My Forking Life

menu icon
search icon

Air Fryer Sweet Potatoes with Hot Honey Butter

by 12 Comments

These Air Fryer Sweet Potatoes are crispy on the outside and soft and fluffy on the inside. Top them with a delicious hot honey butter for the perfect side dish.

sweet potato topped with butter with fork and blue napkin in the background

This post contains affiliate links, please read my full disclaimer here.

You’ll find the full recipe with ingredient amounts and instructions in the recipe card at the bottom of this post. Be sure to check out the blog post itself for extra tips and tricks!

I love sweet potatoes. In fact, I love them so much that I’ve tried many times to perfect a sweet potato fry recipe to put on the blog. It hasn’t been perfected by me yet, so it hasn’t been shared on the blog yet. Hopefully one day. 

Until then, this air fryer sweet potato recipe will do, because they are amazingly delicious. Similar to cooking a baked potato in the air fryer, sweet potato is just as simple and easy. 

A few things to note before you start your sweet potatoes, you’ll want to make sure of the following:

  • Your sweet potatoes need to be equal size if you want them to cook at the same time. I use medium-sized sweet potatoes, which measure around 5 inches long and 2 inches wide. 
  • Adding a little bit of olive oil rubbed on the outside of the sweet potatoes will result in a nice crispy sweet potato skin. 
  • There’s no need to parboil, poke, or wrap in foil before baking. Just give the sweet potatoes a light coat with oil and place in the air fryer.

How to make Whole Sweet Potatoes in the Air Fryer

Grab 1-4 medium-sized sweet potatoes. Scrub and clean the outside, then pat them dry with a paper towel or a clean dishtowel. 

Rub about 1 teaspoon of olive oil over the potatoes and place in your air fryer. 

raw sweet potatoes in air fryer basket

Cook on 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 35-40 minutes, until the sweet potato is soft on the inside. I use a toothpick to test the potato, and stick it in until it reaches the center. If the toothpick enters the sweet potato without any resistance, it’s done. 

cooked sweet potatoes in air fryer basket

Prepare Hot Honey Butter

You can top your sweet potatoes with whatever you choose, but my go-to is this hot honey butter. While your sweet potatoes are cooking, combine butter, honey, hot sauce, and salt in a bowl and whisk vigorously until combined and smooth.

hot honey butter in bowl with whisk in it

Cut open your sweet potato, fluff the insides a little, and then top it with this butter. Yummo!

cook air fryer sweet potato in basket opened and topped with hot honey butter

Notes:

  • You can make 1-4 sweet potatoes at a time, depending on how big your air fryer basket is. Just make sure the sweet potatoes aren’t overlapping so proper air circulation can cook them properly. 
  • The cook time suggested is for medium-sized sweet potatoes, which are about 5 inches long and 2 inches wide. Smaller sweet potatoes will need less time while large potatoes will need more. For smaller potatoes, I start to check with a toothpick around 25 minutes. 
  • If you need baked sweet potatoes for other recipes, such as pie (yum), this method is perfect. 
  • If you don’t have an air fryer, you can bake your sweet potatoes in the oven. Then top with hot honey butter.
  • I use Texas Pete or Frank’s Hot Sauce for my hot honey butter. 
  • I use this method for baking my potatoes for my sweet potato pie and my sweet potato cornbread.

I hope you enjoy these air fried sweet potatoes with hot honey butter as much as we do. Looking for more air fryer veggie sides? Try these out:

or you can try my oven roasted cauliflower and sweet potato recipe.

Need ideas on what to serve this with? Try these out:

Print Recipe
5 from 4 votes

Air Fryer Sweet Potato with Hot Honey Butter

This Air Fryer Sweet Potato recipe is perfect for baking whole sweet potatoes in your Air Fryer. Top them with a delicious Hot Honey Butter for the perfect side dish. It’s so easy and takes less time than the oven.
Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time35 minutes
Total Time40 minutes
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Keyword: air fryer sweet potato
Calories: 237kcal
Author: Tanya Harris

Equipment

Ingredients

  • 1-4 sweet potatoes scrubbed clean and patted dry
  • 1 teaspoon oil

Hot Honey Butter

  • 4 Tablespoon unsalted butter
  • 1 Tablespoon Honey
  • 2 teaspoon hot sauce
  • ¼ teaspoon salt

Instructions

  • Coat sweet potatoes with oil and place in the air fryer basket.
  • Cook on 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 35-40 minutes until the sweet potatoes are soft on the inside.

Hot Honey Butter

  • While your sweet potatoes are cooking, combine butter, honey, hot sauce, and salt in a bowl and whisk vigorously until combined and smooth. 
  • Cut open your sweet potato, fluff the insides a little, and then top it with this butter.

Notes

  • I use Texas Pete or Frank’s Hot Sauce for my hot honey butter.
  • You can make 1-4 sweet potatoes at a time, depending on your air fryer basket. Just make sure the sweet potatoes aren’t overlapping so proper air circulation can cook them properly. 
  • The cook time suggested is for medium-sized sweet potatoes. Smaller sweet potatoes will need less time while large potatoes will need more. For smaller potatoes, I start to check with a toothpick around 25 minutes. 

Nutrition

Calories: 237kcal | Carbohydrates: 31g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Cholesterol: 30mg | Sodium: 271mg | Potassium: 438mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 18793IU | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 42mg | Iron: 1mg

Cranberry Pecan Apple Salad Recipe

by 14 Comments

This Cranberry Pecan Apple Salad Recipe is full of delicious and healthy ingredients for an amazing fresh salad filled with tons of flavor. It's colorful, delicious, and perfect for everyday eats or for any gathering.   

cranberry pecan apple salad in a white bowl

This post contains affiliate links, please read my full disclaimer here.

You’ll find the full recipe with ingredient amounts and instructions in the recipe card at the bottom of this post. Be sure to check out the blog post itself for extra tips and tricks!

One thing I love to make is a BIG SALAD. Every time I think of a salad, I think of Elaine on Seinfeld and how she loved ordering a big salad from their favorite diner. I have no clue what was in that big salad, but I imagine it was pretty amazing. 

This big salad is one of my favorites and it’s one I’ve been showing up to our get-togethers with. It’s bright, colorful, and full of lots of healthy and yummy ingredients.

This salad is filled with apples, cranberries, spinach, red onion, and topped with creamy goat cheese, sugared pecans, and a sweet and tangy dressing. It is a salad recipe that everyone will ask you the recipe for.

Here's how I make it.

How to make Cranberry Pecan Apple Salad

Grab a mandolin and thinly slice your red apples and red onions. The thin slices of apple and red onion create the perfect bite when eating the salad with the other ingredients.

apple slices in front of a black mandolin
red onion thinly sliced in front of a mandolin blade

If you don’t have a mandolin, you can just chop these ingredients into bite-sized pieces. 

Place the apple slices in a large salad bowl and squeeze the fresh lemon juice over the apple slices and toss, ensuring all apple slices get covered in the lemon juice. This is so your apples don’t turn brown.

apple slices in bowl

Then add spinach mix, apple slices, red onion slices, cranberries, sugared pecans, and goat cheese to the bowl. Use salad tongs and toss these ingredients together. Set aside. 

Make the salad dressing

In a small mason jar, add apple cider vinegar, dijon mustard, white sugar, olive oil, and salt and pepper. Cover and shake vigorously, for about 20-30 seconds, until salad dressing has thickened.

close up photo of yellow salad dressing in mason jar

When ready to serve, lightly pour dressing over salad greens and toss.

ingredients of cranberry apple salad in white bowl
ingredients of cranberry apple salad in bowl with yellow salad dressing being poured onto salad

Serve and enjoy.  

cranberry pecan apple salad in a white bowl

Helpful Tips: 

  • It’s best to wait until right before serving to pour the dressing on. If you put the dressing on too early, the spinach leaves will wilt. Your salad will still taste good, it just won’t be as pretty. 
  • I use my Sugared Pecans for the chopped pecans in this recipe. I just give them a quick pulse in my mini food processor to chop them up a bit.
  • This is a great base salad that can be changed up in a few ways:
    • Apples - I use red delicious apples (for color and tartness) but a thinly sliced granny apple is great in this salad too. 
    • A thinly sliced shallot is a great sub for the red onion.
    • Need protein? Baked chicken breast or drained chickpeas are a great addition if you are looking for more of a meal.
  • Feel free to double or triple the dressing and keep it on the side. This stuff is pretty good on all kinds of greens.

Looking for other big salad recipes? Try these out:

Print Recipe
5 from 2 votes

Cranberry Pecan Apple Salad

This Cranberry Pecan Apple Salad is the perfect light and delicious salad. It’s made with healthy ingredients and topped with delicious creamy goat cheese, sugared pecans, and a sweet and tangy dijon vinegarette.
Prep Time10 minutes
Total Time10 minutes
Course: Salad
Cuisine: American
Keyword: apple salad recipe, cranberry apple salad recipe, winter salad recipe
Servings: 6 people
Calories: 257kcal
Author: Tanya Harris

Ingredients

  • 2 red apples thinly sliced on a mandolin
  • 2 Tablespoon fresh lemon juice
  • 4-5 cups spinach salad mix
  • ½ red onion thinly sliced on a mandolin
  • ½ cup dried cranberries
  • ½ cup sugared pecans chopped
  • 4 Tablespoon goat cheese chopped or crumbled

Salad Dressing

  • 2 Tablespoon Apple Cider Vinegar
  • 1.5 Tablespoon white sugar
  • 1.5 Tablespoon Dijon mustard
  • 4 Tablespoon olive oil
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

  • Place the apple slices in a large salad bowl and squeeze the fresh lemon juice over the apple slices and toss, ensuring all apple slices get covered in the lemon juice.
  • In a large salad bowl, add spinach salad mix, red apples, red onion, dried cranberries, sugared pecans, and goat cheese. Toss to combine. Set aside.
  • In a small mason jar, add apple cider vinegar, dijon mustard, white sugar, olive oil, and salt and pepper. Cover and shake vigorously, for about 20-30 seconds, until salad dressing has thickened.
  • When ready to serve, lightly pour dressing over salad greens and toss. Serve and enjoy.

Notes

  • It’s best to wait until right before serving to pour the dressing on.
  • Feel free to double or triple the dressing and keep it on the side. This stuff is pretty good on all kinds of greens.

Nutrition

Calories: 257kcal | Carbohydrates: 23g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 4mg | Sodium: 95mg | Potassium: 234mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 17g | Vitamin A: 2005IU | Vitamin C: 12mg | Calcium: 47mg | Iron: 1mg

Sweet & Spicy Party Meatballs

by Leave a Comment

These Sweet and Spicy Party Meatballs are the perfect twist on the classic cocktail meatball appetizer. They are made with only 4 ingredients and cooked low and slow in the slow cooker until heated through.  

party meatballs in the slow cooker liner with wooden spoon sticking out

This post contains affiliate links, please read my full disclaimer here.

You’ll find the full recipe with ingredient amounts and instructions in the recipe card at the bottom of this post. Be sure to check out the blog post itself for extra tips and tricks!

Every party menu should have cocktail meatballs on it. They are so easy to make and they are downright delicious. It’s crazy to think about how a few ingredients and a little bit of prep time can make an amazing appetizer. 

Inspired by the classic grape jelly meatball recipe, these meatballs are a little different as they are made with cranberry sauce, bbq sauce, and a couple of chipotle peppers for an added spicy kick. 

How to make Party Meatballs

First, prepare your chipotle peppers in adobo sauce by chopping them up finely. I generally buy a small can of peppers, remove two whole peppers and chop them finely with a knife. Place them in the slow cooker. For a spicier meatball sauce, add 2 tablespoon of the adobo sauce from the can.

chipotle peppers chopped on cutting mat with knife laying next to it

Next, pop open your can of jellied cranberry sauce and place the sauce in your slow cooker and use a spoon to break the jelly up. 

can of cranberry jelly sauce opened with jelly sticking out

Then add bbq sauce and stir thoroughly. 

sauce for meatballs in slow cooker insert with black spoon sticking out

Add pre-cooked frozen meatballs and stir, ensuring all the meatballs are covered in the sauce. 

frozen meatballs covered in sauce in slow cooker insert with black spoon laying on top of meatballs

Next, cover and cook on low for 3-4 hours, stirring occasionally, until the meatballs are heated through.  

meatballs on wooden spoon over slow cooker with remainder of party meatballs

Serve and enjoy 🙂

Notes:

  • If you like your sauce less spicy, leave out the extra 1-2 tablespoon of adobe pepper sauce. 
  • I use precooked frozen meatballs. I prefer beef meatballs for this recipe but any precooked meatballs you can get your hands on should work just fine. 
  • Any original bbq sauce will work fine. Homemade BBQ Sauce or Sweet Baby Ray’s work best.

Looking for other party appetizers? Try these out:

Print Recipe
5 from 2 votes

Sweet and Spicy Party Meatballs

These Sweet and Spicy Party Meatballs are the perfect easy appetizer for a crowd. With only 4 ingredients and a spicy bbq flavor, these are the perfect twist on a classic cocktail meatball recipe.
Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time4 hours
Total Time4 hours 5 minutes
Course: Appetizer
Cuisine: American
Keyword: cocktail meatballs, party meatballs
Servings: 12 people
Calories: 295kcal
Author: Tanya Harris

Equipment

Ingredients

  • 32 oz frozen precooked meatballs
  • 1 14 oz can of jellied cranberry sauce
  • 1 cup bbq sauce
  • 2 chopped Chipotle Peppers in Adobo Sauce + 2 tablespoon sauce

Instructions

  • Place ingredients in slow cooker, ensuring all the meatballs are covered. Cook on low for 3-4 hours or until the meatballs are cooked through. Serve and enjoy.

Notes

  • If you like your sauce less spicy, leave out the extra 1-2 tablespoon of adobe pepper sauce. 
  • I use precooked frozen meatballs. I prefer beef meatballs for this recipe but any meatballs you can get your hands on should work just fine. 
  • Any original bbq sauce will work fine. Homemade or Sweet Baby Ray’s work best.

Nutrition

Calories: 295kcal | Carbohydrates: 24g | Protein: 13g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 54mg | Sodium: 329mg | Potassium: 281mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 22g | Vitamin A: 199IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 20mg | Iron: 1mg

Homemade BBQ Sauce

by 7 Comments

This Homemade BBQ Sauce is ready in about 10 minutes and is the perfect combination of sweetness and spiciness. It’s perfect for any time you need a delicious bbq sauce and it’s good on ribs, poultry, and much more.

bbq sauce in bowl with spoon in it

This post contains affiliate links, please read my full disclaimer here.

You’ll find the full recipe with ingredient amounts and instructions in the recipe card at the bottom of this post. Be sure to check out the blog post itself for extra tips and tricks!

I love making my own spices and sauces when it comes to bbq. This BBQ seasoning recipe is our favorite rub to put on poultry and pork. So it just made sense that I developed a bbq sauce to go right along with it. 

This sauce has the perfect combo of sweetness and spiciness and only needs a cook time of 10 minutes to get those flavors to mend together. It’s the perfect homemade condiment to have in your fridge.

How to make BBQ Sauce

Add ketchup, onion powder, Worcestershire sauce, brown sugar, chili powder, apple cider vinegar, molasses, dry mustard, salt, cayenne pepper, and liquid smoke to a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Stir to combine. 

ingredients of bbq sauce in sauce pan

Allow the mixture to gently cook over medium-low heat for about 10 minutes stirring occasionally. 

bbq sauce in glass bowl with spoon sticking out

Remove from heat and use in your favorite BBQ recipe. 

NOTES

  • This bbq sauce has a slight kick to it because of the cayenne. Feel free to omit to keep it kick free. 
  • Make sure your heat is set to medium-low heat to avoid burning your sauce or scorching your pan. 
  • This recipe as written makes a little more than 2 cups of sauce. It can be doubled or tripled or cut in half. If doubling or tripling, increase the heat time by about 5 minutes. 
  • This sauce can be made ahead and stored. It will last in the refrigerator for about 1-2 weeks in an airtight container. I store ours in mason jars and it gets used within that time frame. 

Looking for Recipes to use this sauce with? Try these out:

Print Recipe
5 from 1 vote

Homemade BBQ Sauce

This quick and easy Homemade BBQ Sauce is perfect on chicken, ribs, or any other food that needs a little bbq love. It’s the perfect blend of sweetness and spiciness and the perfect homemade condiment. #homemadesauce #bbqsauce
Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time10 minutes
Total Time15 minutes
Course: Sauce
Cuisine: American
Keyword: barbeque sauce, bbq sauce, homemade bbq sauce
Servings: 6 people
Calories: 211kcal
Author: Tanya Harris

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Add ketchup, molasses, brown sugar, apple cider vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, onion powder, chili powder, dry mustard, cayenne pepper, salt, and liquid smoke to a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Stir to combine.
  • Allow the mixture to gently cook over medium-low heat for about 10 minutes stirring occasionally.
  • Remove from heat and use in your favorite BBQ recipe.

Notes

  • This bbq sauce has a slight kick to it because of the cayenne. Feel free to omit to keep it kick free. 
  • Make sure your heat is set to medium-low heat to avoid burning your sauce or scorching your pan. 
  • This recipe as written makes a little more than 2 cups of sauce. It can be doubled or tripled or cut in half. If doubling or tripling, increase the heat time by about 5 minutes. 
  • This sauce can be made ahead and stored. It will last in the refrigerator for about 1 week in an airtight container. I store ours in mason jars. 

Nutrition

Calories: 211kcal | Carbohydrates: 51g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 1194mg | Potassium: 646mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 45g | Vitamin A: 747IU | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 79mg | Iron: 2mg

Fried Chicken Tacos (Air Fryer)

by 4 Comments

These Fried Chicken Tacos are absolutely delicious and ready in less than 20 minutes thanks to the Air Fryer. Golden air fried chicken breast fried to perfection, topped with a vinegar-based slaw and spicy mayo wrapped up into a crispy taco.

fried chicken tacos on a staco stand

This post contains affiliate links, please read my full disclaimer here.

You’ll find the full recipe with ingredient amounts and instructions in the recipe card at the bottom of this post. Be sure to check out the blog post itself for extra tips and tricks!

Some nights I want fried chicken, and others I want tacos. I combined them together and now I have the best of both worlds! 

The great thing about this recipe is that it takes about 20 minutes to make from start to finish. It’s not only super quick and easy...the flavor combo is out of this world.

I use my air fryer to fry my chicken pieces for the tacos and I warm up by hard corn tortilla shells in the Air Fryer as well. 

hand holding finished taco

How to make Fried Chicken Tacos

Make the Toppings

I start making my coleslaw and spicy sauce for the recipe so the flavors have a few minutes to marinate before we put our tacos together.

In a large bowl, combine coleslaw mix, apple cider vinegar, water, brown sugar, salt, and red pepper flakes. Set aside. 

In a small bowl, combine good quality mayonnaise, hot sauce, buttermilk, garlic powder, and salt. Set aside. 

spicy mayonnaise in bowl with whisk sticking out, colesalw in bowl with yellow spatula sticking out

Make the Chicken

Preheat your Air Fryer to 360 degrees Fahrenheit. 

Create a dredging station by placing two large flat pans side by side. In the first, combine egg and buttermilk, a little salt and pepper, and whisk until combined.

In the second, combine flour, corn starch, salt, paprika, black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and cayenne pepper. Stir until all the seasonings are stirred into the flour. 

Cut chicken tenders into large chunks. Season them with a little salt and pepper. 

Once your Air Fryer is preheated, remove the basket and lightly spray it with oil to ensure your chicken does not stick to the basket. I use my Evo spray bottle filled with a high heat cooking oil.

Then dip your chicken into the egg mixture, shaking off any excess egg, then the flour mixture, shaking off any excess flour, and then place it in the basket. Make sure your chicken pieces are in a single layer and not overlapping. 

dredging station with egg, flour, and air fryer basket

Close the air fryer basket and cook on 360 degrees for 5 minutes. Open your air fryer basket and spray the chicken and any white spots you see, then flip the chicken and spray any white spots you see on the other side.

chicken in basket with spray bottle over basket

Close the basket and cook for 5-7 more minutes on 360 degrees Fahrenheit, until your chicken is cooked and golden brown.

cooked chicken pieces in air fryer basket

Warm the Shells

Once your chicken is done, remove the air fryer basket and remove the cooked chicken. If using hard shell tacos, place them in the air fryer basket and cook on 360 degrees Fahrenheit for 2 minutes. Use a trivet to hold the taco shells down so that they don’t fly around in the air fryer. 

Once your shells are warm, assemble your tacos by placing slaw and chicken in the shell and cover it with spicy mayonnaise sauce. 

And there you have it, delicious and easy fried chicken tacos all made in your Air Fryer. 

Looking for more taco recipes? Try this turkey taco recipe or this Ninja Foodi pork carnitas recipe.

Looking for recipes to serve these tacos with? Try these out:

Or try these Air Fryer Recipes Out:

Print Recipe
5 from 2 votes

Fried Chicken Tacos (Air Fried)

This quick and easy fried chicken taco is packed with flavor. The chicken pieces are air fried, then topped with an amazing vinegar-based coleslaw and spicy mayonnaise mixture.
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time10 minutes
Total Time20 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Keyword: fried chicken taco
Servings: 4 people
Calories: 389kcal
Author: Tanya Harris

Equipment

Ingredients

Chicken

  • 1 lb chicken tenders or breast chopped into 2-inch pieces
  • 1 large egg
  • 3 Tablespoon buttermilk
  • ¾ cup All-purpose flour
  • 3 Tablespoon corn starch
  • 1 ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon paprika
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • ½ teaspoon onion powder
  • ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • oil for spraying

Coleslaw

Spicy Mayo

  • ¼ cup mayonnaise
  • 2 Tablespoon hot sauce
  • 1 Tablespoon buttermilk
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • Tortilla wrappers

Instructions

  • In a large bowl, combine coleslaw mix, apple cider vinegar, water, brown sugar, salt, and red pepper flakes. Set aside.
  • In a small bowl, combine mayonnaise, hot sauce, buttermilk, garlic powder, and salt. Set aside.
  • Preheat your Air Fryer to 360 degrees Fahrenheit.
  • Create a dredging station by placing two large flat pans side by side. In the first, whisk together egg and buttermilk, and season with salt and pepper. In the second, whisk flour, corn starch, salt, paprika, black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and cayenne pepper.
  • Cut chicken tenders into 1-inch chunks. Season them with a little salt and pepper.
  • Once your Air Fryer is preheated, remove the basket and lightly spray it with oil. Then coat your chicken with the egg mixture, shaking off any excess egg, then the flour mixture, and then place it in the basket, making sure your chicken pieces are not overlapping.
  • Close the air fryer basket and cook on 360 degrees for 10 minutes, flipping and spraying halfway through cooking.
  • Once the chicken is done, remove and place chicken into warmed tortilla shells. Top with coleslaw and spicy mayonnaise.

Video

Notes

  • I suggest using a good quality mayo for your spicy mayo sauce. I use Duke’s.
  • Make sure the flour spots on your chicken is fully covered with oil when spraying.
  • Use any oil with a high smoke point for spraying. (Canola, olive, avocado, vegetable, etc.)

Nutrition

Calories: 389kcal | Carbohydrates: 31g | Protein: 29g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 121mg | Sodium: 1889mg | Potassium: 573mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 534IU | Vitamin C: 19mg | Calcium: 47mg | Iron: 2mg

Holiday Gift Guide: 15 Kitchen Gifts for $20 or Less

by 1 Comment

Finding the perfect gift for someone who loves to cook without spending a fortune isn’t always the easiest thing to do. With so many options on the market, it’s hard to know if your purchase will be well accepted by the receiver or if it’ll just get tossed to the side never to be opened or used. Here’s a list of kitchen gadgets that are $20.00 or less and useful. 

This post contains affiliate links, please read my full disclaimer here.

Holiday Kitchen Tools

Find useful tools that make the perfect gift for home cooks.

1

World Market Blue Ceramic Mason Jars Measuring Cups 

Photo Credit: www.amazon.com

This stylish mason jar holds beautiful measuring cups all in one place.

2

ZYLISS Burger Press, Hamburger Patty Maker, Adjustable ¼ lb and ½ lb

Photo Credit: www.amazon.com

Make perfectly formed burgers and patties with a burger press. This press let's you choose between ¼ lb or ½ lb burgers. Use this to make a delicious Turkey Burger

3

Bamboo Book Stand with Adjustable Book Holder Tray and Page Paper Clips

Photo Credit: www.amazon.com

Follow along with your favorite cookbook recipes in the kitchen with this bamboo cookbook holder. The metal flaps at the bottom hold the pages perfectly in place. It can also be used to hold your tablets or phones. Here's a list of cookbooks I recommend for beginner cooks.

4

Indoor Herb Garden Starter Kit - Certified 100% USDA Organic Non GMO Basil, Cilantro, Parsley, Sage, Thyme 

Photo Credit: www.amazon.com

Grow your herbs indoor and have a supply of delicious herbs to season your favorite recipes.

5

Reusable Metal Straw With Case - Drinking collapsible reuseble 

Photo Credit: www.amazon.com

Although this metal straw has nothing to do with cooking, any home cook would appreciate this handy tool. Metal straws are good for the environment and cut down on the waste of plastic straws. This foldable straw is perfect for taking with you and using it in your favorite drinks. It’s the perfect stocking stuffer.

6

Good Cook 25739 Touch High-Temp Hamburger Meat Chopper

Photo Credit: www.amazon.com

This is perfect for chopping meats and getting them perfectly crumbled in the skillet. See it in action is this Sausage Gravy recipe.

7

Angry Mom Microwave Cleaner 

Photo Credit: www.amazon.com

This cute angry mama does a great job cleaning a dirty microwave. All you need is vinegar, water, and a cloth to easily clean with this mama.

8

Hotec Stainless Steel Kitchen Tongs Set of 2 

Photo Credit: www.amazon.com

Food tongs are essential items when it comes to flipping and moving foods while cooking. These stainless steel ones are durable and would be much appreciated by any home cook.

9

MERCIER Professional Needle Meat Tenderizer

Photo Credit: www.amazon.com

Get rid of the huge mallets and invest in a small and handheld meat tenderizer. 

10

Silicone Utensil Rest with Drip Pad for Multiple Utensils at Once

Photo Credit: www.amazon.com

This multi-utensil rest is perfect for home cooks. No more laying dirty utensils on the counter with this kitchen tool. Keeps your kitchen tidy and neat while you are cooking.

11

6 Quart Blue Kitchen Collapsible Colander with Extendable Sturdy Handles

Photo Credit: www.amazon.com

This colander clings on to your sink making it hands-free. It’s perfect when you need to drain a huge pot of pasta and don’t want to hold a colander in one hand. 

12

3 PCS Cookie Scoops for Baking Include Large-Medium-Small Size

Photo Credit: www.amazon.com

Cookie scoops can have many uses around the kitchen and having different sizes are helpful to any home cook. 

13

Garlic Press. Stainless Steel Mincer & Crusher With Silicone Roller Peeler

Photo Credit: www.amazon.com

Mince fresh garlic in seconds with this handy dandy device. 

14

Reusable Silicone Food Storage Bags Set of 6

Photo Credit: www.amazon.com

These Silicone Food Storage Bags are perfect for the home cook who wants to store food in baggies without using disposable bags. These bags provide a great seal and are reusable.

15

 Digital Multifunction Kitchen and Food Scale

Photo Credit: www.amazon.com

Kitchen scales aren’t just for bakers. Home cooks can find kitchen scales useful in measuring out ingredients for their favorite recipes or for storing foods in a pre-measured amount.

Caribbean Rum Cake

by 19 Comments

This Caribbean Rum Cake recipe is inspired by the Tortuga rum cakes. A moist vanilla sponge cake that is soaked in a sweet rum mixture, topped with a delicious pecan crunch.

photo of finished rum bundt cake

You’ll find the full recipe with ingredient amounts and instructions in the recipe card at the bottom of this post. Be sure to check out the blog post itself for extra tips and tricks!

If you want to impress your future in-laws, bake them a Caribbean Rum Cake. Well, that’s what I did. My then guy friend, who is now my husband, invited me to his house for Thanksgiving soon after we met. I wanted to bring something delicious yet a little risky. Rum cake became a clear choice to bring. 

The popular Tortuga rum cake inspires this cake and is now requested by family year after year.

This cake is made with boxed cake mix (shhh, that’ll be our little secret) and soaked with good-quality dark rum. I initially found the recipe on Allrecipes, but I have made a few adjustments over the years to suit my taste. 

How to make Caribbean Rum Cake

First, preheat your oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit. 

Generously grease a bundt cake pan with unsalted butter. I use a whole 2 Tablespoons to grease the pan, and I make sure every nook and cranny is coated so the cake doesn’t stick. Then place chopped pecans in the bottom of the bundt pan and sprinkle with a bit of brown sugar. Set aside.  

pecans and brown sugar in bottom of bundt pan

In a large bowl, sift the boxed cake mix and the package of dry vanilla pudding mix. Add eggs, rum, milk, and vegetable oil and stir until thoroughly combined.

flour and vanilla pudding being sifted over bowl
cake batter being stirred in bowl

Pour mixture into bundt pan. Bake in preheated oven for 45-50 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. 

cake batter being poured into bundt pan over pecans

How to make Caribbean Rum Cake Glaze

When your cake is almost done baking, start to prepare the glaze. 

Combine butter, water, ½ cup brown sugar, and ½ cup white sugar in a saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a boil and boil for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and stir in ½ cup of rum. 

When the Cake is done baking, remove it from the oven and use a toothpick to poke holes in the cake while it is still in the bundt pan. Then pour the glaze over the cake while it remains in the bundt pan. Allow the glaze to soak into the cake for about 15-20 minutes. 

rum cake glaze being poured over cake

After soaking, use a butter knife to release the cake from the bundt pan. Remove the cake from the bundt cake by flipping it onto a platter. 

rum cake on platter

Serve and enjoy. 

Notes

  • I use Myers’s dark rum for this recipe. I’ve used other brands but prefer Myer’s over all others. 
  • This rum cake tastes like rum. If you’re not a fan of boozy cake, you won’t like this recipe. 
  • This cake isn’t for the children. 
  • This cake can be eaten when done, but is best after being refrigerated for a day. 

I hope you enjoy this rum cake as much as my family and I do.

Looking for other delicious cake recipes? Try these out:

Print Recipe
4.91 from 10 votes

Caribbean Rum Cake

This Caribbean Rum Cake is inspired by the Tortuga rum cakes sold in the Caribbean and many stores in the States.
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time45 minutes
Cooling20 minutes
Total Time1 hour 15 minutes
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: caribbean rum cake, tortuga rum cake
Servings: 16 people
Calories: 355kcal
Author: Tanya Harris

Ingredients

For Cake

  • 2 Tablespoons unsalted butter softened
  • ½ cup pecans chopped
  • 1 Tablespoon light brown sugar
  • 1 15.25 oz box yellow cake mix
  • 1 3.4 oz box instant vanilla pudding mix
  • 4 large eggs
  • ½ cup milk
  • ½ cup vegetable oil
  • ½ cup dark rum

For Glaze

  • ½ cup unsalted butter
  • ¼ cup water
  • ½ cup granulated sugar
  • ½ cup light brown sugar
  • ½ cup dark rum

Instructions

For Cake

  • Preheat your oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit.
  • Generously grease a 10-inch bundt cake pan with unsalted butter.
  • Place chopped pecans in the bottom of the bundt pan and sprinkle with brown sugar. Set aside.
  • In a large bowl, add boxed cake mix and a package of dry vanilla pudding mix in a large bowl. Add eggs, milk, vegetable oil, and ½ cup of rum and stir until thoroughly combined. Pour mixture into bundt pan over the pecans.
  • Bake in the preheated oven for 45-50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean.

For Glaze

  • Combine butter, water, ½ cup brown sugar, and ½ cup granulated sugar in a saucepan over medium heat. Bring to boil and boil for about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in ½ cup of rum.
  • When cake is done baking, remove from oven and use a toothpick to poke holes in the cake while it is still in the bundt pan. Then pour the glaze over the cake while it remains in the bundt pan. Allow the glaze to soak into the cake for about 15-20 minutes.
  • After soaking, use a butter knife to release the sides of the cake from the bundt pan. Remove cake from bundt pan by flipping it onto a platter.
  • Serve and enjoy.

Notes

  • I use Myers’s dark rum for this recipe. I’ve used other brands but prefer Myer’s over all others. 
  • This rum cake tastes like rum. If you’re not a fan of boozy cake, you won’t like this recipe. 
  • This cake isn’t for the children. 
  • This cake can be eaten when done but is best after being refrigerated for a day. 

Nutrition

Calories: 355kcal | Carbohydrates: 41g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Cholesterol: 57mg | Sodium: 308mg | Potassium: 62mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 27g | Vitamin A: 249IU | Calcium: 93mg | Iron: 1mg

Recipe adapted from All Recipes.

Moist Chocolate Cola Cake

by 25 Comments

This recipe for Chocolate Cola Cake is moist and so easy to make. Full of chocolaty flavor and covered in a sweet cola frosting everyone will love.

fork sticking out of piece of chocolate cola cake with crushed can and cake pan in background

This post contains affiliate links, please read my full disclaimer here.

You’ll find the full recipe with ingredient amounts and instructions in the recipe card at the bottom of this post. Be sure to check out the blog post itself for extra tips and tricks!

Years ago my hubby, who was my boyfriend at the time, took me on a trip to Charleston, SC. I won’t bore you with the details of the entire trip but we visited a restaurant called Jestine’s. We had to wait in a line that was wrapped around the building so once we got inside, I ordered a whole bunch of things from the menu. For dessert, I had Coca Cola Cake. It was so darn delicious. 

Now this isn’t Jestine’s recipe because I’m sure hers is made from scratch. For my recipe, I use a boxed chocolate cake mix (why not) and add a can of cola (You can use coca-cola or any budget brand) and 2 eggs. Yes, you read that right, the base of this cake only has 3 ingredients and it comes out so moist and chocolate. Let’s get to the recipe.

How to Make Chocolate Cola Cake

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and grease a 13x9 pan. Set aside. In a large bowl, add boxed cake mix, 2 large eggs, and a whole can of cola. The mixture will foam up like crazy when you pour the cola in, allow it to settle down a bit and start stirring until the mixture is thoroughly combined. 

cola soda being poured into bowl with boxed caked mix
mixed cake batter with white spoon sticking out of bowl

Pour mixture into your prepared pan and bake in preheated oven for 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. 

finished cola cake without frosting

Prepare the Cola Frosting

While your cake is baking, prepare the frosting by melting ½ cup of butter in a saucepan. Add cola and cocoa powder and bring the mixture to a slight boil. It won’t be a rapid boil, just slight bubbles popping in the mixture. Remove from heat and stir in powdered sugar until fully combined. You will notice the mixture thicken as your stir in the powdered sugar. 

whisk with chocolate frosting dripping from it over sauce pan

Pour-over the cake once it’s done baking. Allow the frosting to cool on the cake for about 5-10 minutes before serving. 

cola frosting being poured over chocolate cake

And there you have it, rich and chocolaty cola cake.  

Finished Chocolate Cola Cake cut into pieces with one piece missing

Notes

  • Sooo….I tested this recipe in an airfryer because why not! Prepare the cake batter as instructed and pour it into an 8 inch air fryer cake pan. All the batter will fit. I used the same pan I used in my Air Fryer Brownie recipe. Cook on 320 degrees for 30-35 minutes. Cut the frosting in half for the smaller air fryer cake. 
  • If you’d like a bit of crunch, add some chopped pecans to the frosting after you add the powdered sugar. 
  • This cake is best served warm but we eat it cold and still love it. 

Looking for other yummy cake recipes? Try these out:

slice of cola cake on white plate
Print Recipe
4.54 from 28 votes

Easy Chocolate Cola Cake Recipe

This easy and delicious Chocolate Cola Cake recipe is moist and delicious and covered in a delicious cola infused chocolate frosting.
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time35 minutes
Resting time5 minutes
Total Time50 minutes
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: chocolate cola cake, coca cola cake, cola cake
Servings: 15 people
Calories: 323.95kcal
Author: Tanya Harris

Equipment

Ingredients

  • 15.25 oz box chocolate cake mix
  • 2 large eggs
  • 12 oz can Cola soda

Chocolate Cola Frosting

  • ½ cup unsalted butter
  • 3 Tablespoons cocoa powder
  • 6 Tablespoons Cola soda
  • 4 cups powdered sugar

Instructions

  • Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and grease a 13x9 pan. Set aside. In a large bowl, add boxed cake mix, 2 large eggs, and a whole can of cola. Stir mixture until combined.
  • Pour mixture into your prepared pan and bake in preheated oven for 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Remove from oven and set aside.

Chocolate Cola Frosting

  • Meanwhile, prepare your frosting by placing butter, cocoa powder, and cola in a sauce pan and heat over medium heat until it begins to boil slightly (you'll notice bubbles popping). Remove from heat and whisk in powdered sugar until thoroughly combined. Pour mixture over cake.
  • Allow frosting to cool on cake for 5-10 minutes before serving.

Notes

  • Sooo….I tested this recipe in an airfryer because why not! Prepare the cake batter as instructed and pour it into an 8 inch air fryer cake pan. All the batter will fit. I used the same pan I used in my Air Fryer Brownie recipe. Cook on 320 degrees for 30-35 minutes. Cut the frosting in half for the smaller air fryer cake. 
  • If you’d like a bit of crunch, add some chopped pecans to the frosting after you add the powdered sugar. 
  • This cake is best served warm but we eat it cold and still love it.

Nutrition

Calories: 323.95kcal | Carbohydrates: 56.49g | Protein: 2.72g | Fat: 11.33g | Saturated Fat: 5.09g | Cholesterol: 38.09mg | Sodium: 302.03mg | Potassium: 118.38mg | Fiber: 1.02g | Sugar: 45.11g | Vitamin A: 220.77IU | Calcium: 49.58mg | Iron: 1.58mg

11 Tasty Instant Pot Thanksgiving Recipes

by Leave a Comment

Here are 11 Instant Pot Thanksgiving Recipes I’m sure you will enjoy. From turkey, potatoes, vegetables, and even desserts.

Instant Pot Thanksgiving Recipes

If your oven is too busy roasting a turkey and you’d like to put your pressure cooker to good use, then these Instant Pot Thanksgiving Recipes are just what you need. From main dishes to side dishes, and desserts.


Instant Pot Turkey Breast (Bone-in or Boneless)

You can make a bone-in or boneless turkey breast right in your Air Fryer. It’s perfect if you need a little extra turkey meat or if you’d rather just have a smaller breast for a smaller dinner. The instructions include how to create a gravy with the turkey drippings. 

Creamy Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes

These Creamy Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes will be the talk of the dinner table as they are so creamy and delicious. I use white truffle flavored olive oil and parmesan cheese to add a restaurant-quality taste to them. You could always substitute butter instead if that’s more your speed.

White Cheddar Pressure Cooker Pasta

Everyone is making traditional mac and cheese, why not surprise them with white cheddar pasta instead. This creamy, delicious, and super cheesy pasta recipe is all made in your Instant Pot.

Southern Style Pressure Cooker Collard Greens Recipe

These Collard Greens are a family favorite and they’re seasoned to perfection with the help of a smoked turkey leg. It’s a simple dump and press the button kind of recipe for the Instant Pot. Instructions for making it meatless are included as well.

Instant Pot Buttered Cabbage

This Southern Buttered Cabbage recipe is absolutely perfect in the Instant Pot. With only 6 ingredients and a 6 minute pressure cook time, it will be one of the easiest sides you make this Thanksgiving. 

Cheddar and Sour Cream Corn on the Cob Seasoning

This Cheddar and Sour Cream Corn on the Cob is a fun twist on the traditional corn on the cob. Cook the corn in the Instant Pot to make perfect corn on the cob, and then cover it an amazing sour cream and cheddar blend.

Copycat Rice a Roni

You can never go wrong with flavorful rice pilaf for Thanksgiving dinner. This Copycat Rice a Roni can easily be made in your Instant Pot from scratch. 

Instant Pot Cajun Dirty Rice

Speaking of rice, this Cajun Dirty Rice is so flavorful that it belongs on every Thanksgiving table. This recipe calls for chicken livers to get that authentic dirty rice taste, but those who don’t like it can leave it out.

Creamy Mushroom and Parmesan Instant Pot Risotto

Mushroom risotto may not seem like your traditional Thanksgiving side by why not? Your family will be thoroughly impressed by the depth of flavor and texture of this amazing risotto. 

Instant Pot Carrot Cake Cheesecake

Let’s not forget the lovely desserts of Thanksgiving. It’s such a great idea to combine two dessert options in one dish. This Carrot Cake Cheesecake made in the Instant Pot is exquisite. It will be hard not to grab a second slice.

Instant Pot Bread Pudding with Pecan Caramel Glaze

This Bread Pudding with Pecan Caramel Glaze made in the Instant Pot will be the talk of the dinner table. Whether to serve it for breakfast or dessert will be the hardest decision you’ll need to make.

I hope you enjoy all these wonderful recipes for your Instant Pot Pressure Cooker. You can find more Pressure Cooker recipes on the site as well.

If you're wanting more Thanksgiving recipes that aren't made in an Instant Pot, try these out:

7 Easy Air Fryer Recipes for Beginners

by 8 Comments

These Easy Air Fryer Recipes are perfect for beginners who just received an Air Fryer. They’ll get you comfortable with making delicious food in your Air Fryer with minimal steps and ingredients.

Easy Air Fryer Recipes

The Air Fryer has been a game-changer in our house as it has allowed me to create delicious quick and easy recipes for myself and my family. I’ve gathered the easiest recipes to get you started on your Air Frying journey.  

Perfect Air Fryer Steak with Garlic Herb Butter

One of my most popular air fryer recipes and it’s for good reason as this is the recipe that will impress your friends and family. A juicy steak prepared in your Air Fryer? You bet. This steak is also topped with a delicious garlic herb butter that will make you feel like you’re at an expensive fancy restaurant.

How to Make Air Fryer Chicken Wings (Fresh or Frozen)

The Air Fryer is known for making the absolute best chicken wings! They come out crispy on the outside and nice and juicy on the inside. If you’ve got about 30 minutes and some amazing rubs or sauces, then this air fryer recipe is right up your ally. I explain how to make these chicken wings from fresh or frozen chicken wings.

Crispy Air Fryer Chickpeas (4 Different Flavors)

This recipe is perfect for those who want to see the true essence of how foods can get crispy and crunchy in the air fryer. All you need is a can of chickpeas, a little oil, and your favorite seasonings. I’ve included four seasonings for your chickpeas in this recipe.

The Easiest Air Fryer Hot Dogs

This may be your go-to recipe for hot dogs from now on. It’s perfect if you want to make one hot dog or 6. The beauty of this recipe is that your hot dogs will be perfectly cooked and crisp and you can toast the bread at the same time.

Air Fryer S'mores

One of the easiest things you can make in your Air Fryer. These S’mores are done and ready in your Air Fryer in less than a few minutes resulting in perfectly toasted marshmallows and crispy graham crackers. It’s an Air Fryer dessert recipe perfect for beginners.

Lemon Pepper Air Fryer Chicken Thighs

One of my favorite things to make in the Air Fryer are chicken thighs. They’re forgiving when it comes to overcooking so don’t worry if you leave them in a little longer than recommended, your results will still be delicious and juicy meat. This Lemon Pepper Air Fryer Chicken Thighs recipe is the perfect weeknight meal that can be prepared in less than 30 minutes.

Marinated Air Fryer Salmon

The Air Fryer is perfect for making delicious flaky fish. This recipe calls for a quick marinade and then placing it in the Air Fryer. It’s sure to be a family favorite and you may not want to make salmon any other way.

And there you have it. 7 easy air fryer recipes that will help you get acquainted with your Air Fryer. If you’d like to find more recipes for your Air Fryer, you can find them on my Air Fryer Recipes page.

If you're looking for other helpful Air Fryer articles, check these out:

Fudgy & Easy Air Fryer Brownies (From Scratch!)

by 62 Comments

These Air Fryer Brownies are perfect for when you want a small batch of rich, fudgy brownies and don’t want to turn on the oven. They are made from scratch and are the perfect mix between fudgy and cakey brownies.

brownies stacked on top of one another

This post contains affiliate links, please read my full disclaimer here.

You’ll find the full recipe with ingredient amounts and instructions in the recipe card at the bottom of this post. Be sure to check out the blog post itself for extra tips and tricks!

Chocolate. It’s my weakness. And if I could, I would make a huge batch of brownies and eat the whole pan to myself. But society tells me that’s a bad idea. Thanks to my Air Fryer, I can make a small batch of brownies suitable for 4 (I’ll share with hubby and the kids) that won’t heat up the entire house. That’s where these brownies in the Air Fryer come in handy. 

After making S’mores on my Air Fryer, I was hooked on creating simple and easy dessert recipes in my Air Fryer. These brownies are so simple yet delicious and they can be made in one bowl.

When it comes to baking in your Air Fryer, you will need the following guideline:

  • Use smaller tools. 7-inch pans or smaller come in handy when baking in the Air Fryer. Certain Air Fryer Accessory kits have smaller pans for baking.
  • Reduce the temperature and time for baking in the Air Fryer. The general rule of thumb is to reduce by 30 degrees and cut time by 20%. These tips and others can be found in my Air Fryer Tips and Tricks post.
  • Cut recipes in half. Since Air Fryers are smaller than your oven, trying to convert an entire cake or brownie recipe may not work. Cut it in half should ensure that your baked goods get baked perfectly.

🧾 A Quick Look at the Ingredients

Ingredient amounts and full recipe instructions are on the printable recipe card at the bottom of the post.

  • Dry ingredients: all-purpose flour, unsweetened cocoa powder, sugar, salt, baking powder
  • Wet ingredients: melted unsalted butter, vegetable oil, vanilla extract, eggs

🍳 Tools You’ll Need

  • Mixing bowls
  • Whisk or silicone spatula
  • 6-inch round or square baking pan (that fits in your air fryer)
  • Nonstick spray or parchment paper
  • Air fryer

How to make Air Fryer Brownies

First, prepare your 7-inch baking pan by generously greasing with butter on the bottom and all sides. Set aside. 

Preheat your Air Fryer by setting the temperature to 330 degrees Fahrenheit and allowing it to run for about 5 minutes while you prepare your brownie batter. 

Add your all-purpose flour, cocoa powder, melted butter, sugar, eggs, vegetable oil, salt, baking powder, and vanilla extract into a large bowl and stir until thoroughly combined. Your batter should be thick.

baking pan greased with butter
brownie batter in bowl with spoon sticking out

Add it to the prepared baking pan and smooth out the top. 

Place in your preheated Air Fryer and bake for 15 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out mostly clean. 

brownie batter in baking pan in air fryer basket
finished baked air fryer brownies

Remove and allow to cool in the pan before removing and cutting. 

finished air fryer brownies cut up

You can add in your favorite nuts before baking if you like. The kids don't generally like them, so I usually leave them out. But ¼ cup of walnuts added to this brownie mixture is a dream come true.

side picture of inside of air fryer brownies

You could check out this recipe if you prefer to make air fryer brownies from a box.

Tanya's Top Tips

  • If you don't have a basket-style air fryer, you can make brownies in a toaster oven with an air fry setting at the same temperature and time.
  • Store any leftover air fryer brownies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days, or refrigerate for up to a week to keep them extra fudgy. For longer storage, wrap individual brownies tightly and freeze them in a freezer-safe container for up to 2 months—just thaw at room temperature or warm in the microwave before serving.

I hope you enjoy this brownie recipe as much as we do. You'll love it topped with ice cream or whipped cream.

Other air fryer dessert recipes to try?

brownies stacked on top of each other
Print Recipe
4.68 from 52 votes

Easy Air Fryer Brownies Recipe

Make quick and easy air fryer brownies from scratch in your Air fryer. They’re delicious and the perfect mix between a fudge and cake brownie. They are the perfect small batch of brownies when you don’t want to turn on the oven.
Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time15 minutes
Total Time20 minutes
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: air fryer brownies
Servings: 4 people
Calories: 385kcal
Author: Tanya Harris

Ingredients

  • ½ cup all-purpose flour
  • 6 Tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
  • ¾ cup sugar
  • ¼ cup unsalted butter melted
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 Tablespoon vegetable oil
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon baking powder

Instructions

  • Prepare your 7-inch baking pan by generously greasing with butter on the bottom and all sides. Set aside.
  • Preheat your Air Fryer by setting the temperature to 330 degrees Fahrenheit and allowing it to run for about 5 minutes while you prepare your brownie batter.
  • Add your all-purpose flour, cocoa powder, sugar, butter, eggs, vegetable oil, vanilla extract, salt, and baking powder into a large bowl and stir until thoroughly combined.
  • Add it to the prepared baking pan and smooth out the top.
  • Place in your preheated Air Fryer and bake for 15 minutes or until a toothpick entered in the center comes out mostly clean.
  • Remove and allow to cool in the pan before removing and cutting.

Notes

  • Various Air Fryer models will bake at different rates so some bake times may vary. The bake time as provided is a guideline.

Nutrition

Calories: 385kcal | Carbohydrates: 54g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Cholesterol: 112mg | Sodium: 181mg | Potassium: 202mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 38g | Vitamin A: 473IU | Calcium: 40mg | Iron: 2mg

Air Fryer French Fries (Fresh or Frozen)

by 13 Comments

Here’s how to make delicious and perfect Air Fryer French Fries from fresh or frozen. These fries are crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside. Follow this guide to make perfect french fries in your Air Fryer.

air fryer french fries in basket

You’ll find the full recipe with ingredient amounts and instructions in the recipe card at the bottom of this post. Be sure to check out the blog post itself for extra tips and tricks!

I’ve been on an air fryer craze for quite a while now. As you can see, my Air Fryer recipes have grown and grown over the past year. Who would have thought that my obsession with this device would have started over a pregnancy craving for french fries?

I wanted fried foods but needed a healthier alternative and the air fryer came in handy. French fries and potato wedges are my go-to sides to make in the Air Fryer. Here’s how I make perfectly delicious and healthy french fries from fresh or frozen. 

How to make Air Fryer Fench Fries (Fresh)

First, you’ll want to grab 1-3 russet potatoes and cut them into equal sizes. I aim for about ½ inch in size. Cutting them into equal portions will ensure they will cook evenly.

knife cutting potato

Soak your Potatoes

Then, you’ll need to soak them. You’ll hear some people say they don’t soak their potatoes. I swear by it and do the same method for my Air Fryer Breakfast Potatoes. It removes the excess starch and you’ll notice a difference in taste or texture.

I soak for a whole hour. However, if you don’t have time for all that, a two-minute rinse in a colander with high pressured water does the trick. That’s how my husband does it and it yields great results.

cut fries in bowl of water

Dry your Potatoes and Toss in Oil

Once the starch has been removed from your potatoes, drain them and dry them with a paper towel or kitchen towel. Then place them in a dry bowl and add oil. I know, some people feel that Air fryers need no oil. For delicious crispy fries, you need a little oil. Whichever kind of oil you decide to use is fine as long aa it is an oil with a high smoke point. 

cut fries drying on paper towel
cut fries in bowl in oil

Air Fry

Set your Air fryer to 400 degrees Fahrenheit and Air fry for 22-30 minutes. Shake and toss the fries every 5 minutes. This step is of prime importance. If you forget to shake or wait until your fries are halfway done, you’ll end up with partially done fries. I set a timer to make sure I remember to shake.

cut fries in air fryer basket
cooked air fryer fries

Different Air fryers cook at different temperatures depending on the wattage of the air fryer, the basket type, and how many fries you place in the basket, so the cooking time will vary from machine to machine. 

Special Note: If making one potato in a single layer, cook for about 12-15 minutes as fries in a single layer cook and crisp even faster. Cooking longer may result in burnt fries.

Other special note: Fresh fries are crispy while warm but do become softer if they get cold.

Once your fries are done, remove the basket and season the fries.

How to make Air Fryer Frozen French Fries

There’s a whole different technique when it comes to making frozen fries.

First, place the frozen fries in the Air Fryer basket. DO NOT ADD OIL. Frozen french fries already have oil added and are generally partially cooked. This is why they are able to stay so crispy, even when they get cold. 

Air Fry on 400 degrees Fahrenheit for at least 8 minutes. Some frozen French fries, like the Great Value brand from Walmart, will have air fryer directions on the back. Despite that, I still always check at the 8-minute mark.

air fryer frozen french fries in air fryer basket
cooked french fries in basket

Just like the fresh, you will want to shake your frozen fries every few minutes until they are done. Frozen fries generally will take anywhere from 8-12 minutes, depending on your Air Fryer brand as well as how many fries you place in the basket.

And there you have it, perfectly cooked french fries made in your Air fryer from fresh or frozen. Season them with my homemade blend of french fry seasoning for the best fries.

If you're looking for more Air Fryer recipes to serve these fries with, try these out:

cooked air fryer fries
Print Recipe
5 from 1 vote

Air Fryer French Fries (Fresh or Frozen)

Here’s how I make Crispy Air Fryer French Fries from Fresh or Frozen. Fries made in the Air Fryer are known to be healthy, crispy, and delicious. Whether homemade or previously frozen, you’ll be hooked on air frying fries.
Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time22 minutes
Soak Time1 hour
Total Time1 hour 27 minutes
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Keyword: air fryer french fries, air fryer frozen french fries
Servings: 4 people
Calories: 104kcal
Author: Tanya Harris

Equipment

Ingredients

Fresh Fries

  • 1-3 medium sized russet potatoes cut into ½ inch fries
  • 2 Tablespoon olive oil

Frozen French Fries

  • 1-2 lbs Frozen French Fries

Instructions

Fresh Fries

  • Soak the cut potatoes for 1 hour in a bowl of water.
  • Drain the potatoes and dry them with a paper towel or kitchen towel. Then place them in a dry bowl and add oil.
  • Set your Air fryer to 400 degrees Fahrenheit and Air fry for 22-30 minutes. Shake the basket every 5 minutes.

Frozen Fries

  • First, place the frozen fries in the Air Fryer basket. DO NOT ADD OIL. Air Fry on 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 8-12 minutes.

Notes

  • Nutrition info calculated and provided is for fresh fries, not frozen. 
  • Different Air fryers cook at different temperatures depending on the wattage of the air fryer, the basket type, and how many fries you place in the basket, so the cooking time will vary from machine to machine.

Nutrition

Calories: 104kcal | Carbohydrates: 10g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 3mg | Potassium: 222mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 7mg | Iron: 1mg

How to Make Air Fryer Chicken Wings (Fresh or Frozen)

by 36 Comments

If you’re looking for all the tips and tricks to perfect Air Fryer Chicken Wings, I’ve got you covered. Here’s how to make perfectly crispy chicken wings in your Air Fryer from fresh or frozen, sauced or dry-rubbed.

air fryer chicken wings laid on a paper

You’ll find the full recipe with ingredient amounts and instructions in the recipe card at the bottom of this post. Be sure to check out the blog post itself for extra tips and tricks!

Air Fryers are famous for making delicious and crispy chicken wings. Chicken wings in the Air Fryer are the perfect appetizer or game-day snack as they are quick to make and are done in 30 minutes or less. 

I’ve shared my Korean Air Fried Chicken Wings that are breaded and extra crunchy, but this ultimate guide for chicken wings covers how to make naked wings, saucy wings, fresh wings, and frozen wings. After making and eating tons of wings, I’ve learned a few tips on how to get golden and delicious wings. 

  1. Don’t overcrowd the basket. Your wings need circulation to get nice and crisp. The wings can be touching but the basket should not be filled to the brim. 
  2. Turn your wings every 5-7 minutes. This will ensure that the wings are evenly cooked. I like to use tongs to turn my wings rather than tossing.
  3. Don’t add seasonings until after air frying. That’s how you will get the maximum flavor on your wings. 
  4. Start with a clean Air Fryer. If your Air Fryer is not clean, your Air fryer may start to smoke while your wings are cooking. 
chicken wings in sauce on paper

How to Make Air Fryer Wings from Fresh Chicken Wings

First, make sure your chicken wings are dried before placing them in the Air Fryer. 

Lay your wings in a single layer in the Air Fryer basket. It’s ok if they overlap or if you have to lay a few on top. The wings will still get crispy so long as you turn them every few minutes. 

 Close the Air Fryer basket and cook the wings on 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 25-30 minutes shaking every 5-7 minutes. Cook until wings are desired crispiness and have at least reached a temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit. 

Once the wings are cooked, place in a large bowl and season with your favorite dry rub or sauce. If using a sauce, toss the wings in the sauce and place back in the air fryer for 2 minutes on 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Remove the wings and toss in sauce again. This is how to get perfectly sauced wings.

raw chicken wings in air fryer basket
cooked chicken wings in air fryer basket

How to make Air Fryer Wings from Frozen Chicken Wings

I found that in order to get my frozen chicken wings crispy in the Air Fryer I had to do a little extra work. Fact is frozen wings have a ton of excess water and once you start Air Frying, that water leaks into the bottom of the basket, causing a lot of steam in the Air Fryer. That’s not the optimal environment for crispiness. In order to get frozen wings crispy, I do the following. 

Lay the frozen wings in the Air Fryer basket and start cooking on 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 30-35 minutes turning every 5-7 minutes. 

Halfway through cooking, remove the Air Fryer basket and drain the excess liquid. Make sure the basket is placed over a large bowl so you don’t leak chicken juice everywhere. Once all the liquid in the bottom of the basket has drained, return the basket to the base and start Air Frying again. Cook until your wings are fully cooked and your desired crispiness. 

Additional Note: The draining of the liquid is an optional step and it truly depends on the Air Fryer basket. In my Phillips Air Fryer, the wings can get crispy even with the additional liquid in the basket. However, in my Bella Pro Air Fryer, I have to drain the liquid to get it crispy.

frozen chicken wings in air fryer basket
raw chicken dripping from frozen chicken in bottom of air fryer

Toss in your favorite dry rub or sauce. 

And there you have it, perfectly crisp and delicious Air Fryer chicken wings from frozen.

cooked chicken wings in air fryer basket with seasoning in it

Common Questions for Air Fryer Chicken Wings

Do I need to pre-heat my Air Fryer? Each Air Fryer will have instructions on whether the Air fryer should be preheated or not. My advice is to follow those instructions. However, if you don't preheat, your wings will still be fine.

Do I need to spray my chicken wings with oil? Not if they are not breaded. Chicken wings will produce their own grease while cooking, which will allow the Air Fryer to crisp them up. If they are, a light spray of chicken oil will ensure that breading is nice and golden. 

What’s the best breading for chicken wings? There are a ton of options when it comes to breading if you want to go that route. You could use potato starch, flour, crushed pork rinds, as well as baking powder. These help give an extra layer of crunch. 

How to reheat chicken wings? To reheat leftover chicken wings, place in your Air Fryer and cook on 400 degrees for 5-7 minutes. 

And there you have it, your guide to perfect and delicious chicken wings in the air Fryer? If you’re interested in reading more of my guides to become the perfect Air fryer chef, check these out:

Suggested Rubs and Sauces for Wings?

For more chicken in your Air Fryer recipes, try these out:

cooked chicken wings in baskets with ranch in the middle

Watch this video tutorial and see how I make these chicken wings from start to finish.

Print Recipe
4.92 from 12 votes

How to Make Air Fryer Chicken Wings (Fresh or Frozen)

These Crispy Air Fryer Chicken Wings are easy to make from fresh or frozen. Here are all the tips and tricks to get perfect crispy wings each and every time.
Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time30 minutes
Total Time35 minutes
Course: Appetizer
Cuisine: American
Keyword: air fryer chicken wings
Servings: 4 people
Calories: 272kcal
Author: Tanya Harris

Ingredients

  • 2 lbs chicken wings fresh or frozen
  • Favorite seasoning dry rub or sauce

Instructions

Fresh Chicken Wings

  • Dry your chicken wings.
  • Place your wings in the Air Fryer basket.
  • Close the Air Fryer basket and cook the wings on 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 25-30 minutes shaking every 5-7 minutes. Cook until wings are desired crispiness and at least have a temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
  • Once wings are cooked, place in a large bowl and season with your favorite dry rub or sauce. If using a sauce toss the wings in the sauce and place back in the air fryer for 2 minutes on 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Remove the wings and toss in sauce again.

Frozen Chicken Wings

  • Lay the frozen wings in the Air Fryer basket and start cooking on 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 30-35 minutes turning every 5-7 minutes.
  • Optional step: Halfway through cooking, remove the Air Fryer basket and drain the excess liquid. Make sure the basket is placed over a large bowl so you don’t leak chicken juice everywhere. Once all the liquid in the bottom of the basket has drained, return the basket to the base and start Air Frying again. Cook until wings are desired crispiness and at least have a temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
  • Toss in your favorite dry rub or sauce.

Video

Notes

  • The draining of the liquid is an optional step and it truly depends on the Air Fryer basket. In my Phillips Air Fryer, the wings can get crispy even with the additional liquid in the basket. However, in my Bella Pro Air Fryer, I have to drain the liquid to get it crispy.
  • Wings need to cook to at least 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
  • Suggested Dry Rubs and Sauces
    • Lemon Pepper
    • Ranch
    • BBQ (I used this brand from King of Foods in the video)
    • Buffalo Sauce

Nutrition

Calories: 272kcal | Protein: 22g | Fat: 20g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 94mg | Sodium: 89mg | Potassium: 191mg | Vitamin A: 180IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 15mg | Iron: 1mg

Homemade Vegetarian Spaghetti Sauce

by 4 Comments

This Vegetarian Spaghetti Sauce is full of flavor and made from scratch in less than 40 minutes. It’s simple, easy, and delicious. It’s the perfect addition to any pasta dish.

vegetarian spaghetti sauce in pot with basil on top

This post contains affiliate links, please read my full disclaimer here.

You’ll find the full recipe with ingredient amounts and instructions in the recipe card at the bottom of this post. Be sure to check out the blog post itself for extra tips and tricks!

We’ve been opting for plant-based dinners about once a week in our household and this spaghetti sauce comes in handy. It’s full of texture and flavor thanks to the mushrooms and chickpeas. It’s perfect for anyone trying to opt for eating less meat in their diets as you won’t even miss the meat in this pasta dish. 

There are a few ingredients that give this dish an amazing flavor profile. They are:

  • Baby Bella Mushrooms - Gives the recipe that meaty flavor without the meat.
  • Chickpeas - Added to the dish not for the taste, but for the texture and protein.
  • Balsamic Vinegar - An acid that I think goes great with tomatoes.
  • Basil - Although fresh is generally best, this recipe calls for a whole tablespoon of dried. It’s easier as I always have it on hand. You could opt for fresh but add it in at the end of cooking. 
  • Oregano - I also used dried, same reasoning as the basil.

How to make Homemade Vegetarian Spaghetti Sauce

First, roughly chop your mushrooms, onions, and garlic. You can use a food processor for this step to speed up the process. However, I prefer to chop them by hand because I like the larger chunks. 

mushrooms, onions, and garlic on a cutting board

Then heat 2 tablespoon of olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. I use my cast iron dutch oven to make this. Add onions and sauté until softened, about 3 minutes. Then add mushrooms and garlic and sauté until mushrooms and onions have softened, about 5 more minutes. If you find your mushrooms are starting to dry out and stick to the pan, add about 1 tablespoon of vegetable broth to make it liquidy again. 

  • raw onions in a pan
  • mushrooms in pot

Add tomato paste, dried basil, and dried oregano and stir for about 1 minute.

vegetarian spaghetti sauce in yellow pot cooking.

Add crushed tomatoes and vegetable broth and stir. Reduce heat to medium-low and allow the sauce to simmer for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Meanwhile, open your can of chickpeas and drain. Mash the chickpeas until they are finely mashed. Stir them into the spaghetti mixture and allow it to continue to cook until the chickpeas are heated through. 

vegetarian spaghetti sauce with chickpeas on top of it

Add balsamic vinegar and salt and pepper to taste. 

vegetarian spaghetti sauce on a spoon

This spaghetti sauce goes well with traditional thin spaghetti noodles. It’s the perfect meatless spaghetti recipe that both meat-eaters and non-meat eaters will enjoy.

Looking for more Meatless dishes? Try these out:

Print Recipe
No ratings yet

Homemade Vegetarian Spaghetti Sauce

Easy and delicious Homemade Vegetarian Spaghetti Sauce made with mushrooms and chickpeas for added protein. This meatless sauce is the perfect substitute for meaty spaghetti sauce.
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
Total Time30 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Keyword: homemade spaghetti sauce, meatless spaghetti sauce, vegetarian spaghetti sauce
Servings: 4 people
Calories: 110kcal
Author: Tanya Harris

Ingredients

  • 2 Tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 onion chopped
  • 6 cloves garlic chopped
  • 8 oz baby portobello mushrooms chopped
  • 2 Tablespoon tomato paste
  • 1 Tablespoon dried basil
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1 28-oz can crushed tomatoes
  • 1 can chickpeas drained and mashed
  • 2 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
  • 1.5 cups vegetable broth
  • chopped fresh basil for garnish

Instructions

  • Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add onions and sauté until softened, about 3 minutes. Then add mushrooms and garlic and sauté until mushrooms and onions have softened, about 5 more minutes. If you find your mushrooms are starting to dry out and stick to the pan, add about 1 tablespoon of vegetable broth to make it liquidy again.
  • Add tomato paste, dried basil, and dried oregano and stir for about 1 minute
  • Add crushed tomatoes and vegetable broth and stir. Reduce heat to medium-low and allow the sauce to simmer for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  • Meanwhile, open your can of chickpeas and drain. Mash the chickpeas until they are finely mashed. Stir them into the spaghetti mixture and allow it to continue to cook until the chickpeas are heated through.
  • Add balsamic vinegar and salt and pepper to taste
  • Serve over pasta.

Notes

  • If the sauce starts to bubble and pop while simmering, add a little more vegetable broth to stop the popping. 
  • This sauce can be frozen or refrigerated for a few days. 

Nutrition

Calories: 110kcal | Carbohydrates: 10g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 425mg | Potassium: 375mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 331IU | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 49mg | Iron: 1mg

Recipe Adapted from Tasty.

Korean Sloppy Joes

by 7 Comments

These Korean Sloppy Joes are the perfect spicy twist on the traditional sloppy joe. Made with Korean spicy flavors and topped with a quick and yummy pickle topping. These are perfect for sliders, burger buns, lettuce wraps, or rice bowls.

Korean sloppy joes in a skillet with green onions on top
[Read more...]

Jamaican Inspired Sweet Potato Pudding

by 15 Comments

This Sweet Potato Pudding is inspired by a Jamaican recipe I grew up eating. Sweet potato, coconut milk, and fragrant spices make this the perfect pudding for any occasion. 

half eaten sweet potato pudding in baking dish with blender to the side

You’ll find the full recipe with ingredient amounts and instructions in the recipe card at the bottom of this post. Be sure to check out the blog post itself for extra tips and tricks!

One of my favorite Jamaican treats is a slice of sweet potato pudding. I didn’t get it every day, desserts were limited in our household growing up, but when I got it, it was amazing. 

I also love the fact that this recipe is vegan! No eggs, no milk, no butter.

You’re probably wondering why in the world I named this recipe Jamaican Inspired Sweet Potato Pudding. I did that for a few reasons:

  • Traditional Jamaican Sweet Potato Pudding does not use the orange sweet potato typically found in US grocery stores. The sweet potato used in the traditional recipe has a white or light yellow flesh with a red outer skin. You can find it in most international grocery stores under the name “batata.” The batata potato is much firmer when made into pudding, making it easier to slice and serve that way. My recipe is more of a pudding-like consistency. If you’re looking for a recipe using batata potatoes, try this Jamaican Sweet Potato Pudding recipe. 
  • The traditional recipe calls for grating the sweet potato on the side of a box grater with the smallest holes. I’ve done it that way but prefer to use my blender for a smooth consistency. Plus it’s much easier. 
  • I use canned coconut milk as it’s easier than using block coconut or fresh coconut. 

Now that I’ve cleared that up, let’s get into how to make this yummy pudding.

How to make Sweet Potato Pudding

First, preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. We need it nice and warm to bake in. 

Then, you’ll grab 2 lbs of sweet potato. Wash, peel, and chop your sweet potato into large chunks. Then add the sweet potato to your blender with the coconut milk. Blend until your mixture is smooth. I tend to do 2 batches to ensure the mixture is blended smooth and there are no large chunks. 

sweet potato chunks in bender with coconut milk on bottom
pureed sweet potato and coconut milk in blender

Once your sweet potato and coconut milk are blended, add the puree to a large bowl. Add brown sugar, cinnamon, vanilla extract, allspice, and nutmeg to the bowl and stir to combine.

sweet potato puree with sugar and spices in a bowl

Then add in your flour and stir to combine. I add the flour in my sifting it in but don’t stress if you don’t have one of these fancy tools. Sometimes I just skip the sifting as well. 

flour sifter over bowl of sweet potato puree
sweet potato puree in bowl sith spoon sticking out

Then pour the mixture into an 8x8 baking dish.

sweet potato mixture in 8x8 baking dish

Place in preheated oven and bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes or until a toothpick entered in the center comes out clean. 

baked sweet potato pudding in baking dish

Cool and serve and enjoy.

Pro tip: This recipe is good when eaten right away but is even more amazing when served the next day. 

Eat it as is or top with a scoop of whipped cream or vanilla ice cream. 

sweet potato pudding in glass jar with a scoop of ice cream in front of blender

Looking for more Caribbean recipes? Try these out:

Print Recipe
4.34 from 6 votes

Jamaican Inspired Sweet Potato Pudding

This Sweet Potato Pudding is inspired by a Jamaican pudding I grew up eating. Sweet potato, coconut milk, and fragrant spices make this the perfect pudding for any occasion. 
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time1 hour 15 minutes
Total Time1 hour 25 minutes
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: Caribbean
Keyword: jamaican sweet potato pudding, sweet potato pudding
Servings: 10 people
Calories: 391kcal
Author: Tanya Harris

Equipment

Ingredients

  • 2 lbs raw sweet potato peeled and chopped
  • 13.6 oz can coconut milk
  • 1 ¼ cup brown sugar
  • 2 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 ½ teaspoon allspice
  • 1 teaspoon nutmeg
  • Dash of browning optional
  • 2 ½ cups flour

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
  • Add sweet potato and coconut milk to blender. Blend on medium speed for 30 seconds or until sweet potatoes are pureed.
  • Place puree in a large bowl and add the remainder of the ingredients and stir.
  • Pour into an 8x8 baking dish and bake in preheated oven for 1 hour and 15 minutes, or until pudding is set and toothpick entered in the center comes out clean.
  • Allow to cool in baking dish and enjoy 🙂

Nutrition

Calories: 391kcal | Carbohydrates: 72g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Sodium: 64mg | Potassium: 477mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 32g | Vitamin A: 12870IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 68mg | Iron: 3mg

Jamaican Oxtails Recipe

by 903 Comments

This Jamaican Oxtails Recipe is fall off the bone tender and full of amazing flavor. It can be made in about an hour with your pressure cooker or cook it low and slow in a slow cooker.

jamaican oxtail in a white bowl with blue napkin in background

You’ll find the full recipe with ingredient amounts and instructions in the recipe card at the bottom of this post. Be sure to check out the blog post itself for extra tips and tricks!

If you ever ask me what my favorite Jamaican dish is, I’ll probably say oxtail. It’s a recipe that my mom would make for special occasions. I wish we could have eaten it weekly, but oxtail can be so darn expensive. So it became one of those special Sunday dinners or “let’s celebrate something” dinners. 

Oxtails usually take hours to cook. But wow, the flavor and the tenderness the oxtail brings are worth it. Lucky for me, I’m a pressure cooking fanatic and found that using a pressure cooker cuts the time of cooking oxtail by a ton.  For this recipe, you can use a pressure cooker or even a slow cooker.

Ingredients Needed

Ingredient amounts and full recipe instructions are on the printable recipe card at the bottom of the post.

  • Oxtail - Choose beef oxtail that is medium in size and of a similar size. Try to choose oxtail pieces that do not have too much fat on them.
  • Marinade Ingredients - Brown sugar, soy sauce, Worcestershire Sauce, salt, garlic powder, black pepper, and allspice.
  • Other Ingredients - vegetable oil, yellow onion, green onion, garlic, carrots, scotch bonnet pepper (or habanero), beef broth, thyme, cornstarch, water, and butterbeans.

How to Make Jamaican Oxtails and Gravy

First, I mise en place my ingredients by chopping my onions, garlic, and scotch bonnet or habanero pepper. Make sure to remove the seeds and membrane from the hot pepper, or your oxtail will be too spicy. 

Next, prepare your oxtails by cleaning them with a mixture of water and vinegar, then dry them off with paper towels. I know I know, they say not to wash your meat but my mom would cuss me out if I didn’t. So I do. 

raw oxtail pieces on a teal cutting board

Next, season your oxtails with brown sugar, salt, black pepper, garlic powder, allspice, soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, and browning. Use your hands and mix, ensuring that your oxtail pieces are fully covered. 

raw oxtails covered in seasoning in a bowl

Now you can decide at this point if you feel like marinating or not. If I’m pressure cooking or slow cooking, I usually skip this step, and the flavor is still pretty amazing. If you choose to marinate, marinate in the fridge for 8 hours or overnight. 

Pressure Cooking Instructions

Turn the pressure cooker on the “high sauté” setting. If using an Instant Pot, select “Sauté and press the “+” button until it is the “more” setting. Once your Pressure Cooker is “Hot”, add your vegetable oil to the pot. 

Next, add your larger oxtail pieces to the pot, flat side down about ¼ inch apart, and brown on each side for about 2 minutes. Make sure you’re watching the oxtails at this browning stage, as you don’t want to burn the oxtail. If you do, your oxtail gravy will taste bitter later on. 

oxtail pieces in instant pot

You can choose to brown all your pieces of oxtails but I usually only brown the larger pieces of the oxtail. The smaller pieces usually don’t need browning. 

Once you’ve browned your oxtail, deglaze your pressure cooker by adding about 2 Tablespoons of beef broth to the insert. Take a wooden spoon and deglaze your pot by removing the brown bits at the bottom. Then add your yellow onions, green onions, carrots, garlic, and scotch bonnet pepper. Stir and sauté for about 5 minutes or until the onions have softened. 

vegetables in instant pot insert

Add dried thyme, oxtails (and the liquid from the marinade), remaining beef broth, and ketchup to the pressure cooker insert. All the broth will not cover the oxtail. You don’t need it to. 

oxtails in insert of instant pot before cooking

Press “Cancel” on your pressure cooker. Cover with lid, making sure the valve is set to “Seal.” Set your pressure cooker to cook on High Pressure for 45 minutes. 

Once your timer goes off, allow the pressure cooker to naturally release. All this means is that you don’t touch it. If you’re like me, you may anxiously stare at the pressure cooker waiting for your oxtail goodness. After about 25 minutes, all of your pressure should have been released. Double-check by making sure that the pin button has dropped or switch the valve to “Venting” to ensure all the pressure has been released. Press “Cancel” on the pressure cooker and then open the lid. 

oxtails in instant pot after cooking

Remove the oxtail pieces and vegetables from the Pressure Cooker and place them in a bowl, and set aside. I use a spider strainer for this step.

strainer removing oxtail pueces from instant pot

Then press the “Sauté button on your pressure cooker.

Once your liquid starts to boil, make a cornstarch slurry by whisking the cornstarch with water in a separate bowl. Slowly stir the slurry into the pressure cooker. Add drained butter beans to the pressure cooker as well and stir them in. Cook for about 5 minutes until the sauce has thickened a little and the butter beans are warmed.

corn starch slurry over instant pot
butter beans over instant pot

Return oxtails and vegetables to the pressure cooker. Serve and enjoy.

finished Jamaican oxtails in instant pot

Tanya's Notes on Pressure Cooker Oxtails

  • It’s best if all your oxtails are medium-sized oxtails that are similar in size. If you can’t get them the same size, no worries. It’ll still work. 
  • Oxtail that is too fatty will lead to fatty gravy. You want some fat, just not too much fat. If your oxtail is extremely fatty, use a paring knife to remove some of the excess fat. 
  • Scotch Bonnet is typically used for this recipe. If you can’t find a scotch bonnet, a habanero can be substituted. You could also use about 1-2 teaspoons of this scotch bonnet pepper sauce. 

Looking for recipes to serve this Jamaican Oxtails with? Try these out:

Other popular Jamaican recipes:

Find the full video tutorial on YouTube. Don't forget to click the thumbs-up button and subscribe for more recipe videos.

If you've made this oxtail recipe or any other recipe on the blog, I'd love to hear your thoughts! Please leave a comment below. Your feedback is always appreciated!

Print Recipe
4.83 from 711 votes

The BEST Jamaican Oxtail Recipe

This Jamaican Oxtails recipe is the perfect Caribbean stew for dinner. Delicious and tender oxtail and butter beans that is cooked to perfection. Make it in the Instant Pot or any electric Pressure Cooker. Stove top and slow cooker instructions also included.
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time45 minutes
Total Time1 hour 5 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Caribbean
Keyword: jamaican oxtails
Servings: 4 people
Calories: 876kcal
Author: Tanya Harris

Equipment

Ingredients

  • 2.5 lbs oxtails
  • ¼ cup light brown sugar
  • 1 Tablespoon soy sauce
  • 1 Tablespoon Worcestershire Sauce
  • 1 Tablespoon salt
  • 2 teaspoons garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon ground allspice
  • 1 teaspoon browning
  • 2 Tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 1 yellow onion chopped
  • 4 green onions chopped
  • 1 Tablespoon garlic chopped
  • 2 whole carrots chopped
  • 1 scotch bonnet or habanero pepper seeds and membrane removed and chopped
  • 1 cup beef broth
  • 1 Tablespoon ketchup
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 2 Tablespoons water
  • 1 Tablespoon cornstarch
  • 1 16 oz can Butter Beans drained

Instructions

  • Rinse oxtails with water and vinegar and pat dry. Cover oxtails with brown sugar, soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, salt, garlic powder, black pepper, allspice, and browning and rub into oxtails.
  • Set Pressure Cooker on High Sauté and once hot, add vegetable oil. Next, add your larger oxtail pieces to the pot, flat side down about ¼ inch apart, and brown on each side.
  • Remove oxtail after browning and place in bowl.
  • Deglaze your pressure cooker by adding about 2 tablespoon of beef broth to the insert. Take a wooden spoon and deglaze your pot by removing the brown bits at the bottom. Then add your yellow onions, green onions, carrots, garlic, and scotch bonnet pepper. Stir and sauté for about 5 minutes or until the onions have softened.
  • Add dried thyme, oxtails (and the liquid from the marinade), remaining beef broth, and ketchup to the pressure cooker insert.
  • Press “Cancel” on your Instant Pot. Cover and cook on high pressure for 45 minutes. Once timer is done, allow pressure cooker to naturally release.
  • Once all pressure has released, open lid and remove oxtails and vegetables, leaving liquid behind. Turn Pressure Cooker on sauté. Once liquid begins to simmer, create a corn starch slurry by combining corn starch and water to a separate bowl. Stir into simmering liquid. Add drained butter beans into pressure cooker and allow to simmer for about 5 minutes, until liquid is slightly thickened and butterbeans are warmed.
  • Add oxtails and vegetables back to the pressure cooker. Serve and enjoy 🙂

Slow Cooker Instructions

  • Prepare the recipe as instructed up until the oxtails need to be browned. Brown oxtail over medium-high heat on the stovetop in a skillet. Once oxtail are browned, deglaze skillet by adding 2 tablespoon of beef broth. Add onions and carrots to skillet and stir until onions have softened. Add these ingredients to the slow cooker as well as all remaining ingredients, except the butter beans. Cook on low heat for 8-10 hours or until oxtail is tender. 30 minutes before serving, create a cornstarch slurry by combining corn starch and water to a separate bowl. Stir into slow cooker along with the drained butter beans.

Stove Top Instructions

  • Follow the instructions above and then rather than placing in a slow cooker or pressure cooker, cook it on the stove on medium low heat for about 3 hours, stirring occasionaly or until oxtails are tender. Add the butter beans when there is about 30 minutes left on the cook time.

Video

Notes

Notes on Pressure Cooker Oxtails
  • It’s best if all your oxtails are medium sized oxtails that are similar in size. If you can’t get them the same size, no worries. It’ll still work. 
  • Oxtail that is too fatty will lead to fatty gravy. You want some fat, just not too much fat. If your oxtail is extremely fatty, use a paring knife to remove some of the excess fat. 
  • Scotch Bonnet is typically used for this recipe. If you can’t find a scotch bonnet, a habanero can be substituted. You could also use about 1-2 teaspoon of this scotch bonnet pepper sauce. 

Nutrition

Calories: 876kcal | Carbohydrates: 27g | Protein: 90g | Fat: 45g | Saturated Fat: 21g | Cholesterol: 312mg | Sodium: 2882mg | Potassium: 297mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 18g | Vitamin A: 5261IU | Vitamin C: 11mg | Calcium: 113mg | Iron: 13mg

Blender Whipped Cream

by 8 Comments

This Blender Whipped Cream recipe is such a quick and easy way to make homemade whipped cream. Just a few simple ingredients, you can have your fresh whipped cream in less than a few minutes.

strawberry being dipped into whipped cream

This post may contain affiliate links, please read my full disclosure here.

[Read more...]

Air Fryer Turkey Legs Recipe: Quick, Flavorful, and Perfectly Seasoned

by 29 Comments

These Air Fryer Turkey Legs are roasted in the Air Fryer and are nice and crisp on the outside while perfectly juicy on the inside. Take a trip to your favorite fair with this easy recipe. 

roasted turkey legs in air fryer basket

This post may contain affiliate links, please read my full disclaimer here. 

Full Recipe/Instructions can be found at the bottom of the post in the recipe card after the helpful tips and tricks in the post.

I’ve been thinking a ton about the Fair. It’s been a while since I’ve gone, but whenever I go, I always seek out the booth that sells the giant turkey legs. Holding a huge turkey leg while walking through the Fair brings back great memories. Forget the rides, forget the prizes; it’s all about the food. 

These roasted turkey legs would be perfect for a weeknight meal or even if you wanted to serve them up for the Thanksgiving Holiday. I cook them in the Air Fryer as it keeps the turkey leg nice and crispy on the outside and nice and moist on the inside. 

Ingredients Needed

Ingredient amounts and full recipe instructions are on the printable recipe card at the bottom of the post.

  • Turkey Legs - Choose fresh or fully thawed turkey legs, as these will cook more evenly and crisp better in the air fryer. Typically, grocery stores carry them in packs of two or three, and they are often around 10–12 ounces each.
  • Oil and Seasonings - Olive oil, smoked paprika, brown sugar, seasoned salt, and garlic powder

How to Air Fry Turkey Legs

First, combine your seasonings. I use salt, smoked paprika, garlic powder, and brown sugar. 

seasoning for turkey legs on a plate
raw turkey legs on cutting board

Pat dry your turkey legs, then rub your spice mixture all over your turkey legs. I make sure to rub the seasoning under the skin as well to get that flavor all over the meat. 

hands rubbing turkey legs

Then place the turkey legs in your Air Fryer basket. Lightly spray your turkey leg with a mist of cooking oil. I use my handy dandy oil spray bottle. I discuss more on why you should invest in a spray bottle in my 10 Air Fryer Tips and Tricks. 

raw seasoned turkey legs in air fryer basket

 Cook on 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 15-20 minutes. Flip your turkey leg and lightly spray again and cook for another 15-20 minutes. 

Remove your turkey leg. Use a quick read thermometer to ensure that your turkey leg is done. 

cooked turkey leg in air fryer basket

Serve and enjoy your delicious and juicy turkey leg 🙂

Notes on Air Fryer Roasted Turkey Legs

  • You should be able to find turkey legs in your local grocery store in the poultry section. They usually sell them in packs of 2 or 3. If you pick up a pack of lean turkey legs, adjust the cooking time. 
  • Different air fryers will require different cook times. Adjust your cook times accordingly. 
  • I don’t brine the turkey legs when making them in the Air Fryer. However, if you choose to brine, just make sure to pat the turkey legs dry before air frying.
  • Lean turkey legs will cook in less time. Cut cooking times in half.

Make Ahead Tips, Storage, and Reheating

  • Storage: Store any leftover turkey legs in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3–4 days.
  • Freezing: You can freeze cooked turkey legs by wrapping them tightly in plastic wrap, then placing them in a freezer-safe bag. They’ll stay good in the freezer for up to 2 months.
  • Reheating: Reheat in the air fryer at 350°F for 5–7 minutes, or until heated through. This method helps maintain the crispy skin. Alternatively, microwave in 30-second intervals, though the skin may be less crispy.

Serving Suggestions

Troubleshooting and Tips

  • Avoid Overcrowding: Ensure there is space around each turkey leg in the air fryer for even cooking. If you have a smaller air fryer, cook in batches.
  • Skin Crispiness: For extra-crispy skin, pat the turkey legs dry thoroughly before applying oil and seasoning.
  • Reduce Temperature: If you notice the turkey legs are browning too quickly or starting to burn, reduce the air fryer temperature to 325°F. This allows the inside to cook without further darkening the outside. Different air fryers can vary in heat intensity. If you’re using a high-wattage air fryer, check the turkey legs halfway through the cooking time and adjust as needed.

Looking for more Air Fryer Recipes? Try these out:

roasted turkey legs in air fryer basket
Print Recipe
4.88 from 24 votes

Air Fryer Turkey Leg Recipe

These Air Fryer Turkey Legs are crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside. These legs are perfectly seasoned and so easy to roast in your Air Fryer.
Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time40 minutes
Total Time45 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Keyword: air fryer turkey legs, roasted turkey leg, turkey leg recipe
Servings: 2 people
Calories: 988kcal
Author: Tanya Harris

Equipment

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Combine smoked paprika, brown sugar, seasoned salt, garlic powder until fully mixed. Set aside.
  • Rub seasoning mixture all over turkey legs making sure to get under the skin as well.
  • Place in Air Fryer basket. Lightly spray with oil.
  • Air Fry on 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 15-20 minutes. Then open air fryer basket, flip turkey legs and lightly spray with oil. Close Air Fryer basket and cook for 15-20 more minutes.
  • Remove and Enjoy 🙂

Notes

  • You should be able to find turkey legs in your local grocery store in the poultry section. They usually sell them in packs of 2 or 3. If you pick up a pack of lean turkey legs, adjust the cooking time. 
  • Different air fryers will require different cook times. Adjust your cook times accordingly. 
  • I don’t brine the turkey legs when making them in the Air Fryer. 
  • Lean turkey legs will need a lesser cooking time. Cut the cook times in half. 

Nutrition

Calories: 988kcal | Carbohydrates: 3g | Protein: 133g | Fat: 46g | Saturated Fat: 14g | Cholesterol: 481mg | Sodium: 1666mg | Potassium: 1883mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 740IU | Calcium: 115mg | Iron: 12mg

 This post was originally published on June 27, 2019. It has been updated with new information.