet potato(s) into 1/8-inch slices. Spray pie plate or quiche pan with cooking spray, then line with sweet potato slices. Slices should be 1-inch taller than sides of pie plate and should be overlapped by half. Place pie plate on a baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes.
• Meanwhile, steam veggies and prepare pesto, reserve. In a mixing bowl, beat eggs with cream, salt, pepper and nutmeg.
• Remove prebaked sweet potato crust from oven. Lower oven temperature to 350° F. Arrange veggies in crust. Sprinkle with pesto and cheeses. Slowly pour custard over filling. Bake for 35-40 minutes, until center is set and just firm to the touch. Allow to cool for 10 minutes before slicing. Delicious served warm or at room temperature.

Previous versions of sweet potato crust quiches. All delicious, but you’ll notice the crust is a bit wimpy. This is where using thicker and larger diameter sweet potato slices comes into play. Go big!

The post Sweet Potato Crust Veggie & Pesto Quiche appeared first on Lemony Thyme.