Author: CookDiaries

Sausage, broccoli & chilli pasta

Sausage, broccoli & chilli pasta

Sausage, Broccoli & Chilli Pasta is a quick, flavorful dish that brings together hearty sausage, vibrant broccoli, and a subtle kick of heat. Tossed with tender pasta, it’s a balanced, satisfying weeknight meal that feels comforting, bold, and effortless all at once. Prep:10 minsCook:15 minsServes: 

Cranberry Curd

Cranberry Curd

Get your hands on some fresh cranberries this season so you can whip up a batch of this super easy cranberry curd! It’s delicious over everything from pancakes to ice cream, and makes for a terrific tart and pie filling! Prep Time: 20 minutesCook Time: 

Date Nut Bread

Date Nut Bread

This easy Date Nut Bread is made with soft soaked dates, warm spices, and toasted walnuts for a moist, naturally sweet loaf that’s perfect any time of day. It bakes up beautifully every time, a perfect breakfast.

Prep – 25 minutes mins
Cook – 1 hour hr
Serves – 10

Ingredients  

  • ▢ 2 cups chopped pitted dates (preferably Medjool) (300g)
  • ▢ 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • ▢ 1 cup hot coffee, black tea, or water (240ml)
  • ▢ 1 3/4 cup white whole wheat flour (200g)
  • ▢ 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • ▢ 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • ▢ 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ▢ 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • ▢ 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
  • ▢ 1/4 cup brown sugar (53g)
  • ▢ 1/4 cup honey (85g)
  • ▢ 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil, plus more for pan (60ml)
  • ▢ 1 large egg
  • ▢ 1 cup chopped toasted walnuts (113g)

Instructions 

  • Get ready. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Brush a standard (8 1/2-inch x 4 1/2-inch x 2 1/2-inch) loaf pan with olive oil or spray it with baking spray.
  • Soak the dates. Add the chopped dates and baking soda to a large mixing bowl. Pour the hot coffee, black tea, or water over the dates and allow them to soak for 15 minutes.
  • Mix the dry ingredients. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves.
  • Mix the wet ingredients. To the date mixture, add the brown sugar, honey, olive oil, and egg, and whisk to combine.
  • Make the batter. Add the flour mixture to the date mixture. Mix gently with a silicone spatula until just combined. Stir in the walnuts.
  • Bake. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Bake for 55 to 65 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the bread comes out clean. If the top of the loaf is browning too quickly, tent it with foil.
  • Cool and serve. Allow the bread to cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then remove from the pan and place on a wire rack to cool completely. Slice and serve.

Notes

  • To toast walnuts: Spread them in a single layer on a baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes at 350°F.
  • To substitute flours: Milled from hard white spring or winter wheat, white (or golden, depending on the brand) whole wheat flour has a milder flavor and paler color than traditional whole wheat flour, but the same nutritional value. You can substitute whole wheat pastry flour or a fifty-fifty blend of regular whole wheat flour and all-purpose flour.
  • Storage: Date nut bread will keep for up to 5 days in an airtight container at room temperature. Freeze for longer storage.

Nutrition

Calories: 330.6kcalCarbohydrates: 51.1gProtein: 5.7gFat: 13.9gSaturated Fat: 1.7gPolyunsaturated Fat: 6.2gMonounsaturated Fat: 5.2gTrans Fat: 0.002gCholesterol: 16.4mgSodium: 256.3mgPotassium: 310.9mgFiber: 5gSugar: 32.2gVitamin A: 70.8IUVitamin C: 0.2mgCalcium: 66.9mgIron: 1.3mg

Crispy Potato Stacks

Crispy Potato Stacks

Crispy Potato Stacks are thin, buttery layers of potatoes baked until golden and irresistible. Tender in the center with perfectly crisp edges, they make an elegant yet easy side dish that pairs beautifully with any meal simple ingredients turned into something special! Prep – 15 

Waffled Grilled Cheese

Waffled Grilled Cheese

Enter this waffled prosciutto grilled cheese: It’s a hot sandwich that’s salty, sweet, spicy and melty in all the right ways. Prosciutto crackles and brings lots of salty umami, while the pepper jelly brings a little sweet sass. And the cheese? Ah, the cheese stretch 

Muffuletta Dip

Muffuletta Dip

Creamy, briny, and boldly alive. Olives tangle with sweet peppers and tangy pickles, all folded into a velvety base that hums with garlic and herbs. Every scoop is a party of contrasts: salty bursts against cool cream, crunch against silk, and that unmistakable New Orleans kick lingering on your tongue.

Prep:15 min
Yield:2 cups

Ingredients

  • 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
  • 2 teaspoons olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon minced garlic
  • 1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon minced fresh parsley
  • 1/2 cup chopped pitted green olives
  • 1/4 cup chopped pitted Kalamata or Greek olives
  • 1/4 cup chopped ripe olives
  • 1/4 cup chopped roasted sweet red peppers
  • 1/4 cup chopped pepperoncini
  • 1 teaspoon capers, drained
  • Assorted crackers

Directions

  1. In a small bowl, beat cream cheese, olive oil, garlic, red wine vinegar and parsley until well combined. Fold in olives, peppers, pepperoncini and capers. Serve with assorted crackers.
Tomato Salmon

Tomato Salmon

This tomato salmon recipe is a fresh spin on the classic Vietnamese dish of stuffed tofu in tomato sauce. The salmon is seared and cooked to tender perfection in a bright tomato sauce that’s bursting with umami flavor from fish sauce. Serve it over rice 

7-Layer Salad

7-Layer Salad

This 7-layer salad recipe is a retro potluck favorite and for good reason. Crisp veggies, savory toppings like shredded cheddar and crumbled bacon, and a creamy herbed dressing mean there’s something for everyone to love. Each ingredient in this vintage salad is layered in a 

Bananas Foster Bread Pudding

Bananas Foster Bread Pudding

This bananas Foster bread pudding is the ideal dessert mash-up, combining the flavors of bananas Foster with a soft, custardy texture.

Bread pudding is a fancy, impressive addition to a brunch spread or dessert lineup, and bananas Foster bread pudding is a must-try twist for banana lovers. While the traditional New Orleans dessert is made by pouring flaming rum over a mixture of bananas, brown sugar, cinnamon and caramel, our bread pudding version skips the flambéing but keeps all of the flavor. Dish up bananas Foster bread pudding with other brunch recipes, or save a few slices for after dinner.

Prep:20 min
Cook:1 hour
Yield:12 servings

Ingredients

  • 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
  • 4 medium bananas, sliced
  • 2 tablespoons spiced rum
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • bread pudding:
    • 2 cups half-and-half cream
    • 1 cup whole milk
    • 3 large eggs, room temperature
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
    • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
    • 1 loaf (17 ounces) brioche bread, cubed
    • Whipped cream, for garnish

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°. Grease a 13×9-inch baking dish.
  2. In a large saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Add brown sugar; stir until smooth. Stir in banana slices. Increase heat to medium-high; cook, without stirring, for 3 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in rum, cinnamon and salt; let cool 10 minutes.
  3. Spoon a small amount of rum sauce into the prepared baking dish; spread into a thin layer. Set remaining sauce aside.
  4. In a large bowl, whisk together half-and-half cream, milk, eggs, vanilla and cinnamon. Stir in cubed brioche until fully coated; stir in remaining rum sauce. Transfer to the prepared baking dish. Bake 35-40 minutes or until the top is golden brown. Let slightly cool before cutting into squares.
  5. To serve, spoon sauce from the pan over each square. Top with whipped cream, if desired.

Nutrition Facts

1 serving: 365 calories, 17g fat (10g saturated fat), 116mg cholesterol, 327mg sodium, 45g carbohydrate (25g sugars, 2g fiber), 7g protein.

Hot Honey

Hot Honey

When you keep a jar of hot honey in your pantry, suddenly every charcuterie board, brunch plate and late-night snack becomes a masterpiece. Hot honey is a condiment that seems to make everything taste better. Whether you’re drizzling it on fried chicken, spooning it over