Super cheesy, ultra creamy, with a little something special to make them go hmmmm.

Macaroni & Cheese Basics

The “Macaroni” Pasta

I LOVE Cavatappi (translated to “corkscrew” in English) or Cellantani (“whirl” in English).

These whirling twirling double elbow hollow pastas are THE BEST at holding on to cheese sauce. And isn’t that what makes a great macaroni and cheese?!!

The White Sauce

For those of us who took home economics in Middle School you’ll remember learning how to make this, the most basic of the five mother sauces.

I always start my cheese sauce by making a white sauce, also known as Béchamel Sauce.

Classically a white sauce is made with the following ratio:

• 2 Tablespoons of butter
• 2 Tablespoons of flour
• 1 cup of whole milk
• salt & pepper to taste

For this recipe, I finish my white sauce with a little seasoning of dry mustard and cayenne. Do not over salt the sauce as the cheeses bring that nice saltiness to the finished dish.

The Cheese

As the title of this post declares – we’ll use three cheeses in this recipe.

• Sharp Cheddar – great melting cheese that brings a deeper flavor profile than the milder varieties
• Gruyere – super creamy, excellent melting cheese with a slightly nutty flavor
• American or better yet, White Queso Dip – that’s right! American cheese gives this cheese sauce it’s incredibly creamy consistency and if your Queso has a little jalapeño kick, even better!

While it will take you a few minutes longer, grate your own cheese. The pre-packed shredded cheese is coated with preservatives like potato starch to keep it from sticking together. This coating changes the consistency and melting qualities.

Plus you get far more for your money when you invest a little elbow grease and grate your own!

Recipe Note: each 8 ounce block of cheese will yield about 3 cups of shredded cheese.

The Crumb Topping

Melted butter, panko breadcrumbs, and shredded parmesan cheese combine to make the most heavenly crumb topping!

Yes, I am squarely on team Crumb Topping. I love a good buttery crispy layer on top of my mac ‘n’ cheese. And my squash casserole. And my cassoulets.

However, for this recipe, if crumbs aren’t your thing (or your kids aren’t fans) then by all means replace the crumb with a little more shredded cheese on top before baking!

Things that make you go hmmm

I’ll never forget the first time I added queso dip to my macaroni & cheese. We were having a family dinner with the kids, a few significant others, and my sister Sarah.

Slowly as everyone began to take bites of the various dishes on their plates I could see a little mac ‘n’ cheese lovefest beginning to brew.

“This is really good mac ‘n’ cheese”

“It’s so creamy and cheesy….I love it”

“Omgeee is there queso in this? It’s sooo good!”

“Mom, this is the best mac ‘n’ cheese you’ve ever made.”

The truth is I’ve never made two the same in my life. Sure, there are certain similarities but I always manage to change it up.

Yesterday I had a neighbor ask for the recipe. Insert the emoji with big wide eyes.

So nearly 10 years after creating Lemony Thyme I’m finally putting the recipe in print! Wishing you a little mac ‘n’ cheese lovefest at your house!!

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

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The Best Three Cheese Mac ‘n’ Cheese

If you want to deliver comfort, bring them The Best Three Cheese Mac 'n' Cheese. It's super cheesy and ultra creamy, with a little extra love.

Course Entree, Side Dish

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes minutes

Servings 8

Author Libby with Lemony Thyme

Ingredients

For the Three Cheese Mac 'n' Cheese

• 1 pound dried Cavatappi or Cellentani pasta
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 4 cups whole milk
• 1/2 teaspoon dry mustard powder
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• salt to taste
• 8 ounces sharp cheddar cheese freshly grated, divided
• 4 ounces gruyere cheese freshly grated
• 16 ounces White Queso Dip or sub small cubed white American cheese

For the Crumb Topping

• 4 Tablespoons butter
• 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
• 1/2 cup parmesan cheese

Instructions

For the Three Cheese Mac 'n' Cheese

• Preheat oven to 350° F. Grease a 9×13 baking dish.
• Prepare the pasta according to package instructions. Drain.
• Meanwhile, prepare the white sauce by melting butter in a medium heavy bottom pan over medium heat. Once melted and bubbly, whisk in the flour and cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring constantly. Mixture should be smooth and bubbly. Gradually whisk in milk. Continue whisking for another minute until fully incorporated and smooth. Bring to a gentle simmer, stirring frequently. Continue cooking until mixture has thickened, about 5-7 minutes. Season with mustard powder, cayenne pepper, and salt.
• Reduce heat to low and begin adding grated cheeses and queso, reserving 1/2 cup grated cheddar for assembly. Whisk to combine after each addition, until all cheese is melted and smooth. Pour cheese sauce over cooked pasta and stir well to fully combine.
• Pour half of macaroni mixture into prepared pan. Sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup grated cheddar cheese. Top with remaining macaroni.

For the Crumb Topping

• Melt butter in microwave or in small pan on stovetop. Remove from heat. Stir in panko and parmesan and mix to combine. Sprinkle crumb topping over mac 'n' cheese. Bake for 20 – 25 minutes until golden brown and bubbly.

Notes

Recipe can be made up to 3 days in advance and stored in refrigerator. Remove from refrigerator and bake at 350° F. for 30 minutes or until heated through.
Remove baking sheet from refrigerator at least 30 minutes prior to baking for more even baking/heating.

The post The Best Three Cheese Mac ‘n’ Cheese 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

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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

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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.

That was good enough for me…

…so I made it for him again the next night.

Most people have that favorite local eatery where they go when they just don’t want to cook. For us that place is just down the road and we make our way there almost weekly. Good Italian-American cuisine.

We sit at the bar and know that our favorite bar tender will gladly allow us to order ‘off’ the menu (aka he willingly accepts substitutions). For Nick, more often than not, that means he’ll have the Chicken Francese…add artichoke hearts.

Is it Chicken Francese or Chicken Française? From everything I’ve read…. they’re the same dish.

I’m not sure why it’s taken me so long to recreate this delicious meal at home. It’s an easy straight forward recipe of pan fried egg-dipped chicken cutlets with a heavenly lemon pan sauce. Simply served over a bed of spaghetti with a beautiful Arugula Salad. Here’s how we do it!

The Chicken Cutlet Process

• If your chicken breasts are thick, cut them in half then pound them to an even 1/2-inch (or slightly thinner) thickness
• Dip both sides of each cutlet in seasoned flour (salt, pepper, garlic & herb seasoning), shaking off excess
• Then in beaten egg, shaking off excess
• Working in batches, pan fry chicken in olive oil over medium high heat for about 3-4 minutes per side until golden brown and cooked through
• Hold in a warm 250 degree F. oven while you make the pan sauce.

The Lemon White Wine Butter Pan Sauce

• Wipe the skillet with a paper towel to remove most of the brown bits
• Melt 1 Tablespoon of butter over medium-high heat, then add the lemon slices and brown slightly on both sides
• Add in the artichoke hearts
• Pour in wine and stir with a wooden spoon for 1 minute
• Then add the lemon juice, chicken broth and 3 Tablespoons butter and bring to a simmer
• Using a fine mesh strainer, dust the sauce with 1 Tablespoon of flour, whisking until thoroughly combined
• Return to a simmer then remove from heat.

Like Chicken Piccata the lemon pan sauce takes this dish to the next level.

To Serve Chicken Francese

I like to serve this dish with a simple Arugula Salad with Lemon Parmesan Vinaigrette on the side.

• Baby arugula
• Thinly sliced red onion
• Freshly shredded parmesan cheese
• A generous drizzle of Lemon Parmesan Vinaigrette.

Serve family style on a platter with cooked spaghetti, pan fried chicken cutlets, and the glorious lemon pan sauce. Sprinkle with fresh parsley to finish.

I’ll have to agree that this is indeed The Best Chicken Francese with Artichoke Hearts!

The chicken is tender and moist. The lemon white wine butter pan sauce is silky, bright and so flavorful. But the star ingredient… the artichoke hearts. They absolutely pair perfectly with the sauce and add an extra layer of flavor.

My guy knows a good thing when he tastes it!

Have you got a favorite restaurant recipe you recreate at home? Or one you’d like me to recreate? Let me know in the comments below.

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

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The Best Chicken Francese with Artichokes

The chicken is tender and moist. The lemon white wine butter pan sauce is silky, bright and so flavorful. But the star ingredient… the artichoke hearts. They absolutely pair perfectly with the sauce and add an extra layer of flavor.

Course Entree

Cuisine Italian

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Author Libby with Lemony Thyme

Ingredients

• 1 pound spaghetti prepared al dente according to package instructions

For the Egg-Battered Chicken

• 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
• 1/3 cup all purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic & herb seasoning
• 3 eggs beaten
• 4 Tablespoons olive oil divided

For the Lemon White Wine Butter Pan Sauce

• 4 Tablespoons butter divided
• 1 lemon cut into thin slices
• 1 14 ounce can quartered artichoke hearts drained
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 1 1/2 cup chicken broth
• 1 lemon, juiced about 2-3 Tablespoons
• 1 Tablespoon all-purpose flour
• salt & pepper to taste
• fresh parsley to garnish

Arugula Salad

• 5 ounces baby arugula
• 1/4 cup red onion thinly sliced
• 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese divided
• 1 lemon, juiced about 2-3 Tablespoons
• 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1 clove garlic minced
• salt & freshly cracked black pepper to taste

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 250° F. Prepare spaghetti al dente according to package instructions.

For the Egg-Battered Chicken

• Set up a dipping station. In a shallow bowl add the flour, salt, pepper and garlic herb seasoning. In a separate bowl add the beaten eggs.
• If your chicken breasts are thick, cut them in half then pound them to an even 1/2-inch (or slightly thinner) thickness. Dip both sides of each cutlet in seasoned flour, shaking off excess. Then in beaten egg, shaking off excess.
• Working in batches, pan fry chicken in olive oil over medium high heat for about 3-4 minutes per side until golden brown and cooked through. Hold in a warm 250 degree F. oven while you make the pan sauce.

For the Lemon White Wine Butter Pan Sauce

• Wipe the skillet with a paper towel to remove most of the brown bits. Melt 1 Tablespoon of butter over medium-high heat, then add the lemon slices and brown slightly on both sides.
• Add in the artichoke hearts. Pour in wine and stir with a wooden spoon for 1 minute. Then add the lemon juice, chicken broth and 3 Tablespoons remaining butter and bring to a simmer.
• Using a fine mesh strainer, dust the sauce with 1 Tablespoon of flour, whisking until thoroughly combined. Return to a simmer then remove from heat.

Arugula Salad

• Place arugula, red onion, and 1/4 cup shredded parmesan cheese into a bowl. Combine remaining 1/4 cup shredded parmesan cheese, lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, salt & pepper in a jar with a tight fitting lid. Give it a good shake. Pour over arugula salad.

To Serve Chicken Francese

• Place cooked spaghetti on a platter. Top with chicken cutlets. Spoon pan sauce on top.

The post The Best Chicken Francese with Artichoke Hearts appeared first on Lemony Thyme.

When you have family from New Orleans come into town during Crawfish season, it can only mean one thing!

We’re having a Crawfish Boil!!

And what a glorious boil we had.

But in the end, that 40 pound sack of crawfish was more than we could eat in one sitting and that’s how Crawfish Étouffée came to be.

The Crawfish Boil

I’m no expert on Crawfish boils, I’ll leave that to my husband’s side of the family.

But I have learned that there’s a system and precise timing and incredible layers of flavor building in that gigantic pot!

• Start with a rolling boil of crawfish boil seasoning
• Add in the potatoes
• Followed by heads of garlic, celery, onions and lots of lemons
• Then add the corn on the cob, mushrooms and then finally the crawfish
• Cook the crawfish for 5 minutes
• Extinguish the flame and allow the pot to rest while the mixture soaks in the spicy seasonings
• If I recall correctly our soak was 20 minutes.

We all sat (or stood – apparently that’s a crawfish boil thing too) around our paper lined table peeling and eating and laughing and enjoying the first chance to be together in over a year.

The last time we saw this NOLA crew was at Mardi Gras 2020, just before covid sent us into lockdown.

It was a bit like a scene from Forest Gump!

We sat around the table peeling the last mountain of tiny shellfish trying to decide what ‘crawfish’ dish we would make the next day.

So many choices, but looking into the beautiful bowlful of tail meat it was declared, we shall make Crawfish Étouffée.

The Crawfish Étouffée

We read dozens of étouffée recipes, including several in Nick’s beloved “Talk About Good” cookbook that belonged to his grandmother.

In the end we incorporated a little of this and a little of that to come up with our own version of Crawfish Étouffée.

The Process

Like many Cajun or Creole dishes you begin with a roux made with flour and fat.

Traditionally Cajun and Creole roux is made with oil which allows it to cook longer developing the deep rich color. Because I wanted to keep this dish ‘lighter’ I opted for butter which is used in the French version.

Our target was ‘peanut butter’ color and if roux came in a dozen shades we’d be somewhere near the middle.

Making a roux takes patience and a good stirring arm. It’s meant to be a slow process to allow the incredible flavor to build. We used 1/4 cup flour and 1/4 cup of butter and ours took about 15 minutes, cooking over low heat.

Meanwhile (aka while Nick stirred the roux), I sautéed the Holy Trinity, equal parts of diced celery, onion, and green bell pepper – we used one cup of each and 2 cloves of chopped garlic.

Recipe note: to all my cajun family and friends please don’t scold me, but I don’t like green bell peppers and more importantly they don’t like me. So I replaced bell pepper with diced poblano pepper and they worked beautifully.

Once the roux reaches the desired color, its stirred into the tender sautéed veggies, along with one cup of chicken broth and a tablespoon of chopped fresh parsley.

This mixture is brought to a gentle boil, then reduced to low before folding in the the crawfish meat. We had exactly one pound of crawfish tails leftover, which was the perfect amount for 4 servings of Crawfish Étouffée.

While crawfish tails plucked from a giant pile sitting on your backyard picnic table is preferred, for this dish you can replace freshly boiled crawfish meat with a pound of frozen crawfish tails or shrimp, both of which are readily available.

They won’t come seasoned so you’ll need to add cajun seasoning when you add in the broth.

How to Serve Étouffée

We served our Crawfish Étouffée over white rice topped with a generous sprinkle of sliced green onions.

The tender crawfish tails are bursting with cajun spices! However, the buttery roux and veggies balanced the heat.

I can’t wait for our next crawfish boil, but I’m equally excited to see what crawfish recipe we try next.

There’s crawfish bisque, crawfish pie, crawfish gumbo, fried crawfish, creole crawfish, jambalaya with crawfish…..

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

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Crawfish Étouffée

The tender crawfish tails bursting with cajun spices were balanced by the buttery roux and veggies. The perfect post-crawfish boil meal.

Course Entree

Cuisine Cajun

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Author Libby with Lemony Thyme

Ingredients

For the Crawfish Etouffee

• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup butter
• 1 Tablespoon olive oil
• 1 cup diced yellow onion
• 1 cup diced celery
• 1 cup diced green bell pepper or substitute fire roasted poblano pepper (skin removed)
• 2 cloves garlic minced
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 1 Tablespoon fresh parsley finely chopped
• 1 pound seasoned crawfish tails add 1 teaspoon cajun seasoning if using frozen
• salt & pepper to taste

To Serve

• 1 1/2 cups uncooked basmati rice prepared according to package instructions
• 2 green onions thinly sliced

Instructions

For Crawfish Etouffee

• Melt butter in a skillet over low heat. Stir in flour, continue stirring until roux reaches the color of peanut butter. Note: the roux will continue to cook in pan if you're not using immediately.
• Meanwhile, saute onion, celery, green pepper and garlic in 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium-high until tender. Add cooked roux to veggie mixture along with one cup chicken broth and fresh parsley. Bring to a gentle boil and stir to combine. Reduce heat to medium-low and fold in crawfish tails. Cook for 2-3 minutes until heated through. Season with salt & pepper to taste.

To Serve

• Serve Etouffee over cooked white rice with a generous sprinkle of sliced green onion.

Here are a few pics from Mardi Gras 2020.

The post Crawfish Étouffée & A Crawfish Boil appeared first on Lemony Thyme.

These spinach and ricotta ‘dumplings’ are soft and tender and practically melt in your mouth.

The simple ingredients come together to form a soft dough. Roll the dough into balls, then boil until they float.

I experimented with the ratio of ricotta & spinach to flour. The result was that the Malfatti held together nicely even when the flour was reduced. Yielding a dumpling with more spinach flavor which is absolutely delicious.

Malfatti are classically served with sage brown butter and crispy sage leaves, one of my most favorite flavor pairings.

Sage Brown Butter

To make sage brown butter, simply melt butter in a skillet over med-low heat, toss in some fresh sage leaves.  Allow to cook, stirring occasionally until butter turns a nice golden brown.  Remove the sage leaves and most the butter to a small dish. Toss several Malfatti dumplings in the same pan, then spoon additional butter and crispy sage leaves over top when plating.

We loved them so much that I’ve made them multiple times over the past several weeks. Because these dumplings taste very mild, the intense sensual flavor of the sage brown butter is fabulous.

That said, I also served the Malfatti plated with a tomato sauce and basil pesto, then topped them with a little freshly grated parmesan cheese. Another fantastic pairing.

Malfatti can be made ahead and refrigerated then boiled just before serving. This makes them a wonderful weeknight ‘meatless’ meal or as a first course appetizer for a more formal Italian themed evening.

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Malfatti {Spinach & Ricotta Dumplings}

These Malfatti {spinach and ricotta 'dumplings'} are soft and tender and practically melt in your mouth.

Course Main Course

Cuisine Italian

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes minutes

Servings 6

Ingredients

For the Malfatti

• 21 ounces fresh spinach discard any hard stems
• 8 ounces Ricotta cheese drained well
• 1 large egg beaten
• 1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/3 cup semolina flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon frehly grated nutmeg

For the Sage Brown Butter

• 8 Tablespoons butter
• 12-15 fresh sage leaves

Instructions

For the Malfatti

• Place ricotta into fine mesh strainer and allow any liquid to drain off.
• In a large skillet, add spinach with a sprinkle of water and salt over medium heat. Cook covered until wilted, using tongs to turn a couple times during cooking. Drain in a colander until cooled. Place cooked spinach in a clean cotton dish towel and completely wring out all liquid. Finely chop spinach.
• In a bowl, combine drained ricotta and spinach with egg, parmesan cheese, flour, semolina, salt and nutmeg. Mix until evenly incorporated. Roll into 1 1/2" balls.
• Bring a pot of salted water to boil. Cook Malfatti in batches in boiling water until they float, about 2-3 minutes.

For the Sage Brown Butter

• Melt butter in a skillet. Add sage leaves and cook over medium-low heat until sage is crispy and butter is golden brown. Remove the sage leaves and most of the butter to a small bowl. Add the Malfatti to the pan in batches and gently stir to coat. Plate with a spoonful of sage brown butter, crispy sage leaves and freshly grated parmesan cheese.

The post Malfatti {Spinach & Ricotta Dumplings} appeared first on Lemony Thyme.

Does anyone else buy boxes of “Little Bites” muffins for their kids (big or small)??

I can’t believe I’m admitting it – not because I’m a packaged food snob, but because muffins are so darn easy to make at home!

These bite sized homemade Double Chocolate Chip Mini Muffins are moist and cake-like, studded with chocolate chips throughout. They are a tasty grab-n-go snack, lunch box treat, or Sunday morning get ’em out of bed to start the day kind of breakfast.

We first made this recipe back during the summer of covid-cooking (2020).

In May, after being in quarantine for two months, we as a family decided to take on an ultimate cooking challenge.

Every recipe cooked was an entry to win the grand prize. Little did we know that we would cook our way through an entire cookbook (132 recipes) in just 50 days. Each one of them documented on Instagram @lemonythyme.

Covid Cooking 2020

This beloved cookbook titled “Eat What You Want” is by What’s Gaby Cooking.

It’s hard to precisely put into words how profoundly this cooking expedition shaped our lives during these challenging and difficult times.

• Let’s just say we simultaneously strengthened our family bond and our love of food
• We shared the love with neighbors we hadn’t previously had the time to get to know (many special deliveries were left on doorsteps and passed over fences)
• No doubt we challenged our cooking abilities
• All of us stayed mostly positive when a sea of negativity was brewing in the world around us
• We discovered a competitive over-achiever lay under the surface in each of us
• Without a doubt, we ate the most delicious dishes all prepared in our own kitchen

And while we were not chosen as the grand-prize winner of her competition, in our book this family adventure was Winning!!!

You can find our amateur how-to cooking video saved under stories on Instagram. @lemonythyme “Kids Cooking”

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

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Double Chocolate Chip Mini Muffins

These bite sized homemade Double Chocolate Chip Mini Muffins are moist and cake-like, studded with chocolate chips throughout.

Course Breakfast, Snack

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Servings 12

Author adapted from What’s Gaby Cooking

Ingredients

• 1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder divided
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 cup hot water
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/3 cup vbegetable oil
• 2 large eggs
• 1 large egg yolk only
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 3/4 cup sour cream
• 1 1/2 cups chocolate chips
• 1 cup mini chocolate chips

Instructions

• Preheast oven to 375° F. Spray 4 mini-muffin tins with cooking spray (48 muffins total).
• In a bowl, whisk the flour, baking soda, salt, and baking powder with 1/4 cup cocoa powder. In a separate small bowl, whisk the remaining 1/2 cup cocoa powder with hot water until smooth.
• In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, cream together the sugar, vegetable oil, eggs and yolk, and vanilla on medium speed until combined. Add the cocoa powder/water mixture and beat until just combined. Now alternately add the flour mixture and sour cream in three additions. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and stir in 1 cup of each kinds of chocolate chips, reserving a 1/2 cup of the mini chips to sprinkle on top before baking.
• Bake in center of oven about 18-20 minutes or until a toothpick instered in center comes out clean. Cool in pan on wire rack for 5 minutes. Store in an air tight container or freeze in small batches.

Notes

This recipe can also be made as one dozen standard sized muffins (30 minute bake time) or 6 jumbo muffins (40 minute bake time).

The post Double Chocolate Chip Mini Muffins appeared first on Lemony Thyme.

I feel like I’m getting free cooking lessons every time I log in. 

Back to the Pita Bread.  It’s delicious. 

However, after my first attempt (and there will be many more) my bread was more like Naan than Pita.  We had no pockets, just some cute air bubbles (see tips from The Kitchn on how to correct this).

Here’s my little Step by Step Homemade Pita Bread summary. 

A quick & easy 5-ingredient dough comes together with minimal elbow grease (about 5-7 minutes of kneading).

The dough then rises for 1-2 hours.  Good things come to those who wait.

The dough is then cut into 8 pcs. that get rolled out into thin disks.

Get your cast iron skillet good and hot and coat it lightly with a little oil.

The directions said to cook for 1-2 minutes per side.  That seemed like a long time.

The end result yielded 6 out of 8…pretty darn good looking Homemade Pita Breads.  No we didn’t have “pockets” for stuffing, but these flat breads would be fantastic with Gyros or for dipping.

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Homemade Pita Bread

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes minutes

Resting Time 2 hours hours

Author The Kitchn

Ingredients

• 1 cup warm water
• 2 teaspoons active dry or instant yeast
• 2 1/2 to 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 to 2 teaspoons olive oil

Instructions

• Mix the water and yeast together and allow to rest for 5 minutes until the yeast dissolves. Begin by adding 2 1/2 cups of flour, salt and olive oil to the water/yeast. Stir until a shaggy dough is formed. Sprinkle flour onto a clean surface and turn dough out and knead for 5-7 minutes. Add more flour as needed to achieve a smooth and elastic dough.
• Lightly oil a bowl and add dough, turning once to coat it. Allow to rest for 1-2 hours until the dough has doubled in size. Gently punch down the dough and turn out onto a lightly floured surface. Divide into 8 pieces and flatten each piece into a disk. Sprinkle pieces with a little flour and cover with plastic wrap until ready to bake.
• On a lightly floured surface, roll each disc into an 8"-9" circle, using a floured rolling pin. Lift and turn dough, dusting surface with additional flour as need to keep from sticking.

For oven method

• Preheat oven to 450° F. Place a baking stone or baking sheet into the oven. One by one, place the rolled out dough directly onto the baking stone and bake for 3 minutes each. They will balloon.

For stovetop method

• Heat a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Drizzle a small amount of oil in the pan to coat, wipe out any excess. Place a rolled out pitz dough into pan and cook for 30 seconds until you see bubbles forming. Flip and cook for 1-2 minutes, until toasted spots appear on underneath side. Flip again and toast other side for another 1-2 minutes.

The post Step by Step Homemade Pita Bread appeared first on Lemony Thyme.

Warm Goat Cheese Fritters.  So deliciously crispy on the outside, smooth and creamy on the inside.  I love you.

I initially made these to pair with our Autumn Thyme Wedge Salad, where they became the star, thus worthy of their own recipe post.  So this morning I made them again, complete with their own photo shoot.  What I’ve discovered is Warm Goat Cheese Fritters are tasty enough to be served as an appetizer or brunch item, and need not be reserved for salads alone.

I started with a 4 ounce log of goat cheese (I used the honey flavored one), then cut it into 10 equal pieces.  Each piece is rolled into a ball then breaded….flour, egg, panko, repeat.  Once they are all breaded I pop them into the freezer while the oil comes up to temp.

It only takes a minute or so per side to get a nice crispy golden brown crust.  Serve the fritters warm with a drizzle of honey.  You’ll be licking your lips for more.

Whether you’re a goat cheese fan like me or an eh could go either way like others, when it comes to Warm Goat Cheese Fritters you’ll be a lover for certain.  There’s something about warm goat cheese that mellows it’s flavor, yet the richness remains.  I hope you’ll give these a try, your holiday guests will thank you.

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Warm Goat Cheese Fritters

Prep Time 30 minutes minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes minutes

Total Time 40 minutes minutes

Servings 10

Author Libby with Lemony Thyme

Ingredients

• 1 4- ounce goat cheese log I used honey flavored
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 – 3/4 cup flour
• 1 1/2 – 2 cups panko bread crumbs
• sunflower or other high heat oil for frying
• honey for serving

Instructions

• Cut goat cheese log in half lengthwise, then cut each half into 5 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a ball. Reserve.
• Set up a breading station. I begin with one beaten egg in bowl #1. 1/2 cup flour in bowl/plate #2. 1 cup panko in bowl/plate #3. Dip each goat cheese ball into flour, then egg, then panko and repeat. Continue until all balls have been breaded, adding additional egg, flour and panko as needed. Place breaded balls onto a plate and put into freezer for 10 – 15 minutes.
• In a small skillet heat 1-inch of oil to 375 degrees. Working in small batches fry fritters about 1 minute per side until golden brown. Remove to drain on paper towels. Serve warm, delicious drizzled with honey.

The post Warm Goat Cheese Fritters appeared first on Lemony Thyme.

At a recent family reunion I discovered these luscious Salted Double Dark Chocolate Cookies.  They are rich, crispy on the edges yet soft on the inside, with a hint of sea salt.  Can you see that molten chunk of chocolate there?  It’s the ‘Double’ in this cookie’s name.

Besides how wonderfully delicious these cookies are, they’re super easy to make.  The dough comes together quickly and then can be baked or chilled or frozen.  I rolled the dough into a log and refrigerated it overnight.  However you can freeze the dough in 1-inch balls or in logs, that are sliced and baked according to your needs.  Like two a day for 18 days straight ;)

I actually baked all three dozen yesterday in my office break room so that I could share them at a Cookie Exchange Party last night.  Twelve of us each brought three dozen cookies and left with a beautiful assortment.

Whether you’re a chocolate lover like me and love the idea of having a treat tucked away in the freezer OR you’re looking for a new cookie to add to your holiday baking, these Salted Double Dark Chocolate Cookies are sure to please.

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Salted Double Dark Chocolate Cookies

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 12 minutes minutes

Total Time 27 minutes minutes

Servings 3 dozen

Ingredients

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup Dutch-process cocoa powder
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 4 ounces 60%+ bittersweet chocolate finely chopped
• 4 ounces 60%+ bittersweet chocolate roughly chopped (1/4-inch chunks)
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter 1 stick
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 2 large eggs beaten
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 1/2 tsp. large flake sea salt

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line 3 baking sheets with parchment paper.
• In a medium bowl, sift together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt. Reserve.
• In a small bowl, melt 4 ounces finely chopped chocolate with butter. Can either use the double boiler method over hot water or microwave at 50% power in 30 second intervals; stirring after each until melted. Transfer to a large bowl and add the sugar, eggs and vanilla. Using a mixer, beat at medium speed until well combined.
• Reduce speed to low and gradually add in the flour mixture. Slowly stir in roughly chopped chocolate.
• Dough can be rolled into 1-inch balls or formed into logs and sliced. Place 2-inches apart on baking sheets. Sprinkle a pinch of coarse sea salt on top of each cookie.
• Bake for 12 minutes, rotating sheets halfway through – from front to back and top to bottom.
• Allow to cool completely on sheets.

Notes

Use good quality chocolate. I used Ghirardelli 60% Bittersweet Bars.
Dough can be frozen in balls or logs for up to two months. Simply slice and bake desired quantity. If baking from frozen dough add a minute or two to baking time.

Take twelve ladies out of their normal work environment, feed them, serve them wine and chocolate and get ready for the stories to start flowing.  Good times had by all.  Can’t wait for next year girls.

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