Thin, crisp lemon wafers made with fresh lemon zest, butter, and vanilla. Just 8 ingredients and 6-8 minutes in the oven for delicate, golden-edged cookies.
Chewy molasses cookies loaded with warming ginger and cinnamon spice, perfect for holiday cookie swaps or cozy winter afternoons with hot cocoa.
Cream of potato soup in 15 minutes using instant mashed potato mix, butter-sauteed onions, and a hit of red pepper flakes. Topped with sharp cheddar and scallions.
Cream puff swans made from choux pastry piped into S-shaped necks and oval bodies, filled with sweetened whipped cream and mandarin oranges. A classic French pastry showpiece.
Caramelized onion topping with rosemary and toasted pine nuts, slow-cooked in butter and olive oil. A savory make-ahead spread for crostini, pizza, roast meats, or tossed with pasta.
Roast chicken with 40 cloves of garlic in a French-style white wine pan sauce. Garlic mellows to a sweet, spreadable paste. Pureed back into the sauce for unbelievable depth.
Spiced applesauce ring cake with oats, dark and golden raisins, and chopped nuts. Warm cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg in a moist, old-fashioned baked ring mold dessert.
French onion soup Burgundy-style with 3 pounds of onions caramelized, simmered with white wine, and topped with Gruyere-crusted toast baked until bubbly and golden.
Caramelized bananas in brown sugar, butter, cinnamon, and lemon juice. A five-minute warm dessert served over vanilla ice cream.
Chocolate domino cookies made with cocoa powder, cut into rectangles, and decorated with vanilla buttercream dots and lines. A fun baking project for kids.
Chocolate domino cookies made with cocoa powder, cut into rectangles, and decorated with vanilla buttercream dots and lines. A fun baking project for kids.
Easy couscous from instant pearls and butter, ready in 15 minutes. Boil water or broth, stir, cover, and let stand off the heat for tender, fluffy couscous as a quick side or salad base.
Honeyed peanut butter spread made by whipping butter, peanut butter, and honey together with optional toasted sesame seeds. A rich, spreadable 5-minute pantry staple.
Festive rice side dish with crunchy water chestnuts, sweet petite peas, and sliced celery tossed in butter with steamed rice. A quick, colorful side ready in 20 minutes.
Van's Faves are crisp lace-thin oat cookies scented with orange zest and finished with a chocolate drizzle. Eight ingredients, big crunch, and an old-fashioned tin-cookie feel.
Quick chicken stir-fry with garlic butter, mushrooms, and parsley finished with a splash of chicken broth. A weeknight skillet dinner in under 35 minutes for 4.