• Prep the broccoli by washing and cutting the broccoli heads into little florets. Discard the tough part and use only the tops of the broccoli heads.
• Cook the bacon. Toast the almonds. Slice the onion.
• Add all the salad ingredients in a large bowl and toss.

  10 cups broccoli , 2 cups matchstick carrots, 1/2 cup red onion, 1/2 cup low-sugar Craisins, 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese, 6 slices bacon, 1/2 cup slivered almonds
• Make the dressing by combining all ingredients in a mason jar – the olive oil, apple cider vinegar, honey, dijon mustard, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper. Shake well.

  3/4 cup olive oil, 6 Tablespoons apple cider vinegar, 2 Tablespoons honey, 1 ½ Tablespoons dijon mustard, 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes, kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• Pour the honey dijon dressing over the broccoli salad an hour or two before serving. Or add to individual salads (if wanting the salad to last all week long).

• Activate the yeast. In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine yeast, sugar, and warm milk. Be careful to use WARM milk (about 105-110 degrees F). After about 15 minutes, the yeast should be bubbly and you can proceed.

  1 Tablespoon active dry yeast, 1/4 cup granulated sugar (50 grams), 1 ¼ cup warm 2% milk (225 grams)
• Add butter and egg. Then add the melted butter and the whisked egg, and mix with a spatula to combine.

  1/4 cup unsalted butter, 1 large egg
• Add salt and flour. Then attach the dough hook to the mixer and add the kosher salt and three cups of all-purpose flour. Start the mixer on low speed, and occasionally scrape the sides of the bowl with a spatula. Continue adding flour until you get your desired consistency. 

  3 ½ cups all-purpose flour (420 grams), 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• Let rise. Use your hands to pull dough from the mixer and transfer to a large bowl prepped with oil. Form dough into a ball with smooth side up. Do this by punching down in the center of the dough and pulling the edges inward. Cover with a clean dish towel and place in a warm corner of your kitchen to rise, about one hour. This is the first rise.
• Add fillings to the dough. Pat the dough into a large rectangle (should measure at about 20×14 inches. Spread the softened butter on the dough. Then sprinkle evenly with brown sugar and cinnamon.

  1/4 cup unsalted butter, 1/2 cup brown sugar (110 grams), 2 Tablespoons ground cinnamon
• Slice dough. Use a pizza cutter to slice the dough into two-inch slices.
• Roll the dough. Use your hands to roll the dough up, starting with one slice and then continuing with others. After a few rounds of this, place in the middle of a prepared 10-inch cast iron skillet. Then continue wrapping slices of the dough around the middle, starting one where you previously left off. until all pieces are used.
• Let rise. Let the dough rise again for about 40-45 minutes, or until it rises substantially (doesn’t need to double in size). This is the second rise.
• Bake. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Place pan in the oven and bake for 30 minutes, or until golden brown and cooked to your liking (we like ours a little gooey). If the roll browns too quickly, you can tent it foil during the last 10 minutes or so.
• Cool. Let roll sit for ten minutes and then carefully remove to a board or tray.
• Make icing. Melt butter in medium bowl. Add the vanilla extract, the half and half, and the powdered sugar and mix ingredients well. Adjust icing as needed.

  1 ½ Tablespoons unsalted butter, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 3 Tablespoons half and half, 1 ¾ cups powdered sugar (210 grams)
• Add icing. Spread the icing on the slightly warm cinnamon roll, allowing it to seep into all the cracks and crevices of the roll.
• Serve. Use a sharp knife to slice the large cinnamon roll into wedges.

• Cook the bacon. Cook some bacon according to your favorite method. I like to bake mine in the oven.

  6 strips bacon
• Cook the sausage. In a skillet, brown the sausage until full cooked. Spoon into a colander to strain.

  1 pound sausage
• Sauté the veggies. Using the same skillet, add the chopped onion, peppers, sliced mushrooms along with a little olive oil. Sauté until slightly softened and then add the spinach and garlic. Cook for another minutes or so.

  1 Tablespoon olive oil, 1/2 large onion, 1 medium red bell pepper, 1 medium jalapeno, 1 cup sliced mushrooms, 1 1/2 cups spinach leaves, 2 cloves garlic, salt and pepper
• Make the egg mixture. To a mixing bowl, add the eggs, milk, ground mustard, salt, and pepper. Whip until very well mixed.

  12 large eggs, 1 cup 2% milk, 1 teaspoon dry mustard powder, kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• Prep bread. Butter one side of the bread. You can remove crusts if desired.

  7 slices old bread, 2-3 Tablespoons butter
• Assemble. Place the bread in the casserole dish, butter side down. Add the sausage and bacon, then the sautéed veggies, the egg mixture, and top with shredded cheese.

  1-2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
• Refrigerate. Cover casserole with Saran Wrap and place in the refrigerator overnight. You can also make this immediately if not prepping ahead.
• Bake. Bake uncovered in a preheated 375-degree oven for approximately 40-45 minutes, or until eggs are set in the center. Add aluminum foil at the end of baking if casserole is getting too dark on top.

• Mix the flour and butter. In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the all-purpose flour, three cups of bread flour, kosher salt, and the softened butter. Attach the dough hook and start the mixer on low speed. Let it run for a minute or two.

  2/3 cup all-purpose flour (80 grams), 3 cups bread flour (390 grams) 2 teaspoons kosher salt, 6 Tablespoons unsalted butter
• Activate yeast. In a large measuring cup, combine the yeast, sugar, and warm milk (heated to 105-110 degrees F). Use a spatula to stir it around. Let the yeast mixture sit for about 15 minutes or until it gets foamy and bubbly on top.

  Add the egg and mix well.

  4 teaspoons active dry yeast (12 grams), 1/4 cup granulated sugar (50 grams), 1 ¾ cup 2% milk (394 grams), 1 large egg
• Finish the dough. Pour the yeast mixture into the stand mixer and start the mixer on low speed. Let it run until the flour absorbs, using a silicone spatula to occasionally scrape down the sides of the bowl.

  Add the remaining bread flour or as much is needed to achieve your desired consistency and let the mixer run on medium speed for a couple of extra minutes. Test the dough with your finger to make sure it’s slightly sticky but firm.

  1 cup bread flour (130 grams)
• Transfer dough. Transfer the soft dough to a medium greased bowl. Form it into a smooth ball by punching it down in the center and pulling the sides inward. Place the dough smooth side up in the bowl.
• Let dough rest. (FIRST RISE) Place a clean towel (or plastic wrap) on the top of the bowl and set it in a warm place in your kitchen. Let the dough double in size – approximately 45 minutes to one hour.
• Form rolls. Spread a bit of oil on a baking mat or cutting board and use it to divide the dough into 24 equal portions. Use your hands to form each portion into a small ball and add to a greased sheet pan (I use a USA half sheet pan measuring 17. 25 x 12. 25 x 1. Press down slightly, cover with towel, and set pan in a warm corner of your kitchen to rise, about 45 minutes to an hour. (SECOND RISE)

  NOTE: I normally use a digital scale to get equal-sized rolls. For this batch, each one was approximately 48 grams but that could change slightly.
• Make cream cheese filling. Add cream cheese ingredients – the softened cream cheese, egg yolk, vanilla extract, and powdered sugar – to a mixing bowl. Use a hand mixer to beat until ingredients are well combined. Place in the refrigerator until ready to use.

  10 oz. cream cheese, 1 large egg yolk, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract, 1/4 cup powdered sugar
• Add filling to rolls. Use the handle of a wooden spoon to press down the center of each roll, forming a large well. Then carefully add a spoonful of preserves topped with a spoonful of cream cheese filling to each well. Brush egg wash on rolls (optional) and let rest while preheating oven to 350 degrees.

  1 cup preserves, egg wash
• Bake rolls. Bake rolls in preheated 350-degree oven for 17-20 minutes, or until golden. brown on top. Set pan on counter to cool.
• Make icing. Combine melted butter, powdered sugar, vanilla, and 2-3 tablespoons of milk. Use a spoon to stir and then additional milk as needed to get a consistency that works for drizzling.

  1 Tablespoon unsalted butter, 1 ¼ cup powdered sugar, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract, 3 Tablespoons milk
• Add icing. Drizzle icing over top the kolaches. I normally add icing to a small bag, snip off the end, and drizzle in a thin stream. Serve and enjoy!

For the dough:

• Activate the yeast. In a large standing mixer, combine yeast, sugar, and warm milk. Be careful to use WARM milk (105 -110 degrees F), not hot. Mix and let sit for about 15 minutes to get the yeast working. You should see little bubbles in the yeast mixture.

  4 teaspoons active dry yeast (12 grams), 1/3 cup granulated sugar (66 grams), 2 cups whole milk (480 grams)
• Add remaining ingredients. Add the oil and stir with a spatula. Attach the dough hook to the mixer and add the salt and half of the flour. Start the mixer and let the flour absorb. 

  Gradually add more flour, a little bit at a time until the dough is less sticky and pulls away from the side of the bowl. You want the bread dough to be slightly sticky, but not too much. When you touch the dough, it should bounce back slightly. Be sure to leave the mixer on for several minutes after you get the right consistency.

  1/3 cup canola oil (72 grams), 2 teaspoons kosher salt (8-10 grams), 5 – 5¼ cups all-purpose flour (about 620 grams)
• Add dough to a bowl. Grease a large bowl with canola oil. Add dough to the greased bowl, making sure you smooth it into a ball, by punching it down – starting in the center of the dough. Place the dough ball with the smooth side up and cover it with a clean kitchen towel (or some plastic wrap). Place the bowl in a warm place in your kitchen and let the dough double in size. This is the first rise.
• Make goo. In a small saucepan, combine the brown sugar, butter, and syrup. Bring to a boil and remove from heat. Pour a thin layer of goo into the bottom of two greased pans. Add pecans if you wish.

  NOTE: I used two 8×8 pans but round pans would work great too.

  1 cup brown sugar (220 grams), 1/3 cup unsalted butter (76 grams), 3 Tablespoons white corn syrup (60 grams), chopped pecans
• Add filling. Transfer dough to a floured work surface and use a sharp knife to split the soft dough into two sections. Press one section into a rectangle and use your hands to spread three tablespoons of softened butter on the top of the dough. Then sprinkle 1/3 cup of brown sugar and one tablespoon of cinnamon all over the dough.

  6 Tablespoons unsalted butter (84 grams), 2/3 cup brown sugar (145 grams), 2 Tablespoons cinnamon (16 grams)
• Cut dough. Gently roll dough up into a long log, starting on the long end. Using a serrated edge knife, cut the dough log into about 1.5 – inch slices. Place sections into pans with goo, and press down slightly, so that the cinnamon sugar is visible on top.
• Let dough rise again. Cover the pans with a clean dishtowel, and let rise again until the dough is almost doubled. (This is the second rise.) This dough rises fast in Texas but it may take longer where you live.
• Bake. Bake rolls in a preheated 350-degree oven for about 25 minutes, or until the rolls are a beautiful golden brown on top.
• Let caramel goo set up. Place pans on the counter and set the timer for 5 minutes. This allows the goo to set up. If you remove rolls too early, the caramel goo will ooze off onto your counter.

  After 5 minutes (NO MORE or the goo will stick), flip the pans over onto cooling racks. Remove rolls and let cool.

• Prep. Arrange oven rack to lower third of the oven. Preheat to 325 degrees F.
• Prep veggies. Chop onion and carrot in large chunks. Mince garlic.
• Cook bacon. Chop bacon in large pieces. Heat a Dutch oven over medium-high heat and when hot, add the bacon. Cook until crispy and brown, stirring frequently. Use a slotted spoon to remove bacon from pot and transfer to a clean plate lined with paper towel. (Leave the grease in the pot.)

  8 oz. thick-cut bacon
• Prep beef. Meanwhile, trim excess fat from the beef roast and cut into 2-inch cubes. Pat dry with paper towel and then add salt and pepper on all sides of the beef.
• Brown beef. Use the same stockpot to sear about half the beef at a time in the bacon grease, using a tongs to flip to all sides. You are not cooking the beef completely, just browning the outsides. Transfer beef to a clean plate and repeat with remaining beef.

  3 pounds chuck roast, kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• Sear veggies. Reduce heat to medium low heat and add the onions and carrots to the pot, stirring frequently for a few minutes. (If pot is dry, you should add a drizzle of olive oil.) Add garlic and stir for about 30 seconds. Then add the tomato paste and stir to coat veggies, cooking for about 2-3 minutes.

  1 large onion, 4 large carrots, 5 cloves garlic, 1 Tablespoon tomato paste
• Add flour. Then add the flour and stir for about two more minutes, cooking until flour is fully absorbed – stirring constantly.

  1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• Add red wine and remaining ingredients. Pour the wine into the pot and scrape up the brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Then add the seared beef, crispy bacon, fresh thyme, and bay leaves to the pot. Add additional salt and pepper to taste. Add enough beef broth to cover the meat.

  750 ml red wine , 3-4 sprigs fresh thyme, 3 bay leaves, 1-2 cups lower-sodium beef broth
• Transfer pot to the oven. Place a lid on the Dutch oven and transfer pot to the preheated oven. Cook for approximately three hours or until beef is fall-apart tender. If beef isn’t super tender, place pot back in the oven and continue to cook.
• NOTE: If you are making this beef bourguignon recipe a day or two in advance, stop here. Let cool, place lid back on pot, and then store in the refrigerator overnight. Continue the next day by heating back up on stovetop over medium heat. When hot, continue with cooking mushrooms.

  **We like it best when made in advance as the flavors get better and better.
• Cook mushrooms. During the last 15 minutes of cooking, heat a large cast iron skillet over medium-high heat and add butter. When hot, add the mushrooms and cook until browned, about 10 minutes. Then add kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper and stir well. Cook until liquid is fully absorbed.

  24 oz. Bella or cremini mushrooms, 2 Tablespoons unsalted butter
• Add mushrooms to the pot. Add the cooked mushrooms to the pot and stir to combine. Discard thyme stems and bay leaves and let the bourguignon rest for 15 minutes before serving.
• Serve. Serve beef bourguignon over creamy mashed potatoes, Cauliflower Potato Mash (our personal favorite), and/or sides of your choice.

• Prep veggies. Trim off the cauliflower leaves, cut away the stem, and break the head into florets. Peel potatoes and chop. Peel garlic. Then add cauliflower, potatoes, and garlic to a medium pot.
• Boil veggies. Cover veggies with water and bring them to a boil over medium-high heat. Add plenty of salt for flavoring and simmer until potatoes are fork tender. Strain veggies and place in a separate bowl.

  1 pound cauliflower (1 medium cauliflower), 1 pound yellow potatoes (3 medium potatoes), 2 cloves garlic
• Mash potatoes and cauliflower. Add butter and half and half to cooked vegetables and use a hand mixer (or stand mixer is fine too) to puree until smooth. Add additional salt and pepper, test, and adjust as needed.

  2 Tablespoons unsalted butter, 1/4 cup half and half, kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• Add to serving bowl. Use a spatula to scoop mashed cauliflower and potatoes to a serving bowl. Serve with your favorite main dish and sides.

• Prep. Prep a 9×13 casserole dish with baking spray. Preheat oven to 350 degrees (if baking immediately).
• Cube bread. Slice some crusty bread into bite-sized cubes. We like to use our leftover Chewy French Bread. Add to casserole dish.

  14 cups cubed bread
• Make custard. In an 8-cup measuring cup, combine the custard ingredients – the eggs, milk, brown sugar, vanilla, and cinnamon.

  10 large eggs, 3 cups 1% milk, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract, 3/4 cup brown sugar, 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• Add custard to bread. Pour the custard evenly over the bread and nestle as much bread underneath. Some of the bread won't be completely covered and that is ok.
• Prep topping. In a small bowl, mix together the flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Add the cold butter and use your fingers to combine until mixture is crumbled. Sprinkle topping over the top of the bread layer. Then sprinkle the chocolate chips evenly over top the crumble.

  NOTE: If making this recipe the night before, wait to add the topping until right before baking.

  3/4 cup all-purpose flour, 3/4 cup brown sugar, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, 6 Tablespoons unsalted butter, 1 ½ cups dark chocolate chips
• Bake. In a preheated 350-degree oven, bake casserole uncovered for 38-40 minutes, or until done to your liking.
• Serve. Serve French Toast Bake with a dusting of powdered sugar, a drizzle of butter, and some warm syrup. This casserole looks stunning (and tastes great) with powdered sugar on top!

  powdered sugar dusting, butter and warm syrup

• Make garlic butter. Slice the top off the heads of garlic to expose the cloves. Drizzle with olive oil, and wrap in aluminum foil. Roast in a preheated 400-degree oven until the cloves are soft and caramelized — usually around 40-45 minutes, but start checking at 30. Let cool slightly, then squeeze out the softened cloves.

  Place softened butter on a cutting board. Use a fork to mash the roasted garlic cloves into the butter and then set aside.

  2 heads garlic 6 Tablespoons unsalted butter
• Activate yeast. In large standing mixer, combine the yeast and sugar. Add warm milk (warmed to 105-110 degrees F) and stir with a spatula. Let the yeast mixture sit for 10-15 minutes to get the yeast working. Add egg and stir again.

  1 Tablespoon active dry yeast, 2 Tablespoons granulated sugar, 1 cup whole milk, 1 large egg
• Add “some” flour and salt. Attach a dough hook to the mixer. Then add two cups of flour, the salt, and start mixer to incorporate into the liquid.

  3 ½ cups bread flour (about 455 grams), 1 ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• Add garlic butter. Then add four tablespoons of the garlic butter and let absorb into the mixture. Save the remaining garlic butter for later.
• Continue adding flour. Add more flour until you get just the right consistency (about 1.5 additional cups). The dough will pull away from the sides of the mixer when it is close to being ready. You want the dough to be soft but not too sticky.

  Once you have enough flour added, let the mixer run for another five minutes. The dough may settle around the edges a bit again, but use the “sticky test” to make sure it’s ready.
• Add dough to a bowl. Grease a large bowl with oil and transfer dough to the bowl. Punch the dough down into a nice smooth ball. Place smooth side up in the bowl and cover with a clean kitchen towel. Place in a warm corner of your kitchen.
• Let dough rise. Let the dough rise until doubled in size. This could take anywhere from 45 minutes up to more than an hour (depending on many factors including climate, season, and temperature of your home). Since this is enriched dough, it may take longer to rise than a normal dough – like our Chewy French Bread.
• Shape rolls. Use a knife to divide dough into 15 equal-sized pieces. Shape each into a round disk-like shape, using your hands to bring the outsides into the middle.
• Place dough in pans. Add baking spray to a 9×13 cake pans. Place rolls into the pan, smooth side up. Then press the rolls down gently with your hands.
• Let rise again. Cover rolls with the clean towel and let rise again, about 30-45 minutes, or until doubled in size. Be careful to avoid letting the dough rise too much or air pockets will form on the top.
• Bake rolls. Bake rolls in a 350-degree oven for approximately 22-23 minutes. You will know they are done when they are golden brown on top and lightly brown on the bottom.

  Remove pan from oven and brush the tops of the rolls with garlic butter. Add a sprinkle of kosher salt and some chopped herbs (like cilantro or parsley) on top.

  extra salt and herbs
• Cool rolls. Transfer rolls to a wire rack to cool completely.
• Serve rolls as a side to a holiday meal, as the base of a sandwich, or just eat bread with butter (like I love to do). Butter is always recommended on this website, LOL.

• Prep. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Grease a 9×13 casserole dish with baking spray or butter.
• Slice potatoes. Use a mandoline or a sharp knife to thinly slice the potatoes about 1/8 inch thick. No need to peel the potatoes!

  2 ¾ pounds Yukon gold potatoes
• Make sauce. Heat a stockpot to medium heat. Add olive oil and butter – and when hot and melted, add the diced onion. Sautẽ until softened, about 3-4 minutes. Then add garlic and stir for about 30 seconds.

  2 Tablespoons olive oil, 2 Tablespoons unsalted butter, 1 ½ cups white onion, 6 cloves garlic
• Add flour. Then add the flour and cook for about two minutes, stirring constantly to absorb the flour into the veggies.

  1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• Add liquids and seasonings. Add the chicken broth, whole milk, fresh thyme, onion powder, salt, and pepper. Stir well and then turn heat up slightly to bring to a rolling simmer. Cook until thickened, about 4-5 minutes.

  3/4 cup lower-sodium chicken broth, 1 ½ cups whole milk, 1-2 Tablespoons fresh thyme, 1 teaspoon onion powder, kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• Assemble casserole. Add half of the sliced potatoes to the prepared casserole dish. Then add half of the cream sauce and half of the shredded cheese. Repeat with remaining ingredients – half of the potatoes, cream sauce, and shredded cheese.

  3 cups gruyere cheese, 1 cup parmesan cheese
• Bake scalloped potatoes. Cover the casserole dish with aluminum foil and bake for approximately 40 minutes. Uncover the dish and continue cooking for another 25 minutes, or until potatoes are tender and cheese is golden brown.
• Serve. Let casserole rest for about 10-15 minutes and then serve with your favorite main dish.

• Make pudding. In a medium bowl, use a hand mixer to combine the instant pudding mix with milk until smooth and creamy. Gently fold in whipped topping. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

  3.4 oz. instant vanilla pudding, 1 cup whole milk, 8 oz. Cool Whip
• Prep the mix-ins. Chop the apple into bite-sized pieces and toss with lemon juice. Halve the grapes. Then chop Snicker bars into bite-sized pieces.

  1 medium Honey Crisp apple, 2 cups grapes, 11 oz. Snickers candy bars (6 full-size bars)
• Assemble salad. Add the apples, grapes, and Snicker bars to the pudding and stir to combine.
• Serve salad. Serve salad with your favorite main dish and other sides.

• Prep. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Add paper liners to a 12-cup muffin tin. (You’ll need to make one or two more.)
• Combine wet ingredients. In a mixing bowl, combine the wet ingredients – eggs, Greek yogurt, milk, vanilla extract, and melted and slightly cooled butter. Mix until well combined.

  2 large eggs, 3/4 cup plain Greek yogurt, 1/4 cup 2% milk, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract, 1/2 cup unsalted butter
• Add dry ingredients. Then add the dry ingredients to the bowl – the brown sugar, flour, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, and kosher salt. Use a spoon to gently stir until just combined. Let the batter rest for 15 minutes.

  1 cup light brown sugar (220 grams), 2 cups all-purpose flour (240 grams), 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• Add batter to liners. Use a cookie scoop to add the batter to the paper liners, filling to about 3/4 full.
• Make streusel topping. In a small bowl, combine the brown sugar, flour, cinnamon, salt, and cubed butter. Use your hands to press the butter into the dry ingredients.

  1/2 cup all-purpose flour (60 grams), 1/2 cup light brown sugar (55 grams), 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1/4 cup cold unsalted butter
• Add streusel topping to muffins. Add the streusel topping to the top of the muffin batter, piling it up high. (It might be a little messy but that’s ok.)
• Bake coffee cake muffins. Bake the muffins in the preheated oven until done, approximately 18 minutes or so. Test doneness by inserting a toothpick into the center of the muffin.
• Cool. Let the muffins sit in the pan for 5-10 minutes and then gently transfer them to a cooling rack to cool.