Cowboy Beans

Prep Time: 10 minutes | Cook Time: 35 minutes | Total Time: 45 minutes | Serves: 8 – 10

I came across an old recipe that had my scribbles of changes and notes that I had made and about a quarter of the paper torn off… probably to make more notes about something else. I laughed at myself, how 20 years later, some things stay the same…my note-taking and good food!

I jot down a lot of notes and on just about anything. There are recipe notes on napkins, on the backs of blank checks in my wallet, and some written on the back of sermon notes from my pastor’s message (I guess I just told on myself there, ha). There are some things that you hear or see that give you great ideas and you just don’t want to lose them.

My husband is always telling me to keep everything on my phone, and always have a backup of a backup. I should really follow his instructions…. I might not always be able to find that napkin.

Back to the “old recipe”… The title was for Cowboy Beans and I remember marking off ingredients and substituting others. But, the biggest change was the addition of ribeye steak, shredded and flavored throughout the thick stick-to-your-ribs beans.

These Cowboy Beans are a great addition to a backyard barbecue (or stovetop barbecue if you have an inch of ice and 6 inches of snow outside.) That was our weather this February and my Michigan-born husband grilled anyway, and it was worth it. Then my high school culinary son and I cooked steaks on the stovetop with the basting method using butter, oil, thyme, and garlic. Wow. Just Wow.

This dish may be a carb nightmare, but if you’re not watching your carb intake, these are just down-right enjoyable!

Feel free to change up your meat. As I mentioned before, I have used shredded ribeye steak (my fav) or slow-cooked beef short ribs. Here I used ground beef and Italian sausage since it would still be delicious and hearty, and it’s probably the most convenient. You could serve this meatless, but not at my house.

Enjoy!

Tomato Deviled Eggs

Prep Time: 20 minutes | Cook Time: 13 – 14 minutes | Chill Time: 15 minutes |Total Time: 50 minutes | Serves: 12

This is not an April Fool’s joke. Do not adjust your screen.

Tomato paste gives color, flavor, and slight flair to the traditional deviled eggs. But, there is so much more that elevates these to Wow.

Deviled eggs are a traditional Easter side dish or appetizer here in the United States. It seems to reflect spring, something we are happy to embrace after the cold, snowy days behind us and sunny skies, blooming flowers, and potlucks to look forward to.

Steaming the eggs instead of boiling them seems to bring more success of easy-peeling. If you have a method of making “easy-peel” hard-boiled eggs that works for you, by all means, continue to use it. The first time I saw the steaming method, it was on a video by America’s Test Kitchen. Now the recipe is everywhere online.

I have avocado mayonnaise listed in the ingredients. You are welcome to use regular mayo. My family has steered away from seed oils as much as possible, but you can certainly use regular mayo in this recipe. I recommend Duke’s Real Mayonnaise (with the yellow label).

Smoked paprika is not just smoked paprika. First of all, the fresher the product, the better the flavor and aroma. Second, brands matter. Small businesses that specialize in spices are marks above the “national brands.” You know, the ones with the red caps? I have been ordering spices from 3 spice-specialty stores that are just incredible. If you’re interested, message me, and I can pass those companies along to you.

I chose Hungarian Smoked Paprika due to its rich color and intensity of flavor. You can certainly use a more common smoked paprika. They can often be found at Home Goods stores.

The recipe comes together easily, especially if you’ve made deviled eggs before. There are steps, but nothing difficult. The recipe can be easily doubled.

Love deviled likes like I do?? Check out my other recipes with lots of flair! Thai Deviled Eggs, Greek Deviled Eggs, and Curried Deviled Eggs.

Enjoy!

Buffalo Bread (Cheese Bread)

Prep Time: 5 minutes | Cook Time: 2 minutes | Total Time: 7 minutes | Serves: 8 – 10

Recipe and photos updated 2.5.2026.

My family cracks me up. We enjoy one another and we enjoy life. We enjoy food, that’s a given. We come up with silly names for things. We quote lines from movies in funny circumstances. We have fun together.
The name for this bread actually came from my husband (you’d think one of the kids would have thought of this). We used to have bread often with meals when the kids were younger. Of course, the tops of bread loaves are not always rounded. Some have indentions from the shape and rise and baking that result in crevices and domes, etc…

So, somehow this particular bread on this particular night yielded an odd shape, that as my husband continued to look at it suspiciously, declared, “It looks like a buffalo?!” Thus, was born our Buffalo Bread.

The ingredients are not uncommon, and the bread takes only minutes from start to finish. The garlic powder makes it really aromatic and delicious.

Keep in mind that the ingredient amounts listed are approximate. If you plan to serve a lot of people, you’ll need more of each ingredient, and vice versa if you’re serving only a few or one person.

Other options for topping this bread is the addition of freshly cracked black pepper and/or a light sprinkling of herbs de Provence (without lavender). These are delicious also.

We serve this bread with most of our Italian/tomato based dishes because the bread soaks up sauces. Such a wonderful pairing. Mmmm.

Enjoy!

Chocolate Cherry Layered Cake

Prep Time: 30 minutes | Cook Time: 45 minutes | Cool Time: 1 hour  | Total Time: 2 hours, 15 minutes | Serves: 8 – 10

I believe I can loosely call this a “Black Forest Cake” even though there is no cherry liqueur (Kirsch) here. There is whipped cream, balsamic cherries, a chocolate cake, and a dusting of chocolate shavings.

I strongly suggest you use frozen, sweet, whole, pitted cherries. The sweetness of the cherries will determine how much sugar you add. I used a mix of dark sweet and red sweet cherries and really enjoyed the aesthetics of the contrast and also the flavor differences.

Most recipes online for Black Forest Cake use cornstarch to thicken the liquid in the cherries. I don’t do that. My recipe calls for simmering the cherries on the stovetop, too, but leaves the “syrup” as it is, then it is brushed onto the cake layers as you would a simple syrup. Plus, you’ll have enough that you can “decorate” the individual cake plates for your guests. Yumm.

I have utilized a higher-quality cake mix… Bob’s Red Mill… which does not have the preservatives as in cheaper boxed cake mixes. Not to mention, it actually tastes like chocolate. You don’t have to add a ton of extras (sour cream, buttermilk, mayo, cocoa powder, instant pudding mix, etc.) to make it taste really good. Another reason I like BRM is their cake mixes are still 15.25 ounces. Cheaper brands have decreased their sizes of mixes which can mess up a cake recipe. BRM also has a gluten free chocolate cake mix, but I have never used them.

Now, I do have a section of desserts on my website called, “Multi-verse Cakes” that is specifically formulated for cheaper boxes. It was a fun run, but I have chosen a “healthier” brand for this specific cake.

I have been gifted a Montmorency Cherry Rosé White Balsamic Vinegar by Abingdon Olive Oil Company, which makes these cherries shine! The pop of flavor with the rich chocolate cake and smooth whipped cream is super-yummy!

Baking strips are great for cakes to be used in “naked” cakes. The cakes will rise evenly and result in a fairly flat cake. Great for layers.

The components of this recipe can be made into individual trifles, layered in clear glasses for a fun Valentine dessert.

Enjoy!

Shallot Dipping Oil

Prep Time: 10 minutes | Cook Time: 1 hour, 15 minutes | Cool Time: 20 minutes |Total Time: 1 hour, 30 minutes | Serves: 4 – 6

With the holidays (quickly!) approaching, parties and hors d’oeuvres may be on your mind. Here is a take on dipping oil that is oh, so delicious!

Shallot Sea Salt, developed by and only sold at The Spice and Tea Exchange’s Blowing Rock, NC location has become a favorite spice that they sell. I think it’s pretty awesome that they have a specialty salt. Love shallot flavor, too? See my Crustless Broccoli Shallot Ham Quiche!

We don’t entertain quite like we used to and I have to say, I really miss the charcuterie boards and pre-dinner snacking. The “small bites” are just fun.

Bringing my love for entertaining in harmony with the Shallot Sea Salt, I have developed this recipe for a “dipping oil” that highlights the vegetable. Shallots are the delicate, sweet relative to the onion. They are good used raw in salad dressings, while cooking them mellows them a bit. Shallots do have a bit of a garlicky flavor and aroma.

Taste the strained oil before you add more Shallot Sea Salt so that you don’t over salt. If that happens, you may add more extra-virgin olive oil to mellow out the salt.

This recipe easily doubles. Use the extra oil for salad dressings, sautéing, etc.

You could add a few handfuls of cherry or cocktail tomatoes to the shallots, pre-baking, for a variation of the oil. It would be a bit more acidic, the color would change, but it would be yummy.

Big note here… Making infused oils at home comes with guidelines that should be followed for safety’s sake. Use this oil within 3 days of making it. Keep it refrigerated. It cannot sit at room temperature. I have read multiple articles on the safety of homemade oils, and will stick to the 3 day rule.

Inox Artisans board in photos.

Enjoy!

See my other appetizers:
Whipped Feta with Vadouvan Curry
Mexican Shrimp Cocktail
Hummus
Olive and Cheese Bread
Dipping Oil with Parmesan
Jalapeno Poppers
Corn Dip
And multiple meatball recipes!

Simple Roasted Sweet Potatoes

Prep Time: 15 minutes | Cook Time: 25 minutes | Total Time: 40 minutes | Serves: 4

When the main dish for dinner takes center stage, sometimes it’s nice to have some simple sides. It makes prepping and cooking a little easier for you, and the sides can still taste amazing!

Sweet potatoes can be dressed with simplistic salt and pepper, or drizzled with a fancy vinaigrette. Here is the simplistic recipe that allows the natural flavor and texture of the humble sweet potato to shine.

You will need a sharp knife to get into these bad boys. Sweet potatoes are hardy, for sure.

I used “cinnamon basil” I found at our local farmer’s market. It left a light cinnamon aftertaste that I thought was really nice, but I know that may not be readily available where you are. Use regular sweet basil, or another herb you love.

If I can get my hands on organic sweet potatoes, I purchase them. They are grown in soil, so it’s nice knowing there are little to zero pesticides.

I used honey, which can easily be subbed with maple syrup or agave syrup. Add more honey if you would like. I didn’t want my sweet potatoes super-sweet, but you can certainly add 1 or 2 tablespoons more to the sweet potatoes.

Love sweet potatoes? Check out my other recipes… Indian-Spiced Scalloped Sweet Potatoes, Chipotle Smashed Sweet Potatoes, Chipotle Sweet Potato Galette, and Sweet Potato Galette with Thyme.

Replace the garlic powder with ground cinnamon for a little bit more “warmth” to these sweet potatoes if you don’t want the garlic flavor.

Roasting the potatoes in the oven frees up your hands in the kitchen. Pop them into the oven while you prepare and cook the rest of your meal.

If none of these reasons draw you to make this simple roasted veggie, the fall orange pop of color on your table may bring a smile to your face.

Enjoy!

Dad’s Busy Burgers (Blonde Sloppy Joes)

Prep Time: 10 minutes | Cook Time: 30 minutes | Total Time: 40 minutes | Serves: 4

Here’s an unassuming recipe for my website. Consider it more of a childhood memory. My dad could grill steaks and make scrambled eggs. That was the extent of his cooking abilities. But, I do remember, quite vividly, when he did cook. Maybe because it was a funny occasion. He taught me how to make a scrambled egg sandwich, which I discovered I still enjoy with ketchup. (Yeah, I was an oddball growing up.) He taught me to love oysters. I still order fried oysters every trip to the coast.

In the fall and winter months, when it’s too cold to grill outside, these burgers make a great stand-in.

The recipe that follows is an adaptation of what he called “Busy Burgers.” My memories are a greasy version; I really doubt he drained the rendered beef fat. I have played around with his beyond simplistic recipe, keeping true to the base flavors, and have made what I would describe as a beefy, non-tomato, blonde sloppy joe. Interest piqued?

What’s cool, is that you can expound on this recipe and create other flavors. Place a layer of caramelized onions on top of the beef mixture, and add a slice of Havarti or baby Swiss cheese to melt. Add curry or cajun spices to give a totally different taste. The recipe also doubles very easily for a crowd.

His recipe used a can of French Onion Soup, but I didn’t want to put that in my recipe. I wanted something that tasted rich and hearty, not something from a can. Caramelizing the onions myself became more like a mini-version of true French Onion Soup for the base of this recipe. I’ll admit, I did purchase a can of the red and white label, French Onion Soup in order to get the flavors as close as I could remember. I needed a taste. I just wasn’t going to dump the contents into my homemade version.

Go heavy on the freshly-cracked black pepper. It really makes a difference.

Growing up, we ate these on regular hamburger buns. Cute, little slider buns were not invented yet for sale to the public (yes, I’m that old), so I definitely had to serve my newer version on them. It’s just a fun aspect to this recipe.

Olive and Cheese Bread

Prep Time: 2minutes | Cook Time: 25 minutes | Cool Time: 15 minutes | Total Time: 1 hour | Serves: 10

For all the olive lovers out there, you’re welcome. Two varieties of olives, two cheeses in a creamy base, oh my.

My daughter is the only other one in my family that is in love with this bread, and since she doesn’t live at home anymore, I have even less opportunity to make this amazing bread. I could totally eat this by myself over several days, but as in most things, just because you can doesn’t mean you should.

Option here… if you would like to be able to have more filling per bite, scoop or cut out a little bit of the inner bread, like you’re making it into a boat. If it’s a super-soft bread, like an Italian loaf, you can press it down with a spoon or with your fingers. Common sense, if your filling is deeper, you’ll have less to spread longwise. The bread will need a few more minutes of cooking time, too, if you use thicker filling.

You can certainly change up the cheeses. Gouda, extra-sharp cheddar, Fontina, and mozzarella are good choices. And, if you’re a little more daring, add a couple of tablespoons of stone-ground mustard when you are adding the mayonnaise and sour cream. It adds an extra layer of flavor that you just might like.

Serve as a warm appetizer, or as a side to a pizza party, or on a movie night!

The olive mixture can be prepared up to 2 days in advance, or frozen well-packaged, for up to 1 month. Stir well before using.

This bread pairs so well with other Italian dishes, especially those that contain marinara sauces! Check out my Spaghetti and Meatballs to Die For and my Quick and Simple Marinara.

Enjoy!

Print

Olive and Cheese Bread

Green and black olive pair with cheddar and Monterey Jack cheese in a creamy spread. A perfect, warm appetizer.

Course Appetizer, Side Dish, Snack

Cuisine American, Italian

Keyword black ripe olives, olive-cheese bread, green Spanish olives, stuffed pimento olives, bread spread, hot appetizer recipe, fall recipe, party food

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes minutes

Cool Time: 15 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour

Servings 9

Calories 295.52kcal

Author Pantry To Table

Ingredients

• 1 French/crusty baguette, see Notes
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, very soft, but not melted
• 2 garlic cloves, grated on a zester, or pushed through a garlic press
• 1/4 cup sour cream, full fat
• 1/4 cup mayonnaise, full fat
• 1/2 teaspon freshly-cracked black pepper, or to taste
• 1/2 - 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, or to taste, optional
• 1/4 cup roasted red peppers, patted dry, small-dice, (or 1 4-ounce jar diced pimentos, drained well
• 8 ounces ripe (black) olives, sliced, drained well
• 8 ounces green (Spanish) olives, sliced, drained well
• 1/2 cup green onions, white and green parts, sliced, divided
• 3 tablespoon Italian parsley, chopped, divided
• 1 cup sharp (yellow) cheddar cheese, shredded
• 1 cup Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
• Sea salt, to taste

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
• Line a baking sheet with foil or parchment for easy clean up.
• Slice the baguette in half longways. Place the halves, cut-side up, on the baking sheet. Set aside.
• In a medium bowl, combine the butter, garlic, sour cream, mayonnaise, black pepper and crushed red pepper if using.
• Sprinkle the cheeses over the mayo mixture and fold the ingredients together gently.
• At this point, you can taste for salt and adjust any seasonings as desired. Most likely it will be salty enough.
• Evenly spread the mixture over the two cut sides of the baguette.
• Bake in the preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the cheeses are melted and slightly bubbly.
• Remove from the oven and place the baguette slices on a cutting board to cool for about 10 to 15 minutes. (Slicing the hot bread straight from the oven will cause some of the mixture to slide off. If you can wait, I highly suggest allowing the bread to cool.)
• Top with the remaining green onions and parsley.
• Slice into 2” to 3” pieces and serve warm. See Notes for serving suggestions.

Notes

The olives in this recipe are not brined such as Kalamata and Castelvaltrano, but you can use those if you prefer.

The Italian parsley is not just for garnish, but flavor also. I would not omit it.

You can go outside the box and use a multigrain bread.

Ground white pepper could be substituted for the black pepper.

I know this may sound crazy, but a side of ranch dressing for dipping is really good! You can check out my recipe for Ranch Dressing or use your fave!

The olive mixture can be prepared up to 2 days in advance. Stir well before using.

Cover tightly and refrigerate any leftovers. Slices can be reheated in the oven, microwave, or air fryer.

The nutritional chart does not include bread or any additional salt.

Nutrition

Calories: 295.52kcal | Carbohydrates: 4.75g | Protein: 5.96g | Fat: 28.15g | Saturated Fat: 12.67g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3.17g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6.55g | Trans Fat: 0.14g | Cholesterol: 49.5mg | Sodium: 719.2mg | Potassium: 44.04mg | Fiber: 0.58g | Sugar: 0.5g | Vitamin C: 5.47mg | Calcium: 194.78mg | Iron: 1.67mg

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2 Pasta Recipes (1 pound = 2 recipes)

Cook 1 pound of spaghetti noodles, use half for the first recipe; reserve the remaining half for the next recipe. Gives a new definition of “divide and conquer.” Each recipe serves 2 generously.

Enjoy!

Use half of a 1-pound package of spaghetti noodles for this super-easy recipe. Fresh grape (or cherry) tomatoes break down and create their own delicious sauce. Fresh herbs, fresh garlic, and an excellent-quality extra-virgin olive oil… there are no words.

RECIPE: Spaghetti with Fresh Tomatoes and Herbs

Use the remaining half of spaghetti noodles for a quick vegetable stir fry. The homemade sauce pushes this Asian dish up to Wow! If your spaghetti noodles are already cooked from the previous recipe, it goes even faster!

RECIPE: Garlic-Soy Stir Fry Noodles

2 Pasta Recipes: #2 Garlic-Soy Stir Fry Noodles

I suppose it doesn’t matter which pasta recipe you create first, pasta is pasta. Both are easy recipes, both bring a completely different flavor profile (Italian vs. Asian). To see the first recipe, click here, Spaghetti with Fresh Tomatoes and Herbs.

Stir fry is a perfect opportunity for using up those veggies in your fridge and pantry that are on the verge of giving up, looking for the compost pile or the long way down the dark portal of the trashcan. If you don’t have the veggies or don’t want them in the recipe, the sauce is delicious enough on its own to add to the noodles.

Combine your sauce ingredients before you get started. It will take a little time to gather the ingredients. You want to have your sauce ready when it is needed so that you don’t have to stop the cooking process to play catchup. Then give the sauce another stir just before pouring into the pan. The short sit on the counter will give the sauce a bit to meld and marry their flavors.

White pepper is used in Chinese cooking. It was not an ingredient that I used early in my cooking endeavors, but now we are inseparable. It is different from the traditional black pepper, so I enjoy having the two varieties in my pantry.

This sauce can be one you can use over and over in your Asian dishes. Use it as a stir-fry sauce with a protein or just veggies.

Some great topping ideas… peanuts or cashews (toasted or not), crunchy chow mein noodles (see Notes), Chile-Garlic Sauce or Chile Oil – We love BOON Sauce. Check them out for the best chile oil.

See other recipe for one pound of pasta: Spaghetti with Fresh Tomatoes and Herbs

Enjoy!