Welcome to this week’s edition of College Cooking! Recipes that our (over 21 aged) college kids will love to recreate and eat!

It all started with a TikTok video early this yesterday morning. Not my video. It was from ChefClub. It was one of those videos where you watch entirely too long, knowing full well it’s not going to end well. And it didn’t. But the concept stuck!

The guy in the video poured Jack Daniel’s whiskey into muffin tin cups, topped them with water and froze them.

It’s this next part that stuck.

Once frozen he popped out the whiskey ice cubes and pressed them into the center of burger patties. As he grilled the burgers on the flat top, the ice melted creating steam….which on its own is an acceptable cooking method.

I had to know.

I was the first one through the door at the liquor store – sure, it felt a little strange walking out with a bottle of JD at 9:00 am. Hey, girl on a mission!

Let’s talk Whiskey for a minute. Or is it Whisky? I kept second guessing myself on the spelling so I looked it up. Apparently the spelling of said grain spirit is entirely based on the country of origin. If it’s made in Ireland or the USA it’s Whiskey we an ‘e’. If it’s distilled in Canada, Scotland or Japan drop that ‘e’ and pour yourself a glass of Whisky!

A whiskey infused burger sounded pretty darn good, but I couldn’t get my head around infusing with water. So this is where I changed the ChefClub method and I used Coke instead. Jack Daniel’s Whiskey & Coke. A well documented finely matched pair.

The Preparation

I decided to prepare these Ultimate Jack & Coke Bacon Cheeseburgers two ways. One closely resembling the video I fell pray to. A whiskey ice cubed pressed into the raw burger patty then pan grilled.

The other, a bit more conventional but with the same flavor profile. Add the whiskey & coke directly to the ground beef, then make into patties and pan grill.

The Results

I topped our burgers with Caramelized Onions, Smoked Gouda cheese, Million Dollar Bacon, and Whiskey Mayo.

Here are the results!

Both burgers were very juicy and the toppings were perfectly matched. However, according to our highly skilled taste-testers the burgers with the Jack Daniel’s & Coke put right into the ground beef had a superior flavor profile.

So in the end, while making Jack & Coke ice cubes was fun and certainly grabbed my attention, they are not necessary.

These burgers are really good. A perfect addition to any Game Day spread!

The gentle whiskey aroma is front and center, some from the burger and some from the whiskey mayo. The caramelized onions add a wonderful layer of flavor, as does the smoky gruyere cheese. And let us not forget the million dollar bacon. Baby!

I even made a gluten free version using our new favorite sweet potato ‘buns’.

I hope you’ll give this recipe a try. I’d love for you to share your feedback 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 Ultimate Jack & Coke Bacon Cheeseburger

According to our highly skilled taste-testers the burgers with the Jack Daniel's & Coke put right into the ground beef had a superior flavor profile and paired perfectly with the toppings.

Course Burger

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes minutes

Caramelized Onions & Million Dollar Bacon 30 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Author Libby with Lemony Thyme

Ingredients

For the Burgers

• 1 pound ground beef
• 2 Tablespoons Jack Daniel's Whiskey can sub coke
• 2 Tablespoons Coke
• 2 Tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 Tablespoon butter for pan frying

For the Whiskey Mayo

• 1/4 cup mayonnaise
• 1 Tablespoon ketchup
• 1 Tablespoon Jack Daniel's Whiskey can sub coke

For the Toppings

• 4 burger buns lightly toasted
• 1/2 cup caramelized onions (1 large sweet onion) see recipe link in post
• 3 ounces smoked gruyere cheese shredded
• 4 strips Million Dollar Bacon see recipe link in post

Instructions

For the Burgers

• Combine burger ingredients (except butter) and form into 4 bun sized patties. Pan fry in butter until deeply caramelized on each side.

  Note: When pan frying or frying on a flat top grill I like to add a little water to the hot pan and cover the burgers at the end to let them steam a bit.
• Top with caramelized onion and shredded gruyere cheese. Cook to desired doneness.

To Build the Burgers

• Lightly toast the burger buns. Whisk together whiskey mayo ingredients. Slather a spoonful on bottom side of each burger bun. Top with cooked burger with onions and cheese. Finish with a slice of million dollar bacon and top bun.

The post Ultimate Jack & Coke Bacon Cheeseburgers appeared first on Lemony Thyme.

Nice big tender Italian Meatballs nestled into bed of spaghetti wrapped in a blanket of sauce & cheese.

It’s amazing how one casserole dish can bring a family together.

Do you and your family sit down to dinner on a regular basis? Or are you like us and you treasure those times when you’ve got the whole gang gathered around the table?

I sure do love it!

Today I’m delivering a Spaghetti & Meatball Casserole of Love! One of my dear friends is in the hospital and the best thing I can do for her right now is to help nourish her family. I happen to know spaghetti & meatballs are a favorite in their house :)

The Preparation

This dish begins with the meatballs. I use our nice big Italian Meatballs, you can find the recipe here.

You’ll want to double this recipe, using 2 pounds of ground meat. This will make a beautiful batch of 16-20 meatballs.

Plenty to feed a family of eight!

When I’m delivering a meal to a friend or family at a time of need I try to make it as easy as possible to heat & serve or freeze.

Foil pans are the unsung heroes here. Simply layer the al dente spaghetti, top with cooked meatballs and marinara sauce, add a nice layer of cheese and bake.

For the spaghetti, I actually love to use bucatini fusilli. It’s curly and fun and holds on to the delicious marinara sauce nicely too.

I’ve shared before that there are a few pantry staples that I always keep on hand. The pasta I mentioned above, our favorite Rao’s Sauce, and gluten free panko breadcrumbs. All of which are incorporated into this meal.

I delivered Spaghetti & Meatball Casserole of Love!, a tossed salad and Peanut Butter Cup Brownies to this special family. Love and healing energy included.

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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Spaghetti & Meatball Casserole of Love!

Nice big tender Italian Meatballs nestled into bed of spaghetti wrapped in a blanket of sauce & cheese.

Course Entree

Cuisine Italian

Prep Time 30 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Servings 8

Author Libby with Lemony Thyme

Ingredients

For the Meatballs

• 2 batches Italian Meatballs see recipe link in post

For the Spaghetti Casserole

• 1 pound spaghetti or favorite pasta cooked al dente
• 24 ounces marinara sauce
• 1 cup mozzarella cheese shredded
• 1/2 cup parmesan cheese shredded

Instructions

For the Meatballs

• Brown the meatballs using the Oven Method. Then transfer to sauce and finish cooking in the oven.

For the Spaghetti Casserole

• Preheat oven to 350° F. Prepare pasta al dente according to package instructions. Drain and toss with marinara sauce. Layer in casserole dish with meatballs. Top with shredded mozzarella and grated parmesan cheese. Bake for 20 minutes.

The post Spaghetti & Meatball Casserole of Love! appeared first on Lemony Thyme.

Healthy eating police stand down.

We all have our guilty pleasures and while it’s been years since I’ve ordered a McDonald’s Big Mac, the saucy beefy cheesy classic lingers in my mind.

The way I see it is when the attack happens you have two choices. You can either drive to the closest McDonald’s OR you can make this double decker delight at home!

I vote for homemade all day – every day!

The Big Mac Ingredients

• Two all beef (Grass-Fed) patties
• Homemade special sauce
• Shredded lettuce
• Yellow American cheese
• Sliced dill pickles
• Fine diced onion
• All piled high on sesame brioche buns

Here’s how we build our Big Macs

Make the special sauce –

• Mayonnaise
• Sweet pickle relish
• White distilled vinegar
• Ketchup
• Mustard powder
• Minced onion
• Chili powder
• Paprika

For maximum flavor, chill the Big Mac sauce in refrigerator for a couple hours or overnight if possible.

For the beef patties –

• Use ground chuck vs. sirloin for a juicy burger
• For each Big Mac, split 1/3 pound of ground beef into two thin patties and press to bun size
• Season with with salt and pepper, then pan fry in a little butter or ghee (trust me)
• Add slice of cheese to each burger just when finished cooking

Assembly –

• Toast buns, then spread with generous layer of special sauce
• Sprinkle bottom bun with fine diced onion and shredded lettuce
• Top with one of the cheese burgers and dill pickle slices
• Top with middle bun (I used an extra brioche bun and cut two middles out of it)
• Repeat: sauce, onions, lettuce, cheese burger, pickles, top bun

The hardest thing about making these Big Macs was having to wait to eat them while I took their beauty shots.

Here’s how we eat our Big Macs

My husband is a saint for waiting. And he’s not a shabby hand model either :)

There is so much love going on right here! These Big Macs were such a treat!

They are so satisfying and mouthwateringly delicious. You’re going to need a lot of napkins for these juicy burgers.

I’m lovin’ it!

We even made shoestring fries like McDonald’s. They weren’t quite as good as theirs but still pretty tasty. Our homemade Big Macs on the other hand were far better than the drive thru version!

Take a look at these cuties.

For my gluten free friends you can handle your Big Mac Attack by making mini burgers and using sweet potato ‘buns’.

Oh yes I did!

These gluten free sliders still give you all that juicy, beefy, cheesy saucy flavor without sacrifice!

And how about a side sweet potato curly fries!!

Burgers, fries, and milkshakes?? Try our Malted Peach Milkshake!

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

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Homemade Big Mac

There is so much love going on right here! There's something so satisfying about a Big Mac. You're going to need a lot of napkins for these juicy delicious burgers. I'm lovin' it!

Course Burger, Entree

Cuisine American

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes minutes

Servings 3

Author Libby with Lemony Thyme

Ingredients

For the Special Sauce

• 2/3 cup mayonnaise
• 2 Tablespoons sweet pickle relish
• 1 Tablespoon ketchup
• 1 Tablespoon minced onion
• 1 teaspoon white distilled vinegar
• 1/4 teaspoon dry mustard powder
• 1/4 teaspoon chili powder
• 1/4 teaspoon paprika

For the Big Macs

• 1 pound ground beef preferably grass-fed chuck
• 6 slices yellow American cheese
• 4-5 brioche buns or sesame seed burger buns
• 1 cup shredded lettuce
• 1/2 cup fine diced white onion
• 18 dill pickle slices
• special sauce see recipe above
• 1 Tablespoon butter or ghee for pan frying burgers
• salt & pepper to season burgers

Instructions

For the Special Sauce

• Combine all special sauce ingredients in a small bowl. Refrigerate until ready to use. For best flavor, chill for 2 hours or overnight.

For the Big Macs

• Divide the ground beef into 1/3 pound sections. Split each 1/3 in half and roll into a ball. Press each ball between parchment paper to make 6 thin patties total. Season with salt & pepper. Pan fry burger patties in butter until cooked through. Top each burger with a slice of cheese.
• You'll need a top, bottom and middle bun for each Big Mac. Lightly toast buns.
• Spread a generous amount of special sauce onto each bun. On bottom bun add fine diced onion and shredded lettuce. Top with cheese burger and three pickle slices. Repeat with middle bun, sauce, onion, lettuce, cheese burger, pickles. Finish with top bun.
• Delicious served with shoestring fries and a milkshake!

For Gluten Free Sweet Potato 'Buns'

• Slice sweet potato into 1/4-inch thick rounds. Brush with olive oil and bake in oven at 425° F for about 25 minutes until golden and tender. Build Big Mac as instructed above using sweet potato in place of buns.

The post How To Handle a Big Mac Attack appeared first on Lemony Thyme.

Savory beef meatballs stuffed with provolone cheese, nestled on a bed of sautéed onions, mushrooms and peppers all under a blanket of provolone cheese sauce.

I mean!

The meatball ingredients are pretty straight forward.

I know that the classic Philly Cheesesteak does not necessarily have sautéed onions – you can order ‘wit’ (with) or ‘wit-out’ (without) fried onions.

I’m definitely a ‘wit’ onions girl, so I sautéed some fine diced onion and put them right into the meatballs.

Along with cubes of provolone cheese.

Yes, I stuffed a 1/2″ cube of cheese inside each of the meatballs before baking them at 400 degrees F. for 15 minutes.

These Philly Cheesesteak Meatballs fresh from the oven were melt in your mouth delicious! Nice and juicy with an oozy cheesy center.

But we didn’t stop there.

The meatballs alone would make a dynamite appetizer served with a provolone cheese dipping sauce.

But load them into a hoagie roll with some sautéed onion, mushrooms and peppers and drizzle of cheese sauce and you’ll think you’ve died and gone straight to Philadelphia!

Which I’ve had the pleasure of doing several times.

What a great city!

Lovely architecture, loads of history, Philly Cheesesteaks of course, and a great street culture scene painted with colorful murals.

If you haven’t been to Philadelphia I hope you get the chance one day.

Until then, you can get a taste of it by making Philly Cheesesteak Meatballs at home!

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

All my best,
xo Libby

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Philly Cheesesteak Meatballs

These Philly Cheesesteak Meatballs fresh from the oven were melt in your mouth delicious! Nice and juicy with an oozy cheesy center.

Course Entree or Appetizer

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Author Libby with Lemony Thyme

Ingredients

For the Meatballs

• 1 Tablespoon olive oil
• 1/4 cup onion fine diced
• 18 1/2 inch cubes provolone cheese about 2 ounces
• 1/3 cup panko breadcrumbs (Gluten Free for GF Version)
• 1/4 cup parmesan cheese grated
• 1/4 cup fresh parsley chopped
• 1 large egg
• 1 clove garlic minced
• 1/2 teaspoon Garlic & Herb Seasoning recipe on blog
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 1 pound ground beef

For the Cheese Sauce

• 1 Tablespoon butter
• 1 Tablespoon flour (or arrow root for gluten free)
• 1 cup milk
• 6 ounces provolone cheese grated
• 1/2 cup parmesan cheese grated
• salt & pepper to taste

For Serving (optional)

• 4 hoagie rolls or party toothpicks
• 1 medium onion sliced
• 8 ounces mushrooms sliced
• 3 Italian long hot peppers or 1 green bell pepper sliced
• 1 Tablespoon olive oil for sauteeing vegetables

Instructions

For the Meatballs

• Preheat oven to 400° F. Line baking sheet with parchment paper. Saute onion in olive oil over medium high heat, just until beginning to brown. Cut provolone into 18 – 1/2-inch cubes.
• Combine remaining meatball ingredients, except ground beef. Fold in ground beef and mix just until combined. Form into 18 meatballs, pressing a cheese cube into the center of each, and rolling with hands to encase. Place on parchment lined baking sheet. Bake for 15 minutes.

For the Cheese Sauce

• Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in flour, continue whisking until flour is bubbling 1-2 minutes. Whisk in cold milk and continue to stir until sauce comes to a low boil. Add in shredded provolone and parmesan cheese. Stir until melted. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

For Serving (optional)

• Saute mushrooms, onions and peppers in olive oil until begining to caramelize. If serving as hoagies, toast rolls. Fill with sauteed veggies, meatballs and drizzle with cheese sauce. If serving as appetizer meatballs, place sauteed veggies in serving bowl, topped with meatballs and cheese sauce. Serve with party toothpicks.

The post Philly Cheesesteak Meatballs appeared first on Lemony Thyme.

I’m not sure how it happened but Spaghetti and Meatballs has become an absolute favorite meal for me.  And really, it’s all about the meatballs.  I like them big and soft and full of Italian flavors like garlic, basil and oregano.

My favorite combination for meatballs (or meatloaf for that matter) is a combination of ground beef, pork, and veal. Just add a few more simple ingredients and you are less than an hour away from heaven. Great. Big. Italian Meatball Heaven.

Making Meatballs

If I had to share one tip that I’ve learned about making meatballs (or meatloaf) is do not overwork the meat mixture.  

Combine all of your ingredients, except the meat, into a bowl then add your ground meat and gently mix until just combined.  I can do this with a few good squeezes of my hands before rolling into meatballs. 

One pound of ground meat will yield 8 great big meatballs.  Yes, they take a little longer to bake, but in my opinion it is so worth it.  You’ll find two meatballs is a generous serving, even for your hungry man.

Either pan brown the meatballs in olive oil, then transfer them to a baking dish.  Or bake them on a parchment lined baking sheet. Don’t get too particular about the browning process, this step lets the cooking process begin and tends to help the meatballs stay together before finishing in the sauce.

You can easily double or triple this recipe as I did above. Italian Meatballs are such a crowd pleaser and they’re just as good the next day!!

Once browned, cover your meatballs in a nice blanket of your favorite Marinara Sauce for baking or submerge them in a pot of your favorite tomato sauce and let them simmer gently.  If however, you’re not ready for baking…just cover them in plastic wrap and refrigerate them until ready. 

You can definitely prepare these a day ahead, which makes them perfect for entertaining. 

Who doesn’t love great big Italian Meatballs.

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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Italian Meatballs

My favorite combination for meatballs (or meatloaf for that matter) is a combination of ground beef, pork, and veal. Just add a few more simple ingredients and you are less than an hour away from heaven. Great. Big. Italian Meatball Heaven.

Course Main Course

Cuisine Italian

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 45 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour

Servings 4

Author Libby with Lemony Thyme

Ingredients

For the Meatballs

• 1/2 pound ground beef
• 1/2 pound ground pork or ground veal
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup fresh bread crumbs
• 2 Tablespoons milk or cream
• 1 Tablespoon garlic minced
• 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• a good handful of fresh parsley finely chopped
• 1 tsp. dried basil
• 1 tsp. dried oregano
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. freshly cracked black pepper

For Pan Browning

• 2-3 Tbl. olive oil for pan browning

For Serving

• 2 cups Marinara Sauce
• Cooked pasta optional
• Garnish with fresh basil and freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Instructions

For the Meatballs

• In a large bowl, combine all ingredients except the ground meat. Mix well. Add in ground beef and pork and gently combine with hands. Do not overwork mixture. Form mixture into (8) about 2 1/2-inch diameter balls.

For Pan Browning Method

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat a 2 quart baking dish with cooking spray and reserve.
• Add 1 Tbl. olive oil to a large skillet over medium heat. Working in batches, brown meatballs. Transfer to baking dish. Spoon marinara sauce over meatballs. Bake uncovered for 40-45 minutes. Allow to rest 5 minutes before serving.

For the Oven Browning Method

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place meatballs on a parchment lined baking sheet. Bake for 25 minutes (for smaller meatballs reducee the cooking time). Transfer to a pot of marinara sauce and simmer gently for 15 to 30 minutes.

To Serve

• Serve meatballs over favorite cooked pasta. Sprinkle with freshly grated parmesan cheese and fresh basil.

The post Italian Meatballs {Great Big Italian Meatballs} appeared first on Lemony Thyme.

I would request it for my birthday dinners, when a celebration was in order, or when I just craved Mom’s home cooking. 

The fresh herbs in this classic comfort food recipe make it sing…Parsley, sage, rosemary, and thyme; Remember me to one who lives there, she once was a true love of mine. 

Mom called her version *Chinese Pie which was slightly different than this Shepherd’s Pie recipe (creamed corn in place of carrot, onion, zucchini, peas), but had all the comfort that only a casserole (or maybe a fresh from the oven chocolate chip cookie) can bring.

Another similar dish to the Irish Shepherd’s Pie is Cottage Pie, one made with lamb and one with beef, although the variations are many.

The Method

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. 
• In a large skillet sauté mushrooms until golden brown on both sides and reserve
• Meanwhile boil potatoes until tender, drain, and mash with butter, buttermilk, sage, salt & pepper
• If using fresh English peas simmer those as well

• Brown the meat and drain fat
• Add garlic, tomato paste, fresh herbs and Worcestershire, stir to combine
• Add wine and allow to mostly cook off before dusting with flour (or arrowroot for gluten free)
• Stir in broth and simmer until sauce begins to thicken
• Return sautéed mushrooms to pan to combine
• Season with salt and pepper to taste

• Pour browned meat and mushrooms into 2 quart buttered casserole dish. Reserve.

• Top meat/mushroom layer with sautéed vegetables. Reserve.

• Spread mashed potatoes over veggie layer
• Make a criss-cross pattern with a fork
• Dot with butter pieces 
• Bake until edges start to become golden brown 40 – 45 minutes  
• Finish under broiler for nice brown peaks
• Let stand for at least 5 minutes before serving

This Shepherd’s Pie is rich and hearty and just as comfortable as I remember. Hope you love it like we do!

*I just had to know where the name Chinese Pie came from so I did a little culinary digging. Apparently Chinese Pie, also known as Paté Chinois, originated in Canada and is a staple French-Canadian dish. During the construction of the Canadian Pacific Railway in the late 19th century workers were fed rations of beef, potatoes and corn. Many of the workers of primarily Asian origin would combine their rations, creating a family-style dish to be shared. This serving style took off with the French-Canadian workers as well who dubbed the dish Paté Chinois (or Chinese Pie in French). And now you know ~ the rest of the story.

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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Shepherd’s Pie

This Shepherd's Pie is rich and hearty and just as comfortable as I remember. The fresh herbs in this classic comfort food recipe make it sing.

Course Main Course

Prep Time 30 minutes minutes

Cook Time 45 minutes minutes

Servings 8

Author Libby with Lemony Thyme

Ingredients

For the Meat & Mushroom Layer

• 8 ounces sliced mushrooms
• 1 Tablespoon butter & olive oil
• 2 lbs. ground beef and/or ground lamb
• 2 Tablespoons tomato paste
• 2 cloves garlic finely chopped
• 2 Tablespoons fresh herbs (thyme, rosemary, parsley, sage) minced
• 1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1/2 cup red wine
• 1 Tablespoon flour or arrow root (for GF Version)
• 1 cup beef broth
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper

For the Vegetable Layer

• 1 Tbl. olive oil
• 1 medium onion diced, about 1 cup
• 2-3 carrots diced, about 1 cup
• 2 small zucchini julienned, about 1 cup
• 1 cup fresh or frozen English peas

For the Potato Layer

• 3 lbs. potatoes or cauliflower for a low-carb alternative
• 5 Tbl. butter divided
• 3/4 cup buttermilk
• 1/2 tsp. fresh sage minced optional
• salt & pepper to taste

Instructions

For the Meat & Mushroom Layer

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• In a large skillet, add 1 tablespoon butter & 1 tablespoon olive oil. Add mushrooms in single layer and cook until golden brown on both sides. Remove from skillet and reserve.
• Brown meat over medium high heat, drain fat, then add tomato paste, garlic, fresh herbs, and Worcestershire. Stir to combine and cook 1-2 minutes. Stir in wine and allow to mostly cook off before dusting with flour (arrowroot for gluten free version). Stir to incorporate, then add broth and stir until sauce begins to thicken. Return browned mushrooms to the pan. Season with salt & pepper to taste. Pour meat/mushrooms into 2 quart buttered casserole dish.

For the Vegetable Layer

• In skillet saute onion & carrot until just tender, then add zucchini continue cooking for 3-4 minutes. Stir in frozen peas (or cooked fresh peas). Season with salt & pepper to taste. Pour veggies over browned meat/musrooms in casserole dish.

For the Potato Layer

• Boil potatoes until tender, drain, then add 4 Tablespoons butter, buttermilk, 1/2 tsp. fresh sage, salt & pepper and mash. Spoon potatoes on top of meat/vegetable layers.
• Take a fork and scratch a pattern into top of mashed potatoes. Dot with remaining Tablespoon butter. Bake until golden 40 – 45 minutes. Finish under broiler for nice brown peaks. Let stand for at least 5 minutes before serving.

Notes

If you’re looking for a low-carb option, use cauliflower mash instead of mashed potatoes.

The post Shepherd’s Pie – A Classic Comfort Food appeared first on Lemony Thyme.

When I decided to share a different meatball recipe for the month of March I needed to enlist my loved ones for some recipe inspiration.

For Nick, we would transform his favorite Beef & Broccoli in a meatball meal.

The results were out of this world!

You know that sweet, salty, slightly spicy sauce that IS Beef & Broccoli, I incorporated that inside our meatballs and then gave them a quick stir-fry in it to glaze them before serving.

Our sauce combined coconut aminos (or soy sauce), honey, sesame oil, garlic, ginger, chili crisp oil, and black pepper.

The meatballs consisted of ground beef, Panko breadcrumbs, an egg, sliced scallion, and 1/4 cup of our stir-fry sauce. I baked them at 400 degrees F. for 10 minutes before giving them a swirl in the wok with the remaining sauce.

These meatballs are stop-you-in-your-grazing-tracks good!

Without question they are the star of Meatball Beef & Broccoli, however they are now going straight to the top of any appetizer or game-day spread we put out.

The only thing I’d change is to double (or triple) the recipe.

These went way too fast!

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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Meatball Beef & Broccoli

Without question they are the star of Meatball Beef & Broccoli, however they are now going straight to the top of any appetizer or game-day spread we put out. The only thing I'd change is to double (or triple) the recipe.

Course Entree or Appetizer

Cuisine Asian

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Author Libby with Lemony Thyme

Ingredients

For the Stir Fry Sauce

• 3/4 cup coconut aminos or low sodium soy sauce
• 2 Tablespoons sesame oil
• 2 Tablespoons honey
• 2 cloves garlic minced
• 1 teaspoon ginger finely grated
• 2 teaspoon chili crisp oil or sriracha sauce recipe link in post
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

For the Meatballs

• 1 pound ground beef
• 1/3 cup panko breadcrumbs (Gluten Free Panko for GF version)
• 1 large egg
• 2 scallion thinly sliced, about 1/2 cup
• 1/4 cup Stir Fry Sauce (above)

To Serve

• 2-3 cups broccoli florets blanched
• 1 cup rice prepared according to package
• 1 Tablespoon high heat oil such as avocado or sesame
• 1 Tablespoon sesame seeds
• 1 scallion thinly sliced

Instructions

For the Stir Fry Sauce

• Combine all the sauce ingredients in a bowl. Reserve.

For the Meatballs

• Preheat oven to 400° F. Line baking sheet with parchment paper. In a bowl combine panko breadcrumbs, egg, scallion, and 1/4 cup of prepared Stir Fry Sauce. Add ground beef and mix gently until combined. Form into 1 1/2" meatballs (about 20) and place on parchment lined baking sheet. Bake for 10 minutes.

To Serve

• While meatballs are in oven, bring a pot of water to a boil. Blanch broccoli for 2 minutes. Drain and reserve. Prepare Rice according to package instructions.
• In a wok or heavy skillet, heat 1 Tablespoon of high heat oil. Add meatballs and remaining stir fry sauce. Cook for 3-4 minutes until meatballs are cooked through and sauce is slightly thickened.
• Serve in bowls with rice, broccoli, and meatballs. Garnish with sesame seeds and scallions.

The post Meatball Beef & Broccoli appeared first on Lemony Thyme.

I wanted to prepare and share a dish that said “when I am with you I am complete and comfortable”.  

On any given day, this is one of the most popular recipes on the blog. It’s a fan favorite and a family favorite. My 11 year old bonus daughter Ella made it for a weeknight dinner with some neighbors. I would say this also qualifies as a quick & easy recipe!

Salisbury Steak isn’t much more than kicked-up hamburger patties braised in mushroom gravy.  Almost like mini-meatloaves, sautéed in butter, then finished in a nice rich mushroom gravy. I really like the mushroom gravy.

Although, I’ve probably seen just as many recipes for Salisbury Steak with an Onion Gravy, so I say get happy and take it in the direction that makes you and yours complete and comfortable.

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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Salisbury Steak {with Mushroom Gravy}

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 40 minutes minutes

Servings 3 -4

Author Libby with Lemony Thyme

Ingredients

For the Salisbury steak…

• 1 lb. ground beef
• 1/2 cup finely diced onion
• 1/4 cup panko bread crumbs
• 1 egg lightly beaten
• 1 Tbl. Worcestershire sauce
• 3 Tbl. fresh parsley minced
• 1 Tbl. dried shallot and roasted garlic
• or 1 garlic clove & 1 shallot clove, minced
• 1/2 tsp. freshly cracked pepper
• 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
• 1 Tbl. butter for pan frying

For the mushroom gravy…

• 1 Tbl. butter
• 8 oz. sliced mushrooms
• 2 shallots thinly sliced
• 1 Tbl. fresh thyme leaves minced
• 2 Tbl. flour
• 1 1/2 – 2 cups beef broth
• salt & freshly cracked pepper

Instructions

For the Salisbury steak…

• Combine ingredients and form into 3-4 oval shaped patties. Melt 1 Tbl. butter in a large skillet, sauté patties 4-5 minutes per side over medium heat until nicely browned. Remove from pan and reserve.

For the mushroom gravy…

• Add 1 Tbl. butter, sliced mushrooms, and shallots and sauté for 4-5 minutes. Add the fresh thyme and cook an additional minute. Dust mixture with flour and cook for 1-2 minutes. The mixture will be thick. Gradually stir in beef broth 1/2 cup at a time, allowing mixture to come to a boil in between each addition. Add more broth until desired thickness is achieved. Season with salt and pepper.
• Return steak patties to gravy, reduce heat to low, and allow to braise until patties are cooked through.
• Serve over mashed potatoes with fresh parsley to garnish.

The post Salisbury Steak with Mushroom Gravy appeared first on Lemony Thyme.

We dug out an old favorite recipe for Cheeseburger Soup and gave it a little sprucing up.  Our NEW & Improved Bacon Jalapeño Cheeseburger Soup is the bombdiggity.

Those of us longing for spring and backyard BBQs, while Winter weather is still lingering, can get that fresh off the grill cheeseburger taste (and satisfaction) with this soup.  You just build it like you build your favorite cheeseburger and don’t skimp on the toppings.

Recipe tip: If you want a nice charbroiled flavor brown your ground beef in a hot pan.  You may want to wipe out any black bits before adding in the bacon.

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Bacon Jalapeno Cheeseburger Soup

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Total Time 30 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Author Libby with Lemony Thyme

Ingredients

• 6 slices of bacon
• 1 lb. ground beef
• 1 medium onion diced
• 2 jalapenos seeded and fine diced
• 1 garlic clove minced
• 1 medium baking potato peeled and cubed
• 2 Tbl. flour
• 3 cups beef broth
• 1/8 cup ketchup
• 1 Tbl. Worcestershire sauce
• 1 Tbl. yellow mustard
• 2 cups milk or cream
• 6 ounces Cheddar or American cheese shredded
• salt & pepper to taste
• Toppings: crispy bacon diced tomato, shredded cheese and fine diced jalapeno. Serve with mini dill pickles.

Instructions

• In a Dutch oven, brown ground beef; drain and reserve. Add bacon and cook until crispy; remove to drain reserving 1 Tbl. bacon drippings.
• Add onion and jalapeno to pan and sauté until just tender. Add garlic and saute an additional minute. Return browned ground beef and potato: dust mixture with flour and stir until bubbly. Whisk in broth, ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, and mustard; bring to a boil then reduce heat and simmer for 15-20 minutes until potato is tender.
• Stir in milk and shredded cheese; stirring until soup is hot and cheese has melted. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
• Serve topped with crumbled crispy bacon, diced tomato, shredded cheese, and fine diced jalapeno.

Notes

Recipe tip: If you want a nice charbroiled flavor brown your ground beef in a hot pan. You may want to wipe out any black bits before adding in the bacon.

The post Bacon Jalapeño Cheeseburger Soup appeared first on Lemony Thyme.

But I wanted to add a spooky element to the dish. 

Wait til you see what I did.

Today was our Halloween Luncheon at the office.  It is an annual tradition.  We decorate, dress in costumes, and feast. 

I made a ginormous lasagna and {Shared the Love} with my work-family.  This Classic Lasagna is layered with a rich meaty sauce, plenty of cheese and and lots of love.

Making lasagna is simply a layering process. 

I found it’s best not to be too focused on specifics, just use good ingredients alternately until you build as tall as your pan can stand. 

I will say, you do want to start with a base of sauce and finish with a layer of cheese. 

Oh, and assembly is so much easier when you have all of your ingredients prepared and close at hand.

Assembly

Our Classic Lasagna assembly went something like this:

• Meaty Marinara to cover bottom of lasagna pan
• Layer of lasagna noodles (pre-boiled until al dente)
• Layer of ricotta/egg/parmesan mixture
• Generous sprinkle of shredded mozzarella
• Light layer of béchamel sauce
• Repeat 3-4 more times.
• Finish with shredded mozzarella

The Spooky Effects

While the lasagna baked, I got busy creating my spooky effect. 

I wanted to create the feel of a haunting face rising out of the top of the lasagna.  Hee hee, have I told you how much I love Halloween?!!

I made a double batch of our Italian Meatballs recipe and formed it into Scream’s Ghostface.   Muaaahhhh…..

I baked our giant face-meatball, so that it was fully cooked. 

On it’s own it was pretty spooky, but I had a grand-plan for this guy.

I placed the baked face on top of the baked lasagna, then filled the eyes, nose, and mouth with marinara sauce.  Slightly melted mozzarella cheese to encase the face. 

Then back into the oven to heat through. 

The finished result….

While the ‘raw’ face showed more Scream similarity, this guy delivered enough creepy to be worthy of our annual Halloween Buffet. 

Our Classic Lasagna {with Spooky Effects} was just one of many fabulous dishes shared today.  Two Halloween Buffet tables this year, beautifully decorated by the uber talented Jennica.

As for the costumes.  Always brilliant.  Here are a few standouts and a link to our work Delaney Facebook Page.  We’re a fun group if you’d like to follow along.

Who else loves/hates the movie The Shining.  Gives me shivers.  These two nailed it.  “Come play with us Danny.  Forever….and ever…and ever.”

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

And me.  Fun day at the office.

All my best,
xo Libby

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Classic Lasagna

This classic lasagna is layered with rich meaty sauce, loads of cheese, savory sauce and an element of spooky fun!

Author Libby with Lemony Thyme

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 boxes lasagna noodles 20 noodles

For the meaty sauce layer…

• 120 ounces marinara sauce
• 2 lbs. ground beef
• 1 lb. sweet Italian sausage

For the ricotta layer…

• 1 32- ounce tub ricotta cheese
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup parmesan cheese
• 1 tsp. dried basil
• 1 tsp. dried oregano
• 1 tsp. garlic & herb seasoning

For the Béchamel sauce…

• 5 Tbl. butter
• 4 Tbl. flour
• 4 cups milk
• 2 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg

Instructions

For the meaty sauce layer…

• Brown ground beef and Italian sausage (casings removed). Drain; combine with marinara sauce.

For noodle layer…

• Cook lasagna noodles according to package instructions.

For ricotta layer…

• Whisk together ricotta cheese, parmesan cheese, eggs and seasoning.

For Béchamel layer…

• Heat milk in a saucepan to just boiling. Melt butter in a medium sauce pan. Whisk in flour; cook for 3 minutes. Add hot milk 1 cup at a time, stirring constantly until incorporated. Bring to a boil, then reduce to simmer for 10 minutes. Season with salt and nutmeg.

To assemble…

• Cover bottom of lasagna pan with sauce; then lasagna noodles. Spread ricotta layer; sprinkled with mozzarella cheese and ladle or two of béchamel sauce. Repeat 3-4 more times. Top with mozzarella.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bake lasagna for 1 -1 1/2 hours until hot & bubbly. May need to tent loosely with foil if cheese begins to brown. Allow to stand 30 minutes before serving.

For spooky face layer….

• See our Italian Meatball post and get your creative happy on.

The post Classic Lasagna {with a Spooky Effect} appeared first on Lemony Thyme.