Chocolate Dipped Coconut Macaroons

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Always a hit when tucked inside boxes of Christmas sweets, chocolate dipped Coconut Macaroons are rich, sweet, chewy cookies that are almost candy-like.

coconut macaroons stacked on plate on wooden table

Coconut Macaroons with Chocolate

I like to use dark chocolate when making these, as the bittersweet chocolate balances the sweetness of the coconut, and the flavors work very well together.

I’ve made these macaroons at Christmastime for the past 15+ years. (In addition to making them for pretty much every other occasion too.) If you love coconut anywhere near as much as we do, you will fall in love with these cookies.

How To Make Coconut Macaroons

There are a few different ways to make macaroons and I’ve tried plenty of them. Many of the macaroon recipes that I’ve seen require beating the egg whites before adding them to the mixture. I’ve tried this method myself.

In the end, I don’t find it makes enough of a difference to justify the extra effort. They will turn out just a tiny bit lighter, but like I said, for me? Part of the fun in macaroons is in how simple they are to make.

All you need to do is dump all of the ingredients in a bowl, give it a quick stir with a spoon, and scoop them out onto a tray. Easy peasy and you’ll be enjoying the macaroons before you know it.

coconut macaroons on parchment

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Southern English Pea Salad

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Southern English Pea Salad

a wooden bowl full of creamy southern english pea salad with bacon, chunks of colby jack cheese

This Southern English pea salad is a refreshing and delicious side dish, perfect for any gathering. Made with peas, bacon, herbs, and a creamy dressing, it’s sure to be a hit at your next potluck or holiday dinner.

It’s the perfect side dish for Easter, 4th of July, Thanksgiving, or Christmas. I don’t know where English pea salad originated from, or why it’s so dang good considering it’s the world’s shortest list of ingredients, but I do know that any time someone shares a photo of a Southern Potluck or church spread, there’s that pea salad!

Last Fourth of July, we had Cade’s mom, brother, and his family and a friend over for a fun day of swimming and eating. Yes, I did wear a red bathing suit. Yes, I did get mistaken for the lifeguard 100 times. I have had the worst time trying to find a bathing suit that wasn’t cut crazy high or crazy low all year and this one I love, though I will watch where I wear it now. 

But back to the BBQ — we swam, the kids became exhausted, and we headed back to the house where we cooked up classic burgers thanks to our 2 hamburger secrets post, and a selection of our favorite summer salads including this green pea salad, our tomato mozzarella salad, and Nancy’s Southern Grape Salad. We finished the night off with our dreamiest Banana Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting EVER.

Green pea salad is considered to be low-carb, gluten-free, and a slightly healthier option to pasta salad (though we have a pasta version of this recipe too if you prefer). But this doesn’t mean it’s straight up healthy — it contains bacon, cheese, and mayonnaise, after all.

What Ingredients Do I Need for This Salad Recipe?

Although English pea salad has a few different names, it’s all the exact same thing — cold pea salad. You may hear it called pea salad, English Pea Salad, Southern Pea Salad, Green Pea Salad, or, as we’ve called it, Southern English Pea Salad.

Here’s what goes into this easy potluck side dish recipe: 

  • Frozen Peas
  • Mayonnaise
  • Apple Cider Vinegar 
  • Salt and Pepper
  • Red Onion
  • Bacon
  • Cheese (Colby Jack or Cheddar Cheese is our favorite)

Some recipes also call for hard-boiled eggs, which we left out this time as I’m really enjoying it as a straight up pea salad lately. I’ve added it into the recipe as optional in case

Easter Sunday Meal Plan

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Easter Sunday Meal Plan

a graphic showing pictures of 6 different Easter dishes for an Easter menu plan

Easter Sunday calls for celebration, gratitude, family time, and good food! Let us take care of the menu planning for you!

Breakfast:

Here are a few options for breakfast on Easter morning…

Cinnamon Rolls 

Hot Cross Buns

Empty Tomb Rolls

Appetizers:

These appetizers are great options for snacking on throughout the day…

Deviled Eggs

Easter Snack Mix

Caprese Pesto Tarts

Main Dish:

It’s time for the main event, and at our house it’s this brown sugar ham…

World’s Best Brown Sugar Ham

Sides:

I had a tough time narrowing down the sides, but here is a variety of options that would be great with the ham…

Spinach Strawberry Feta Salad

Potato Rolls

Funeral Potatoes 

Sweet Potato Casserole 

Lemon Roasted Carrots and Parsnips

Southern English Pea Salad

One Pan Pollo a la Crema

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One Pan Pollo a la Crema

a photo of a skillet full of golden chicken chunks, sauteed bell pepper slices, onion slices, and sliced mushrooms in a creamy sauce.

This one pan pollo a la crema recipe is a delicious dish that combines tender chicken, flavorful vegetables, and a creamy sauce. Perfect for a quick and easy weeknight meal!

My friend was telling me about her weekend with her mom and how they always order this delicious creamy chicken whenever they go out for Mexican food and I was like, hold up, what creamy chicken?! I’ve seriously never heard of it!

We ended up chatting all afternoon about what it must be made with, what it’s really called (was it pollo con crema, pollo a la crema or pollo de crema?!) and then I laid awake, like always, unable to get the recipe out of my head.

It’s become one of our new staples and I cannot comment enough on how easy this dinner recipe is. If you want fast, cheap, affordable, delicious, and family friendly, it’s all about the creamy chicken!

What is Pollo a la Crema?

Pollo a la Crema, or creamed chicken, is a South American dish that consists of tender chunks of chicken, sauteed bell peppers, onions and mushrooms all cooked in a creamy flavorful sauce. It is usually served with warm flour tortillas.

Ingredients Needed for Pollo a la Crema

These ingredients are simple and easy to find. The only item that might be a little out of the ordinary is the Mexican crema which can be found in the refrigerator section for the Mexican specialty foods like fresh salsa and chorizo. Here is what you will need:

For the Chicken

  • Chicken Breasts: boneless, skinless
  • Seasonings: salt and pepper, garlic powder, smoked paprika, chili powder
  • Olive Oil

For the Rest of the Dish

  • Green Bell Pepper
  • Red or Orange Bell Pepper
  • White Onion
  • Baby Bella Mushrooms: or white button mushrooms work fine as well and if you’re not a mushroom fan, just omit them!
  • Mexican Crema: see section below for more details
  • Sour Cream
  • Smoked Paprika
  • Salt and Pepper
  • Cilantro

The measurements for each ingredient can be found in the recipe card at the end of this post.

What is Crema?

Crema is the Mexican version of French crème fraîche, a little bit tangy and creamy. It is slightly soured and thickened cream, milder and less thick than American sour cream. The flavor is a lot more mild in my opinion and a touch buttery.  You will find it in the meat and Mexican ingredients section of your grocery store. There’s not really a great substitute for it in this recipe, so try your best to find it!

How to Make Pollo con Crema

Thousand Island Salad Dressing

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Whether you’re dressing up a salad or slathering it on a burger, Thousand Island brings a punch of flavor that’s downright irresistible. Creamy mayo meets tangy ketchup along with the pop of diced pickles and a sprinkle of zesty onions in this recipe for Thousand Island salad dressing.

Close up on small pitcher with sweet and savory salad dressing

Thousand Island Salad Dressing

Want to know how to make your own Thousand Island dressing? It’s still a popular dressing for good reason. Thousand Island was the salad dressing most often seen on the table in my childhood.

And while this zesty-sweet old-fashioned dressing will never replace our beloved ranch, it’s nostalgic for me. Whenever it’s on hand, I can’t resist using it.

Did you know that you can turn Thousand Island salad dressing into Russian dressing? Add ½ teaspoon of plain or sweet paprika and 2 teaspoons of horseradish to the recipe below. Feel free to adjust both to taste.

We use Thousand Island or Russian dressing on these Reuben Sliders and in this Corned Beef Dip. Both of which disappear about as quickly as I can serve them!

Salad dressing poured over fresh salad with tomatoes and bell peppers

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