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Looking for a super-simple yet elegant side dish to serve for dinner? These white wine sautéed mushrooms are always a great idea.

This recipe has been one of my back-pocket favorites for years to pair with various meat or seafood entrées, pastas, risottos, salads, grain bowls, quiches and more. Simply sauté a big batch of mushrooms in butter and olive oil until they are perfectly browned and caramelized, toss with garlic and your favorite seasonings, deglaze and simmer in white wine, then finish with a generous sprinkling of Parmesan. I mean, there’s really no way to go wrong here, right?

That said, this recipe is clearly very flexible and open to customization. So if you’d like to experiment with different seasonings, add in a drizzle of pesto or balsamic glaze, sauté with shallots or pancetta, sprinkle on some nuts, or toss with cream…please feel free. It’s one of those dishes that can be easily dressed up for a formal dinner, but simple enough to also whip up on a busy weeknight. And after years of making various versions of it, I can vouch that mushroom-lovers around the table always make the entire pan disappear. ♡

Let’s sauté some mushrooms!

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Say it with me — no more boring creamed corn! ♡

This Parmesan creamed corn recipe is here to steal the show this holiday season and guaranteed to have everyone coming back for seconds. It’s seasoned with a generous amount of garlic and smoked paprika, balanced out with an extra drizzle of honey to bring out the sweetness of the corn. It’s simmered with a creamy broth which is then mixed with lots of umami-rich Parmesan, to make it extra cheesy. It’s topped with zesty, crispy, toasted garlicky breadcrumbs, which add a fantastic bit of extra flavor and crunch to each bite. And finally sprinkled with chopped herbs for freshness.

Even with all of these delicious flavors and textures layered in, this creamed corn recipe is surprisingly quick and easy to make in less than 30 minutes. I intentionally designed this recipe so that it can be 100% made on the stovetop, in case a turkey happens to be taking up most of the oven. You’re also welcome to prep all of the components up to 3 days in advance if you’d like, then heat and assemble right before serving. And if you have loved ones around your table who are gluten-free, simply swap in gf breadcrumbs to make this dish without gluten.

Everyone around the table raves about this cream corn whenever we’ve served it. So if you’re looking for a winning side dish this holiday season — or for any random weeknight of the week — I hope you’ll give it a try!

Parmesan Creamed Corn Recipe | 1-Minute Video

Parmesan Creamed Corn Ingredients

Here are a few quick notes about the Parmesan creamed corn ingredients that you will need to make this recipe:

• Corn: Whole kernels of sweet corn provide the base for this creamy dish. Feel free to use whatever type of corn you prefer — freshly-shucked, canned or frozen sweet corn.
• Parmesan: Parmesan cheese brings its signature cheesy, salty, umami flavor to the party. I highly recommend freshly-grating your Parmesan on a microplane or with a box grater for optimum flavor.
• Aromatics: Shallot and garlic serve as our base aromatics here, which we will sauté briefly in butter to soften.
• Half and half: We will use half and half (half milk + half heavy cream, for any of you international readers!) will create our luxuriously creamy broth for the corn. I’ve written the recipe using a tablespoon of cornstarch to thicken the broth, but you are welcome to use 2 tablespoons of flour instead to create a roux if you prefer.
• Honey: A hint of honey helps to balance out the savory and smoky flavors here and enhance the natural sweetness of the corn.
• Seasonings: Smoked paprika adds an irresistibly subtle hint of smoky flavor to the dish. We also love sprinkling a bit of extra smoked paprika on top for a pop of color!
• Garlicky breadcrumbs: A quick batch of garlicky breadcrumbs is easy to make with butter, garlic, Panko, salt and pepper. Toast on the stove until they’re golden brown and crispy!
• Garnish (optional): Finally, I recommend a sprinkling of chopped fresh chives or parsley for extra flavor and freshness.

Recipe Tips

Full instructions for how to make creamed corn are included in the recipe below, but here are a few more quick tips to make this recipe a success!

• Toast the breadcrumbs until golden. Since we’re not baking this creamed corn in the oven, the breadcrumbs need to be fully cooked in the sauté pan. So be sure to sauté until they’re perfectly golden and crispy.
• Be sure to use cold half and half. It’s essential that the half and half be nice and cold when whisking in the cornstarch so that it does not clump.
• Try to avoid overcooking the corn. The aim is to have a tender yet slightly crisp texture to the corn here. So keep an eye on it and try to avoid overcooking if possible.
• Season to taste. You may want to add in extra smoked paprika, salt, pepper, or honey here. So give the dish a quickly sampling before serving and season as needed.

Recipe Variations

Here are a few more fun variations that you’re welcome to try with this creamed corn recipe:

• Add bacon: Stir crispy bacon bits into the creamed corn and sprinkle some extras on top as a garnish. (Bonus, use the leftover bacon grease to sauté the shallot and garlic for extra flavor.)
• Add a kick: Add your preferred heat source – diced jalapeños or crushed red pepper flakes — to the shallot sauté for extra heat. Or drizzle the finished dish with hot sauce.
• Add sun-dried tomatoes: Stir some chopped sun-dried tomatoes (those packaged in oil) into the dish.
• Add pesto: Stir a generous spoonful of basil pesto into the dish.
• Use roasted corn: Use roasted sweet corn (I love the frozen roasted corn from Trader Joe’s) for more depth of flavor. Alternately, you can roast your own sweet corn on the grill or in the sauté pan using extra butter.
• Make it gluten-free: Use gluten-free Panko breadcrumbs to make this a gluten-free creamed corn recipe.

More Simple Side Dishes To Try

Looking for more simple side dish recipes to try this holiday season? Here are a few of our faves:

• 1-Hour Dinner Rolls
• Green Bean Casserole
• Garlic Parmesan Mashed Sweet Potatoes
• Bacon Brussels Sprouts with Hot Honey
• Green Bean Bundles with Honey Garlic Butter

Parmesan Creamed Corn

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 5 from 3 reviews

• Author: Ali
• Prep Time: 10 mins
• Cook Time: 15 mins
• Total Time: 25 mins
• Yield: 6 to 8 servings 1x

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Description

This Parmesan Creamed Corn recipe is layered with rich flavors and sprinkled with irresistibly crispy toasted garlic breadcrumbs.

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Ingredients

Creamed Corn Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 shallot, finely diced
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 1/2 cups half and half
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 4 cups (about 25 ounces) sweet corn kernels (fresh, canned or frozen)
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1/2 teaspoon each: fine sea salt, freshly-ground black pepper, smoked paprika
• 1 ounce freshly-grated Parmesan 
• optional garnish: chopped chives or parsley

Garlicky Breadcrumbs Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon butter
• 2 cloves garlic, finely minced
• 1/2 cup Panko breadcrumbs*
• 1/2 teaspoon each: fine sea salt and freshly-ground black pepper

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Instructions

1. Make the garlicky breadcrumbs. Melt 1 tablespoon butter over medium-high heat in a sauté pan. Add garlic and sauté for 1 minute, stirring occasionally. Add Panko, salt and pepper. Continue sautéing, stirring occasionally, until the Panko reaches a toasted golden brown color. Transfer the breadcrumbs to a bowl and set aside. Wipe off the pan.
2. Sauté the shallot and garlic. Return the pan to medium-high heat and add the butter. Add the shallot and garlic and sauté for 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the garlic is lightly golden.
3. Whisk in the cornstarch. While those are cooking, whisk together the half and half and cornstarch until combined.
4. Simmer. Add the half and half mixture, corn, honey, salt, black pepper, smoked paprika to the pan and stir until evenly combined. Continue cooking until the sauce reaches a low simmer and thickens. Turn off the heat and stir in the Parmesan until combined.
5. Serve. Sprinkle the garlicky breadcrumbs on top of the corn, and garnish with chopped chives or parsley if desired. Serve warm and enjoy!

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Notes

Gluten-free option: If making this recipe gluten-free, be sure to use gluten-free Panko breadcrumbs.

Is there anything more lovely than a plate filled with warm, delicate, buttery French crêpes? ♡

We were fortunate to have the opportunity visit a number of charming creperies during our years living in Europe, especially on our various trips to France. And I have to say, there is nothing like a well-made, paper-thin, lacy-edged crepe served fresh off of the pan. They are so effortlessly elegant and delicious in their simplicity. And, of course, the perfect blank slate for all of your favorite sweet or savory fillings!

The beauty of classic French crepes is that they are surprisingly easy to make at home too. All you need are 7 basic pantry ingredients, plus whatever fillings sound good, and your kitchen can transform into your own little French cafe in no time. I have always been partial to making crepe batter in a blender, which I find to be the simplest method, but you can just as easily make yours with a bowl and whisk if you prefer. Be sure to read the notes below for extra tips, plus bonus ideas for how to customize the batter or fillings to your liking.

Let’s make some crepes!

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I’m officially declaring this our family’s house salad of the summer. ♡

We’ve been making this salad on repeat lately and simply cannot get enough of its refreshing, zesty, Middle Eastern-inspired blend of ingredients. Crisp Romaine provides the perfect bit of structure and crunch, chickpeas lend a hearty dose of creaminess and protein, chopped Medjool dates add a surprising pop of caramel, loads of fresh mint brightens everything up, ripe avocado brings the creaminess, and an irresistibly zesty lemony za’atar shallot vinaigrette brings it all together. It’s wonderfully light and summery and bursting with fresh flavors. I know you’re going to love it!

This salad is definitely hearty enough to stand on its own if you would like to serve it as an entrée. Or it could also pair deliciously with any number of proteins (such as chicken, steak, salmon or shrimp) or cheeses (such as tangy feta or grilled halloumi). All of the ingredients here also happen to be naturally gluten-free, vegan and naturally-sweetened, which came in especially helpful when I recently served this salad to a large gathering of friends with a wide range of dietary needs. Everyone gave it rave reviews and asked for the recipe, which I always consider the best compliment. So without further ado, here it is!

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I can’t tell you how much I adore these cookies. ♡

They’re like little lemony rays of sunshine and just so yummy and perfect for springtime.

I’ve been playing around with this recipe for the past few months and have finally landed on the balance of flavors that I think you’re going to love. The thumbprint cookie base here has a light melt-in-your-mouth texture, it’s sweet but not too sweet, perfectly buttery, and accented with hints of almond and vanilla. Each cookie then is filled with generous pools of tart lemon curd — well-worth the extra 15 minutes to make homemade, by the way — which perfectly complements the cookies with a burst of zippy, sweet, lemony flavor in each bite.

They’re seriously the most delightful little cookies and our friends have raved every time we’ve served them. So if you love a good lemony cookie, I hope you’ll give them a try!

Lemon Thumbprint Cookies Recipe | 1-Minute Video

Lemon Thumbprint Cookie Ingredients

Here are a few brief notes about the ingredients you will need to make these lemon thumbprints:

• Lemon curd: As mentioned above, I highly recommend making a batch of homemade lemon curd for these cookies if you have an extra 15 minutes! It’s easy to make with 5 ingredients and using freshly-squeezed lemon juice really makes the flavor pop. That said, if you’re in a pinch, store-bought lemon curd will work just fine here too.
• All-purpose flour: We’ve tested these cookies using traditional all-purpose flour and gluten-free all-purpose flour and both work well!
• Almond flour: We will also add some almond flour to the cookie dough for texture and extra almond-y flavor.
• Salt: Necessary to bring out the best of these delicious flavors! (Feel free to add an additional sprinkle of flaky sea salt to finish, if you like a salty cookie.)
• Butter: This recipe uses unsalted butter, but if you only have salted butter on hand, just omit the 1/2 teaspoon of salt included in the recipe.
• Sugar: Cane sugar or basic white granulated sugar can be used to sweeten the cookies.
• Vanilla and almond extracts: We recommend using a hint of both extracts.
• Lemon zest: We will add the zest of one lemon to give the cookie base a hint of lemony flavor too.

Tips For Making These Thumbprint Cookies

Full instructions are included in the recipe box below, but here are a few additional tips for making these lemon curd thumbprint cookies:

• Make the lemon curd first. If you do, in fact, decide to make homemade lemon curd for this recipe, I recommend making it first so that it can have some time to cool in the refrigerator before filling.
• Use a rounded teaspoon. Traditional thumbprint cookies are indented with (yes) your thumb, which can totally work. But if you’re interested in more uniform, even indents, I find it’s easiest to use a round 1-teaspoon measuring spoon.
• Don’t worry if the dough cracks. As you can see from the photos, this dough does not use eggs and is meant to be a touch on the drier side, so it’s totally okay if it cracks a bit as you make the indents.
• You’re welcome to add the curd before or after baking. I personally like the texture of the lemon curd better when it is added after baking, so that it’s still a bit soft. But it’s equally delicious added to the thumbprints before baking, which allows it to set up much more quickly. If you do choose the latter, be sure not to overfill the cookies to prevent the lemon curd from leaking out while baking.

Recipe Variations

Here are a few additional ways that you’re welcome to customize this recipe if you would like:

• Add flaky salt: Sprinkle on a pinch of flaky sea salt to the cookies after adding the lemon curd.
• Add ginger: Add a teaspoon of ground ginger to the dough if you would like a hint of ginger flavor.
• Use a different type of citrus: Use orange, lime or grapefruit in place of the lemon.
• Make it gluten-free: Use a gluten-free 1:1 all-purpose flour blend in place of traditional all-purpose flour.
• Make it vegan: Use vegan butter and a vegan lemon curd.

More Lemon Dessert Recipes

Looking for more lemon dessert recipes to enjoy? Here are a few of our favorites:

• Lemon Bars
• Citrus Olive Oil Cake
• Lemon Meringue Pie
• Lemon Rosemary Shortbread Cookies

Lemon Thumbprint Cookies

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 5 from 8 reviews

• Author: Ali
• Prep Time: 20 mins
• Cook Time: 15 mins
• Total Time: 35 mins
• Yield: 24 to 28 cookies 1x

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Ingredients

• 2 cups (284 g) all-purpose flour
• 1 1/3 cup (145 g) almond flour
• 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 1 cup (227 g) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1/2 cup (115g ) cane sugar (or white granulated sugar)
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
• zest of 1 lemon
• 1/2 cup lemon curd

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Instructions

1. Prep oven and baking sheet. Heat oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Mix dry ingredients. In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the flours and salt until combined.
3. Mix the dough. Combine the butter and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer (or see hand mixer instructions below). Using the paddle attachment, cream together on medium speed for about 1 minute, or until light and fluffy. Add the vanilla extract, almond extract, lemon zest and briefly mix to combine. Add the flour mixture and mix on low speed until just combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
4. Form the dough. Roll the dough into 1.5-tablespoon balls (about 20 grams each) and place a few inches apart on the prepared cookie sheet. Use a round teaspoon or your thumb or the bottom of a wooden spoon to press an indent into each dough ball.*
5. Bake. Bake for 14 to 16 minutes or until the cookies are very lightly golden. Transfer the pan to a wire baking rack. Use the same teaspoon/spoon/thumb to immediately re-indent the cookies while they are still soft, then fill with lemon curd.
6. Serve. Serve warm and enjoy!

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Equipment

Almond Extract

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Zester

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Almond Flour

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Notes

Lemon curd timing: Feel free to add the lemon curd before baking (at the end of step 4) or after baking (as written in step 5). Both approaches taste great but yield a slightly different texture. If you add the lemon curd before baking, it will set up immediately. If you add the lemon curd after baking, it will still be a bit soft and spreadable.

Move over, green beans. Let’s make asparagus almondine this spring! ♡

Crisp green asparagus works beautifully in this classic dish, originally known as amandine (which translates to “almond”) in French or commonly anglicized to almondine in English. Simply toast up a handful of almonds in butter, sauté fresh asparagus with shallots, garlic, lots of lemon, salt and pepper. Then in less than 15 minutes, this vibrant, delicious pan of asparagus almondine will be ready to serve and enjoy!

It’s the perfect easy side dish for the holidays (such as Easter this weekend) or anytime you happen to be craving some asparagus while it’s in season. This recipe is also naturally gluten-free and vegetarian. And if you feel like adding in some fresh herbs, a pinch of chili flakes, a drizzle of honey, or a sprinkling of Parmesan, there are endless fun ways that you can customize this recipe too.

Let’s make some asparagus almondine!

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A few months ago when we were spending the weekend with friends on the Costa Brava, I sampled an orange olive oil cornmeal cake at the local farmers market that was love at first bite. ♡

To be honest, I’d never had a cake quite like this one before. The local baker explained that it was a gluten-free cake made with cornmeal and almond flour, which accounted for its beautiful golden color and light almond flavor and surprisingly hearty texture (kind of similar to a light cornbread). It was incredibly moist and very lightly sweetened. And best of all, it was brightened up with a generous amount of fresh citrus, which made it taste so light and refreshing and sunshine-y. I honestly couldn’t stop thinking about this cake for weeks afterwards and wished I’d had the chance to ask the baker more about the recipe. But after a bit of experimenting, I’m happy to say that I’ve come up with my own version that our entire family now adores.

I’m happy to report that this recipe is incredibly easy to make with just 1 bowl and about 15 minutes of prep time. And while I love using both a fresh lemon and orange in the cake (both zested and juiced), you’re welcome to swap in a grapefruit, mandarin, Meyer lemon, or whatever other citrus you might prefer. Please note that this cake is intentionally designed to be sweet-but-not-too-sweet, making it perfect for dessert, snacking, or even a lovely breakfast to go with your coffee. But if you feel like adding an extra hint of sweetness, a side of fresh fruit (or fruit compote), a dollop of whipped cream, a scoop of ice cream, or light glaze drizzled on top would all be absolutely delicious here too.

This citrus cake is definitely one of those recipes that has a way of growing and growing on you. So I hope you all love it as much as I do!

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I’ve been dusting off my trusty little kitchen torch to do lots of brûléeing this holiday season. And I have to say, it’s been so much fun. ♡

Custards have long been some of my favorite make-ahead desserts for easy entertaining. But when you add in the extra 5 minutes to sprinkle some sugar on top and torch it to crispy, crackly, caramelized perfection just before serving, it instantly kicks everything up a fun and fancy notch. And of course, tastes heavenly!

Well lately, I’ve been experimenting with taking the caramel-love one step further by also caramelizing the sugar traditionally used in the custard base of classic French crème brûlée, which adds an extra layer of nutty, sweet, irresistible richness to the custard. And when combined with a hint of vanilla, sea salt and cream, and then topped with warm brûléed sugar, this dessert is a caramel lover’s dream come true.

It’s so lovely and flavorful and decadent. And it’s also surprisingly easy to make with just 6 simple ingredients! Definitely a great dessert for easy entertaining, since the custards need to be made and chilled at least a few hours in advance. So you can enjoy your meal, then slip out for a quick 5 minutes to use your kitchen torch (or the broiler on your oven) to brûlée the topping, and then delight in cracking into each delicious bite. Even the custard-wary friends of ours have absolutely raved about this dessert, so I hope yours will enjoy it too!

Let’s make some crème brûlée.

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Bacon-wrapped dates. ♡

I’ve made this 3-ingredient easy appetizer more times than I can count for happy hours, dinner parties, holiday gatherings…you name it. It’s one of those recipes that magically works for just about any occasion and is always guaranteed to be a crowd favorite. And I personally just find that sweet-savory-smoky flavor combo to be perfection. That said, I’ve developed a few opinions over the years about what takes a bacon-wrapped dates recipe from good to GREAT. So today I thought I would pop back in and give my decade-old recipe here a few modern updates!

First off, we’ve all officially gotta commit from now on to taking an extra 10 minutes to pre-cook the bacon before wrapping it around the dates. Otherwise, the bacon never has time to fully cook and crisp up while baking wrapped around the dates (or you end up having to bake the dates so long that the cheese burns or oozes out), which is a tragedy that can easily be avoided. Simply pre-cook the bacon in the oven, or you can cheat and buy that pre-cooked soft bacon that’s available in most stores nowadays.

Second, continuing on with the crispy bacon soapbox, the stuffed dates must be flipped halfway through baking so that each side can get evenly cooked. I’ve experimented with a number of flipping methods over the years and have found it’s simply easiest to poke the toothpick all the way through the date, which makes it easy to grab and quickly turn over.

Third, use a good-quality cheese. You only need a small amount for this recipe, but a richly-flavored cheese makes such a difference in balancing out the flavor of the smoky bacon and sweet dates. I’m partial to a punchy gorgonzola or a tangy goat cheese, but a good feta, Manchego, or even an aged cheddar are also great options here.

Finally, don’t forget to season the dates! I always add a few generous twists of freshly-ground black pepper, and also love sprinkling each date with a tiny a pinch of flaky sea salt for crunch. The perfect finish.

Sound good? Let’s stuff some dates!

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