Is it just me or have peppermint mochas taken over December life?

There is just no fighting it – it’s early morning, it’s cold outside, the wool mittens have made their annual appearance, Christmas music is pumping. Like, AS IF there is any restraint when it comes to a Peppermint Mocha pit stop. As if.

The baristas always get a little annoyed with me because I’m one of those people who has a super particular order that takes at least 15 sentences to communicate (full fat, no whip, and half the amount of syrup and chocolate) (if you’re a barista, I’m so sorry for my ways), but nevertheless, the December morning peppermint mocha is always, always, always worth it.
I’ve developed something of a habit, which is great, but it also means that I now cannot start my day without a peppermint mocha. (Or Cashew Coffee. Or an Oatmilk Honey Latte. Just really any hot cozy drink.) I mean, like, even if it’s totally ridiculous and out of my way to find one, it must be done. This is my dilemma.

Ingredients

1 tbsp gelatin 1 envelope
1 cup sugar
2 tbsp corn syrup
1 pinch salt
1/4 tsp mint extract
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/4 cup candy melts orange
1/4 cup dark chocolate chopped
Special Equipment
stand mixer

Instructions
Prep
Bloom the gelatin: In the bowl of your stand mixer, pour in 1/4 cup of cold water. Sprinkle the gelatin on top and mix to moisten.
Pan: lightly butter an 8×8 inch pan, then dust with icing sugar. If desired, line with parchment paper.
Tools: Lightly butter a spatula and an offset spatula.
Marshmallows
In a pot, mix together the sugar, corn syrup and 1/4 cup water. Stir until the sugar is incorporated and wet, then bring to a gentle boil over medium high heat, swirling occasionally to distribute the heat. Heat until the mixture reaches 240°-245°F. When the sugar mix comes to temp, remove it from the heat and let the bubbles subside. Sprinkle in a bit of salt and add the mint extract to the gelatin. Carefully pour the sugar into the bowl of the stand mixer.

Make the dough. Use a stand mixer to do all the hard work. All it takes is a quick knead with a dough hook and you’re good to go.
Let it rest. After your dough is ready, it’s time for a rest so it can puff up. Now’s a good time to have a cup of coffee or tea.
Roll the dough into balls. When the dough has doubled in size, it’s time to punch it down and shape it into little balls.
Dip the balls. After the balls are shaped, dip them in brown butter and a mix of cinnamon and sugar. Pop everything into a buttered bundt pan.
Bake. Bake until golden, gooey, and delicious.
Drizzle. Finish off with a drizzle of vanilla icing while it’s still hot so it melts into all the nooks and crannies.
Enjoy! Eat it while it’s still warm, there’s nothing better, trust me!

Can I freeze this dough? Yes, but it’s best when it’s used right away (see above). Wrap the dough balls in lightly oiled plastic wrap and placed them in freezer bags. Defrost the dough in the fridge overnight or at room temperature for a couple of hours.

Can I grill this dough? Yes! See recipe notes.

Can I use this dough to make a calzone or stuffed bread (like garbage bread)? Yes, I’ve successfully made a calzone. Before baking brush the top lightly with olive oil and cut a couple of small slits in the top to allow steam to escape. Bake for about 10 minutes at 500 degrees Fahrenheit.

What if I don’t have a food processor? No problem! Check the recipe notes for instructions on how to make this dough by hand. I imagine you could use a KitchenAid stand mixer as an alternative to the food processor.

How much does this dough weigh? This dough weighs a bit over 1 pound and yields two 11-inch pizzas. I’ve used this recipe successfully in recipes that calls for 1 pound of pizza dough—just remember that you’ll be making two smaller pizzas instead of one large.

Whip the egg whites. Add your egg whites to a very clean, grease free bowl. Start to whip your egg whites on medium-low, until frothy and pale.
Stir in sugar. Add the sugar, a little bit at a time on high, until the sugar dissolves and the egg whites start to foam up.
Add the cornstarch. I like to sift the cornstarch in so that there are no lumps. Continue to whip on high until the egg whites become a glossy thick meringue that holds a peak. The egg whites are done when you lift the beater from the bowl and they hold a peak and look smooth and creamy like shaving cream If you tilt the bowl, the whites should not slide. Be careful not to over whip!
Shape the cloud. Use a rubber spatula to scoop out the meringue and shape into a cloud on a parchment paper lined baking sheet.
Bake. Bake in a low oven until golden and cooked through.

You guys, the strange thing about this sweet potato casserole is that it is very much a dessert, but never once in my Thanksgiving career have I experienced this being served as anything other than a completely luscious side dish to accompany the mashed potatoes and gravy, turkey, green bean casserole, and soft white dinner rolls. It just works. It’s that one little pre-dessert side that you might even like more than your real dessert.

This is a recipe that my mom has been making for years, and she got it from one of her friends who has been making it for years before that, and there is a reason is has become a mainstay at Thanksgiving.

First, let’s talk toppings.

HERE’S THE TOPPING SITUATION
I like to Easy Button my life whenever possible, so I just toss those pecans, flour, butter, and brown sugar in my food processor and give it a go-round till it makes that crumbly, streusel-like topping that we know and love.

Monkey bread ingredients
Yeast – this recipe uses active dry yeast which needs to be dissolved in a bit of liquid before using – in this case we’ll sprinkle it on to milk. If you have instant yeast, you can use it too, there won’t be much of a difference; your rolls might rise a bit faster, depending how warm your kitchen is.

Milk – I use 2% milk but any milk will work here, even almond or oat milk. Warm the milk up slightly in the microwave (I usually pop it in the microwave in 20 second increments) You want it between 105-115°F, which feels like a warm bath.

Eggs – this is a extra rich dough with eggs in it. Not all monkey bread recipes have eggs in them, but this one does. I love the extra flavor and plushness the eggs gives this dough.

Bread flour – this one is important. You might be tempted to just use all purpose, and well, you can do that, but if you use bread flour your monkey bread will be soft and fluffy with just the right amount of chew. Bread flour has a higher protein content than regular all purpose – the resulting dough has more gluten in it which helps the little monkey bread balls stay soft and chewy.

Cinnamon – fresh cinnamon is best! We’re going to go with a fairly high cinnamon to sugar ratio so each bite is bursting with cinnamon goodness.

How to make monkey bread
Make the dough. Use a stand mixer to do all the hard work. All it takes is a quick knead with a dough hook and you’re good to go.
Let it rest. After your dough is ready, it’s time for a rest so it can puff up. Now’s a good time to have a cup of coffee or tea.
Roll the dough into balls. When the dough has doubled in size, it’s time to punch it down and shape it into little balls.
Dip the balls. After the balls are shaped, dip them in brown butter and a mix of cinnamon and sugar. Pop everything into a buttered bundt pan.
Bake. Bake until golden, gooey, and delicious.
Drizzle. Finish off with a drizzle of vanilla icing while it’s still hot so it melts into all the nooks and crannies.
Enjoy! Eat it while it’s still warm, there’s nothing better, trust me!

Sweet potato casserole! And let me tell you, friends: this crunchy brown sugar topping will give you life.
You didn’t think I would, but oh yes, in fact, I did.

I am tossing you a Thanksgiving recipe today. THANKSGIVING! And I want you to catch it and love it, okay? It is a deep, rich, sweet potato casserole from scratch with a crunchy brown sugar topping, and it’s comforting and cozy and it’s coming for you right now – ready?

I see two options for you right now. You can fall into a state of shock and awe that it is already borderline time for Thanksgiving (admittedly, this would be my default since usually I don’t even think about Thanksgiving until three days before – WHO AM I RIGHT NOW), OR you can realize the true fact that something this good doesn’t need to just be reserved for Thanksgiving and you can go right on ahead with your best kitchen self and make this happen even BEFORE the clock strikes dinnertime on Thanksgiving Day.

INGREDIENTS
2 ounces (60ml) Vodka
4 ounces (120ml) Tomato Juice
1/2 ounce (15ml) fresh Lemon Juice
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated Horseradish or Creamy prepared Horseradish *see note above
2 pinches Celery Salt
3 dashes Sriracha Sauce (or more to taste)
2 dashes Worcestershire Sauce
INSTRUCTIONS

Combine all the ingredients into a mixing glass. Add ice and stir to combine ingredients and chill the cocktail. This is not a shaken cocktail.
Strain into an ice filled glass and garnish.
Garnish – There are a ton of variations. Go with what you prefer… Celery Stalk, Lemon Wedge, Lime Wedge, Pickled Green Tomatoes, Cherry Tomatoes, Olives (add a little olive juice for a dirty Bloody Mary), Baby Carrots, Cocktail Onions…

If not, cook it some more, turn off the heat, and test it again. If you overcook your jam, the sugar will caramelize and it won’t taste good and there’s nothing you can do. Better to undercook it, test it, then cook it some more. Ladle the warm jam into clean jars and cover. Cool at room temperature, then put in the refrigerator where it will keep for several months.

Can I omit the honey/sugar? I don’t recommend it. The sugar feeds the yeast and without it, the crust will not taste as pleasantly yeasty. The finished result won’t be as tender, and it will have fewer small air pockets.
Can I make this dough ahead of time? Technically yes, you can refrigerate and bake it within a few days (wrap the dough balls in lightly oiled plastic wrap). However, this dough is designed to be easy and quick. It’s ready in under 15 minutes and truly tastes best when it’s baked right away.

Pizza Dough
I’ve received quite a few questions about this dough recipe over the years. In short, this dough is best made as directed and used right away!

Can I use regular active yeast? Can I leave out the yeast altogether? I don’t recommend it. This recipe is really designed for instant/rapid rise yeast. With regular active yeast, or without yeast altogether, the crust is more crisp and cracker-like with fewer air bubbles. Basically, it’s just not as good.

Can I freeze this dough? Yes, but it’s best when it’s used right away (see above). Wrap the dough balls in lightly oiled plastic wrap and placed them in freezer bags. Defrost the dough in the fridge overnight or at room temperature for a couple of hours.

Can I grill this dough? Yes! See recipe notes.

Can I use this dough to make a calzone or stuffed bread (like garbage bread)? Yes, I’ve successfully made a calzone. Before baking brush the top lightly with olive oil and cut a couple of small slits in the top to allow steam to escape. Bake for about 10 minutes at 500 degrees Fahrenheit.

What if I don’t have a food processor? No problem! Check the recipe notes for instructions on how to make this dough by hand. I imagine you could use a KitchenAid stand mixer as an alternative to the food processor.

How much does this dough weigh? This dough weighs a bit over 1 pound and yields two 11-inch pizzas. I’ve used this recipe successfully in recipes that calls for 1 pound of pizza dough—just remember that you’ll be making two smaller pizzas instead of one large.

Honey or Sugar
We’ll feed the yeast with one tablespoon of honey or sugar.

Chop up your ingredients, if large.
These bars hold together best when the ingredients are quite small. If using almonds, you’ll want to either start with pre-sliced almonds, or chop them up in the food processor or by hand (same goes for all nuts). It’s easy to throw all of your mix-ins into the food processor and blitz a few times.

Press the mixture down as firmly as evenly as possible.
Air pockets will cause problems. Use a sturdy, flat-bottomed jar to make sure the mixture is pressed down completely. You might then press down with your hands to ensure it’s not trying to sneak up the sides or corners.

Cook the sweet potatoes in sugar and spices: Using the same skillet you used to toast the pepitas, keep the heat at medium and add 2 teaspoons oil. Once the oil starts to shimmer, add the cubed potatoes. Stir to coat. Cook for about 1 minute. Stir again. Add the water. Cover and leave untouched for 5 minutes.

Combine sugar, paprika, cayenne, and salt in a small bowl. Add the spice mixture to the potatoes. Stir to coat.

Cook uncovered for 7 additional minutes. Don’t stir. The sugar should be caramelized, one side of the potatoes should be brown, and the potatoes should be tender but still hold together.

Remove the potatoes from the skillet and place them on the plate alongside the pepitas. Tent with foil to keep them warm.

Serve the bowls: To the bowls with the black beans, add a 1/2 cup of sweet potatoes, 1/2 cup quinoa, and the spinach. Top with toasted pepitas, crumbled cotija, a squeeze of lime, and a drizzle of creamy lime hot sauce.

Can I freeze this dough? Yes, but it’s best when it’s used right away (see above). Wrap the dough balls in lightly oiled plastic wrap and placed them in freezer bags. Defrost the dough in the fridge overnight or at room temperature for a couple of hours.

Can I grill this dough? Yes! See recipe notes.

Can I use this dough to make a calzone or stuffed bread (like garbage bread)? Yes, I’ve successfully made a calzone. Before baking brush the top lightly with olive oil and cut a couple of small slits in the top to allow steam to escape. Bake for about 10 minutes at 500 degrees Fahrenheit.

What if I don’t have a food processor? No problem! Check the recipe notes for instructions on how to make this dough by hand. I imagine you could use a KitchenAid stand mixer as an alternative to the food processor.

How much does this dough weigh? This dough weighs a bit over 1 pound and yields two 11-inch pizzas. I’ve used this recipe successfully in recipes that calls for 1 pound of pizza dough—just remember that you’ll be making two smaller pizzas instead of one large.

Can I omit the honey/sugar? I don’t recommend it. The sugar feeds the yeast and without it, the crust will not taste as pleasantly yeasty. The finished result won’t be as tender, and it will have fewer small air pockets.
Can I make this dough ahead of time? Technically yes, you can refrigerate and bake it within a few days (wrap the dough balls in lightly oiled plastic wrap). However, this dough is designed to be easy and quick. It’s ready in under 15 minutes and truly tastes best when it’s baked right away.

Pizza Dough
I’ve received quite a few questions about this dough recipe over the years. In short, this dough is best made as directed and used right away!

Can I use regular active yeast? Can I leave out the yeast altogether? I don’t recommend it. This recipe is really designed for instant/rapid rise yeast. With regular active yeast, or without yeast altogether, the crust is more crisp and cracker-like with fewer air bubbles. Basically, it’s just not as good.

Monkey bread ingredients
Yeast – this recipe uses active dry yeast which needs to be dissolved in a bit of liquid before using – in this case we’ll sprinkle it on to milk. If you have instant yeast, you can use it too, there won’t be much of a difference; your rolls might rise a bit faster, depending how warm your kitchen is.

Milk – I use 2% milk but any milk will work here, even almond or oat milk. Warm the milk up slightly in the microwave (I usually pop it in the microwave in 20 second increments) You want it between 105-115°F, which feels like a warm bath.

Eggs – this is a extra rich dough with eggs in it. Not all monkey bread recipes have eggs in them, but this one does. I love the extra flavor and plushness the eggs gives this dough.

Bread flour – this one is important. You might be tempted to just use all purpose, and well, you can do that, but if you use bread flour your monkey bread will be soft and fluffy with just the right amount of chew. Bread flour has a higher protein content than regular all purpose – the resulting dough has more gluten in it which helps the little monkey bread balls stay soft and chewy.

Cinnamon – fresh cinnamon is best! We’re going to go with a fairly high cinnamon to sugar ratio so each bite is bursting with cinnamon goodness.

You guys, the strange thing about this sweet potato casserole is that it is very much a dessert, but never once in my Thanksgiving career have I experienced this being served as anything other than a completely luscious side dish to accompany the mashed potatoes and gravy, turkey, green bean casserole, and soft white dinner rolls. It just works. It’s that one little pre-dessert side that you might even like more than your real dessert.

This is a recipe that my mom has been making for years, and she got it from one of her friends who has been making it for years before that, and there is a reason is has become a mainstay at Thanksgiving.

First, let’s talk toppings.

HERE’S THE TOPPING SITUATION
I like to Easy Button my life whenever possible, so I just toss those pecans, flour, butter, and brown sugar in my food processor and give it a go-round till it makes that crumbly, streusel-like topping that we know and love.

NOW ONTO THE SWEET POTATO CASSEROLE BASE
The sweet potato mixture is as easy as mixing up a muffin batter – it starts with sweet potatoes (canned, which I know seems so retro and perfect and that’s because it is – I’ve made this with non-canned sweet potatoes, and the weight of baked or boiled sweet potatoes is just too heavy, trust me on this one), and then eggs, butter, milk, sugar, and vanilla.

It’s that easy. Mix and pour that mixture into a pan, and then top it with your beloved crumble.
You’re going to bake this guy for 30-45 minutes to get that topping nice and crispy, and then?

The moment of Thanksgiving sweet potato casserole truth.
The soft and sweet bottom layer + the crunchy and nutty top layer work their magic together to make the best sweet potato casserole that you could ever want for your Thanksgiving side-dish domination.

I can’t wait for you to love this one.

Sweet potato casserole! And let me tell you, friends: this crunchy brown sugar topping will give you life.
You didn’t think I would, but oh yes, in fact, I did.

I am tossing you a Thanksgiving recipe today. THANKSGIVING! And I want you to catch it and love it, okay? It is a deep, rich, sweet potato casserole from scratch with a crunchy brown sugar topping, and it’s comforting and cozy and it’s coming for you right now – ready?

I see two options for you right now. You can fall into a state of shock and awe that it is already borderline time for Thanksgiving (admittedly, this would be my default since usually I don’t even think about Thanksgiving until three days before – WHO AM I RIGHT NOW), OR you can realize the true fact that something this good doesn’t need to just be reserved for Thanksgiving and you can go right on ahead with your best kitchen self and make this happen even BEFORE the clock strikes dinnertime on Thanksgiving Day.

How to make monkey bread
Make the dough. Use a stand mixer to do all the hard work. All it takes is a quick knead with a dough hook and you’re good to go.
Let it rest. After your dough is ready, it’s time for a rest so it can puff up. Now’s a good time to have a cup of coffee or tea.
Roll the dough into balls. When the dough has doubled in size, it’s time to punch it down and shape it into little balls.
Dip the balls. After the balls are shaped, dip them in brown butter and a mix of cinnamon and sugar. Pop everything into a buttered bundt pan.
Bake. Bake until golden, gooey, and delicious.
Drizzle. Finish off with a drizzle of vanilla icing while it’s still hot so it melts into all the nooks and crannies.
Enjoy! Eat it while it’s still warm, there’s nothing better, trust me!

Whip the egg whites. Add your egg whites to a very clean, grease free bowl. Start to whip your egg whites on medium-low, until frothy and pale.
Stir in sugar. Add the sugar, a little bit at a time on high, until the sugar dissolves and the egg whites start to foam up.
Add the cornstarch. I like to sift the cornstarch in so that there are no lumps. Continue to whip on high until the egg whites become a glossy thick meringue that holds a peak. The egg whites are done when you lift the beater from the bowl and they hold a peak and look smooth and creamy like shaving cream If you tilt the bowl, the whites should not slide. Be careful not to over whip!
Shape the cloud. Use a rubber spatula to scoop out the meringue and shape into a cloud on a parchment paper lined baking sheet.
Bake. Bake in a low oven until golden and cooked through.

There are a few points to be aware of when making jam. The fruit we use should be dry and fresh, not too ripe. The pectin required for jam is found in all fruits and some vegetables. The pectin ratio of the fruits can be different. Strawberry, raspberry, peach, nectarine low; apricot, cherry medium; apple, quince, red plum contain high levels of pectin. If you want to make jam with low pectin fruits, you may need to mix it with a fruit containing high pectin or add pectin. Eat love!
Simone de Beauvoir likened making jam to stopping time, saying “jarring life” for jam. Indeed, even in the middle of winter, you can feel the summer in a spoonful of apricot jam.

The best part of making jam at home is to be able to control the amount of sugar in it. Traditionally, equal proportions of fruit and sugar are used. This way the jam gets a nice consistency but can also be a little too sweet. Those who want less sugar can use apple juice or add pectin.

Do not hesitate to mix different fruits while making jam. Add rosemary to peach, lavender to apricot, for example. When making plum jam, try adding a little bit of cardamom and ginger to the watermelon rind.

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