Jenna Atkinson, Author at Kitchen Foliage

11 Types of Taco Meat

July 16, 2022October 5, 2021 by Jenna Atkinson

Taco meat can be marinated in citrus, slow roasted, seared, and spiced with Cajun seasoning to make savory tacos.

You can use your favorite taco meat to make Baja fish tacos, chicken Tinga tacos, BBQ pork tacos, chorizo tacos, shrimp tacos, and steak tacos.

Pair your taco meat with avocado crema, lime cilantro coleslaw, pineapple salsa, or guacamole for your next taco dinner!

Fish

Fish tacos are usually made with cod, since it’s a neutral flavored fish that can easily be seasoned and seared to create flavorful tacos.

Baja fish tacos are made by marinating the fish in a spicy blend and searing it in a frying pan. The Baja fish tacos are served with a cilantro lime coleslaw and an avocado crema sauce.

Blackened cod fish tacos are savory and delicious. They are made with cilantro avocado sauce, coleslaw, jalapenos, and queso fresco cheese.

Pork

Pork can be made into tacos by marinating it first (al Pastor tacos), slow roasted (carnitas), or over an open fire. Pork skin can added to tacos. Pork skin is crusty and add a depth of flavor and texture to tacos.

Pork tacos can be made into a BBQ style. BBQ pork tacos can be paired with a a honey mustard coleslaw for a tangy taco recipe.

Slow roasted pork tacos (carnitas) can be served with lime cilantro rice, salsa verde, pineapple salsa, tomatillo salsa, jalapenos, red onion, and cilantro.

Steak

Steak tacos (Carne Asada) are made with a simple flank steak that is marinated first, and then grilled to perfection.

Steak tacos can be paired with cilantro, avocado, onion, cojita cheese and your favorite salsa for a classic Mexican taco.

Chicken

Chicken tacos can be made by grilling, baking, or slow roasting it that it tears easily.

Chicken Tinga tacos are made with a sauce made of spices, onions, tomatoes, and chipotle peppers. The chicken is cooked in Tinga sauce until it pulls apart easily. Chicken Tinga tacos can be served with jalapenos, cotija cheese, cilantro, guacamole, and your favorite salsa.

Al pastor chicken (marinated chicken) can made served with a combination of quesa fresco, lime cilantro rice, avocado crema, cilantro, red onions, jalapeños, and your favorite watermelon salsa.

Street chicken tacos are made by marinating the chicken in a citrus and spicy mixture, and then grilling it. Street chicken tacos can be served with Mexican rice, refried beans, pico de gallo, cilantro, hot sauce and sour cream.

Chorizo

Ground chorizo can be fried similar to ground beef for tacos. It doesn’t need any seasoning, so it can be cooked on it’s own and be full of flavor.

Chorizo tacos can be served with lime cilantro crema, fresh cilantro, cojita cheese, red onions, and your favorite salsa.

Chorizo tacos can be made with roasted sweet potatoes and black beans for a soft textured taco. Serve with queso fresh, sliced green onions, and fresh lime juice.

Shrimp

Shrimp tacos are typically flavored with a spicy marinade and fried.

Shrimp tacos can be served with pineapple salsa, lime cilantro coleslaw, fresh avocados, red onions, cilantro, cojita cheese, and avocado cream sauce.

Avocado cream sauce can be used to coat coleslaw for a texture rich shrimp coleslaw taco.

Turkey

Ground turkey can be flavored similar to ground beef when making turkey tacos.

Turkey tacos can be made by flavoring it with spicy taco seasoning. Turkey tacos can be served with guacamole, lettuce, tomatoes, cheese, hot sauce, sour cream, and salsa.

Ground Beef

Ground beef can be easily fried up with spicy taco seasoning. Ground beef tacos can have a few added vegetables cooked with it for more of a balanced taco including zucchini, carrots, and peppers.

Ground beef tacos can be served with lettuce, tomatoes, onions, cheddar cheese, cilantro, salsa, sour cream, avocado crema, lime cilantro rice, guacamole.

Eggs

Egg tacos can be whisked together, seasoned and fried with a simple taco seasoning.

Eggs tacos can be served with pico de gallo, salsa fresca, red onions, cilantro, and hot sauce.

Eggs tacos can also be made into more of a breakfast taco. Breakfast egg tacos are served with sausages, potatoes, salsa, jalapenos, tomatoes, onions, and cilantro.

Lamb

Lamb tacos are made by using braised lamb. Braised lamb is cooked in combination of spices with water and red wine vinegar. The lamb is cooked slowly, so it can easily be torn apart for tacos.

Braised lamb tacos are served with a charred tomato salsa, cilantro, queso fresco, onions, and fresh tomatoes.

Barbacoa lamb tacos are made over an open fire and slow roasted. The lamb is cooked in a chili paste, and then is braised. Barbacoa lamb tacos are served with a Habanero tomatillo salsa, picked red onions, and fresh cilantro.

Goat

Birria goat tacos are an authentic Mexican taco that is made by marinating the goat in a chili paste, braising it, and frying it. The birria tacos are slow roasted, and then the meat becomes crispy at the end when it’s fried.

Birria goat tacos are served with pickled red onions, cilantro, and onions.

Recipes for Baguette Toppings

September 29, 2022October 1, 2021 by Jenna Atkinson

Fresh baguettes that are still warm are such a treat to make savory appetizer bites with.

You can top baguette slices with prosciutto, Havarti, bruschetta, basil leaves, honey, and balsamic vinegar to create alluring flavors that will dazzle your taste buds.

Prosciutto and Cheese

Prosciutto and cheese baguette topping is made by topping your baguette slices with your favorite piece of gouda or Havarti cheese.

A few sprigs of arugula are added on top of the baguette along with a folded piece of prosciutto.

The baguette is garnished with a bit of balsamic reduction.

Raw Apple and Prosciutto

Raw apple and prosciutto appetizer is made by putting a bit of fig jam onto each of the baguette slices. Next, a basil leaf in placed on top of the fig jam.

Thinly sliced apples are layered on top of the basil.

Prosciutto is folded on top of the apple slices. To garnish the baguette appetizer, top with a bit of balsamic reduction.

Roasted Cherry Tomato Bruschetta

Roast cherry tomatoes in a bit of olive oil in the oven for 20 minutes.

Remove them from the oven and mix with fresh basil leaves. Toast the baguette slices for 2 minutes.

Rub the toasted baguette slices with a half cut garlic to put a hint on garlic on the toasted baguette. Top the bread with the roasted tomatoes and basil.

Grate fresh parmesan cheese for the top of the baguette slices and serve.

Fresh Pesto Bruschetta

Make a fresh batch of pesto, the flavor is much more powerful and fragrant than store bought.

Dice a tomato with a little bit of onion. Mix the pesto together with the tomatoes and onions.

Spoon the tomato pesto mixture on top of fresh baguette rounds and grate parmesan cheese on top.

Toast for a couple of minutes for the cheese to warm up.

Cheese Baguette Toppings

brie cheese, almonds, drizzle of honey
parmesan, salami, mustard
smoked gouda, mustard, salami, pickle
Havarti, prosciutto, mustard
Blue cheese, slice of pear, arugula, drizzle of balsamic reduction
fresh mozzarella, tomato slice, drizzle of balsamic vinegar
brie, pomegranate, dried cranberries, strips of fresh basil
fig jam, brie, pecans, drizzle of honey
goat cheese, sliced strawberries, strips of fresh basil, and a drizzle of balsamic reduction
cream cheese, smoked salmon, capers, fresh dill sprig

Ricotta Baguette Toppings

Ricotta baguette toppings can be made by adding a thin layer of ricotta on a fresh slice of baguette.

You can top your baguette with the following individual toppings:

bacon and a bit of fresh pepper
blueberries and a drizzle of honey
cucumber slices and fresh mint leaves
brie cheese, sliced strawberries, balsamic reduction
sliced pears with walnuts and a drizzle of honey
pistachios and a drizzle of honey
sliced apples with pecans and a drizzle of honey
sliced peaches, pancetta, basil, honey, and balsamic glaze recipe

Gifts for Cookie Bakers

October 1, 2021 by Jenna Atkinson

Cookie bakers tend to go through a ton of piping bags, sprinkles, and food coloring.

We’ve complied a list of gift to give to your favorite cookie baker, including a few specialty items they might love to include in their cookie baking tools!

Piping Bags

Piping bags are essential for decorating cookies.

You can give your cookie baker reusable silicone piping bags or disposable piping bags depending on their preference.

There are a few different sizes of piping bags you can get, but usually for icing they don’t need too large of piping bags, unless they are flooding a ton of cookies.

You could go with a variety of piping bags for your cookie decorator both for flooding or for fine details.

Stamps

Stamps can be used to make designs on cookies by adding gel food coloring and almond extract together.

The stamp in pressed into the color, and then the stamp is pressed into the cookie.

The stamp will work well on top of royal icing flooded cookies as long as the icing has fully dried.

Using a stamp on a cookie makes them look very professional and usually gives more detail than using icing.

Sprinkles

Sprinkles can be added to cookies before the royal icing dries.

Sprinkles are an easy way for a cookie decorator to add a bit of coloring to their decorated cookies.

There are a few different types of sprinkles you can get, from rectangular shapes, to small or large circles.

I find the larger sprinkles are best used for details like snowflakes, ornaments on a Christmas tree, etc.

Edible Markers

You can get a few different colored edible markers that work just like a regular marker, but for a cookie.

The tips on the edible marker are quite sharp so they can do both fine and thicker lines by level of pressure used.

Black edible markers are used the most with adding faces, or other fancy designs on the cookies without having to use icing.

Sometimes you just need a touch of black for eyes or eyelashes, edible markers work much better for this than using icing.

Cake Writing Tool

A cake writing tool is simply a way to write with icing easily.

A bit more of a fancier way to write with icing is using a cake decorating pen.

Food Coloring

Cookie bakers use a variety of food coloring to color their icing, including using gel food coloring.

They don’t use very much food coloring, yet the color is extremely vibrant.

Gel food coloring is unique in that it will not change the consistency of icing, unlike liquid food coloring.

When they’re trying to get the perfect consistency of their icing for either flooding or fine detail, liquid food coloring will not be helpful to them.

Typically cookie bakers prefer use gel food coloring.

Cookie Decorating Scribe Tool

A cookie decorating scribe tool is used to spread, or move icing with a very fine point.

A cookie decorating scribe tool can be used to spread icing into tight corners, make fine details, or pop air bubbles that can form in icing.

Since the scribe has a fine point, they can tip the point into icing and then make small dots of icing on their cookies.

Cookies with fine details use the cookie scribe tool to make intricate designs.

Squeeze Bottles

Decorating squeeze bottles are helpful for flooding cookies.

Piping icing takes a toll on your arms and fingers with the intricate work it takes to pipe icing.

Decorating squeeze bottles allow cookie bakers fill the icing in them, and then they just squeeze the bottle and the icing flows out of the tip with ease.

If your cookie baker is flooding a bunch of cookies, these squeeze bottles come in very handy.

They can also put the closing tip on it and save it for another day.

How to Flavor Macarons

October 1, 2021 by Jenna Atkinson

Macaron shells can be flavored with many different foods including extracts, dried foods, herbs, and spices. We’ll show you how much to add of each food to flavor your macaron shells.

Extract

Extract can be added to your initial egg whites, before adding your almond flour and icing sugar.

The extract is a liquid ingredient, therefore it will emulsify better with the egg whites.

You can add 1/4 tsp to flavor your macaron shells with extract.

Coffee

Coffee is a dry ingredient, therefore you can add it with your almond flour and mix well prior to adding it to your egg whites.

You can add up to 1 tbsp of coffee grounds to your macaron batter to flavor your macaron shells.

Tea

Tea needs to be emptied out of the tea bag and placed into a mortar and pestle.

Grind up the tea. You don’t need to grind it until it forms a powder.

You still want to be able to see the tea leaves.

By grinding up the tea, this will release the aromatic flavors of the tea into the macaron shells.

You can place the tea into your batter with the almond flour and icing sugar.

This way, it will be evenly distributed in your macaron shells.

You can add 1 tsp – 1 tbsp of ground up tea to your macaron shells.

Cookie Crumbs

Cookie crumbs are a dry ingredient, therefore you can add it with your almond flour and mix well prior to adding it to your egg whites.

You can add up to 1 tbsp of cookie crumbs to your macaron batter to flavor your macaron shells.

Cocoa Powder

Cocoa powder is a dry ingredient, so you can add it in with your almond flour.

Depending on how chocolatey you want your macaron shells, you can add 1 tsp – 1 tbsp of cocoa powder. A little goes a long way.

Nuts

Nuts can be roasted to make the flavor more intense for your macaron shells.

Nuts need to be pulsed in a food processor and dried out a day in advance prior to adding them to your macaron shells.

You can add ~1-2 tbsp of dried nuts to your macaron shells if desired.

Nuts can release their oils and ruin your macarons very easily.

If you wanted to be safe, you could sprinkle a few nuts on the tops of your macaron shells instead of putting them directly into your macarons.

Freeze Dried Fruit

Freeze dried fruit can be put into a mortar and pestle.

Grind it until it forms a powder. By grinding up the freeze dried fruit, this will release the fruit flavors into the macaron shells.

You can place the freeze dried fruit into your batter with the almond flour and icing sugar.

You can add 1 tbsp of freeze dried fruit to your macaron shells.

Dried Spices

Dried spices are a dry ingredient, therefore you can add them in with your almond flour.

You can add 1 tsp – 1 tbsp of dried spices to your macaron batter to flavor your macaron shells.

Fresh Herbs

Fresh herbs need to be cut up into fine pieces.

This will release the fresh herb flavors into your macaron shells.

Fresh herbs can contain a bit of water, you can blot it with a bit of paper towel.

Add 1-2 tsp of fresh herbs to your macaron shells to flavor them.

Zest

Lime, lemon, or orange zest can be added to macaron shells for a burst of citrus flavor.

Zest contains quite a bit of liquid, so it should be dried out for a day before using it.

If you don’t have enough time, you can blot it with a paper towel to remove the moisture from the zest.

You can add 1 tsp – 1 tbsp of zest into your macaron shells.

Flavoring Macaron Shells after Piping

You can add a sprinkle of food to the tops of your macaron shells right after piping them.

Any of the above ingredients can be added to the macaron shells to give them more flavor, and an eye catching look to them.

Don’t add too much though, only a little bit in the center.

The food will dry into the macaron shell over the next 30 minutes and will adhere to it.

Once the macarons are baked, the tops of the macaron will look beautiful and be full of flavor.

Flavoring Macaron Shells after Baking

You can add a few extra foods to your macarons after they have baked to give them even more flavor.

Caramel

Caramel sauce or salted caramel sauce can be drizzle on the tops of the macarons for a sweet finish to your macarons.

Melted Chocolate

Melted chocolate can be drizzled on the top of the macaron to give it a chocolatey creamy taste to your macarons.

Icing

Icing can be piped onto the top of the macarons to give your macarons a beautiful look to them.

You can decorate designs like snowflakes, faces, writing, flowers, etc.

The icing will make the macaron have a sweet taste to them.

You can also add a sprinkle of nuts or zest on top of the icing to add more flavor to your macarons if you like.

What is a Rolling Pin Used For

September 30, 2021 by Jenna Atkinson

A rolling pin is a large cylindrical object that has smooth sides to be able flatten foods.

Learn how to use a rolling pin.

Uses for Rolling Pins

You can use a rolling pin for a variety of purposes including:

pita bread
tortillas
cookie dough – sugar cookies, shortbread cookies, etc.
croissants
pastry dough
pizza dough
pasta dough
scone dough
cinnamon roll dough
puff pastry dough
turnovers
pie crust
tart dough
flatbread dough

What types of rolling pins are there

wooden tapered – French style rolling pin
wooden straight sided rolling pin
marble rolling pin – ideal for croissant dough
narrow and long rolling pin – for tortillas
glass rolling pin – vintage
rolling pin with thickness rings

What are rolling pin rings for

Rolling pin rings are for flattening a dough to an exact and precise measurement.

Tart dough, pie crust, and crackers all require dough to be flattened to a specific measurement.

Rolling pin rings sit on the edges of the rolling pin.

They will stop the dough from flattening any further than your required measurement.

Vanilla Scone Glaze

April 1, 2023September 30, 2021 by Jenna Atkinson

Jump to Recipe

Vanilla scone glaze is a sweet, decadent, icing with hint of vanilla aroma that you’ll love!

You have the option of adding 1/2 a vanilla bean to infuse even more vanilla flavor into your vanilla scone glaze if desired.

You could also use vanilla bean paste as a substitute (1 tsp).

Vanilla scone glaze can be use for

pumpkin spice scones
vanilla bean scones
lemon raspberry scones
blueberry scones
chocolate chip scones
cinnamon scones
cranberry orange scones

How much vanilla scone glaze do you need on top of one scone

You should use approximately 1 tbsp of glaze for each scone. The top of the scone could be completely covered in glaze, or you can drizzle the glaze back and forth.

Can you substitute milk for Vanilla Scone Glaze

Yes, you can substitute oat milk, macadamia milk, or almond milk for your scone glaze.

What consistency is scone glaze

Scone glaze is thick, viscous, but easily movable. It will flow quickly when you’re putting it on top of your scones.

What does the scone glaze looks like

Vanilla scone glaze has a smooth sheen to it. Vanilla scone glaze will dry and harden in about 30 minutes after it applied to the scone.

Vanilla Scone Glaze

How to make vanilla glaze for scones

Prep Time8

Total Time8

Course: Dessert

Keyword: glaze

Yield: 0.5 cups

Materials

3 cups powdered sugar
90 ml milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 vanilla bean scraped optional

Instructions

Cut the vanilla bean in half with a sharp knife. Use 1/2 of the vanilla bean pod and scrape all the seeds into a bowl.
Place the skin of the 1/2 vanilla bean pod into the bowl as well. Add milk and gently with your fingers run it down the vanilla bean. The flavor of the vanilla bean will infuse the milk with a strong aromatic flavor.
Remove the pod from the milk. Add vanilla extract and milk together. The beans should be well mixed in the milk by now.
Slowly add powdered sugar until it's completely mixed in. If the consistency of the vanilla scone glaze too thick, add a small amount of milk ~1-2 tsps to thin it out. If the vanilla scone glaze is too thin, add a little more powdered sugar.
Use a spoon to place the vanilla scone glaze on top of your scones. Store any excess icing in an airtight container in the fridge for about ~3 days.

How much vanilla scone glaze do you need on top of one scone

How to Bake Macarons in a Conventional Oven

September 29, 2021 by Jenna Atkinson

Macarons can be easily baked in your own home oven, as long as you have the correct temperature needed for your recipe.

To make sure your oven is at the correct temperature, use an oven thermometer to measure the temperature.

If your oven isn’t quite at the right temperature, make the adjustment and wait until it has reached the desired temperature. If the oven is too hot, the macarons will “burn” and have a brown top to them. If the oven is too low in temperature, the macarons will be sticky, and will not come off of the pan.

How to Bake Macarons in a Conventional Oven

What temperature to bake Italian method macarons at

Italian method macarons should be baked at 300 degrees F for about 12 minutes.

This ensures the “feet” of the macaron will pop out, and give you a beautiful even round macaron when it comes out of the oven.

How long do you bake Italian method macarons at

Italian method macarons need to be baked for about 12 minutes at 300 degrees F. Depending on how big your macarons are, you may need to adjust the time accordingly. Check them after 12 minutes, if they remain sticking to the pan, bake for 1 more minute and check again.

What pan do you use for baking macarons in a conventional oven

The best pan for macarons is using an aluminum baking sheet in a conventional oven.

Aluminum is the best metal at conducting heat over other baking sheets like stainless steel
heats up to temperature faster than stainless steel
resists warping, and are extremely sturdy and durable
conducts heat evenly throughout the pan

Macarons require the pans be perfectly clean without any oily residue. Using an old stainless steel pan with oily residue can ruin your macarons, even if you made the batter perfectly.

Do you need parchment paper or a silicone mat to bake macarons in a conventional oven

You do need to have a surface that the macarons will be piped onto separating it from the pan.

Silpat pastry mats fit perfectly in a baking sheet. You don’t have to cut it to fit like you do with parchment paper. Silpat silicone pastry mats produce the ideal macaron that is more round and flat; this gives macarons a more professional look to them.

Parchment paper works well to pipe macarons onto. Parchment paper needs to be trimmed in order to fit on the baking pan you’re using.

When removing the air bubbles of your macarons, parchment paper tends to shift around, unlike using a silicone baking mat. Silicone mats will stay in place.

Hold onto your parchment paper while you bang your pan so your macarons do not move around.

Best Pan for Macarons

September 29, 2021 by Jenna Atkinson

The best pan for macarons is using an aluminum baking sheet.

Aluminum is the best metal at conducting heat over other baking sheets like stainless steel
heats up to temperature faster than stainless steel
resists warping, and are extremely sturdy and durable
conducts heat evenly throughout the pan

Aluminum is a light colored baking sheet; it doesn’t absorb heat like other metals, such as stainless steel.

With a lighter colored pan, you can bake for a shorter amount of time than if you used a stainless steel pan.

Aluminum baking sheets are used in high grade commercial bakeries around the globe.

Macarons require the pans be perfectly clean without any oily residue. Using an old stainless steel pan with oily residue can ruin your macarons, even if you made the batter perfectly.

If you’re having trouble baking your macarons, you can use fresh parchment paper on your aluminum baking pans. The parchment paper will hold back as much oil as it can.

Another option is to use a Silpat on top of your aluminum baking pans. A Silpat is a silicone baking mat that helps the macaron spread out to be flatter and rounder than using parchment paper. A Silpat is designed for even heat distribution to bake your macarons. It is considered the gold standard for baking commercial macarons.

Nordicware makes an aluminum baking sheet with high sides on the edge of the baking pan. The Silpat fits directly inside the baking sheet right to the edges.

The high edges of the pan allows the Silpat to stay in place when banging out the air bubbles of your macarons. The Silpat ensures the macarons do not move around like parchment paper does.

I’ve been using Nordicware aluminum baking pans for over a year now, and I’ve had a lot more success making macarons with them over stainless steel. I used to use an old stainless steel pan, and the moment I switched to aluminum I have had consistent success baking macarons.

10 Fall Drinks that are Non Alcoholic

September 29, 2021 by Jenna Atkinson

Fall is the perfect time of year to cozy up on the couch with your favorite fall non alcoholic beverage on a weeknight.

We’ve compiled a list of our favorite fall beverages for you to try out and enjoy right at home.

Pumpkin Pie Milkshake

Pumpkin pie milkshake is made by combing vanilla ice cream, a splash of milk, pumpkin puree and pumpkin pie spice in a blender and blend on high.

Pour into tall frosted glasses out of the freezer.

Top the fall drink with whipped cream and a dusting of graham cracker crumbs.

Pumpkin Spice Latte

Pumpkin spice latte is made by heating milk in a saucepan over medium heat.

Pumpkin puree, pumpkin spice, vanilla extract, and sugar are added to create the base of the latte.

To prepare your latte, add strong coffee or a couple shots of espresso to a coffee cup. Slowly add milk until you’re happy with the taste. If you only want a hint of coffee, go with about 1/4-1/3 cup of coffee in your mug, and fill the rest with pumpkin spiced milk.

You can enjoy your fall drink with a bit of whipped cream, and a sprinkle of cinnamon on top.

Apple Cider

Apple cider is made by combining chopped up apples and orange slices with a few liters of water in a saucepan.

The fruit is cooked with whole spices including: cloves, allspice, cinnamon sticks, and ginger. The mixture is cooked for ~2 hours, and then the fruit is mashed up in the saucepan to release more flavor.

Taste test until you get your apple cider to your own liking.

You can add a little maple syrup to sweeten the apple cider.

Once you’re happy with the flavor, pour it into a mug. Top the apple cider with whipped cream and caramel sauce if desired.

Salted Caramel Latte

Salted caramel latte is made by heating milk in a saucepan over medium heat. Add salted caramel sauce and cocoa powder to the milk.

Once the milk comes almost to a boil, remove it from the heat. Your milk is ready to be added to fresh coffee or espresso.

Garnish this creamy fall beverage with some whipped cream drizzled with salted caramel sauce.

Cranberry Apple Cider Punch

Cranberry apple cider punch is made by cooking cranberries with water in a saucepan until they burst with flavor. Let the cranberries cool to room temperature.

Combine the cranberries with ginger ale, lemon juice, and apple cider.

The tart cranberries with the sweet apple cider is a unique refreshing fall non alcoholic drink.

Chai Tea Latte

Chai tea latte is made by creating a chai concentrate in a saucepan over medium heat. To make the chai concentrate, Assam tea is used as a base flavor. Assam tea is a black tea with cocoa, and earthy flavors.

To strengthen the chai flavor, herbs are added to the concentrate to infused the tea (cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, ginger, peppercorns).

The chai concentrate needs to have a sweet finish to it, so brown sugar is added along with the herbs.

Once the concentrate has finished brewing, a little vanilla extract is added.

The chai tea latte can now be prepared with a half and half mix of chai concentrate and hot, steamed milk for a flavorful fall latte. Top with whipped cream if desired.

Salted Caramel Mocha

Salted caramel mocha is a sweet and salty fall beverage that you’ll love!

Salted caramel mocha is made by making hot chocolate with warm milk.

Leave 1/3 of the mug available to pour in your freshly brewed coffee.

Add caramel sauce and a little sea salt. Mix together until smooth.

Top your salted caramel mocha with whipping cream, caramel sauce and a sprinkle of brown sugar.

Maple Cinnamon Latte

Maple cinnamon latte has a hint of sweet maple combined with cinnamon spice is one of the most tantalizing fall lattes you can taste.

Maple cinnamon latte is made by adding maple syrup, cinnamon spice, and vanilla extract to espresso or brewed coffee.

Add freshly steamed or warmed milk to the rest of your coffee mug and enjoy this incredible fall drink!

Earl Grey Hot Chocolate

Earl grey hot chocolate is made by heating milk in a saucepan with a few chocolate chips or cocoa powder.

Add sugar and heat until the milk comes to a simmer.

Remove it from the heat source and add in vanilla extract and a couple of earl grey tea bags.

Let it steep for 4-5 minutes and enjoy!

Apple Spice Latte

Apple spice latte is the perfect fall latte to sip on a cold evening.

Apple spice latte is made by making an apple syrup.

To make the apple syrup, combine apple juice, water, apple pie spice (cinnamon, ground nutmeg, allspice, cloves and ginger), and brown sugar over medium heat in a saucepan. Let the mixture thicken over the next 5-10 minutes until it’s a syrup-like consistency.

Add about 4 tbsp of your apple spice syrup to your freshly brewed coffee or espresso.

Add warmed steam milk to make it a bit more of a creamy texture.

Top with whipped cream and a sprinkle of apple pie spice.

Bruschetta and Crostini Topping Recipes

January 2, 2024September 28, 2021 by Jenna Atkinson

Bruschetta and crostini’s can be made with countless types of indulgent toppings.

For bruschetta we’ve compiled 2 different recipes including a fresh pesto and tomato bruschetta. We also have a recipe for roasted tomato and basil bruschetta. Both of them are absolutely divine!

For crostini’s, we have a few recipes that include savory prosciutto, cheese, arugula, sweet fig jam and raw apples.

How to make crostini bread

Slice baguette into rounds that are ~1 cm thick.
Brush baguette slices with olive oil.
Toast baguette slices for 2 min on broil high in the oven.
Remove baguette slices from the oven and set on a serving plate.
Top crostini bread with toppings.

Prosciutto and Cheese Crostini Topping

Prosciutto and cheese crostini topping is made by topping your crostini’s with your favorite slice of gouda or Havarti cheese. A few sprigs of arugula are added on top of the crostini along with a folded piece of prosciutto. The crostini is garnished with a bit of balsamic reduction.

Roasted Cherry Tomato Bruschetta Recipe

Roast cherry tomatoes in a bit of olive oil in the oven for 20 minutes. Remove them from the oven and mix with fresh basil leaves. Rub the crostini’s with a half cut garlic to put a hint on garlic on the crostini. Top the crostini with the roasted tomatoes and basil. Grate fresh parmesan cheese for the top of the crostini and serve.

Raw Apple and Prosciutto Crostini Topping

Raw apple and prosciutto appetizer is made by putting a bit of fig jam onto each of the baguette slices. Next, a basil leaf in placed on top of the fig jam. Thinly sliced apples are layered on top of the basil. Prosciutto is folded on top of the apple slices. To garnish the crostini, top with a bit of balsamic reduction.

Pesto Bruschetta Crostini Topping

Make a fresh batch of pesto, the flavor is much more powerful and fragrant than store bought. Dice a tomato with a little bit of onion. Mix the pesto together with the tomatoes and onions. Spoon the tomato pesto mixture on top of crostini’s and grate parmesan cheese on top. Toast for a couple of minutes for the cheese to warm up.

Ricotta Crostini Toppings

Ricotta crostini toppings can be made by adding a thin layer of ricotta on a freshly made crostini. You can top your ricotta crostini’s with the following individual toppings:

bacon
blueberries
cucumber slices and fresh mint leaves
sliced strawberries
sliced pears with walnuts and a drizzle of honey
sliced apples with pecans and a drizzle of honey
sliced peaches, pancetta, basil, honey, and balsamic glaze recipe

Garlic Shrimp and Avocado Crostini Topping

Garlic shrimp and avocado crostini is made by mashing avocado with a bit of lime juice, salt and pepper. Spread a layer of avocado on top of the crostini’s.

Fry the shrimp in a skillet with some garlic, paprika, cumin, salt and pepper. Top the avocado crostini with a freshly cooked garlic shrimp and serve.

Watermelon Bruschetta

Watermelon bruschetta has creamy undertones, mixed with refreshing watermelon and sweet balsamic reducion.

Watermelon bruschetta is made by whipping together feta cheese and ricotta cheese.

Baguette slices are toasted and then a layer of the whipped ricotta and feta cheese is spread on top.

Watermelon is cubed into small pieces, and placed on top of the creamy layer.

Add a little freshly chopped chives, basil leaves, and ground pepper to the bruschetta.

Drizzle with balsamic reduction and your watermelon bruschetta is ready to be served.

Goat Cheese and Apricot Crostini Topping

Goat cheese and apricot crostini topping is made by spreading a thin layer of whipped goat cheese on top of a freshly made crostini.

Top the goat cheese with a spoonful of apricot preserves. Sprinkle with a few cut up pistachios and freshly sliced mint leaves.

Smoked Salmon and Cream Cheese Crostini Topping

Smoked salmon and cream cheese crostini’s are made by creaming together cream cheese, goat cheese, garlic, dill and pepper.

Spread a thin layer of cream cheese mixture onto the crostini.

Add thinly sliced layers of radishes and cucumber on top of the cream cheese.

Place a small piece of smoked salmon on top of the crostini. Garnish the crostini with a few fresh dill sprigs and a bit of freshly ground pepper.

Blackberry Goat Cheese Crostini Topping

Blackberry goat cheese crostini topping is made by creaming together cream cheese, goat cheese, olive oil and a bit of pepper.

Spread a thin layer of cream cheese mixture on a freshly made crostini. Add 2-3 blackberries on top of the cream cheese layer.

Top the crostini with freshly sliced pieces of basil. Drizzle a little honey over the crostini. Add a little bit of lime zest to the crostini to garnish.

What is the difference between a crostini and bruschetta

A crostini is a piece of bread that is brushed with olive oil and toasted. The crostini is topped with fresh toppings.

Bruschetta is made by using a crostini, or a fresh piece of bread. Bruschetta can be made using fresh or roasted tomatoes. Bruschetta can be toasted after the toppings have been added if using fresh ingredients.