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Showing posts from September, 2026

Best Pumpkin Pie Spice Substitute

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Don’t have pumpkin spices, or realized you’re all out while you’re making a recipe? Here’s the best substitute for pumpkin pie spice . Making a recipe that calls for pumpkin pie spices and don’t have it? Don’t worry, there are lots of options that work as a substitution! Pumpkin pie spices are a blend of spices used in the American traditional dessert, pumpkin pie. The mixture usually includes cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves, and often allspice. There are many different variations on this spice, and you can usually find it in the spice aisle at your grocery. Best Substitute For Pumpkin Pie Spice Are you all out, or is your grocery out of stock? (This has happened to me often during pumpkin season!) Don’t worry: there are lots of good substitutes. 1. Homemade pumpkin pie spice The best substitute for pumpkin pie spice? The homemade version! You can make your own pumpkin pie spice and store it in a sealed jar for up to 6 months. Here’s...

Open Fire Paella

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This paella recipe made over an open fire is perfect for entertaining a crowd! It serves eight; pair it with Spanish cheese and sangria. Have you tried making paella over an open fire? There’s nothing better than gathering around a fire, smelling the intoxicating aroma of dinner, and then all eating out of the same dish. It looks showy, you can learn to make this traditional Spanish dish at home. Alex and I have a long history of learning how to make paella that goes back to my university days 15 years ago and ends a few months ago in Valencia, Spain . This recipe was born of all those memories. Our years of research paid off when a Spaniard friend tasted this recipe and gave it two thumbs up. Here’s how to make this seafood paella recipe over an open fire! My Paella Story I ate my first paella 15 years ago in Madrid as a young university student. My host mother beamed from head to toe as she presented her homemade paella to me for Sunday dinner....

5-Minute Bean Dip

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This easy bean dip comes together in 5 minutes with just canned beans, salsa, and cheese. It’s fastest party snack and also works as a simple side dish for tacos. This recipe happened by accident. That’s where many great recipes come from, right? My most recent accident results in my famous 5-minute bean dip recipe! It’s not superlative when I say it might be the very easiest recipe we’ve ever created. Beans, salsa, and cheese come together into the creamiest, gooiest piping hot mess. Dunk in crunchy chips and it tastes remarkably like the queso from your favorite Mexican joint. A 3 ingredient recipe , the flavor is more irresistibly complex than you’d imagine. But to really understand the magic here: you’ve got to taste it. 5 Star Reader Reviews “I have made this twice now and loved it. I used pinto beans because barlotti beans were hard to find. Topped it with green onions and tomatoes. My friends loved it! Thanks!!...

Best Cotija Cheese Substitute

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There are a few options if you can’t find this specialty Mexican cheese! Here’s the best cotija cheese substitute to use in all your recipes. Can’t find cotija cheese? We’ve got your back! Cotija cheese is a Mexican cow’s milk cheese: it’s white with a dry texture and salty flavor. You can buy it fresh or aged, but it’s usually easiest to find fresh at the grocery. It’s often called for in Mexican-style recipes like tacos , enchiladas , and nachos . This cheese can be tough to find at the grocery, so here’s the best cotija cheese substitute! Best Substitute For Cotija Cheese 1. Feta cheese The best fresh cotija cheese substitute? Feta cheese. Feta has a similar crumbly texture and salty flavor to cotija cheese, and is usually easier to find at the store. Of course if you can find cotija, it has a unique flavor that’s worth seeking out. 2. Queso fresco Another cotija cheese substitute? Queso fresco, if y...

Healthy Banana Bread with Olive Oil

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My favorite healthy banana bread uses olive oil instead of butter, some whole wheat flour, and less sugar than the standard loaf. It’s moist and lightly sweet: great for snacks! As a Mediterranean diet expert and author of a new cookbook on the subject, I’ve realized a lot of banana bread is really just an excuse for cake. Most banana bread recipes have a stick of butter and 1 cup of granulated sugar, but I wondered: could I apply the Mediterranean mindset to a banana bread? I cut the sugar to only ⅓ cup and replaced butter with olive oil. Amazingly, it worked! This healthy banana bread is tender, moist, gently sweet, and what I bake now when I see bananas on my counter turning black. I had a bunch of recipe testers help me by trying this one in their homes, and the verdict? Delicious . 5 Star Reader Reviews “This recipe was a total win in our house! Entire loaf disappeared within minutes of being set on the counter in front of 5 kiddos for...