Tag: contributor recipes

Seared to golden perfection in a savory sauce, you’re going to love enjoying this hibachi chicken from the comfort of your kitchen! Serve it up with fried rice and yum yum sauce for the ultimate dinner experience!

For more delicious Asian-inspired meals you can easily make at home, try pork katsu, sticky Asian glazed chicken, or these Asian turkey lettuce wraps!

Hibachi Chicken

I have a weakness for sauces, and the combination of the soy sauce and vinegar on the chicken and the yum yum sauce it’s served with is heavenly. This easy hibachi chicken recipe comes together quickly, and it’s something a little different that you can try for dinner without having to put in too much time/effort!

The key to this recipe is to not overcook the chicken. You want your chicken seared and juicy! I highly recommend getting an instant read meat thermometer to ensure the chicken is just done (165F is the safe internal temperature). If the chicken breasts you buy are particularly large, you may want to cook the chicken in two batches so the pan isn’t over-crowded. The chicken should brown (it needs a little space) vs. steam (when it’s all clustered together).

Ingredients for Hibachi Chicken and Sauce

Here’s the lineup so you can create the perfect hibachi experience at home! Seared, savory flavor awaits.

• Chicken Breasts: Cut them up small so they cook quickly. (About 1-inch cubes.) You can also use chicken thighs if you prefer, just be sure they’re cooked to 165 F.
• Salt and Pepper: First layer of seasoning for the chicken.
• Carrots and Zucchini: Chopped to add bits freshness and texture.
• Vegetable Oil: For cooking the chicken and veggies in the skillet.
• Rice: Optional, but great for serving the hibachi chicken with!
• Green Onions: Chopped, for a pop of fresh onion flavor on top.
• Yum Yum Sauce: Another optional ingredient, but I highly recommend serving your hibachi chicken with this! It’s perfect for dipping and so savory and creamy.

Hibachi Sauce

• Yellow Onion: Chopped finely, so each bite has sweetness and depth.
• Garlic and Ginger: Your tasty aromatics.
• Soy Sauce: Base of the sauce, adds savory flavor. Use low-sodium soy sauce so the sauce isn’t too salty. Or use tamari sauce as a gluten-free alternative!
• Rice Wine Vinegar and Chinkiang Vinegar: Tangy vinegars for bright, acidic flavor. If you can’t find chinkiang vinegar at the store, try your local Asian grocer!
• Lemon Juice: Adds a bit of brightness/acidity to finish the chicken with.
• Brown Sugar: Balances the acidity with sweetness.
• Black Pepper: So your chicken has a little extra warmth and spice.

Let’s Make Hibachi Chicken!

Get that skillet nice and hot, it’s time to make some golden, flavorful hibachi chicken that the whole family will love!

1. Cut and Season Chicken: Prepare the chicken by dicing it into 1 inch pieces. Then toss the chicken with the salt and pepper to season.
2. Prepare Hibachi Sauce: Add the onion, garlic, ginger, soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, chinkiang vinegar, lemon juice, brown sugar, and pepper to a blender and pulsing until the sauce is pureed to the desired consistency.
3. Sauté: Heat the vegetable oil in a skillet over medium high heat. Then add in the seasoned chicken. Sauté until the chicken is just seared on each side.
4. Add Vegetables and Sauce: To the pan add the carrots, zucchini, and ½ cup hibachi sauce. Saute until the chicken is cooked through and the sauce has reduced. You can also add more sauce as needed.
5. Enjoy: Remove the chicken and vegetables from the skillet and then serve over rice with the yum yum sauce.

More Asian-Inspired Recipes You’ll Love

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• Prepare the chicken by dicing it into 1 inch pieces. Toss the chicken with the salt and pepper to season.

• Add the onion, garlic, ginger, soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, chinkiang vinegar, lemon juice, brown sugar, and pepper to a blender and pulsing until the sauce is pureed to the desired consistency.

• Heat the vegetable oil in a skillet over medium high heat. Add in the seasoned chicken and sauté until the chicken is just seared on each side.

• To the pan add the carrots, zucchini, and ½ cup hibachi sauce, saute until the chicken is cooked through and the sauce has reduced. Add more sauce as needed.

• Remove the chicken and vegetables from the skillet and serve over rice with the yum yum sauce.

Originally posted August 7, 2020
Updated on January 27, 2023

Calories: 143kcalCarbohydrates: 7gProtein: 18gFat: 4gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0.02gCholesterol: 48mgSodium: 1033mgPotassium: 462mgFiber: 1gSugar: 4gVitamin A: 3630IUVitamin C: 9mgCalcium: 25mgIron: 1mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Pork Schnitzels are breaded and fried to perfection for an easy and delicious meal the whole family will love. Total cozy comfort food!

If you love German recipes, check out this Spaetzle, Stollen Bread, or the Best Ever German Oven Pancake. They’re all so hearty and satisfying! Plus recreating dishes from around the world is so much fun.

Pork Schnitzel Recipe

Get ready to enjoy some crispy, golden deliciousness. It doesn’t get much better than tender pork battered and pan-fried to perfection. This German pork schnitzel recipe is SO good and will always be a hit at the dinner table. (The texture is too good to resist!)

Today’s Schnitzels (typically made with pork or veal) are breaded and fried until golden-brown, and they’re a staple in eastern/central European cuisine (like Germany and the Czech Republic). They’re easy to make, and this blog post is full of tips so you will soon be enjoying them too!

Ingredient List

Simple ingredients and seasonings combine to create the most crispy and delicious pork cutlet you’ll ever have! Check out the recipe card at the end of the post for exact measurements.

• Boneless Pork Chops: Pounded thin so they’re tender and cook fast.
• Salt & Pepper: Basic seasonings add your first layer of flavor.
• Garlic Powder: Adds a touch of savory flavor to the breading mixture.
• Flour: Part 1 of the dredging mixture to help the egg stick.
• Eggs: Part 2 of the dredging mixture to help the breadcrumbs adhere.
• Breadcrumbs: Part 3 of the dredging mixture (I prefer panko for extra crunch, but you can use regular breadcrumbs if you want!)
• Olive Oil: For frying your pork schnitzel in! (Or try another neutral-tasting oil with a high smoke point e.g. vegetable oil)
• Lemon Wedges: For serving your schnitzel with.

How to Make Pork Schnitzels

Here’s how to get restaurant-quality pork schnitzel in just 35 minutes from start to finish! The perfect dinner switch-up that the whole family will love.

1. Tenderize and Season: Using the flat end of a meat tenderizer, pound the cutlets until they are ½ inch thick. Then season the flattened cutlets with the salt, pepper, and garlic.
2. Coat in Breading: In 3 separate shallow dishes place the flour, eggs, and bread crumbs. Dredge the cutlets in the flour, coating evenly. Next coat them in the eggs, allowing any excess egg to drip off the cutlets back into the bowl. Lastly, coat them completely in the panko bread crumbs.
3. Pan-Fry Until Golden Brown: Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. When the oil is hot, place two of the coated cutlets in the oil and fry for about 3 minutes on each side. The pork should be golden brown and cooked completely through.
4. Add to Paper Towel-Lined Plate: Remove the cooked schnitzel from the oil and place them on a paper towel lined plate to allow any excess oil to drain off. Repeat this process with the remaining two breaded cutlets.
5. Enjoy: Serve the schnitzel fresh with lemon wedges and fresh parsley if desired.

What to Serve Pork Schnitzel With

In Germany, it’s typical to serve them with potato salad or spätzle. You could serve them with anything from pasta to mashed potatoes or rice, though. Make this hearty dish even heartier!

Other Tasty Pork Recipes to Try

Gotta love a classic Pigs in a Blanket appetizer! These are always the first to go at a party, and for good reason. Whole all-beef hot dogs are wrapped in crescent roll dough, stuffed with cheeses and baked with a garlicky butter. They’re cheesy, easy to make, and so addictive!

For more easy bite-sized apps, check out these Pizza Stuffed Crescent Rolls, our favorite Buffalo Chicken Pinwheels, and these Mozzarella Sticks.

Pigs in a Blanket

There are few things in life that my family loves more than pigs in a blanket. It’s one of those nostalgic appetizers that I grew up eating and have continued to adore well into adulthood. What’s not to love? Salty all-beef hot dogs are wrapped up in soft crescent roll dough, stuffed with cheese, baked and then brushed with a totally addictive garlic butter. So good.

We love to eat these Pigs in a Blanket as appetizer, but we love them equally as much served for dinner with a big salad and some grilled veggies. Happy kiddos, happy adults. There are a million different ways you can make pigs in a blanket, but my favorite is what I grew up with, good old packaged crescent roll dough, American cheese and hot dogs. Here’s what you’ll need:

Ingredients in Pigs in a Blanket

This is one of my favorite dishes to make for my kids because the ingredients are so simple. Plus, you can add extra fillings, cheeses, and serve with your favorite dipping sauce to add more flavor! They’re so easy to customize.

• Crescent Roll Dough: I grew up using crescent dough for pigs in a blanket, so that’s still what I use today. If you want to get a little fancier, you can also make pigs in a blanket with puff pastry. You still have the same effect, but the puff pastry is a little bit more flaky and crispy, whereas the crescent roll dough is soft and sweet. It’s just a personal preference!
• Hot Dogs: I use all-beef hot dogs, but use whatever you want! This would work with turkey dogs or even chicken hot dogs.
• Cheese: I like to use American cheese here. It melts wonderfully and gives that all-American Pigs in a Blanket taste, but cheddar cheese would also work nicely.
• Dijon Mustard: This is totally optional. I usually do half with Dijon, half without since my kids don’t tend to like it. All I do is spread a little bit of mustard on each strip of dough, then roll the hot dog up as I normally would.
• Butter: You’ll need salted, melted butter. If you don’t have salted butter, that’s fine, just season the butter with salt to taste.
• Spices: You’ll need garlic powder and onion powder. This gets added to the melted butter mixture and brushed on top of each roll.
• Maldon Salt: This is also optional, but I love topping these pigs in a blanket with big flakes of salt.

How to Make Pigs in a Blanket

These pigs in a blanket are about as easy as it gets to make. Only a few simple steps and then you’ll have a delicious meaty, buttery snack that the whole family will love!

1. Preheat Oven, Prepare Pan: Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line a medium baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Shape the Dough: Take the crescent roll dough out of the can. Keep the dough in tact. Gently pull the dough into four rectangles. (They should already be in rectangles as each rectangle has two triangles that are meant to be pulled apart if you were making classic crescent rolls.) Use your fingers to pinch the middle of the triangles together so the rectangle stays in tact when you cut it and roll the pigs in a blanket. Use a pizza cutter to cut each rectangle into three long strips. They should be about 3/4-inch by 4-inches. You should have twelve strips.
3. Cut the Hot Dogs: Cut the hot dogs into thirds. You should have twelve pieces of hot dog.
4. Cut Cheese Slices: Cut each slice of cheese in half and then into thirds. You should have six small pieces of cheese.
5. Add Fillings: If using, brush the strips of dough with a little bit of Dijon mustard. Place a piece of cheese on the bottom of the strip of dough. Then place a mini hot dog on top. Roll up and place on prepared baking sheet.
6. Bake: Bake for 12 minutes until golden brown and cheese has melted.
7. Butter Mixture: While the pigs in a blanket bake, melt butter in a small saucepan. Stir in garlic powder and onion powder. When the pigs in a blanket comet of the oven, brush with the butter. Sprinkle with flaked sea salt. Serve with preferred dipping sauce.

More Picky Eater-Approved Recipes

Spread the holiday cheer with these festive gingerbread sugar cookie bars. These soft and chewy spiced cookie bars are topped with smooth cream cheese frosting and festive sprinkles! The perfect dessert to feed a crowd at your next holiday party.

Christmas desserts are where it’s at! Once I year, I get so excited to bring our favorite sweet treats back. Some of our favorites are these Italian cookies, Christmas crack, and my darling Grinch cookies!

Gingerbread Sugar Cookie Bars

These gingerbread sugar cookie bars are perfectly spiced and slathered with the most delicious cream cheese frosting. Forget the gingerbread men. This recipe is easier, faster, and incredibly delicious! They’re so moist and heavenly! The tangy flavor of the cream cheese frosting perfectly complements the sweetness of the gingerbread base, making every bite a burst of flavor in your mouth.

Bringing cookie bars to parties is a no-brainer for me! They’re easy, always everyone’s favorite, and they make a lot! For more cookie bar recipes, try my Neiman Marcus bars, cherry pie bars, or these delicious salted caramel bars. You can’t go wrong with any of them!

What You’ll Need to Make Them

These gingerbread sugar cookie bars use all of your standard baking ingredients, so you may not need to make a trip to the grocery store! Time to raid your pantry to make sure you have the molasses and all of the yummy spices. Check out the recipe card below for exact measurements.

Gingerbread Bars

• All-Purpose Flour: This is the backbone of the recipe – the flour gives the congo bars structure.
• Baking Soda:  Helps create soft and airy baked goods.
• Baking Powder: Helps with the leavening so the bars rise just the right amount.
• Salt: Just a pinch so the cookie bars turn out nice and flavorful!
• Ground Ginger, Cinnamon, Nutmeg, Cloves: The perfect spices to create the gingerbread flavors in these bars.
• Unsalted Butter: Use melted and cooled butter here.
• Granulated Sugar: I love the combination of both granulated and brown sugar for sweetness.
• Brown Sugar: Brown sugar gives the bars a caramel-like sweetness and a chewy texture.
• Molasses: Make sure to use unsulphered molasses for best results.
• Egg: Just 1 egg at room temperature.
• Vanilla Extract: Helps to boost the overall flavor of the bars. It adds a touch of warmth and sweetness as well!

Frosting

• Butter: Softened butter whips perfectly.
• Cream Cheese: Use room temperature and softened cream cheese.
• Powdered Sugar: I like to sift my powdered sugar before adding it because it helps to achieve a smooth consistency with no bumps.
• Vanilla Extract: Flavors and sweetens the frosting.
• Purple Food Coloring: A little bit makes the icing appear whiter. Just a small drop or two.
• Sprinkles: Use festive sprinkles if desired to make them cute and colorful.

Gingerbread Sugar Cookie Bars Recipe

These easy gingerbread sugar cookie bars are a tasty Christmas treat! Prepare to meet your new Christmas party staple! Bars are simple to throw together and bake for a crowd. They are always a hit wherever they go!

Gingerbread Bars

1. Preheat Oven/ Prepare Pan: Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and spray a 9×13 inch baking pan with pan spray. Line with parchment paper, if desired, but I highly recommend it! Leave a 1-inch overhang so that you can remove the bars easily.
2. Mix the Dry Ingredients: In a medium mixing bowl, whisk all dry ingredients together then set aside.
3. Cream the Wet Ingredients: Use a hand mixer or stand mixer to beat the butter, both sugars, and molasses together until well combined. Add the egg and vanilla and beat until smooth.
4. Combine the Dry and Wet Ingredients: Add in the dry ingredients a little at a time and mix until combined. Spread the dough evenly into the bottom of the pan using a spatula or your fingers. Bake for 18-20 minutes. Let cool completely before frosting.

Frosting

1. Cream the Butter and Cream Cheese: Beat butter and cream cheese in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or with a hand mixer until smooth and combined.
2. Add the Powdered Sugar, Vanilla, and Food Coloring: Sift in the powdered sugar and beat until combined. Mix in the vanilla and then a very tiny bit of purple food coloring to make it more white.
3. Spread the Frosting on the Bars: Spread the frosting over the cooled bars then add the sprinkles.

More Christmas Treats To Enjoy

Here are a few more of my favorite Christmas treat recipes! They make any Christmas party come together. Whether you want a show-stopping cake or some sweet finger food, I’ve got you covered. To be honest, I have too many favorites to count, so you’ll want to head over to my full list of Christmas recipes here for more inspiration!

French Onion Soup is such a classic and SO easy to make! Onions are slowly caramelized until soft and sweet, simmered with beef broth, thyme, sherry, and white wine. It’s topped with a crispy crouton, loads of shredded gruyere cheese and broiled into a crispy, cheesy oblivion. So good!

Soups are our jam, be sure to check out this Award Winning Cheeseburger Soup, this Broccoli Cheese Soup, or this Minestrone Soup. They’re all so amazing and perfect for when it gets chilly!

French Onion Soup Recipe

I still remember the first time I had French Onion Soup. It was at a fancy steak restaurant when I was about seven years old, and when I saw the next table’s bubbling hot, cheesy soup being delivered to their table, it was love at first sight.

This cheesy, brothy, onion-forward soup may seem hard to make, but it’s actually super easy to prepare. Win! The only thing you need is a little bit of patience both to let the onions caramelize and to keep yourself from inhaling the broth before the cheese goes on to be melted into a gooey oblivion. Let’s get into all of the ingredients you’ll need:

French Onion Soup Ingredients

This classic dish is pure comfort in a bowl, with rich, savory broth simmered with caramelized onions for an unforgettable flavor. Top it off with melted Gruyère and a toasted baguette for the ultimate experience. Let’s dive into the simple ingredients that make the magic happen!

• Unsalted Butter: Creates a smooth base for sautéing the onions.
• Onions: Lots and lots of onions. When you let onions cook look and slow, they downsize tremendously. I used about 6 1/2 cups of sliced onions, which equals about 3 large onions. Slice them thin.
• Salt: Enhances the delicious natural flavor of the onions.
• All-Purpose Flour: I like to add just a few tablespoons of flour to my French onion soup to thicken it up just a touch.
• Sherry and Dry White Wine: Deglazes the pan after caramelizing the onions. They also add acidity and complexity to the soup’s flavor. I recommend using sauvignon blanc or pinot Grigio for the white wine.
• Beef Broth: Use a good-quality beef broth or stock. I also like to use low-sodium, so I can control the amount of salt that goes into the dish.
• Thyme: Fresh thyme if you’ve got it. About five sprigs.
• Baguette Slices: Toast nicely and absorbs the soup’s broth.
• Gruyere Cheese: This is arguably the best part of French onion soup. Gruyere cheese is nutty, salty, and melts PERFECTLY. I would not substitute anything for this. It can be a little bit pricey, but the other ingredients are pretty cheap so it makes up for it.

How to Make It

Once you’ve got your ingredients ready, here’s how to make that delicious, ooey-gooey bowl of French onion soup. Once you know how to make it from scratch, you’ll want it all the time!

1. Melt Butter: Heat a large heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Add the butter and let it melt. Add the onions and salt and stir.
2. Sauté Onions: Let the onions sauté for 5-10 minutes, until they begin to turn translucent. Reduce the heat to medium-low and continue to cook the onions for another 45 minutes, string every 5-10 minutes to prevent them from burning. If they are burning instead of caramelizing, turn the heat to low and stir more frequently. They should be fragrant and turn a deep golden brown. The size will reduce drastically.
3. Add Flour, Sherry, and Wine: Turn the heat back to medium and stir the flour into the onions and cook for 1 minute. Slowly stir in the broth, sherry, and wine. Then bring to a simmer. Simmer until the soup begins to thicken and reduce, about 4-5 minutes. Stir in the thyme. Adjust the salt as needed.
4. Toast Baguette: While the onions cook, toast the pieces of bread in the oven. Brush both sides with olive oil then bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 6-8 minutes, flipping the bread halfway through. Remove from the oven and set aside.
5. Broil and Serve: Ladle the soup into four oven-safe bowls. Place a slice or two of toasted bread on top of the soup and cover with cheese. Place the bowls on a large sheet pan and broil until the cheese has melted and started to turn brown and bubbly, about 2-3 minutes. Keep a close eye on them as they broil, as some broilers can cook faster than others. Serve immediately.

More Soup Recipes to Try This Winter:

Phyllo pastry and walnuts are layered together then baked until the pastry is deliciously flaky. A sweet honey syrup is poured over the top which soaks into the baklava and makes every bite heavenly.

If you love sweet, flaky dessert bars, also try these Dutch caramel apple pie bars, churro cheesecake bars, or sopapilla cheesecake bars. You’ll love them!

Where is Baklava From?

Baklava is one of the best desserts of all time! There is much debate about the origin of Baklava. Both Greece and Turkey claim to be the originators of the recipe. According to Wiki, the oldest known recipe that resembles baklava came from the Romans. You know that it’s a winning recipe if it’s remained popular for that many centuries!

It’s made with flaky layers of buttered phyllo pastry stuffed with walnuts. Honey syrup is poured over the top so that every bite is deliciously sweet. It’s moist and flavorful, and if you’re anything like me, you won’t be able to resist reaching for another piece.

Ingredient List

I love this recipe because it doesn’t have a long list of ingredients. Only a handful that create the most amazing flavor and texture! Exact measurements are in the recipe card below.

• Walnuts: Add a nutty flavor and crunch.
• Spices: Cinnamon and ground cloves are added for some warm, cozy flavor.
• Salted Butter: Helps bind the phyllo dough and also adds richness.
• Phyllo Dough: Thin, flaky pastry used to make baklava.

Honey Syrup:

• Water: Dissolves the sugar.
• Granulated Sugar: Sweetens the syrup.
• Whole Cloves: Add a touch of sweetness and aroma.
• Cinnamon Stick: Infuses the syrup with warm, inviting spice.
• Honey: So the syrup is nice and sweet and has a wonderful sticky texture.
• Orange Extract: Adds a zesty citrusy flavor.
• Lemon Juice: Adds a touch of tartness, balancing the sweetness.

Baklava Recipe

I’ve broken up this recipe into 3 simple parts- preparing the phyllo pastry, assembling the baklava, and making the honey syrup to coat it with. It’s a lot easier to make than you’d think, and so worth it once you try a piece!

1. Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 330 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Nut Mixture: Place the walnuts, cinnamon, and cloves in a food processor and pulse until chopped.
3. Melt Butter: Melt the butter in a pan or microwave.
4. Cut Phyllo Pastry: Cut the phyllo pastry in half so that you have 2, 9-inch wide pieces

Assembly

1. Layer Dough: Brush the bottom of a 9×13 baking dish with the melted butter. Lay down two sheets of phyllo dough to cover the pan’s entire bottom and lightly brush the top with butter. Top with 2 more sheets of phyllo and brush with butter. Repeat this until you have 8 layers of phyllo dough in the bottom of the on.
2. Add Nut Mixture: Sprinkle 1/3 of the walnut mixture into the pan. Top with 2 sheets of phyllo dough and brush with butter. Add two more sheets of phyllo dough and brush with butter, making it 4 sheets total on top of the walnuts. Repeat this process once more so you have another layer of walnuts followed by 4 more sheets of phyllo dough and butter.
3. Repeat: Sprinkle the remaining 1/3 of the walnut mixture over the top of the phyllo dough. Top with 2 sheets of phyllo and brush with butter. Use up the remaining phyllo dough and butter until you run out of phyllo dough.
4. Cut: Cut the baklava three times down the long length so you have 4 equal sections. Then make cuts diagonally so you have diamond-shaped pieces.
5. Bake: Place the baking dish into the oven and bake uncovered for about an hour, or until it is puffed and very golden on the top. Close to the 50-60 minute range, keep a close eye on it so the top doesn’t get too dark.

Honey Syrup

1. Prepare Syrup: While the baklava is baking, prepare the syrup. Heat the water, sugar, cloves, and cinnamon stick in a small pot over high heat just until the sugar is dissolved. Remove the pot from the heat and stir in the honey, orange extract, and lemon juice. Set aside to cool.
2. Pour On Top: When the baklava has finished baking, remove it from the oven and immediately pour the cool syrup over the top. Let it rest for at least two hours before serving.

Want More Delicious Dessert Recipes? Try One Of These!

Cinnamon baked French toast is a delicious breakfast casserole full of cinnamon sugar goodness! Soft brioche bread pieces get baked in a sweet creamy custard. French toast has never been easier!

French toast is a breakfast classic! I love the texture of the soft bread on the inside with the crisp edges on the outside. Don’t miss this secret ingredient French toast or this easy air fryer French toast. And make sure you try my crème brûlée French toast because it’s out of this world!

Baked French Toast

This version of baked French toast is layers of rich brioche bread soaked in a sweet cinnamon sugar custard. Sprinkled with a cinnamon and sugar topping this casserole gets baked to perfection. The bread is soft and the outside edges have a sweet caramelized sugar coating that is irresistible!

There’s nothing better than starting your day off with a hearty breakfast. This baked French toast is a must-make, but you’ll have to pair it with some delicious oven-baked bacon, scrambled eggs, and homemade buttermilk syrup!

Ingredients Needed

A short list of pantry staple ingredients is all it takes to create the best cinnamon baked French toast!  You will be obsessed with this stress-free breakfast! Check out the recipe card at the bottom of the post for exact measurements.

• Brioche Bread: This is my favorite kind of bread to use for baked French toast. It’s dense and made with eggs and butter so it’s rich, delicious, and perfect for French toast.
• Eggs: Eggs add richness to our baked French Toast, and you’ll need eight large ones.
• Milk: You could use any kind of milk you want, from skim milk to heavy creamy, but the higher the fat content, the richer the baked French toast will be. I like to use a sort of middle-of-the-ground choice which is whole milk. It’s not as rich and fattening as heavy cream, but still results in a rich custard.
• Sugar: Sugar isn’t exactly traditional in classic French toast, but I like to add just a little bit to the custard to sweetened it up. We also sprinkle on a little extra sugar on top right before baking to help crisp up the top of the baked French toast as well.
• Cinnamon: For me, French toast isn’t complete without a little bit of ground cinnamon. In this recipe, we use it both in the custard and also sprinkle it on top just before baking along with the sugar.
• Vanilla: The last pertinent ingredient in French toast. Use 100% pure vanilla extract for the best flavor!

How to Make Baked French Toast

Baked French toast is one of my favorite brunch items to make on the weekend for many reasons. First, because it’s SO easy to throw together. Second, it can be made ahead of time. And lastly, EVERYONE loves it.

1. Preheat the Oven/ Cut the Bread: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and grease a 9×13 inch pan. Cut the bread into bite sized pieces and place into the prepared dish.
2. Make the Custard/ Pour Oven the Bread: In a medium sized bowl combine eggs, milk, heavy cream, sugar, vanilla and cinnamon. Pour the egg mixture over the bread.
3. Make the Topping: In a small sized bowl add the brown sugar, white sugar, cinnamon, and cold butter. Using a pastry blender combine ingredients until crumbly. Sprinkle on top of casserole.
4. Bake: for 50-60 minutes or until the top is brown and and the center is set and comes out clean with a toothpick. Top with warm maple syrup and fresh berries if desired.

More Delicious Breakfast Ideas

Start your day off right with a few of my other favorite breakfast recipes. They’re all such a hit in our house! We love both sweet and savory breakfast options. I know they’ll quickly become a staple in your house too!

Chicken Fried Steak. The ultimate in Southern comfort food! Tender seasoned steak, coated in a thick batter and fried until golden brown with a creamy gravy drizzled on top. Simple, basic ingredients are all that is needed to bring this recipe to life in your own kitchen!

This perfect southern comfort meal of chicken fried steak is easy to recreate at home. I am sharing with you all of the tips and tricks you need to know to create a restaurant-worthy dish in your own kitchen! This dish is perfect served along with some of Dad’s Famous Mashed Potatoes, or some Roasted Carrots. Finish off with some Slow Cooker Peach Cobbler for a truly southern meal.

Chicken Fried Steak Recipe

Here today to share one of my all-time FAVORITE southern comfort foods. Homemade Chicken Fried Steak. It’s a definite classic and a favorite in our home. It’s one of those meals that I don’t make all the time, so it’s a special treat for the family when I do. This dish is incredibly flavorful, with just a few simple ingredients. Most of which you probably have on hand.

The only thing I usually need to pick up is some cube steak! Even though the ingredients list is fairly simple, there are a few tips and tricks in HOW I make this dish that make it even better than a restaurant. One bite of this chicken fried steak with the best cream gravy, and you’ll be a believer!

Ingredient List

Let’s dive into each ingredient and how they make chicken fried steak taste so good. (If you’re looking for measurements, they’re all in the recipe card at the end of the post!)

• Cube Steak: The meaty foundation of your chicken fried steak. It’s typically tenderized beef, often cut into patty shapes, perfect for frying up to a golden, crispy perfection.
• Salt and Pepper: Basic seasonings to add flavor to your steak.
• All-Purpose Flour: The flour sticks to the steak, creating that perfect golden crust when fried.
• Baking Powder: So the coating is extra crispy.
• Buttermilk: Buttermilk is a magic ingredient for chicken fried steak. It not only tenderizes the meat but also infuses a tangy, rich flavor into every bite, making it incredibly moist.
• Eggs: These are the binding agents that help the coating stick.
• Vegetable Oil: For frying the steaks in so they get nice and golden brown!
• Paprika: A subtly smoky flavor enhancer. You can also use cayenne pepper for more heat.
• Garlic Powder: So your steaks have tasty, savory flavor.
• Onion Powder: Another great seasoning to add a punch of flavor!

For the Gravy:

• Oil and Drippings: The flavorful leftovers from cooking the steak.
• All-Purpose Flour: Thickens the gravy.
• Whole Milk: The creamy base.
• Heavy Cream: So the gravy has richness and creaminess.
• Garlic Powder: A touch of garlic flavor.
• Onion Powder: A hint of oniony goodness.
• Salt and Pepper: To balance out all the flavors.

How to Make Chicken Fried Steak

So you get that amazing Southern flavor from the comfort of your kitchen! This is one hearty dish you’ll want to come back to time and time again.

Preparing Oven and Skillet

1. Preheat: Preheat oven to 200 degrees Fahrenheit. Then place a wire rack over a large baking sheet and set aside.
2. Add Oil to Skillet: Pour oil into a large skillet, depending on the size of your skillet you may need more or less oil, pour enough to have the oil come up about 1/4 of an inch deep.

Making the Steaks

1. Tenderize and Season: Prepare the meat by ensuring it is tenderized, cube steak comes pre-tenderized. Season both sides of the steak with the first measurements of salt and black pepper. Then let the steaks sit for about 10 minutes.
2. Dry Ingredients: Mix the flour, baking powder, salt, pepper, and spices together in a medium bowl.
3. Wet Ingredients: Mix the buttermilk and eggs together in another bowl. 
4. Coat: Dip the cube steaks one at a time into the flour. Use your fingers to press the flour into the steaks to ensure a nice coating. Then dip into the egg mixture, letting any excess drip off. Then dip the steak back into the flour mixture a second time.
5. Fry: Check the heat of the oil by sprinkling some flour in it, the flour should sizzle. This means the oil is hot enough. Carefully place one steak at a time into the hot oil. Don’t crowd the pan, if using a large skillet you can do 2 steaks at a time, if using a small skillet only do one.
6. Cook for 4 Minutes: Cook the steaks in the oil for about 4 minutes. Spoon hot oil over the tops of the steaks while they cook, this helps the batter stay while flipping. 
7. Flip and Repeat: Flip to the other side and cook for 3-4 minutes or until both sides of the steak are golden brown. Remove from the oil and place on the wire rack. Place the baking sheet with the steaks in the oven to keep warm. Repeat this process until all steaks are cooked.

How to Make Cream Gravy

The key to making the chicken fried steak gravy, is to keep the drippings in the pan from making the actual chicken fried steak. Due to shallow frying the steaks there typically isn’t much leftover oil by the time the steaks are done. Which is the perfect amount for making the gravy. IF you have more than 1/4 cup of oil left in your skillet, you will want to pour some out. But make sure you leave all the bits and pieces leftover from the steaks!

1. Reserve Drippings: To prepare the gravy, reserve 1/4 cup of the cooking oil along with the bits of steak and flour coating that came off during cooking. Discard the remaining oil.
2. Combine With Other Ingredients: With 1/4 cup of drippings in the skillet, add the flour, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper. Whisk together and cook over medium heat for about 4-5 minutes. 
3. Whisk in Cream: Carefully and slowly whisk the milk and cream into the flour mixture. Whisk until smooth and no lumps remain.
4. Simmer: Let the gravy simmer for about 5-8 minutes, or until thickened. Taste and add more salt or pepper as needed.
5. Serve: Enjoy the steaks warm with gravy over top. For a complete meal, serve with mashed potatoes and peas, collard greens, or green beans.

More Southern Comfort Recipes for You to Enjoy: