Free up some oven space and make this crispy skillet stuffing on the stove top. Perfect for anyone who loves the crispy edges of baked stuffing.

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Several years ago my friend Haley introduced me to this crispy stuffing. I know what you’re thinking, stuffing isn’t supposed to be crispy! I too had the same initial reaction but it grew on me the more I ate it and inevitably asked the the recipe.

If you are already an edge piece stuffing person, you really should give this a chance. Especially since it is packed with flavorful sausage, garlic, onion, apple, cranberries, and pine nuts. But if you still are not convinced, you can toss them in a splash of broth.

Welcome to Holiday Side Dish Week 2022 hosted by Heather from Hezzi-D’s Books and Cooks. This year we have over 45 side dishes to help you plan your holiday meals.

Monday Holiday Side Dish Recipes:

• Baked Pineapple Casserole from Hezzi-D’s Books and Cooks
• Brown Butter Pumpkin Sage Pongal from Magical Ingredients
• Cauliflower Gratin from Palatable Pastime
• Cheesy Corn Casserole with Sage from Karen’s Kitchen Stories
• Easy Instant Pot Buttered Potatoes with Garlic and Parsley from Blogghetti
• Healthy Sweet Potato Casserole from Kathryn’s Kitchen Blog
• Instant Pot Sweet Potato Mash from An Affair from the Heart
• Loaded Sweet Potatoes au Gratin from A Kitchen Hoor’s Adventures
• Mushroom Gratin from Cheese Curd In Paradise
• Pecan Rice from A Day in the Life on the Far
• Smoked Mac and Cheese Casserole from Our Good Life
• Sweet Onion Pudding from A Little Fish in the Kitchen
• Sweet Potato Casserole from Hostess At Heart
• Tomato Parmesan Soup from Art of Natural Living
• Wild Rice and Cider Cranberry Pilaf from Sweet Beginnings

CRISPY SKILLET STUFFING

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Yield: 8 servings Prep Time: 15 Minutes Cooking Time: 10 Minutes 10 Minutes

Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat

Ingredients

• 1/2 lb. Italian sausage (sweet or spicy)
• 5 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/2 cup pine nuts
• 1 small red onion, diced
• 1 small yellow onion, diced
• 2 stalks of celery, diced
• 16 oz. fresh French bread, torn/cut into 1-inch cubes and toasted
• 1 bunch green onion, diced
• 1 green apple, finely chopped
• 6 oz. dried cranberries, chopped
• Herbs, to taste (cilantro, basil, thyme)
• Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions

1. In a large skillet over medium heat, brown the sausage, breaking up into smaller pieces as it cooks until no longer pink, about 5 minutes. Remove to a plate lined with paper towel.
2. Return the skillet with sausage grease over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and pine nuts, cooking until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the red and yellow onion and cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat.
3. Add the sausage back to the pan along with the rest of the remaining ingredients. Toss to evenly distribute. Adjust seasonings to taste. Serve immediately or transfer to a serving dish.

Source: Haley, friend of The Spiffy Cookie.

Did you make this recipe? I want to see! Tag @THESPIFFYCOOKIE on Instagram and hashtag it #THESPIFFYCOOKIE

After you use up all those carrots making side dishes or carrot cake for Easter, save the tops and make a delicious spring pesto!

Normally I am all about finding ways to use every last bit of food to reduce waste. I save a ton of veggie scraps in the freezer to make homemade veggie stock (a trick I learned from @plant_brat), I regrow my green onions by putting the white rooted ends in water, and repurpose leftovers into new meals. So it was an obvious idea to make pesto out of the carrot tops that were not used in carrot-heavy recipes such as honey carrot soup.

The only problem? Most carrots in grocery stores are sold without the tops these days! I had to go out of my way and go to another grocery store to actually find carrots with tops just so I could find a purpose for those tops. How silly does that sound? I wonder what the suppliers of all those bald carrots do with the greenery? I hope it is fed to bunnies or another animal and not wasted. At least I can say for certain that these ones were eaten and with pleasure!

So if you happen to require carrots for a recipe on your Easter menu this year (may I suggest carrot cake or carrot gnocchi), go ahead and keep an eye out for the carrots with luscious locks of green hair and make this pesto as well. Spoiler alert: it will go great with the potato recipe I am sharing on Friday ;-). And it’s pesto so you can literally use it on most anything, or freeze it if you want to save it for later.

To keep you up to date, here’s the Easter Menu I’ve shared thus far (updated as I post more):

• Apricot-Honey Glazed Ham
• Black Pepper Parmesan Biscuits
• Creamy Spring Peas
• Herb-Roasted Carrots & Parsnips
• Smashed Potatoes with Lemon Aioli
• Carrot Top Pesto
• Mom’s Investment Salad (aka Ambrosia Salad)
• Raspberry Almond Streusel Pie with Allspice Whipped Cream

Two years ago: Easter Gooey Butter Cake

Three years ago: Weekly Meal Plan: April 11-17

Four years ago: Eggplant Tofu in Garlic Sauce

Five years ago: Apple Jelly Glazed Pork Chops

Six years ago: Slow Cooker Chicken Nachos

Seven years ago: Cheesy Potato Casserole

CARROT TOP PESTO

Makes approximately 2 cups

Ingredients:

3 cloves garlic

2 oz. Parmesan cheese, cut into 1-inch cubes (freshly shredded is fine)

1 cup soft carrot top greenery (main stems removed)

1 cup fresh baby spinach

1 cup fresh basil

1/2 cup pine nuts

1 tsp lemon juice

1-1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp black pepper

1 cup Pomora extra virgin olive oil (can add extra to thin out if you so choose)

Directions:

1. In the bowl of a food processor, add garlic. Turn on and add cheese through the feed tube. Continue processing until cheese is finely chopped.
2. Add greenery, pine nuts, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Process 2-3 seconds, then gradually add olive oil through the feed tube. Continue processing until thoroughly combined.
3. Pour into an air-tight container, and top with a small amount of olive oil. Store in the refrigerator.

Source: Adapted from my Homemade Pesto.

Disclosure: I received complimentary Pomora olive oil to use as I pleased. All thoughts an opinions are my own.

I realize that making recipes utilizing things growing in your garden may not apply anymore this time of year. But if you’re lucky enough to have some rainbow chard still hanging on, might I suggest tossing it all into a food processor to make pesto? I’ve made pesto from just about any leafy green (traditional basil, carrot tops, arugula) but this one was particularly fun because I saved the colorful stalks, chopped them up, and tossed the in with pasta when I added the pesto. It’s kinda of like a pasta salad at that point! I want to try fennel fronds pesto next.

In other news, today is my first day at Nationwide Children’s Hospital. I cannot recall how much I shared on the blog as the last few months have been grueling at work preparing the lab for the move, with the actual move last week testing the strength of the last thread I was surviving on, but long story short the lab at Ohio State in which I have worked for the last 4 years moved to NCH. My job will be the same, just different scenery! And yet so much is changing that don’t necessarily impact the daily job life itself. Some good, some not as good but overall should be a good thing in the long run! Here’s hoping, but for now it’s orientation all day.

Two years ago: Baked Chocolate Doughnut Holes with Peanut Butter Glaze

Five years ago: Krispie Pumpkin Ice Cream Dessert

Six years ago: Purple Sweet Potato Gnocchi with Guiltless Goat Cheese Alfredo

RAINBOW CHARD PESTO

Makes approximately 2 cups

Ingredients:

3 cloves garlic, peeled

3 oz. Parmesan cheese, cut into 1-inch cubes (freshly shredded is fine)

2 cups fresh Rainbow chard leaves, stems removed (chop and save if desired)

1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted

1 lemon, zested

1-1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

Pinch of cayenne or red pepper flakes (optional)

3/4-1 cup extra virgin olive oil

Directions:

1. In the bowl of a food processor, add garlic. Turn on and add cheese through the feed tube. Continue processing until cheese is finely chopped.
2. Add basil, pine nuts, lemon zest, salt and pepper (and cayenne if desired). Process 2-3 seconds, then gradually add olive oil through the feed tube. Continue processing until thoroughly combined.
3. Pour into an air-tight container, and top with a small amount of olive oil. Store in the refrigerator.

Source: Adapted from my Homemade Basil Pesto.

If you are into college football then you are as excited as I am about tomorrow! Well you may be more excited than I am actually because upon hearing of the injury of the Ohio State QB’s shoulder I deflated a bit. However, that won’t stop me from watching all the games I can lay my eyes on and whipping up appetizers and desserts made of peanut butter and chocolate. Which means for the next several weeks PB+Choc Saturdays are back! Even if you don’t like college football you can appreciate from peanut butter and chocolate goodness. But that’s tomorrow.

Being the day before the game I decided it was a good time to post an appetizer recipe. Maybe I’ll make it a thing, “App Friday”. The first dip up for grabs is one that reminds me of hummus but instead of pureed chick peas it is edamame which creates a pretty green color. Different flavor of course, but just as versatile of a spread/dip. Chips, veggies, crackers, whatever you can find to scoop it up!

One year ago: Gnocchi, Sweet Corn & Arugula in Cream Sauce

Two years ago: Reese’s Peanut Butter Oatmeal Breakfast Cookie

Three years ago: Almond Berry Overnight Slow Cooker Oatmeal

NUTTY EDAMAME DIP

Serves 8

Ingredients:

2 cups frozen, shelled edamame

2 garlic cloves

1/4 cup packed fresh basil leaves

2 Tbsp toasted pine nuts

2 Tbsp plain reduced fat Greek yogurt (I used 2% Chobani)

1/4 cup water

2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil

2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice

1/2 tsp lemon zest

3/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp black pepper

Directions:

1. In a small saucepan add the edamame. Cover with 2-inches of water. Bring to a boil and cook for 2 minutes or until tender. Drain and set aside to cool.
2. Once cooled, place edamame, garlic, basil, pine nuts, and yogurt in a food processor. Pulse 10 times or until coarsely ground. Add water, oil, lemon juice and zest, and salt and pepper. Process until almost smooth.
3. Serve with chips, crackers or veggies.

Source: Adapted slightly from Cooking Light, April 2014.

I love having homemade pesto in the freezer. The freshness of homemade basil year round! I actually made and photographed this almost a year ago, which is very evident to me now that I’ve been enjoying a fancy camera and paying more attention to lighting (I’m digging into the bottom of the barrel because I haven’t been in the kitchen with the move). But I digress. These little lasagna stacks are made easy by using wonton wrappers instead of traditional lasagna noodles and you can layer whatever you want between them. I used alternating layers of pesto and sausage marinara.

Three years ago: Homemade Hazelnut Chocolate Spread (Nutella)

MINI LASAGNA STACKS

Serves 4

Ingredients:

1 spicy chicken sausage link, casing removed

3/4 cup marinara sauce

1 package (50 sheets) wonton wrappers

1/2 cup freshly made pesto

1/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

1 Tbsp toasted pine nuts

1 tsp dried oregano

Freshly ground pepper

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare either a baking dish or four small gratin dishes by spraying with a little nonstick cooking spray.
2. In a small skillet over medium, crumble sausage meat and brown until not longer pink. Drain excess grease and mix in marinara sauce.
3. Layer the lasagna stacks by starting with a square of pasta, spreading about a teaspoon of marinara sauce on top. Add another square of pasta a spread about a teaspoon of pesto on top. Repeat with alternating layers until you have used 12 squares for each stack (feel free to add the remaining 2 squares to the stacks).
4. Top with remaining marinara, some pesto and a sprinkling of the mozzarella. Add a few pine nuts on top of each stack and then a pinch of the oregano and some freshly ground pepper.
5. Cover tightly with foil (if using individual gratin dishes, place them on a rimmed baking sheet). Bake the lasagna for about 20 minutes and then remove foil. Bake for an additional 7 -10 minutes, or until cheese on top has melted to your liking. Remove from oven and let sit for 5 minutes to set up a little before serving.

Source: Adapted from The Italian Dish.

Add some red pepper flakes if you want a little kick!

Two years ago: Baked Zucchini Fries with Balsamic Aioli

SPAGHETTI AVOCADO

Serves 1

Ingredients:

1-1/4 cup cooked whole wheat spaghetti, 1/2 cup cooking water reserved

1/2 avocado

1 Tbsp chopped fresh basil

1 tsp extra-virgin olive oil

Garlic powder, to taste

Salt and pepper, to taste

1/2 cup cauliflower florets, steamed

1 Tbsp toasted pine nuts

Directions:

1. While the pasta is cooking, mash the avocado in a small bowl. Stir in basil, olive oil and seasonings to taste.
2. When the pasta is done, thin avocado sauce to desired consistency using a tablespoon at a time of the reserved cooking water (I used about 1/4 cup).
3. Serve sauce over pasta, with steamed cauliflower and toasted pine nuts.

Source: Adapted from Fitness, January 2013.

Sometimes I don’t read ingredient lists properly. I either screw up writing down the correct amount needed or the ingredient itself. Take this recipe for example: I bought orzo instead of arborio rice. So viola I made orzo intead of risotto, and it still tasted great. The fried sage and balsamic drizzle are must haves for this dish. Never thought that fried sage would be so wonderful. They turn into crispy little flavor wonders.

One year ago: Chicken Pad Thai

BUTTERNUT SQUASH ORZO WITH PINE NUTS, BALSAMIC DRIZZLE, AND FRIED SAGE

Serves 4

Ingredients:

Directions:

It’s hard to beat fresh, homemade pesto. Nothing at the store can compare! You’ll find yourself adding this basil pesto to everything.

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On Friday, Andrea who works a door down from the lab I work in* and takes lunch with a group of us, brought me a bundle of fresh basil from her garden complete with a tried and true basil pesto recipe. Naturally that was the first thing I made with the majority of the basil and it came out great!

I have a bad habit of over toasting nuts, but this time I managed to remember to check on them constantly so as not to waste such precious expensive pine nuts.

This was actually the very first time I’ve ever made my own pesto and it was easier than driving down the street to the grocery store to buy it there. And of course it’s better than any store-bought kind I’ve ever had. Isn’t that true of almost every homemade food item?

Nine years later and I can verify that it is still my go-to pesto recipe to this very day! It really beats anything you can buy at the store, hands down. Especially now that I can go in my backyard and pick the basil fresh from my garden! Maybe grab a few cherry tomatoes while I’m out there, homemade mozzarella if I’m feeling extra motivated, and caprese salad here we come.

I love using basil pesto in various dishes! Some ideas for you include: 

• Basil Pesto Hummus
• Chicken and Pesto Stuffed Shells
• Feta Stuffed Pesto Turkey Burgers 
• Greek Yogurt Gnocchi with Spicy Pesto
• Grilled Balsamic Chicken with Mozzarella and Pesto
• Pesto Chicken Lasagna
• Pesto Pasta with Chicken Sausage and Roasted Brussels Sprouts
• Pesto Prosciutto Pizza

Besides pesto, what are other great options for which you like to use basil? What are your favorite recipes?

Post updated 8/16/20, photo above is the original.

* Sadly the lab is moving this very day to the new Pharmacy building on campus so our lunch group will be divided and I will no longer be getting fresh herbs. But at the same time it’s really exciting to be moving into a brand new facility **.

** Since the first time I wrote this post, I graduated with my PhD, got a job in Columbus, OH at Ohio State, moved labs to Nationwide Children’s Hospital, and am still currently working there. 

P.S. Moving labs sucks and my current lab is going to move into a new building again in about 2 years… oh the science life.

HOMEMADE BASIL PESTO

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Yield: Approximately 2 cups Prep Time: 10 Minutes

Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat

Ingredients

• 3 cloves garlic, peeled
• 3 oz. Parmesan cheese, cut into 1-inch cubes (freshly shredded is fine)
• 2 cups packed fresh basil leaves
• 1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted and cooled
• 1-1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp pepper
• 1 cup extra virgin olive oil

Directions

1. In the bowl of a food processor, add garlic. Turn on and add cheese through the feed tube. Continue processing until cheese is finely chopped.
2. Add basil, pine nuts, salt and pepper. Process 2-3 seconds, then gradually add olive oil through the feed tube. Continue processing until thoroughly combined.
3. Pour into an air-tight container, and top with a small amount of olive oil. Store in the refrigerator.

Did you make this recipe? I want to see!
Tag @THESPIFFYCOOKIE on Instagram and hashtag it #THESPIFFYCOOKIE

What do you call a pizza with all kinds of different toppings all on top of a sourdough crust? Delicious.

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Well, isn’t that the longest pizza title ever? I couldn’t come up with a good title and also felt like I couldn’t leave out the star toppings. I got the idea for this pizza from one of my favorite pizza places, The Mellow Mushroom.

Several of their pizzas are quite delicious, and I really enjoy the diversity of toppings that stray from the traditional but their Kosmic Karma pizza I order the most. Even the name sounds appealing, as if eating it will send you into a peaceful state – which it does. And what better than to recreate that experience at home?

Using my sourdough starter to make a sourdough pizza crust, this pizza was spread with pesto as the underlying sauce, then topped with Mozzarella and feta cheese, followed by a good helping of spinach, sun-dried tomatoes and pine nuts. I may have gotten a little zealous with the pine nuts, but they add such a great texture!

Post updated 4/8/20, photo above is the original.

FETA, SPINACH, SUN-DRIED TOMATO AND PINE NUT PIZZA

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Yield: 2-4 servings Cooking Time: 20 Minutes 20 Minutes

Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat

Ingredients

• 1 recipe sourdough pizza crust
• 1/2 cup pesto
• 1 cup Mozzarella cheese, shredded
• 1/4 cup feta cheese, crumbled
• 1/4 cup frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed of excess moisture
• 4 sun-dried tomatoes, julienned
• 2 heaping Tbsp pine nuts, toasted

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees for at least 10 minutes with a pizza stone* on the middle rack.
2. Meanwhile, roll pizza dough onto a corn meal dusted pizza peel*.
3. Spread pesto over crust. Top with Mozzarella and feta followed by spinach, sun-dried tomatoes and pine nuts.
4. Shimmy the pizza from the pizza peel onto the pre-heated pizza stone and bake for 15-20 minutes, or until it the crust turns golden brown and the cheese starts to bubble. Allow to cool for 5 minutes then cut into slices.

Notes

*If you do not have a pizza stone or peel, roll dough out on a corn meal dusted baking sheet/pizza pan.

Did you make this recipe? I want to see!

Tag @THESPIFFYCOOKIE on Instagram and hashtag it #THESPIFFYCOOKIE

I down-sized from the original recipe to serve two people because I wasn’t sure how well it would re-heat. Although I have a feeling a toaster oven would make leftovers just like new.

Quick story. One of the first times I cooked for Brent I made a side of asparagus in a lemon vinaigrette. When I took my first bite I almost gagged. I added WAY too much lemon juice (it actually drained some of the green color out of the asparagus!) and immediately told him not to eat any of it because I knew it was bad and wouldn’t be hurt if he agreed. Unfortunately, he didn’t quite believe me and proceeded to eat most of it while saying it was fine. After I continued to explain that I’d rather him be honest than eat something he hates (because I’ll keep making it if I think you like it!), he finally admitted it was saturated in lemon. Neither of us could go anywhere near lemon for quite awhile – we had had enough to tide us over.

Here we are, years later and I still cringe a little when adding lemon to such things as vegetables, and we continue to joke about the lemon asparagus incident. But the lemon in this dish was not overpowering at all, in fact it was the prefect amount.

Need dinner ideas? Serve this along with Chicken Crescent Rolls or Chicken Parmesan Quesadillas.

Ingredients:

1 Tbsp pine nuts

2 cups broccoli florets

1 garlic clove, minced

2 Tbsp olive oil, divided

1/4 tsp salt

1/8 tsp black pepper

1/2 tsp grated lemon zest

1/2 Tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice

1 Tbsp freshly grated Parmesan cheese

4 leaves julienned fresh basil leaves (I had to leave this out as my grocery store was, yet again, out of basil*)

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. Spread the pine nuts onto a baking sheet and place in preheated oven 5-7 minutes until fragrant. Shake the baking sheet halfway through baking so the nuts will toast evenly. Remove nuts from oven and set aside to cool completely. Increase oven temperature to 425 degrees.
3. Place the broccoli florets in a single layer on a large rimmed baking sheet. Sprinkle the garlic on the broccoli and drizzle with 1 Tbsp olive oil. Sprinkle with the salt and pepper. Roast until crisp-tender and the tips of some of the florets are browned, about 20 to 25 minutes. Remove the broccoli from the oven and immediately toss with 1 Tbsp olive oil, the lemon zest, lemon juice, pine nuts, Parmesan, and basil. Serve hot.

Source: Adapted slightly from Sweet Pea’s Kitchen

*I need my own herb garden.