Spice blends are all over the aisle at the grocery store to save us time. But, did you know you can make your own? This Pumpkin Pie Spice Mix is a cozy blend of all the classic fall spices. I love, love, love using it in baked goods and sweet treats!

It feels like the old TV public service announcement, but this time it’s for the cooks. “Do you know what’s in your spice mix?” When you make it yourself, you can. And, bonus, when you make it yourself, you can make it exactly how you want it to be!

This recipe for pumpkin pie spice mix captures the warmth of the classic spices in a balance that I adore. The first thing I made with it was this layered pumpkin coffee cake. Just swap a tablespoon for the spices in the pumpkin filling.

Pumpkin Pie Spice Mix

I like to sneak in just a pinch of cardamom to my spice mix. I first fell in love with cardamom when my sister showed me how she adds it to her daily coffee. It has become a treat that I treasure.

I will warn you that once you learn how to make this at home, there’s no going back. You’ll feel the achievement any time you put the finished label on a jar. And, then it’s yours to play with year-round. Just opening the jar reminds me of pumpkin pies and warm apple crisps.

Ingredients and Substitutions

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With just a hint of honey to sweeten the deal, this Honey Mustard Dressing is the perfect balance. Mustard hasn’t always been my favorite, but I’ve been pouring this on just about everything from chicken nuggets, salads, and even used it to dip roasted vegetables!

My friends, I’ve made a LOT of salad dressings over the years, but honey mustard is special (I liked the combination so much I even made a honey Dijon vinaigrette). It really does nail the balance between the sweet honey and bold mustard. If you’ve found it too sweet or spicy before, give this a try. And, since I’m making recommendations, you’re going to want to put it on this crunchy spinach salad too. It’s quite literally the salad I made to go with this dressing.

Honey Mustard Dressing

Around my house, we are unapologetically enthusiastic when it comes to homemade dips, dressings, and sauces. I put my love of whisks to work, and my boys are happy to give me their feedback.

Sometimes, that feedback is expressed with words. Others, it’s simply the speed at which they devour it (or sometimes the speed at which they don’t. Not every recipe can be a winner!). I first shared this dressing in 2012, and I’m thrilled to finally be re-shooting the photos and sharing it again with you.

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If you have ever wanted to know how to make caramel with condensed milk, this is the only recipe you need.

This is my mom’s legendary slow cooker caramel sauce, and it’s for anyone who’s ever burned, crystallized, or panicked over stovetop caramel. Just three ingredients transformed into a perfectly smooth, thick, rich caramel that practically makes itself while you go about your day.

This slow cooker method is forgiving, make-ahead friendly, and produces silky caramel without standing over a hot saucepan. No stirring, no babysitting, no candy thermometer, just pure golden caramel that seals right in the jar and keeps for months. Once you make it this way, there is no going back.

Sweetened condensed milk, a little salt, and a splash of vanilla go into jars, get submerged in the slow cooker, and come out hours later as the most luscious, velvety caramel sauce you have ever tasted. Make a big batch, tuck the jars away, and you will have homemade caramel on hand for every dessert, gift, or midnight snack craving that comes your way.

You may have heard this called dulce de leche, and technically that is exactly what it is. Traditionally made by slowly heating a unopened can of sweetened condensed milk until it transforms into a thick, deeply caramel sauce.

Homemade caramel is intimidating. This method makes it forgiving. 

Ingredients For Caramel with Condensed Milk

Three simple ingredients are all that stand between you and the most incredible homemade caramel sauce of your life.

• Sweetened condensed milk: the star of the show and the only thing you truly need. The slow heat transforms it into a deep, rich, golden caramel with zero fuss.
• Salt: balances the sweetness and gives the caramel that irresistible salted caramel flavor. Add a little extra if you love a more pronounced salty finish.
• Vanilla: rounds out the flavor and adds a warm, aromatic depth that takes this caramel from good to absolutely incredible.

The result is rich, buttery, and borderline dangerous to keep in the house. Measurements can be found in the recipe card below.

How to Make Caramel with Condensed Milk

I’ve stood over the stove top, sweat dripping down my back as I tried for the third time in a row to produce a silky, yet thickened caramel sauce. This slow cooker caramel sauce takes the stress out of trying and you turn out some

When it comes to summer grilling, this balsamic chicken marinade is the one I come back to every single time. Made with just a handful of pantry staples, it delivers bold, tangy, savory flavor that works on any cut of chicken and comes together in about two minutes flat.

This balsamic marinade has been years in the making, tweaked and tested until it hit exactly the right balance. Balsamic vinegar brings the tang, olive oil adds richness, garlic gives it depth, and a pinch of sugar ties it all together. That is truly it.

No complicated ingredients, no special equipment, just a ziplock bag and a little time in the fridge. It works beautifully on chicken breasts, thighs, drumsticks, and kabobs, making it the most versatile marinade in my rotation. This is one of my favorite chicken recipes!

Balsamic Chicken Marinade Ingredients

Seven simple ingredients that you almost certainly already have on hand. Here is what each one brings to the marinade:

• Olive Oil: The fat base of the marinade that helps it cling to the chicken and keeps everything juicy and tender on the grill.
• Balsamic Vinegar: The acid component that tenderizes the chicken while adding that rich, tangy, slightly sweet depth of flavor the whole marinade is built around.
• Dijon Mustard: Acts as an emulsifier that helps bind the oil and vinegar together while adding a subtle tangy depth to the overall flavor.
• Honey: Balances the acidity of the vinegar and mustard with natural sweetness and helps create a beautiful caramelized finish when grilled.
• Garlic: Freshly minced garlic adds a bold, savory punch that infuses into the chicken as it marinates.
• Dried Basil: Brings a subtle, herby, Italian-inspired flavor that complements the balsamic beautifully.
• Salt: Seasons the chicken all the way through and enhances every other ingredient in the marinade.
• Black Pepper: Adds a gentle heat and a little bite that keeps the marinade from being one-note.

This recipe uses pantry staples, making it perfect for meal prep or feeding a group. Measurements can be found in the recipe card below. 

How to Make Balsamic Chicken Marinade

This could not be simpler. Here is all it takes:

1. Combine: Add all the ingredients to a ziplock bag or airtight container and mix well.
2. Add: Place the chicken into the bag with the marinade and seal tightly, pressing out as much air as possible.
3. Marinate: Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, or up to 24 hours for the deepest flavor.
4. Cook: Grill, bake, or pan sear the chicken using your preferred method until cooked through. Using a meat thermometer ensure the chicken reaches an Internal Temperature of 165 F 

The longer the chicken marinates, the d

This fresh pineapple salsa recipe is sweet, zesty, slightly spicy, and bursting with juicy tropical flavor. Made with fresh pineapple, jalapeño, cilantro, lime juice, and crisp peppers, it’s the perfect salsa for chips, tacos, grilled chicken, seafood, and summer BBQs.

It only takes a few minutes to make, but somehow tastes like the kind of thing you’d order at a beachside restaurant on vacation.

We used to think homemade salsa was too much work until we finally found a few fresh salsa recipes we absolutely loved. Turns out, once you start making salsa at home, it’s hard to go back to store-bought.

Now we keep this pineapple salsa on repeat all summer long alongside our restaurant-style salsa, authentic salsa verde, and mango salsa.

This pineapple salsa is especially delicious for taco night, grilling season, pool parties, and easy summer appetizers.

What Does Pineapple Salsa Taste Like?

Pineapple salsa is sweet, fresh, tangy, slightly spicy, and incredibly refreshing. The juicy pineapple balances perfectly with the jalapeño, lime juice, cilantro, and crisp vegetables.

It’s especially delicious paired with smoky grilled meats and seafood.

Ingredients You’ll Need

Here’s what you’ll need to make this pineapple jalapeño salsa:

• Fresh Pineapple: The sweet juicy base of the salsa. Fresh pineapple gives the best flavor and texture.
• Red Onion: Adds sharp savory flavor and crunch.
• Fresh Cilantro: Adds bright fresh flavor that balances the sweetness.
• Green Bell Pepper: Adds freshness and crisp texture.
• Red Bell Pepper: Adds sweetness, color, and crunch.
• Jalapeño: Adds fresh heat and balances the sweetness of the pineapple.
• Cumin: Adds warm earthy flavor and gives the salsa a subtle smoky depth.
• Sea Salt: Enhances all the fresh flavors.
• Lime Juice: Adds bright acidity and keeps the salsa tasting fresh.

How to Pick a Ripe Pineapple

• Color: Look for golden yellow color on the outside.
• Smell: Smell the