Appetizers

Easy Sheet Pan Nachos Recipe

Sheet pan nachos | cookingwithcassandra.com

You NEED to make these easy sheet pan nachos for your next game day. They are sure to be a hit. With the crispiest tortilla chips and the most amazing beef-olive-tomato toppings, these loaded nachos are seriously addictive. Whether you’re entertaining friends or family, I recommend you wait for everyone to get to the party before arriving. Two reasons: 1) everyone will get to enjoy it when it’s piping hot and the cheese is still gooey; 2) the nachos will be gone so quickly that latecomers may not even get a taste. Talk about party favorites! To make these nachos, all you have...

Warm Potato Salad (Earls Restaurant Copycat)

Earls Copycat Warm Potato Salad | cookingwithcassandra.com

This potato salad is the MOST delicious potato salad from Earls Kitchen + Bar, a Canadian casual dining restaurant. I managed to recreate a version of it here! Every time I go with Walt or my girlfriends, I always make sure I get the Blackened Chicken, as the potato salad comes as a side with it. I took the opportunity to go to Earls for a few dinners and extra wine nights with the girls so that I could do some very important research on recreating this potato salad recipe at home. Fun was had! Walt now only wants this version. The secret? The bacon grease. SO GOOD!...

Baked Brie with Cranberry Sauce (Perfect Holiday Appetizer)

Cranberry Brie Dip With Flaky Roll Bites | cookingwithcassandra.com

What comes to mind when you imagine a cheese dip? I’ll tell you what I thought about it way before I stumbled upon this recipe. That creamy, orange-colored starchy cheese dip for nachos and crackers that you get at stadiums and boozy parties. The bottled kind with lots of artificial flavors that would get your tongue desperate for water later on. That was before I knew that there was a fancier, Christmassy version of this which was luscious, pretty, and actually sophisticated. This cheese dip is made with nutty and tangy brie cheese (plus a bit of cheddar) that’s baked to gooey...

Brown Sugar Glazed Carrots

Brown Sugar Glazed Carrots Roasted carrots with brown sugar glaze will be a new dinner party favorite. This simple recipe is the perfect combination of sweet and savory that makes the perfect side with any meal. 2 pounds carrots (peeled)1/2 cup light brown sugar (packed)3/4 teaspoon cinnamon6 tablespoons unsalted butter (cut into pats)1 teaspoon sea saltCandied Pecans3 tablespoons butter2 tablespoons maple syrup2 tablespoons brown sugar1 cup pecan halves (roughly chopped)1/4 teaspoon flaked sea saltGarnish3/4 cup goat cheese (crumbled)1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves (optional) Preheat the...

Roasted Brussels Sprouts With Bacon and Pomegranates

Pomegranates with bacon roasted brussels sprouts | cookingwithcassandra.com

I remember growing up, I was a big desserts and candied yams girl at my holiday dinners. I always remember the one Christmas where my jaw dropped when I had oven-roasted Brussels sprouts for the first time. It was crazy good. I couldn’t believe that vegetables could be this delicious. In my take on this holiday classic, I have added crispy roasted bacon and its fats that make everything better, too. Now this recipe is one way to enjoy vegetables, and I mean REALLY enjoy them… not just tolerate them to meet our daily fiber intake. Even the pickiest eaters and vegetable haters...

No Yeast Bread

We love our bread, we love our butter. But most of all, we love each other. PLEASE tell me you know what TV show this line is from! If you don’t…. It’s from “Madeline”, the cartoon series, which I’ve just learned was created in 1993. This French/Canadian show is about the life of a young, free-spirited girl in boarding school. She’s always heading on daring adventures in her yellow dress, yellow hat, and yellow umbrella. Madeline was an iconic part of my childhood. The most memorable and adorable scene is the one where the girls say grace before eating their food in the...

Three Ingredient Chili Cheese Dip

Three Ingredient Chili Cheese Dip This amazing Chili Cheese Dip has only 3 ingredients and is the easiest dish to prepare for your next get together. Serve warm with tortilla chips and dig in! 2 8 oz Bricks of cream cheese (softened)1½ cups Freshly shredded cheese from a brick of marble cheddar cheese (not bagged)15 oz Can of beanless chili (I have used Hormel No Bean Chili - but any brand will work!)Tortilla chips for dipping In a glass pie dish, spread the cream cheese in an even layer (try using a spatula or the backside of a large spoon to spread!).Next spread the beanless chili over...

Strawberry Baked Brie

Strawberry Baked Brie This strawberry baked brie is a delicious twist on an old favorite. Instead of sugar laden store bought jellies to top your brie, whip up this fresh strawberry topping for the perfect sweet and savory combination. 1 Large brie round (approx 600 gram / 21 oz )1 ½ cups Strawberries (hulled and quartered)3 tbsp Balsamic vinegar3 tbsp Liquid honey2 tbsp Sliced almonds for topping6 Basil leaves (chiffonade / torn) Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit with rack in the center of the oven.In a medium bowl, mix the balsamic vinegar and honey until well combined. Add in...

Easy Bruschetta Recipe

Toasted Bread with Bruschetta Toppings | cookingwithcassandra.com

One of the reasons why I enjoy summer (besides barbecues and sunshine) is because of all the produce that is in-season. Melon and berries often get the spotlight as summer fruits, but think about all the fresh tomatoes! This fruit (we aren’t going to debate on whether tomatoes are fruits or vegetables!) is perfect for one of my favorite appetizers: bruschetta. Bruschetta — a traditional Italian antipasto — is essentially a tomato mixture on grilled bread slices and is great as an appetizer, snack, side dish or even on its own. They look fancy, but are so easy to make! With...

Easy Homemade Guacamole

BEST homemade guacamole recipe | cookingwithcassandra.com

This is the BEST homemade guacamole recipe! It’s healthy and filled with fresh ingredients like avocados, tomatoes, garlic, red onion, lime, cilantro, and salt. Unlike store-bought guacamole, this guacamole has no additives or preservatives. This recipe is gluten-free, vegan, and keto-friendly. If you have very little time and need to quickly fix a delicious dip, sandwich spread, or salad dressing, look no further. This guacamole recipe is so easy to make. It comes together in just 20 minutes (plus preparation) and all you’ll need is a knife, a fork, and a bowl. It’s creamy,...

Sheet Pan Shrimp Tacos With Cilantro Cream Sauce

Taco Tuesday meets Surf-n-Turf with this recipe, and oh, are you going to love this one. Imagine a warm, softshell tortilla filled with juicy shrimp that’s been baked in a hot cumin-chili-garlicky marinade. Accompanying the shrimps are sweet pineapple chunks, crunchy shallots, and creamy cilantro coleslaw. Flavor, texture, and nutrition – this recipe truly has it all. Also, depending on the type of tortilla wrap you use, these shrimp tacos can be gluten-free. It’s also a keto-friendly recipe and can be made low-carb by skipping the tortilla wrap and serving the shrimps over a bowl...

Crispy Roasted Cauliflower Recipe with Parmesan

Golden Brown Roasted Cauliflower | cookingwithcassandra.com

Roasted vegetables are one of my favorite side dishes to make as they come together so easily, are healthy, and taste good. (My recent obsession is this bacon-roasted Brussels sprout recipe.) Today’s recipe features roasted cauliflower. Each bite of parmesan roasted cauliflower is laced with garlic, coated in breadcrumbs, and covered in parmesan cheese. If you are looking for a fun way to introduce vegetables into your diet or into your kids’ diet, this roasted cauliflower recipe is just what you need. Aside from being beautifully flavored, it has a fun texture – the baked...

Cassandra Morris