Okay, I’m not going to reinvent the wheel with classic comfort food that everyone can agree on: mac and cheese. I used to love these as a kid and even when I stayed in my college dorm, I always made sure my tiny pantry had a box of instant mac and cheese. Dorm essentials, am I right? But if, like me, you’re ready to graduate from boxed foods and cook your own killer mac and cheese from scratch, read on! This recipe is loaded with secret tips and tricks to make a kick-ass homemade macaroni and cheese. This baked mac and cheese is bubbly, gooey, and indulgent. Most importantly, it...

Recipes
Here you will find simple and delicious recipes from our kitchen with the goal to inspire you in yours! The ingredients I use are simple and easily accessible; no hoity-toity here! Everything from the super healthy to the super indulgent, family friendly everyday 30-minute dinners, to weekend pastas that are worth the extra time! Count on finding plenty of entertaining and holiday meals, appetizers, make ahead breakfast options, desserts, one pan meals and so much more! Welcome to Cooking With Cassandra!
Flourless Chocolate Chip Banana Muffins
These gluten-free banana chocolate chip muffins are the perfect snack food that you can gobble down in two bites. While I’d happily reach for these in the morning for a quick breakfast, I can totally picture this being wrapped up in a box and shipped as a Mother’s Day treat as well. And this isn’t one of those desserts that the elderly would want to stay away from. They’re so healthy that it can be enjoyed by anyone – kids or adults. They’re free from refined flour. Instead, it uses old-fashioned oats and also has coconut oil. It is naturally sweetened by chocolate chips, bananas and...
How to Make French Toast
French toast is a breakfast staple, though I don’t see anything wrong with enjoying it throughout the entire day. It’s yummy even at teatime or as an after-dinner sweet treat. This easy French toast recipe has soft Brioche bread soaked in an egg mixture that is milky and sweet which is then pan-fried with butter. Whether you are making French toast for two or twelve, this recipe is so quick and easy that it won’t feel like cooking at all. Read on for a no-nonsense guide on how to make french toast. What is the Best Bread to use for French Toast? This French toast recipe...
Easy Sheet Pan Nachos Recipe
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...
Best Fettuccine Alfredo
If you are a sucker for comfort food, then this chicken fettuccine alfredo recipe will be right up your alley. It’s perfect for lunch or dinner at home, and at a potluck party, it’s sure to be a swoon-worthy contribution. It’s luscious, filling, and has the most incredible flavor. And no, we are not going to use any canned alfredo sauce to make this recipe. I’m going to teach you how to make homemade alfredo from scratch. Once you find out how easy it is to put together a delicious sauce, you’re going to skip the artificial, canned stuff. This chicken fettuccine alfredo recipe is...
Old Fashioned Beef Stew Recipe
I LOVE a good stew. They are the ultimate comfort food (followed by a cheesy hash brown casserole). They fill up your belly with food and your heart with warmth. There are so many variations of stew that are downright delicious: Japanese curry, goulash, and old-fashioned beef stew, which is today’s recipe. In January, when it’s freezing cold in Winnipeg, cooking up a batch of stew is an instant cure to get rid of the winter blues. Alright, maybe not an instant cure per se… there’s a wait time of 3 hours before you can dig in. But you know what I mean: it’s a lifesaver in our cold...
Easy Turkey Cranberry Sliders
So, it’s the day after Thanksgiving, and much to nobody’s surprise – you have leftover turkey. Happens to us all the time! Especially, when there’s a spread of other yummy, tantalizing dishes on the table. Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays for good reasons: incredible food, family, and friends! What I don’t like, though, is the food wastage. To overcome this, we have now gotten into the habit of pre-planning our Thanksgiving leftovers. Nope, I do not mean pre-planning the meals (though it is such a good habit – read about it here). We plan what to do with the...
Baked Brie with Cranberry Sauce (Perfect Holiday Appetizer)
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...
Easy Cranberry Rosemary Chicken
Especially at Christmas time, there’s nothing like decorating the house with stockings and wrapping gifts for the Christmas tree. The cherry on the top has got to be the food on the table, though. Here’s one dish I’m making for Christmas this year: cranberry rosemary chicken with a maple glaze. It is no secret that cranberry and rosemary go hand in hand as one of the most unique and sophisticated holiday flavors. From rosemary-infused cranberry vodka to cranberry rosemary bread pudding, this is a combination that will always guarantee satisfaction. I love how the tart cranberries...
Oven-Baked Dijon Mustard Salmon
Whenever I am in a pinch, I know I can rely on seafood recipes. Fish, prawns, and mussels cook very quickly and all they need are some basic ingredients and add-ins to taste amazing. Seafood is so versatile: it can be deep-fried, baked, grilled, steamed, smoked, or fashioned into a creamy chowder. There’s more to seafood than just traditional fish and chips. You could even eat it raw. I can’t say no to a fresh plate of sushi! Whichever method you go for, seafood always makes for a sophisticated choice for any meal. I’ve got a new salmon recipe I’ve been putting on...
Curry Roasted Cauliflower and Sweet Potatoes
Last Thursday was just like any other busy work day. I was running from a Zoom call at home to another meeting, and then to a recipe photoshoot session for the blog (which turned out to be really fun!). I had packed this salad in my bag for lunch and as I was microwaving this in the studio, my teammates looked at me and exclaimed, “Cassandra, what is that?! It smells amazing!” That was a good sign for this new salad I was testing out. It’s always so daunting to try new, daring recipes, but if people around me respond positively, then it’s a go! All I did was toss together...
Broccoli Quinoa Salad with Sweet Potato
Are you team broccoli or team cauliflower? I’m guilty of being both! Cauliflower is my go-to among those two, and you’ll know this is true if you crawl around my blog a bit… I’ve got a lot of cauliflower recipes 🙂 But, I digress: our star of the show today is fresh broccoli and sweet potatoes! For this salad, we will be roasting sweet potato and broccoli. Together with our fluffy quinoa, we will toss briny feta cheese and a divine maple lemon dressing. It’s all made of fresh, whole-food ingredients and has all the flavors: sweet, citrusy, and savory. My secret to...

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