Year: 2021

This luscious and wonderfully indulgent pasta is made with pancetta or bacon, eggs, Parmesan and little olive oil, salt and pepper. You can have this meal ready in just 30 minutes from start to finish. The trick to making a successful carbonara is stirring the egg mixture quickly into the pasta. If you’re looking for a cheese alternative, use pecorino or another hard cheese. Prep time: 10 mins Cook time: 20 mins Total time: 30 mins Servings: 4 to 6 servings Ingredients 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil or unsalted butter 1/2 pound pancetta or thick cut bacon, diced 1-2 garlic cloves, minced, about 1 teaspoon (optional) 3-4 whole eggs 1 cup grated Parmesan or pecorino cheese 1 pound spaghetti (or bucatini or fettuccine) Salt and black pepper to taste Directions Heat pasta water: Put a large pot of salted water on to boil (1 tablespoon salt for every 2 quarts of water.) Sauté pancetta/bacon and garlic: While the water is coming to a boil, heat the olive oil or butter in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add the bacon or pancetta and cook slowly until crispy. Add the garlic (if using) and cook another minute, then turn off the heat and put the pancetta and garlic into a large bowl. Beat eggs and half of the cheese: In a small bowl, beat the eggs and mix in about half of the cheese. Cook pasta: Once the water has reached a rolling boil, add the dry pasta, and cook, uncovered, at a rolling boil. Toss pasta with pancetta/bacon: When the pasta is al dente (still a little firm, not mushy), use tongs to move it to the bowl with the bacon and garlic. Let it be dripping wet. Reserve some of the pasta water. Move the pasta from the pot to the bowl quickly, as you want the pasta to be hot. It’s the heat of the pasta that will heat the eggs sufficiently to create a creamy sauce. Toss everything to combine, allowing the pasta to cool just enough so that it doesn’t make the eggs curdle when you mix them in. (That’s the tricky part.) Add the beaten egg mixture: Add the beaten eggs with cheese and toss quickly to combine once more. Add salt to taste. Add some pasta water back to the pasta to keep it from drying out. Serve at once with the rest of the parmesan and freshly ground black pepper. If you want, sprinkle with a little fresh chopped parsley. Source: Simply Recipes

Turn a regular potato into the main entrée packed with cheese and seasoning. You can bake and prepare your potato with the help of your air fryer. Simply add a bit of water and let it do the work for you. Serve these on their own as your main dish or as a side to another meal. Ingredients: Potato Water Cream Cheese Cheddar Salt Garlic Italian Seasoning Directions: Fill your basket with some water and air fry a potato until soft (40-60 min) In a bowl mix equal parts cheddar and cream cheese. Season with salt, garlic and Italian seasoning Scoop out the potato halves and fill with the mix Air fry at 400°F for 10 minutes

A classic Italian sub, while delicious, can be huge and overwhelming. Adapting it to a grilled cheese form is a lighter option with all the essential layers plus an added gooey cheese. It’s the best of both worlds. Use a mix of cured meats such as pepperoni, salami and prosciutto against a provolone cheese which has a mild flavor to complement the rest of the sandwich. You can serve this along with chips, salad, steamed veggies or a giardiniera. Prep time: 10 mins Cook time: 20 mins Total time: 30 mins Servings: 4 sandwiches Ingredients 8 slices sandwich bread 8 slices provolone cheese 4 ounces Genoa salami 4 ounces prosciutto 2 ounces pepperoni 1/2 cup fresh basil leaves, loosely packed 2 tablespoons butter Directions Prepare the sandwiches: Add a slice of provolone to a piece of bread. Top with a layer of salami, prosciutto, and pepperoni. Divide the meat evenly among the four sandwiches. Top meat with a handful of fresh basil leaves and a second piece of provolone cheese. Add second piece of bread and press down slightly to keep the sandwich together. Grill that cheese: Preheat a large skillet over medium-low heat. Once warm, add about 1/2 tablespoon of butter per sandwich you are cooking. Usually, I cook two at a time. When the butter has melted, add the sandwich and coat the bread with the melted butter, then flip and coat the second side as well. Let sandwiches cook over medium-low heat for about 3 to 4 minutes per side, making sure they don’t get too browned. After about 6 to 8 minutes total, the cheese in the sandwich should be well melted and the bread toasted. Done! Repeat the process for the last two sandwiches. You can keep the first two warm in a 200°F oven while you make the last two. Serve: Serve sandwiches with chips, salad, steamed veggies, and/or giardiniera. Source: Simply Recipes

Make a quick and easy appetizer with this jalapeno popper recipe. The combination of the cheeses with the bit of spice from the jalapenos makes a delicious balanced snack. You can conveniently place these in your air fryer to bake in just 10 minutes. Add this to your dinner meal as a side or appetizer. Ingredients: Jalapenos Cheese Cream Cheese 1 tsp. Salt 1 tbsp. Italian Seasoning 1 tbsp. Garlic Directions: Cut the jalapenos in half and pit the seeds In a bowl mix equal parts cheese and cream cheese. Season with 1 tsp. salt, 1 tbsp. Italian seasoning and 1 tbsp. garlic per 1/2 cup of mixture Stuff jalapenos with the mixture and air fry at 370°F for 10 minutes

This simple recipe delivers on flavor and creaminess. The richness of the sauce makes for a satisfying dinner. Instead of using heavy cream, this recipe calls for cashew cream as a vegan alternative. The soft texture is similar to Alredo, and with a few fresh herbs the sauce is the forefront player in the recipe. Make this with roasted butternut squash or some fried asparagus. Prep time: 10 mins Cook time: 15 mins Total time: 25 mins Servings: 4 servings Ingredients 8 ounces spaghetti or fettuccine 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided 4 cups cherry tomatoes 1 recipe cashew cream sauce (about 1 cup) 3 tablespoons chopped basil 1 tablespoons minced chives 1 small clove garlic 1/4 teaspoon sea salt 1/4 teaspoon black pepper Directions Cook the pasta: Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta, reduce to a simmer, and cook until the pasta is al dente. Drain the pasta and set aside. Cook the tomatoes: In the same pot you cooked the pasta, add 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat. Add the tomatoes and cook until them until they are hot and easily burst when pressed, 6 to 8 minutes. Make the sauce: Combine the cashew cream in a blender with the chopped basil, chives, garlic, 2 tablespoons olive oil, salt, and pepper. Blend until smooth. Assemble the pasta: Add the sauce to the pan with the tomatoes and pasta. Warm over low heat until the pasta sauce is hot. Add the pasta to the sauce and toss together to combine. Serve with an extra sprinkle of basil if desired. Source: Simply Recipes

Turn simple pizza rolls into a delicious entree. Baked pizza rolls take all the classic ingredients from pizza for a double layer of flavor. Be sure to use your favorite toppings and customize ingredients as you see fit. You’ll want to use a small baking pan that fits in your air fryer. Skip out on the mess of using an oven. It’s the perfect dinner meal for a night in. Ingredients: Pizza Rolls Pizza Sauce Mozzarella Pepperoni (optional) Directions: Air fry pizza rolls with the directions on the bag In a small pan layer pizza sauce, pizza rolls, mozzarella and pizza sauce. Finish with a second layer of pizza rolls, sauce and cheese Add favorite pizza toppings Air fry at 400°F for 5 to 6 minutes

These apple muffins are the perfect breakfast dessert to wake up to. The muffins are fluffy and lightly sweetened to balance out the tart apples. Granny Smith, Honeycrisp or Gala apples are the best choice due to their tangy and juicy sweetness. They also hold their shape well when baked. Enjoy these muffins with a cup of coffee or take it on the go. Yield: Serves 12 Prep time: 25 minutes Cook time: 20 minutes Ingredients Paper muffin liners or cooking spray 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 1/2 cup plus 4 teaspoons granulated sugar, divided 2 teaspoons baking powder 4 teaspoons ground cinnamon, divided 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt 1 1/4 cups whole or 2% milk 1/2 cup neutral oil, such as canola or grapeseed 1 large egg 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 2 medium tart apples (about 12 ounces total), such as Granny Smith or Honeycrisp Directions Arrange a rack in the middle of the oven and heat the oven to 375°F. Line a standard 12-well muffin pan with paper liners or coat the wells with cooking spray. Whisk 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, 1/2 cup of the granulated sugar, 2 teaspoons baking powder, 2 teaspoons of the ground cinnamon, and 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt together in a large bowl. Stir the remaining 4 teaspoons granulated sugar and 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon together in a small bowl and set aside for the topping. Place 1 1/4 cups whole or 2% milk, 1/2 cup neutral oil, 1 large egg, and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract together in a medium bowl and whisk until combined. Core and dice 2 medium apples (peel first if desired, about 2 1/2 cups). Pour the milk mixture into the flour mixture and mix with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula until just combined. Some lumps are fine. Gently fold in the diced apple. Divide the batter between the muffin wells, about 1/3 cup of batter per well. Sprinkle each muffin with 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon-sugar. Bake until the muffins are golden-brown and a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Let cool for 5 minutes before removing the muffins from the pan. Source: the Kitchn