I Am... Easiest Ever Instant Pot Osso Buco
The easiest way to make super tender, fall apart beefy bone marrow-y osso buco. How often do you make it past the pasta part of the menu at a good Italian restaurant? We usually never do. But if I see osso buco on the menu, I make room to order it. How can you not love a slow braised, melt in your mouth beef shank in a beefy, bone marrow-y tomato sauce? Sometimes you even get a little spoon for the bone marrow. If it's on the menu, it's usually the best thing on the menu. You can make it at home in an hour on the instant pot, cheaply and easily. It's perfect for special occasions but easy enough that you could have it on a weeknight too.
What is osso buco?
Osso buco is an Italian dish of veal shank braised for a really long time in a white wine bone marrow infused sauce originally from Lombard. The long braise time melts away the connective tissues in the shank and leaves you with melt-in-your-mouth fall apart meat. It tastes amazing because the shank cut is a complex muscle full of connective tissue that just falls apart. Because it's slow braised on the bone (Osso Buco means bone with a hole), the bone marrow infuses the sauce and gives it an incredible richness and flavor. Historically, this recipe doesn't include tomatoes because they're a new world crop, but these days, pretty much everyone makes it with tomatoes. This version we're making today takes it up another notch with fresher tasting passata tomato sauce instead of the classic canned tomatoes, but if you don't have passata, a good quality canned tomato works too.How to make osso buco
- Brown your beef shanks well on both sides. I use the Instant Pot saute setting on high for 2-3 minutes on each side with a splatter shield on top, and honestly it works better than doing it on the stovetop. The high sides of the instant pot mean much less splatter and mess.
- Cook your aromatics. Transfer the beef shank to a plate or something else to catch the juices, then add the aromatics and cook until they are soft and translucent, about 2 minutes.
- Deglaze with wine. Add the wine and scrape all the brown bits off the bottom of the instant pot with a wooden spoon or spatula. Let the wine cook until it is reduced by half, at least 2 minutes.
- Braise. Add the beef shank, passata, and herbs to the instant pot and braise on high for 1 hour. You'll be rewarded with the most tender, fall-apart meat ever.
Instant pot osso buco
Osso buco is classically a braise-it-all-day affair, but, if there’s one thing the Instant Pot (or any pressure cooker) excels at, it’s crushing braise times for these kinds of dishes. It's by far the best option, in my opinion. If you don’t have one, you can make this by simmering until soft on the stove - it’ll just take longer, about 4-6 hours. You can also brown the meat and aromatics in an oven proof pan or dutch oven, then transferring to a 250-300ºF oven for 4-6 hours. If you go either stovetop or oven, check back every so often to make sure your liquid isn't too low.Crock pot osso buco (or stovetop too)
But, what if you don't have an instant pot handy? The next best thing in that case is a crock pot. The crockpot can't get hot enough to brown the the meat, so you'll still need to do a little cooking on the stovetop, but it's just as easy:- Brown your meats in a large skillet over high heat. Transfer to crock pot and set it to high.
- Cook the vegetables into the same skillet until soft, about 2 minutes.
- Add wine and reduce, about 2 minutes.
- Add passata. Once it's warmed, transfer everything to the crock pot and slow cook for 5-6 hours.
- Reduce the heat to low after about 2 hours.
- Enjoy!
The dinner and chill special
Traditionally there a lot more ingredients and steps to this dish, but here it's been pared down to the bare minimum and let the flavors speak for themselves. Before writing this recipe, Steph and I went to a really well regarded Italian restaurant. We tried their 24 hour osso buco made with veal shank and extra marrow bones. It was amazing, but this one is comparable and way easier. The biggest step I removed is the flour dredge. Usually the shank is dredged in flour and use that to both brown the meat and thicken the sauce. I don’t think this needs it, the bone marrow thickened sauce is more than enough, and for me, taking out the flour is always messy. If you want to though, it will add a little extra body to both your meat and sauce.Veal vs beef shank
The default meat choice for osso buco is veal, but these days it can be pretty hard to find veal shank. It's worth looking for if you want to stay true to the original. You should be able to find it at your neighborhood butcher shop or major supermarket. Beef tastes as good (if not better) and is far easier to find and even often cheaper. Even though veal should technically be lower-cost, its rarity makes it more of a specialty product with specialty pricing to match.Osso buco ingredients
- Shank is an inexpensive cut that should be easy to find. If you can’t get it at your local grocery store, whole foods will carry beef (but not veal) shanks.
- Herbs to make a bouquet garni. I just threw in a sprig of oregano because that’s what we had and it was great. If you have bay leaves, fresh thyme, fresh Italian parsley, etc on hand, feel free to throw a little in. If not, just skip - the recipe doesn't need it.
- Passata is an uncooked strained tomato puree. I chose passata because the fresh tomato flavor really brightens up the dish, but if you have a can of regular old crushed tomatoes around, feel free to use that.
- White wine. Wine adds a complexity and authenticity to the dish that is impossible to replace. If you need to be alcohol-free, you can switch it out for sodium free chicken stock.
How do you serve it?
Osso Buco is typically served with risotto, gnocchi, or pasta, but we like ours with bread or on its own. If you plan on eating this on its own, you might want to double the recipe to get enough meat for 2. If you wanted to go really over the top (say for an at home Valentines dinner) a tiny bit of caviar makes this one of the most extra surf and turfs you could make at home. -MikeThe Easiest Ever Instant Pot Osso Buco Recipe
Osso Buco doesn’t get any easier than 6 ingredients and 1 hour of cook time.
- instant pot
- 1/4 medium onion (chopped)
- 1 small carrot (chopped)
- 2 cloves garlic (sliced)
- 1 slice veal or beef shank (about 1 pound)
- 1 cup white wine (Pinot grigio/Italian white preferred)
- 1/2 cup passata (or crushed tomatoes)
- 1-2 sprigs fresh herbs (I just used 1 sprig of oregano)
Roughly chop your onion, carrots, and garlic.
Preheat your Instant Pot to saute high and add 1-2 tablespoons oil. Pat dry your shanks and season generously on both sides with salt and pepper.
Once your instant pot is hot enough (for me, that's about 2 mins past when it beeps) Brown your shanks 1-2 minutes per side.
Remove the shank and add your onion, carrots, and garlic. Cook until soft – 2-4 minutes.
Add the wine and deglaze, scraping the brown bits with a wooden spoon. Reduce until about half the wine is left – 2-3 minutes.
Add passata, herbs if using, and the shanks to the pot. Set pressure to high and braise for 1 hour. Quick release when done and serve, garnish with grated Grana Padano or Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, red pepper flakes, and flat leaf parsley as desired.
I Am... Tiktok Salmon Rice Bowl
Flaky salmon, fluffy rice, soy sauce, kewpie mayo, sriracha, avocado, kimchi, and seaweed come together in the perfect Tiktok salmon rice bowl. Sometime in 2021 a Tiktok from Emily Mariko making a salmon rice bowl got viral and everyone was making salmon rice bowls. The tiktok is long forgotten now but the salmon rice bowl is still a quick and tasty snack to make. It's my fave go-to meal when we have salmon for dinner. Mike will have some fancy crispy salmon dinner and I'll have this. Emily’s Tiktok shows her flaking up leftover cooked salmon, topping it with rice from the fridge, adding an ice cube, covering it with parchment paper and warming it up in the microwave. The ice cube melts a bit and steams, making the salmon and rice moist and hot. Then, it’s just a question of adding soy sauce, kewpie mayo, and sriracha. The rice bowl finishes with slices of avocado and a side of kimchi. Open up a package of Korean seaweed/laver and use a pair of chopsticks to scoop up a bit of seaweed and rice and enjoy!
How to make a salmon rice bowl
- Flake up your cooked salmon. Use a fork and mash the salmon into flakes.
- Add the rice on top. Top off the salmon with some leftover or fresh rice.
- Nestle in an ice cube into the rice and cover everything with parchment paper and warm in the microwave until warm. The ice cube melts in the microwave and adds moisture to the salmon and rice.
- Remove the ice cube, add a drizzle of soy sauce and mix everything up. Top with mayo, sriracha, and avocado slices.
- Enjoy with roasted seaweed and kimchi!
Do you need to do all this?
This recipe is meant for leftovers, but if you're making it from scratch, you don't need to follow most of it. Honestly I just make fresh rice and air fry some salmon and go to town. Just be inspired by the essential flavors of salmon, rice, avocado, kimchi, sriracha, and mayo. And seaweed, that's the best part!What is the Tiktok salmon rice bowl?
Popularized by Emily Mariko, a Japanese American Tiktoker, the Tiktok salmon rice bowl is a rice bowl made from flaked salmon mixed with rice and soy sauce, topped with kewpie mayo, sriracha, and avocado. To enjoy it, you scoop up a bite of mixed rice with roasted seaweed and enjoy it with kimchi.Tiktok salmon rice bowl ingredients
- cooked salmon - any leftover salmon is perfect for this. You can even used canned if you don’t have a leftover salmon filet
- rice - cold rice straight from the fridge, don’t worry, it’ll get nice and fluffy when you steam it up in the microwave.
- ice cube - a single ice cube helps steam the rice and salmon. It won’t melt completely, it’ll just add a bit of moisture.
- soy sauce - add soy sauce to taste, remember to get the good stuff.
- kewpie mayo - I’m in love with kewpie mayo, it’s the best mayo out there, fight me.
- sriracha - optional but if you love spicy sushi, a squirt or two is *chef’s kiss*
- avocado - perfectly ripe slices of avocado adds a nice creaminess.
- roasted seaweed - roasted seaweed snacks are key, more on this later!
- kimchi - a bit of kimchi on the side adds acidity, crunch, flavor, and spice.
Why does this rice bowl work?
It’s the combination of flaky salmon, fluffy rice, umami filled soy sauce, and creamy kewpie mayo that works so well. If you love Japanese rice balls or onigiri, this is like eating a deconstructed onigiri. The seaweed stays nice and crispy and you can change the flavor with each bite, adding kimchi or avocado. Plus, the idea of using an ice cube to steam your leftover cold rice and salmon is genius.Is the Tiktok salmon rice bowl worth the hype?
YES! I mean, I love scooping up rice with seaweed and all the flavors work together perfectly, kind of like a deconstructed salmon kimchi sushi roll. Microwaving your salmon and rice with an ice cube and parchment paper is a game changer. I think people are in love with this recipe because it’s easy, fast, and it tastes good. It’s taking leftovers and making them into bestovers and what’s not to love about that?Which seaweed for Tiktok salmon rice bowl?
The seaweed is one of the most important parts! I like roasted Korean seaweed packs, the kind that you can grab at Whole Foods or even Costco. It’s not the same as nori or seaweed for sushi, it’s lighter, crispier, and are pleasantly salty. Conveniently, seaweed snacks are the perfect size for scooping up bites of rice and that’s how a lot of Koreans enjoy them. As with all and any Tiktok recipes there’s always a lot of controversy. It’s no different with this one. People are all over Tiktok split between saying that this is the most amazing thing that they’ve ever made and that Emily didn’t invent anything new. In the end, she’s the one who brought the world’s eyes on it so I don’t really understand why people are so salty about how they’ve eaten this at home forever. In the end, it’s a quick and easy way to make your leftovers taste amazing so thanks Emily for sharing your love for salmon rice bowls with the world!Tiktok Salmon Rice Bowl
Leftover salmon and old rice combined with soy sauce, kimchi, and mayo make the yummiest trend from Tiktok so far.
- 1/2 filet salmon (cooked, about 2 ounces)
- 1 cup cooked rice
- 1 ice cube
- 1 tbsp soy sauce (or to taste)
- 1 tbsp kewpie mayo (or to taste, sub regular mayo if needed)
- 1 tsp sriracha (or to taste, optional)
- 1/2 avocado (sliced or diced, optional)
- 1/4 cup kimchi (optional)
- 1 package roasted seaweed snack
Use a fork to flake up your salmon filet.
Top your salmon with cold rice from the fridge and nestle in one ice cube.
Cover with parchment paper and microwave for 1 to 1.5 minutes. Remove the parchment paper and any ice cube remaining.
Add soy sauce to taste and mix everything up.
Top with kewpie mayo, sriracha, and avocado slices.
Enjoy with a side of kimchi and roasted seaweed, using the seaweed to tuck it around a bite of rice. Enjoy!
I Am... How to Choose the Best Nugget Ice Machine
Have you ever dreamed of a nugget ice machine at home but are wary of the lofty promises? We have one, and you can read all about the experience of owning your very own nugget ice maker below. If you know, you know nugget ice. It’s the good ice. The adorable, chewable ice that is practically a snack in itself. I LOVE nugget ice with a passion and last year my dream came true when Mike gifted me a nugget ice machine for Christmas. A nugget ice machine has been on my radar forever. I conveniently forgot about home nugget ice makers and I must say, my Christmas gift was both a surprise and an absolute win! Christmas day was full of nugget ice and everyday after we have enthusiastically used our nugget ice maker.
What is nugget ice?
If you’re not in the know, you might be wondering, what the heck is nugget ice? Yes, it’s just ice, but really, it’s special ice! Nugget ice has air pockets giving it layers and layers. Think of nugget ice as the croissant of the ice world. The layers create pockets of air, making nugget ice fluffy and not at all dense or hard. Nugget ice is fluffy and chewy.Why is nugget ice special?
Nugget ice is not regular ice. It’s shaped, unsurprisingly, given its name, like a small nugget. Because it’s made in a machine that adds pockets of air, the nuggets are softer and chewier. The air pockets let liquid seep in, flavoring the ice so they become little chewable nuggies of whatever beverage you’re drinking. It has the ability to cool drinks fast while melting slow. The special part is the texture: crunchy on the outside and chewy on the inside.How is nugget ice made?
Nugget ice is a special process of flash freezing water while extruding it through tiny holes. Most nugget ice makers work like this:- The water passes through an extruder that has small holes
- As the water pushes through under pressure, little droplets form
- The droplets flash freeze into nuggets with air pockets naturally forming during the freezing process.
- Boom, you have nugget ice!
Homemade nugget ice
It used to be that nugget ice at home was a dream, but now, there are so many counter top nugget ice machines out there. The only way to make nugget ice at home is with a nugget ice machine.Best nugget ice machines
We absolutely love our Easyera nugget ice maker. It makes ice quickly, in about 20 minutes, it’s super easy to clean, and it’s pretty compact. Sure, it’s a little noisy, but the nature of nugget ice means that the extrusion and freezing process is always going to be a little loud. We’ve never had any issues with our nugget ice machine. There’s a self cleaning mode and it makes more than enough ice for the two of us. I love that it’s smaller than so many of the other nugget ice machines out there because it lives permanently on our countertop. The GE Profile Opal 2.0 Ultra nugget ice maker has been floating around a lot lately but it’s HUGE and apparently it’s not very easy to clean. Plus, at $629 it’s double what we paid for our nugget ice maker. We haven’t tried the ice from the Opal, so I can’t comment on the ice quality, but for the countertop size and price, I definitely think the Easyera is the way to go. Plus, call me old, but I’m not really sure why I would need a nugget ice maker with built in wifi and voice control. I spent a little time perusing amazon because let’s be honest, there’s nothing I love more than online shopping, and if I had to choose a different nugget ice machine, I think I would get the Vevor. Apparently it’s super quiet which is perfect for people who can constantly hear humming slash machine noises and it keeps the nugget ice frozen for a pretty long time. It does look a little big, but I like the stainless steel housing and it has several positive verified purchase reviews.Where do they have nugget ice?
Probably the best known place for nugget ice is Sonic Drive-In. People go to Sonic simply for their ice: both in drinks and to buy bags of nugget ice. Lots of other places have nugget ice too, if they have nugget ice machines. I’ve been to gas stations (Buc-ees) with nugget ice as well as independent soda shops. HTeaO in Texas has nugget ice (try a mix of sweet coconut and sweet almond green, it’s heaven!).Other nugget ice machines
I haven't tried these ones but I've taken the hopefully helpful step of collating the 4 bestselling machines on Amazon below, along with their iceage per day, in no particular order:- Aeitto Nugget Ice Maker (55lbs/day)
- HOMEZAY Pebble Ice Maker with Soft Chewable Pellet Ice (33lbs/day)
- COSTWAY Self Dispensing Nugget Ice Maker (56lbs/day) - honestly this one looks pretty cool
- Silonn Smart Pebble Ice Machine (44lbs/day)
Nugget ice vs crushed ice
There’s no competition, it’s nugget ice every time. Crushed ice is regular ice that is crushed into small irregular chunks. It has the same consistency and hardness as regular ice. Because it’s regular ice, the melt rate of crushed ice tends to melt quickly, watering down drinks. Nugget ice minimizes dilution and has a better crunch/chew experience. Nugget ice forever and ever! xoxo steph Read More →
I Am... A Guide to Skiing in Banff
If you’ve ever wanted to ski in a Canadian National Park, skiing in Banff is for you. Located within Banff National Park there are three distinct ski resorts: Mt Norquay, Banff Sunshine Village, and Lake Louise Ski Resort. The area is considered a must visit destination for skiers and snowboarders.
How long does the skiing season last in Banff
The season starts early and ends late. It’s one of the reasons why the area is so renowned. Running from late November to early and sometimes even late May, the snow in Banff is reliable and abundant. Once you add in the amazing scenery, you’ll understand why so many speak breathlessly about Banff.What are the three ski resorts in Banff National Park?
The three Banff ski resorts are:Banff Sunshine Village
Skiable acres - 3,358 Vertical - 3,510 ft Lifts - 12 Runs - 137 marked Ability breakdown - 20% beginner, 55% intermediate, 25% expertLake Louise Ski Resort
Skiable acres - 4,275 Vertical - 3,250 ft Lifts - 11 Runs - 164 marked Ability breakdown - 25% beginner, 45% intermediate, 30% expertMt. Norquay
Skiable acres - 190 Vertical - 1,650 ft Lifts - 6 Runs - 60 All three resorts are accessible from the town of Banff, Lake Louise Village, and the nearby town of Canmore. Best of all, Banff and Lake Louise are only a couple hours detour off the Powder Highway.Beginner, Intermediate, and Expert Skiing in Banff
If you’re skiing or boarding with a group of mixed levels, you’ll be happy to hear that all three resorts have something for everyone, from total beginner to deep and steep avalanche-gear-needed terrain.How to get to Banff for Skiing
Banff National Park is in Western Canada, boarding two provinces, BC and Alberta. It’s a mere 100 km west of Calgary and if you’re flying internationally, the Calgary airport, YYC, is the airport you’ll want to hit up. From YYC, it will take about 1.5 hours on the Trans Canada Highway (aptly named Highway 1) to reach the town of Banff. We recommend renting a car (with snow tires!), but you can also use a bus service.Do I need a parks pass for Banff when skiing?
Yes, any vehicle stopping in Banff needs a valid parks pass. You can buy it online ahead of time on the Parks website or right at the gates to the park. You can get either a Day Pass, which is best if you’re not going to be skiing for too long, or you can get a Discovery Pass which lasts for 1 year. The Day Pass cost $11 per person per day and the Discovery Pass costs $151.25 per year for a couple or family.Where to stay in Banff for Skiing
There are three main areas people stay when visiting Banff for skiing: Banff Township, Lake Louise Village, or the nearby town of Canmore. Budget-wise, it is going to be most expensive to stay in either the town of Banff or Lake Louise Village. There are a variety of choices from luxury hotels to simple motels. Banff has a lot of dining and après choices while Lake Louise Village is a bit more sleepy. Personally, we love staying in Canmore. It’s a short drive from Canmore to the park and once you’re in the park, it’s not too far to all three mountains. There are a lot more accommodations in Canmore and if you’re the kind of person who likes to have a kitchen and laundry, then there are ton of vacation rentals. We especially like the Spring Creek area. Canmore is a quaint little mountain town and decidedly less busy and touristy compared to Banff.How do you get to the Banff ski areas?
If you’re staying in Banff and you don’t have a car rental, you can take public transport or resort complimentary shuttles.How to get to Banff Sunshine Village
Banff Sunshine Village has a free daily bus from the town of Banff to the base of the resort. If you’re driving, it’s an easy drive to the base and there’s plenty of free parking. Look here for more info on how to get to Sunshine Village.How to get to Lake Louise Ski Resort
Lake Louise also offers a daily free shuttle, both from Lake Louise Village and the town of Banff. Like Sunshine Village, they have plenty of free parking if you’re driving there. For more info on Lake Louise, check here.How to get to Mt. Norquay
Just like the other two, Norquay also has a free shuttle. You can take it from the town of Banff to the Norquay base. If you have your own vehicle, there’s lots of free parking. For more about Mt. Norquay, check here.SkiBig3
What is SkiBig3?
SkiBig3 is a skiing challenge put on by Banff Tourism to encourage all ski and board visitors to go to all three mountains. You can ski all three resorts within one day, all on the Big 3 ski pass. They also have multi-day tickets for all three mountains, so you don’t actually have to go to all three mountains in one day.SkiBig3 Trifecta Callenge
Once you visit all three mountains of Banff, you can visit the Adventure Hub in Banff or Canmore and get a SkiBig3 trifecta trail sign, patch, or sticker. You also get a coupon for a free pint of beer with purchase.Are the Banff ski resorts on the IKON pass?
Yes. All three resorts are on the IKON pass and the number of days and blackout dates depend on which pass you get.Which Banff Ski Resort is Best?
Personally, out of the three, we liked Banff Sunshine Village the best. Mt Norquay is a pretty small mountain and the terrain is not really varied. We went to it just so we said we did it. The next best, after Sunshine Village, is Lake Louise. When we visited, they were in a bit of a snow drought, so the snow quality at all three mountains was questionable. That being said, we definitely saw the potential of both Sunshine Village and Lake Louise. I would say that if you like a variety of terrain, including steep, difficult off piste runs, then Sunshine Village is the place to go. It has trees, bowls, chutes, and extremely wide - literally the whole mountain wide - low to medium pitch runs. Plus, Sunshine Village has a Beaver Tails stand! There’s nothing better than a ski break with hot and fresh deep-fried dough dusted in cinnamon sugar. Oh, and you can ski between provinces on the run called The Great Divide, located on top of the Continental Divide, which boasts amazing views of Banff’s backcountry areas. Lake Louise is more known for its long, wide open groomers and cruisers. For a wide-open scenic run with views of Mount Temple, Lake Louise, and the Victoria Glacier icefields, try Charlie’s choice. It’s a gentle blue run with to-die-for views. That’s it! I hope you get a chance to ski in Banff. Banff is truly a national treasure. From the turquoise blue lakes to the snow covered peaks and quaint mountain villages, it’s a ski vacation you’ll never forget. Read More →
I Am... How to make the best negroni
To me, the Negroni is the iconic holiday drink. There are cocktails, then there is the Negroni, for many, the cocktail. No other cocktail is as tasty and refreshing in summer, so cheerful and pretty during the holidays, and so easy and simple to make into countless variations. For me, a Negroni is the ultimate holiday cocktail. Firstly, you can make a lot of it at the same time, should you have a larger group. Secondly, it’s pretty and colorful. And finally, it’s perfect with a little spice should you want to go there. Give me a Negroni over gluhwein or eggnog with rum any day. Some people will say they don’t like Negronis because they are too bitter or too sweet. More than likely, they had their first Negroni at a bar that didn’t care. Here is how to make Negroni the right way, one sip and you'll see why it’s the most popular cocktail of the last 100 years and looking to be the most popular cocktail for the next 100 too.
What is a Negroni cocktail
A Negroni is a sweet and slightly bitter tasting drink that's reminiscent of an aperitif, but packs a huge punch, unlike most aperitifs. It’s perfect as a cocktail pre- or during dinner, as the bitter notes highlight the flavors of food really well. The invention of the Negroni goes to a count named Camillo Negroni who wanted something stronger than his usual drink, a Mi-To, named after the twin cities of Milano and Torino, later named the Americano because Americans loved it so much during WW1. A Mi-To was made up of campari, vermouth, and soda. To make the drink stronger, he subbed out the zero ABV soda for gin, and just like that, magic was made.Classic Negroni recipe
The classic Negroni recipe is equal parts gin, campari, and red vermouth, built over ice and served with an orange peel garnish.Negroni Sbagliato
Recently, it's become popular on tiktok to swap the gin for a sparkling wine (ideally, Prosecco). It makes for a lighter, fizzier, more fun cocktail. This one is great both in summer and during the holidays, especially if you love the taste but don’t want to be completely wasted around family. It's also just a great cocktail to serve to people with a lower tolerance for alcohol.Negroni ingredients
Although most sources will tell you that a Negroni has 3 ingredients, a Negroni actually has 5 ingredients: gin, campari, vermouth, ice, and orange peel.Gin
Most people splurge on the gin, and in most bars you’ll find they are very proud of the gin they use. I disagree though, the gin is important, but the punch of the campari and vermouth pretty much kill any subtle herbal nuances top shelf gin will get you. I use whatever gin I have on hand, but usually I use Beefeater. Currently I'm drinking Drumshanbo, a gin with Asian inspired botanicals (star anise and cardamom) that is excellent in a Negroni.Campari
Campari is absolutely needed for a proper Negroni. Accept no substitutes.Vermouth
Here is where, in my opinion, the biggest difference between a good and a great Negroni is made. I try to stay away from the bottom shelf vermouth such as Martini. I’d rather spend my money on a good vermouth over a top shelf gin any day. My favorites are Punt e Mes, Cocchi Torino, and especially Carpano Antica. When I first started drinking Negronis, Punt e Mes was $75+. I was over the moon when we were in Buenos Aires one year and they were the equivalent of $5 a bottle. I brought home 6 bottles. It's thankfully gone down in price as it's gone up in popularity since then. Of the three, I really like Carpano Antica because it comes in a smaller bottle. Vermouth is a wine based liqueur, which means the moment you open it, it starts to degrade. You should keep vermouth in the fridge, and buy only a size you know you can finish in under a month. You know the old maxim never cook with a wine you wouldn’t drink? My experience is that most people have never tasted vermouth on its own. The difference in price between a higher end vermouth and a bottle shelf vermouth is usually just a few dollars, but the taste difference is out of this world.Ice
Invest in a good 2” covered ice cube tray for your cocktails. You don’t need to go crazy and make clear ice, but traditionally, these cocktails were served with large ice cubes from the days before plastic ice trays and nugget ice machines. A covered ice cube tray protects your ice from any stray freezer smells. If your tap water doesn't taste great, consider using filtered or bottled water for your ice, even though it seems like overkill.Garnish
One of the key parts of a Negroni is the orange peel, which complements the campari and adds a bit of acid to offset the sweetness of the vermouth, especially if you took my advice and got a more premium vermouth, which tends to be sweeter. When I was younger, I skipped the orange peel (because you needed a fresh orange, which I never had) and the first time I tried it, I was amazed at the difference it made. For extra flair, you can squeeze, spritz, or even flame your orange peel, but I prefer the subtle purity of a clean orange peel myself.Shaken or Stirred
Please never shake a Negroni.How to make a Negroni
- Prepare a rocks glass with a large ice cube.
- Peel a 1” x 4” strip of orange peel and trim as needed.
- Build the drink over ice.
- Stir for 30 seconds.
- Garnish, and enjoy immediately.
Negroni Glass
A Negroni should never be served up or in a flute. Properly it should be in a low ball/rocks/old fashioned bar glass. A correctly sized Negroni is 3oz plus ice, so a double glass is just about the right size.My Best Negroni recipe
If you’re at all a drinker, you’ll find the classic 1:1:1 ratio of a Negroni a little too sweet. If you aren’t a drinker, you might find it really bitter. Once, I served a Negroni for the first time to a wine snob friend of mine who had never had one. This was in the dark ages when appletinis were popular. He found it unbearably bitter, though in the decades since, he’s started serving them before dinner. But if you prefer your Negroni on the more balanced side, my go-to Negroni recipe that I've been drinking for years is 3/4 oz Carpano Antica Formula Vermouth, 3/4oz Campari, and 1.5oz gin.The Boulevardier
I used to order this one in bars exclusively, and for the first few years, no bartender really knew what it was. Then, overnight, it was more popular on bar menus than the Negroni – which is either off-menu at most places or served with some variation, like sake. A boulevardier swaps the herbaceous gin for earthy, spiced bourbon, which makes for a darker drink that’s kind of the lovechild of a Negroni and a Manhattan, combining them into the best of both worlds, like New York Italian food. The Negroni is one of my favorite cocktails of all time, and I’ve been drinking this version for decades. I hope you give it a try, especially with the right vermouth. Cheers! MikeMy Best Negroni
What it lacks in the purity of equal measures, it gains in deliciousness
- 1 ice cube (2"x2")
- 1 orange peel (trimmed)
- 1.5 oz gin (such as beefeater)
- 3/4 oz Campari
- 3/4 oz Carpano Antica Formula Vermouth
Prepare a rocks glass with a large ice cube. Peel a 1” x 4” strip of orange peel and trim the edges. Twirl around a chopstick or skewer if desired.
Build the drink over ice.
Stir for 30 seconds or until cold, garnish with the prepared orange peel, then enjoy immedidately.
I Am... Cheesy Miso Stuffed Mushrooms
Stuffed mushrooms are the cutest appetizer out there, and definitely one of the most underrated holiday sides. So round, so poppable, and so delicious. I absolutely love stuffed mushrooms. They’re easy to make (and make ahead if you need to) and they’re always a hit. I love stuffed mushrooms and how infinitely customizable they are. They’re kind of like the vegetarian version of a deviled egg! I’m all about tiny bite-sized stuffed things and stuffed mushrooms fit the bill perfectly. These cheesy miso stuffed mushrooms are particularly good because they’re triple umami: mushrooms, miso, and parmesan cheese! They’re so full of flavor and satisfying.
How to make stuffed mushrooms
- Start off by washing your mushrooms. Yes, we’re going to wash them, more on that below.
- After you wash them, trim the very tip of the stem and discard, then gently break the stems from the caps.
- Place the caps on a parchment paper lined baking sheet.
- Mince the stems then sauté them in butter until golden then let cool.
- While the stems are cooling, mix together cream cheese, mayo, and a bit of white miso.
- Stir in the sautéed stems then stuff the mushrooms, topping them with parmesan.
- Bake until golden and piping hot then enjoy!
Stuffed mushroom ingredients
- mushrooms - I like using brown mushrooms because I think they’re prettier but white mushrooms are exactly the same so go with whichever you prefer. Try to choose mushrooms that are on the bigger side, but not too big, 1 - 1.5 inches.
- butter - mushrooms sautéed in butter are a dream come true. You can use oil if you don’t have butter on hand.
- cream cheese - this is what is the bulk of the creaminess in these stuffed mushrooms. It’s easier to mix if your cream cheese at room temp.
- kewpie mayo - my secret ingredient! Kewpie mayo adds extra creaminess and when you bake it, it is SO delicious. If you don't already know about it, read more about kewpie mayo here.
- white miso - white miso adds extra umami and flavor. If you don’t have any on hand and don’t want to go to the store, you can skip it, but it really boosts all the savoriness of this dish.
- parmesan - finishing with finely grated parmesan is always a pro move!
How to pick good mushrooms
I like buying mushrooms loose so I can go through and choose ones that are about the same size so they all cook at the same rate. Look for whole, intact caps without discoloration. They should feel spring-y and light, not spongy.To wash or not wash mushrooms
If you do a quick internet search on this, people are divided. Some people wash, some people don’t wash, some people peel. The reason why people don’t wash mushrooms is that they’re worried they’ll get soggy. But the truth is, like all plants, they can take a bit of a shower and be okay, especially if you’re washing them while they’re whole.How to clean mushrooms
Wash mushrooms right before you use them. Place whole mushrooms in a sieve (I use the sieve in the salad spinner basket) and use the spray function and cold water to spray off any dirt. Spin or pat dry with paper towels. Use immediately.What to serve with stuffed mushrooms
- The best green bean casserole
- Super smooth and fluffy mashed potatoes
- Garlicky parker house rolls
- Velveeta mac and cheese
- The ultimate fall kale salad
- Fool-proof super juicy turkey
Cheesy Miso Stuffed Mushrooms
Stuffed mushrooms are the cutest appetizer out there.
- 16 large mushrooms (white or brown)
- 2 tbsp butter
- 4 oz cream cheese
- 1/4 cup mayo (kewpie mayo preferred)
- 1 tbsp white miso
- 1/4 cup Parmigiano Reggiano cheese (finely grated)
- parsley (finely chopped, to finish)
Heat the oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Trim the bottom of the stems of the mushrooms, then gently break them off. Place the mushroom caps on the prepared baking sheet.
Finely mince the mushroom stems. In a medium skillet over medium heat, melt the butter and sauté the mushroom stems until soft and golden. Remove from the heat and let cool slightly.
In a bowl, mix together the cream cheese, mayo, and white miso until smooth. Stir in the sautéed mushroom stems, taste and season with freshly ground pepper.
Scoop the filling into the mushroom caps and top with grated parmesan.
Bake for 20 minutes or until the cheese melts and the mushrooms are piping hot. Finish with parsley, remove, let cool slightly and enjoy!
I Am... Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes
These instant pot mashed potatoes are so good and so easy they're dangerous. Mashed potatoes are the ultimate comfort food and now that I have a hands off way of making them, I'm pretty sure I'm going to be eating so many potatoes that I'm going to turn into one. I love how you just set everything in one pot and you're done. Just pop your potatoes in, cook on high pressure for 7 minutes, mash, season, and eat. So simple and so good. My tip here is using a sieve (or a ricer) to push your potatoes through instead of mashing. You end up with super smooth and creamy mashed potatoes.
How to make the best instant pot mashed potatoes
- Prep the potatoes: Scrub and peel (or leave the skins on if you’re into that) the potatoes and cut into quarters.
- Place in the Instant Pot with garlic and a bit of chicken stock. Pressure cook on high for 7 minutes, then quick release.
- Mash by pushing the potatoes and garlic through a fine mesh sieve or ricer. If you like a lumpier mash, use a masher.
- Stir in room temp butter, then the milk. Taste and season with salt (and pepper if desired) and serve warm!
Instant pot mashed potato ingredients
- Potatoes: Like I mentioned above, I always use either Yukon golds or Russet potatoes. Either are a solid choice and if you like you can even mix them for the best of both worlds.
- Garlic: Who doesn’t love garlic mashed potatoes? Give it gives these potatoes a warm garlicky flavor. Feel free to increase or decrease the amount of cloves used.
- Butter: Butter is essential so use a good one - we love grass-fed butter.
- Milk or cream: I almost always use whole milk for my mash, but if you want an extra indulgent potato, use half and half or heavy cream.
- Salt: Don’t forget to season!
- Toppings: I keep it pure with just a butter pool, but chopped chives or sliced scallions look pretty and add some color and herbaceous. Cracked black pepper is always good. You can always customize as you wish and stir in cheese, top with bacon bits, and jalapeños, or everything bagel seasoning.
4 secrets to the best mashed potatoes:
1. Water is the enemy
Waterlogged potatoes mean gluey mashed potatoes. To avoid this, we’re going to steam the potatoes in the Instant Pot with just the minimal amount of liquid, which will make them fluffy, cooked through, and full of potato-y flavor.2. Season!
Season at every step. I like to steam/cook the potatoes in chicken stock so it adds an extra layer of flavor. If you don’t want to use chicken stock, you can use vegetable stock or just make sure to salt the water you cook the potatoes in. You want to season when you’re cooking the potatoes and afterwards when you add in the butter and milk so you have layers of seasoning.3. How you mash matters.
I love the way mashed potatoes taste when you push the potatoes through a fine mesh sieve. It gives you the smoothest, most luscious mashed potatoes you’ve ever eaten. But, if you like a slightly chunkier mash, use a potato masher. There are even different kinds of mashers: smooth mashers or chunky mashers depending on how you like your potatoes.4. Don’t over mix.
Once your potatoes are mashed, you want to just stir in the liquids (butter and milk or cream) without over mixing, which can lead to gummy potatoes.How much water for Instant Pot mashed potatoes?
The minimum amount of liquid Instant Pot needs for pressure cooking is 1 cup. You can use either 1 cup of chicken stock or salted water. This is a lot less liquid compared to almost all the other Instant Pot mashed potato recipes hanging out on the internet. It’s superior for two reasons.- Cooking potatoes in a large amount of water makes them water-logged and soggy, which results in less potato flavor.
- Less water means less time for the pot to come up to pressure.
How many potatoes do you need per person?
For a side serving of mashed potatoes, the general rule is: 1 medium to medium-large potato per person. Potatoes come in various sizes, but a good rule of thumb is that you’ll need a medium to medium-large potato that fits in the palm of your hand for each person. Aim for a 1/2 lb individual servings of mashed potato.Vegan Instant Pot mashed potatoes
If you’re vegan, or have guests who are, it’s super easy to make flavorful, smooth, rich mashed potatoes. Follow the recipe as below, but make these ingredient substitutions. Instead of chicken stock, cook the potatoes in 1 cups mushroom dashi stock or your favorite vegetable stock. Instead of butter, use vegan butter or white miso. Instead of milk, use your favorite milk alternative, mushroom dashi, or white miso paste mixed with water.What are the best kind of potatoes for instant pot mashed potatoes?
There are only two kinds of potatoes that are perfect for mashed potatoes: Yukon golds (my absolute favorite) and Russets.- Yukon golds are perfect for mashing because they’re starchy, beautifully yellow, and have a rich buttery potato taste. They’re also a more dense potato with a thin skin, and when you use them, you get a more luxurious mash.
- Russets (or Idaho) potatoes are those big potatoes with the dusty skin that most people use for baked potatoes. These are also excellent for mashed: fluffy, dry, and starchy, when cooked right. Russets are the more mild potato of the two potatoes I recommend and if you’re a fan of lighter potatoes, they make a mash with a more delicate texture.
Skin on or skin off?
Because I’m in the smooth mash camp, I don’t think potato skin belongs in mashed potatoes. But some people love that texture contrast. And for those people, I say, feel free to leave the skins on!What if I don’t have an Instant Pot?
You can still make these mashed potatoes, all you need to do is steam: place the cut up potatoes on a plate or in a steamer basket. Boil 1-3 inches of water in a large pot and place the potatoes in the pot. Cover and steam on medium until very tender, 30 to 35 minutes. Check this post out for more. Best mains to serve with mashed potatoes- The Best Cajun Butter Steak
- The Juiciest Baked Chicken Thighs
- One Pan Creamy Dijon Mustard Mushroom Chicken
Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes
Smooth and fluffy mashed potatoes in under 20 minutes!
- instant pot
- 2 lbs potatoes (peeled and quartered)
- 1 cup chicken stock (no sodium preferred)
- 2-4 cloves garlic (optional)
- 2 tbsp butter (or to taste)
- 1/4-1/2 cup milk (or to taste)
- salt and freshly ground pepper
Place the potatoes, chicken stock, and garlic (if using) in your Instant Pot/pressure cooker. Put the lid on, set the pressure to high and cook time to 7 minutes. Quick release the pressure when cooking time is completed.
Remove the potatoes from the liquid and mash or push through a ricer or a sieve. Optionally add a bit of the leftover chicken stock that the potatoes were cooked in for a bit more flavor.
Stir in the butter, milk, and salt and pepper to taste. Enjoy!
I Am... Tiktok Frozen Gummy Bears
TikTok food trends are back with viral frozen gummy bears. People love gummy bears. People love crunchy things. Why not crunchy gummy bears? All you really need is time and two ingredients: Sprite and gummy bears. After they’re frozen, they're a combination of hard and soft with a frozen candy texture. They’re kinda fun and quirky and I think they’re adorable because the gummy bears double in size.
What are frozen gummy bears?
Just what they sound like! Gummy bears that are frozen. They popped up on my for you page on TikTok so I’m not sure who invented them because I’ve seen literally hundreds of people making and crunching them for AMSR crunching videos. They don’t really sound crunchy thought - they’re more of an icy chew. Anyway, they looked fun and cute and gummy bears are delicious.What do frozen gummy bears taste like?
They taste just like regular gummy bears but with a different texture. Crisp and cold and smooth. Kind of hard and soft at the same time. If you’ve ever had gummy candy that has been left out in the cold, the texture is somewhat similar, but a bit softer because of the Sprite soak. They’re simultaneously chewier and softer. You would think they would be hard, but they don’t come out like ice cubes, more of a cold soft crunch, like nugget ice. Because of the sugar and gelatin content of the bears, they stay kind of soft, which is nice because it’s what gives the bears their soft and icy texture. As you chew, the frozen bears start to melt in your mouth. I like them!How to make frozen gummy bears
- Lay out your gummy bears in a shallow container that has a lid. You can do them in neat little rows or just spread them out, just as long as they’re in one layer, you’re good.
- Pour Sprite (or your choice of soda) on top over the bears, making sure they’re completely submerged. Cover the container and place it in the fridge overnight.
- The next day your bears will double in size. Strain them and arrange in a single layer on a parchment paper lined tray. Freeze for 3 hours or until firm and frozen.
- Enjoy the frozen gummy crunch!
Frozen gummy bear ingredients:
- gummy bears - everyone knows the superior gummy bears are Haribo. I dream of going to Germany to visit a Hairbo factory one day. My favorite are the twin cherries. Anyway, any bears will do, buy your favorite gummies.
- Sprite - you don’t need to use Sprite obviously, any clear soda will work, so choose your favorite. I think maybe the frozen gummy bear trend came from Japan and originally they used Mitsuya Cider, which is a kind of cream soda-y citrus-y soda.
What other gummies can I freeze?
Any really! I’ve seen frozen peach rings, cola bottles, sour patch kids. This will work on any sort of chewy, soft, gummy candy.What other sodas can I use?
Again, any soda will work for this. The soda is for carbonation and liquid soaked up into the gummy bears, so choose a soda that you like. I’m pretty sure the main choice is Sprite/7Up because they’re clear so the gummy bears stay the same color.Best gummy bear brands
Personally, I love Haribo Gold Bears, which is what we used in this post. Haribo invented gummy bears in 1922 and they’re the original and best! They’re a little firmer than most gummy bears and I think they have the tastiest flavor and chew. I also like how pretty and pastel they turn out after freezing them. Mike’s partial to Albanese Fruit Bears https://amzn.to/3C9gy4h which are pretty darn good too. They’re a bit softer than gold bears which isn’t for me, but I admit that they are very soft and chewy and they have elite flavors like Fuji Apple, Asian Pear, and Alphonso Mango. Another bear I’m interested in trying, but can’t vouch for are Black Forest gummy bears https://amzn.to/3YB9uVA. They have a different gummy bear shape which would be fun to see frozen. I’ve heard they taste really good and are a good amount of chew. That’s it! This is a fun little quick treat - if you ignore the overnight soak and freezing - and I think it’s worth it to try. The holiday season is coming up and a bowl of seasonal colored frozen gummy bears is a cute, conversation starter. Happy freezing! xoxo stephFrozen Gummy Bears
How to make the adorable viral gummy bear treat
- 1 package gummy bears (about 6oz)
- 1 can Sprite ( (or other clear carbonated drink))
Place your gummy bears in an air tight container. If you want your bears to be pristine and nicely shaped, spread them out in a single layer.
Carefully pour the Sprite over the gummy bears, covering them completely. Place the cover on the container and place in the fridge overnight.
The next day, the bears will double in size and be quite soft.
Scoop the bears out of the Sprite and place them in a single layer on a parchment paper lined plate or tray. Freeze until firm, about 3 hours.
Enjoy frozen!
Estimated Nutrition based on Haribo brand gummy bears
I Am... Boo Baskets
I love Halloween and spooky season. Give me pumpkin spice everything, fall leaves, and cozy scarves! So when I saw boo baskets trending on TikTok, I knew I had to make one for my boo! It's not too late to make one for yours, especially if you live in a place with fast shipping.
What are boo baskets?
Boo baskets are kind of like an Easter basket, but boo-themed. Or, rather, fall and Halloween themed. Most people have been hinting at their partners to make them one and there are some pretty cute ones out there!What to put in a boo basket?
Really, you can put anything in one! But here’s my loose “recipe.”Basket
You’ll need a large enough basket (or container) to hold all of your goodies. They have Halloween themed baskets out there, but if you have something at home that you use to hold blankets or a large bowl, this will work too. Bonus points if your person is obsessed with pottery and you get them a giant ceramic platter or bowl!Cozy item
It’s not fall if it’s not cozy! You want to find something warm and fuzzy that will remind your partner of you when they wrap themselves up in it, like a super soft blanket, hoodie, sweatshirt, or scarf. It doesn’t technically have to be fall or Halloween themed, but that is the them of the basket, so I say go all out and get the seasonal stuff. When else is your partner going to get a hoodie that proclaims their love for pumpkin spice?Mug
Fall is all about the hot drinks and you can’t have hot drinks without a mug. There are SO many cute Halloween mugs out there and a lot of them are affordable too. See the list below for ideas. If your boo doesn’t do the hot drink thing, you can always get them a Halloween themed glass for regular drinks.Drinks
A drink mix for the mug. Think pumpkin spice, chai, apple cider, that kind of thing. Alternatively, if your boo doesn’t like hot drinks, you can get a spiced alcohol like cinnamon whiskey or a fall themed cocktail mixer.Treats
This is the best part of a boo basket, in my humble opinion! Basically it’s like you’re going trick-or-treating for your boo. There are so many Halloween and fall themed treats out there. Visit a Target or stock up online. Make sure you get stuff your boo likes. You do know their favorite snacks, right!?Plushie
A soft plushie is perfect for a boo basket. If you want bonus points, the hot plushies right now are Jellycats. Squishmallows are over so don’t even go there. Pick out the perfect Jellycat and your boo will be over the moon. note - a boo basket is nothing without a cute note from you. A handwritten note is everything. There are a bunch of cute Halloween themed cards out there too!The best things on Amazon for boo baskets:
Baskets
- A kawaii purple and orange rectangular basket that’s as cute as your boo.
- This rectangular storage basket literally has boos on it
- This two toned rope basket is plenty big to fit all your boo basket items.
Cozy items
- A super soft velvet fleece blanket with a ghostie doing all the Halloween things.
- Soft and cozy orange plush blanket that glows in the dark, just the thing for cuddling up during movie night.
- A cozy spooky season sweatshirt for your boo to snuggle up in.
- A super soft plaid scarf so your boo can stay warm on your leaf peeping fall walks.
Mugs
- I think this might be the cutest ghost mug to ever exist!
- A sweet “Hello Fall” ceramic mug so your boo can warm their hands around it.
- This one is for those boos who are obsessed with tumblers. She’s cute, she’s maple, she’s just the right mug for your boo basket!
- There are two mugs in this set, one for you and one for your boo. I love the warmth of amber glass mugs. It adds a touch of that fall magic!
- This amber rocks glass isn’t a mug, but it’s perfect for those boos who don’t like hot drinks.
Drinks
- These great pumpkin Charlie Brown hot cocoa mix packs are the cutest.
- Salted caramel hot chocolate is definitely a fall favorite
- A pumpkin spice hot chocolate bomb with mini marshmallows
- This warming chai mix is vegan and made with oat milk.
- Pumpkin spice old fashioned mixer to add a bit of Halloween to your spooky cocktail hour
Treats
There are so many fall treats out there, I recommend going to Target or Walmart to check out their seasonal sections. That being said, you can grab these on amazon if you don’t have time to go shopping:- Would a boo basket be complete without Oreo boos?
- Apple cider cashews for the fancier boos out there
- Chocolate pumpkin spice kind bars so you can take them when you go for a fall hike with your boo
Plushies
- This mini ghost is so squishable and isn’t too big, making it perfect for fitting into a basket
- If your boo loves cats, this big boy black cat is purrfect
- A lil plush pumpkin that you can keep forever
- The CUTEST Jellycat acorn.
- If you want extra bonus points with your girl and she’s a Tiktok girlie, you have got to get this Jellycat coffee-to-go plush bag.
Card/note
Tips
Bake a sweet treat for your boo!
If you want extra brownie points (heehee) bake up a fall-themed sweet treat for your boo.- Pumpkin Bread - This is a copycat recipe for Starbuck’s pumpkin bread. So if your boo is a starbies lover, this is the one!
- Who doesn’t love cheesecake bars? A cheesecake you can pick up with your hands? Yes, please. If you want to go all out, you can decorate these lil guys to look like Totoro.
- One bowl pumpkin cupcakes - Tall, fluffy, tender, and super easy to make, pumpkin cupcakes definitely say “I love you.”
- Everyone loves chocolate chip cookies and trust me when I say that these will be the BEST you’ve ever baked.
K-Beauty Boo Basket Ideas
If your boo is super into Korean beauty and skin care, here are a couple of fall themed products that you can pop into their boo basket!- Pumpkin 24K gold mask - This lil pumpkin face mask helps with exfoliation and is fall themed!
- Pumpkin spice hand cream - If your boo is pumpkin spice fiend, this cocoa butter pumpkin spice hand cream is perfect.
- It’s not pumpkin, but carrots are orange too! These Skinfood calming carrot toner pads are viral and boo basket friendly!
How do I make boo baskets look cute?
- Be sure to get a large enough basket so everything fits inside. Use the cozy item (scarf, hoodie, blanket) to line the basket.
- Remove any packaging from the outsides: obviously if you ordered stuff online, take it out of the box and remove any protective plastic wrap. Don’t cut off any tags though, just in case.
- Neatly arrange everything in the basket. Larger items go in the back and smaller items get tucked into the front.
How to make a Boo Basket
Boo baskets are kind of like an Easter basket, but boo-themed.
- 1 basket
- 1 cozy item
- 1 mug
- 1 package hot drinks
- 2 fall or Halloween themed treats
- 1 soft plushie
- 1 heartfelt hand written note
Unwrap anything that came in packaging (but don’t take off any tags).
Line the basket with the cozy item, fluffing it up.
Place the mug, hot drink mix, treats, plushie, and note into the basket.
Arrange cutely.
Gift to your partner and bask in their love for you!
I Am... Hot Pot at Home
One of my all time favorite meals is hot pot. We eat it at least once a month, if not more. It can be a cold and cozy night or a warm summer evening – it doesn’t matter because hot pot is always the answer. It’s a fun and filling way to spend the night eating and chatting because you’re literally hanging around a hot pot at the table where you cook and eat together. Essentially, all you do to prepare hot pot is make a soup that is simmered at the table. You load up the table with a bunch of raw sliced meats, veggies, tofu, seafood, and noodles. Everyone cooks what they like, right at the table. Then it's scooped out of the pot, dipped into your own customized sauce, and devoured. Hot pot is all about choosing your ingredients/what you’re going to put into your pot. There’s a huge variety of hot pot, even within China – there’s mind numbing spicy hot pots, herbal hot pots, curry hot pots, soothing plain hot pots, really there’s no wrong way. Here’s an in-depth guide to get you started!
What is hot pot?
If you’re new to hot pot, it’s a low stress way to have a fun and interactive meal with the people you love. Hot pot is a social way of eating: a variety of food is cooked in a communal simmering pot of flavored broth. The meal starts with the pot coming to a boil. The meat, seafood, vegetables, tofu, and noodles are added and cook quickly (and sometimes slowly) in the bubbling broth. Everyone scoops out whatever their heart desires and adds more to replace it. Fun times, yummy food, and much laughter is shared. At its core, Hot pot is a Chinese way of way of cooking food in a simmering pot of soup at the table. It’s similar to fondue, except instead of cheese or hot oil, you have a flavorful soup stock. Raw ingredients are cooked in the soup, then eaten with dipping sauces. It’s a fun and communal way of eating and super popular both at home and in restaurants. Hot pot is near and dear to Chinese people across the world and is starting to become more mainstream and popular. Hot pot creates a cozy, warm atmosphere and really brings people together as you sit around a pot, cooking, eating, talking, and relaxing. The food is important but also important are the feels and the feels of hot pot can’t be beat.Is it really this complicated?
NO! This is an all encompassing how-to guide but the tl;dr of it all is that you can just go to your local Asian supermarketand buy from their hot pot selection. If you live somewhere far away from one, you can buy the hot pot soup mix online, thinly slice some proteins, wash some veg, and have at it. It doesn't need to be hard.Where does hot pot come from?
Hot pot originated in China but it’s now all over Asia in different incarnations. There are bubbly Korean stews, Japanese shabu shabus, Vietnamese hot pots, and more!How to have hot pot at home
- Decide on the broth. Go homemade or store bought, either work great.
- Shop for the ingredients. Go to the (ideally Asian) grocery store and buy ALL THE THINGS.
- Prep: wash the vegetables, lay out the meats, seafood, dumplings, balls, vegetables, and noodles out on plates or trays. Keep the meats together, the seafoods together, the vegetables together, the dumplings together, and on and on so that everything is contained and separate.
- Set the table. Set the table with everything you need, more on that below!
- Hot pot! Bring the soup up to a boil, cook your ingredients at the table, dip in sauce, eat, drink, laugh, enjoy.
What equipment do I need for hot pot?
Essentially you need two pieces of equipment for hot pot: a burner and a pot. The burner needs to be portable enough to sit at the center of your table. It can be anything you like, but make sure it's not charcoal because it'll fill your home with carbon monoxide. For the burner, there are several ways to go: induction, gas, or a two-in-one pot connected to electric source. I say you go with whichever one you might already have, or if you are going to be buying something, I’d choose induction. Induction is easy to clean – just wipe it down. Plus you don’t need to buy extra gas canisters. We’ve used the two-in-one before too, but it’s easier to use a pot you already have. As for pots, you want one that’s shallow so your food isn’t drowning. You want to be able to see it floating in there so a deep stockpot isn’t going to cut it. Growing up, we always had a split pot so the adults could have spicy soup while the kids had a mild soup. Split pots are great for people who want two kinds of soup or if you want to keep one side for meat and the other side for vegetables.Our personal hot pot set up
Mike and I use a portable induction cooker with our favorite cast iron shallow brasier, it retains heat amazingly and after we’re done, we just wipe down the induction cooker and pop the brasier in the dishwasher. There are three main components of Chinese hot pot: broth, ingredients, and sauce.Hot Pot Broth
There are a bunch of different variations of hot pot in China, depending on the region, it goes from fiery red and spicy (Sichuan and Chongqing) to milky and herbal. Soup is the backbone of your hot pot, but really, you don’t need to worry about it too much. If you want to go all out and make a homemade stock, go for it. Sometimes if I’m feeling particularly extra, I’ll do just that, but more often than not, I’ll just use a store bought stock or seasoning packet. Our favorite base happens to be Japanese dashi with soy, sake, mirin, and a touch of sugar. It isn’t Chinese at all, but, you know, since hot pot is all about customization, we are here for it, especially since it reminds us of oden. The light yet deep umami richness is the perfect flavor for all the ingredients to soak up.Store bought broth
Lee Kum Kee makes a large variety of seasoning packets – you can find those and all of the ingredients for Chinese hot pot at your local Asian grocery store. If you’re looking for spicy, Hai Di Lao is a famous Chinese hot pot restaurant that sells their hot pot seasoning packets. There’s also an extremely popular hot pot restaurant (Little Sheep Hot Pot) that sells its soup base as well. Be careful of store bought packages, because some of them can be extra extra spicy. If the ingredients list mentions mala or sichuan pepper, you might be in for a spice-fest. When in doubt, use a half- or a quarter-package and taste test beforehand.Homemade hot pot broth
Most days, we just use a simple no sodium chicken stock dressed up with some soy sauce, shaoxing wine, toasted sesame oil, ginger, and scallions. For a Japanese dashi flavor, use instant dashi seasoned with soy, sake, mirin, and a touch of sugar.How much broth do I need?
You’ll need enough broth to fill your pot. Most seasoning packages have enough to make 6-8 cups. All you do is mix the packet with water. As you’re cooking your hot pot, the soup base will inevitably go down, just top it up with water, there’s no need to add extra flavoring because the soup intensifies and concentrates as it boils down.Hot Pot Ingredients
This is the MOST fun part of hot pot. If you love variety and eating a bunch of different things in one meal, this is the meal for you! The best kind of hot pot contains a little thinly sliced meat, a little seafood, some veg, tofu, dumplings, and noodles of course! Everything tastes amazing when cooked in a hot pot. And the best part is, all you’re really doing is buying fresh, raw ingredients. If you’re wondering where to buy hot pot ingredients, the answer is an Asian grocery store! All grocery stores will (obviously) carry different things, but my main recommendation is to hit up any Asian grocery store because they will have a huge selection to choose from. I’ll break down the different categories of ingredients; it’s best to try to get a couple of each category.Thinly sliced meats
Meat, it’s what hot pot is for. Essentially you can cook any kind of meat in hot pot, as long as it’s sliced thinly. You pop it into the boiling water, swish it around a bit and let the pot come back up to a boil, pull it out and eat it. Typically thinly sliced beef, pork, and chicken are very popular. There are a variety of cuts that you can get thinly sliced in trays at your Asian grocery store – go wild and buy a bunch. Some of our favorites are: rib eye, pork belly, pork jowl, lamb shoulder, and pork shoulder. Or, if you like, you can DIY it! Pick pieces of meat that are heavily marbled and pop them in the freezer for about 30 minutes – it should feel slightly solid, but still yield, and then slice it as thinly as possible.Seafood
Seafood is a very common addition to hot pot but it's something we often skip. When we do it, we actually love those frozen seafood medley packs that contain shrimp, squid, scallops, and sometimes even mussels and clams. Fresh fish is a good bet too when we're splurging (or feeling healthy)Vegetables
Traditionally chinese hot pot is a bit light on the veg but vegetables are Mike’s favorite part of hot pot (sometimes I think he could eat hot pot with just a head of lettuce) and I've come over to the healthy side. I like a bit more variety, so I usually include some sort of Asian vegetable (gai lan, as pictured) and mushrooms. Anything goes, just make sure you’re not over cooking your vegetables! Pop them in, let them cook, then pull them out immediately, unless they’re the starchy variety of vegetable like daikon, potatoes, sweet potatoes, and taro. Tomatoes are amazing in hot pot, but be careful because they get really hot!Tofu
Tofu hot pots are a thing all by themselves. There is a huge variety of tofu at Asian grocery stores and they are all amazing. Tofu is some of the best stuff to put in hot pot because they soak up all the flavors. Mike’s partial to mini tofu puffs and I like medium firm tofu. I also love egg tofu, the kind that comes in a tube. When you’re popping the tofu into the hot pot, it doesn’t need long because you can essentially eat tofu “raw” but if you let it simmer for a while it’ll be one of the best bites: juicy and full of all the delicious hot pot soup.Fish balls and meatballs
When you get to the Asian grocery store, head to the frozen section. Sometimes there will also be a case beside the fish where fresh fish balls are. Fish balls, if you haven’t had them, are the bomb. They have the best texture and are not very fishy. They’re kind of hard to explain, but trust me, you’ll love them. I call them fish balls, but they come in all kinds of flavors: shrimp, squid, cuttlefish, lobster – if it swims, it comes in fishball form. I particularly like the “golden” ones because they’re deep fried. Oh, and grab some meatballs too, they usually have these in the deli section – in our local store we have a selection of Vietnamese meatballs and I always grab some to throw in.Dumplings
Speaking of dumplings, grab some frozen dumplings to put in your hot pot. I like to get the ones that are already fully cooked since you can’t really see inside them. Those packages will feature a large “fully cooked” text on the front. Getting fully cooked dumplings ensures that you don’t accidentally pull out a dumpling and bite into a raw filling. Get the classic pork and vegetable combo and if you see it, go for pork and corn, it’s my fave.Noodles
Noodles are the carb of choice for hot pot, they go right into the soup and soak up all the flavors. Sometimes people have bowls of rice too, so if that’s what floats your hot pot boat, go for it! I love noodles, so they’re essential. I usually go for udon because they’re thick and chewy and delicious, but mung bean noodles are excellent at soaking up flavor too. Shirataki is also amazing if you’re going low carb or keto.How to prep ingredients for hot pot
If you have a bunch of ready to go items like sliced meats, seafoods, and various balls, just open up the packages and put everything out on plates. I like to put everything on separate plates, but if you don't have enough plates, it's best to keep the meats, vegetables, and frozen stuff separated. Depending on how much you bought, you won’t need to put everything out - but if you have a big table, it never hurts and is always impressive!- Meats: If you have whole cuts of meat, place them in the freezer for 20-30 minutes until slightly firm (this helps a LOT!) and thinly slice.
- Seafood: Cut into bite sized pieces for quick and even cooking.
- Vegetables: Wash and dry all the vegetables. For large leaf and root vegetables, cut them into small pieces.
- Tofu: Drain and cut into bite size pieces.
- Noodles: Remove from the package. For most noodles, it's best to soak in hot water for 30 seconds and drain first.
- Balls and dumplings: Remove from the packages. If you like you can slice the balls in half. Make sure you don’t put the dumplings out too early because they’ll melt.
Hot pot sauces
Here’s where the fun starts: the dipping. Everything that comes out of the hot pot is dipped in sauce. Well, maybe not the noodles, but you know, you can pour sauce on to those. Every family has their own version of hot pot dipping sauce ingredients and within that everyone has their own personal sauce recipe. Provide a bunch of sauces and let people mix and match. Growing up, I just dipped in a simple sweet soy sauce with green onion and cilantro mix, but now I prefer a mix of Chinese sesame paste, hoisin sauce, sweet soy sauce, and shacha (Chinese barbecue sauce).Shacha sauce
If there’s a sauce that I think is always offered with hot pot, aside from soy sauce, it’s shacha. Shacha is made from soybean oil, garlic, shallots, chilis, brill fish, and dried shrimp. It’s an umami bomb and so so delicious. Shacha is from Taiwan and the best brand is Bullhead and it comes in a little silver can (although it actually comes in a big can too and that’s what we have in our fridge) with a resealable top. Confusingly, it’s labeled as Chinese barbecue sauce. Give it a good mix before you scoop some out, the good stuff usually settles at the bottom. People typically mix it up with a bit of soy sauce, sesame oil, green onions, and cilantro. Some people also mix in a raw egg yolk for an extra bit of oomph. They sell it at the Asian grocery store and online.Sesame sauce
Sesame paste or sesame sauce is the other big gun at the sauce table. Essentially it’s Chinese sesame paste - which is similar to tahini but made with toasted sesame seeds and it’s nuttier, deeper, and more toasty tasting .You can have sesame sauce on it’s own diluted with a bit of water, soy sauce, and toasted sesame oil, sprinkled with cilantro and scallions, or you can mix it up with other sauces. It’s super thick, so give it a good stir (just like natural almond butter!) before using. They sell it at the Asian grocery store and online. Whangzhihe is probably the most common sesame paste sauce you’ll see.How to set the table for hot pot
Now that all the shopping and prep is done, it’s time to set the table.- Place the burner and the pot in the middle of the table.
- Arrange the ingredients around the table.
- Have a sauce station - usually it’s a little nicer to have the station away from the table since it frees up space. We put all the sauces on the counter and head there when we need refills. Have little dipping bowls to mix up sauce in, sometimes you might even want 2 sauce dishes per person!
- Place a bowl, plate, chopsticks, and napkin at each setting.
- Have a couple of plates with tongs and hot pot strainers (the little individual scoop-y thing you see in the photo), and a ladle. It’s nice if you have one hot pot strainer per person but if you’re good at sharing, you can get away with one between two people.
- Don’t forget the drinks! You can go with beer or if you want those authentic feels, try wine! Wine is crazy popular in China. If you’re doing non alcoholic, iced green or jasmine teas or suan mei tang aka cold sour plum tea are good choices.
How to hot pot
Once the table is set, the soup is bubbling in the middle, and you have your own custom sauce made, this is how you do it:- Decide on a couple of pieces of what you want to eat. Most people start with meat, but if you’re feeling dumplings, tofu, or vegetables, you do you!
- Use a pair of tongs to gently place your pieces of choice into the pot – go for 3-5 pieces per person.
- Once everything is in the pot, the bubbling will subside a bit. Let everything come back up to a simmer. If you’re cooking thinly sliced beef, you can just give it a gently swish in the bubbling soup until it is cooked to your liking then pull it out immediately.
- Use a scoop to scoop out the pieces you put in and place them in your bowl.
- Dip the pieces in your sauce, enjoy, and repeat as needed!
Hot pot FAQ
How do you get the food out of the hot pot?
Don’t dip your chopsticks in the pot! Use a hot pot strainer to scoop your food out. It’s easier, cleaner, and you’ll be able to find your food more quickly.When is it cooked?
This is probably what confuses most people about hot pot. Generally, letting everything come to a boil before you start scooping food out is a good rule, but here are some *hot pot cooking times:*- Meats - since they’re thinly sliced or cut, it shouldn’t take more than 30 seconds for beef and up to 1-2 minutes for pork, chicken, and lamb.
- Seafood - seafood cooks quickly in general, 1-2 minutes should do it.
- Vegetables - leafy greens can take a quick dip, things like potatoes will take until they’re tender, up to 15 minutes.
- Dumplings - cook these according to package directions.
- Balls - these usually come fully cooked, but give them up to 5 minutes at a boil to make sure they’re heated through.
- Noodles - cook these according to package directions.
- Tofu - this can go in as long as little as you like.
Do you add everything at once to hot pot?
It’s easier if you don’t add everything at once, just add in a few pieces at a time, the ones you want to eat. This keeps the soup bubbling and the food fresh so you don’t find a random piece of leathery beef that’s been in the pot for hours.Help! I don’t live near an Asian supermarket and still want to hot pot
You can make do with a regular grocery store! Use chicken broth with some ginger, garlic, soy, and toasted sesame oil. Pick out some meats, freeze them slightly, and thinly slice. Get some leafy greens and check out what they have in the frozen section. There will usually be some frozen dumplings at the very least. Grab a package of tofu and some noodles you can have a scaled-down version of hot pot. Order some dipping sauces online for maximum enjoyment.Go forth and Hot Pot
Alright my friends! You’re ready to go forth and hot pot. Cook, dip, and eat away. I hope you give this a chance. It’s so cozy and comforting and warm. Happy hot-potting! xoxo stephHot Pot at Home
For maximum authenticity, get as much variety as you can. Use the scale button to change for number of guests. See post for more ingredient suggestions.
- induction burner
- wide shallow pot
- 1 package hot pot soup mix (see notes for substitution)
- 1 lb meat (at least 2 kinds, thinly sliced ribeye and pork jowl preferred)
- 1 lb seafood (at least 2 kinds, shrimp and salmon preferred)
- 1.5 lb vegetables (oyster mushrooms, broccoli, and cherry tomatoes preferred)
- 1 lb tofu (1/2 firm and 1/2 tofu puffs preferred)
- 8 dumplings (such as gyoza or potstickers)
- 8 fish balls
- 8 meatballs (vietnamese preferred, ikea if needed)
- 1 lb noodles (frozen sanuki udon preferred)
Hot Pot Sauce
- 1/4 cup soy sauce (sweet soy sauce preferred)
- 2 tbsp green onions (thinly sliced)
- 1 tsp toasted sesame seeds
- 1 Thai bird’s eye chili (sliced, optional)
Mike's Hot Pot Sauce
- 2 tbsp ketchup
- 2 tbsp sugar
- 2 tbsp sriracha
- 2 tbsp shacha (optional)
Arrange all ingredients on separate platters, keeping the meats together, seafood together, and dumplings and meatballs together, so as not to cross contaminate. Or just arrange each ingredient on its own plate.
Combine your soup mix with enough water to fill the pot 1” from the top. Bring your soup to a boil at the table. See notes for soup mix alternatives.
Make the sauces: combine sauce ingredients and let sit for 1 minute in two separate bowls. Taste and adjust as needed. See post for sauce alternatives.
Set place settings, divvy up sauces, and pour drinks. Prepare and set aside a carafe or pitcher of water to refill the soup when it gets low. Enjoy!
If you can’t get your hands on a hot pot soup packet, combine 1 quart chicken stock, 1 tbsp soy sauce, 1 tbsp toasted sesame oil, 1 tbsp sliced ginger, and 1 tbsp chopped green onions, and enough water to fill up your pot.
You can also use instant dashi powder.
Estimated nutrition doesn’t include sauce or soup.
I Am... Pumpkin Basque Cheesecake
Pumpkin Basque cheesecake forever! I’ve been making this on repeat all season long. Creamy basque cheesecake is my all time favorite dessert. I love the soft ooze of a runny Basque cheesecake. If you haven’t had one before, you must! I implore you, it is the ultimate manifestation of cheesecake: creamy, sweet, and pure cheesecake flavor with none of the distracting graham cracker crust. Come fall, all my cheesecakes take on an autumnal feel thanks to pumpkin. Love it or hate it, pumpkin and pumpkin spice is here to stay and to me, nothing is more fall then the warm and cozy smells of pumpkin mixed together with cinnamon and sugar. If you love pumpkin pie and you love cheesecake, this is the pinnacle of fall desserts. It has the earthy sweetness of pumpkin without being too overwhelming and the tangy decadence of cheesecake.
What is Basque cheesecake?
Basque cheesecake was in San Sebastian in the 70s by a restaurant called La Vina. They did a bunch of experiments and the one cheesecake they kept coming back to was a crustless, burnished cake that was light yet dense and full of cream cheese flavor and a signature brown-black top. The classic San Sebastián basque cheesecake is delicious, but I prefer the Japanese take: slightly oozy and loose in the middle, lightly sweet, with a good amount of cheesiness and just the right amount of dense. Basque cheesecake is the best combination of taste and texture. The edges of the cheesecake are slightly firmer with a lingering tongue coating smoothness that gives way to a supple molten cream center that barely holds together. The contrast is what gets me every time – a soft and cake tender shell surrounding a velvety smoothness that barely holds its shape, like the most decadent slice of triple cream brie. This particular recipe is a riff off my favorite basque cheesecake recipe with roasted, puréed kabocha folded in.How to make pumpkin Basque cheesecake
- Cream. Cream together the cream cheese and sugar. It’s best if your cream cheese is ultra soft. I like to leave it out at room temp for as long as possible before creaming so it blends up completely lump free. If you have a stand mixer, use the paddle attachment and remember to scrape down the sides.
- Mix. Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing in completely without adding too much air. If you’re using a stand mixer, add the eggs and beat with the paddle on low.
- Stir. Stir in the pumpkin/kabocha and spices, then slowly pour in the cream and mix until just combined.
- Bake. Pour the batter into a parchment paper lined pan and bake in a super hot oven so the top gets nice and burnt while the inside stays creamy.
Pumpkin Basque cheesecake ingredients
- Cream cheese. My favorite cream cheese is Philly cream cheese, of course. Make sure you temper it at room temp so it it silky smooth and creamy without any lumps
- Sugar. Not too much sugar, just enough so it’s lightly sweet and delicious. I’ve only ever used granulated sugar, but I think brown sugar would add a hint of depth and caramel flavor.
- Eggs. You’ll need 4 large eggs to stabilize and hold the cake together. Make sure you get some nice, high quality eggs.
- Heavy Cream. Heavy cream is what makes this cake SO smooth and rich. You might also know heavy cream as whipping cream. Either will work as long as it has over 36% milk fat.
- Pumpkin. You can use canned puréed pumpkin (I love Libby’s!) but since this is a super simple recipe, I decided to cube and roast kabocha (aka Japanese pumpkin) for an extra bit of a special touch.
- Spices. A simple mix of cinnamon, ground ginger, cloves, and nutmeg adds just the right amount of warm spice.
What is kabocha?
Kabocha is a winter squash that is often referred to as a Japanese pumpkin. They have a deep green, thick skin, and bright orange flesh. Just like pumpkins, they are found in both sweet and savory dishes. They have a distinctively sweeter flavor profile compared to pumpkin and cook up more dry and fluffy making them more intensely flavored. Roasted kabocha is smooth and fluffy, sweet and nutty. They taste like a mix of pumpkin and butternut/honeynut squash and sweet potatoes. They’re amazing!How to cook kabocha for pie
- Prep the kabocha: wash and dry the outside then place on a heavy cutting board and use a large knife to cut in half. Kabocha are notoriously hard, so be careful. Scoop out the seeds then cut into wedges/chunks.
- Wrap the wedges/chunks in foil and place on a baking sheet and roast in a 400°F oven until tender and cooked through, about 30-40 minutes. You should be able to easily pierce the flesh with a fork.
- Remove, let cool, and scoop the flesh from the skin.
- Blend or purée until smooth. If desired, push through a metal sieve then use as directed in your recipe.
Do I need a springform pan for cheesecake?
The best pan is one that has tall sides so your cheesecake can burnish and brown on the top with just the slightest bit of jiggle in the middle. I like to use 6 inch rounds that are at least 3 inches in height. I’ve also baked Basque cheesecake in loaf pans and they come out really nice when you slice it up. The best part about Basque cheesecake is that you don’t need to use a springform pan and you don’t need a finicky water bath. Take advantage of that and use any pan you have. The deeper and smaller the pan, the more likely you will have a jiggly ooze-y cheesecake. The larger and more shallow your pan, the more likely you’ll have a firm cheesecake.How to line a pan for cheesecake
Measure out a piece of parchment paper larger than the cake pan, scrunch it up into a ball, then flatten it out. That will make it easier to line and push the parchment into the edges of the pan. Place the scrunched up and unfolded parchment paper into the pan, shaping, pushing, and pressing the paper into the edges and up the sides. If you’re worried, you can double line the pan.How long to bake Basque cheesecake
This depends on how creamy and jiggly you want the middle of your cheesecake to be. For a runny, creamy, just set center bake for 20 minutes. For just a bit creamy, go for 25 minutes, and for set, 30 minutes. Burnt top: To the the burnished top while still have a runny center, turn on the broiler and keep a close eye on it while it browns. It only takes a couple of seconds.Do I need to chill cheesecake?
You don’t have to chill it until it’s fridge-cold, but it’s best to let it cool completely. The cheesecake will continue to set and bake after you take it out of the oven, so leave it in the pan and let it cool completely before removing and serving. If you like a cold cheesecake you can pop it into the fridge and serve it once it’s completely cold. For a still runny center, after it’s completely cool, remove from the pan and slice without placing in the fridge. Happy pumpkin cheesecake making! xoxo steph PS - if you’re a pumpkin lover, please check out these other pumpkin recipes:Pumpkin Basque Cheesecake
Creamy, sweet, and pure cheesecake with a touch of seasonal pumpkin.
- 16 oz cream cheese (room temp (two 8oz bricks))
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 4 large eggs
- 1 cup canned pure pumpkin puree (or puréed kabocha)
- 2 tsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp ground ginger
- 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1/4 tsp ground cloves
- 3/4 cup heavy cream
Heat the oven to 430°F. (If you have convection mode, set the oven to convection.)
Line a 6 inch round 3 inch tall cake pan with parchment paper with an overhang of 2 inches. I like to double line it just to make sure it pops out of the pan easily.
In a stand mixer, or by hand, beat the cream cheese with the sugar until smooth, making sure the sugar is completely incorporated, and the mixture is light, fluffy, and lump free. Be sure to scrape the bowl down.
Add the eggs, one at a time, making sure the batter is smooth and incorporated before adding another egg. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, as needed.
Gently mix in the pumpkin and spices.
Slowly pour in the cream, mixing until just combined.
Pour the batter into the prepared tin and bake for 25-30 minutes. The top should be a dark amber and the middle should still wobble and jiggle. If you want the top to be more caramelized, leave it a bit longer, but know that the center will not be as gooey.
Remove from the oven and let cool in the pan on a wire rack at room temp until completely cool.
Remove the cake from the tin and slice at room temperature for a gooey, lava-like cheesecake. If desired, place in the fridge to cool which will result in a soft and creamy cheesecake without the ooze. Enjoy!
I Am... Garlic Lobster Pasta
I made this garlicky lobster pasta for Mike and it was amazing, if I do say so myself. The other day, Mike randomly came home with two cooked lobsters. “Surprise!” he said. We love lobster but hardly ever buy it or eat it at home. I have made lobster before (lobster risotto, creamy lobster pasta, and a steak and lobster sandwich) but it’s just not one of the things that comes to mind when we’re thinking of dinner. I don’t know why because it’s actually easy to cook and is super impressive and delicious. This lobster pasta is essentially an aglio e olio with a secret ingredient. It's loaded with pieces of lobster and finished with crunchy bread crumbs. The lobster is tossed in at the last minute, just to heat it through and get all those garlicky umami flavors on it without overwhelming the sweet flavor of the lobster meat. It comes together super quickly, like most pasta dishes. Grab some cooked lobster tails, and you have a quick, easy, impressive date night dish.
How to make garlic lobster pasta
- Prep the ingredients: toast the breadcrumbs, chop the parsley, shell and chop the lobster into bite size pieces.
- Cook your pasta in salted boiling water, timing it so it cooks one minute less than what the box considers al dente.
- While the pasta is cooking, warm extra virgin olive oil in a skillet over medium heat.
- Add sliced garlic and let it infuse the oil, softening but not browning.
- After the garlic is super aromatic and soft, stir in the crushed red pepper, parsley and oyster sauce, making sure everything is mixed together.
- Use a 1/3 measuring cup and scoop some of the starchy pasta water and add it to the pan with the garlic. Bring it up to a simmer, stirring and emulsifying the sauce.
- When the pasta is ready, use a pair of tongs to transfer it over to the pan with the sauce.
- Add in the lobster and toss everything until it is glossy with sauce, adding extra pasta water if needed.
- Finish with the breadcrumbs and extra parsley and enjoy immediately!
How to plate lobster pasta
Everyone always says you eat with your eyes first and it is true, especially with this pasta. You put in the effort to make it, so make it extra pretty on the plate! Grab two shallow, large-ish bowls (these are commonly called pasta bowls). For extra bonus points, warm them in the oven. When the pasta is ready, use a pair of tongs to divide the pasta, along with chunks for lobster, evenly into the two bowls. Make sure to scoop up any extra bits of sauce or slices of garlic and add them to the tops of the noodles. Reserve some of the pieces of lobster for the top. Finish with fresh parsley and breadcrumbs then enjoy immediately!Ingredients
- Extra virgin olive oil - use the good stuff because you deserve it. First cold press is best and as a rule of thumb, go for a dark or opaque bottle because olive oil doesn’t like being in the light.
- Breadcrumbs - toasted breadcrumbs add crunch and texture. I like grabbing the ends of sourdough and blitzing them in a food processor and cooking the coarse crumbs in olive oil until they’re almost deep fried and completely caramelized and golden.
- Flat leaf parsley - an underrated ingredient! I feel like a lot of people think flat leaf parsley is there just for garnish. But it adds a huge hit of freshness and when you cook it in oil it deepens the flavor. I love this sauce because it has parsley cooked in olive oil and it finishes the pasta for a hit of freshness.
- Spaghetti or other long pasta - I like the simplicity of spaghetti with this dish but of course there is a huge variety of long pastas out there. If you’re going to make your own, this is the perfect recipe to pair with fresh pasta https://blitzdealz.info/how-to-make-fresh-pasta-the-easy-way-our-almost-no-knead-pasta-recipe/. If you’re buying it, go for a bronze extruded pasta with a rough surface that will help the sauce catch and cling.
- Crushed red pepper flakes - a little (or big, depending on your spice tolerance) of crushed red peppers that will bloom in the oil and impart a bit of warmth and spice.
- Oyster sauce - this is the secret ingredient that adds a huge amount of umami and seafood flavor to the sauce. It’s sweet and thick and full of complexity. More on oyster sauce below.
- Lobster - you can go with whole cooked lobster or cooked lobster tails or even cook your own whole lobster or tails if you’re comfortable with that!
Oyster Sauce
Oyster sauce can be found in the Asian aisle of any grocery store or online. If you see the Lee Kum Kee bottle with the two people in boats, go for that one. It’s the premium oyster sauce which lists oysters as its first ingredient. It doesn’t taste super seafood-y but it definitely adds an extra oomph to this sauce that you won’t be able to put your finger on.Where can you buy lobster?
Mike got these PEI lobsters from a local vendor who cooked them after he picked them out of the case. Most places that sell live seafood can and will cook your lobster for you - if you’re ever on the East coast, all the grocery stores do it for a small fee. If you’re somewhere like Whole Foods they often sell already cooked lobster tails just waiting in the case for you to purchase. If they have fresh lobster tails, it’s just a quick poach in simmering water for 6-8 minutes. The tails will turn bright red and curl up when they’re cooked.How to easily remove lobster meat
The easiest way to remove lobster tail meat is to think of it like a large shrimp or prawn. Use a pair of scissors to cut through the the bottom then pull the shell off and release the tail meat. If you happened to get a whole lobster, you can remove the meat from the claws and the knuckles as well. Youtube is your friend - there are so many videos on how to break down a whole lobster. Pro tip: don’t throw away the shells. Keep them and make a lobster stock and use it as the base stock for any soup you want to add a deep seafood flavor too. Just cover the shells with water and simmer, covered, on low for 2 hours or place in a crock pot, cover with water and a lid and turn the pot onto high.What to serve with lobster pasta
- start with a charcuterie board for 2
- serve kale salad alongside
- and finish with a creamy, gooey Basque cheesecake for the ultimate date night!
Garlic Lobster Pasta
The best aglio e olio base lobster pasta loaded with pieces of lobster and finished with crunchy bread crumbs and a secret ingredient.
- 4 tbsp olive oil (divided)
- 1/4 cup bread crumbs (coarse, see note)
- 2 tbsp fresh flat leaf parsley (chopped)
- 6 ounces spaghetti
- 1 head garlic (sliced)
- 1 tsp red pepper flakes
- 1.5 tbsp oyster sauce
- 1 lobster (cooked, shelled and roughly chopped, about 1-1.5lbs)
Add 1 tbsp olive oil to a pan and toast the breadcrumbs until golden and crunchy. Remove from the heat and stir in a pinch of parsley. Set aside.
In a pot of salted water, cook the spaghetti one minute shy of al dente.
While the pasta is cooking, heat up the remaining oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant and slightly soft, but not brown, 20 seconds to 1 minute. Stir in the red pepper flakes, flat leaf parsley, and oyster sauce. Add 1/3 cup pasta water to the pan and bring to a simmer to emulsify into a sauce, stirring occasionally.
When the pasta is ready, use a pair of tongs to move the cooked pasta over to the pan with the sauce. Leave the heat on medium, add the lobster and toss to combine, until the sauce is glossy and clings to the noodles. Add extra pasta water if the pasta gets too dry.
Finish with toasted bread crumbs and enjoy!
Note: I like to blitz up old sourdough bread in the food processor for fresh, coarse crumbs.
