The BEST Blue Cheese Dressing. Creamy, rich and tangy this blue cheese dressing goes perfectly on salads or as a dip! Ready in less than 5 minutes and only requires a handful of pantry ingredients. So much better than store bought!

Blue cheese dressing has to be hands down my favorite condiment! It is amazing with anything that involves buffalo sauce and is perfectly rich, tangy and creamy! This blue cheese dressing recipe tastes so much better than store bought and only requires a few ingredients. All you need for this recipe is some pantry staples and a few minutes of prep time.

I always find this dip tastes better the longer it sits. I like to make this dressing a couple hours ahead of time or even the day before to really let the flavors develop.

Homemade blue cheese dressing is typically made with buttermilk, or vinegar for some acidity. I choose to use fresh lemon juice instead to lighten up the dressing. I also added sour cream to give the dressing a bit of tang.

When you are making this dressing at home I would suggest whisking the dressing first before adding in the blue cheese crumbles. After you’re done whisking, fold in your blue cheese crumbles delicately so you still get large chunks of blue cheese in the dressing. If you prefer your dressing on the smoother / creamy side blend it up in the food processor or blender.

Ingredients

• Mayonnaise: Thickens up the blue cheese salad dressing perfectly!
• Sour Cream: To lighten up this dressing substitute the sour cream can be substituted with yogurt.
• Lemon Juice: If you don’t have lemon juice you can substitute it with any type of vinegar or use buttermilk in place of the milk and lemon juice.
• Milk: Is added to create the perfect consistency. You can substitute buttermilk and omit the lemon juice if you prefer.
• Garlic Powder: You can also use fresh garlic if you have that on hand!
• Worcestershire sauce: Adds a nice
• Blue Cheese Crumbles: I prefer to use danish blue cheese crumbles! It’s on the milder side and is super creamy. You can also use gorgonzola!
• Chives: Add a nice pop of green and a bit of onion flavor to the dressing. You can substitute fresh chopped parsley or green onions instead.

How to make blue cheese dressing

In a medium bowl whisk together mayonnaise, sour cream, lemon juice, milk, garlic powder and Worcestershire sauce until combined. Stir in blue cheese and chives. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Storage Instructions

This dressing can be made days in advance and can be kept in the refrigerator covered in an airtight container for up to 5 days.

What to serve with blue cheese dressing

• Grilled BLT Wedge Salad
• Air Fryer Chicken Wings
• Salads
• Pizza
• Oven Fried Chicken
• Vegetables / Crudite
• French Fries
• Potato Salad
• Coleslaw

Here are more Easy Sauce Recipes to try!

• Chimichurri Sauce
• Bourbon Barbecue Sauce
• Enchilada Sauce
• Homemade Tomato Sauce
• Authentic Vodka Sauce

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Blue Cheese Dressing

The BEST Blue Cheese Dressing. Creamy, rich and tangy this blue cheese dressing goes perfectly on salads or as a dip! So much better than storebought!

Course Condiment

Cuisine American

Keyword Blue Cheese Dressing, Condiment, Salad, Salad Dressing

Prep Time 5 minutes

Total Time 5 minutes

Servings 8 people (makes 2 cups)

Calories 222kcal

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup mayonnaise
• 3/4 cup sour cream
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1/2 cup 1% milk
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
• 1/2 cup blue cheese crumbles
• 1 ½ tablespoon chives chopped

Instructions

• In a medium bowl whisk together mayonnaise, sour cream, lemon juice, milk, garlic powder and Worcestershire sauce until combined. Stir in blue cheese and chives. Season with salt and pepper to taste

Nutrition

Calories: 222kcal | Carbohydrates: 2g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 23g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Cholesterol: 27mg | Sodium: 286mg | Potassium: 83mg | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 266IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 88mg | Iron: 1mg

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Homemade English Muffins. Soft and fluffy on the inside and loaded with tons of nooks and crannies. These easy english muffins are so much better (and healthier) than store bought! They are also a lot easier to make than you would think!

When I was pregnant I was in search of breakfast recipes that would be easy to prep and stash in the freezer. I came across a bunch of freezer breakfast sandwich recipes but they all required English muffins. I searched forever trying to find a package of English muffins that had minimal clean ingredients. Needless to say I was never able to find one that I felt good about eating so we went ahead and tested making our own Homemade English Muffins!

These easy homemade English muffins are loaded with nooks and crannies and taste so much better than store bought! They are perfectly crispy and golden brown on the outside with the soft fluffy middle on the inside. These truly are the BEST homemade English muffins!

They are perfect by themselves with a bit of butter or jam, used in eggs Benedict (my favorite) or made into a breakfast sandwich!

Ingredients

• All purpose flour: You can use 1/2 whole wheat flour to make whole wheat English muffins.
• Milk & Granulated sugar: Because this recipe uses active dry yeast the yeast needs milk and sugar to be activated. You can also use honey in place of the granulated sugar.
• Yeast: 1 package of active yeast is used.
• Cornmeal: Is sprinkled on the bottom of the skillet before adding in the batter. This gives the english muffins their standard cornmeal top and bottom and keeps the muffins from sticking to the pan.
• Unsalted Butter: Gives the english muffin richness and a buttery flavor!

How to make English muffins?

• Dissolve sugar: Microwave milk until warm, 1-2 minutes. Next add 1 tablespoon sugar, butter and salt to the warmed milk and stir to combine to dissolve the sugar. Set aside.
• Bloom yeast: In separate bowl add warm water, 1/4 tsp sugar and yeast. Let sit for 5 minutes to bloom.
• Combine batter: Add flour to a large bowl along with the milk mixture and yeast mixture. Mix just until combined. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let it rest for 30 minutes.
• Scoop out batter: Dust the bottom of a cold cast iron skillet or heavy sauté pad liberally with corn meal. Spray the inside of the rings with nonstick cooking spray and place on top of the cornmeal. Using a 2 oz. scoop (size # 16) scoop batter into rings.
• Cook: Cover pan with lid. Turn stove to medium low heat. Cook about 7 minutes per side. Watch closely to ensure they don’t get too brown. Remove the rings before flipping the muffins. Remove the muffins to a cooling rack when thermometer reaches 200°F.
• Serve: Allow the muffins to cool then serve immediately with butter, jam or in a breakfast sandwich!

Can you freeze English muffins?

Yes! These English muffins freeze really well! We love to double the batch and freeze all of the muffins and pull them out for sandwiches as needed. They can be kept in the freezer for up to 3 months. I find for best results that wrapping each muffin in aluminum foil and then placing it in a ziplock bag helps to keep the muffins fresh and avoid any freezer burn.

Tips for making homemade English muffins?

• You don’t need muffin rings to make this recipe. You can either make them without (the dough will spread a bit and the muffins will not be a uniform round shape but they will still taste amazing. You can also make your own (which we did) by folding up a sheet of aluminum foil into a long strip then forming it into a circle.
• Instead of slicing the English muffin in half with a knife use two forks to open the muffin for optimum nooks and crannies.

Here are more easy breakfast recipes to enjoy!

• French Toast Muffin Cups
• Blueberry Sour Cream Coffee Cake
• Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins
• Easy Chocolate Chip Muffins
• Double Chocolate Chip Muffins

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Homemade English Muffins

Homemade English Muffins. Soft and fluffy on the inside and loaded with tons of nooks and crannies. These easy english muffins are so much better (and healthier) than store bought! They are also a lot easier to make than you would think!

Course Bread, Breakfast

Cuisine American

Keyword Bread, DIY Recipes, Easy Breakfast, Homemade English Muffins

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes

Resting time 30 minutes

Total Time 1 hour

Servings 10 english muffins

Calories 131kcal

Ingredients

• 1 cup milk
• 1 tbsp granulated sugar
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tbsp unsalted butter
• 1 packet dry-active yeast (2 1/4 tsp)
• 1/4 tsp granulated sugar
• 1/3 cup warm water
• 2 cups all purpose flour, heated to 110 degrees
• 2 tbsp corn meal for dusting pan

Instructions

• Microwave milk until warm, 1-2 minutes. Next add 1 tablespoon sugar, butter and salt to the milk and stir to combine to dissolve the sugar. Set aside.
  
• In separate bowl add warm water, 1/4 tsp sugar and yeast. Let sit for 5 minutes to bloom.
  
• Add flour to a large bowl along with the milk mixture and yeast mixture. Mix just until combined. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let it rest for 30 minutes.
  
• Dust the bottom of a cold cast iron skillet or heavy sauté pad liberally with corn meal. Spray the inside of the rings with nonstick cooking spray and place on top of the cornmeal. Using a 2 oz. scoop (size # 16) scoop batter into rings.
  
• Cover pan with lid. Turn stove to medium low heat. Cook about 7 minutes per side. Watch closely to ensure they don't get too brown. Remove the rings before flipping the muffins. Remove the muffins to a cooling rack when thermometer reaches 200°F.
  
• Allow the muffins to cool then serve immediately with butter, jam or in a breakfast sandwich!

Nutrition

Calories: 131kcal | Carbohydrates: 23g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 2g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 5mg | Sodium: 245mg | Potassium: 72mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 75IU | Calcium: 31mg | Iron: 1mg

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Authentic Chimichurri (Uruguay & Argentina)

Authentic Chimichurri from Uruguay & Argentina is the best accompaniment to any barbecued or grilled meats! Most recipe sites will swear that their Chimichurri is the best, most authentic chimichurri, and use words like ‘genuine,’ ‘real deal,’ or whatever words they can use to move up in Google search results. The truth is, there are so...

The post Authentic Chimichurri (Uruguay & Argentina) appeared first on Cafe Delites.

Best Chimichurri Chicken

The Best Chimichurri Chicken, grilled or pan fried with authentic Argentine chimichurri! Chimichurri is growing fast in popularity and is the most perfect condiment to serve with your chicken or steak! So easy to make and tastes incredible, your Chimichurri Chicken dinner is ready in minutes! With only a handful of ingredients and NO food processors or blenders! Authentic...

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Spicy Szechuan Beef. Tender steak sliced thin and coated in an amazing sweet and spicy Szechuan sauce! This one-pan beef dish is low carb and perfect for a quick and easy, filling family meal.

If you’ve been looking to try beef Szechuan style, you’re in for a treat! This Szechuan Spicy Beef is super tender, juicy, and covered in an amazing homemade Szechuan sauce. The best part of this dish has to be the sauce! It’s the perfect combination of sweet and spicy.

I’ve lightened this recipe up by not deep frying the beef. Instead the beef gets seared in a little bit of oil over really high heat. This quick cooking helps to keep the beef tender and gets a nice crisp caramelization on the outside.

What is Szechuan beef?

Szechuan Beef is stir-fried thin slices of marinated beef coated in a Szechuan sauce. The sauce is thick, tangy, slightly sweet with a bit of a kick. This style originally comes from the Sichuan Province in China. This region’s cuisine is traditionally loaded with bold flavors from garlic, chili peppers, and the Sichuan peppercorn. Kung Pao, Hot & Sour, and Mapo dishes also come from Sichuan.

What makes this Szechuan Beef recipe so good?

• It’s loaded with flavor: It has over 8 different spices, herbs and sauces!
• It can be made fast!: Just 15 minutes of prep plus 15 minutes of cooking!
• It uses one pan: Less mess to clean up later!
• It’s low carb: just 14g net carbs per serving. Serve it over cauliflower rice if you’re keeping an eye on carbs!

Here are the ingredients for this Szechuan Beef recipe:

• Beef: strip steak or flank steak, sliced thin are the best cuts of meat for this recipe because they are tender and lean and stand up to fast cooking times.
• Oil: I use a neutral oil for pan frying the beef then sesame oil and chili oil for the sauce.
• Sauces: hoisin, rice wine vinegar, low sodium soy sauce, and mirin are all added to make the sweet and tangy szechuan sauce. You can find all of the sauce ingredients in the international isle of most grocery stores!
• Vegetables and herbs: red bell pepper, garlic and ginger give this dish so much flavor.
• Cornstarch: Is used to help the beef get crispy when frying, and to thicken up the sauce.
• Sugar: light brown sugar for a little sweetness. Nothing beats spicy & sweet!

How do I make Szechuan Beef?

1. Slice the beef: I always like to slice the beef against the grain in super thin slices. This will give you super tender beef for stir frys.
2. Marinade the beef: Add the steak and the marinade ingredients – low sodium soy sauce, mirin, and cornstarch – to a large ziplock bag. Toss to coat and let the beef marinate for 15 minutes or while you are getting the sauce ingredients together.
3. Make the sauce: Meanwhile in a small bowl combine the sauce ingredients – low sodium soy sauce, chili oil, water, sesame oil, rice wine vinegar, hoisin, and light brown sugar – and set it aside.
4. Cook the beef: When you are ready to cook heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add in beef, and discard the marinade. The trick to this dish is to cook the steak quickly over high heat. It gets a nice sear on the outside but stays nice and juicy on the inside. Sear beef for 2-3 on both sides, just until the beef is browned on the outside. Remove the beef from the pan and set aside.
5. Cook the vegetables: Add the remaining tablespoon of oil to the pan. Add in bell pepper, garlic, and ginger and sauté for 3-4 minutes or until tender.
6. To finish: Add the beef back to the pan along with the sauce. Simmer for 1-2 minutes or until the sauce is thickened. Serve immediately with green onions and sesame seeds for garnish, if desired

What can I serve this with?

I like to serve this Spicy Szechuan Beef over fried rice, cauliflower fried rice, or noodles. Either way it’s awesome.

What is mirin? Can I use something else instead?

Mirin is a sake-like rice wine, with lower sugar and lower alcohol. If you can’t find mirin easily, try rice vinegar or dry white wine instead!

How do I store this easy Szechuan beef recipe?

Here are more quick & easy takeout recipes you can make at home!

• Egg Roll In A Bowl
• Pepper Steak
• Chicken Lo Mein
• 30 Minute General Tso’s Chicken
• Beef & Broccoli Ramen

Need more quick & easy recipes in your life? Subscribe to my weekly newsletter or follow me on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest for all the daily updates.

If you try this recipe, I’d love to know! Leave a star rating below, and don’t forget to take pictures and tag me on Facebook and Instagram!

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Spicy Szechuan Beef

Spicy Szechuan Beef. Tender steak sliced thin and coated in an amazing sweet and spicy Szechuan sauce!

Course Main Course

Cuisine Chinese

Keyword Beef, Chinese, Easy Recipe, Spicy Szechuan Beef

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes

Total Time 30 minutes

Servings 4

Calories 393kcal

Ingredients

Spicy Szechuan Beef

• 2 tablespoons oil divided
• 1 medium red bell pepper sliced thin
• 1 teaspoon ginger minced
• 1 teaspoon garlic minced
• green onions for garnish if desired
• sesame seeds for garnish if desired

Marinade

• 1 pound strip steak or flank steak sliced thin
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 2 tablespoons mirin
• 1 tablespoon low sodium soy sauce

Sauce

• 3 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon chili oil
• 1 tablespoons water
• 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
• 1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon hoisin
• 1 tablespoon light brown sugar

Instructions

• Add the steak and the marinade ingredients to a large ziplock bag. Toss to coat and let the beef marinate for 15 minutes or while you are getting the sauce ingredients together.
• Meanwhile in a small bowl combine the sauce ingredients, set aside.
• When you are ready to cook heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet over medium high heat.
• Add in beef (discard marinade). Sear beef for 2-3 on both sides. Just until the beef is browned on the outside. Remove from the pan and set aside.
• Add the remaining tablespoon of oil to the pan. Add in bell pepper, ginger, and garlic, and sauté for 3-4 minutes or until the pepper is tender.
• Add the beef back to the pan along with the sauce. Simmer for 1-2 minutes or until the sauce is thickened.
• Serve immediately with green onions and sesame seeds for garnish, if desired

Nutrition

Calories: 393kcal | Carbohydrates: 15g | Protein: 25g | Fat: 25g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Cholesterol: 91mg | Sodium: 725mg | Potassium: 439mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 931IU | Vitamin C: 38mg | Calcium: 26mg | Iron: 2mg

Originally published April 27, 2018

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Grilled Lobster Tails

Grilled Lobster Tails slathered in garlic butter is the meal that dreams are made of! Classy, fancy and incredibly easy to make, our grilled lobster tails recipe comes together in under 20 minutes! The perfect dinner to make for any occasion. The bonus? That garlic butter is SENSATIONAL! GRILLED LOBSTER TAILS Simple yet elegant, if...

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Macaroni Salad

Our Macaroni Salad recipe is quick and simple to prepare. A versatile and fool-proof pasta salad with an incredible creamy dressing! A great summer recipe, our Macaroni Salad recipe is perfect to take to gatherings or parties, Bbq’s, lunches or dinners, or simply to serve as a side dish. You’ll love the mayo/sour cream dressing! It...

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Mini Pancakes Cereal

Mini Pancakes Cereal are crispy on the outside, soft in the centres and so versatile you can serve them with anything you want! If there ever was a way to enjoy pancakes, this is it! Mini Pancakes Cereal is the ultimate new trend to hit the internet (thank you Tik Tok)! Using our best fluffy...

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Best Hummus Recipe

Easy Creamy Homemade Hummus is better than store-bought and equally as good as the best restaurants! You might be surprised at how easy it is to make the creamiest Hummus! With just ONE trick to get the best, fluffiest and creamiest texture, you will LOVE this hummus recipe. Everyone will be asking you how you...

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Avocado Hummus

A delicious blend of avocado and hummus makes for an incredible dip in minutes! Have you ever just wanted the best of both worlds and ended up cramming them into one? That’s what this mash up is. Avocado hummus is the ultimate dip perfect for any occasion. First published January, 2016. AVOCADO HUMMUS The problem with...

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Super Easy 2 Ingredient Slow Cooker Barbecue Chicken. Chicken breasts slow cooked until tender and juicy in a tangy barbecue sauce. Serve warm on a brioche bun! The perfect easy make ahead meal perfect for Memorial Day!

Slow Cooker Barbecue Chicken

I love dinners that are quick and easy and only require a couple minutes of prep time. This slow cooker barbecue chicken is always a staple in my house. It’s super easy to make and always turns out incredibly juicy and tender without a lot of effort. This pulled barbecue chicken is perfect for picnics, barbecues or parties!

For this recipe you can use either homemade barbecue sauce or store bought (I’ve used Sweet Baby Ray’s before and it’s always delicious.) I always love making this with my Homemade Bourbon Barbecue Sauce.

I use boneless skinless chicken breasts in this recipe however boneless skinless chicken thighs work just as well!

How to make Barbecue Chicken in the Slow Cooker

Start by adding your chicken breast and barbecue sauce to the slow cooker. Cook on high for 3 to 4 hours or on low for 6-7 hours or until fully cooked and the chicken shreds easily. I shred the chicken in the slow cooker and keep it warm until I am ready to serve.

How to make your own Barbecue Sauce

Making your own Barbecue Sauce at home is super simple. I love making this crockpot barbecue chicken recipe with my Bourbon Barbecue Sauce. To make this barbecue sauce start by heating oil in a medium saucepan. Next, add in onion and saute until tender and golden brown. Add in garlic and cook for an additional minute. Next stir in ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, apple cider vinegar, bourbon (you can omit this if you prefer), brown sugar, salt, pepper and chili powder. Simmer for 15 minutes or longer to let the flavors develop! This barbecue sauce has the perfect amount of heat and sweetness with a bit of tang. I like to double the recipe and store leftovers in the fridge for up to a month or freeze for up to 6 months.

What to serve with this Barbecue Chicken

I love serving this Barbecue Chicken on a Brioche Bun. It’s also really good with a coleslaw on top! Here are some easy side dish recipes that would go great with this pulled chicken:

• Macaroni and Cheese
• Cornbread
• BLT Pasta Salad
• Baked Beans
• Macaroni Salad
• Broccoli Salad
• Scalloped Potatoes

Here are more Easy Slow Cooker Recipes to try!

• Slow Cooker Firecracker Chicken Meatballs
• Easy Slow Cooker Mexican Chicken
• The BEST Slow Cooker Orange Chicken
• Slow Cooker Broccoli Beef
• Slow Cooker Teriyaki Chicken

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Slow Cooker Barbecue Chicken

Super Easy Slow Cooker Barbecue Chicken. Chicken breasts cooked until tender and juicy in a tangy barbecue sauce.

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Keyword Barbecue Chicken, Chicken Breast, Easy Slow Cooker Recipes, Homemade Barbecue Sauce

Prep Time 5 minutes

Cook Time 7 hours

Total Time 7 hours 5 minutes

Servings 4 -6

Calories 443.02kcal

Ingredients

• 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breast
• 1 1/2 cups homemade barbecue sauce or store-bought

Instructions

• Place chicken in the slow cooker and pour the barbecue sauce on top. Toss to coat the chicken in the sauce.
• Cook on high for 3 to 4 hours or on low for 6-7 hours or until fully cooked and the chicken shreds easily.
• Using two forks shred the chicken in the slow cooker.
• Serve on sandwiches will extra barbecue sauce from the slow cooker if desired.

Nutrition

Calories: 443.02kcal | Carbohydrates: 43.73g | Protein: 49.03g | Fat: 6.55g | Saturated Fat: 1.33g | Cholesterol: 145.15mg | Sodium: 1364.54mg | Potassium: 1087.96mg | Fiber: 0.96g | Sugar: 35.65g | Vitamin A: 308.28IU | Vitamin C: 3.37mg | Calcium: 46.73mg | Iron: 1.53mg

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