Cooking Food Cloud: January 2023

Tuesday 31 January 2023

Red Velvet Sugar Cookie Bars

These decadent red velvet sugar cookie bars with cream cheese frosting are so divine. This is the best of both worlds, all the goodness of red velvet cake in an easy-to-make cookie bar form.

Red velvet is one of my favorite dessert flavors. It’s rich and chocolatey with the best hint of tang! If you love it as much as I do, here are a few more recipes you need to try: red velvet cheesecake, red velvet pound cake, and red velvet white chocolate chip cookies.

These could quite possibly be the best cookie bars that I have ever made. They’re thick, dense and slightly crisp on the edges. It’s a perfect cross between a cookie and dessert bar. Topped with a decadent cream cheese frosting, these are going to be you new go-to favorites. They’re everything you love about red velvet cake but in a moist, fudgy dessert bar form. Psst- they’re also a great option for Valentine’s Day!

These bars though. They’re so moist and heavenly! The tangy flavor of the cream cheese frosting perfectly complements the sweetness of the red velvet, making every bite a burst of flavor in your mouth. These sugar cookie ebars are so good, you’ll find yourself reaching for another one before you even finish the first! Perfect for a sweet snack, a party dessert, or even as a special breakfast treat, these bars are sure to become a favorite in no time. So go ahead, give them a try and taste the yummy goodness for yourself!

These red velvet sugar cookies are scrumptious and easy to make. You are going to love how fast both the cookie bars and frosting come together. If you’re looking for exact measurements, they can all be found in the recipe card below.

Flour: All-purpose flour works great here!
Unsweetened Cocoa: If you have non-alkalized (also known as Dutch process) cocoa powder, use that!
Salt: Balances out the sweetness of the cookie bars.
Baking Powder: A necessary rising agent.
Butter: Bring the butter to room temperature before using it. This way, you will end up with a smoother batter.
Sugar: Just regular granulated sugar works fine!
Eggs: Give the cookies texture and lift.
Vanilla: Adds a little extra flavor. Use pure vanilla extract if you can!
Red Food Coloring: For that signature red color.

Cream Cheese Frosting

Cream Cheese: Make sure your cream cheese is at room temperature so your frosting ends up nice and smooth.
Butter: Should also be at room temperature.
Powdered Sugar: For thickness and sweetness.
Vanilla: Adds an extra pop of flavor!

6-photo collage of cookie bar batter and frosting being prepared.

As easy as cookies but faster and more hands-off. These will be a winner when you’re short on time, but need big flavor and big wow factor. Red velvet makes everything just a bit more special! These sugar cookie bars almost look too good to eat.

Preheat Oven, Prep Pan: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Have a 9×13 inch pan ready. I like to line mine with aluminum foil or parchment paper and spray it with cooking spray so that the bars easily lift out and are easy to cut.
Mix Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa, salt, and baking powder. Then set aside.
Mix Wet Ingredients: In a mixing bowl, cream together 1 cup butter softened and sugar until light and creamy. About 2-3 minutes. Beat in the eggs, vanilla, and food coloring until combined.
Combine and Bake: Add the flour mixture until a soft dough forms. Press into the bottom of the 9×13 inch pan. Bake for about 20 minutes until the edges start to pull away from the sides and a toothpick entered into the center comes out clean. Allow to completely cool before frosting.
Prepare Frosting and Enjoy: To make the cream cheese frosting, Beat together the cream cheese and butter. Add the powdered sugar and vanilla. Beat together until smooth. Frost the top of the bars and enjoy!

Red velvet sugar cookie bars cut into squares.

Tips and Tricks

These heavenly red velvet sugar cookie bars are a cinch to make. Here are a few extra tips to keep in mind so they turn out perfectly!

Prep Your Pan: Line your pan with aluminum foil and spray it with cooking spray so that the bars easily lift out and are easy to cut.
Room Temperature Ingredients: The butter and cream cheese should be brought to room temperature naturally, not in the microwave. This will ensure the creamiest texture. The butter and cream cheese will incorporate more evenly.
Batter Thickness: Don’t panic if the batter is thick, it’s definitely a cookie batter, not a cake batter.
Press: When you put the cookie bars into the pan use a spatula to press down evenly. It will bake up nice and chewy and amazing!
Add Toppings: Use your imagination to decorate these red velvet sugar cookie bars! Use sprinkles and candies to make them festive, for whatever holiday or occasion you’re making them for! You can also add a drizzle of chocolate or white chocolate sauce for extra decadence.

Storing Leftovers

Red velvet sugar cookie bars with cream cheese frosting will last for 3-5 days if stored properly. To keep them fresh, it’s best to store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator. When you’re ready to eat them, simply take the bars out of the refrigerator a few minutes before serving to allow them to reach room temperature. This way, they will be nice and soft and taste as good as they did on the first day!

3 cookie bars stacked on top of each other.

Red Velvet Sugar Cookie Bars

These decadent red velvet sugar cookie bars with cream cheese frosting are so divine. This is the best of both worlds, all the goodness of red velvet cake in an easy-to-make cookie bar form.

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword cookie bar recipes, red velvet cookies, red velvet sugar cookie bars

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes

Total Time 35 minutes

Servings Bars

Calories 452kcal

Author Alyssa Rivers

Ingredients

2 1/2 cups flour
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup butter softened
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 Tablespoons red food coloring

Cream Cheese Frosting:

8 ounces cream cheese softened
1/2 cup butter softened
2 cups sifted powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Have a 9×13 inch pan ready. I like to line mine with aluminum foil or parchment paper and spray it with cooking spray so that the bars easily lift out and are easy to cut.
In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa, salt, and baking powder. Set aside.
In a mixing bowl, cream together 1 cup butter softened and sugar until light and creamy. About 2-3 minutes. Beat in the eggs, vanilla, and food coloring until combined.
Add the flour mixture until a soft dough forms. Press into the bottom of the 9×13 inch pan. Bake for about 20 minutes until the edges start to pull away from the sides and a toothpick entered into the center comes out clean. Allow to completely cool before frosting.
To make the cream cheese frosting, Beat together the cream cheese and butter. Add the powdered sugar and vanilla. Beat together until smooth. Frost the top of the bars and enjoy!

Notes

Originally posted January 26, 2014

Updated on January 31, 2023

Nutrition

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Teriyaki Shrimp Quinoa Bowls with Mango-Cucumber Salsa

These fresh and delicious Teriyaki Shrimp Quinoa Bowls seasoned with honey, ginger, and soy sauce are topped with avocado and a Cucumber Salsa.

Teriyaki Shrimp Quinoa Bowls

I love grain bowls. I usually gravitate to rice bowls, but I also love one with quinoa. This shrimp teriyaki bowl is perfect! To give the quinoa extra flavor, I cook it in vegetable broth, then toss it with chopped scallions. While that cooks, I dice the mangoes, cucumbers, and jalapeño to make the salsa and squeeze some fresh lime over it with cilantro and a pinch of salt. The shrimp only takes a few minutes to cook, so by the time the quinoa is done, the rest is ready, and it’s quick to put together. More easy quinoa bowl recipes are this Lemon-Chili Shrimp Quinoa Bowl and Quinoa Huevos Rancheros Bowls.

Quinoa Bowl Ingredients:

Quinoa: Rinse multicolor quinoa, cook it in vegetable broth, and stir in the scallions at the end.
Mango Salsa: Diced mango and cucumbers, sliced jalapeños, fresh lime juice, salt, chopped cilantro
Shrimp: Peel and devein one pound of shrimp.
Garlic and Ginger sauteed until fragrant
Teriyaki Sauce Ingredients: Low-sodium soy sauce, rice vinegar, honey, grated ginger
Sesame Oil drizzled on top of the shrimp
Avocado: Top the shrimp bowls with sliced avocado.

How to Make Shrimp Teriyaki Bowls

Quinoa: Put the quinoa and broth in a pot and bring it to a boil. When it begins boiling, decrease the heat to low, and cook for 15 to 18 minutes. Next, mix in the scallions.
Salsa: Combine all the mango-cucumber salsa ingredients in a small bowl.
Teriyaki Sauce: Stir the soy sauce, vinegar, honey, and ginger in a large bowl.
Shrimp: Heat a teaspoon of olive oil in a large skillet on medium-high heat. Add the garlic and ginger and cook for a minute until fragrant. Pour in the sauce, cook it for a few minutes until it reduces slightly, and add the shrimp. Cook them for about three minutes and drizzle them with sesame oil.
Assemble: Divide the quinoa into four bowls and top with equal amounts of shrimp, sauce, salsa, and avocado.

How to Store Shrimp Quinoa Bowls

I personally don’t like meal prepping shrimp too many days ahead, so I typically eat these teriyaki bowls the night I make them and eat the leftovers the next day for lunch or dinner. You can eat the leftover shrimp and quinoa cold or reheat them in the microwave.

Variations:

Grains: Sub rice or farro for quinoa.
Fruit: Switch out the mango with pineapple.
Cilantro: Hate cilantro? Skip it!
Spiciness: Don’t like spicy food? Remove the seeds and ribs from the jalapeño.
Gluten-Free Bowls: Use tamari instead of soy sauce.
Sweetener: Substitute agave for honey.
Protein: Swap shrimp with chicken or omit it for vegetarian bowls.
Vegetables: Add halved cherry tomatoes or diced bell pepper for extra veggies.

More Teriyaki Recipes You’ll Love:

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Teriyaki Shrimp Quinoa Bowls with Mango-Cucumber Salsa

352 Cals 24 Protein 44.5 Carbs 10 Fats

Prep Time: 10 mins

Cook Time: 30 mins

Total Time: 40 mins

Yield: 4 servings

COURSE: Dinner, Lunch

CUISINE: American, Asian

These fresh and delicious Teriyaki Shrimp Quinoa Bowls seasoned with honey, ginger, and soy sauce are topped with avocado and a Cucumber Salsa.

Ingredients

For the Quinoa:

3/4 cup dry, multi-color quinoa, rinsed well
2 1/2 cups vegetable broth
1/4 cup chopped scallions

Mango Salsa

1 1/2 cups diced mango mango, from 1
1 1/2 cups diced mini cucumbers, from 3
1 jalapeño, sliced into thin rounds
1 lime, juiced
1/4 cup chopped cilantro

Shrimp:

1 lb raw peeled and deveined shrimp, tail off
1 teaspoon olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon fresh grated ginger
1/4 cup low sodium soy sauce or gluten-free tamari
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
1 tablespoon honey
1 teaspoon sesame oil
4 oz sliced avocado, from 1 small haas

Instructions

Place quinoa into a pot with 1 1/3 cups broth and bring to a boil. When it begins boiling, turn heat to low and cover.
Cook 15 to 18 minutes or until liquid is absorbed.
Toss in scallions.
In a small bowl, combine the mango, cucumber, jalapeño, lime juice, pinch of salt and cilantro. Set aside.
In a large bowl, combine the soy sauce, rice vinegar, honey, and ginger. Set aside.
Add 1 tsp olive oil to a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and ginger and cook until fragrant, 1 minute.
Add the sauce to the pan and cook 3 to 4 minutes until it reduces slightly, then add the shrimp.
Cook until shrimp are cooked through and pink, 3 minutes. Drizzle with sesame oil.
Divide the quinoa in 4 bowls. Top each with cooked shrimp and sauce.
Top with the mango and cucumber salsa and avocado.

Nutrition

Serving: 1bowl, Calories: 352kcal, Carbohydrates: 44.5g, Protein: 24g, Fat: 10g, Saturated Fat: 1.5g, Cholesterol: 143mg, Sodium: 1389mg, Fiber: 6.5g, Sugar: 14.5g

Keywords: grain bowls, healthy dinner, Quinoa bowls, Shrimp Quinoa Bowl, teriyaki shrimp

Categories:

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Smothered Pork Chops

Smothered Pork Chops are tender, savory, and satisfyingly covered in a creamy mushroom gravy. This one-pan dinner is the perfect comforting dinner at home that your family will love!

Forget everything you know about pork chops being dry and flavorless! These pork chops are so packed with flavor you won’t believe it, and they are so moist and perfectly cooked that my family instantly loved this recipe. After you try this recipe, you’ll have to try these fun Hawaiian Pork Chops, these delicious Baked Stuffed Pork Chops, and these easy Juicy Air Fryer Pork Chops.

Smothered Pork Chops in an Amazing Mushroom Gravy

When you need a restaurant-quality meal at home, these smothered pork chops are the perfect choice! The creamy gravy is so flavorful thanks to the one-pan method this recipe uses. Those delicious bits on the bottom of the pan get scraped up into the gravy along with earthy mushrooms and rich heavy cream. Smother your pork in this flavorful and satisfying gravy for the perfect juicy meat. I love to serve them with mashed cauliflower and some sautéed garlic asparagus with bacon!

This classic dish is not only incredibly delicious, but it is also affordable and a family favorite. The creamy gravy and tender, fall-apart meat is homemade goodness that will make you a very popular cook! This is a great recipe to add to the meal-planning dinner recipes. For other meal planning ideas, check out these totally delicious healthy meals!

Ingredients

One thing you won’t see in this ingredient list is canned soup! This is a made-from-scratch smothered pork chops recipe that is just as easy as using cans, without all those unknown ingredients. You could throw in some onions with the mushrooms to add a little extra flavor. You can find the exact measurements below in the recipe card.

Olive Oil: Add to pan warmed to medium high heat before adding in pork chops.
Salt and Pepper: To taste.
Thick Cut Pork Chops: Either bone-in or boneless will work, just adjust your cook time since bone-in will take a few minutes more on each side.
Sliced Mushrooms: Crimini, white, or portobello all work well.
Butter: Add to pan and whisk with flour to begin gravy.
Flour: Whisk together with butter until brown to start your gravy.
Beef Broth: Adds flavorful base to the gravy. You could use chicken broth instead.
Heavy Cream: Thick rich cream in the gravy mixed together with Worcestershire.
Worcestershire Sauce: Adds a little bit of tanginess to the gravy.

Smothered Pork Chop Recipe

Depending on the size of your pork chops, this could easily be a 30-minute meal! On top of being quick, clean-up is simple because it is all made in one pan! Just another reason that these smothered pork chops will be a family favorite.

Heat Oil: In a medium sized skillet over medium high heat add the olive oil.
Season Pork Chops and Cook: Salt and pepper the pork chops and add to the sauce pan. Sear on each side for 4-5 minutes on each side until cooked through and golden brown. Remove and set aside on a plate.
Sauté Mushrooms: Add the mushrooms and sauté for 2-3 minutes or until tender. Set aside on plate with pork chops.
Whisk Together Gravy: Add 4 Tablespoons butter and flour to skillet and whisk until it turns brown. Slowly stir in beef broth and heavy cream. Add Worcestershire sauce and dijon mustard and bring to a simmer until sauce starts to thicken. Salt and pepper to taste.
Combine and Simmer: Add the pork chops and mushrooms back to the skillet and let simmer for a couple of minutes.
Serve: Plate and serve over mashed potatoes if desired.

Tips for Making Smothered Pork Chops

These smothered pork chops are so flavorful, and here I will share a few tips that make this recipe different from all the rest! They are super simple to whip up, and following these tips they will turn out perfect every time!

Pork Chops: Bring meat to room temperature and pat them dry before seasoning and cooking. Make sure your pork reaches an internal temperature of 145 degrees.
Mushrooms: Do not salt your mushrooms until after you have sautéed them to allow them to get great color.
Don’t Wipe Out Pan: Leave the drippings and brown pieces in the pan after cooking the meat because it adds great flavor to the gravy. In fact you may want to scrape them off the bottom with your spatula to be sure they mix in.

Smothered pork chops plated with mashed potatoes on a black plate.

Storing Leftovers

One of the reasons that I love making these smothered pork chops is that they make great leftovers, and you can freeze them! It’s so nice to have a precooked meal ready to pull out of the freezer when you are tired or don’t know what to make for dinner.

In the Refrigerator and Freezer: Allow meat to cool completely before storing in an airtight container. Cooked pork chops with gravy will keep well for up to 3 days in the refrigerator or 2-3 months in the freezer.
Reheat: To warm up stored leftovers, place on a skillet on medium low until warm throughout.

Smothered Pork Chops

Smothered Pork Chops are tender, savory, and satisfyingly covered in a creamy mushroom gravy. This one-pan dinner is the perfect comforting dinner at home that your family will love!

Course Dinner, Main Course

Cuisine American

Keyword pork chops, smothered pork chops

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes

Total Time 30 minutes

Servings People

Calories 670kcal

Author Alyssa Rivers

Ingredients

2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
salt and pepper for seasoning the pork chops
4 thick cut pork chops
6 ounce sliced mushrooms
5 tbsp. butter
3 tbsp. flour
2 cups beef broth
1 cup heavy cream
1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp. Dijon mustard
salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

In a medium sized skillet over medium high heat add the olive oil. Salt and pepper the pork chops and add to the sauce pan. Cook on each side for 4-5 minutes on each side until cooked through and golden. Remove and set aside on a plate.
Add the mushrooms and sauté for 2-3 minutes or until tender. Set aside on plate with pork chops.
Add 4 Tablespoons butter and flour to skillet and whisk until it turns brown. Slowly stir in beef broth and heavy cream. Add Worcestershire sauce and dijon mustard and bring to a simmer until sauce starts to thicken. Salt and pepper to taste.
Add the pork chops and mushrooms back to the skillet and let simmer for a couple of minutes. Serve over mashed potatoes if desired.

Video

Notes

Updated Jan, 2023

Originally Posted Jul, 2020

Nutrition

from The Recipe Critic https://ift.tt/KEPp6wI

Tuesday 31 January 2023

Red Velvet Sugar Cookie Bars

Ingredients for Red Velvet Cookie Bars and Frosting

How to Make Red Velvet Sugar Cookie Bars

Tips and Tricks

Storing Leftovers

Red Velvet Sugar Cookie Bars

Ingredients

Cream Cheese Frosting:

Instructions

Notes

Nutrition

Teriyaki Shrimp Quinoa Bowls

Quinoa Bowl Ingredients:

How to Make Shrimp Teriyaki Bowls

How to Store Shrimp Quinoa Bowls

Variations:

More Quinoa Bowls You Might Like

More Teriyaki Recipes You’ll Love:

Teriyaki Shrimp Quinoa Bowls with Mango-Cucumber Salsa

Ingredients

For the Quinoa:

Mango Salsa

Shrimp:

Instructions

Nutrition

Categories:

Smothered Pork Chops in an Amazing Mushroom Gravy

Ingredients

Smothered Pork Chop Recipe

Tips for Making Smothered Pork Chops

Storing Leftovers

Smothered Pork Chops

Ingredients

Instructions

Video

Notes

Nutrition