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Swiss Chews {Flourless Chocolate Crinkle Cookies}

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Classic Chocolate Crinkle Cookies (or Swiss Chews as Mom always called them) are crispy on the outside, fudgy on the inside, and perfect for the holidays! 

Swiss Chews {Flourless Chocolate Crinkle Cookies} | The Good Hearted Woman

All you need is love.  But a little chocolate now and then doesn’t hurt.

~ Charles Schultz

Crispy on the outside, fudgy on the inside, Chocolate Crinkle Cookies are amazingly simple to make, and taste absolutely decadent:  (I also have it on good authority that they are one of Santa’s favorite treats!)

Swiss Chews {Flourless Chocolate Crinkle Cookies} | The Good Hearted Woman
This post may contain affiliate links, but don’t worry – they won’t bite.

 

Back when I was small, every year around the first of December my mom would get together with her friend Betty and bake. Betty would always come up with a few new cookie ideas for them to try, but no matter what else they baked, the holy trinity of Christmas cookies at our house was Joe Froggers (a spicy, rum-infused molasses cookie), Chocolate Thumbprints, and Swiss Chews, more commonly known as Chocolate Crinkle Cookies.

Swiss Chews {Flourless Chocolate Crinkle Cookies} | The Good Hearted Woman

I always knew my mother’s chocolate crinkle cookies were better than anyone else’s, but for a long time, I didn’t know why. I guess I just supposed everyone thinks their mother’s cookies are the best.

It wasn’t until I started comparing chocolate crinkle cookies recipes that I figured out what made Mom’s cookies so unique. Unlike most recipes, Mom’s cookie recipe didn’t require any flour. It uses ground walnuts for structure instead – making these little sweethearts completely gluten-free. (You’re welcome, my gluten-free friends.) 

Swiss Chews {Flourless Chocolate Crinkle Cookies} | The Good Hearted Woman

Chocolate Crinkle Cookie dough balls, rolled and ready for the oven

Swiss Chews {Flourless Chocolate Crinkle Cookies} | The Good Hearted Woman
5 from 13 votes
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Swiss Chews {Flourless Chocolate Crinkle Cookies}

Crispy on the outside, fudgy on the inside, and perfect for the holidays! 

Course Cookies
Cuisine Yummy
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Refrigeration Time 2 hours
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings 36
Calories 58 kcal
Author Renée ♥ The Good Hearted Woman

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup powdered sugar
  • 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1 tablespoon instant espresso powder optional
  • 1 tsp kosher salt
  • 8 ounces semisweet chocolate chips
  • 1 cup finely chopped walnuts
  • 3 eggs separated
  • 2 tsp vanilla
  • 1/2 - 3/4 cup powdered sugar for rolling prepared dough in

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 340° F. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper or Silpat mat. 

Cookie Dough Prep

  1. In a small bowl, combine brown sugar, powdered sugar, cocoa powder, espresso powder, and salt. Set aside.

  2. In a small bowl, beat the egg yolks slightly. Set aside.

  3. In a food processor, pulse walnuts until they resemble cracked wheat. [Be careful - if you let them go too long, you'll have walnut butter!] Measure walnuts after chopping. Set aside. 

  4. Melt chocolate in a glass bowl in the microwave for 40 seconds at a time, stirring after each cycle, until chocolate is completely melted. Allow to cool slightly.

  5. Using an electric mixer, beat egg whites until they form stiff peaks. To the beaten egg whites, gradually add brown sugar mixture and then vanilla, beating until thick. Gently fold in walnuts and beaten egg yolks.

  6. Fold the melted chocolate chocolate into the whipped egg-white mixture.

  7. Refrigerate dough for at least 3 hours, or overnight. [DO NOT attempt to make cookies until the dough is cold!] 

Forming Cookies

  1. Form 1" balls of dough using a small cookie scoop or spoon. (About 2 teaspoons per cookie.) A small cookie scoop works perfect for this.

  2. Pour 1/2-3/4 cup powdered sugar into a shallow bowl or plate. Rolls cookie dough balls in powdered sugar. Place cookie balls on prepared cookie sheet, about 2 inches apart. (You do not need to press the cookie balls down.)

  3. Bake in preheated oven for 10 minutes. (If you make your cookies larger, you may need to bake them for an addition 2-3 minutes.) Remove from oven and allow to cool for 5 minutes before moving to a cooling rack. 

Recipe Notes

Walnuts should be chopped very fine, but not beyond recognition - about the same consistency as cracked wheat.

Swiss Chews are free of added fats. No oil. No butter. (Trust me on this: they don’t need it.) Which brings me to this little extra holiday bonus: these deliciously fudgy bites of heaven have only about 58 calories per cookie! Can you believe it‽ Now you have no excuse: go make a batch or three today! 

Swiss Chews {Flourless Chocolate Crinkle Cookies} | The Good Hearted Woman

 

 

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Swiss Chews {Flourless Chocolate Crinkle Cookies} | The Good Hearted Woman #christmascookies #glutenfree #chocolate #chocolatecookies #walnuts     Swiss Chews {Flourless Chocolate Crinkle Cookies} | The Good Hearted Woman #christmascookies #glutenfree #chocolate #chocolatecookies #walnuts

P.S. I’m sharing this recipe on the Weekend Potluck Recipe Linkup. Check it out for more great Christmas recipes!

Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, which means we may receive a commission if you click a link and purchase something that we have recommended. While clicking these links won’t cost you any extra money, they do help keep this site up and running. As always, all opinions and images are my own. Please check out our disclosure policy for more details. Thank you for your support!

Colonial Cream of Peanut Soup {with 21 Topping Ideas}

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Cream of Peanut Soup, a mainstay at Colonial Williamsburg’s King’s Arms Tavern, is oddly scrumptious. We’ve updated the historical recipe with 21st Century tastes in mind, while retaining the rich, satisfying essence of original.  

Savory Cream of Peanut Soup {with 21 Toppings} - We’ve updated the historical recipe with 21st Century tastes in mind, while retaining the rich, satisfying essence of original. (Inspired by the King's Arms Tavern in Colonial Williamsburg, WIlliamsburg, Virginia. | The Good Hearted WomanThis post may contain affiliate links, but don’t worry – they won’t bite.

The first time I ever tasted peanut soup was at the Kings Arms Tavern in Colonial Williamsburg, Virginia. I was seventeen, traveling with my high school history class on our much-anticipated “East Coast American History Tour.” We had been studying, planning, and saving our pennies for three long years to travel from Oregon to the East Coast, and Williamsburg was one of our most anticipated stops. 

Colonial Williamsburg, as you may know, is a full-scale working village that recreates the town of Williamsburg during the time period leading up to the American Revolution. The King’s Arms Tavern first opened there in 1772.

That me on the left with my lifelong friend Julie B, waiting in the Portland airport to take off on our East Coast adventure. From an era long before selfies, it is one of only two pictures I have of myself from the entire trip. The image on the right is a shot of Colonial Williamsburg.

As my classmates and I settled in for dinner, I vaguely remember an older lady in Colonial costuming reviewing our prix fixe menu with us, adding colorful little stories and historical context about each dish as she went. Reading ahead, I noted that one of our courses was to be “peanut soup.” I’d never heard of such a thing and was intrigued. Peanut soup? It sounded oddly scrumptious.

Peanuts, the Colonial lady continued, were thought to have been brought to America by Portuguese slave traders. Along with black-eyed peas and yams, peanuts were carried on slave ships to feed enslaved Africans during their passage to the New World. Peanut soup itself is most certainly an adaptation of the peanut soups brought from Africa.

Soon after our hostess completed her introduction of the menu, our peanut soup arrived, accompanied by a sweet potato roll. The soup was creamy and smooth as silk, and the sweet potato rolls were warm and crusty. The two created a perfect pairing, and were very satisfying all by themselves. I was full before the end of the soup course, and though I don’t remember the rest of the meal, I do remember buying a cookbook for my mom before we left the King’s Arms Tavern.

Savory Cream of Peanut Soup {with 21 Toppings} - We’ve updated the historical recipe with 21st Century tastes in mind, while retaining the rich, satisfying essence of original. (Inspired by the King's Arms Tavern in Colonial Williamsburg, WIlliamsburg, Virginia. | The Good Hearted Woman

That trip was eons ago, and the cookbook is now mine. So it was to the Williamsburg Cookbook that I first referred when I set out to recreate the memory of that long-ago peanut soup. However, after making a test batch per the directions, I was a little disappointed in the outcome: it was simply too bland for my 21st century tastes, so I decided to make some adjustments. 

The first thing I did was cut the recipe in half, for two reasons: first, the original recipe makes almost four quarts of peanut soup! Unless you have a very large family or are running a Colonial tavern, you do not need four quarts of peanut soup. Which leads me to the second reason I decreased the recipe: this is a Very Rich Cream Soup.  You simply won’t need as much peanut soup as you might need, say a lighter, brothier soup like chicken noodle or beef barley.

Savory Cream of Peanut Soup {with 21 Toppings} - We’ve updated the historical recipe with 21st Century tastes in mind, while retaining the rich, satisfying essence of original. (Inspired by the King's Arms Tavern in Colonial Williamsburg, WIlliamsburg, Virginia. | The Good Hearted Woman

Peanut soup is very much like a thin satay sauce, but less sweet. To the original list of ingredients, I added lemon juice for brightness, hot pepper for kick, brown sugar (because it is the secret to almost everything), and kosher salt because – Holy-Low-Sodium-Diet, Batman! – did this recipe ever need it!  

Savory Cream of Peanut Soup {with 21 Toppings} - We’ve updated the historical recipe with 21st Century tastes in mind, while retaining the rich, satisfying essence of original. (Inspired by the King's Arms Tavern in Colonial Williamsburg, WIlliamsburg, Virginia. | The Good Hearted Woman
5 from 7 votes
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Colonial Cream of Peanut Soup

Inspired by the Peanut Soup at the King's Arms Tavern in Colonial Williamsburg. 

Course Main dish or side
Keyword Peanut Soup
Servings 12
Author Renée ♥ The Good Hearted Woman

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 3/4 cup finely chopped onion
  • 1/2 cup finely diced celery
  • 2 tablespoons flour
  • 4 cups chicken or vegetable stock
  • 1 cup smooth peanut butter (I use Skippy)
  • 1 cup light cream or half-and-half
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons lemon juice
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
  • 1 - 2 teaspoons hot pepper sauce
  • 1 teaspoon brown sugar
  • Finely chopped salted peanuts for garnish

Instructions

  1. In a heavy saucepan or stockpot over medium heat, sauté onion and celery in butter until soft. (Do allow them to brown.)

  2. Sprinkle flour over sautéed vegetables and stir to combine. Stir to saute for one minute.

  3. Add chicken or vegetable stock to vegetables. Bring mixture to boil, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. 

  4. Allow the vegetable mixture to cool to a temperature that is safe to work with before proceeding to the next step. 

  5. Option 1: Puree the cooled soup in the saucepan with a hand blender until smooth. 

    Option 2: Puree the cooled soup in a blender and return to saucepan. 

  6. Into the pureed soup in pan, add the peanut butter and half & half. Stir until peanut butter has completely dissolved into the soup. 

  7. Stir in lemon juice, kosher salt, hot pepper sauce, and brown sugar. 

  8. Return pan to heat only to warm to soup to serving temperature. (DO NOT BOIL!) Garnish as desired. 

SERVING:  

Peanut soup can be served hot or cold. (Mr B and I both prefer it warm.) Pair it with a green salad and you’ve got yourself a seriously satisfying meal.

Many people reserve peanut soup for the holidays, like stuffing or cranberry sauce. If it is your plan serve peanut soup as the first course of a larger meal, we suggest offering it in small bowls or demitasse cups, no more than 4-5 inches across. Serving small portions will make a satisfying transition to the main course without ruining your guests’ appetites.

Peanut soup can be served as is, but if you want to make things interesting, offer toppings in small cups or bowls and give your guests the opportunity to create their own flavor combinations. My favorite combo so far is bacon, pine nuts, pomegranate pips, and a dash of harissa. 

Savory Cream of Peanut Soup {with 21 Toppings} - We’ve updated the historical recipe with 21st Century tastes in mind, while retaining the rich, satisfying essence of original. (Inspired by the King's Arms Tavern in Colonial Williamsburg, WIlliamsburg, Virginia. | The Good Hearted Woman

Peanut Soup Toppings

NOTE: The word “topping” is actually a bit of a misnomer. While this is a very rich soup, it isn’t as thick as you might imagine, so heavier toppings tend to sink to the bottom of your bowl. (Don’t tell anyone, but I had to use a little blogger magic to keep those banana chips floating on the surface.)  Anyway, that’s what spoons are for. 

This list of topping ideas is intended to get you started, but there are dozens of other choices that would work just as well. Just look through your pantry and/or fridge and pick out something fun!

Choose topping/add-ins that give the soup crunch, and bite, and really enhance the flavor of the soup itself. Fresh, citrusy flavors and little crunchy bites work especially well.

  1. apple slices
  2. popcorn
  3. Gold Fish Crackers
  4. peanuts
  5. bacon bits
  6. tortilla cut-outs
  7. parmesan crisps
  8. green onions
  9. banana slices
  10. pomegranate pips
  11. Orange slices
  12. dill pickle 
  13. cilantro
  14. granola
  15. poached egg
  16. honey
  17. toast points
  18. pepitos
  19. red pepper flakes
  20. harissa
  21. whole grain croutons

Savory Cream of Peanut Soup {with 21 Toppings} - We’ve updated the historical recipe with 21st Century tastes in mind, while retaining the rich, satisfying essence of original. (Inspired by the King's Arms Tavern in Colonial Williamsburg, Williamsburg, Virginia. | The Good Hearted Woman

 

Thank you so much for being a faithful reader and supporter of The Good Hearted Woman. ❤ Be sure to Pin and Print this recipe!

Savory Cream of Peanut Soup {with 21 Toppings} - We’ve updated the historical recipe with 21st Century tastes in mind, while retaining the rich, satisfying essence of original. (Inspired by the King's Arms Tavern in Colonial Williamsburg, Williamsburg, Virginia.) | The Good Hearted Woman       Savory Cream of Peanut Soup {with 21 Toppings} - We’ve updated the historical recipe with 21st Century tastes in mind, while retaining the rich, satisfying essence of original. (Inspired by the King's Arms Tavern in Colonial Williamsburg, WIlliamsburg, Virginia. | The Good Hearted Woman
Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, which means we may receive a commission if you click a link and purchase something that we have recommended. While clicking these links won’t cost you any extra money, they do help keep this site up and running. As always, all opinions and images are my own. Please check out our disclosure policy for more details. Thank you for your support!

Bolognese Stuffed Eggplant Boats with Balsamic Glaze

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Thick, meaty Bolognese sauce makes these Stuffed Eggplant Boats a hearty, satisfying meal – easy enough for a busy weeknight and fancy enough for company.

Bolognese Stuffed Eggplant Boats with Balsamic Glaze | The Good Hearted Woman
This post may contain affiliate links, but don’t worry – they won’t bite.

A Pinch of This and a Handful of That

Or, How to Remember Your Culinary Creations When You are a “Pinch & Toss” Cook

When I was six years old, Mrs Obinger from across the street taught me how to measure salt in the palm of my hand. First, she showed me a teaspoon and let me practice a little. Then we moved on to half-teaspoons, and finally quarter-teaspoons. (Cooking and teaching fractions go together so nicely, don’t you think?) It didn’t take long before I was a palm-measuring pro.

“See there, dear, now you’ll never need a measuring spoon again!” I remember Mrs Obinger telling me. Then we made a batch of her wonderful coconut cookies.

I’ve been measuring in my palm and guestimating amounts ever since.

Bolognese Stuffed Eggplant Boats with Balsamic Glaze | The Good Hearted Woman

The problem about being a “Pinch & Toss” kind of cook is, on those days when you hit it out of the park and make something amazing – something you want to make again and again – and possibly even Share – sometimes it’s difficult to remember just exactly what went into it in the first place, and how much, and when, and at what temperature, for how long… anyway, you get the idea.

I solve this problem with my phone’s voice recorder app. I just hit record whenever I’m feeling a little culinary inspiration; and while I erased far more recipes than I keep, the habit is starting to pay off.

Bolognese Stuffed Eggplant Boats with Balsamic Glaze | The Good Hearted Woman

This recipe for Bolognese Stuffed Eggplant Boats is the first one for which my new “recipe recording” system proved its worth. I would have been hard pressed to make it a second time if I hadn’t recorded myself while I was making it. It’s a real keeper, too!

Bolognese Stuffed Eggplant Boats with Balsamic Glaze | The Good Hearted Woman

Thick, meaty bolognese sauce makes these Bolognese Stuffed Eggplant Boats a hearty, deeply satisfying meal without being heavy or weighing you down.

Bolognese Stuffed Eggplant Boats with Balsamic Glaze | The Good Hearted Woman
5 from 8 votes
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Bolognese Stuffed Eggplant Boats

Author Renée ♥ The Good Hearted Woman

Ingredients

  • 4 small eggplants [1 3/4 - 2 pounds total]
  • 1 large onion chopped
  • 1 pound mushrooms chopped
  • 2 teaspoons olive oil
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 pound mild Italian sausage [I use Iserno Mild Italian Chicken sausage]
  • 2 teaspoons Kosher salt
  • 1 ½ teaspoon dried basil
  • 1 ½ teaspoon dried oregano
  • ½ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
  • 1 teaspoon hot sauce [optional]
  • 1 14 oz. can finely diced tomatoes
  • ½ cup dried Italian bread crumb [or ¾ cup fresh bread crumbs]
  • 2 ounces grated Romano cheese plus more for garnish
  • Balsamic Glaze recipe below
  • baby arugula [optional]

Balsamic Glaze

  • 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
  • 3 tablespoons brown sugar [or honey]

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350° F.

Eggplant Prep

  1. Slice each eggplant in half, lengthwise from stem to blossom end. Using a spoon, hollow out eggplants, leaving about a 1/2-inch-thick border around skin to create a boat.
  2. Line a heavy baking sheet with foil, parchment paper, or a silicone mat.
  3. Set aside the scooped-out eggplant for us in the filling.
  4. Transfer eggplant boats to transfer to prepared baking sheet.
    Bolognese Stuffed Eggplant Boats with Balsamic Glaze | The Good Hearted Woman

Bolognese-style Eggplant Filling

  1. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, sauté chopped onions and mushrooms in 2 teaspoons olive oil until they are soft and the onions are translucent.
  2. Reduce heat to medium. Add minced garlic and chopped eggplant from the Eggplant Prep and cook, stirring frequently, until eggplant is almost fully cooked.
  3. Push eggplant mixture to the sides of skillet and add the mild Italian sausage to the center. Cook sausage, breaking up as you go, until it is fully cooked.
  4. Reduce heat to medium-low. Add Kosher salt, dried basil and oregano, pepper, hot sauce (optional) and diced tomatoes. Bring mixture to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until mixture has reduced and no watery liquid remains in the pan when you pull the mixture away. Remove skillet from heat.
  5. To the mixture in skillet, add ½ cup bread crumbs and 2 ounces of grated Romano cheese. Give it one good stir to incorporate everything together.
  6. Using a large spoon, evenly divide the filling between the eggplant halves. Bake uncovered for 30-35 minutes.
    Bolognese Stuffed Eggplant Boats with Balsamic Glaze | The Good Hearted Woman

  7. Serve on a bed of baby arugula. Finish with a generous drizzle of balsamic glaze and a sprinkling of Romano. 

Balsamic Glaze

  1. Mix balsamic vinegar and brown sugar a small saucepan over medium heat. Heat until the mixture begins to boil. 

  2. Reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until mixture has reduced by half; 10-12 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool.

Recipe Notes

Weight Watchers SmartPoints [2018] 

  • 1/2 eggplant with stuffing = 4 pts
  • 1 whole eggplant with stuffing = 7 pts.
  • Balsamic Glaze = 1 pt / Tbls 

(Points were calculated using Iserno ground chicken mild Italian sausage.) 

You can easily make this a vegetarian meal by substituting a plant-based protein for the Italian sausage.

Bolognese Stuffed Eggplant Boats with Balsamic Glaze | The Good Hearted Woman

Bolognese Stuffed Eggplant Boats can be prepared up to two days ahead of time and thrown in the oven when you are ready to eat. Be sure to add five to seven minutes to the cooking time if you put them into the oven cold from the fridge.

Bolognese Stuffed Eggplant Boats with Balsamic Glaze | The Good Hearted Woman

Thank you so much for being a faithful reader and supporter of The Good Hearted Woman. ❤ Be sure to Pin and print this recipe!

Bolognese Stuffed Eggplant Boats with Balsamic Glaze | The Good Hearted Woman

Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, which means we may receive a commission if you click a link and purchase something that we have recommended. While clicking these links won’t cost you any extra money, they do help keep this site up and running. As always, all opinions and images are my own. Please check out our disclosure policy for more details. Thank you for your support!

Bakin’ It Old School: Cafeteria Pizza Recipe

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This Old School Cafeteria Pizza recipe captures the essence of all that was good in the school cafeterias of our youth. (Cafeteria ladies not included.)

Old School Cafeteria Pizza Recipe | The Good Hearted Woman

This fall marked a real Mama Milestone for me. After 28 years of recording the first day of school with a photo each year, and then sending my girls off to preschool, and kindergarten, and grade school, and middle school, and finally high school – times five! – I faced my baby’s first day of Senior year – and my last “1st Day of School.”

Old School Cafeteria Pizza Recipe | The Good Hearted Woman

Our youngest on her first day of 1st Grade & first day of her Senior year. Time flies fast, my friends.

All but the youngest have gone off to college now too, but as anyone who has ever done so will tell you, sending a child off to college is an entirely different experience from packing them off to first grade. Anyway, this rite of passage got me reminiscing, and as I got online to update Em’s lunch account, I got to thinking about the cafeteria and the school lunches of my childhood.

I grew up in Northeast Portland and attended the same elementary school from kindergarten through the eighth grade; and in that time, I figure I ate nearly 1500 meals in our basement cafeteria. More than two-thirds were “hot lunches.”

I was one of those kids who got hot lunch almost every day. Both my parents worked outside our home and mom wasn’t the lunch-packing sort, so until I got old enough to where my mom would let me pack my own lunch, I was most often in the hot lunch line.

Most days, the actual food served for hot lunch wasn’t all that awesome, but ever so often, it was great. I mean, truly Good. My favorite was Chili & Maple Bar Day [I’ll get to that here on the blog someday – you’re gonna love it!], and my second favorite was Pizza Day.

Old School Cafeteria Pizza Recipe | The Good Hearted Woman

In fact, school pizza was my first pizza. You see, back when I started grade school, we didn’t go in for any of that fancy ethnic cooking like Pizza or Lasagna or Tacos at our house. We were a chili-mac, roast beef, chip-beef-on-rice kind of family. (Change comes slowly to Midwestern roots, especially when you replant them.)

Oh sure, by the time I hit my tweens, my mom had finally decided that she’d give the pizza at Amalfi’s a try, and from then on we had it at least once a month. But even though I have had countless amazing, hand-tossed, artisan-created, wood-fired, rustic pizzas since those long-ago days, a slice of old school cafeteria pizza now and again is a comfortable, reassuring memory.

It’s also a super easy, economical way to feed a ton of people!

To recreate the unique flavor blend that is School Cafeteria Pizza, you basically need three elements: (1) pourable pizza crust; (2) pizza topping sauce; and (3) grated cheese (but not just any cheese!).

The pourable crust is arguably the most critical piece of the puzzle because it gives school pizza its unique texture and bite. Every source I could find for school pizza crust made enough dough for at least eight full-size sheet pans; however, after some tinkering, I was able to adjust the recipe down so that it is just right for a single half-sheet pan.

Old School Cafeteria Pizza Recipe | The Good Hearted Woman

The second element is the Pizza Topping, which is really just a thickened tomato-based meat sauce. Easy-peasy. (As usual, I offer this recipe as a jumping-off point. If you want to make your topping sauce vegetarian, or add a stew of other ingredients to it, go for it.)

Which brings me to the final element – the Cheese. Back in the day, school pizza was blanketed in a golden brick of mystery known as Government Cheese. Government cheese was ubiquitous in the cafeteria of my youth, in grilled cheese sandwiches, lasagna, mac-n-cheese, and of course, pizza.

Old School Cafeteria Pizza Recipe | The Good Hearted Woman

If you have never experienced government cheese in all its glorious goldenness, you don’t know what you are missing. Rumored to have been created from the tears of Midwest dairy farmers, this “pasteurized process American cheese product” wedges in on the dubious side of the cheese wheel, somewhere between Velveeta and Kraft Singles. However, since I don’t have access to government cheese these days, I have created a blend that comes pretty close and gives this cafeteria pizza recipe its authentic, old school flavor.

PRO TIP: If you want to recreate old school Cheese Pizza, just leave out the meat and double the tomato sauce and spices to create the sauce. It really is as simple as that.

Old School Cafeteria Pizza Recipe | The Good Hearted Woman
5 from 7 votes
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Old School Cafeteria Pizza

Course Main Dish
Cuisine American
Keyword Cafeteria Pizza
Author Renée ♥ The Good Hearted Woman

Ingredients

Pourable Pizza Crust

  • 2 teaspoons active dry yeast
  • 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup instant dry milk
  • 3/8 cup sugar
  • 1 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 tablespoons oil
  • 2 1/4 cups hot water 130°
  • 2 tablespoons corn meal

Pizza Topping

  • 1 pound ground beef
  • 1/2 pound mild Italian sausage
  • 1 large onion chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 cup water
  • 6-8 ounces tomato paste
  • 1 tablespoon brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon dried basil
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried marjoram

Cheese Blend

  • 4 ounces American cheese grated
  • 4 ounces Tillamook medium cheddar cheese grated
  • 4 ounces mozzerella cheese grated

Instructions

Pizza Crust

  1. Preheat oven to 475°F. 

  2. Line a half-sheet pan with parchment paper. Spray with cooking spray and sprinkle lightly with cornmeal. Tilt the pan back and forth to distribute corn meal evenly. Set aside.

  3. Combine yeast, flour, dry milk, sugar, and salt in a medium mixing bowl. 

  4. Stir in oil and mix until oil is completely combined. 

  5. Add warm water (130°F) and mix thoroughly for about 5 minutes. Mixture will be very sticky. 

  6. Pour mixture from bowl onto prepared pan and spread evenly using a spatula. Set dough in pan aside to rest for 20-30 minutes. 

  7. Pre-bake crust at 475°F for 10 minutes. Remove from oven and set aside until Pizza Topping has cooled slightly. 

Pizza Topping

  1. Prepare the pizza topping while the pizza crust is "resting." In large skillet, combine chopped onion, mild Italian sausage, and ground beef and cooked over medium-high heat until meat is thoroughly browned and onion is soft and translucent. 

  2. Add tomato paste, water, brown sugar, and dried herbs. Reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 15-20 minutes. The mixture is done when it is no longer runny. 

  3. Allow topping to cool slightly before spreading it on pizza.

Cheese Blend

  1. Combine three grated cheeses in a medium bowl. 

Assemble Pizza

  1. Carefully spread the Pizza Topping over the pre-baked Pizza Crust. 

  2. Top evenly with Cheese Blend.

  3. Return pizza to hot oven and bake an additional 15-20 minutes.  

Old School Cafeteria Pizza Recipe | The Good Hearted Woman

Thank you so much for being a faithful reader and supporter of The Good Hearted Woman. ❤ Be sure to Pin and print this recipe!

Old School Cafeteria Pizza Recipe | The Good Hearted Woman

The Best Triple-layer Strawberry Cake {from Scratch}

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Perfect for any occasion, this Southern Triple-layer Strawberry Cake (made from scratch – no boxed cake mix!) is a moist, amazingly delicious cake with a fresh, bright strawberry buttercream frosting. 

Southern Triple-layer Fresh Strawberry Cake from Scratch | The Good Hearted Woman
This post may contain affiliate links, but don’t worry – they won’t bite.

For me, baking is often about memories. Sometimes I bake memories for people I love: pineapple-upside down cake when we go camping, peach cobbler in August, pumpkin pie for my mother’s birthday. Other times, baking is a path that takes me back in time.

Recently, Mr B and I traveled to Tennessee, where we had the honor of attending the Change of Command and Retirement Ceremony for one of his best friends from his Navy days. If you’ve never attended the retirement rites of a senior military officer, I highly recommend it. It may very well renew (or redeem) your faith in both our country and the people who protect it. (And if the flag passing ceremony of Olde Glory doesn’t move you to tears, I don’t know what will.)

Southern Triple-layer Fresh Strawberry Cake {from Scratch} | The Good Hearted Woman

After the formal ceremonies concluded, we were ushered into a reception room filled with sailors decked out in their full dress whites, along with families and friends. My eyes roamed from one small cluster to the next; to the smiling faces, the convivial conversations, the warm embraces.

In the middle of the reception room was a long refreshment table with two large, beautifully decorated cakes on either end. Centered between them sat a modest, unpretentious pale pink layer cake.

A memory flickered.

That pink cake. My mother always told me that Southerners love their cakes. I plated a small piece and took a bite.

In an instant, I was four…maybe five, sitting on my stool at my Pop’s yellow chrome and formica kitchen table. I don’t know the occasion, but I remember that cake. Smooth, sweet, pink, and perfectly strawberry.

It tasted like summer.

Southern Triple-layer Fresh Strawberry Cake {from Scratch} | The Good Hearted Woman

Standing in that reception room in Tennessee, I had not tasted strawberry cake in fifty years, but as that single bite melted on my tongue, it was yesterday.

When Mr B and I returned home to Oregon, I set about baking myself a memory.

Perfecting a recipe for a Strawberry Cake from scratch wasn’t easy. Nearly every recipe source I could find required a boxed cake mix, and I was intent on baking a cake *from scratch.*

In my quest, I consulted at least fifteen different recipes, cookbooks, and bakers’ websites before I finally felt confident about my game plan. However, once I got the ratios for everything right (the sugar levels were especially tricky) and recognized that those whipped egg whites make all the difference, it all fell into place.

I couldn’t be happier with the outcome!

This Strawberry Cake is far and away easier to make than you might imagine; and in my opinion, working with the triple layers is easier than two thicker layers. My recipe for Strawberry Cake from scratch results in a moist, amazingly delicious cake with a fresh strawberry buttercream frosting. You are going to love it!!!

Southern Triple-layer Fresh Strawberry Cake {from Scratch} | The Good Hearted Woman

Frosting Philosophy 

There are two basic schools of thought about frosting: (1) the cake is a necessary conveyance for getting as much frosting as possible into your mouth; and (2) the cake is the star, and frosting is, well… frosting. It is for sealing the cake and adding additional texture and sweetness, but don’t go all crazy and let it overpower the cake.

I belong to the second, “less-is-more” group. You may notice that, in the images here, there is only enough frosting between the layers to hold them together, and that the outer frosting isn’t spread on very heavily. For my tastes, this amount of frosting provides the perfect balance for this cake.

If, however, you lean toward the first, “the-more-frosting-the-better” group, be assured that you will not run short of strawberry frosting with this recipe. I had well over a cup leftover when this cake was done. (Hello, late-night frosting-n-graham-crackers!)

Southern Triple-layer Fresh Strawberry Cake from Scratch | The Good Hearted Woman

Southern Triple-layer Fresh Strawberry Cake {from Scratch} | The Good Hearted Woman
5 from 9 votes
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Triple-layer Strawberry Cake with Fresh Strawberry Buttercream Frosting

Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Keyword Strawberry Cake
Servings 12 servings
Author Renée ♥ The Good Hearted Woman

Ingredients

Strawberry Puree

  • 8 ounces fresh hulled strawberries
  • 2 tablespoons white sugar

Strawberry Cake

  • 4 egg whites room temperature
  • 2 1/2 cups sifted cake flour VERY Important: Sift, THEN measure.
  • 1 tablespoon baking powder
  • 1 cup unsalted butter room temperature
  • 1 3/8 cups white sugar
  • 1 3-ounce pkg Strawberry flavored Jell-O®
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 3 egg yolks
  • 1 cup milk 2% or whole
  • 1/2 cup fresh strawberry puree
  • 1 teaspoon fresh lemon zest
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Strawberry Frosting

  • 6 cups powdered sugar
  • 1 1/2 cups unsalted butter room temperature
  • 1/3 cup strawberry puree
  • 1 tablespoon strawberry jam or 1/2 tsp. strawberry extract
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt

Instructions

Make Strawberry Puree

  1. Combine fresh strawberries and two tablespoons of sugar in a blender. Pulse until strawberries are reduced to a pulp. DO NOT blend until smooth. (You will use 1/2 cup of the puree for the cake. Reserve the remaining puree to use in the frosting.) Set aside and allow to macerate further while you perform next few steps.

Make the Cake Layers

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour three 9-inch round cake pans. 

  2. Whip eggs whites until they form medium peaks. Set aside. 

  3. Combine sifted flour and baking powder. Set aside. 

  4. Whisk together milk, strawberry puree, lemon zest, and vanilla. Set aside. 

  5. In a large mixing bowl, cream together butter, sugar, dry strawberry Jell-O®, and salt. Beat in eggs yolks one at a time. 

  6. Stir flour mixture into batter alternately with strawberry-milk mixture. 

  7. Gently fold in whipped egg whites. 

  8. Pour batter evenly into the three prepared cake pans. Bake in preheated oven for 20-25 minutes, or until a toothpick or skewer comes out clean. 

  9. Allow cakes to cool in their pans over wire rack for at least 10 minutes. Carefully tap out onto wire rack to cool completely. 

Make Strawberry Frosting

  1. Using an electric mixer, beat butter on medium-high until light and fluffy. 

  2. With mixer on low, add powdered sugar to the whipped butter alternately with 1/3 cup pureed strawberries. Combine thoroughly into a soft, creamy mixture that will hold its shape. Cool in the refrigerator for 10 minutes, or until it has firmed up slightly.

Assemble the Cake

  1. Spread the top of the bottom layer of cake with frosting. Add the middle layer and refrigerate again until the frosting has firmed up a bit. Add the top layer and frost sides and top of cake. 

  2. Decorate with fresh strawberries if desired. 

Recipe Notes

VERY IMPORTANT: Sift the flour, and THEN measure it! (If you're wondering why, try measuring it first, sifting it, and then measuring again.) 

Cake freezes well. 

If you are spreading the frosting on thick, you may want to refrigerate the cake after you apply the frosting between each layer until the frosting has firmed just a bit; about 10-15 minutes for each layer. (If you are frosting it thin, you probably won't need to do this.)

The BEST Strawberry Cake Ever (from scratch - no boxed mix!) with Fresh Strawberry Buttercream Frosting 🍓 You are going to love it! #strawberries #cakes #baking Click To Tweet

 

Cakes are Persnickety, and Ingredients Matter

Flour: It’s important to use cake flour for this cake. Cake flour is a finely milled, delicate flour that results in a fine crumb and a good rise. The primary difference between cake flour and all-purpose flour [AP] is that cake flour has slightly less protein, which translates to less gluten in your cake, which means you will have a more tender cake. My personal cake flour preference is Bob’s Red Mill Super Fine Cake Flour. And I cannot stress this enough: when it comes to flour in baking, sift THEN measure.

Jell-O®: Y’all know that I try to avoid the boxes, but this recipe just doesn’t fly without Jell-O®. If possible, avoid using off-brand gelatin: the strawberry flavor in them usually tastes like cheap kids’ candy.

Strawberries: Fresh and frozen will both work.

Southern Triple-layer Fresh Strawberry Cake from Scratch | The Good Hearted Woman
Egg White Whipping Stages

  • Soft peaks barely hold their shape, and flop over as soon as the beaters are lifted.
  • Medium peaks can hold their shape, but the peak curls over when the beaters are lifted.
  • Stiff peaks stand straight up when the beaters are lifted.

Bake your life easier: Line your cake pans with parchment paper!

Southern Triple-layer Fresh Strawberry Cake from Scratch | The Good Hearted Woman

Thank you so much for being a faithful reader and supporter of The Good Hearted Woman. ❤ Be sure to Pin and print this recipe!

Southern Triple-layer Fresh Strawberry Cake from Scratch | The Good Hearted Woman

P.S. Did I mention how much I LOVE LOVE LOVE my new cake pans!?!  I finally took the plunge and bought three – count ’em: 3 – matching 9″ cake pans. As in, they are all the same size, shape, and weight! As in, I can put them all in the oven at the same time and take them out at the same time because they all bake evenly!! Aaahh! I was so excited to get them that I completely cleaned out my baking shelf so that they would have a cozy new place to hang out when they aren’t in use. (For those of you who regularly bake a lot of cakes, this might sound ridiculous, but this is the first time in my life that I’ve ever had more than two cake pans that match exactly, and I am going to celebrate it! Whoohoo!) If you are thinking of buying a new set of cake pans, check these out; they are the ones I have now.


Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, which means we may receive a commission if you click a link and purchase something that we have recommended. While clicking these links won’t cost you any extra money, they do help keep this site up and running. As always, all opinions and images are my own. Please check out our disclosure policy for more details. Thank you for your support!

57 Southern BBQ Recipes for Your Grill, Oven, Slow Cooker, Smoker & Instant Pot

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Fifty-seven amazing Southern-style barbecue recipes for your grill, oven, slow cooker, smoker, and Instant Pot.

Southern Barbecue: 57 Amazing BBQ Recipes for Your Grill, Oven, Smoker, Slow Cooker & Instant Pot | The Good Hearted WomanThis post may contain affiliate links, but don’t worry – they won’t bite.

Barbecue may not be the road to world peace, but it’s a start. 

~ Anthony Bourdain

A few weeks ago, Mr B and I flew down to Tennessee to attend the retirement of one of his old Navy buddies after 37 years of service. (Just when he and I became old enough to have “old >< buddies” is beyond me!) While we were there, we got to attend a fancy Naval “Change of Command & Retirement Ceremony,” experience a little more of the South, and spend some quality time with Mr B’s best friends from his Navy days.

Have you ever met an entire group of people who immediately felt like old friends? I have.

Beverly’s {Super Easy} Slow Cooker Spicy BBQ Recipe

As part of the retirement festivities, Mr B and I were treated to healthy portions of both Southern hospitality and delicious barbecue. The barbecue was so good, in fact, that once we got home to Oregon, I took a big step out of my comfort zone. You see, many of my own family roots are in the South, and I am painfully aware and deeply respectful of how tightly some of those old family recipes are kept. But that barbecue…

So I sent a message to our hostess (who, as you may remember, I had only just met):

Hi Beverly – …I’m starting to get my travel posts together from our Tennessee trip, and decided to include a round-up of BBQ recipes. I’d love to headline it with your delicious slow-cooker Spicy BBQ, and I’m wondering if you would be willing to share the recipe with me. If it’s a secret family recipe, or you just aren’t up to sharing it for any reason at all, I totally understand…

After I hit send, I set back and crossed my fingers that my new friend wouldn’t think I was being too presumptuous. Here is her graciously candid reply:

Hi Renée – …confession is good for the soul lol. My sister cooked a Boston Butt roast overnight in the crockpot. Took it out in the morning, covered it and let it cool, cut it up and eliminated any excess fat and froze it. We took it out of the freezer bags, put it in the crockpot and added Corkys BBQ sauce.

That was it in a nutshell. Sis likes to add a bunch of other stuff like brown Sugar, green peppers, onion, pancake syrup and bbq sauce. I’m not a fan of sweet BBQ so chose not to add the sugar or syrup, just Corkys Spicy BBQ and Regular BBQ in two separate crock pots.

No secret recipe, but since it’s Corkys you can certainly feel free to give a Shout out to a Memphis tradition.

Well then, all I can say to that is: first, thanks to Beverly for her kindness, her sense of humor, her candor, and her recipe. And second – I am totally on board with the Corky’s Spicy BBQ!!  Let’s hear it for Memphis tradition!! 

[Click here to shop for Corky’s BBQ Sauce & other Corky’s products.]

Here are 56 more recipes to scratch your Southern BBQ itch.

Barbecue Round-up

Grill BBQ Recipes

Southern Barbecue: 57 Amazing BBQ Recipes for Your Grill, Oven, Smoker, Slow Cooker & Instant Pot | The Good Hearted Woman

Instant Pot BBQ Recipes

Southern Barbecue: 57 Amazing BBQ Recipes for Your Grill, Oven, Smoker, Slow Cooker & Instant Pot | The Good Hearted Woman

Oven BBQ Recipes

Southern Barbecue: 57 Amazing BBQ Recipes for Your Grill, Oven, Smoker, Slow Cooker & Instant Pot | The Good Hearted Woman

Slow Cooker BBQ Recipes

Southern Barbecue: 57 Amazing BBQ Recipes for Your Grill, Oven, Smoker, Slow Cooker & Instant Pot | The Good Hearted Woman

Smoker BBQ Recipes

Southern Barbecue: 57 Amazing BBQ Recipes for Your Grill, Oven, Smoker, Slow Cooker & Instant Pot | The Good Hearted Woman

Sauces & Rubs

Southern Barbecue: 57 Amazing BBQ Recipes for Your Grill, Oven, Smoker, Slow Cooker & Instant Pot | The Good Hearted Woman

Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, which means we may receive a commission if you click a link and purchase something that we have recommended. While clicking these links won’t cost you any extra money, they do help keep this site up and running. As always, all opinions and images are my own. Please check out our disclosure policy for more details. Thank you for your support!

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Southern Barbecue: 57 Amazing BBQ Recipes for Your Grill, Oven, Smoker, Slow Cooker & Instant Pot | The Good Hearted Woman

How to Pick a Perfect Watermelon {+ 101 Amazing Watermelon Ideas}

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Knowing how to pick a perfect watermelon isn’t a magic trick. Just remember: Girls are sweeter, size matters, and your Mama was probably right. 

How to Pick a Perfect Watermelon, plus 101 Amazing Watermelon Ideas | The Good Hearted Woman

The picture above is one of my all time favorites. It was taken on a sweltering July night in the summer of 1995, in my Uncle Russel’s backyard in Maryville, Missouri. The little girl on the left looking straight into the camera grew up to be a dedicated, compassionate teacher, and her sister is now a talented photographer with a gift for capturing light. This image recalls one of my fondest memories from their childhood, and the second best watermelon I’ve ever eaten in my life.

For the record, the best watermelon I’ve ever eaten was on the shores of Spirit Lake in the shadow of Mount St. Helens, a few years before she blew her top. It was the first of my “coming-of-age” summers, and I still remember the boy I was sitting with. (His name was Shawn, and he was beautiful.)

Coincidentally, the third best watermelon I’ve ever eaten was, like the second, grown and eaten in Missouri… and even as I type that, it occurs to me that my summer memories are as entwined with the feels and flavors of ripe watermelon as a field of vines in the late summer sun.

How to Pick a Perfect Watermelon

Hey, remember that summer we had that mealy, grainy, flavorless watermelon? How ’bout we go find one just like it and relive the moment!
~ No One Ever

How to Pick a Perfect Watermelon, plus 101 Amazing Watermelon Ideas | The Good Hearted Woman
If you’re like me, eating watermelon isn’t always just about eating watermelon. Sometimes, one cool, juicy bite can take you back to times and places and loved ones long gone, and bring them into clear focus for a sweet moment. No one wants to a mealy, grainy, flavorless melon – it cheats you out of both the moment and the memory.

How to Pick a Perfect Watermelon, plus 101 Amazing Watermelon Ideas | The Good Hearted Woman

Here are a few easy tips to help you pick a perfect watermelon:

Check the “Field Spot.” 

The yellow spot, known as the field spot, is the place where the watermelon rested on the ground as it was growing. The yellower the spot, the riper the melon. A ripe watermelon will have a creamy yellow or orange-yellow spot. If the field spot is white or very pale yellow, choose another melon.

Look for “Webbing.”

When you see weblike brown spots on the watermelon, it means that bees touched the pollinating parts of the flower many times. The more pollination, the sweeter the fruit.

Avoid bumps & blemishes. 

Other than webbing, note any lumps, dents, soft spots, or other irregularities. If the melon you’re considering is covered with blemishes or bumps, choose another.

Girls are sweeter.

Did you know that there are male and female watermelons? Male watermelons are more elongated, usually bigger, and can have a flat, watery flavor. Female watermelons are usually rounder and sweeter.

Size matters.

Don’t go for the biggest or smallest melon in a group: try to choose an average sized melon that feels heavy for its size. A ripe watermelon will feel heavier than one that is less ripe. (I use this trick for choosing oranges, too.)

Check the tail.

If your melon still has its tail, check to be sure it has dried up. If it’s still green, it means the watermelon was picked too early. Similarly, the surface of the melon will turn from shiny to dull when the melon is ripe.

Thump it!

Your Mama knew what she was doing! Go ahead and give it a good knuckle-thump, and then take note of how it sounds. You want to hear a deep, hollow sound. If the sound is dull, the fruit likely isn’t quite ripe.
How to Pick a Perfect Watermelon, plus 101 Amazing Watermelon Ideas | The Good Hearted Woman

Now that you’ve picked out your perfect watermelon, here are 101 things you can do with it! 

Beverages [Kid-Friendly]

Kid-Friendly Beverages - How to Pick a Perfect Watermelon, plus 101 Amazing Watermelon Ideas | The Good Hearted Woman

Beverages [Adults only]

Adults-only Beverages - How to Pick a Perfect Watermelon, plus 101 Amazing Watermelon Ideas | The Good Hearted Woman

Frozen Treats

Frozen Treats - How to Pick a Perfect Watermelon, plus 101 Amazing Watermelon Ideas | The Good Hearted Woman

Salads

Salads - How to Pick a Perfect Watermelon, plus 101 Amazing Watermelon Ideas | The Good Hearted Woman

Salsas

Salsas - How to Pick a Perfect Watermelon, plus 101 Amazing Watermelon Ideas | The Good Hearted Woman

Soups, Skewers & Savory Dishes

Savory Recipes - How to Pick a Perfect Watermelon, plus 101 Amazing Watermelon Ideas | The Good Hearted Woman

Watermelon Mix [Sweets, Party Food & Misc]

Recipe Mix - How to Pick a Perfect Watermelon, plus 101 Amazing Watermelon Ideas | The Good Hearted Woman

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How to Pick a Perfect Watermelon, plus 101 Amazing Watermelon Ideas | The Good Hearted Woman

How to Pick a Perfect Watermelon, plus 101 Amazing Watermelon Ideas | The Good Hearted Woman

Spicy Thai Shrimp Salad {Applebee’s Copycat}

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Inspired by an Applebee’s menu favorite, this Thai Shrimp Salad combines grilled shrimp, fresh edamame, crunchy almonds, and crispy wonton strips under a dressing of spicy-sweet Thai peanut sauce and a bright chili-lime vinaigrette for a light summer feast. 

Thai Shrimp Salad with Spicy Peanut Sauce & Chili-Lime Dressing {Inspired by Applebee's} | The Good Hearted Woman

When Mr B and I were on the road last month, we stopped in at Applebee’s for lunch, and I ordered their Thai Shrimp Salad – which immediately became my newest favorite thing to eat. It’s absolutely delicious – and a great pick if you happen to be trying to eat light and healthy, too. So of course I had to run home and figure out how to make it!

Thai Shrimp Salad with Spicy Peanut Sauce & Chili-Lime Dressing {Inspired by Applebee's} | The Good Hearted Woman

My Thai Shrimp Salad Applebee’s copycat recipe makes a wonderfully satisfying meal that can be ready to serve in less than 30 minutes!

There are four basic components to this salad: The Salad Base, the Shrimp, the Chili-Lime Dressing, and the Peanut Sauce – and each one is super-easy to throw together.

Thai Shrimp Salad with Spicy Peanut Sauce & Chili-Lime Dressing {Inspired by Applebee's} | The Good Hearted Woman
5 from 2 votes
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Thai Shrimp Salad {Applebee's Copycat}

Course Main Dish, Salad
Servings 4
Author Renée ♥ The Good Hearted Woman

Ingredients

Pan-fried Shrimp

  • 1 teaspoon minced garlic
  • 8 ounces raw shrimp peeled & deveined
  • 1/2 teaspoon butter
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1/2 teaspoon chili powder [**See Note]
  • 1/4 teaspoon cayenne [**See Note]

Salad

  • 1/2 head Napa or Savory cabbage chopped
  • 2 cups fresh spinach coarsely chopped
  • 1 cup shredded red cabbage
  • 2 medium carrots peeled and shredded
  • 1/2 cup shelled edamame
  • 3 green onions thinly sliced
  • 1/4 cup sliced almonds toasted
  • Wonton Strips
  • 1/4 cup chopped cilantro (reserve some uncut for garnish)
  • 1 batch Chili Lime Vinaigrette (Recipe Below)
  • 1 batch Sweet & Spicy Peanut Sauce (Recipe Below)

Instructions

Prepare Pan-fried Shrimp

  1. In a large self-sealing plastic bag, combine shrimp, minced garlic, chili powder, and cayenne. Toss until shrimp are evenly coated with the spice mix. 

  2. Heat a large, heavy skillet over medium high heat. Melt olive oil and butter and swirl to coat the bottom the the skillet. Add shrimp in a single layer. (Do not crowd in pan.) Pan-fry about 2 minutes, then turn and fry until shrimp become pink all the way through and slightly firm, about 2-3 minutes. Do not over cook! Carefully remove from skillet and set aside. 

Assemble Salad

  1. Layer or toss cabbages, spinach, carrots, edamame, green onions, and sliced almonds, wonton strips, and cilantro in bowl. Serve with Chili-Lime Vinaigrette and Sweet & Spicy Peanut Sauce. Garnish with additional cilantro and wonton strips. 

Recipe Notes

** I substitute in 1 teaspoon of my Spicy Skillet Dry Rub for the chili powder and cayenne. 

1 serving {with 2 T Chili-Lime Vinaigrette & 2 T Sweet & Spicy Peanut Sauce} = 8 WW SmartPoints [2018]

Thai Shrimp Salad with Spicy Peanut Sauce & Chili-Lime Dressing {Inspired by Applebee's} | The Good Hearted Woman

Thai Shrimp Salad with Spicy Peanut Sauce & Chili-Lime Dressing {Inspired by Applebee's} | The Good Hearted Woman
5 from 2 votes
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Chili-Lime Vinaigrette

Ingredients

  • Juice of 2 limes
  • Zest of 1 lime
  • 2 tablespoon olive oil
  • 2 tablespoon honey
  • 1 tablespoons soy sauce
  • 1 teaspoon minced garlic
  • 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
  • 1/4 - 1/2 teaspoon Gochujang paste Depending on how spicy you like things)

Instructions

  1. Combine all ingredients in a jar and shake to combine. (Remember to put the lid on first 😉)

Thai Shrimp Salad with Spicy Peanut Sauce & Chili-Lime Dressing {Inspired by Applebee's} | The Good Hearted Woman

Thai Shrimp Salad with Spicy Peanut Sauce & Chili-Lime Dressing {Inspired by Applebee's} | The Good Hearted Woman
5 from 2 votes
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Sweet & Spicy Thai Peanut Sauce

Ingredients

  • 1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
  • 1/4 cup canned coconut milk
  • 1 tablespoon fish sauce (I prefer "Red Boat" fish sauce)
  • 1 - 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
  • 1 tablespoon honey or coconut or agave nectar
  • 1 clove minced garlic
  • 1/2 - 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
  • 1/2 - 1 teaspoon gochujang paste Totally optional. You can also use your favorite heat: Sriracha, red pepper flakes, etc.

Instructions

  1. Combine all ingredients and whisk or blend until smooth. 

Thai Shrimp Salad with Spicy Peanut Sauce & Chili-Lime Dressing {Inspired by Applebee's} | The Good Hearted Woman

Thai Shrimp Salad with Spicy Peanut Sauce & Chili-Lime Dressing {Inspired by Applebee's} | The Good Hearted Woman

Roasted Ratatouille {with Pan-fried Onions}

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Fragrant layers of bright zucchini, tender Japanese eggplant, and juicy romas – all roasted to perfection in a nest of herby, garlicky tomatoes and pan-fried onions. 

Ratatouille with Pan-Fried Onions | The Good Hearted Woman

No one makes ratatouille like I do. In fact, it seems like E-V-E-R-Y-O-N-E puts their own flare on this simple summer vegetable medley. My personal spin? Pan-fried onions for extra sweetness and depth of flavor. SO GOOD!

Ratatouille with Pan-Fried Onions | The Good Hearted Woman

Originally from the South of France, ratatouille is an amazingly versatile dish, both for the cook and as a meal. Traditionally made with a base of tomatoes, zucchini, onions, eggplant, garlic, and herbs, home chefs around the world add everything from potatoes to porcinis to the mix. Some cook it in a pot on the stove, others roast it in the oven. You can even make it in a slow cooker, or an Instant Pot! The whole idea is, once you have the basic recipe down, feel free to make it your own.

Ratatouille with Pan-Fried Onions | The Good Hearted Woman

And here’s a little secret… (shhhhh….)

When it comes to making ratatouille, it really doesn’t matter how you put it together. 

It’s true! Whether you choose to “fussy up” and camera-ready your ratatouille, or just throw everything in the dish and let the chips fall where they may, the fragrant flavors of all those fresh summer veggies and herbs will magically combine to create something your tastebuds will love.

Ratatouille with Pan-Fried Onions | The Good Hearted Woman

Ratatouille can be enjoyed hot, cold, or somewhere in between. Serving suggestions are just as flexible, too: as is, over rice, on toast, in pasta, on a sandwich, and with eggs are just a few ideas.  (One of our favorite breakfasts is leftover ratatouille with poached eggs.) Enjoy!

Ratatouille with Pan-Fried Onions | The Good Hearted Woman
5 from 5 votes
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Ratatouille with Pan-Fried Onions

Course Main Course
Cuisine Vegan, Vegetarian
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Servings 4
Author Renée B. ♥ The Good Hearted Woman

Ingredients

  • 1 large sweet or red onion sliced 3/8" thick
  • 4 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil divided
  • 14 ounces crushed or diced tomatoes (1 can, drained)
  • 1/2 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
  • 2 cloves minced garlic about 1 1/2 teaspoons
  • 1 Tablespoon fresh basil chiffonade
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1/4 teaspoon dried rosemary or a small spring fresh, chopped
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon chili powder
  • 1 lb medium zucchini sliced 1/4" thick
  • 1-2 Japanese eggplant sliced 1/4" thick
  • 3 fresh Roma tomatoes sliced 1/4" thick

Garnish:

  • Fresh basil
  • Finely grated Parmesan or Romano cheese optional

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray a deep-dish pie plate with cooking spray. Set aside. 

  2. Heat a cast iron or heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Add 2 teaspoons  of olive oil and swirl to coat skillet. When a water droplet sizzles on the surface, carefully place whole onion slices on the skillet. Allow onion slices to brown and crisp on one side for a few minutes, and then carefully turn them over using a spatula and brown the other side. Allow onion slices to cool, and then separate onion rings from one another and set aside. 

    Ratatouille with Pan-Fried Onions | The Good Hearted Woman

  3. In a small bowl, combine dried oregano, thyme, rosemary, salt, pepper, and chili powder.

  4. In a medium bowl, combine crushed or diced tomatoes, remaining olive oil (2 teaspoons), vinegar, garlic, fresh basil, and all but 1 teaspoon of the herb mixture. 

  5. Pour tomato mixture evenly into the bottom of a deep dish pie plate. (I use my cast iron pie dish.) 

  6. Arrange sliced veggies around the edge of the plate in a pattern that makes you happy. (I did tomato-zucchini-eggplant-zucchini-eggplant-repeat.) 

  7. Put the pan-fried onion mixture in the middle of the veggie-ring. Arrange more veggies in the middle, until you are either out of veggies or space, whichever comes first. 

  8. OPTIONAL: At this point, you can spray the whole thing with a little cooking spray or brush it with just a bit of olive oil to encourage browning if you would like. Doing so also seems to make the whole thing look better after it is done roasting. 

  9. Sprinkle remaining dried herb mixture over the top of the prepared ratatouille. 

  10. Bake in preheated oven for an hour, or until the sauce is bubbly and the veggies are tender (but not mushy!!) 

  11. Garnish with fresh basil and freshly grated Parmesan or Romano. 

Recipe Notes

Weight Watchers: 1 serving (1/4 recipe) = 1 SmartPoint [2018]

Alternate (aka "non-fussy") Prep: Put the crushed tomato mixture in your baking dish. Top with pan-fried onions. Throw the veggies on top. Bake as directed.

Ratatouille with Pan-Fried Onions | The Good Hearted Woman

Recipe Notes:

  • This dish is best when made with the freshest veggies possible.
  • Be sure to slice your vegetables uniformly to all be approximately the same size and thickness so that everything cooks evenly.
  • Japanese Eggplant is more tender than Italian eggplant, and works better for this dish. However, if you cannot find it, you can definitely use Italian eggplant as a substitute. The important thing is to cut it in approximately the same size as the other veggies you will be using so everything cooks evenly.
  • Ratatouille and similar foods (i.e., spaghetti sauce, lasagna, and eggplant parm) usually taste better “the next day,” after flavors have had a chance to marry and mellow. I’m sure that there is a scientific explanation for this phenomena,  but whatever the reason, keep this in mind if you plan to serve this dish to company. I often make meals like this a day ahead of time, refrigerate overnight and reheat to serve.

Ratatouille with Pan-Fried Onions | The Good Hearted Woman

Original Taco House Fiesta Dressing {CopyCat Recipe}

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You can’t buy the legendary Original Taco House Fiesta Dressing at the restaurant or in the store anymore, but now you can make it at home!  Perfect sweet heat for tacos, salads, sizzling meats, party dips – and much, much more!

Original Taco House Fiesta Dressing {CopyCat Recipe}

On December 31, 2017, the Original Taco House, Portland’s first “Mexican” restaurant and a fixture on the Eastside for more than fifty years, abruptly closed its doors forever – yet another old-school Portland restaurant lost to the mists of time.

The Original Taco House was one of those places that brought families together. The food was dependably good and priced to sell in our working-class neighborhood, and when I was little, it was one of my family’s go-to spots for a night out. My Dad was a middle school teacher, and he often had former students who waited tables there, so there was always a smiling face to greet us. They treated Dad like a celebrity, and we always got great service.

Original Taco House Fiesta Dressing {CopyCat Recipe}

The Original Taco House on Powell was the second OTH to open. [Image by Victor von Salza, used with permission]

When I got older and started dating Mr B, we made some fond memories of our own at The Original Taco House. The original location on 82nd Avenue was just a short walk from our high school, and in 1980-something you could get a beef “El Picador” (what they called nachos before we called them nachos) or a large “meat & cheese salad” – both smothered with that amazing Original Taco House Fiesta Dressing and big enough for two – for four or five bucks. Needless to say, Mr B and I spent many (extended) lunch hours there sharing a meal and gazing adoringly into each others’ eyes.

Later, when I went on to have my own family, we often found ourselves eating at the Original Taco House when we visited my parents, to the point where it became one of my kids’ favorite eating spots. And the last time we ate there as a family, my grandchildren were sitting around the table with us. After three generations, dinner at the Original Taco House had become a solid family tradition.

Original Taco House Fiesta Dressing {CopyCat Recipe}

Our last family dinner at the Original Taco House. We don’t usually take pictures at restaurants, but this was a special occasion. (Any time we get five of our girls all together in the same place at the same time, it is a special occasion!)

After all that history, it probably goes without saying Mr B and I were pretty broken up about the Original Taco House’s sudden closing. Sure, the decor was dated and the menu anything but authentically Mexican, but we loved it because of those things, not in spite of them. Now there will be no more pictures of adorable black-eyed babies in sombreros hanging on the wall watching you eat. No more burros with brightly colored saddle packs. No more (amazing!) corn-flake crusted deep-fried ice cream balls. No more sizzling “El Picadors” heaped with melting cheese and olives and peppers. No more amazing house-made Fiesta Dressing.

Wait! What?!?

When I figured out that our favorite salad dressing would no longer be available, I started to worry. I checked our bottle in the fridge: only about two or three ounces left. I checked local stores: discontinued, and limited to stock on hand. Amazon: same. I sprung into action:

Me: “OK, no one touch the taco salad dressing!”
Them: “Why?” (Until that moment, no one was even thinking of it.)
Me: “I have to figure out the recipe before it’s all gone. I need it for taste comparison.”
Them [reaching into the fridge door for the bottle]: “What if we just use a little?” (Once again, no one had even considered using it that day until I mentioned it.)
Me: “Not. One. Drop.” (Translation: Just put the bottle down and walk away slowly, and no one will get hurt.)

Good thing they know when I mean business.

To recreate the recipe, the first thing I did was consult the ingredient label on our treasured “last bottle.”

Original Taco House Fiesta Dressing {CopyCat Recipe}

“The Last Bottle”

Conveniently, ingredients on product labels are listed in order of predominance, with the ingredients used in the greatest amount first, followed in descending order by those in smaller amounts. This gave me a good road map for figuring out the recipe. I chose the brands of necessary premade products (i.e., El Pato Tomato Sauce, Chalula hot sauce) based on the ingredients listed parenthetically on the label list (i.e., the list of collective ingredients in the hot chili sauce, Worcestershire sauce, etc. as listed on the label) in an effort to keep them as close to the original ingredients used as possible.

After that, it was just a lot of mixing, tasting, adjusting, tasting, mixing, adjusting, tasting… and repeat. (Let’s just say that I have enough Fiesta Dressing in my fridge now to get us all through a major nation-wide salad dressing shortage.)

In the end, I think we hit it pretty darn close. (We even nailed the exact calorie count of the original!) The mixture I created is somewhat creamier in appearance than the original Original Taco House Fiesta Dressing, but the flavor is spot-on and it has the familiar slightly sweet kick and peppery tang that we crave so much.

Original Taco House Fiesta Dressing {CopyCat Recipe}

Fiesta Dressing is essentially a Tex-mex spin on Catalina: a sweet, spicy, and tangy, with just a hint of Romano.

Here’s to happy memories! Enjoy!

4.8 from 15 votes
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Original Taco House Fiesta Dressing {Copycat Recipe}


Course Condiment
Prep Time 10 minutes
Total Time 10 minutes
Author Renée B. ♥ The Good Hearted Woman

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup water
  • 1/2 cup Canola oil
  • 6 tablespoons crushed or diced canned tomatoes drained
  • 6 tablespoons El Pato Tomato Sauce, Mexican Hot Style Yellow can (not green)
  • 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
  • 3 tablespoons sugar
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 teaspoon lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon hot pepper sauce I use Chalula
  • 1/4 teaspoon xanthan gum optional
  • 1 ounce Romano cheese fresh, finely grated
  • 3/4 - 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

  1. Put everything in a blender jar except the Romano cheese and black pepper, and blend until smooth and creamy. 

  2. Add the cheese and pepper and pulse to break up the cheese a bit more. You want the pepper and cheese to be a little grainy to give the dressing some texture. 

Recipe Notes

This dressing is ready to use immediately, but a day in the fridge will help the flavors really come together.
1 serving = 2 tablespoons = 60 calories = 2 Weight Watchers SmartPoints [2018]

Ingredient Notes: 

  • El Pato Tomato Sauce has the exact list of “hot chili sauce” ingredients as are listed on the OTH dressing label, in the same order. It was the only sauce I could find that did.
  • Xanthan gum is a thickener, and can be found the bulk food area of many stores. You don’t have to use it, but if omitted, your dressing will be a little thinner.

The entire recipe for The Original Taco House “Meat & Cheese Salad” is contained in its name: Meat+Cheese+Salad (i.e., lettuce, tomatoes, dressing). So simple, and yet so good. (I make ours with seasoned ground chicken.)

Fiesta Dressing adds a sweet little kick to tacos, salads, and nachos, of course, but I’ve also used it in everything from eggs to soups to casseroles, and as a marinade for grilling, all with amazing results.

Original Taco House Fiesta Dressing {CopyCat Recipe}

Original Taco House Fiesta Dressing {CopyCat Recipe}
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