Recipes › DIYs The Perfect Clotted Cream Recipe By Samira Kazan published July 03, 2023 How to make clotted cream – it’s rich, thick, creamy, and perfect for spreading over scones, dolloping on desserts, and using for cream tea! A simple ONE-ingredient recipe! Want to save this recipe? What is clotted cream What do you need How to make homemade clotted cream How long does clotted cream last Essential tips Clotted cream uses More simple dairy DIYs The Perfect Clotted Cream Recipe Recipe What is clotted cream Clotted cream comes under several names, including scalded cream, Devonshire cream, and Cornish cream....

Roundups 19 Best Eggplant Recipes By Samira Kazan published July 16, 2025 Eggplant is everywhere right now, and if you’re wondering how to cook it or what to make, these easy eggplant recipes are here to help. From long, slender, purple Chinese eggplants , which are tender and mildly sweet, to the small, round ones I use for makdous , eggplant comes in all shapes and sizes, and each brings something different to the table....

Recipes Bulgur Wheat Salad By Samira Kazan updated November 14, 2023 This bulgur wheat salad is a delicious, nutritious, filling side dish or salad recipe. A healthy earthy dish that gets its spice and flavor from the green bulgur mix. In Turkey, it’s called Kısır. In Lebanon, it’s called Kamounit Banadoura and some call it Kibbet Banadoura. Here I am sharing with you how I make the Lebanese version with its flavor-enhancing secret ingredient – the orange peel!...

Condiments Copycat Chick-fil-A Sauce By Samira Kazan updated January 05, 2024 This copycat Chick-fil-A sauce tastes just like the real thing but is made with just 5 ingredients in under 5 minutes. An all-purpose dipping sauce that’s creamy, sweet, tangy, smoky, and delicious! Driving to your local Chick-fil-A to load up on this sauce might seem like an okay idea. But, if you’re trying to save money, having a last-minute Chick-fil-A sauce craving to pair with your dinner, or – like me – live in a country where it would require a plane journey to your nearest branch (welp!...

Lifestyle › Household Tutorials DIY Coconut Oil Sugar Scrub Recipe By Samira Kazan updated March 29, 2025 A wonderful DIY coconut oil sugar scrub recipe . Chemical-free, fragrance-free, and all-natural ingredients for a lovely, nourishing homemade body scrub. Within this blog post, I’ll include how to make sugar scrubs and what is sugar scrub used for. I’ll also include how long will homemade sugar scrubs last and include a simple DIY coconut oil sugar scrub recipe....

Condiments Easy Brown Gravy Recipe By Samira Kazan updated October 16, 2024 Rich and flavorful, easy brown gravy made with beef or chicken stock (with or without drippings) and thickened with a flour roux – ready to enjoy in about 10 minutes for mashed potatoes, roast dinners, Thanksgiving, and Christmas! For years, I clung to my tub of gravy granules, incorrectly assuming that making brown gravy from scratch would be a long, laborious process....

American Easy Crockpot Mac and Cheese By Samira Kazan updated March 26, 2024 A deliciously creamy crockpot mac and cheese is like a hug from the inside and this slow cooker macaroni and cheese recipe is the ultimate comfort food. Whether you’re enjoying a hearty bowl of it yourself or serving to friends and family, this crock pot mac and cheese is great for bringing to potlucks, parties or serving among Thanksgiving and Christmas side dishes....

Ingredient Guides How to Cut a Pomegranate and Make Pomegranate Juice By Samira Kazan updated April 11, 2025 How to deseed and juice a pomegranate like a pro – a foolproof method on how to cut a pomegranate, avoid cutting into the seeds, and deseed it, all within a couple of minutes! Pomegranate seeds and fresh pomegranate juice have been a staple in my kitchen since I was a child. The tart but sweet juicy seeds burst with flavor, adding a boost to dishes both savory and sweet....

Recipes How to Dry Basil Leaves (3 Methods) By Samira Kazan updated May 11, 2023 You’ll never return to the herbs and spices aisle at the grocery store with my easy three methods to take fresh basil to dried and make your very own dried basil for a fraction of the price. If you’re one of those people – like me – who time and time again has watched their fresh basil plant wilt and cursed the fact that it wasn’t used, this is the post for you....

Recipes › Appetizers How to Make a Cheese Board By Samira Kazan updated November 01, 2023 How to make a cheese board in just minutes—perfect for your next dinner party, the holidays, and special events! This post includes the best cheese for cheese boards, several themed cheese board ideas, and my favorite tips, tricks, and ideas for putting together the ultimate (stress-free!) cheese board! A homemade cheese board is a perfect accompaniment to any special occasion....

Ingredient Guides How To Make A Flax Egg By Samira Kazan updated April 11, 2025 A simple DIY on how to make a flax egg – a super simple and versatile vegan egg replacement that’s packed with nutrients! When it comes to baking free-from and dietary need-friendly bakes, there are plenty of options. However, the absolute classic is the flax egg. This post talks you through what a flaxseed egg is, how to make a flax egg, and lists some suggested uses....

Recipes › DIYs How To Make Milk Chocolate By Samira Kazan updated August 15, 2024 Making homemade milk chocolate doesn’t need to be scary or difficult. This homemade chocolate recipe uses just 4 ingredients and a few simple steps for a creamy, rich, naturally sweetened, raw milk chocolate. For those deciding to make a homemade chocolate recipe for the first time, dark chocolate is usually the go-to. However, it’s just as simple to make this delicious homemade milk chocolate recipe with just four ingredients and no refined sugars!...

Recipes › Sides How to Make Refried Beans By Samira Kazan updated November 15, 2023 How to make refried beans (aka frijoles refritos) using either dried or canned beans on the stovetop or within a pressure cooker! These naturally vegan refried beans (vegetarian options included) are the perfect accompaniment to tons of Mexican and Tex-Mex dishes! I’ve made no secret of my love for the humble legume. Having already shared the process for how to cook dried chickpeas and kidney beans , I also use beans extensively in the kitchen (especially for homemade British baked beans )....

Recipes How to Make Ube Powder / Purple Sweet Potato Powder By Samira Kazan updated April 08, 2022 How to make natural purple food powder as either ube powder or purple sweet potato powder/ purple yam powder. Once prepared, this powder can be stored for months and used as purple food coloring or rehydrated for later use! Over two years ago, I decided I wanted to share several homemade natural food colorings and powders after making several naturally colored dishes including this rainbow pasta and rainbow hummus ....

Recipes › Sides Mutabal (Moutabal) Recipe By Samira Kazan published October 30, 2024 Mutabal (Moutabal) , made from scratch, will truly amaze you. It’s worth making because you will never, ever get this fresh and smoky flavor from store-bought versions, not at local Lebanese stores nor in the large containers you see at grocery stores. It’s so incredible! Homemade mutabal is super simple to make! Just smoke some eggplant, then mix it with tahini, a bit of garlic, and a splash of lemon juice....

Recipes › Desserts Silky Ginger Milk Pudding (Ginger Curd) By Samira Kazan updated July 31, 2024 How to make silky ginger milk pudding , a Chinese-originating magic ginger curd made by combining milk, ginger juice, and optionally sugar for a silky pudding in under 10 minutes! When it comes to making custards , puddings, and tarts, we usually have to rely on thickening agents like eggs or starches like agar and cornstarch....

Roundups 30+ Best Thanksgiving Dinner Ideas By Samira Kazan updated November 18, 2025 Here are my top Thanksgiving dinner ideas for a stress-free Thanksgiving. Including meaty, vegan, and vegetarian recipes for appetizers, side dishes, mains, desserts, and drinks, from the classics to the non-traditional, for the best Thanksgiving or Friendsgiving dinner! Whether it’s your first time hosting or you’re a seasoned “professional,” pulling off a successful and, more importantly, low-stress Thanksgiving dinner requires a little bit of luck and plenty of planning....

Recipes › Desserts Easy Blueberry Vegan Mug Cake (No Egg!) By Samira Kazan updated January 12, 2024 A delicious, fluffy, and slightly gooey two-minute vanilla and blueberry vegan mug cake that’s perfect for breakfast, a snack, or dessert. This single-serving dessert is practically effortless, as well as egg-free, dairy-free , and can be refined sugar-free . This recipe has taken me quite some time to get ‘just right.’ When it comes to vegan mug cakes – the cake needs to be fluffy, moist and needs to taste great....

Condiments Easy Tartar Sauce By Samira Kazan updated January 05, 2024 Wonderfully creamy and with the perfect hint of sour, this easy homemade tartar sauce recipe is a go-to dipping sauce for seafood dishes. When a quick tartar sauce is this easy to make, you’ll never need to buy it from the store again. Made with less than 10 pantry staples, it’s the perfect dipping sauce for fish and has the perfect amount of acidity to bring out the natural flavor of your food....

Recipes › Appetizers Fresh Basil Hummus By Samira Kazan updated March 28, 2025 Fresh basil hummus combines creamy homemade hummus with fresh basil for a vibrant, flavorful basil dip reminiscent of pesto! All you need is 5 ingredients for this healthy gluten-free, dairy-free, vegan, and packed with plant-based protein dip – perfect for serving with pita, crackers, and spread on wraps and sandwiches! Homemade hummus is one of my favorite low-fuss appetizers and snacks....