Tag: Yummy

Berry Donuts
October 6, 2025

Berry Donuts

Berry Donuts are sweet, colorful, and full of fresh berry goodness. Each bite is tender and lightly fruity, making them a fun and delicious treat that feels special enough for brunch but easy enough for an everyday indulgence. Prep Time: 15 minutesCook Time: 15 minutesYield: …

Donuts
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by CookDiaries
Strawberry Donuts
September 22, 2025

Strawberry Donuts

Soft, fluffy, and bursting with fresh strawberry flavor, these buttermilk strawberry donuts are a sweet treat that feels as cheerful as they look. The buttermilk keeps them tender and light, while the strawberries add a fruity brightness perfect for breakfast, dessert, or a little pick-me-up …

Donuts
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by CookDiaries
Osso Buco
September 20, 2025

Osso Buco

Beef Osso Buco is a rich, hearty dish where tender, slow-braised beef meets a savory, aromatic sauce. Deeply flavorful and melt-in-your-mouth tender, it’s the kind of meal that turns any dinner into a special occasion, perfect for cozy nights or impressive weekend feasts.

Prep Time45 min
Cook Time40 min
Yield6 servings

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
  • 3/4 teaspoon salt, divided
  • 1/2 teaspoon pepper
  • 6 beef shanks (14 ounces each)
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1/2 cup white wine or beef broth
  • 1 can (14-1/2 ounces) diced tomatoes, undrained
  • 1-1/2 cups beef broth
  • 2 medium carrots, chopped
  • 1 medium onion, chopped
  • 1 celery rib, sliced
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 2 tablespoons cornstarch
  • 1/4 cup cold water
  • GREMOLATA:
  • 1/3 cup minced fresh parsley
  • 1 tablespoon grated lemon zest
  • 1 tablespoon grated orange zest
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced

Directions

  1. In a large shallow dish, combine flour, 1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper. Pat beef dry with paper towels. Add beef to dish, 1 piece at a time; turn to coat.
  2. Select saute setting on a 6-qt. electric pressure cooker and adjust for medium heat. Add 1 tablespoon butter and 1-1/2 teaspoons oil; brown 3 beef shanks. Remove from pressure cooker; add 1/4 cup wine, stirring to loosen browned bits. In a large bowl, combine tomatoes, broth, vegetables, seasonings and remaining salt. Return browned beef shanks to cooker; pour in half of tomato mixture.
  3. Lock lid; close pressure-release valve. Adjust to pressure-cook on high for 40 minutes. Allow pressure to naturally release for 10 minutes, then quick-release any remaining pressure. Remove meat and vegetables from pressure cooker; keep warm. Make second batch with remaining ingredients, repeating previous procedure. Press cancel.
  4. After removing all meat and vegetables, discard bay leaves. Skim fat from cooking juices. Select saute setting and adjust for medium heat. Bring to a boil. In a small bowl, mix cornstarch and water until smooth; stir into cooking juices. Return to a boil, stirring constantly; cook and stir until thickened, about 2 minutes. Press cancel.
  5. In a small bowl, combine gremolata ingredients. Serve beef with gremolata and sauce.

Nutrition Facts

1 serving: 398 calories, 15g fat (6g saturated fat), 112mg cholesterol, 640mg sodium, 17g carbohydrate (5g sugars, 4g fiber), 47g protein.

Dinner & Lunch
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by CookDiaries
Chuck Roast
September 18, 2025

Chuck Roast

Chuck Roast is the ultimate comfort food cut rich, flavorful, and perfect for slow cooking. When cooked low and slow, it becomes tender, juicy, and melt-in-your-mouth delicious, making it ideal for hearty dinners, cozy meals, or any time a satisfying, flavorful roast is needed. Prep …

Dinner & Lunch
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by CookDiaries
Chocolate Chip Banana Bread
September 17, 2025

Chocolate Chip Banana Bread

Chocolate Chip Banana Bread is moist and loaded with ripe bananas, and it’s studded with melty morsels of chocolate chips. You’ll love that it has plenty of banana flavor and stays moist for days. Prep Time: 10 minutes minsCook Time: 1 hour hrServings: 10 slices …

Bread
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by CookDiaries
Cuban Sandwich
September 16, 2025

Cuban Sandwich

The ultimate pressed Cuban Sandwich layered with juicy roast pork, smoky ham, Swiss cheese, pickles and mustard, all toasted until golden and melty.

Prep Time: 15 minutes mins
Cook Time: 45 minutes mins
Servings: 4 sandwiches

Ingredients 

Marinade

  • ▢ 1 lb boneless pork shoulder
  • ▢ 1 cup fresh orange juice
  • ▢ ½ cup fresh lime juice
  • ▢ 1 lime zested
  • ▢ 1 orange zested
  • ▢ 2 tbsp oregano
  • ▢ 2 tbsp fresh coriander chopped
  • ▢ 2 tbsp minced garlic
  • ▢ 2 tsp cumin powder
  • ▢ ½ cup olive oil
  • ▢ 1 tsp salt
  • ▢ 1 tsp black pepper

Pork Roast

  • ▢ 3 cups low sodium chicken stock
  • ▢ 2 bay leaves
  • ▢ 1 red onion roughly chopped

Cuban Sandwiches

  • ▢ 1 tbsp cornstarch (cornflour)
  • ▢ 2 tbsp dijon mustard
  • ▢ 4 loaves cuban bread 6-inch/15cm
  • ▢ 10 oz deli ham sliced
  • ▢ 2 slices salami
  • ▢ 8 slices swiss cheese
  • ▢ 4 pickles thinly sliced
  • ▢ 1 tbsp butter

Instructions 

  • Trim pork shoulder and remove excess fat.
  • To make the marinade, combine orange juice, lime juice, zests, oregano, coriander, garlic, and cumin. Whisk in olive oil, salt, and pepper. Set aside
  • Place pork in a pressure cooker with chicken stock, bay leaves, onion, and marinade. Cook on low until tender, about 40 minutes.
  • Remove pork and slice thinly. To make the sauce, strain cooking liquid into a saucepan, reduce by half, add cornflour and stir until thickened. Once it’s reached desired consistency, stir in Dijon mustard. Remove from heat and set aside
  • Split bread loaves, spread sauce, then layer pork, ham, salami, cheese, and pickles.
  • Heat butter in a skillet over medium-high. Place sandwiches, cover with baking paper, press down on top with something heavy (I use another pan that’s a touch smaller), and cook 3 minutes per side until golden and cheese melts.
  • Let stand 1 minute before cutting. Serve hot.

Notes

Tips for Success:

Because these sandwiches deserve to come out perfectos every single time.

  • Marinate longer: Overnight is best. The pork gets juicier and the flavors really soak in.
  • Don’t rush the press: Keep the sandwiches weighed down so the bread crisps and the cheese melts evenly.
  • Bread swap: Can’t find Cuban bread? Use soft French bread or Italian rolls avoid crusty baguettes (too hard to press).
  • Pickles matter: Go for dill pickles, not sweet ones, for that signature Cuban tang.
  • Pork ahead: Roast the pork a day before and just reheat slices when you’re ready to assemble.

Nutrition

Calories: 898kcal | Carbohydrates: 29g | Protein: 58g | Fat: 63g | Saturated Fat: 17g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 7g | Monounsaturated Fat: 34g | Trans Fat: 0.02g | Cholesterol: 147mg | Sodium: 2402mg | Potassium: 1306mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 12g | Vitamin A: 902IU | Vitamin C: 70mg | Calcium: 483mg | Iron: 5mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Dinner & Lunch
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by CookDiaries
Cranberry Donuts
September 15, 2025

Cranberry Donuts

Imagine biting into a cloud of tender dough, studded with bursts of tart crimson jewels. These cranberry donuts are little rings of joy crisp at the edges, pillowy within, and kissed with sweetness that dances with the fruit’s bright tang. Each bite turns a simple …

Donuts
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by CookDiaries
Cranberry Almond Popcorn Balls
September 14, 2025

Cranberry Almond Popcorn Balls

A healthy twist on a classic favorite! Almond butter popcorn mixed with honey make the perfect “glue” for these healthy popcorn balls. They’re cranberry popcorn balls without marshmallows, but with lots of flavor! Prep Time: 15 minutesCook Time: 5 minutesYield: 8-12 popcorn balls Ingredients Instructions …

Party Bites
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by CookDiaries
Peppermint Vodka Cocktail
September 14, 2025

Peppermint Vodka Cocktail

This refreshing peppermint vodka cocktail is made with only 2 ingredients, including a homemade candy cane vodka! It’s perfect for the holidays!

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Yield: 2 cocktails

Ingredients

Candy Cane Vodka

  • 2 cups plain vodka
  • 5 whole peppermint candy canes*
  • optional: one drop red food coloring

Peppermint Vodka Cocktail

  • 4 oz peppermint vodka**
  • 2 oz crème de cacao***
  • ice, for serving
  • optional: finely crushed candy canes to rim the glass

Instructions

  1. Make the candy cane vodka. In a large mason jar or airtight container, combine the vodka with the candy canes. The canes should be fully submerged. Let the candy canes sit in the vodka until dissolved, 3-4 hours. Keep the vodka sealed, in a dark place for 1-3 days before using in a cocktail. If you wish, you may pour the vodka through a fine mesh sieve to get rid of any remaining candy cane particles. Add 1 drop of red food coloring, if desired, for a prettier pink hue.
  2. Make the peppermint vodka. If rimming the glasses with crushed candy cane, moisten the edge of the cocktail glasses before dipping them in the finely crushed candy cane.
  3. In a cocktail shaker, combine the peppermint vodka and crème de cacao with 2 cubes of ice. Shake vigorously for 20 seconds, then strain the mixture into 2 different cocktail glasses filled with 2-3 cubes of ice. Serve immediately.

Notes

*Be sure to use the red and white striped candy canes, not the ones with green or you’ll end up with an undesirable color!

**If you did not happen to make any candy cane vodka, you can also use a peppermint vodka found at the liquor store.

***The crème de cacao needs to be the clear kind.

Sip Fresh
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by CookDiaries
Oden
September 13, 2025

Oden

Although considered a winter stew, oden is sometimes available year round at various restaurants (there are even restaurants specifically dedicated to oden), and food carts in Japan. During the cold months, though, the soup is so ubiquitous that even many convenience store chains carry it. …

Soups & Salads
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by CookDiaries