The perfect fall side dish? Try this roasted acorn squash with brown butter maple drizzle! Bake acorn squash in a hot oven until it’s moist and tender, then while it’s roasting make brown butter on the stovetop. Swirl in a little maple syrup and garnish with chopped pecans, and it’s absolutely irresistible! Everyone will want a piece of this easy side. (We took one bite and said, wow!)

Selecting squash for roasted acorn squash

The most important part of roasted acorn squash is selecting a good squash! If it’s not ripe or overripe, the flesh can be stringy and bland. (We’ve had this issue before, so we can’t overstate the importance enough!) To select a good acorn squash, here are a few tips:

• Look for a squash that is mostly dark green with some patches of orange. An all-orange acorn squash might be overripe and can have stringy flesh and bland flavor.
• Gently check the skin: it should feel smooth with no wrinkles, shriveled spots, soft spots, or bruises. Wrinkles mean it’s drying out, and bruises or soft spots are red flags for rot.
• Check the stem, which should be dry and firm with no soft sections. A brown or crumbling stem might mean it’s been on the shelf too long.

How to bake acorn squash

Baked acorn squash is simple: all you’ll need is 1 hour and an oven! Here’s how to bake acorn squash:

• Cut the acorn squash into quarters and remove the seeds. Use a large, sharp chef’s knife to cut the squash in half. Scoop out the seeds and strings with a spoon, then slice each half in half again.
• Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place the squash on the sheet and drizzle with olive oil on the cut sides, then sprinkle with kosher salt and pepper.
• Roast for 40 minutes total at 450F. Turn cut side down on the sheet and 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and tip the squash to the other side and roast 15 to 20 minutes more, until fork tender and lightly browned on the cut sides.

The secret sauce: a brown butter drizzle

You can make roasted acorn squash straight up, and it tastes great. But want to step up your squash? This brown butter maple drizzle is out of this world! It takes just a few minutes to whip up and it makes the entire kitchen smell like a dream. Here’s what to do:

• Make brown butter. Heat butter for a few minutes over medium heat until it melts, turns foamy, and then starts to become brown in color and smells nutty. Immediately remove from the heat and transfer to a bowl to allow it to cool: you don’t want to go overboard and have burned butter!
• Add maple syrup. Add 1 part maple syrup for every 3 parts butter for this drizzle (in other words, 3 tablespoons butter to 1 tablespoon maple).

Ways to serve roasted acorn squash

Roasted acorn squash is the ideal side dish for a fall meal: it’s extremely versatile so it works with many types of recipes. Here are a few fun ways to serve it:

• With chicken like Rotisserie Chicken or Creamy Garlic Chicken
• With fall dinners like Vegetarian Meatloaf or Vegetarian Meatballs and Gravy
• With salmon like Pecan Crusted Salmon or Brown Sugar Salmon
• With seafood like Baked Cod or Grilled Halibut
• With vegetarian dishes like Crispy Tofu or Eggplant Lasagna
• Make it into a main dish like Stuffed Acorn Squash

More acorn squash recipes

This acorn squash recipe is one of our favorite ways to eat this tasty vegetable. But here are a few more acorn squash recipes to try:

• Go for Stuffed Acorn Squash
• Try Acorn Squash Soup
• Make Acorn Squash Salad with Farro
• Opt for Instant Pot Acorn Squash

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Stuffed Acorn Squash

02

Acorn Squash Soup

03

Acorn Squash Salad with Farro

04

15 Tasty Acorn Squash Recipes

This roasted acorn squash recipe is…

Vegetarian and gluten-free.

Roasted Acorn Squash

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★★★★★

5 from 1 review

• Author: Sonja Overhiser
• Prep Time: 15 minutes
• Cook Time: 45 minutes
• Total Time: 1 hour
• Yield: 4 to 6

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Description

This roasted acorn squash recipe comes out perfectly tender with a tasty brown butter maple drizzle! Here’s how to bake acorn squash.

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Ingredients

For the squash

• 2 acorn squash
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/2 to 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• Fresh ground black pepper

For serving

• 3 tablespoons salted butter (or vegan butter)
• 1 tablespoon maple syrup
• ¼ cup chopped pecans
• Sea salt, to garnish

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Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 450°F. 
2. Chop each of the acorn squash in half. Use a spoon to scrape out the strings and seeds. Then cut the squash into quarters. 
3. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place the squash on the sheet and drizzle with olive oil on the cut sides, then sprinkle with kosher salt and pepper. Turn cut side down on the sheet and 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and tip the squash to the other side and roast 15 to 20 minutes more, until fork tender and lightly browned on the cut sides.
4. Place the butter (sliced into pieces) in a small saucepan over medium heat. Heat for a few minutes until it melts, turns foamy, and then starts to become brown in color and smells nutty. Immediately remove from the heat, transfer to a bowl, and stir in the maple syrup.
5. To serve, garnish the squash with the brown butter maple drizzle and sprinkle with chopped pecans and sea salt.

• Category: Side dish
• Method: Baked
• Cuisine: Fall
• Diet: Vegetarian

Keywords: Roasted acorn squash, roasted acorn squash recipe, baked acorn squash, baked acorn squash recipe, how to bake acorn squash

A Couple Cooks - Recipes worth repeating.

If you’re in the market for a simple side dish that makes eating vegetables delicious, here’s one for your back pocket: kale slaw with apples! This colorful mix of fresh veggies is simple to put together and tastes refreshingly sweet tart. It stars hearty kale, crisp apples, sweet carrot, and a zingy maple apple cider vinegar dressing. Toss the entire mixture with sliced toasted almonds to make it sing! This side dish is perfect for any meal in any season, from Thanksgiving to summer cookouts.

What you need for kale slaw

This kale slaw recipe has a short ingredient list and comes together quickly. The most time-consuming part is prepping the vegetables! Otherwise you’ll mix together a quick vinaigrette and toss it together with the veggies. Here’s what you’ll need (or jump to the recipe):

• Fresh ingredients: Curly kale, red cabbage, carrot, crisp tart apple
• Pantry ingredients: Olive oil, apple cider vinegar, maple syrup, Dijon mustard
• Extra ingredients: Sliced almonds (optional)

You can also dress up this kale slaw any way you like. Use different nuts like pecans, walnuts or hazelnuts, or add dried cranberries or pomegranate arils.

Use curly kale, but Tuscan works

There are two main types of kale: curly kale and Tuscan kale (aka Lacinato or dinosaur). For most of our kale recipes, like a kale salad or even sauteed kale, we prefer Tuscan kale. This dark green Italian variety of kale has a milder flavor than curly kale, which can be very spicy. However, in this kale slaw recipe we’ve used the curly variety. Its bright green color and fluffy texture work well in a slaw, and it’s balanced by the tangy dressing. You can use either here, but we like curly! Here’s the difference:

• Curly kale is brighter green and very curly. The flavor is bitter and spicy, and in its raw form it should be balanced with strong flavors.
• Tuscan kale, aka Lacinato or dinosaur kale, has dark green, flat leaves and a mildly bitter flavor. It’s common in Italian dishes like this Tuscan White Bean Soup or Kale Soup.

Avoid using baby kale for a slaw. Baby kale is kale that’s harvested before it’s mature and sold in boxes in grocery stores and farmer’s markets. It’s much more tender, with a texture more like spinach, and doesn’t work in a slaw.

A few tips on cutting matchsticks

This kale slaw calls for an apple cut into matchsticks, which can be tricky at first if you’ve never done it before! The graphic below shows how to quickly slice an apple, then you’ll need to stack the slices and thinly slice sticks. Here’s what to do:

• Set the apple upright and cut off each of the four sides around the core.
• Place each slide on its flat edge and slice into thin slices.
• Place several slices together on their side and slice into thin sticks.

Ways to serve kale slaw

This kale slaw recipe works with many different types of main dishes and in different seasons, making it ultra versatile. Here are a few ways to serve it:

• Side for chicken like Baked Chicken Thighs, Chicken Enchiladas, Grilled Chicken, Pesto Chicken or Rotisserie Chicken
• Side for seafood like Baked Halibut, Pan Seared Salmon, Honey Glazed Salmon or Easy Salmon Recipes
• Side for vegan or vegetarian dishes like Stuffed Butternut Squash, Sun Dried Tomato Pasta, Vegetarian Chili, Eggplant Lasagna, Crispy Tofu or Lentil Soup
• Thanksgiving side dish
• Summer picnic, pitch-in or barbecue side dish

Storage and make ahead info

This kale apple slaw recipe stores up to 4 days refrigerated. The robust texture of the curly kale holds up well over time. The only thing you’ll want to be wary of is the almonds, if you’re using them. The almonds grow soggy over time if refrigerated.

To keep crunchy almonds, store them in a separate container at room temperature. Add the almonds directly before serving.

More kale recipes

This kale slaw is a fun and simple kale recipe for infusing your life with this leafy green! Here are a few more tasty kale recipes you’ll love:

• Try this Easy Kale Salad or Kale Caesar Salad
• Mix up a batch of Kale Pesto
• Simmer a pot of Easy Kale Soup
• Whiz up a Best Kale Smoothie
• Make Best Ever Sauteed Kale or Roasted Kale

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Easy Kale Salad

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Kale Pesto

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Easy Kale Soup

04

20 Tasty Kale Recipes

This kale slaw recipe is…

Vegetarian, vegan, plant-based, dairy-free and gluten-free.

Kale Slaw

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★ 5 Stars ☆ ★ 4 Stars ☆ ★ 3 Stars ☆ ★ 2 Stars ☆ ★ 1 Star ☆

No reviews

• Author: Sonja Overhiser
• Prep Time: 20 minutes
• Cook Time: 0 minutes
• Total Time: 20 minutes
• Yield: 4 to 6

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Description

This kale slaw with apple is a fresh and zingy side dish recipe! It’s tossed with a maple apple cider vinegar dressing and toasted almonds.

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Ingredients

• 6 cups chopped curly kale
• 2 cups shredded red cabbage
• 1 large carrot, shredded
• 1 crisp tart apple, thinly sliced and chopped into matchsticks
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 1 ½ tablespoons maple syrup, honey or sugar
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• ¼ cup sliced almonds (optional)

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Instructions

1. Chop the kale, red cabbage, carrot, and apple as noted above. Place them in a large bowl.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the olive oil, apple cider vinegar, maple syrup, Dijon mustard, and kosher salt. Pour the dressing onto the vegetables and toss to combine.
3. If desired, toast the almonds and toss them into the slaw just before serving. Stores up to 4 days refrigerated. (For crunchy almonds, store them in a separate container at room temperature and add directly before serving).

• Category: Side dish
• Method: Raw
• Cuisine: Vegan
• Diet: Vegan

Keywords: Kale slaw, kale apple slaw

A Couple Cooks - Recipes worth repeating.

Looking for an easy dessert that will have everyone talking? Try this apple pie bars recipe! It’s simple to whip up this handheld treat: the same dough makes a sturdy bottom crust and buttery crumbles of streusel topping! Sandwiched in between the layers is a cinnamon-spiced apple filling, and it’s topped with a sweet maple icing drizzle that tastes a bit like melty vanilla ice cream. These are absolutely fabulous and one of our favorite fall desserts yet.

What you need for apple pie bars

These apple pie bars are and easy dessert for several reasons: there’s no special equipment required, the peeling and slicing time is minimal, and the same dough makes the crust and crumble topping. It bakes up in a square pan, making 16 servings delightful handheld apple pie slices. Bars are great for holidays and pitch ins because they’re both easy to serve and make: and we’d make these any day of the year!

Here’s what you’ll need for this recipe, grouped by type (or jump to the recipe):

• Baking ingredients: All purpose flour, brown sugar, granulated sugar, Old Fashioned rolled oats, cornstarch, kosher salt
• Spices: Cinnamon and nutmeg
• Dairy: Unsalted butter
• Fruits: Apples, lemon juice
• Baking pan: 8 x 8 inch [20 cm] or 9 x 9 inch [22 cm]
• Time: 25 minutes to prep, 1 hour to bake, 1 ½ to 2 hours to cool, 10 minutes to cut and glaze

Best type of apples for cookies

The best variety of fruit for apple pie bars is the same as any baked apple recipe (like cobbler, cookies, or crisp): select a firm, crisp tart apple. The tartness accents the sweet crust and topping, and the crisp texture helps it hold its shape while baking. Other apple varieties can end up in a mushy filling that’s not nearly as satisfying. Here are some of the best types apples for baking and cooking:

• Pink Lady
• Jonathon or Jonagold
• Granny Smith
• Honeycrisp

Tips for apple pie bars

Apple pie bars are almost like an apple crumble with a bottom crust. They’re simple to make, but just a few tips to know the process.

• Grease the pan, then line it with parchment paper. This makes them easy to remove from the pan. Cut the parchment so that it extends on two sides to easily remove it from the pan. Greasing the entire pan helps the parchment stick to the bottom.
• Allow the bars to cool to room temperature before glazing. This lets the texture set, firming it up so it’s the ideal texture for eating. If you’d like to speed up the process, you can cool for about 30 minutes at room temperature then refrigerate for 1 hour.
• Cut into squares before glazing. We like cutting into 16 even squares first, then glazing the individual bars.

For the maple glaze

The best part of these apple pie bars, in our opinion, is the simple maple glaze! It tastes almost like that melty vanilla ice cream on the top of the pie. You can leave it out if desired, but we think it really takes these bars over the top.

The maple glaze has just a few ingredients and comes together quickly: just powdered sugar, butter, milk, maple syrup, and maple extract. The maple extract brings a bold, maple-forward flavor to the icing and we recommend finding it if at all possible! But you can leave it out if desired: it still tastes great.

Dietary swaps

A few simple swaps make these into vegan apple pie bars! Simply use vegan butter or refined coconut oil in place of butter. Do the same in the maple glaze, and use oat milk or your favorite non-dairy milk for the milk.

To make gluten-free apple pie bars, use almond flour in place of all-purpose flour. The texture will be slightly different, but it’s still delicious! Almond flour works well to make gluten-free crisps and crumbles, like this Gluten Free Apple Crisp.

Storage info

Storage for apple pie bars is tricky because of the moisture in the apples and the glaze. They last for 1 day at room temperature if iced and 2 days if unfrosted, loosely covered (or place a paper towel instead a container to reduce moisture). But it’s best to store them refrigerated if possible. Make sure to store them with parchment paper between each layer so they don’t stick to each other. These apple bars last:

• 1 day at room temperature, loosely covered or with a paper towel inside the container to reduce moisture; 2 days if unfrosted
• 1 week refrigerated, bringing them to room temperature before serving
• 3 months frozen

More apple recipes

And that’s it! These apple bars are one of our favorite easy dessert recipes to make with this crisp tart fruit. They’re perfect for Thanksgiving, Christmas, fall, or anytime you need a simple treat. Here are a few more tasty apple recipes we love, from desserts to breakfast:

• Go for classic desserts like Apple Cobbler, Apple Crisp, Apple Cookies, Apple Crumble, or Baked Apples
• Bake up Apple Bread or Apple Cinnamon Muffins
• Mix up Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal or Apple Pancakes
• Make Crisp Apple Salad or Apple Slaw

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Apple Cookies

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Apple Slaw

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Apple Cinnamon Muffins

04

Apple Cobbler Recipe

This apple pie bars recipe is…

Vegetarian. For vegan, use vegan butter. For gluten-free, use almond flour.

Easy Apple Pie Bars

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★ 5 Stars ☆ ★ 4 Stars ☆ ★ 3 Stars ☆ ★ 2 Stars ☆ ★ 1 Star ☆

No reviews

• Author: Sonja Overhiser
• Prep Time: 30 minutes
• Cook Time: 1 hour
• Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
• Yield: 16

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Description

This apple pie bars recipe is easy and full of cozy flavor, with a spiced fruit filling, streusel topping, and tasty maple glaze!

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Ingredients

• 1 ¼ cup (175 g) all-purpose flour
• ¾ cup light brown sugar
• 1 cup Old Fashioned rolled oats
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• 12 tablespoons unsalted butter, sliced into small pieces
• 4 cups crisp tart baking apples (about 4 medium), peeled and thinly sliced (1/4-inch thick)
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• ½ tablespoon ground cinnamon
• ⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/2 recipe Maple Glaze

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Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Butter an 8 x 8 or 9 x 9 baking dish. Line the pan with a piece of parchment paper, cut so that it extends on two sides to easily remove it from the pan.
2. In a medium bowl, mix the flour, brown sugar, oats, and kosher salt. Cut in the butter with a pastry cutter or fork. As it incorporates, use fingers to knead until it becomes an even, consistent dough with no more dry bits of flour (this takes a while, so be patient!). Use your fingers to crumble it into small crumbles and measure out 1 ½ cup for the topping.
3. Pour the remaining crumbles into the prepared pan, and press it into an even layer for the crust of the bars. Use the bottom of a measuring cup to press in the dough and make it flat and even.
4. In a medium bowl, mix the peeled and sliced apples, granulated sugar, cornstarch, lemon juice, and cinnamon and nutmeg. Spread them in an even layer over the crust.
5. Add the reserved crumbles over the top in an even layer.
6. Bake for 55 minutes to 1 hour, until the top and edges are golden brown. Remove from the oven and cool on cooling rack for 20 to 30 minutes, then lift out the bars with the parchment. If desired transfer to the refrigerator and for 1 hour, or simply cool to room temperature on the counter.
7. Once the bars are room temperature, cut into 16 even squares. Drizzle on Maple Glaze with a fork, if desired. Store bars up to 1 day at room temperature, 1 week refrigerated (with parchment paper between the layers if stacked; bring to room temperature before serving), or 3 months frozen.

• Category: Dessert
• Method: Baked
• Cuisine: Dessert
• Diet: Vegetarian

Keywords: Apple pie bars, apple bars, apple pie bars recipe

A Couple Cooks - Recipes worth repeating.

Want a delicious dinner or stunning side to celebrate the season? Try stuffed butternut squash! Sure, it’s not as common to stuff this popular squash as its cousin the acorn squash. But baked until it’s tender and sweet, it comes out just as tasty (or even more!). This recipe stars a vegetable and rice stuffing with garlic, kale, sage and pecans: fall flavors that accentuate the orange squash perfectly. It’s perfect for a fall dinner, Thanksgiving, or anytime you need a cozy meal.

Ingredients in stuffed butternut squash

Stuffed butternut squash is a tasty dish that works as a fall main course, or a side dish for a festive gathering. It takes about 1 hour to complete, so make it when you’ve got time set aside or follow the make ahead tips below. While the squash roasts, make the simple rice and vegetable filling. Then you’ll hollow out the roasted squash, chop up that portion and mix it back into the filling: so there’s no waste at all! Here are the ingredients you’ll need:

• Butternut squash (small)
• White basmati or long grain rice
• Butter
• Onion, garlic, celery and kale
• Dried sage, dried thyme, oregano, salt, and pepper
• Cream cheese
• Milk
• Parmesan cheese
• Pecans

Look for small butternut squash

The size of the butternut squash is important for this recipe. Each eater will get one half of the squash, and a large butternut squash is much too large of a portion. It’s nice to have small butternut squash because they make a portion sized-vessel, much like with stuffed acorn squash.

If all you can find is a large butternut squash, you can make four portions by slicing the squash in half length-wise. However, it doesn’t have the same look: so it’s nice to find small squashes if at all possible.

Alternative stuffing ideas

This stuffed butternut squash is vegetarian as written in the recipe below, and it’s easily made vegan. Want a meat-based stuffing, or some other ideas? Here are some alternative stuffing ideas:

• Italian-style sausage stuffing (or plant-based): Make the stuffing from this Stuffed Zucchini Boats recipe. You can also make this with plant-based sausage and it’s delicious.
• Beef and rice stuffing (or plant-based): Make the stuffing from these Stuffed Green Peppers. It also works with plant-based beef crumbles.

In many of these cases you’ll likely have leftover filling, so you could roast another small butternut squash (if it fits on the tray!) or serve extras on the side.

Make ahead and serving tips

This stuffed butternut squash recipe takes 1 hour to prepare, so it’s not intended as a fast and easy meal. Here are a few tips for making this recipe in advance or scaling it up for large gatherings:

• Make the filling in advance. Make the rice filling in advance, then refrigerate until serving. Before stuffing the squash, re-warm it on the stovetop.
• Roast the butternut squash in advance. Even better, roast the squash in advance. Remove the inner portion, chop and add to the filling (if made in advance). Refrigerate the squash until serving. Before serving, re-warm the filling on the stovetop, stuff, top with Parmesan, and bake the squash for about 30 minutes until warmed through.
• If serving for a crowd, roast the squash in advance. This recipe is great for smaller dinner parties or Thanksgiving gatherings. It’s tough to make in large quantities because the more butternut squash you have in the oven, the longer it takes. If you roast 4 small squashes, increase the baking time (it can take up to 1 hour depending on your oven and the squash size). Anything above 8 portions is best prepared in advance in batches.

More butternut squash recipes

Love cooking with squash? Here are a few more tasty butternut squash recipes to enjoy this season:

• Grab classic Roasted Butternut Squash or Butternut Squash Soup
• Try Butternut Squash Lasagna
• Opt for creamy Butternut Squash Puree or Mashed Butternut Squash
• Try Butternut Squash Curry
• Grab Butternut Squash Pasta or Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese

This butternut squash recipe is…

Vegetarian and gluten-free. For vegan and dairy-free, use vegan butter in place of the butter and cream cheese (see below) and omit the Parmesan cheese.

Stuffed Butternut Squash

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★ 5 Stars ☆ ★ 4 Stars ☆ ★ 3 Stars ☆ ★ 2 Stars ☆ ★ 1 Star ☆

No reviews

• Author: Sonja Overhiser
• Prep Time: 50 minutes
• Cook Time: 10 minutes
• Total Time: 1 hour
• Yield: 4 butternut squash halves

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Description

This stuffed butternut squash recipe features a vegetable and rice stuffing flavored with sage and pecans. A delicious fall meal!

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Ingredients

• 1 cup white basmati rice
• 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt, divided, plus more for sprinkling
• 2 small butternut squash*
• 1 tablespoon salted butter (or vegan butter)
• 1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 stalk celery, finely chopped
• 2 cups chopped kale, chopped
• ½ teaspoon dried sage
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• Fresh ground black pepper
• 1/2 package (4 ounces) cream cheese (or 3 tablespoons vegan butter)
• 2 tablespoons milk (omit for vegan)
• ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus more to garnish
• ½ cup chopped pecans

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Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 450°F.
2. Roast the squash: Slice each of the squash in half. Using a spoon, scrape out the seeds. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place the squash on the sheet and drizzle with olive oil on the cut sides, then sprinkle with kosher salt and pepper. Turn cut side down on the sheet and roast until tender, about 40 minutes (test with a fork to assess doneness).
3. Make the rice: Rinse the rice in cold water using a fine mesh strainer, then drain and shake it dry. Place the rice in a saucepan with 1 ½ cups water and ¼ teaspoon kosher salt. Bring it to a boil, then reduce the heat to low. Cover the pot and simmer for 12 to 15 minutes, until the water is completely absorbed (test by pulling back the rice with a fork). Remove from the heat. Cover and rest for 10 minutes.  Fluff the rice with a fork. 
4. Toast the pecans: Place the nuts in a dry skillet (no oil) over medium heat. Heat, shaking the pan and stirring often with a wooden spoon, until the nuts are fragrant and slightly darker brown, about 4 to 5 minutes. Remove immediately from the heat and transfer to a plate to stop the cooking.
5. Make the stuffing: Heat the butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and celery and sauté for 5 to 7 minutes until tender and translucent. Add the garlic, sage, thyme, and oregano, and sauté for an additional 2 minutes until fragrant. Add the kale and ½ teaspoon salt and sauté for 2 min. Add the cream cheese and milk and stir until distributed and melted. Add the rice and and pecans. Taste and add additional salt to taste (we added ⅛ tsp). 
6. Fill the squash: When the squash is finished roasting and tender, remove the sheet from the oven. Use a spoon to scoop out the center of the squash, leaving a 1/4-inch shell around the outside. Chop the removed squash into pieces (it will not be perfectly square but that’s ok!) and stir it into the rice filling. You can leave out some of the squash if it feels like it is too much for the rice quantity (since the amount depends on the squash size). Spoon the filling back into the hole in the squash and top with grated Parmesan cheese. There may be some extra filling, which you can serve on the side or reserve as leftovers.
7. Roast: Return to the oven and bake 10 minutes or until heated through. Serve immediately. Leftovers last refrigerated for 2 days (see make ahead tips above).

Notes

*Size is important here, since each eater will get one half of the squash. A large butternut squash is much too big! If all you can find is a large squash you can slice the squash in half length-wise, but it doesn’t have the same look.

**This recipe is tough to multiply because the more butternut squash you have in the oven, the longer it takes. If you roast 4 small squashes, increase the baking time (it can take up to 1 hour depending on your oven and the squash size). Anything above 8 portions is best prepared in advance in batches.

• Category: Main dish
• Method: Baked
• Cuisine: Fall
• Diet: Vegetarian

Keywords: Stuffed butternut squash, stuffed butternut squash recipes, butternut squash with stuffing, butternut stuffed squash

A Couple Cooks - Recipes worth repeating.

Here’s a fun way to transform banana bread into a decadent breakfast treat: Banana Bread French Toast! This is the ultimate breakfast or brunch for banana lovers: the moist, dense texture of the quick bread is ideal for frying until golden brown and cinnamon-spiced. Topped with bananas, chopped pecans, and a drizzle of maple syrup, it’s a luxurious way to start the day (that’s honestly more like dessert). Needless to say, our family are big, big fans of this one!

Ingredients for banana bread French toast

Banana bread French toast starts with a good bread, of course! Our favorite is our best banana bread recipe, but you can use any recipe you like. Cut the bread into slices, then dredge it into our classic French toast custard mixture of eggs, milk, cinnamon, and nutmeg. The main difference is that the custard has none of the customary sugar, since this quick bread is very sweet. Here’s what you’ll need for this recipe:

• Banana bread
• Eggs
• Milk
• Vanilla
• Cinnamon and nutmeg
• Salt
• Butter, for cooking

A note on serving size

Banana bread is very filling: one slice is much denser and more filling than a typical slice of bread. For that reason, plan to eat only one slice of banana bread French toast per person. This recipe is rich and decadent, so you’ll want to account for that in your serving! For

Tips for making banana bread French toast

If you’ve got banana bread, this French toast recipe is a breeze! All you’ve got to do is whisk the custard, dip the bread, and fry it up. Here’s how to make French toast:

• Slice: Slice the banana bread into 3/4-inch slices. (This is the perfect width; too thin and it falls apart but too thick and it’s too filling.)
• Whisk: In a wide shallow bowl or container, whisk together eggs, milk, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg and kosher salt.
• Dip: Preheat a griddle over medium heat and melt 1 tablespoon butter. Soak each side of 4 slices of bread in the egg mixture for about 30 seconds.
• Fry: Place the bread on the hot skillet and cook 2 to 3 minutes per side, until browned.

Topping ideas

Banana bread French toast is very rich in itself, so it doesn’t need a lot of toppings to make it taste incredible! We like it best with the following:

• Pure maple syrup
• Sliced bananas
• Chopped pecans or walnuts, toasted if desired

If you like, you can add other toppings, but keep in mind it’s very sweet. You could try Greek yogurt sweetened with a little maple syrup to cut the sweetness with the acidity in the yogurt, or some sliced strawberries or raspberries. Or, go with a small dollop of whipped cream for an even more decadent treat.

Diet variations

Working with a special diet? Here are a few ways to modify this recipe to fit different dietary needs:

• Dairy-free: This recipe works with banana bread baked with neutral oil and using non-dairy milk. We recommend oat milk here!
• Gluten-free: Use Gluten Free Banana Bread.
• Vegan: Use Vegan Banana Bread and the custard mixture from this Vegan French Toast.

More French toast recipes

There are many ways to make French toast: baked, casserole, stuffed, and more! Here are some of our favorites for a banana breakfast treat or a fun weekend brunch:

• Go for classic Best French Toast Recipe
• Make our family favorite Cinnamon French Toast
• Opt for French Toast Sticks
• Try Challah French Toast or Brioche French Toast
• Make crowd-favorite French Toast Casserole or Stuffed French Toast

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Cinnamon French Toast

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French Toast Sticks

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French Toast Casserole

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Stuffed French Toast

This banana bread French toast recipe is…

Vegetarian.

Banana Bread French Toast

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★★★★★

5 from 1 review

• Author: Sonja Overhiser
• Prep Time: 5 minutes
• Cook Time: 5 minutes
• Total Time: 10 minutes
• Yield: 4 (1 slice per person)

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Description

Banana bread French toast is a fun way to repurpose leftovers into breakfast or brunch! Topped with syrup, it’s a rich and decadent treat.

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Ingredients

• 2 eggs
• ¼ cup milk of choice (dairy or non-dairy)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ½ teaspoon cinnamon
• ⅛ teaspoon nutmeg
• 1 pinch kosher salt
• 4 slices banana bread, 3/4-inch thick
• 1 tablespoon butter, for cooking
• Banana slices and chopped pecans, for garnish
• Maple syrup, for serving

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Instructions

1. In a wide shallow bowl or container, whisk together eggs, milk, sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg and kosher salt.
2. Preheat a griddle over medium heat and melt 1 tablespoon butter. Soak each side of 4 slices of bread in the egg mixture about 30 seconds per side until it becomes saturated. Place the bread on the hot skillet and cook 2 to 3 minutes per side, until browned.
3. Repeat with the remaining butter and 4 slices bread. Serve immediately with maple syrup and a dusting of powdered sugar.

• Category: Breakfast
• Method: Stovetop
• Cuisine: Breakfast
• Diet: Vegetarian

Keywords: Banana bread french toast

A Couple Cooks - Recipes worth repeating.

Banana bread is a kitchen staple, and we’re confident this one needs to make its way into your recipe rotation. This easy banana bread recipe uses just one bowl and common pantry ingredients to make the very best loaf. It bakes up golden, moist, perfectly sweet and scented with a hint of cinnamon. There’s no need for secret ingredients: just ripe bananas and 15 minutes. Here’s how to make banana bread and ideas for how to customize it with mix-ins, glazes, and more!

Ingredients in this easy banana bread recipe

Banana bread is an old American standard: it started appearing the 1930’s in cookbooks when home cooks had access to baking powder and bananas. It may have stemmed from the Great Depression as a way to use up ripe bananas. Over the years, it’s become as essential to American culture as apple pie. It’s the most popular way to use ripe bananas in baked goods.

This banana bread recipe uses common pantry ingredients to make a moist, sweet loaf. Some recipes include tricks like sour cream to add moisture, but this recipe doesn’t need it. Here’s what you need for the best banana bread:

• Very ripe bananas
• Eggs
• Granulated and brown sugar
• Melted butter or neutral oil
• Vanilla extract
• Baking soda
• Cinnamon
• Kosher salt

Use very ripe bananas

The key to the best banana bread is using very ripe bananas. Bananas with a blackened peel bring added moisture, sweetness, and pure fruity flavor to baked goods like bread, muffins, pancakes, cookies, cake, and more.

• Do not use unripe bananas! The peel should have a large amount of black spots, or be uniformly black in color.
• If the bananas have mold on the peel, do not use them. Bananas with mold or those leaking liquid should be discarded.
• You can freeze very ripe bananas and use them in baked goods later. If you don’t have time to us very ripe bananas, freeze them by peeling them and slicing into rounds. You can use them later for bread, muffins and more: just make sure to include the liquid that separates from the fruit in the batter.

Butter vs oil in banana bread

This banana bread recipe uses melted butter in the batter, which makes it easy to make in one bowl with no mixer required! Here are a few notes on butter versus oil in breads:

• Butter lends a richer flavor and makes a more even crumb. Using a dairy fat brings a tender, even crumb and texture to a quick bread.
• Oil makes it even moister, and works as a substitute. The texture is a little spongier with oil, but it works well! You can substitute a neutral oil like vegetable or grapeseed for the butter here.
• Or, you can use a combination of the two. Using half butter and half oil also has great results.

Another pro to using butter: cook it a few minutes longer when melting to make brown butter, which adds a toasty, caramel flavor to the bread. Vegan butter also works as a substitute.

Pan size variations

This banana bread recipe works for both 9 x 5″ and 8 x 4″ pan sizes with a slight modification. Here are a few notes:

• 8 x 4“ pan: This pan size works well if you only have 1 ½ cups mashed bananas (and not 2 cups, as called for in the recipe below). You can make this recipe in an 8 x 4″ loaf pan using 1 ½ cups bananas and 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour. Watch the bake time and adjust accordingly.
• 9 x 5″ pan: Make the recipe as written below for a 9 x 5″ loaf pan. You can also make it with 1 ½ cups bananas and flour, but it will not be as tall in shape. Again, adjust the bake time accordingly.

How to know when banana bread is done

The only tricky part about baking quick breads like this banana bread recipe is how to know when they are done. Here are a few visual cues to look for:

• Banana bread is done when the top is set and springs back, and a tooth pick inserted comes out with a few clinging crumbs. The toothpick test does not have to be fully clean! In fact, if it comes out clean the bread may be overdone.
• The bread is cooked when the internal temperature is 200°F. You can also insert the probe of a food thermometer to assess when the bread is cooked through.

Banana bread variations: mix-ins and toppings

Banana bread is a canvas for endless variations! Here are a few ideas for additions to this banana bread recipe:

• Toasted nuts: Fold ½ cup toasted pecans or toasted walnuts into the batter.
• Chocolate chips: Fold ¾ cup semi-sweet or dark chocolate chips into the batter, then top with another ¼ cup.
• Blueberries: Toss 1 ½ cups blueberries with 1 tablespoon flour, then fold them into the batter (the flour helps to prevent sinking).
• Cinnamon sugar topping: Mix 2 tablespoons granulated or brown sugar with ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon, and sprinkle it across the top.
• Streusel topping: Mix ¼ cup sugar, ¼ cup flour and 1 teaspoon cinnamon. Cut 2 tablespoons room temperature butter into small pieces, then use your fingers to rub it into the dry ingredients until crumbles form. Sprinkle over the bread and bake. Cover with foil at 30 to 45 minutes to prevent burning.
• Brown butter: Make the bread with brown butter instead of melted butter to add nutty and caramel notes.
• Glazes: Allow the bread to cool fully, then drizzle with vanilla glaze, cream cheese glaze or maple glaze.
• Frosting: Allow the bread to cool fully, then top with cream cheese frosting.

Ways to serve banana bread

There are a few creative ways to serve banana bread if you want to re-purpose leftovers. Try Banana Bread French Toast by cutting it into slices, then dipping it in an egg mixture and frying it for breakfast. Or serve it as a dessert “a la mode” by topping a slice with ice cream, salted caramel sauce, and chopped pecans.

Dietary swaps

There are a few ways to change up a banana bread recipe to make it vegan or gluten-free! Here are a few notes:

• Vegan: Use vegan butter or neutral oil in place of the butter, and substitute flax eggs for the eggs.
• Gluten free: Go to this Gluten Free Banana Bread.

Banana bread storage

Banana bread holds up well over time. It lasts 5 days at room temperature wrapped in aluminum foil or refrigerated for 10 days. You can also freeze it for up to 3 months: slice it into pieces and wrap it in plastic wrap then a freezer-safe bag or container.

Let us know what you think of this recipe in the comments below. We hope you love it as much as our family does!

More banana bread recipes

This classic recipe has many variations. Here are a few more banana bread recipes to try:

• Blueberries: Add berries for Blueberry Banana Bread
• Chocolate: Try Chocolate Chip Banana Bread or Easy Chocolate Banana Bread
• Pumpkin: Add puree for Pumpkin Banana Bread
• Zucchini: Fold in shredded zucchini for Banana Zucchini Bread
• Nuts: Go for Banana Nut Bread
• Sour Cream: Try Sour Cream Banana Bread

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Chocolate Chip Banana Bread

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Blueberry Banana Bread

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Banana Zucchini Bread

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Sour Cream Banana Bread

Our Best Banana Bread Recipe

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★★★★★

5 from 2 reviews

• Author: Sonja Overhiser
• Prep Time: 15 minutes
• Cook Time: 60 minutes
• Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
• Yield: 12

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Description

This easy banana bread recipe is simply the best! This moist, sweet, golden quick bread is a kitchen essential.

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Ingredients

• 2 cups* mashed ripe bananas (3 very large or 5 medium bananas)
• 2 large eggs
• ½ cup granulated sugar
• ½ cup brown sugar
• ½ cup melted butter** (or neutral oil)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
• 2 cups [280 g] all-purpose flour
• Optional mix ins: ½ cup chopped toasted pecans or toasted walnuts, ¾ cup chocolate chips

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Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter a 9 x 5″ loaf pan. Line the pan with a piece of parchment paper, cut so that it extends on two sides to easily remove the bread from the pan.
   
2. Mash the bananas in the bottom of a large bowl, enough for 2 cups. Whisk in the eggs. Switch to a spatula and stir in the granulated sugar, brown sugar, butter, and vanilla extract.
3. Stir in the baking soda, cinnamon, and kosher salt. Add the flour and gently stir until just combined and no streaks of flour remain. 
4. Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan. Bake 55 to 60 minutes*, until the top is set and a toothpick inserted into the center of the loaf comes out with a few clinging crumbs (or the internal temperature is 200°F). 
5. Cool in the pan for 15 minutes. Then run a knife around the edge and invert the loaf onto a cooling rack. Serve warm or at room temperature. (If desired, allow to cool fully and top with a glaze.***)
6. Storage info: The bread lasts 5 days at room temperature wrapped in aluminum foil, refrigerated for 10 days, or frozen for 3 months (slice it into pieces and wrap it in plastic wrap then a freezer-safe bag or container).

Notes

*If you only have 1 ½ cups mashed bananas, you can make this recipe in an 8 x 4″ loaf pan using 1 ½ cups bananas and 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour. You can also make it with 1 ½ cups bananas and flour in a 9 x 5″ pan, but it will not be as tall in shape. The bake time will vary based on pan size and batter amount, so watch and adjust accordingly.

**To make brown butter banana bread, brown the butter and then cool it in the freezer for 15 minutes before using in the bread.

***Try maple glaze, cream cheese glaze or vanilla glaze. See the section above for notes about cinnamon sugar or streusel toppings. 

• Category: Bread
• Method: Baked
• Cuisine: American
• Diet: Vegetarian

Keywords: Banana bread recipe, banana bread, how to make banana bread, best banana bread, easy banana bread

A Couple Cooks - Recipes worth repeating.

Here’s a fun, fresh side dish to add to your repertoire: this apple slaw recipe! Cabbage, apples and carrots partner up to form the basis of a tangy slaw. They’re doused in a creamy poppyseed dressing that you’ll want to pour on just about everything. It’s a slaw spin that’s unique in flavor but simple enough that you’ll want to keep making it all season long. In fact, it works just as well in fall and winter as for summer picnics!

Ingredients in this apple slaw

Coleslaw is one side dish we never tire of, and this variation with fruity apples gives it even more intrigue than the standard variety. The best part is the homemade poppyseed dressing, a creamy spin on our classic recipe. The seeds bring a fun texture contrast and it’s flavored with apple cider vinegar for a bold, zingy flavor. Here’s what you’ll need for this recipe:

• Green cabbage
• Red cabbage (optional, but it’s worth it for color!)
• Crisp tart apples
• Carrots
• Green onion
• Apple cider vinegar
• Dijon mustard
• Sugar (or honey)
• Mayonnaise
• Poppy seeds
• Salt

Best apples for slaw

In our opinion, the best type of apples for slaw is the same as the best apples for baking: use a firm, crisp tart apple. A crisp texture is essential for a slaw, where the apple needs to stand out against cabbage and carrots. The sweet tart flavor allows the apple to shine through and contrast the savory vegetables. Here are some of the best crisp tart apple varieties:

• Pink Lady (our favorite)
• Jonathon or Jonagold
• Granny Smith
• Honeycrisp
• Fuji

Some notes on cabbage and coleslaw mix

This recipe calls for both green cabbage and red cabbage. We like to add red cabbage for color, but it’s not necessary for flavor.

• Skip the red cabbage if you prefer. It looks nice color-wise, but swap in green cabbage if you prefer. It can be hard to use up leftovers of two cabbages (though here are leftover cabbage recipes).
• To speed up the recipe, use bagged coleslaw. Buy at 14 or 16 ounce bag and measure out 6 cups of the mixture (to account for the cabbage and carrot quantities).

Serving apple slaw

This apple is the ideal side dish for any protein or main. Because it features apples it feels appropriate in the fall, but it also works any time of year! It’s great in summer at potlucks and pitch-ins. Here are a few ideas for serving apple slaw:

• Side for chicken, like creamy garlic chicken, chicken enchiladas, baked chicken thighs, grilled chicken thighs or grilled chicken
• Side for fish, like these top miso salmon, seared salmon, salmon recipes, or easy baked fish
• Side for shrimp, like sauteed shrimp, grilled shrimp, or these shrimp recipes
• Side for vegetarian dinners and vegan dishes like vegetarian chili, crispy tofu, eggplant lasagna, tomato bisque, lentil soup, vegan shepherd’s pie, and more
• Picnic food idea
• Side for a barbecue or pitch in
• Thanksgiving side dish or fall salad

Dietary notes

As written in the recipe below, this apple slaw is vegetarian, dairy-free. and gluten-free. To make it vegan, use vegan mayonnaise or cashew cream in place of the mayo.

We haven’t been able to find a great vegan mayo brand (tell us in the comments if you have one you like!). So we’d lean towards making a batch of cashew cream. Keep in mind you need to soak the cashews, so it’s best to plan in advance.

More apple recipes

This apple slaw is a fun savory apple recipe that makes a big statement at the dinner table! Here are a few more apple recipes we love:

• Bake Apple Bread or Apple Cinnamon Muffins
• Make a classic Apple Cobbler, Apple Crisp, Apple Crumble, or Baked Apples
• Go for Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal or an apple breakfast recipe
• Make Crisp Apple Salad

This apple slaw recipe is…

Vegetarian, dairy-free, and gluten-free. For vegan, use vegan mayo or cashew cream.

Apple Slaw

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★★★★★

5 from 1 review

• Author: Sonja Overhiser
• Prep Time: 20 minutes
• Cook Time: 0 minutes
• Total Time: 20 minutes
• Yield: 6

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Description

This tangy apple slaw recipe pairs cabbage with carrots, apples, and a creamy poppyseed dressing. The perfect fresh, easy side dish!

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Ingredients

• 4 cups shredded green cabbage
• 1 cup shredded red cabbage
• 2 tart apples, thinly sliced
• 1 cup carrots, shredded (2 medium carrots)
• 2 green onions, thinly sliced
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt, divided
• 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar (or honey)
• ½ cup mayonnaise*
• 1 tablespoon poppy seeds

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Instructions

1. Shred the cabbage, thinly slice the apples, shred the carrots, and thinly slice the green onions. Place them in a large bowl, sprinkle with ¼ teaspoon kosher salt, and stir.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk the apple cider vinegar, Dijon mustard, granulated sugar, mayonnaise, poppy seeds, and ¼ teaspoon salt until smooth. Pour the dressing onto the vegetables and stir to combine. Stores up to 4 days refrigerated.

Notes

*For vegan, use vegan mayo or cashew cream.

• Category: Side
• Method: No Cook
• Cuisine: Side dish
• Diet: Vegetarian

Keywords: Apple slaw, apple slaw recipe, apple cabbage slaw

A Couple Cooks - Recipes worth repeating.

Here’s a crowd-pleasing dinner recipe to put in your rotation: chicken enchiladas recipe! It’s hard to find someone who will turn down this Tex Mex favorite. Each enchilada is stuffed with shredded chicken and cheese, then drowned in a zingy red sauce and baked until warm and gooey. It’s also extremely versatile for various diets: you can easily make half the pan vegetarian or use corn tortillas for gluten-free. Everyone wins here, and whipping up a big pan makes dinnertime magic.

Ingredients in chicken enchiladas

This chicken enchiladas recipe is a play on the Tex Mex dish, which is in turn a riff on the classic Mexican enchilada. The first reference to the modern enchilada dates back to 1885 in Mexico, but the tradition of rolling a tortilla around fillings has been around since the Aztec times.

There are a few differences between Mexican enchiladas and Tex Mex style; often Mexican enchiladas use corn tortillas and are fried vs Tex Mex which use flour tortillas and are baked. This rendition is Tex Mex in style, and we honor the great tradition of Mexican cooks and chefs who brought us the mighty enchilada. Here’s what you’ll need for this chicken enchiladas recipe:

• Shredded chicken: Make homemade shredded chicken for best flavor, or go quick and easy with store-bought.
• Red enchilada sauce: For fast enchiladas, we recommend finding a great store-bought sauce, but you can also make homemade enchilada sauce.
• Onion and green chiles: These veggies add nuance to the flavor.
• Cumin, oregano, garlic powder, chili powder, salt and pepper: This blend of spices makes well-seasoned chicken.
• Colby jack cheese: We like Colby jack for flavor, but you can also use Mexican blend cheese or cheddar.
• Tortillas: We use flour tortillas for this Tex Mex variation, but you can use corn tortillas as well, which are more traditional in Mexican-style enchiladas and a gluten free option.

How to shred chicken

The quickest way to chicken enchiladas is with purchased shredded chicken, but it’s got the best flavor when you make it homemade! It takes about 10 minutes to boil. The best way we’ve found to make shredded chicken is to butterfly it, boil it, and then pull it into strips using your hands. Here’s how to make shredded chicken (or click the link):

1. Butterfly the chicken so that it cooks evenly. Place your hand over the top of each chicken breast and use a sharp knife to carefully slice the breast horizontally, leaving the edge intact so it can open up like a book. Open up the breast then cut along the fold to separate the two halves.
2. Boil for 7 to 10 minutes. Place 1 pound chicken in a pot with 6 cups water, 2 teaspoons kosher salt, and seasonings (or use chicken broth and half the salt). Boil for 7 to 10 minutes until the center is no longer pink and the internal temperature is 160°F.
3. Tear the chicken into shreds. Once the chicken is cool enough to touch, use your fingers to tear the chicken into shreds.

Use a great red enchilada sauce

This might be a hot take, but for chicken enchiladas we like to buy the enchilada sauce. Many people swear by homemade, but it can take a bit of time and leave you with some mess. If you’re going to make homemade, it’s easiest to make it in advance. But we love a great purchased red enchilada sauce! Here are some options:

• Purchased red enchilada sauce: There are lots of fantastic enchilada sauce brands at the store, and many of them are minimally processed. Every brand is different, so experiment to find one you love. We like Siete Foods enchilada sauce.
• Homemade, made in advance: Or, make a batch of our Homemade Red Enchilada sauce! It’s easiest to make it in advance to ensure quick prep.

Flour tortillas vs corn tortillas

What are the best tortillas for chicken enchiladas? Corn tortillas are traditional in Mexican-style enchiladas, and flour tortillas are used in Tex Mex enchiladas. Here’s what to know about the differences:

• Corn tortillas are gluten-free. Some brands tend to split when you go to roll them! To combat this, find the best quality corn tortilla brand you can. Then brush it with oil and cook it 15 seconds per side before assembling. This makes it easier to roll.
• Flour tortillas are not gluten-free, but they are much easier to roll and more durable in general. They also get nice and gooey from the enchilada sauce.
• What about grain free tortillas? There are are other types of grain-free tortillas available at many grocery stores: almond flour, cassava flour, or chickpea flour (try Siete brand). We haven’t tested these, so let us know in the comments below if you try them!

How to assemble chicken enchiladas: a few tips!

The filling for this chicken enchiladas recipe features shredded chicken, onion and green chilies, with a mixture of savory spices. Once you’ve got it ready, it’s time to assemble! It’s helpful to have another person to help for assembly. Here are a few tips for a smooth and speedy process:

• Don’t overfill the tortillas. It’s easy to want to put in way too much filling. All you need is ¼ cup chicken and 2 tablespoons cheese. Spread them in a line down the center.
• Roll them tightly and place seam side down. Placing seam side down helps them stay rolled.
• If using corn tortillas, use a durable brand and cook in oil prior to rolling. Corn tortillas can easily tear and split when rolling them. Before assembling, brush both sides of each tortilla lightly with olive oil. Heat a large griddle to medium-high heat, and cook the tortillas in batches for 15 seconds per side until lightly browned.

Favorite enchilada toppings

The best part of this easy chicken enchiladas recipe? Loading them up with all the best toppings! Here are a few enchilada topping ideas:

• Sour cream
• Guacamole
• Feta or queso fresco crumbles
• Red onion or green onion
• Purchased pico de gallo
• Cilantro
• Pickled onions

Variation: half pan vegetarian

These days, you’ll find many families have different dietary needs within the same family. It’s easy to make half a pan vegetarian so that everyone can enjoy the recipe! Here’s what to do:

• For half-pan vegetarian, in place of half of the chicken use 1 15-ounce can pinto beans, drained and rinsed, mixed with 1 ½ teaspoons cumin, ½ teaspoon each garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, and kosher salt.
• You can pull out half the sauteed onion and green chilis for the chicken and use in the beans if desired.
• See Vegetarian Enchiladas for the full vegetarian recipe.

Sides to serve with chicken enchiladas

Once we’ve whipped up a pan of chicken enchiladas, we use the bake time to pull together a few simple side dishes. Here are a few sides that go with enchiladas:

• Throw together one of those quick bag chopped salads (we do this often!)
• Make Cilantro Lime Slaw
• Add Simple Guacamole or 5-Minute Bean Dip and tortilla chips
• Go for Mexican-Style Chopped Salad or Cucumber Tomato Avocado Salad

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Cilantro Lime Slaw

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5-Minute Bean Dip

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Mexican Style Chopped Salad

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10 Best Sides to Serve with Enchiladas

This chicken enchiladas recipe is…

Gluten-free with corn tortillas.

Chicken Enchiladas Recipe

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★ 5 Stars ☆ ★ 4 Stars ☆ ★ 3 Stars ☆ ★ 2 Stars ☆ ★ 1 Star ☆

No reviews

• Author: Sonja Overhiser
• Prep Time: 30 minutes
• Cook Time: 20 minutes
• Total Time: 50 minutes
• Yield: 10 enchiladas

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Description

This chicken enchiladas recipe is packed with flavor, with shredded meat, cheese, and a zingy red enchilada sauce. The perfect easy dinner!

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Ingredients

• 1 pound shredded chicken*, about 2 ½ cups*
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/2 sweet yellow onion, finely diced
• 4 ounces canned diced green chilies
• 2 teaspoons cumin
• 1 teaspoon oregano
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• Fresh ground black pepper
• 2 cups (15 ounces) red enchilada sauce, purchased or homemade
• 8 ounces (2 cups) Colby jack cheese, shredded
• 10 8-inch flour tortillas (or corn tortillas**)
• For the topping: sour cream, chopped cilantro, guacamole, pico de gallo, cotija or feta cheese crumbles, pickled red onions

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Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
2. Make the shredded chicken (if desired, prep in advance and refrigerate). 
3. In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until tender, stirring often, about 5 minutes. Add the shredded chicken*, green chilies, cumin, oregano, garlic powder, chili powder and kosher salt. Taste and add a few more pinches of kosher salt if desired. 
4. Warm the tortillas for a minute in the microwave, or in a pan for a few seconds per side, so that they are flexible**. In a large baking dish, spread 1 cup of the enchilada sauce.
5. Fill each tortilla with a ¼ cup scoop of the filling, srpinkle with 2 tablespoons of the cheese, and roll it up. Place each enchilada seam-side down in the baking dish (there will be some leftover filling). Repeat for the remaining tortillas.
6. Top the enchiladas with the remaining 1 cup enchilada sauce and the remaining cheese.
7. Place in the oven and bake for 20 minutes, until the cheese is melted. Serve garnished with sour cream, chopped cilantro, and other garnishes as desired.

Notes

*For half-pan vegetarian, in place of half of the chicken use 1 15-ounce can pinto beans, drained and rinsed, mixed with 1 ½ teaspoons cumin, ½ teaspoon each garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, and kosher salt. (You can pull out half the sauteed onion and green chilis for the chicken and use in the beans if desired.) See Vegetarian Enchiladas for the full recipe.

**If using corn tortillas, they can crack easily. Brush both sides of each tortilla lightly with olive oil. Heat a large griddle to medium-high heat. Cook the tortillas in batches for 15 seconds per side until lightly browned.

• Category: Main dish
• Method: Baked
• Cuisine: Tex Mex
• Diet: Vegetarian

Keywords: chicken enchilada recipe, chicken enchiladas recipe, easy chicken enchiladas recipe

A Couple Cooks - Recipes worth repeating.

Looking for a spooky drink to impress? Try this Halloween Sangria! We are all about scary Halloween cocktails, and this one is a new favorite. Pair red wine with cinnamon sugar, fruit and sparkling cider for a tasty drink that everyone will love! The best part? Rim the glasses with DIY colored sugar and top with fun cocktail picks. The flavor is pure, bold, and lightly cinnamon spiced: and we’ve got two variations for a sweeter or more dry drink!

What you need for Halloween sangria

Sangría is a traditional wine punch that originates from Spain. The classic version is made with red wine and chopped fruit, and often orange juice or brandy. Many American spins add loads of sugar to this drink, which is traditionally quite dry and nuanced. This Halloween sangria is in the style of the traditional Spanish drink, but we’ve got a variation that is a little sweeter for those who like sweeter drinks. Here are the ingredients you’ll need:

• Apple
• Blood oranges
• Granulated sugar
• Cinnamon
• Dry red wine, such as Rioja
• Sparkling cider (dry variation) or ginger ale (sweet variation)
• Ice, for serving
• Colored sugar and Halloween cocktail picks, for the garnish (optional)

How to make sangria…the Spanish way

This Halloween sangria method is inspired by our favorite Spanish chef, Jose Andres. Chef Andres is from Spain and started many successful restaurants here in the US. Per Chef Andres, the “Spanish” way to make this wine punch this:

• Macerate fruit for 20 minutes: Mix the sangria fruit with sugar and let it macerate or stand at room temperature and break down. This helps the fruit flavors permeate the wine even more.
• Add liquids: Add the red wine.
• Refrigerate for 1 to 4 hours. This allows the flavors to meld and develop.
• Serve with bubbles. Traditional Spanish sangria uses soda water, but here you’ll add sparkling cider or ginger ale to the glass when serving!

Ways to customize the sweetness

Our addition to the Spanish sangria formula? When serving, mix the red wine mixture with sparkling apple cider or ginger ale. This sweetens the drink and adds bubbles! The sparkling apple cider makes for a dry flavor, whereas the ginger ale makes for a sweeter drink.

Another way to customize the sweetness? Use a fruity sweet red wine instead of a dry red wine.

Halloween sangria drink garnishes

The best part of this Halloween sangria? The drink garnishes! You can use the ones we’ve used here, or get creative with some of your own ideas. Here’s what we did:

• Make DIY colored sugar. A colored sugar rim makes the look! Use purchased sugar or go to our DIY colored sugar tutorial for instructions. We made both orange and purple for a festive look!
• Use an orange slice and festive cocktail picks. These Halloween cocktail picks (aka cupcake toppers) really set the tone! We used a blood orange slice to fasten our cocktail picks. If you can’t find them, a regular orange works just as well!

This Halloween sangria is perfect for parties because it makes a big pitcher to share. Try it out, or try a Halloween margarita pitcher if you’re a tequila lover!

More Halloween drinks

Want more ideas for spooky drinks? Here are a few Halloween cocktails we love:

• Opt for a Halloween Margarita
• Try this bright Witches Brew Drink
• Go for a Vampire’s Kiss Cocktail
• Make a cauldron of Halloween Punch

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Halloween Margarita

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Witches Brew Drink

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Vampire’s Kiss Cocktail

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Halloween Punch

This Halloween sangria recipe is…

Vegetarian, vegan, plant-based, dairy-free and gluten-free.

Halloween Sangria

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★★★★★

5 from 2 reviews

• Author: Sonja Overhiser
• Prep Time: 5 minutes
• Rest Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
• Total Time: 1 hour 35 minutes
• Yield: 8

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Description

This Halloween Sangria recipe is a spooky drink that’s ideal for parties! Whip up a pitcher to impress everyone.

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Ingredients

• 1 apple
• 2 blood oranges, plus 2 more for garnish
• ¼ cup granulated sugar
• ½ teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 750 ml bottle dry red wine, such as Rioja
• 1 750 ml bottle sparkling cider (or ginger ale for a sweeter sangria)
• Ice, for serving
• For the garnish: colored sugar, Halloween cocktail picks (optional)

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Instructions

1. Thinly slice the apple and orange. Place them into a medium bowl and stir in the sugar and cinnamon. Transfer to a large pitcher. Allow to stand for 20 minutes to allow the flavors to meld.
2. Pour in the red wine. Stir and refrigerate for 1 hour, or as long as 4 hours. (Don’t go beyond 4 hours or the fruit texture starts to degrade.)
3. If desired, place colored sugar on a plate, wet the rims of the glasses, and dip them into the sugar (DIY or purchased; we made orange and purple).
4. To serve, fill a glass with ice. Fill halfway with sparkling apple cider, then halfway with red wine mixture (or you can pour them both together in a pitcher). Or, add the wine mixture to a glass and top off with ginger ale. 
5. Garnish with blood orange slices and Halloween cocktail picks. When you’ve polished off the sangria, you can snack on the sweetened fruit.

• Category: Drink
• Method: No Cook
• Cuisine: American
• Diet: Vegan

Keywords: Halloween sangria, Halloween sangria recipe

A Couple Cooks - Recipes worth repeating.

Want to recreate the classic Harry Potter drink! Try this Butterbeer recipe! Our son has become obsessed with Hogwarts and this recipe is an easy way to recreate the series drink. It’s so tasty, bubbly with a butterscotch flavor and a frothy top! Many recipes are extremely sugary but our take is toned back so it lets all the flavors shine through (and you or the children you’re making it for won’t be bouncing off the walls). It’s perfect for parties, Halloween, and any occasion where you need a little magic!

What is butterbeer?

Butterbeer is a fictional drink in the Harry Potter series that’s beloved by wizards. It is first mentioned in the book Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, and has a level of alcohol doesn’t affect witches and wizards. The concept is based on an actual drink called buttered beer that originated in England in the 1500’s. That drink was made with beer, sugar, eggs, nutmeg, cloves and butter (similar to something like buttered rum).

Author J.K. Rowling reportedly told Bon Appetit magazine that the taste of butterbeer should be like a “less sickly butterscotch.” In April 2010 Universal Studios announced a non-alcoholic butterbeer drink sold at their Harry Potter World, which was tasted and approved by Rowling herself!

Ingredients in butterbeer

No one knows the exact ingredients in the official Universal Studios butterbeer recipe (except this guy). However, the flavor of butterbeer is reminiscent of cream soda. Most copycat recipes include cream soda, butterscotch syrup and cream or ice cream for a frothy topping.

This butterbeer recipe is unique because it’s got all those classic flavors but a little less sugar to let them all shine! It’s built like an Italian soda, with soda water, flavored syrup, and cream. Here’s what you’ll need:

• Butterscotch syrup, like Torani
• Vanilla extract
• Yellow and brown food coloring
• Soda water
• Heavy cream

Tips for making butterbeer

This butterbeer recipe is like an butterscotch-flavored Italian soda, a drink made of club soda and flavored syrup, often served with cream on top. The concept was invented by an Italian American couple who introduced Italian soda in San Francisco in 1925. It took off and has been popular ever since! Here are a few tips for making and serving butterbeer:

• Whisk 2 tablespoons heavy cream until slightly thickened. Reserve this for the topping.
• Mix a splash of soda water with 2 tablespoons butterscotch syrup in a small beer mug or glass. Add 3 drops yellow and 1 small drop brown food coloring to simulates the beer coloring (which is the main coloring agent in cream soda).
• Add 1 cup soda water. Do this right before serving to preserve the bubbles.
• Top with the cream to simulate the frothy top of a beer. Enjoy!

Harry Potter themed mugs and glasses

The best way to serve butterbeer is in a small beer mug! We like these small glass beer mugs. You can also serve it in Harry Potter themed glasses. We like this set of Hogwarts crest glasses that have the crest of each of the houses, Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin. Our son especially loves drinking anything out of these!

Of course if you’re serving butterbeer for a party, you can use disposable glasses or cups of your choice. Keep in mind the finished drink has about 1 ¼ cups volume with about 1-inch extra room needed for the foam.

Spiked variation

Want to make a spiked butterbeer? This butterbeer recipe works beautifully with rum. Add 1 oz añejo rum to each serving of butterbeer, which adds notes of vanilla and oak. We think it’s best with rum, but you could also try something like vanilla vodka if desired.

More fun homemade drinks

This butterbeer drink is a fun and easy homemade drink that kids and adults alike love! It’s fun for parties, as a Halloween drink, or anytime you need a fun cooking project with kids. Here are a few more homemade drinks to add to your arsenal:

• Make Best Homemade Lemonade
• Go for a Homemade Hot Chocolate or Chai Latte
• Make Frozen Coffee or Frozen Hot Chocolate
• Go for an Italian Soda or Orange Cream Soda

01

Homemade Hot Chocolate

02

Frozen Coffee

03

Italian Soda

04

Orange Cream Soda

This butterbeer recipe is…

Vegetarian and gluten-free.

Butterbeer

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• Author: Sonja Overhiser
• Prep Time: 5 minutes
• Cook Time: 0 minutes
• Total Time: 5 minutes
• Yield: 1 drink

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Description

This butterbeer recipe is an easy and delicious way to recreate the classic Harry Potter drink! Perfect for parties, Halloween, or anytime.

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Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons (1 oz) flavored butterscotch syrup, like Torani
• ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3 drops yellow food coloring 
• 1 small drop brown food coloring
• 1 cup (8 oz) soda water
• 2 tablespoons (1 oz) heavy cream, whisked until slightly thick

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Instructions

1. In a mug or glass, stir together the butterscotch syrup, vanilla extract, food coloring and a splash of soda water. (Spiked variation: Add 1 oz añejo rum.)
2. Top with the remaining soda water. Carefully pour cream across top and serve. 

• Category: Drink
• Method: No Cook
• Cuisine: American
• Diet: Vegetarian

Keywords: Butterbeer, butter beer, butterbeer recipe, butter beer recipe

A Couple Cooks - Recipes worth repeating.