Pook's Pantry Recipe Blog

A Life in Food by real-life Chef Cheryl Bennett

vegetarian

White Chocolate Rum Balls

White chocolate rum balls are an easy no bake treat that is perfect for your holiday cookie exchanges and dessert table. Cover with colorful sprinkles for a sweet, homemade gift.  A variation on my easy rum ball recipe, this version is dipped in creamy white chocolate for an extra sweet treat.

white chocolate dipped rum balls

Rum balls are an easy, no bake cookie that is perfect for your holiday dessert table or cookie exchange. I like to have a batch of these around for everyone to nibble on after holiday dinners. 

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Butternut Squash Risotto

Risotto is one of those foods that demands a long, leisurely approach. It is a labor of love and shouldn’t be rushed. Butternut squash risotto is version of this dish that I come back to again and again. This fall vegetable, featured in my butternut squash arugula salad is one of our favorites.

Roasting the squash brings out it’s natural sweetness, making it even more delicious.

The whole key to risotto is the slow process allowing the creaminess of the rice to come out and that can only be achieved by taking your time. The frequent stirring and actively watching the pot can be a welcome change of pace from the frenzied dinner preparation most of us normally experience.

two bowls of butternut squash risotto with gold forks

This is comfort food on every conceivable level. On days when you need a bit of a mental break, I wholeheartedly recommend making risotto. A bit of stirring while you lovingly watch the pot of rice in front of you transform into something creamy and ethereal may be just what you need.

Some people may feel intimidated by making risotto. Don’t be – it really isn’t more than pouring in a bit of stock and stirring for the better part of the cooking.

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Autumn Minestrone Soup

Autumn minestrone soup is full of nutrient-dense vegetables and beans. I’ve swapped out the usual pasta for Italian farro. Hearty fall soups, like my easy lentil soup are perfect for make-ahead meals and meal prepping for busy schedules.
overhead view of autumn minestrone soup with spoons

This recipe makes a large batch of soup, which is great for feeding a crowd or meal prepping for the week ahead. This vegetarian soup is easily made vegan by omitting the cheese.

If you make a purchase through one of the affiliate links, I make a few pennies at no extra cost to you. Questions? Please see disclosure for info.
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Dinner Divas Menu Plan: Week 128

Dinner Divas Menu Plan provides a week’s worth of dinner recipes plus 2 extra recipes each week. Our meal plans feature mostly healthy dishes that won’t take all day to cook, because weekdays are busy enough. Looking for something from a past menu? You can find all of the Dinner Divas menus here.

Get your pen and paper ready (or your phones!). We’re here to help you plan your dinner menu for the week ahead! We hope this meal plan makes your life a little easier, provides you with some inspiration and helps you get dinner on the table.collage of images for menu plan 128

On the menu this week, the dinner divas are bringing you some delicious, comfort food dinners and plus two delicious pumpkin treats! Easy weeknight dinners plus two fantastic extras, this week and every week.

Fall is finally here, and we’re all thrilled about it. I am ready to say goodbye to hot, sultry days and welcome cool, crisp mornings.

But, before we get to this week’s menu, let me share a few more dishes that will happening in Pook’s kitchen this week: Baked fingerling potatoes with brown butter, turkey pumpkin chili, superfood salad with pomegranate.

If you make a purchase through one of the affiliate links, I make a few pennies at no extra cost to you. Questions? Please see disclosure for info.

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How to Make Melting Potatoes with Garlic and Herbs

Melting potatoes are one of the easiest, most delicious ways to get a lot of bang for your buck for a quick side dish. The oven does the majority of the work for you, all you have to do is flip them a couple of times. That tiny bit of effort is rewarded with the most perfectly roasted potato dish to ever grace your dinner table. I love serving these with this Beef Tenderloin Roast for special occasions.

This is the best of both worlds as far as potatoes go. The outside is golden and incredibly crispy, while the inside remains tender and fluffy.

Melting Potatoes on white platter

melting potatoes with garlic and herbs

This recipe for Melting Potatoes is sponsored by my friends at Idaho Potato.  I am so pleased to work with them. As always, all opinions, recipe and photos are my own. Thank you for supporting the brands that support Pook’s Pantry.

Post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase through one of the links, I make a few pennies at no extra cost to you. Questions? Please see disclosure for info.

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Cherry Rum Balls Recipe

Cherry rum balls have a sweet surprise in the center – a maraschino cherry. A bit of cherry juice in the mix bumps up the cherry flavor in these adult no bake treats. A version of my original easy rum ball recipe, these cherry rum balls are pretty enough for gift-giving.

cherry rum balls in paper cups

Boozy, sweet and delicious – rum balls are an adults only no bake treat. Cherry rum balls are the newest creation and I think they are here to stay.

If you make a purchase through one of the affiliate links, I make a few pennies at no extra cost to you. Questions? Please see disclosure for info.

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Baked Fingerling Potatoes with Brown Butter

Baked fingerling potatoes tossed with brown butter and herbs make a delicious and easy side. Perfect for your holiday table, these tasty potatoes are full of flavor from nutty brown butter and a mixture of dried herbs. For an Asian twist on these little spuds, try my roasted fingerling potatoes with shishito peppers.

roasted fingerling potatoes in white bowl with white napkin

This recipe for Fingerling Potatoes with Brown Butter and Herbs is sponsored by my friends at Idaho® Potato.  I am so pleased to work with them. As always, all opinions, recipe and photos are my own. Thank you for supporting the brands that support Pook’s Pantry.

Post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase through one of the links, I make a few pennies at no extra cost to you. Questions? Please see disclosure for info.

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Fig Puff Pastry Tarts

Fig puff pastry tarts are a quick and easy dessert. Ready from start to finish in about 20 minutes and individually sized, these tarts are perfect for sharing. A handful of fresh figs, a sheet of puff pastry and a bit of sweetened cream cheese come together to make a delicious and simple treat.

side view of fig puff pastry tartlet with sliced fig on plate

Figs are a favorite of mine. From fig jam to panna cotta with bourbon-poached figs, you’ll find a few fig recipes here. Figs are just barely sweet, but when they are overly ripe can be jammy and have hints of honey.

If you’ve never had a fresh fig before, don’t expect them to taste like a certain cookie you may be familiar with. They taste nothing at all like a newton.

As we near the end of August, this is the time of year when summer produce is still available and fall fruits and vegetables are just starting to appear. It is the best of both worlds and for me, the best time for fruit.

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Roasted Fingerling Potatoes with Shishitos

Roasted fingerling potatoes with togarashi spice and charred shishito peppers are a tasty way to change up boring side dishes. This Asian-spiced potato dish will be a new family favorite.

roasted fingerling potatoes with shishito peppers on white platter with herbsThis post is sponsored by Idaho® Potatoes.  All opinions, photos and recipe are mine.

If you make a purchase through one of the affiliate links, I make a few pennies at no extra cost to you. Questions? Please see disclosure for info.…

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Easy Lentil Soup Recipe

This easy lentil soup recipe will have dinner on the table with little effort. If you are a soup lover like me, you’ll want to save this easy recipe for those evenings when a bowl of soup makes the perfect supper.

easy lentil soup recipe in bowls with spoons in background

This easy lentil soup is perfect for beginner cooks and for those of us who are “seasoned” as well

Lentil soup is a classic for a reason. It is an easy soup to make, it requires a bit of chopping and not much else. It’s full of vegetables and it is delicious. This soup is filling and satisfying, but does not leave you feeling heavy. 

Are you a fellow soup lover? You can find more soup recipes here.

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