Brown Butter Carrot Purée with Roasted Carrots

Date Published: Feb 25th, 2025 | Last Updated: Feb 25th, 2025
Author: Abby |Category: sides, vegetarian, easy, <30 mins
Serves: 4-6 | Prep time: 15 minutes | Cook time: 30 minutes

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I’m obsessed with anything brown butter. Seriously. What’s not to love? It’s nutty, umami, complex, flavourful, and is just such a unique flavour that it can’t be substituted anyway else. Any time there’s mention of brown butter on a menu, I’m all over it. This dish came to me at our friend Amy’s wedding in Melbourne a few years ago. It was a beautiful wedding in an intimate venue and although the weather could’ve been better, the heartfelt speeches and the amazing family-style food made it a wonderful evening. This roasted brown butter carrot dish was my absolute favourite of the night and I’m pretty sure I had more than my fair share 🤫. After the wedding I obsessed until I was able to recreate this dish myself. So here I am again, sharing the fruits of my labour. I hope you enjoy this dish as much as I do!

This dish tastes luxurious and is actually so easy to make. It’s a perfect side dish to serve when you’re wanting to impress! The nutty butter carrot purée paired with the roasted carrots are the perfect combination.

Anyways, without further ado, here’s the recipe! If you have any comments or suggestions, I’d love to hear from you in the comment section! You can follow me on instagram, youtube and facebook to see all the recipes I post!

Happy cooking!

Ingredients you’ll need:

113g/1 stick unsalted butter
500g Dutch carrots, leaves removed, peeled, and kept whole
500g large carrots, peeled and sliced
Drizzle of olive oil
1/4 cup whole milk (or more)
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Preheat oven to 190˚C/375˚F.

Prepare 2 lined baking trays. Place the whole Dutch carrots in one and the sliced carrots in the other. Add a drizzle of olive oil and a pinch of salt and pepper to each tray and mix thoroughly. Bake in the preheated oven for 20-30 minutes until roasted and tender.

They’re cooked when they’re soft enough to pierce with a fork

While the carrots are baking, make the brown butter: In a saucepan on MED heat, add the butter to the pan and occasionally stir until you get browned bits on the bottom then remove from heat into a separate bowl to cool.

You can refer to this more thorough guide for browning butter here.

When the carrots have cooked, add the sliced carrots into a blender (set aside the whole Dutch carrots for later). Pour the brown butter over the sliced carrots in the blender along with 1/4 cup of milk. Blend on HIGH until you get a smooth purée. If the purée is too thick to blend, add 1 Tbsps of milk at a time until you get the desired consistency. Taste and adjust salt and pepper as needed.

To plate: Spread the puréed brown butter carrots (from step 4) onto a plate, then place the cooked whole Dutch carrots over top. Serve immediately. Enjoy!

Summarized Recipe:

Brown Butter Carrot Purée with Roasted Carrots

Ingredients:

113g/1 stick unsalted butter
500g Dutch carrots, leaves removed, peeled, and kept whole
500g large carrots, peeled and sliced
Drizzle of olive oil
1/4 cup whole milk (or more)
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Preheat oven to 180˚C/350˚F.
Prepare 2 lined baking trays. Place the whole Dutch carrots in one and the sliced carrots in the other. Add a drizzle of olive oil and a pinch of salt and pepper to each tray and mix thoroughly. Bake in the preheated oven for 20-30 minutes until roasted and tender.
While the carrots are baking, make the brown butter: In a saucepan on MED heat, add the butter to the pan and occasionally stir until you get browned bits on the bottom then remove from heat into a separate bowl to cool.
- You can refer to this more thorough guide for browning butter here.
When the carrots have cooked, add the sliced carrots into a blender (set aside the whole Dutch carrots for later). Pour the brown butter over the sliced carrots in the blender along with 1/4 cup of milk. Blend on HIGH until you get a smooth purée. If the purée is too thick to blend, add 1 Tbsps of milk at a time until you get the desired consistency. Taste and adjust salt and pepper as needed.
To plate: Spread the puréed brown butter carrots (from step 4) onto a plate, then place the cooked whole Dutch carrots over top. Serve immediately. Enjoy!

February 25, 2025December 24, 2024

AbbyLeave a comment

Broccoli Cheddar Soup (a Panera copycat)

Date Published: Feb 20th, 2025 | Last Updated: Feb 20th, 2025
Author: Abby |Category: < 30mins, easy, soup, vegetarian, mains, quick
Serves: 6 as a main | Prep time: 15 mins | Cook time: 30 mins

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There’s something about Panera’s Broccoli Cheddar Soup that just spells out warm and cozy. This recipe is a copycat version of said soup. It’s quick, easy, and in no way light on the calories. It packs in the butter, cream, milk, and cheese. This soup is to be made for those indulgent meals where you just don’t give a f*ck. It’s an easy crowd pleaser and a big pot can be whipped up in no time. Feel free to add in shredded chicken and extra chicken to round out this soup.

Happy cooking!

This recipe is adapted from The Girl Who Ate Everything.

Ingredients you’ll need:

113g (1 stick) unsalted butter
1 large onion, diced
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
4 cups (1L) chicken broth
2 cups heavy cream
2 cups whole milk
1 large head (500g) of broccoli, cut into bite sized pieces
1 large (~2 cups) carrot, julienned or grated large through large holes
500g cheddar cheese, shredded
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
Salt & pepper to taste

Directions:

In a large pot on MED heat, melt the 1 stick of butter then add in the diced onions. Cook for 3-4 minutes until the onions soften.

Sprinkle the 1/2 cup of flour over the onions and mix well. Continue to cook for 1-2 minutes while continuously stirring.

Pour in the 4 cups of chicken stock, 2 cups of heavy cream, and 2 cups of milk. Mix well, then turn the heat up to HIGH to bring the soup to a boil, then turn it down LOW-MED.

Add in the broccoli and carrots and continue to simmer for 15-20 minutes until the vegetables are cooked.

Add the cheddar cheese and ground nutmeg. Stir until the cheese has fully melted then taste and adjust salt and pepper to your liking. Done! Serve with some bread and an additional sprinkle of cheddar cheese on top.

Optional step: to make the soup thicker, you can remove 4-5 ladles of soup into a separate bowl and blend until thickened then pour it back into the pot.

Summarized Recipe:

Broccoli Cheddar Soup (a Panera copycat)

Ingredients:

113g (1 stick) unsalted butter
1 large onion, diced
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
4 cups (1L) chicken broth
2 cups heavy cream
2 cups whole milk
1 large head (500g) of broccoli, cut into bite sized pieces
1 large (~2 cups) carrot, julienned or grated through large holes
500g cheddar cheese, shredded
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
Salt & pepper to taste

Directions:

In a large pot on MED heat, melt the 1 stick of butter then add in the diced onions. Cook for 3-4 minutes until the onions soften.
Sprinkle the 1/2 cup of flour over the onions and mix well. Continue to cook for 1-2 minutes while continuously stirring.
Pour in the 4 cups of chicken stock, 2 cups of heavy cream, and 2 cups of milk. Mix well, then turn the heat up to HIGH to bring the soup to a boil, then turn it down LOW-MED.
Add in the broccoli and carrots and continue to simmer for 15-20 minutes until the vegetables are cooked.
Add the cheddar cheese and ground nutmeg. Stir until the cheese has fully melted then taste and adjust salt and pepper to your liking. Done! Serve with some bread and an additional sprinkle of cheddar cheese on top.
- Optional step: to make the soup thicker, you can remove 4-5 ladles of soup into a separate bowl and blend until thickened then pour it back into the pot.

February 20, 2025December 24, 2024

AbbyLeave a comment

Philly Cheesesteak – “Whiz Wit Mushrooms”

Date Published: Feb 15th, 2025 | Last Updated: Feb 15th, 2025
Author: Abby |Category: mains, easy
Serves: 2 | Prep time: 30 mins | Cook time: 45 mins

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Since moving to New York nearly 2 years ago, we’ve visited Philadelphia a handful of times. This city is full of rich history and endless food options. Of course with this being a food blog, no trip to Philly is complete without a cheesesteak. There are debates over who has the best cheesesteaks, with top 2 mentions from locals being Jim’s South St. and D’alessandro’s and the more tourist-driven places being Pat’s and Geno’s. So far, Jim’s South St. is our favourite.

If you’re looking for the best cheesesteak in Philly, check out my separate post below!

The Ultimate Guide to Top Philly Cheesesteak Spots

This is my ultimate guide to Philly Cheesesteaks in Philadelphia! I’ve made it my personal mission to try as many popular cheesesteak spots as I can find through online research,…

Keep reading

by Abby March 25, 2025September 8, 2025

This sandwich is a local favourite and I’m sure every Philadelphian will have their own go-to spot and opinions on how a good cheesesteak should be. In this recipe I’ve written it to how I prefer my cheesesteaks (with mushrooms, onions, cheez whiz and provolone), but it is very customizable to tailor to your liking.

What is a Philly Cheesesteak? What makes it so special?

A Philly Cheesesteak is a sandwich that is essentially bread, cooked steak, and cheese. The combination of these 3 ingredients don’t sound like much, but it’s the quality of the bread, the tenderness and juiciness of the beef, and the cheesy goodness all combined together that makes this sandwich magical. There’s no fancy truffle aioli, or a complex combination of marinades and spices. It’s just simple ingredients made well. Also be prepared – a good cheesesteak tends to be pretty greasy so pack your wet wipes!

Dissecting the Philly Cheeseteak:

Bread:

You want a sandwich roll that’s got a light crust on the outside (but not hard like a baguette) and soft on the inside. You don’t want the bread too soft like a hotdog bun or else the juices from the sandwich will make the bread soggy and it won’t hold up. I went for a locally available “hero roll” at my bodega.

Usually the bread is not toasted in a traditional cheesesteak, but for my recipe I’ve done a quick broil in the oven so the bread gets a little more crunch to hold up to the moisture of the beef a little better.

Steak:

Although more expensive, rib eye steak is the go-to choice for a Philly cheesesteak. It’s a good quality cut with enough marbled fat to give it extra flavour. A cheaper alternative is skirt steak. The steak needs to be very thinly sliced to achieve the right texture, so you can either slice it yourself if you happen to have a deli meat slicer at home (we just got one recently!), freeze the steak for 20 minutes to firm up the beef to make it easier to slice by hand with a knife, or ask your butcher to slice it for you. Another alternative is to buy the pre-sliced frozen beef at Asian grocery stores in the hotpot freezer section.

Toby playing with our new meat slicer for the first time!

Cheese: Provolone, Cheez Whiz, or American Cheese?

When Toby and I went to order our first ever Philly Cheesesteak, we had no idea that there were cheese options! The guy at Jim’s didn’t specifically ask us what cheese we wanted. He instead asked “Provolone?”. In a moment of panic, we just said “yes”. Surely provolone is the most popular option, otherwise he would’ve led with a different cheese choice, right? When we unwrapped our cheesesteak, it was decent, but I couldn’t really taste the provolone and it didn’t look ooey gooey with cheese as I had imagined it. For a cheesesteak, I was expecting big cheesy flavours so we were a little disappointed. Maybe we chose the wrong cheese? Maybe we should get extra cheese? After polishing off our sandwich, Toby went right back in line and ordered another one, this time with BOTH provolone and Cheez Whiz. After taking the first bite, we were in love! This was it. The Cheez Whiz made all the difference. This gooey fake cheese product penetrated through the layers of the beef and onions and melded the flavours together into a mess of greasy cheesy delicious goodness. I now understand why this sandwich is a classic. For my recipe, I’ve included both provolone and Cheez Whiz below, but feel free to change it up to your liking.

A cheesesteak at Jim’s South St. in Philadelphia

Fun fact: local slang for a cheesesteak with onions and Cheez Wiz is called a “Whiz wit“. If you don’t want onions, it’s called a “Whiz without“!

Onions (optional):

Onions are optional, but essential in my opinion. They’re usually cooked to just browned and softened with a bit of a bite. I prefer the cheesesteak joints that take it a little further and slightly caramelize the onions to add a bit of sweetness to a sandwich that’s full of cheese and salty meat. In my recipe below, the onions are slightly caramelized but feel free to cook it as much or as little as you like.

Mushrooms (optional):

Sautéed mushrooms are also another must for me, but I just love mushrooms in general. I find that it adds a nice texture to the sandwich, but Toby prefers it without.

Other toppings:

Other toppings you’ll often find are sautéed bell peppers, hot banana peppers, relish, ketchup, mayonnaise, and mustard. I prefer my cheesesteak with just onions and mushrooms, but Toby likes to add relish for a bit of sweet vinegary kick.

Happy cooking!

Ingredients you’ll need:

1 + 1 Tbsp of bacon fat/neutral oil
2 large onions, diced
Drizzle of olive oil
300g white mushrooms, sliced
2 sandwich/hoagie rolls
6 slices of provolone cheese
1 pound/500g rib eye steak, sliced as thin as possible
Salt & pepper to taste
1/2 cup of Cheez Whiz

Directions:

Cook the onions: In a wide skillet on MED heat, melt 1 Tbsp of bacon fat and add in the diced onions. Cook until the onions slightly caramelize and brown (~20-30 minutes) – you don’t want to fully caramelize it, but with a bit of bite and sweetness. When finished, remove the onions into a bowl and set aside until ready to use.

Cook the mushrooms: In the same skillet on MED heat, add a drizzle of olive oil and sauté the sliced mushrooms with a pinch of salt and pepper until cooked (5 minutes). Remove the cooked mushrooms into a bowl and set aside until ready to use.

Optional step: Toast the bread: Slice each bread roll lengthways without fully cutting through, and lay open on a baking tray. Brush a small amount of olive oil onto the inside of the bread and toast in the oven on the BROIL setting for 1-2 minutes or until golden brown.

Cook the steak: In the same skillet on MED heat, melt another 1 Tbsp of bacon fat and add in the rib eye steak slices. Add a pinch of salt and fresh ground black pepper and continue to sauté until the steak is fully cooked (~5 minutes). Taste and adjust salt and pepper as needed. Turn the heat off.

Assemble the sandwich:

Add 3 slices of provolone cheese to one side of each sandwich.

Spoon the cooked onions (from step 1) and cooked mushrooms (from step 2) to the other side of each sandwich.

Add the just-cooked hot steak (from step 4) over the provolone cheese (if it’s not hot, turn on the heat to warm up the steak so it melts the provolone when you add it on top).

Microwave the Cheeze Whiz for 30 seconds until it’s warmed and gooey, then drizzle on 1/4 cup of the cheese whiz over the steak on each sandwich.

Close the sandwich and serve immediately. Enjoy!

Summarized Recipe:

Philly Cheesesteak – “Whiz Wit Mushrooms”

Date Published: Feb 15th, 2025 | Last Updated: Feb 15th, 2025
Author: Abby |Category: mains, easy
Serves: 2 | Prep time: 30 mins | Cook time: 45 mins

Ingredients:

1 + 1 Tbsp of bacon fat/neutral oil
2 large onions, diced
Drizzle of olive oil
300g white mushrooms, sliced
2 sandwich/hoagie rolls
6 slices of provolone cheese
1 pound/500g rib eye steak, sliced as thin as possible
Salt & pepper to taste
1/2 cup of Cheez Whiz

Directions:

Cook the onions: In a wide skillet on MED heat, melt 1 Tbsp of bacon fat and add in the diced onions. Cook until the onions slightly caramelize and brown (~20-30 minutes) – you don’t want to fully caramelize it, but with a bit of bite and sweetness. When finished, remove the onions into a bowl and set aside until ready to use.
Cook the mushrooms: In the same skillet on MED heat, add a drizzle of olive oil and sauté the sliced mushrooms with a pinch of salt and pepper until cooked (5 minutes). Remove the cooked mushrooms into a bowl and set aside until ready to use.
Optional step: Toast the bread: Slice each bread roll lengthways without fully cutting through, and lay open on a baking tray. Brush a small amount of olive oil onto the inside of the bread and toast in the oven on the BROIL setting for 1-2 minutes or until golden brown.
Cook the steak: In the same skillet on MED heat, melt another 1 Tbsp of bacon fat and add in the rib eye steak slices. Add a pinch of salt and fresh ground black pepper and continue to sauté until the steak is fully cooked (~5 minutes). Taste and adjust salt and pepper as needed. Turn the heat off.
Assemble the sandwich:
- Add 3 slices of provolone cheese to one side of each sandwich.
- Spoon the cooked onions (from step 1) and cooked mushrooms (from step 2) to the other side of each sandwich.
- Add the just-cooked hot steak (from step 4) over the provolone cheese (if it’s not hot, turn on the heat to warm up the steak so it melts the provolone when you add it on top).
- Microwave the Cheeze Whiz for 30 seconds until it’s warmed and gooey, then drizzle on 1/4 cup of the cheese whiz over the steak on each sandwich.
- Close the sandwich and serve immediately. Enjoy!

February 15, 2025July 12, 2025

AbbyLeave a comment

French Onion Mac & Cheese with Garlic Toasts

Date Published: Jan 11th, 2025 | Last Updated: Jan 11th, 2025
Author: Abby |Category: mains, sides, vegetarian
Serves: 8 as a main | Prep time: 20 mins | Cook time: 1.5 hours

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French Onion soup + Mac and Cheese. This is it. The ultimate comfort food. There are no short cuts here and no low-calorie nonsense this time. This is the real deal – pile on that butter and pack on the cheese because it’s time to indulge.

This mac and cheese recipe incorporates the essence of a French Onion soup: the sweet caramelized onions, tons of gruyère cheese, and topped with slices of toasted garlic bread. There’s just no better way to marry these two classic comfort dishes. This recipe does take a bit of time to caramelize the onions, but do it slow and low and you won’t regret it!

Happy cooking!

This recipe is adapted from the NYT version.

Ingredients you’ll need: *This recipe makes a LOT of mac and cheese (8-10 servings), halve the recipe if needed.

Caramelized onions:
- 3 Tbsps butter
- 900g/2 lbs (about 3 large) yellow or sweet onions, sliced
- 6 sprigs fresh thyme
- 1 large bay leaf
- Splashes of beef stock as needed
- 2 Tbsps sherry vinegar
Pasta:
- 1 box (1lb/16oz/454g) of elbow pasta/macaroni
Baguette toasts:
- 1 baguette, sliced to 2.5cm thickness
- 1 garlic clove, peeled
- 1 cup (4oz) gruyère cheese, freshly grated (do not get the pre-grated cheese)
Béchamel Cheese Sauce:
- 2 Tbsps butter
- 3 Tbsps all-purpose flour
- 4 cups whole milk
- 4 cups (170g/6oz) gruyère cheese, freshly grated (do not get the pre-grated cheese)
- 4 + 1 cups (200g/7 oz) sharp cheddar cheese, freshly grated (do not get the pre-grated cheese)
- Salt & pepper
Fresh thyme leaves for garnish

Directions:

Caramelize the onions (you can do this the day before):

In a large deep oven-safe skillet (I use a 5.5 qt braiser enamel cast-iron pot) on MED heat, add in 3 Tbsps of butter, sliced onions, 6 sprigs thyme and 1 bay leaf. Cook until the onions soften (3-4 minutes), then turn the heat down to LOW and slowly continue to cook the onions until they’re a deep brown colour (~45 minutes to 1 hour).

Stir frequently, every 4-5 minutes to ensure the onions don’t burn and scrape the brown bits off bottom regularly. If it seems like it’s about to burn, add a splash of beef stock to loosen everything.

The onions will occasionally threaten to burn

Once the onions are done, add in 2 Tbsps of sherry vinegar to deglaze the pan and scrape up any remaining bits for 30 seconds. Discard the bay leaf and thyme sprig stems. Remove the onions from the pan and set aside.

Make the pasta:

While the onions are caramelizing, cook the pasta according to package instructions with a pinch of salt in the water, but stop cooking 2 minutes before it’s finished. Strain the pasta but reserve the pasta water for later in case needed and run the pasta under cold water until ready to be used.

Run under cold water to stop the cooking process

Make the baguette toasts:

While the pasta cooks, arrange the baguette slices onto a baking tray and broil for 1-2 minutes to lightly toast them until they’re just firm (you don’t need to brown them). Cut the end off of one clove of garlic and rub one side of each toasted baguette slice and set aside.

Make the cheese sauce:

Preheat the oven to 450˚F/230˚C.

In the same pan that was used for the onions, melt 2 Tbsps of butter on MED heat. Once melted, sprinkle in 3 Tbsps of flour. Whisk for 1-2 minutes until the flour is incorporated, bubbles, and turns a light golden brown.

Slowly add in the 4 cups of milk while whisking at the same time to ensure the flour and milk mixes well together without clumps. Let the sauce come to a simmer.

Add back in the caramelized onions (from step 1) and mix together.

Next, add in 4 cups of gruyère and 4 cups of cheddar cheese. Continue to whisk until all the cheese has melted, then add in the cooked pasta (from step 2). Mix it all around, then add salt and pepper to taste.

If you prefer your mac & cheese on the runnier side, add some reserved pasta water (from step 2) to the pot until you reach the desired consistency. Turn off the heat.

Assemble & Bake!

Arrange the garlic-rubbed baguette toasts over the mac and cheese and sprinkle the 1 cup grated cheddar cheese over the top of the toasts.

Bake in the preheated oven for 10-15 minutes until the cheese is bubbly. Broil for 1-2 minutes at the end until the cheese is golden brown.

Garnish with fresh thyme leaves and serve immediately!

Summarized Recipe:

French Onion Mac & Cheese with Garlic Toasts

Ingredients:

Caramelized onions:
- 3 Tbsps butter
- 900g/2 lbs (about 3 large) yellow or sweet onions, sliced
- 6 sprigs fresh thyme
- 1 large bay leaf
- Splashes of beef stock as needed
- 2 Tbsps sherry vinegar
Pasta:
- 1 box (1lb/16oz/454g) of elbow pasta/macaroni
Baguette toasts:
- 1 baguette, sliced to 2.5cm thickness
- 1 garlic clove, peeled
- 1 cup (4oz) gruyère cheese, freshly grated (do not get the pre-grated cheese)
Béchamel Cheese Sauce:
- 2 Tbsps butter
- 3 Tbsps all-purpose flour
- 4 cups whole milk
- 4 cups (6oz) gruyère cheese, freshly grated (do not get the pre-grated cheese)
- 4 + 1 cups (7 oz) sharp cheddar cheese, freshly grated (do not get the pre-grated cheese)
- Salt & pepper
Fresh thyme leaves for garnish

Directions:

Caramelize the onions (you can do this the day before):
- In a large deep oven-safe skillet (I use a 5.5 qt braiser enamel cast-iron pot) on MED heat, add in 3 Tbsps of butter, sliced onions, 6 sprigs thyme and 1 bay leaf. Cook until the onions soften (3-4 minutes), then turn the heat down to LOW and slowly continue to cook the onions until they’re a deep brown colour (~45 minutes to 1 hour). Stir frequently, every 4-5 minutes to ensure the onions don’t burn and scrape the brown bits off bottom regularly. If it seems like it’s about to burn, add a splash of beef stock to loosen everything.
- Once the onions are done, add in 2 Tbsps of sherry vinegar to deglaze the pan and scrape up any remaining bits for 30 seconds. Discard the bay leaf and thyme sprig stems. Remove the onions from the pan and set aside.
Make the pasta:
- While the onions are caramelizing, cook the pasta according to package instructions with a pinch of salt in the water, but stop cooking 2 minutes before it’s finished. Strain the pasta but reserve the pasta water for later in case needed and run the pasta under cold water until ready to be used.
Make the baguette toasts:
- While the pasta cooks, arrange the baguette slices onto a baking tray and broil for 1-2 minutes to lightly toast them until they’re just firm (you don’t need to brown them). Cut the end off of one clove of garlic and rub one side of each toasted baguette slice and set aside.
Make the cheese sauce:
- Preheat the oven to 450˚F/230˚C.
- In the same pan that was used for the onions, melt 2 Tbsps of butter on MED heat. Once melted, sprinkle in 3 Tbsps of flour. Whisk for 1-2 minutes until the flour is incorporated, bubbles, and turns a light golden brown.
- Slowly add in the 4 cups of milk while whisking at the same time to ensure the flour and milk mixes well together without clumps. Let the sauce come to a simmer.
- Add back in the caramelized onions (from step 1) and mix together.
- Next, add in 4 cups of gruyère and 4 cups of cheddar cheese. Continue to whisk until all the cheese has melted, then add in the cooked pasta (from step 2). Mix it all around, then add salt and pepper to taste.
  - If you prefer your mac & cheese on the runnier side, add some reserved pasta water (from step 2) to the pot until you reach the desired consistency. Turn off the heat.
Assemble & Bake!
- Arrange the garlic-rubbed baguette toasts over the mac and cheese and sprinkle the 1 cup grated cheddar cheese over the top of the toasts.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 10-15 minutes until the cheese is bubbly. Broil for 1-2 minutes at the end until the cheese is golden brown.
- Garnish with fresh thyme leaves and serve immediately!

January 11, 2025December 19, 2024

AbbyLeave a comment

Colcannon (Irish Kale Mashed Potatoes)

Date Published: Jan 1st, 2025 | Last Updated: Jan 1st, 2025
Author: Abby |Category: sides, vegetarian, easy
Serves: 8 (1 large bowl) | Prep time: 15 mins | Cook time: 40 mins

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Happy New Year everyone!!!!🥳 I hope everyone had a great 2024, if not, here’s to a better 2025! To kick off the new year, here’s a twist to an old staple.

Colcannon is a traditional Irish mashed potato dish that incorporates kale (or cabbage). It sounds weird, but trust me, it actually works. Think of the kale as an excuse to pile on that butter. 😉

I learned of this dish when I found myself with a large bunch of kale taking up half the space in the vegetable drawer and some potatoes threatening to sprout. A quick search of these ingredients led me to this dish and now this is my go-to mashed potato dish to serve at any occasional to make an interesting twist to a classic.

Happy cooking!

Ingredients you’ll need:

1kg Yukon gold potatoes, diced (peeled or unpeeled depending on how like it)
6 Tbsps (85g) unsalted butter
1 large bunch (~6-8 cups, semi-packed) of kale (curly or lacinato), stems removed and chopped small
3 cloves garlic, minced
3 spring onions, sliced
1/2 cup milk
Salt & pepper to taste

Directions:

Place the potatoes in a pot and add enough water to cover and a sprinkle of salt. Bring the heat up to HIGH to let the water come to a boil, then turn it down to MED and continue to simmer until the potatoes are fork-tender (~15-20 mins). Drain and set aside.

In a medium sized pot or deep pan on MED-HIGH heat, melt the butter and add in the kale. Sauté for a few minutes until the leaves are wilted. Add in the garlic and spring onions and continue to cook for another 2 minutes until fragrant and the spring onions have softened.

Add in the cooked potatoes (from step 1) and milk into the pan and mix it all together. Once everything is heated through, turn off the heat and mash the potatoes until smooth. Taste and adjust salt and pepper to your preference. Done!

Summarized Recipe:

Colcannon (Irish Kale Mashed Potatoes)

Ingredients:

1kg Yukon gold potatoes, diced (peeled or unpeeled depending on how like it)
6 Tbsps (85g) unsalted butter
1 large bunch (~6-8 cups, semi-packed) of kale (curly or lacinato), stems removed and chopped small
3 cloves garlic, minced
3 spring onions, sliced
1/2 cup milk
Salt & pepper to taste

Directions:

Place the potatoes in a pot and add enough water to cover and a sprinkle of salt. Bring the heat up to HIGH to let the water come to a boil, then turn it down to MED and continue to simmer until the potatoes are fork-tender (~15-20 mins). Drain and set aside.
In a medium sized pot or deep pan on MED-HIGH heat, melt the butter and add in the kale. Sauté for a few minutes until the leaves are wilted. Add in the garlic and spring onions and continue to cook for another 2 minutes until fragrant and the spring onions have softened.
Add in the cooked potatoes (from step 1) and milk into the pan and mix it all together. Once everything is heated through, turn off the heat and mash the potatoes until smooth. Taste and adjust salt and pepper to your preference. Done!
Melt 2 Tbsp of butter and drizzle on top with green onion garnish before serving.

January 1, 2025December 15, 2024

AbbyLeave a comment

Hearty Chicken Corn Chowder – the ultimate comfort food

Date Published: Dec 27th, 2024 | Last Updated: Dec 27th, 2024
Author: Abby |Category: soups
Serves: 6 (as mains) | Prep time: 20 mins | Cook time: 45 mins

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Chicken corn chowder is the ultimate comfort food for me. No matter what’s going on in this world, a big bowl of this soup seems to always hit the right spot. It’s especially fitting for this cold weather we’ve been having lately!

My version of a chicken corn chowder packs a ton of vegetables and protein because I like my soups hearty and filling. It also makes a large pot of soup, enough for at least 6 large portions. The jalapeño is optional if you prefer a bit of a kick.

Happy cooking!

Ingredients you’ll need:

200g (~6 slices) bacon, chopped
2 Tbsp unsalted butter
1 large yellow onion, diced
1 medium carrot, diced
2 stalks celery, diced
1 red bell pepper/capsicum, diced
1 raw jalapeño pepper, seeds removed and diced (optional, for a mild kick, keep the seeds in if you like it spicier)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1 tsp fresh ground black pepper + more to taste
1 tsp kosher salt + more to taste
1 tsp paprika (ideally sweet smoked, but any will do)
4 cups chicken broth
1 cup whole milk
1 cup heavy cream
3 chicken breasts (or 2 large ones), skinless, boneless
1kg (4 med-large) potatoes, peeled and diced to 2cm cubes
2 cans of corn, drained or cut the kernels off 3 ears of sweet corn
3 dashes of Worcestershire sauce

Directions:

In a large soup pot on MED heat, add in the chopped bacon and cook until browned and crispy then remove onto a paper towel and set aside.

Discard all but 2 tablespoons of bacon grease from the pot and add in the 2 Tbsps butter. Once the butter has melted, add in the diced onion, carrots, celery, red bell pepper, jalapeño (if using) and minced garlic. Mix everything together and cook until the vegetables are soft enough to break with the spatula (5-8 minutes).

Sprinkle in the 1/2 cup flour and stir until well combined for 1-2 minutes so the flour cooks a little.

Add in the 1 tsp black pepper and 1 tsp paprika. Mix together then slowly add in the chicken broth 1 cup at a time while mixing to ensure there are no clumps and make sure you scrape the bottom of the pot.

Once all the chicken broth has been added, add in the 1 cup of milk and 1 cup of heavy cream. Stir everything together and let the soup come to a boil.

Add in the 3 whole chicken breasts. Continue to simmer for 15 minutes until the chicken is cooked. Once the chicken has cooked, remove the breasts and set aside on a plate.

Add the diced potatoes and corn to the soup and continue to simmer until the potatoes are cooked (~10 minutes).

While the potatoes are cooking, use two forks to shred the chicken (don’t worry if it’s a little undercooked in some parts).

Add it back into the pot along with half the amount of cooked bacon (from step 1).

When the potatoes are soft enough the break with a spatula, add 3 dashes of Worcestershire sauce and mix. Taste and adjust salt and pepper to taste.

Done! Serve hot with a sprinkle of the rest of the cooked bacon (from step 1) sprinkled on top.

Summarized Recipe:

Hearty Chicken Corn Chowder – the ultimate comfort food

Date Published: Dec 27th, 2024 | Last Updated: Dec 27th, 2024
Author: Abby |Category: soups
Serves: 6 (as mains) | Prep time: 20 mins | Cook time: 45 mins

Ingredients:

200g (~6 slices) bacon, chopped
2 Tbsp unsalted butter
1 large yellow onion, diced
1 medium carrot, diced
2 stalks celery, diced
1 red bell pepper/capsicum, diced
1 raw jalapeño pepper, seeds removed and diced (optional for a mild kick, keep the seeds in if you like it spicier)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1 tsp fresh ground black pepper + more to taste
1 tsp kosher salt + more to taste
1 tsp paprika (ideally sweet smoked, but any will do)
4 cups chicken broth
1 cup whole milk
1 cup heavy cream
3 chicken breasts (or 2 large ones), skinless, boneless
1kg (4 med-large) potatoes, peeled and diced to 2cm cubes
2 cans of corn, drained or cut the kernels off 3 ears of sweet corn
3 dashes of Worcestershire sauce

Directions:

In a large soup pot on MED heat, add in the chopped bacon and cook until browned and crispy then remove onto a paper towel and set aside.
Discard all but 2 tablespoons of bacon grease from the pot and add in the 2 Tbsps butter. Once the butter has melted, add in the diced onion, carrots, celery, red bell pepper, jalapeño (if using) and minced garlic. Mix everything together and cook until the vegetables are soft enough to break with the spatula (5-8 minutes).
Sprinkle in the 1/2 cup flour and stir until well combined for 1-2 minutes so the flour cooks a little.
Add in the 1 tsp black pepper and 1 tsp paprika. Mix together then slowly add in the chicken broth 1 cup at a time while mixing to ensure there are no clumps and make sure you scrape the bottom of the pot.
Once all the chicken broth has been added, add in the 1 cup of milk and 1 cup of heavy cream. Stir everything together and let the soup come to a boil, then add in the 3 whole chicken breasts. Continue to simmer for 15 minutes until the chicken is cooked.
Once the chicken has cooked, remove the breasts and set aside on a plate. Add the diced potatoes and corn to the soup and continue to simmer until the potatoes are cooked (~10 minutes).
While the potatoes are cooking, use two forks to shred the chicken (don’t worry if it’s a little undercooked in some parts) then add it back into the pot along with half the amount of cooked bacon (from step 1).
When the potatoes are soft enough the break with a spatula, add 3 dashes of Worcestershire sauce and mix. Taste and adjust salt and pepper to taste. Done! Serve hot with a sprinkle of the rest of the cooked bacon (from step 1) sprinkled on top.

December 27, 2024December 15, 2024

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