Comfort Food
Beef Patty Tacos
A plant-based, high-moisture ground beef alternative such as Beyond Beef also works well in this recipe. […]
Jackie Alpers
Celebrations
Chocolate Caramel Apple Pops
Cute, kid friendly recipe for slices of apples dipped in chocolate and decorated with sprinkles candy or nuts. […]
Baked Goods
Chicken
Chicken Molé Amarillo: Cookbook Preview
Chicken Molé Amarillo | Recipe by Jackie Alpers from the cookbook Taste of Tucson: Sonoran Style Recipes Inspired by the Rich Culture of Southern Arizona. […]
Chicken
Celebrations
breakfast
Drinks & Cocktails
Pomegranate & Earl Grey Whisky Smash
Del Bac is an amazing mesquite smoked whisky made in Tucson that I hope exists forever. If you can’t get your hands on a bottle of Del Bac, the Scotch whiskey Laphroaig is a good […]
Atkins Friendly
Celebrations
“The Moist Maker” Thanksgiving Leftovers Sandwich from Friends
Inspired by “The One Where Ross Loses it Over a Sandwich.” Our version uses leftover dinner rolls instead of bread. […]
breakfast
Skillet Stuffing Shakshuka
Be sure to make extra-extra stuffing for Thanksgiving so that you can make my Skillet Stuffing Shakshuka the next morning with the “leftovers” Serves 2-4 Ingredients: 2-4 cups leftover stuffing (one cup per person), warmed […]
Celebrations
Creepy Spaghetti Carbonara with Fungi (Mushrooms)
To help us carbo-load for the long trek through the neighborhood, my mother would prepare her standard pre-trick-or-treat meal of Kraft’s boxed spaghetti dinner. We loved it. This recipe is almost as easy to throw […]
Comfort Food
Tuna Noodle Casserole
How to make tuna noodle casserole. […]
Appetizers
Buffalo Chicken Rumaki Bites
Whatever happened to Rumaki, that vaguely Polynesian appetizer that they used to serve at tiki themed parties in the 70s? Maybe making buffalo-style rumaki will help modernize them a bit and bring them back into […]
Atkins Friendly
My mom’s Marinated Flank Steak, “Sonoranized”
Recipe for marinated flank steak using my mom’s recipe from the 80s, adding in some Mexican oregano and extra citus so now it’s an Ohio meets Tucson recipe. […]
Chicken
The Italian Stallion Hot Dog
This no-recipe recipe is my tribute dog to Sweathog, Vinnie Barbarino. Slice an Italian roll across the top, not the side. Spoon a tablespoon of warmed marinara sauce inside the cut roll, then tuck in […]
Celebrations
Chocolate Dipped Frozen Banana Bites With Sprinkles
We all know that rainbow sprinkles make the world-go-round and this super-easy recipe is fun, festive and good for you too. You can melt the chocolate in the microwave which makes it the perfect treat for a hot summer’s day. […]
Comfort Food
Spaghetti Squash Supreme Pizza Boats
Pizza flavored spaghetti squash: It is good for you, it’s fairly low in calories, is very filling… and it tastes like pizza. So it’s win-win-win-win. […]
Baked Goods
Bombshell Boxed Brownie Dessert Pan Pizzas
These individual brownie pan pizzas are baked and served in Lodge 3.5” cast iron skillets. You can use one 9” cast iron skillet instead if you prefer. The options for different toppings are endless. Have fun experimenting […]
cooking crafts
Frozen Watermelon Wedges: The All Natural Ice Pops
Learn how to make frozen Watermelon Wedges: the all natural ice pops. […]
Baked Goods
Mini Brownie Stack Cakes
Remember, that brownie mixes now come in gluten free varieties too! This recipe was first written for Refinery29. Ingredients 1 package brownie mix Cooking spray 2 cups mixed fresh berries 1 cup whipped cream. Instructions […]
cooking crafts
Frozen Yogurt Bark With Berries and Granola
All of the bark and none of the bite […]
Celebrations
The Mexican Street Corn Hot Dog
Inspired by Mexican Style Street Corn, this whole beef jumbo hot dog is topped with roasted corn, mayo, lime and spices and served in a top-cut, whole grain bolillo roll. Food photo and recipe by Jackie Alpers. […]
Appetizers
Spicy Ranch French Onion Dip
Two Dips That Live As One, Together At Last […]
Appetizers
The Cheesiest Cheese Crisp with Chipotle Ranch Dipping Sauce
Serves 2 to 4 A cross between a Mexican pizza an an open-faced quesadilla, the cheese crisp is the perfect comfort food. Southern Arizona restaurants started selling the dish more than 50 years ago and […]
Comfort Food
Quinoa Burrito Bowl With Chipotle Lime Vinaigrette
This recipe originally was written for and published on Refinery29 as part of an article on easy and affordable grain bowls. Check out the rest of the recipes on their site. The Greek yogurt adds a little […]
Comfort Food
Recipe: Sweet Corn Paletas
Sweet Corn Paletas Mexican ice pops often incorporate more exotic ingredients than their northern counterparts and my Sweet Corn Paletas are no different. Makes 12-16 servings Ingredients 1 cup milk, I used almond milk but any kind […]
Baked Goods
Recipe: Three Sisters Pizza With Corn Masa Crust
Corn, beans and squash are three of the earliest domesticated crops grown by Native Americans in the Sonoran region. For this recipe, prepared corn masa, which is usually used to make tortillas or gorditas, is […]
breakfast
Recipe: Grain Bowl With Green Quinoa, Tepary Beans and Egg
Grain Bowl With Green Quinoa, Tepary Beans, Avocado and Egg Start your day with this Sonoran style power breakfast. It’s high in protein, complex carbs and healthy fats. Serves 1. Ingredients 1/2 cup dry quinoa […]
casserole
Gooey, Creamy, Cheesy Chicken and Broccoli Casserole
For a lower carb version of this dish, replace the pasta with an additional cup of chopped broccoli. Serves 4 Ingredients For the “Copycat” Condensed Cream of Chicken Soup 3 tablespoons butter ¼ cup flour […]
Condiments
Recipe for Sriracha Lime Vinaigrette Salad Dressing
This super easy salad dressing recipe is especially good on a Greek salad, cucumber salad or Asian Chicken salad and you can make it right in the bottle if you only have a little bit of Sriracha left. […]
Chocolate
Oreo Ice Cream Sandwiches With Sprinkles!
This may be one of the easiest recipes ever. It was originally written for and published on Refinery29 where you can find seven more of my Oreo recipes. I literally wrote the book on sprinkles, so if you’re […]
Atkins Friendly
Thai Cauliflower “Fried Rice” with Coconut
Cauliflower that has been pre-chopped into tiny rice-sized bits is my favorite new food product. It’s almost indistinguishable from real rice in recipes, yet contains significantly less carbs, so it’s perfect for grain-free and Paleo diets. […]
breakfast
Creamy Wheat Berry Breakfast Hash Bowl
Prepare the grains according to package instructions unless otherwise noted. You can do this in advance and store the cooked grains in the refrigerator to save time later. Different varieties of the same grain have […]
Cheese and Dairy
Spinach Linguine with Walnut Pesto
Walnuts are less expensive and easier to find than the traditional pine nuts and I think they taste even better. Plus they’re loaded with healthy fats. This recipe originally was written for and published on Refinery29 as part […]
Baked Goods
Chicken Pot Pie in a Mug
For centuries, people believed that it was impossible to make a chicken pot pie in the microwave. I have proven them wrong. This recipe first appeared in the article “10-Minute Dinner Recipes That ANYONE Can […]
Baked Goods
Appetizers
Vegan Cocktail Pups recipe With A SECRET INGREDIENT!
Vegan Cocktail Pups The secret ingredient is baby carrots! This is so simple that there isn’t even a recipe. Just toss a bag or two of baby carrots a crockpot with your favorite barbecue sauce […]
Appetizers
Parmesan Crisps with Caviar and Crème Fraîche
Festive enough for New Year’s Eve, this pretty appetizer only takes about 5 minutes to make. Bacon infused caviar adds an unique smokiness that will intrigue your guests and is fairly inexpensive, but any decent quality caviar will […]
Chocolate
Dark Chocolate Chia Pudding With Frozen Berries
Frozen berries top this easy dessert with a 5-minute prep time… because it’s hot out there. Chia seeds are truly a super-food packed with antioxidants, fiber and loads of healthy Omega-3 fatty acids, so they are a […]
Chicken
Italian Style Grilled Chicken with Parmesan and Sun-dried Tomatoes
This is a healthy and extremely flavorful way to dress up boneless skinless chicken breasts. Adding just a small amount of butter on top, and using grated parmesan for a garnish, keeps the fat and […]
breakfast
Breakfast Taco Cups
Tacos for breakfast? Of course! Pinto beans add a healthy dose of fiber and low-carb tortillas erase any remaining guilt factor. Make these as mild or spicy as you like with your favorite taco sauce […]
Appetizers
How To Make Edible Holiday Centerpieces
In my latest article for the Food Network I show you how to make 5 fun, edible holiday centerpieces, including this tree made out of powdered sugar doughnut hole. Here’s how!
Appetizers
Snack of the Day: Cincinnachos! – Cincinnati-Style Chili Cheese Nachos
Ohio meets Arizona! Cincinnati style chili cheese nachos – Cincinnachos as they will henceforth be known. The best of everything for snacking season. Start with My Recipe for Cincinnati Style Turkey Chili, substituting ground grass-fed beef […]
Baked Goods
Mini German Pancakes with Greek Yogurt, Berries & Stone Fruit
These healthier German pancakes are topped with fat-free Greek yogurt and fresh fruit, reducing the sugar content. I added a little spreadable fruit and garnished them with confectioners’ sugar so they still taste sweet. This […]
Chicken
Thai Grilled Chicken Thighs
All of the ingredients for authentic Thai cuisine are available at most grocery stores. Sambal Oelek and Thai fish sauce can be found in most Asian food sections. This recipe was originally published on iVillage.com […]
breakfast
Spicy Southwestern Style Mashed Potatoes With Sausage Gravy and Biscuits
There was a time in history when an all white meal consisting mostly of flour and milk was the most depressing idea imaginable. In Dicken’s “A Christmas Carol”, Ebenezer Scrooge famously sat down to a […]
Baked Goods
Carb-Free Sausage, Egg & Cheese Muffin Cups
There’s no flour in these muffin cups, yet they’re still light and fluffy! The secret is to beat the egg whites with an electric mixer until stiff peaks form. I mixed in spicy Italian chicken […]
Baked Goods
Savarin Chantilly – French Bundt Cake with Apricot Glaze
My niece got married in a field in Oskaloosa, Kansas last weekend. Afterwards we had lunch under a tent. My mother-in-law made all of the desserts including this Savarin, a rich airy cake soaked in a […]
Food Network Articles
Fun, Fast and Easy Cake Decorating Ideas For Everyday Celebrations
Does the thought of having to decorate a cake alarm you? Me too! Squeezing buttercream into and out of a a piping bag, is hard! Forget about me being able to form a flower, or writing someone’s name […]
Cheese and Dairy
Snack of the Day: Nacho Cheese, Slim Jims and Beer Nuts on a Bagel.
This snack is best eaten very late at night, preferably after attending a party of some other festive gathering. It’s easily assembled and pleasant to look at, even when blurry. Save to BigOven Yum Snack […]
Celebrations
Mini Ice Rings filled with Sprinkles & Fruit
In my latest article for the Food Network I give step-by step instructions with photos on how to make individual ice rings to cool down and brighten up summer drinks. They are easy enough to make for […]
Appetizers
Sonoran Style Chipotle Chicken Salad
Like all regional cuisines, Sonoran style Mexican food is evolving. My spicy Sonoran style chicken salad could easily be served in tortas (sandwiches) alongside the pork or beef varieties, or in tacos, which are now available served on lettuce leaves at local restaurants as well as on traditional corn or flour tortillas. I used store-bought rotisserie chicken which has become a staple in Mexican home cooking. […]
Baked Goods
Fair Food At It’s Easiest: Fudge Puppies Recipe
Covered in chocolate, whipped cream, and all your favorite toppings, Fudge Puppies are a carnival and state fair food classic. Here’s how to make them at home. I like to make them mini so they […]
Appetizers
Sprinkles Fairy Bread Sandwiches
Make any day a celebration! Just barely sweet, these sparkly sandwiches make a fun breakfast surprise, after-school snack, or party food. Inspired by Robert Louis Stevenson’s poem “Fairy Bread” in A Child’s Garden of Verses, fairy […]
Baked Goods
How to paint Spring flowers on cookies with natural food coloring.
You don’t need to have gone to art school to explore creativity in the kitchen. In my newest Food Network article I show how easy it is to paint watercolor flowers onto cookies using natural […]
Appetizers
Easy Grilled Mini Pizzas With Edible Flowering Herbs
One of the best ways to learn how to cook is to follow other people’s recipes, and since I cook, style and then photograph chef’s recipes for the Food Network’s website, I’m constantly learning new things. […]
Appetizers
Sparkling Cranberry and Brie Crostini
An unpublished photo from my book, Sprinkles!: Recipes and Ideas for Rainbowlicious Desserts was nominated for the 2014 Photography Master’s Cup in the Food Photography category. Here’s the recipe to go along with the photo, reprinted from […]
Celebrations
How to Cover Easter Eggs in Sprinkles!
I made fancy sprinkles covered Easter eggs, and you can too. It’s easy! Learn how in my latest article for the Food Network. http://blog.foodnetwork.com/fn-dish/2014/04/how-to-decorate-easter-eggs-with-sprinkles/
Atkins Friendly
Monster Eggs
Looks can be deceiving; my favorite monsters are scary looking, but innately good. Just like these monsterized eggs, which have been turned green and frightening looking, but are completely delicious. They are also monstrously easy to make. Save […]
Atkins Friendly
Sprinkles!
The Bakepedia Interview
I had a wonderful time doing this interview for the magnificent Bakepedia, written by the equally magnificent Lauren Chattman. Here’s the link to the whole Q & A.: http://www.bakepedia.com/blogpost/jackie-alpers-sprinkles-interview/
Baked Goods
My New Sprinkles Food Network Column
I’m beyond thrilled to announce that I am writing and photographing a monthly column for the Food Network! It features seasonal & holiday recipes, fun projects and entertaining ideas that use sprinkles. Here’s January’s! http://blog.foodnetwork.com/fn-dish/2014/01/how-to-beat-the-winter-blahs-with-sprinkles/ Brighten […]
Cheese and Dairy
Roasted Whole Baby Cauliflower with Herbs & Parmesan
“I’m really into cauliflower right now”, my friend Helen announced as she pulled Bon Appetit’s version of this dish out of her oven. Now I am too. I’m also obsessed with the idea of roasting […]
Appetizers
Snack of the Day: New York Style Hot Dog Bites
The folks at Whole Foods Markets asked me to come up with a holiday recipe using ingredients from their stores. I’d planned to do an organic grass-fed roast beef with root vegetables from their amazing […]
Celebrations
The Sparkling Pearl Tropical Cocktail
A variation of the Bushwacker glamorized with sparkling sprinkle bits and pearl sugar dragées in tropical hues, this is a seafaring drink said to be invented on a Caribbean island founded by pirates. Ahoy! This […]
Celebrations
Sprinkles Holiday Ideas for Food Network’s Dish Blog
Learn how to make Sprinkles! Sugar Cubes and other sparkly holiday treats in my holiday Food Network article […]
Baked Goods
Christmas Cookie Season
It’s christmas cookie season, and while biscotti isn’t technically a cookie per se, they often find their way onto the plethora of platters that mark the season. From cookie swaps, to office parties, to host/hostess gifts, […]
Dessert
Sprinkles! Cookbook Trailer: Behind the scenes food photography
An exclusive, behind the scenes shot of a pink cupcake photographed for the Sprinkles book trailer. Featuring: pink sugar pearls, a pink flower accent quin, cranberry colored sanding sugar, spring mix bunnies from Wilton Cake Decorating and […]
Easy
Postmodern Art Popsicles
What is the nature of art? Can it exist in popsicle form? Is it still art after the popsicle has been eaten? How does the process of melting affect the piece? These are some of […]