Make Turkey Meatballs in Air Fryer for a quick dinner!

If you’ve ever been disappointed with turkey meatballs, this is the recipe that will change your mind about them.

I know this because I have a friend who texts me at the start of every summer, asking how to make a turkey burger that isn’t dry. Every year, I tell him “you have to add fat and moisture.” It’s the same for turkey meatballs.

I know that the whole reason many people eat ground turkey instead of beef is because turkey has less fat and saturated fat. I get that, I do. But you simply can’t use super lean ground turkey and no additional fat or moisture, and then wonder why your burger or meatball is dry.

So, I like to think of it in terms of adding GOOD fat. Instead of relying on the saturated fat that beef would contain, I’m using 85% lean ground turkey, and adding good fat like olive oil, and moisture from Greek yogurt.

Not only does the yogurt add moisture to the meatball mixture, but the enzymes in the dairy help tenderize the turkey, which makes it more . . . tender . . . to eat.

My friend reports back that his turkey burgers are improved, and I’m confident you’ll feel the same way about your turkey meatballs, too.

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Rigatoni bolognese is a hearty and comforting dish I learned to make in culinary school. It’s a classic Italian dish that never fails to satisfy your taste buds.

Patience is key for this long-simmered meat sauce, but your patience will be rewarded with a depth of flavor that is worth the wait.

Today, I’m sharing tips for how to choose the best ingredients and the perfect noodle shape, as well as how to make rigatoni alla bolognese ahead of time, and refrigerate it or freeze it for future meals.

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This is the best Sugar Cookie Recipe with Sour Cream

This is probably the most personal recipe on this blog – my family’s Christmas cookie recipe!

My mom got this recipe for Sour Cream Cookies from my grandma, who got it from a coworker, who probably got it from a local newspaper here in the Midwest.

What makes it so special? Two things – flavor and texture. The flavor largely comes from a generous spoonful of nutmeg. While most sugar cookie cutouts have very little flavor other than sugary dough, these ones have a subtle spice flavor.

And the sour cream keeps them extremely soft. They even stay soft for at least a week after they’re baked – an impressive feat for a sugar cookie.

My mom generously helped me translate our family recipe into a foolproof written version, and even helped me make the cookies for this post (those are her hands rolling out the dough in the step-by-step photos below).

What does sour cream do in baking?

Sour cream is magic! It serves several functions in baked goods such as these sour cream sugar cookies:

• Moisture Booster. Sour cream adds extra moisture to the cookie dough, ensuring a soft and tender final product.
• Flavor Enhancer. The subtle tang of the sour cream complements the sweetness of the other ingredients.
• Leavening Agent. The acidity of the sour cream reacts with the baking soda, resulting in a light and airy cookie.

“I had lost my grandma’s recipe last year in a house fire, so one of those small things that hit me when trying to make that holiday cheer. THANKFULLY I found this recipe and it will now be our family traditional Christmas cookie. Husband wasn’t a fan of grandma’s recipe but said I should receive a cookie award for these. Kids loved decorating them. Sturdy enough for little hands to grab, soft and chewy, subtle nutmeg flavor and holds details of cookie cutters very well.”

—Kris

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Chicken Alfredo Stuffed Shells

Chances are, if people were polled and asked for words and phrases synomous with “comfort food,” that both stuffed shells and alfredo would be high up on the list of results.

I saw no reason not to combine these ideas to make the ultimate comfort food dish, so here we are.

This recipe for chicken alfredo stuffed shells is the best one out there, in my opinion. The alfredo sauce has a hint of lemon zest to brighten it up, and the shells are baked in a cast iron skillet so they get some yummy crusty edges.

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These Egg Muffin Cups are the best make-ahead morning meal!

When it comes to weekday breakfast, prepping ahead is key for my family. We love anything that’s grab-and-go to get some nourishment on groggy mornings.

We turn to these Breakfast Muffins several times a month. They can be made in advance, kept in the freezer for a month, and reheated in a flash.

They’re delicious and nutritious, because they can be packed with all kinds of vegetables!

“This was a positively delicious recipe.  It is so healthy and worth every minute of putting it together.”

—Donna

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Did you know you can make a creamy pasta sauce with Greek yogurt? If you’re somebody who loves alfredo sauce but also likes sticking to a healthful meal plan, this recipe is for you.

In this case, “healthy” doesn’t mean lacking flavor, because we’re still using a bit of butter and Parmesan cheese in this sauce. Everything can be part of a balanced diet in moderation, including these things.

We’re also throwing a ton of garlic at the situation, and a pinch of red pepper flakes. The end result is a healthy pasta sauce that will simply blow your mind.

“Easy, delicious, affordable, and healthy. I especially love that it’s lower in fat and high in protein but still tastes great— that can be hard to find when cooking vegetarian. Love this dish!”

—Maddie

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One of my husband’s favorite foods that I’ve really never gotten on board with is biscuits and gravy. It’s just too rich and not really my thing.

Nonetheless, I actually enjoy MAKING it for him, because making gravy is fun! I’ll make gravy from scratch pretty much any chance I get simply because watching a roux magically thicken liquid as I whisk is entertaining to me.

Sometimes I get bored making sausage gravy for him, and I change it up with this bacon gravy recipe. It’s easy to make while I have a vegetarian quiche in the oven for MY weekend brunch.

You can make it with the bacon grease left over on the pan after making bacon in the oven, or you can start with a fresh batch of bacon that you cook in a skillet first, and then use to make the gravy. I’ll explain it all below!

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I believe that one of the easiest but most impactful ways to take your home cooking up a notch is to make homemade salad dressings.

While jarred salad dressings are certainly quick and easy, they’re also generally filled with quite a bit of preservatives (like sodium and sugar) and artificial ingredients. Same goes for bottled meat marinades and glazes, which is why I make my own flat iron steak marinade and balsamic glaze.

Additionally, the flavor can be really hit or miss, and you usually don’t know how it’s going to taste until you’ve already committed and purchased an entire bottle. There’s nothing worse than spending $6 or even more on a fancy bottled dressing and discovering that nobody in your family likes it.

That’s why I love to make homemade salad dressings like miso dressing and citrus salad dressing.

Today, allow me to show you how another homemade salad dressing with big flavor can come together quickly and easily, and wow your family and friends.

The combination of lemon and feta can’t be beat – I’ve already made sure of that with my Greek yogurt mashed potatoes.

This feta dressing recipe is inspired by the salad dressing at a local Lebanese restaurant. It’s an incredibly versatile recipe to have in your back pocket, especially to toss with greens and serve alongside Greek lasagna, lamb bolognese or meat sauce rigatoni.

“Just made this dressing in 5 minutes and it’s absolutely delicious! What I really love is that I had all the ingredients in my fridge/pantry already. That’s always a huge plus finding a recipe with everyday ingredients. This will be a new staple for me!”

—Jessie

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Is there anything more comforting than a bowl of mashed potatoes and homemade gravy (or even bacon gravy)? In my house, they’re not just for holidays (although we surely have them then, too, and a potato cake or my leftover mashed potatoes recipe the next day).

Mashed potatoes are the first thing I want when I feel under the weather, or when it’s cold and gloomy outside.

And if I’m serving a juicy flat iron steak on grill, the meal isn’t complete without homemade mashed potatoes with heavy cream (and maybe some Dr. Pepper baked beans, too).

I just really enjoy the process of making mashed potatoes, and experimenting with them by adding unique ingredients and flavorings. These Blue Cheese Mashed Potatoes are the ones I’m currently digging the most.

They’re the perfect accompaniment to prime rib, ham, or lamb lollipops, or turkey (and no gravy is really needed). You could even put them on top of mini shepherd’s pies!

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One look around my kitchen, and you would immediately realize that I’m coffee obsessed. I have two French presses, a cold brewer, a Chemex, a stovetop espresso maker and a Nespesso machine.

While I normally take my coffee with just a splash of milk or almond milk creamer, every once in awhile I like to make something a little fancier.

And from a look around this blog, you’d know that I’m also caramel obsessed (hello, caramel apple mule and caramel apple mug cake). So, it’s only natural that coffee + caramel is one of my love languages.

With this drink, I was going for something reminiscent of a Starbucks caramel brulee latte (similar to the caramel iced coffee I like to make, but hot).

Just like my salted caramel cream cold brew, this drink comes together in just minutes. The recipe as written below makes one serving, although you can double or quadruple the recipe for more servings, as needed, if you’re hosting a brunch buffet or something (don’t forget the sweet potato breakfast casserole!)

Or, make yourself a caramel coffee and my egg muffins recipe for a weekday breakfast on the go!

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