Also, isn’t that bright green color just gorgeous????

I am a sucker for matcha flavored anything so I’m not sure what’s taken me so long to add it to shortbread cookies. Matcha is a delightful compliment to shortbread, adding a touch of bitterness that balances the richness of all that butter. 😋

When combined with a bright burst of citrus, the buttery matcha flavored dough becomes something that tastes like spring. A little bit earthy, just the right amount of sweet and tart, and with a subtle hint of umami that makes them positively addicting.

Additions and Substitutions

• Use any kind of citrus you like in these cookies. I used a combination of orange, lemon, and lime zest but you can certainly choose to use just one or two of those options if you prefer.

• If you’re not a citrus fan, leave out the zest and omit the lemon icing.

• Instead of the lemon icing, dip these matcha shortbread cookies in some melted chocolate. 😋

• Speaking of lemon icing, the icing doesn’t have to be lemon. Use lime juice, orange juice, or grapefruit juice if that sounds better to you.

• To make these gluten free: Swap out the all-purpose flour for a measure to measure gluten free flour mix. My favorites are Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free One-to-One Baking Flour and King Arthur Gluten Free Measure to Measure Flour.

Recipe tips

It’s VERY important to use high quality, culinary grade matcha powder in these cookies. The matcha flavor really comes through here, so the better the quality of the matcha, the better the flavor of the cookies. Just like wine, if it doesn’t taste good enough to drink, don’t add it to your food.

I used Pique Life Sun Goddess Matcha Powder. It’s made from 100% organic ceremonial grade matcha from Japan and the flavor is potent, clean, and better than any other brand I’ve tried. (That link, by the way, will get you 20% off and some free gifts!)

Keep it cold, baby. It’s very important to keep shortbread cookie dough cold. You’ll notice two places in the instructions where it’s critical that you let the dough chill out in the refrigerator for a while: Right after mixing the dough and right after rolling the dough.

In both cases, you can chill the dough just long enough to keep all that butter nice and cold or for a few hours or even a few days. This allows you to shape your cookie baking to your schedule and don’t we just love it when things conform to us and not the other way around???

The easiest way to roll out shortbread cookie dough is to roll it between two sheets of parchment paper. This will keep it from sticking to your countertop and your rolling pin and doesn’t require you to dust the dough with extra flour which can dry these cookies out.

The dough will still stick to the parchment a tiny bit so before you cut the dough into shapes, peel back the top layer of paper to loosen it from the dough. Lay the paper back over the dough and flip the whole thing over. Remove the paper that is now on the top. Cut the dough into shapes. Because you’ve already loosened the bottom sheet of parchment, the cookies will release much easier.

Recipe notes:

• Use culinary-grade matcha for the best flavor and color. I used Pique Life Sun Goddess Matcha Powder. (That link will get you 20% off and some free gifts!)

• These cookies keep well in an airtight container for up to a week, though the green color may start to fade over time.

• This recipe says it will make 36 cookies but that depends entirely on the size of your cookie cutters, of course. I used the 2-inch round cutter from this 6-piece set.

• The prep and bake times for this recipe do not include the time it takes to chill the dough. There are two points in the process for making these cookies where it’s important to chill the dough: right after you mix the dough and after you roll it out. In both cases, you can chill the dough just long enough to keep it cold or keep it in the refrigerator for several hours or even several days.

Because there’s no such thing as too much shortbread or too much citrus

1. Brown Butter Citrus Shortbread Cookies: Nutty brown butter shortbread and the bright, sunny flavor of citrus come together in these irresistible cookies that are so tender they literally melt in your mouth.

2. Cranberry Pistachio Shorbread Cookies: These incredibly rich and tender pistachio shortbread cookies are baked with a dollop of cranberry orange sauce, then drizzled with vanilla icing, and topped with a crunchy sprinkle of roasted pistachios.

3. Lemon Bundt Cake with Tart Lemon Glaze: By layering lemon zest, lemon juice, a touch of lemon extract or lemon oil, and plenty of tart lemon icing, this all butter cake is guaranteed to make all the lemon lovers swoon. I know from experience.

4. Orange Drizzle Cake: This orange drizzle cake is so rich, buttery, and tender you might actually call it creamy. The cake includes a few whole oranges stirred right into the batter and a generous drizzle of orange syrup.

Welcome to Let’s Get Lost! I’m Rebecca, a recipe developer, food photographer, passionate people watcher, and chaser of new experiences. You might know me from my recipe websites, Of Batter and Dough and A Little and A Lot.

My husband and I are nomads without a home base but with many modes of transportation, namely an RV, a motorcycle, and a sailboat. I write recipes and stories for curious people who believe experiences are more important than things and who want more adventure. Find out more.

If you live in Colorado, there’s a good chance you’ve been to The Rio Grand Mexican Restaurant. (If you live in Colorado and you’ve never been, I don’t know what you’re doing with your life.)

It’s one of our favorite restaurants largely because of their margaritas. Much of the time, restaurant margaritas tased like sugary limeaid with some tequila in it. I feel the same way about most margarita mixes. They are just too sweet.

The margaritas at the Rio are tart, strong, and not too sweet, which is just the way we like them. And now you can buy their margarita mix. The catch is that you have to actually go to the restaurant to buy it. Which is great news if you live in Colorado and terrible news if you don’t.

And also we love a good margarita around here but have officially reached the age where too much tequila is NEVER worth it, so when we make margaritas at home, this is how we make them.

Recipe Notes:

• I suggest an equal amount of real tequila and zero proof and usually use Ritual Zero Proof Tequila. But, how much you add of each is up to you. Ritual tequila isn’t bad but lacks the bite of the real stuff. What we’ve learned is that a splash of real tequila in with the zero proof stuff is enough to compensate.

• I learned a few years ago that the quality of tequila really does matter both to the taste of your margarita and how it makes you feel. I don’t know the science here, but it’s my personal experience that low quality alcohol is guaranteed to make me feel like shit the next day where the higher-shelf stuff (as long as I take it easy!) comes with fewer adverse effects.

• Like the tequila, it’s up to you how much orange liquor and orange juice you use. I like 1 ounce of the real stuff and 2 ounces of OJ, but play around with this ratio to find what tastes good to you. For a stronger orange flavor use a tablespoon or so of frozen orange juice concentrate.

• If you have a favorite margarita mix, you can use that in place of the Rose’s Lime Juice. Another great option is fresh lime juice with a few dashes of simple syrup.

• I got this Yeti Cocktail Shaker last year after we bought a sailboat. Because obviously, if you have a sailboat, you must also have the ability to make cocktails on the boat. I LOVE it and have since bought a second one for the RV (our actual home).

Serving Suggestions

For those of us who want some food with our booze (even if there’s not a lot of booze in our cocktail), here are a few meals that are just begging to be served with a cold, crisp margarita.

1. Mexican Adobo Chicken (Adobo de Pollo) is chicken cooked in smoky, vinegar-based red chili sauce. This one-pot dish is pure comfort food that's super easy to make.

2. These Crispy Corn Tortilla Quesadillas are super quick and easy to prepare. Each quesadilla only takes about 5 minutes to make. And, they are the kind of lunch or dinner that I always have the ingredients for.

3. Creamy black beans, buttery potatoes, and plenty of melted cheese tucked into a crispy flour tortilla shell and served with sour cream salsa verde sauce. These crispy black bean tacos are quick and inexpensive to make but will fill you with happiness from head to toe. That, my friends, is what I call a good deal.

Welcome to Let’s Get Lost! I’m Rebecca, a recipe developer, food photographer, passionate people watcher, and chaser of new experiences. You might know me from my recipe websites, Of Batter and Dough and A Little and A Lot.

My husband and I are nomads without a home base but with many modes of transportation, namely an RV, a motorcycle, and a sailboat. I write recipes and stories for curious people who believe experiences are more important than things and who want more adventure. Find out more.

It comes together quickly and can easily be the entire meal, especially when served with a few buttery biscuits or dinner rolls. But it’s also the perfect complement to any number of main dishes. It’s equal parts comfort and sophistication, a truly satisfying meal that won’t break the bank, and I think we’re all down for that these days.

Years ago my mom gave me the 2 volume set of Julia Child’s Mastering the Art of French Cooking for my birthday. Or maybe it was Christmas? Regardless, I dove into those books like they were the actual holy grail and for a while dinner at our house was all Julia all the time.

I think we all look back on those butter soaked days with a kind of sleepy satisfaction that’s not dissimilar to the hours following a really good Thanksgiving meal. It was a good time while it lasted, but I did realize the importance of relegating all that rich food to more of a special occasion category.

Still, the techniques in those books continue to influence the way I cook and there are recipes I make on the regular that I can absolutely trace back to Julia’s influence. This creamy mushroom soup is one of those recipes.

There are two genius tricks in this recipe that are plucked straight from the pages of Mastering:

1. Separate the mushroom stems from the caps and use them to make a rich mushroom broth.

2. Slice the mushroom caps and caramelize them in a skillet before adding them to the soup. This deepens and develops their flavor in a way that’s simply impossible otherwise.

You will find those techniques in play in many of my other recipes, like this creamy chicken noodle soup with garlic and mushrooms.

This is the kind of soup that will impress the socks off dinner party guests when served as a starter. Around here we mostly eat it as the main event, often on a weeknight because it doesn’t take long to make and includes a relatively short ingredient list, sometimes with good crusty bread, buttermilk biscuits, or homemade dinner rolls, and a stack of gruyere crisps.

Recipe Notes:

• I keep several kinds of Better than Bouillon in my refrigerator at all times and the mushroom base is one of my favorites. It’s not always available in major supermarkets, but easy to order online: Better than Bouillon Mushroom Base

Serving suggestions

1. The Ultimate Flaky Buttermilk Biscuits: If you’re craving fluffy, tender buttermilk biscuits with hundreds of flaky, buttery layers, stop right here.

   Here’s how to make homemade buttermilk biscuits that are soft on the inside, slightly crispy on the outside, and rise to impressive heights with layer after delicious layer.

2. Homemade Dinner Rolls: These dinner rolls are incredibly soft and pillowy, with the perfect amount of chew. The enriched dough is easy to work with and the whole process only takes a few hours and most of that is hands-off.

3. Cinnamon Biscuits with Cream Cheese Frosting: These tender, buttery biscuits are filled with a swirl of cinnamon and sugar, topped with more cinnamon and sugar, and include the option of serving them with cream cheese frosting.

Welcome to Let’s Get Lost! I’m Rebecca, a recipe developer, food photographer, passionate people watcher, and chaser of new experiences. You might know me from my recipe websites, Of Batter and Dough and A Little and A Lot.

My husband and I are nomads without a home base but with many modes of transportation, namely an RV, a motorcycle, and a sailboat. I write recipes and stories for curious people who believe experiences are more important than things and who want more adventure. Find out more.

Dutch baby is the American name for a German pancake - a simple puffed pancake that’s baked in a skillet, preferably cast iron. I’ve read that a real German pancake is cooked on the stovetop and a Dutch baby is cooked in the oven. But I believe that’s the only difference.

My mom used to make German pancakes for us on special occasions. Her grandparents were German and it was one of several German recipes I remember her making.

I loved those pancakes but until recently, had rarely thought to make them at home. That’s just silly because they are the PERFECT weekend breakfast.

In this recipe, I added thinly sliced apples cooked in butter, sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg. The result is a creamy, custard-like pancake with the warm flavors of apples and cinnamon. It’s easy to make and so very delicious.

If you’ve never made an Apple Dutch Baby before, consider this your invitation. It comes together with minimal effort, uses pantry staples, and bakes in the oven in a single skillet, no flipping required. The result is a breakfast that feels both special and simple, the kind of thing you could serve to friends for brunch or eat straight from the pan, standing in the kitchen in your pjs.

This recipe makes one 10-inch pancake, enough for 2 very generous servings or 4 moderate and restrained servings.

Recipe Notes:

• Looking for a gluten free version of this Apple Dutch Baby? Try this recipe from , a chef, cooking teacher and recipe developer focused on creating incredible gluten free recipes: Next Level Gluten Free Dutch Baby

A few more cozy, apple dipped recipes

1. Apple Cinnamon Muffins with Apple Butter and Brown Sugar Streusel: These tender apple cinnamon muffins are packed with chunks of fresh apples, contain a gooey apple butter center, and are topped with a generous amount of crunchy, buttery brown sugar streusel.

2. Apple Streusel Cake: This is the kind of simple, satisfying cake that you can make anytime for anything and it will be exactly the right thing.

3. Apple Upside Down Cake: This apple upside down cake includes a thick layer of apples drenched in an excessive amount of buttery caramel sauce, because in my opinion that gooey baked-on-the-bottom sauce is the best part of an upside down cake.

4. Apple Cobbler: There are many ways to make apple cobbler but this recipe is my all-time favorite. The recipe includes saucy cinnamon and clove spiced apples baked under a chewy cookie topping. The gooey brown sugar topping takes about 5 minutes to make and tastes like a soft, buttery sugar cookie.

Welcome to Let’s Get Lost! I’m Rebecca, a recipe developer, food photographer, passionate people watcher, and chaser of new experiences. You might know me from my recipe websites, Of Batter and Dough and A Little and A Lot.

My husband and I are nomads without a home base but with many modes of transportation, namely an RV, a motorcycle, and a sailboat. I write recipes and stories for curious people who believe experiences are more important than things and who want more adventure. Find out more.

It’s the kind of meal that requires very little effort but delivers big on comfort: tender pieces of chicken, silky noodles, crisp green veggies, and a rich, velvety tomato cream sauce that clings to every bite.

But the thing I love the most about this dish is how flexible it is.

• Thick, fat homemade fettuccini noodles are my first choice, but it’s honestly just as delicious with any kind of pasta you like.

• Swap out the chicken breasts for chicken thighs or go rogue and use sausage, pork tenderloin, or fish.

• Crisp-tender spears of asparagus add fresh flavor and texture to this dish, but it’s just as good with broccoli, green beans, Brussels, tender green peas, or pretty much any kind of veggies you like, fresh or frozen.

• Make it dairy free by using coconut milk or cashew cream.

• Make it vegan by using coconut milk and tofu in place of the chicken.

• Make it gluten free by using gluten free pasta.

Speaking of pasta…

My preference is always for homemade fresh pasta. If you’ve never tried your hand at pasta making, perhaps this recipe will give you the excuse to give it a go.

To easily fit pasta making into a busy week I usually make the dough on the weekend, when I’m doing other meal prep stuff for the week. Then I wrap it up and keep it in the fridge until I’m ready to use it. The night before I want to cook the pasta, I use my pasta machine to roll out the dough, cut it into noodles, and hang them on a pasta drying rack. The pasta is now ready to cook whenever I am.

Having said that, I meant what I said earlier about using any kind of pasta you like and a box of dried pasta makes this the perfect weeknight meal.

Recipe Notes

• Add just enough water to the pot to cover the pasta and give the noodles some room to move. This will ensure that plenty of starch from the pasta makes it into the reserved pasta water. The starch in pasta water helps thicken the sauce.

• It’s important to add enough salt to the water that will cook the pasta to make the water taste salty, like seawater. Most of the salt will stay in the water, but adding enough salt will ensure that pasta is properly seasoned. Because you’ll be using some of the pasta water in the sauce, go easy on the salt when cooking the rest of the dish. Taste the sauce at the end and add more salt if you wish.

• If you’d like to try your hand at homemade pasta, this recipe will walk you through the process with step-by-step photos and instructions: How To Make Homemade Pasta

More creamy, saucy, comforting pasta recipes

1. Mushroom Ravioli in Garlic Butter Cream Sauce: Homemade mushroom ravioli blanketed in creamy garlic butter sauce is a labor of love in the truest sense - You'll love the process of making ravioli and, most importantly, you'll love the delicious, impressive result.

2. Creamy Mushroom Pasta: Love is the way I feel about this plate full of creamy, cheesy, saucy, perfectly cooked pasta and roasted mushrooms topped with plenty of cracked pepper and fresh herbs.

3. Brown Butter Sauce Pasta with Crispy Bread Crumbs: Brown butter sauce pasta with parmesan cheese and crispy bread crumbs is one of the most deliciously unapologetic meals I know how to make. (And I am not in the habit of apologizing for anything I cook or eat.) It's the kind of meal you allow yourself to really truly need on those days when pasta and butter sauce might actually be the answer.

4. Pasta Bolognese: Meaty, rich, and slow simmered bolognese sauce is one of the world's all-time greatest comfort foods. This recipe is a bit untraditional in that it includes bacon and red wine. But try it and you just might find a new favorite.

Welcome to Let’s Get Lost! I’m Rebecca, a recipe developer, food photographer, passionate people watcher, and chaser of new experiences. You might know me from my recipe websites, Of Batter and Dough and A Little and A Lot.

My husband and I are nomads without a home base but with many modes of transportation, namely an RV, a motorcycle, and a sailboat. I write recipes and stories for curious people who believe experiences are more important than things and who want more adventure. Find out more.

This is the kind of recipe that you can easily scale to make as many tacos as you need, from two to twenty. And the combination of crispy panko and creamy avocado + cheese + all the bright fresh flavor from orange slices, quick pickled onions, and salsa verde is just plain dreamy.

This recipe is exclusively for members of The Lost Supper Club (paid subscribers).

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Rice + veggies + salmon + sauce

The rice: Use any kind of rice you like, but be mindful that different varieties require different cooking times. White rice cooks relatively quickly, in about 20 minutes. Brown and wild rice can take 45 minutes to an hour or longer. If using white rice, it’s a good idea to rinse it first: put the rice in a fine mesh strainer and rinse it under cold water until the water runs clear. This rinses off excess starch for fluffier, less sticky cooked rice.

The veggies: The kind of veggies you use is up to you! Choose one or a couple of these options: Asparagus, Broccoli, Broccolini, Broccoli rabe, Baby Carrots OR Large Peeled Carrots, Cauliflower, Fresh of frozen corn, and Fresh or frozen green beans. Salmon bowls are also a great way to use up leftover veggies!

The salmon: This recipe includes instructions for poaching salmon but check out the Recipe Notes for my favorite roasted salmon recipe. Both methods rely on slow and gentle cooking to produce tender, flaky salmon that’s moist and flavorful.

The sauce: This recipe uses Aji Sauce (Peruvian Green Sauce), which is a bright green, slightly spicy, creamy herb sauce that’s made in the blender. But scroll down to the Recipe Notes section for Asian gingery sauce which is another great option!

This is one of those meals that can easily be scaled up for a crowd. The recipe makes enough for two main dish servings. If you’re cooking for more people, simply increase the amount of rice, salmon, and veggies.

*NOTE: The recipe below will give you about a cup and a half of Aji sauce, which is more than you’ll need for two people. If you’re cooking for more than two, there’s no need to increase the amount of sauce.

Recipe notes

• For extra flavorful rice, use vegetable broth instead of water. I like to use Better Than Bouillon Vegetable Base mixed with water. If the broth you use is seasoned, you’ll likely want to omit the salt.

• Consider poaching extra salmon just for the leftovers. It takes no more time to poach 4 salmon fillets than 2 and the leftover meat can be used in another dish later in the week, like this recipe for poached salmon salad.

• The easiest way to know when salmon is done cooking is to gently press down on the surface of the fish with a fork. If the salmon flakes, separating easily along the white lines running through the fish, it’s finished cooking. Once it’s reached this point, remove salmon from the pan immediately to avoid overcooking.

• These salmon bowls are endlessly versatile. They are a great way to use up leftover veggies. To add some crunch, sprinkle on some chopped roasted nuts or french fried onions. If you’d like, opt for some roasted salmon instead of poached. This recipe from is my favorite: Slow Roasted Salmon.

• Instead of Aji sauce, try this Asian Gingery Sauce recipe from . Add all of the following ingredients to a jar with a screw top lid: ½ cup cider vinegar, ½ cup molasses, ⅓ cup canola oil, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, 2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger, 1 tablespoon minced fresh garlic, 2 chopped green onions (chop the white and light green parts only). Shake vigorously until well combined.

• How to use leftover Aji Sauce: This sauce is delicious on so many things. Try it over beef, chicken, pork, fish, pasta salad, sandwiches, eggs, and absolutely any kind of vegetable. But, besides these salmon bowls, my favorite way to eat Aji sauce is over breakfast tostadas with scrambled eggs, country fried potatoes, and some chopped tomatoes.

Recommended equipment:

• My 3.8 quart enameled cast iron braiser is the hardest working pan in my kitchen. It’s visible in photos of so many of my recipes, including this one, because I really do use it for almost everything. Unless I’m making food for a crowd, it’s the perfect size for nearly everything I make. Braisers come in a variety of sizes, but I’ve found that 3.6 quarts or larger are the most useful and versatile.

A few more recipes for seafood lovers

• Adobo Fish Tacos: These vibrant, flavorful fish tacos include flaky white fish cooked in a delicious red-chili-based Mexican adobo sauce and topped with citrus fruit, salsa verde, and crispy fried onions. Every bite is a riot of flavors in the best possible way.

• Light and Crispy Beer Battered Fried Fish: This Crispy Beer Battered Fried Fish is light, flaky and packed with fresh flavor. Serve with tartar sauce, cabbage slaw, and French fries for delicious fish and chips at home.

• Weeknight Sushi Bowls: This is how to enjoy delicious sushi at home in about 30 minutes. Perfectly seasoned bowls of sushi rice topped with fresh veggies, chives, avocado, sesame seeds and wild caught tuna fillets. Add even more sushi flavor with spicy, creamy sushi sauce or wasabi soy sauce.

Welcome to Let’s Get Lost! I’m Rebecca, a recipe developer, food photographer, passionate people watcher, and chaser of new experiences. You might know me from my recipe websites, Of Batter and Dough and A Little and A Lot.

My husband and I are nomads without a home base but with many modes of transportation, namely an RV, a motorcycle, and a sailboat. I write recipes and stories for curious people who believe experiences are more important than things and who want more adventure. Find out more.

I love this method for poaching any kind of fish: Simply lay some lemon slices across the bottom of a skillet, sprinkle in some chopped shallots, then add some water and some wine (or dry vermouth). Lay the fish over the lemon slices, bring the liquid to a boil, and cover the pan. Let the fish cook at a very gentle simmer for about 10 minutes.

So simple.

Adding alcohol to the pan lowers the boiling point of the poaching liquid. This produces more vapor which helps the fish cook more evenly.

Laying the fish on top of lemon slices creates a part poaching and part steaming situation that prevents the fish’s flavor from being washed away and keeps the bottom of the fish from overcooking.

Like a lot of the recipes I publish here, this salad is easy to scale up or down for as many or a few people as you’re cooking for. Plan on about a half of a pound of salmon per person.

And, by the way, the honey lime dressing here is just a variation of this basic vinaigrette recipe, which is endlessly customizable for any kind of salad.

Start to finish, this salad will be on the table and ready to eat in 30 minutes or less.

Recipe notes:

• The easiest way to salmon is done cooking is to gently press down on the surface of the fish with a fork. If the salmon flakes, separating easily along the white lines running through the fish, it’s finished cooking. Once it’s reached this point, remove salmon from the pan immediately to avoid overcooking.

• As is the case with most salads, this one comes with plenty of variations. Use any kind of salad dressing you like and use different or additional veggies.

Serving suggestions:

When I make this salad for Steve and I for lunch, I like to serve it with slices of crusty bread, toasted if the bread is a day or two old.

But, this is also one of my favorite things to make when we have guests over for dinner on summer evenings. Everything can be prepped in advance, leaving only the salad assembly for the last minute.

When entertaining, I usually step it up and serve homemade bread. Sometimes I make a loaf of homemade sourdough, other times I opt for homemade dinner rolls, flaky buttermilk biscuits, or blueberry corn muffins.

1. Homemade Dinner Rolls: These dinner rolls have been a staple recipe in my family for decades. They are easy to make, soft and pillowy, and have the perfect amount of chew.

2. Flaky Buttermilk Biscuits: These are soft on the inside, slightly crispy on the outside, and rise to impressive heights with layer after delicious layer.

3. Blueberry Corn Muffins: These blueberry cornbread muffins are tender and buttery, lightly sweetened with honey and brown sugar, and packed with blueberries.

Welcome to Let’s Get Lost! I’m Rebecca, a recipe developer, food photographer, passionate people watcher, and chaser of new experiences. You might know me from my recipe websites, Of Batter and Dough and A Little and A Lot.

My husband and I are nomads without a home base but with many modes of transportation, namely an RV, a motorcycle, and a sailboat. I write recipes and stories for curious people who believe experiences are more important than things and who want more adventure. Find out more.

To be clear, no one will mistake these for anything other than chocolate muffins. The rye flour, miso, and maple are supporting actors in this show, and honestly deserve an award for the way they make chocolate shine.

For everyone who loves chocolate for breakfast as much as I do

1. Chocolate Chip Buttermilk Scones with Cinnamon Streusel: Buttery, flaky, and filled with the flavors of chocolate and cinnamon, these chocolate chip buttermilk scones with cinnamon streusel are unapologetically indulgent.

2. Chocolate Chip Muffins: Sometimes you want a muffin that is the epitome of simple, homey goodness. The kind of muffin that says, I know I’m not fancy, but I will never, ever let you down. That’s what these chocolate chip muffins are.

3. Chocolate Blackberry Muffins: These chocolate blackberry muffins are such a treat! They are packed with juicy blackberries and chocolate chips, and are so rich and fudgy they are almost brownie-like.

4. Double Chocolate Muffins: These chocolate muffins are rich and chocolaty enough to satisfy even the most dedicated chocolate lover and guaranteed to start your day in the sweetest, most delicious way.

5. Vegan Banana Chocolate Muffins with Miso Maple Glaze: As a card-carrying chocoholic, these are exactly the kind of generously proportioned, dreamy, creamy, banana chocolate muffins that I would happily sink my teeth into every morning for the rest of my life.

Welcome to Let’s Get Lost! I’m Rebecca, a recipe developer, food photographer, passionate people watcher, and chaser of new experiences. You might know me from my recipe websites, Of Batter and Dough and A Little and A Lot.

My husband and I are nomads without a home base but with many modes of transportation, namely an RV, a motorcycle, and a sailboat. I write recipes and stories for curious people who believe experiences are more important than things and who want more adventure. Find out more.

The concept for this salad is so simple and adaptable to any kind of veggies you like, with or without the cabbage. And, it’s an excellent way to use up leftover bread. Here’s what we’ve got going on here:

1. Cabbage and veggies cooked at very high heat until charred (you could also do this on a Blackstone griddle or a grill).

2. Drizzle the veggies with a basic vinaigrette.

3. Top with crispy garlic bread crumbs and some parmesan cheese.

The result is a very satisfying salad with so much flavor and a plenty of crunch. It’s delicious served with almost anything but is also hearty enough to serve all on its own. How much you make is up to you, but be sure to make enough bread crumbs to include a generous proportion of crispy crumbs to veggies.

Super Easy Basic Vinaigrette

Making a basic vinaigrette takes about 5 minutes, allows you to make only as much as you need, and is a kind of blank slate for incorporating whatever flavors you like.

At it’s most basic a vinaigrette is nothing more than oil and vinegar (or citrus juice). Oil and vinegar do not like to combine and honestly, you don’t have to combine them at all. You could simply drizzle your salad with a bit of oil followed by some vinegar. Or stir oil and vinegar together in a bowl with a pinch of salt and pepper, drizzle that over your salad and be done with it.

However, if you don’t do something to emulsify the vinegar and oil (force them to combine), you’ll end up with oil clinging to the top of your salad and all the vinegar pooling at the bottom of your plate or bowl. Also, the greens in your salad will wilt faster.

In contrast, an emulsified vinaigrette clings to salad greens, providing an actual “dressing” that flavors each and every bite. It also keeps the greens crisp and fresh tasting for longer.

So, taking a moment to fully emulsify vinegar or lemon juice and oil is essential to a salad that’s crisp, fresh tasting, and full of whatever flavor you’re hoping to get from the vinaigrette.

The easiest way to emulsify a vinaigrette is to include a surfactant - an ingredient that attracts both water (vinegar) and oil.

There are three surfactants that work well in vinaigrette: mustard, mayonnaise, and honey. I like to use a little bit of all three. Here’s the basic ratio:

• 2 parts oil to 1 part vinegar or lemon juice

• 1 teaspoon each of mustard, honey, and mayonnaise

• Additional flavoring: chopped shallots, salt and pepper + anything else you want to add. At the moment, I’m obsessed with adding some crushed roasted almonds that I’ve pulverized in the food processor. OMG, it’s so good! Here’s a list of more flavoring ideas.

How to make it: Add the vinegar or lemon juice to a bowl and add the mustard, honey, mayonnaise, shallots (if using), salt and pepper, and any other flavorings you’re adding. Use a fork to whisk it all together then pour in the oil while continuing to whisk. In mere seconds, the dressing will come together in a delicious, creamy sauce that will cling to your salad and flavor each and every bite.

Welcome to Let’s Get Lost! I’m Rebecca, a recipe developer, food photographer, passionate people watcher, and chaser of new experiences. You might know me from my recipe websites, Of Batter and Dough and A Little and A Lot.

My husband and I are nomads without a home base but with many modes of transportation, namely an RV, a motorcycle, and a sailboat. I write recipes and stories for curious people who believe experiences are more important than things and who want more adventure. Find out more.

These hearty whole grain muffins contain 18 grams of natural sugars, 6 grams of fiber, and just over 200 calories. They are sweetened with dates, carrots, and raisins, and contain no additional sugar.

But don’t let that fool you into thinking they aren’t delicious! Ingredients like toasted wheat bran, buttermilk, applesauce, cinnamon, ginger, vanilla, and almond extract pack these muffins with so much flavor you’ll forget they’re good for you.

Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. These muffins can also be frozen. I like to wrap them individually and place them in a ziptop bag before putting them in the freezer.

More recipes for carrot lovers

• Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Buttercream and Caramel Rum Sauce: This is the BEST Carrot Cake I've ever eaten. By far. The recipe is a family favorite that has been tested and perfected over several decades. The cake is delicious enough to be served on its own, but my favorite way to eat it is slathered with Cream Cheese Buttercream & Salted Caramel Rum Sauce.

• Roasted Carrots and Dates: Roasted carrots and dates are an easy and delicious vegetable side dish that requires only about 10 minutes of hands-on preparation and can be served with anything and everything.

• Crispy Carrot Fries: These irresistible carrot fries are crispy, a little bit cheesy, baked to golden perfection, and ready to eat in about 30 minutes.

Welcome to Let’s Get Lost! I’m Rebecca, a recipe developer, food photographer, passionate people watcher, and chaser of new experiences. You might know me from my recipe websites, Of Batter and Dough and A Little and A Lot.

My husband and I are nomads without a home base but with many modes of transportation, namely an RV, a motorcycle, and a sailboat. I write recipes and stories for curious people who believe experiences are more important than things and who want more adventure. Find out more.

This salad takes that apple and cheddar combo and adds shaved Brussels, smoked almonds, and a tangy white wine vinaigrette. Every bite is a sweet and sour burst of flavor with plenty of crunch.

I’d be happy with a bowl of this salad all on its own. But, it’s also the perfect partner for these easy Mediterranean chicken salad sandwiches.

Note: Do not mix the almonds into the salad if making it in advance, or if you suspect you’ll have leftovers because the almonds will get soggy.

This salad plays nicely with…

• Any soup and sandwich combo but maybe especially Mediterranean Chicken Salad Sandwiches and classic BLTs with a special sauce.

• A well cooked steak. This reverse sear method is fool proof.

• Roast pork tenderloin with cherry sauce is one of those quick and easy recipes that's both elegant and basic, simple enough for a causal weeknight meal and gorgeous enough for a dinner party.

• Pork carnitas: The meat is crispy on the outside, super flavorful, fall-off-the bone tender, and couldn't be easier to prepare.

One Saturday in October, while out on the motorcycle in search of changing leaves in the Smoky Mountains of North Carolina, Steve and I happened upon a festival at an outdoor center with food, music, and rows of booths with people selling everything from art to kayaking equipment.

We purchased a bear claw from an adorable older couple who were eager to chat with their customers, asking questions about where we were from and explaining that he makes the almond paste and she makes the dough. The bear claw was delicious and as is always the case when I eat something delicious, I wanted to make them at home.

This recipe is a simplified version of those bear claws. Using store bought frozen puff pastry simplifies the process and even though there are several components to this recipe, the actual hands on time is minimal - about 30 minutes.

You can cut down on the time even more by using store bought almond paste, which you can often find at many supermarkets. But, making it yourself is quite easy and takes less than 10 minutes.

How to make homemade almond paste

This recipe makes 14 ounces of almond paste, but you’ll only need half of that for 8 turnovers. When well wrapped, almond paste will keep well in the refrigerator for up to 3 months.

• 1 1/2 cups of finely ground almond flour

• 1 1/4 cups powdered sugar (confectioners sugar)

• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, OR 1/4 teaspoon table salt

• 1 large egg white (or 3 tablespoons glucose syrup, more as needed)

• 2 teaspoons almond extract

1. Add 1 1/2 cups almond flour, 1 1/4 cups powdered sugar and 1/2 teaspoon of salt to the bowl of a food processor or the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Process or mix for a few seconds, just to combine.

2. Add the egg white and 2 teaspoons of almond extract. Process or beat until the mixture comes together into a ball of dough.

3. Dump the almond paste onto a work surface and divide it into two equal portions. Pat each portion into a log that’s approximately 2 inches thick. Wrap the logs in plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator until ready to use.

Pro Tip:

• Cutting the apples into small pieces that are about the size of a kidney bean will make filling the turnovers easier. Cut out the apple core, but there is no need to peel the apples.

Now that we’ve got those down, how about trying a cherry version?

These delicious puff pastry cherry turnovers are filled with sweet cherries and cream cheese, then topped with roasted almonds and vanilla glaze.

Cherry Cream Cheese Turnovers

This recipe makes one serving. If you’re making huevos rancheros for several people you can make them one at a time (each one only takes a few minutes), or build them on a rimmed baking sheet so you can cook several at one time.

If you want to take this recipe one step further, start with homemade corn tortillas! If you have a tortilla press, a batch of homemade corn tortillas takes less than 20 minutes, start to finish, and are incomparably better to the packaged store-bought variety.

*No recipe required: As with all no recipe required dishes, this is more of a formula than a recipe. Use more or less of anything and swap out the vegetables, kind of salsa and cheese, type of beans as you like.

You know what sops up the leftover saucy, yolk covered sauce in the bottom of the pan?

Homemade flour tortillas.

Soft, warm homemade tortillas are one of the best things in the whole wide world. Combine that with how easy they are to make and flour tortillas from scratch becomes one of the few life decisions for which there can be no regrets.

Unless you eat them all yourself. Even then. Probably worth it.

This all-butter recipe is so easy and delicious, you may never buy tortillas again.

Recipe: Homemade Flour Tortillas

The base for this recipe is a homemade muffin mix, which is something I try to keep on hand at all times. These tasty little apple cinnamon muffins are just one of the hundreds of ways you can use the mix to bake up any kind of muffins you like lickity-split!

For this recipe I cooked the apples briefly in brown sugar and cinnamon to soften them slightly then folded them into muffin batter flavored with vanilla, almond, cinnamon, and cloves. Topped with a generous amount of brown sugar streusel, they are a delicious way to start any day.

If you use tulip paper liners, like the muffins pictured here, this recipe will make 12 large muffins. If you use regular paper liners, this recipe will make 18 - 20 smaller muffins.

How to make homemade muffin mix

This recipe for homemade muffin mix is adapted from a recipe in Bravetart by Stella Parks. She uses virgin coconut oil in her muffin mix, a genius trick because it’s nonperishable so you can stock your pantry with a bag of this muffin mix where it will keep for many months.

As opposed to refined coconut oil which is liquid at room temperature, virgin coconut oil is solid at room temperature. To measure it, pack it into a measuring cup with the back of a spoon.

• 2 cups all-purpose flour

• 2/3 cup whole wheat flour

• 3/4 cup sugar: white granulated sugar, brown sugar, or a combination of the two

• 2 teaspoons baking powder

• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda

• 1 teaspoon kosher salt (or 1/2 teaspoon table salt)

• 1/8 - 1/2 teaspoon spices: nutmeg, cinnamon, ginger, or cloves (this is optional; use as much or as little as you like)

• 3/4 cup virgin coconut oil

Add all the ingredients to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and mix on low speed for a couple of minutes until the coconut oil completely disappears into the dry ingredients. Store in a zip-top bag or other air tight container at room temperature (do not refrigerate). The mix will keep up until the sell-by date on your container of coconut oil.

This mix makes enough to bake 12 muffins.

How to use this mix to make muffins:

Add one recipe muffin mix to a mixing bowl and add 1/2 cup milk (any kind, including buttermilk and any non-dairy milk), 2 large eggs, and 1 tablespoon vanilla extract (or 2 teaspoons vanilla extract and 1 teaspoon almond extract). Use a wooden spoon or rubber spatula to stir until blended.

Divide the batter among 12 paper lined baking cups and bake at 350 degrees for 18 - 22 minutes.

Add ins: Gently fold in about 2 cups of fresh or frozen berries or peeled and diced apples, peaches, or pears. To make chocolate chip muffins, add about 1 cup regular size or mini chocolate chips. You can also add a handful of nuts or shredded coconut. To make zucchini muffins, press as much water as you can from 3 cups shredded zucchini (I usually twist it in a clean kitchen towel) and fold that into the batter.

If you like crumb topped or streusel topped muffins:

• Top muffins with the oatmeal streusel in this recipe for Blackberry Muffins with Oatmeal Streusel

• Top muffins with the butter crumb topping in this recipe for Raspberry Muffins

For the love of streusel

Honestly, put streusel on anything and I’m probably going to like it. You too? I knew it. That’s why we’re friends. 🙂

1. Blackberry muffins with oatmeal streusel: These blackberry muffins are the kind of thing you make when you want a rich, bakery-style muffin that's too good to be anything but homemade.

2. Sour cream streusel blueberry muffins: These muffins are light and tender, can be made with either fresh or frozen blueberries, laced with the flavors of vanilla, almond, and a touch of lemon, and topped with handfuls of buttery, crispy, brown sugar streusel.

3. Mixed berry muffins with streusel: These delicious mixed berry muffins are packed with fresh or frozen berries and topped with loads of buttery brown sugar streusel.

4. Apple streusel cake: This is the kind of simple, satisfying cake that you can make anytime for anything and it will be exactly the right thing.

5. Chocolate chip buttermilk scones with streusel: Buttery, flaky, and filled with the flavors of chocolate and cinnamon, these chocolate chip buttermilk scones with cinnamon streusel are unapologetically indulgent.

6. Buttermilk coffee cake: This incredibly soft, tender, and fluffy buttermilk coffee cake is baked up with a swirl of cinnamon and sugar and a chewy, nutty streusel crust. The cake is an irresistible combination of textures - soft cake, chewy streusel, crispy almonds - and perfect for breakfast, brunch, or an afternoon snack.

In fact, this is one of favorite travel day meals. I pack it into mason jars, tuck them into a small cooler that sits in the back seat of our truck, and it makes a delicious high protein lunch on days when we’re driving around the country from one campground to the next and want to save ourselves from truck stop food.

But you don’t need to wait for a to-go situation to try this spicy, sesame and tahini flavored chicken salad. Serve it on greens or toast, if you like. But we like to eat it just as it’s pictured here, piled into bowls with extra peanuts and sesame seeds.

My other favorite travel day lunch is this Pearl Couscous Salad

This is a healthy, vibrant pasta salad is made with pearl couscous (toasted Israeli-style pasta), whatever fresh herbs and vegetables you like, and dressed simply with lemon juice and extra virgin olive oil. The salad keeps well for days and can be packed into mason jars for the perfect packed lunch.

Recipe: Pearl Couscous Salad

This is the kind of chocolate cake you bake when you want something really good but super basic, decadent and deeply chocolate, but requiring minimal time and effort. It’s no frills, no surprises, nothing fancy, and yet completely and utterly satisfying in the way only a really good chocolate cake can be.

The hands-on time it takes to make this cake, including the chocolate cream cheese frosting, is about 30 minutes, not including the time it takes to wash your dishes or clean up your kitchen if you’re a messy baker, like me. 🙂

The two layers of rich chocolate cake only take about 35 minutes to bake and after letting them cool, all that’s left is to slather them with a thick layer of frosting.

What I’m trying to say here is that this is the kind of cake you can have a hankering for at 4pm and be happily, blissfully eating by 5:30.

You don’t even need an electric mixer to whip up the batter for this cake.W The interaction between the baking soda, buttermilk, and chocolate create the aeration normally achieved by creaming butter and sugar with an electric mixer. The recipe begins with melting chocolate and butter in a saucepan on the stovetop, and if you use a large saucepan, you can mix the batter up entirely in on pot.

Recipe notes

For all it’s simplicity, there are a few important things to keep in mind before you head to the kitchen to start baking….

• Using Dutch process cocoa matters. Dutch process cocoa is washed in a solution that neutralizes the acid, creating a milder, less bitter flavor. While the differences in the two different kinds of cocoa are notable, there are recipes in which the they can be used interchangeably. This isn’t one of them. I’ve made this cake with both kinds of cocoa powder and natural cocoa gives it a bitter flavor and creates a dryer texture that’s not as fudgy as dutch process. I like the King Arthur Brand, Black Cocoa Powder, which I usually order because, for some reason, it’s difficult to find in supermarkets.

• For those of you who aren’t coffee fans, you might be concerned that this recipe contains a half cup of coffee. You needn’t worry. The coffee in the batter just intensifies the flavor of the chocolate. You won’t be able to detect it in the baked chocolate cake. I can tell you this with authority because my husband has a strong aversion to coffee and has never once suspected it was in his slice of chocolate cake.

• The simple chocolate cream cheese frosting relies on equal amounts butter and cream cheese, plus plenty of chocolate, of course! It’s based on my favorite cream cheese buttercream recipe which includes a touch of sour cream for a little added tang. Mascarpone Cheese, which has a milder flavor and creamier texture, can be used instead of cream cheese if you prefer. And if you’d like to try a vanilla version, check out this recipe for Mascarpone Frosting.

• Both the cake and the frosting can be made with either semi-sweet or bittersweet chocolate, depending on which you prefer. It is important to use good quality chocolate. I used Lindt 70% Dark Chocolate, which I buy in bulk and keep in the freezer just for such an occasion.

• These are tall layers, so it’s important to use cake pans that are at least 3-inches deep. I used these 8x3 aluminum cake pans from Wilton. Alternativly, divide the batter between 3 round cake pans for three thin layers instead of two thick layers.

• To make a gluten free cake, substitute a one-to-one gluten free flour blend. My favorite brands are Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free Flour and King Arthur Gluten Free Flour.

Cake and Frosting Book with 35 Recipes to Mix and Match

Last year, I compiled 21 of my favorite cake recipes and 14 of my favorite frosting recipes into this digital cookbook and it’s available for FREE to anyone who wants it. The book includes mix-and-match cake and frosting grids so you can play around with all sorts of delicious combinations!

Download Your Free Book

More Chocolate Cake Recipes

I mean… can you ever have too many recipes for chocolate cake? Of course not.

1. Chocolate Snack Cake with Peanut Butter Frosting: This is the kind of cake that begs to be eaten in the middle of the afternoon, with peanut butter frosting on your fingers, and cake crumbs all over your big happy smile.

2. Chocolate Almond Cake with Chocolate Orange Buttercream: This one-layer chocolate almond cake is both dense and light, supremely chocolatey, a little bit boozy, and honestly one of the best things that has ever come out of this chocolate lover's tiny kitchen.

3. Marble Bundt Cake: The cake is simple to make (one batter will create both flavors) and uses plenty of melted chocolate for a fudgy texture that's soft, creamy, rich, and buttery.

4. Chocolate Chip Cake with Peanut Butter Fudge Icing: This easy Chocolate Chip Bundt Cake is extra soft and fluffy, with the perfect balance of chocolate chips and buttery cake. Topped with Peanut Butter Fudge Icing, it’s the kind of crowd pleasing cake recipe that’s perfect for nearly any occasion.

So yes, opening a package of tortillas is easier. But in exchange for a few minutes more, you can have warm, soft, homemade tortillas that are just so much better.

Let me show you how to make them!

I recently did a live class showing how to make homemade corn tortillas and Gallo Pinto (Costa Rican beans and rice). Find it here: How to Make Homemade Corn Tortillas + Costa Rican Beans and Rice

You just need 4 ingredients to make homemade corn tortillas (and one of them is water):

• Masa harina

• Baking soda

• Salt

• Warm tap water

Step-by-step photos and instructions

Add the masa harina, baking soda, and salt to a bowl and stir with a wire whisk to combine. Add the water and mix until a soft dough forms. If the dough is too dry to form a ball, add more water, a little bit at a time, until you can press the dough into a ball. Wrap it in plastic wrap and let it rest for 5 minutes.

Unwrap the dough and knead it for a minute or two. It should be the consistency of play-dough. If it feels dry and crumbly, sprinkle more water over the dough and knead to incorporate. If it’s wet and sticky, mix in some more masa harina.

Divide the dough into 8 balls of equal size. Cover the balls with plastic wrap so you can work with one ball at a time and they won’t dry out.

Place one ball of dough in between two pieces of wax paper and press it into a disk. Use a rolling pin to roll the dough into a round, thin tortilla. Alternatively, use a tortilla press to press the dough in between two pieces of wax paper into a tortilla.

Stack the raw tortillas with pieces of wax paper in between them. When they are all rolled out, set a skillet over medium-high heat. When the skillet is hot enough for a drop of water to skip across the bottom of the pan and evaporate, add the first tortilla.

Cook for about 10 to 15 seconds then flip it over and let it cook until the edges are dry, another 20-30 seconds. Flip the tortilla over again and press it down into the pan with a flat spatula to encourage puffing. Cook for another 10 seconds, until brown spots appear over the bottom then flip it once more, press with the spatula, and cook until brown spots appear on the other side.

Remove the tortilla from the skillet and repeat with the remaining dough.

I like to place the tortillas in a tortilla warmer pouch as they come off the skillet which will keep them warm and soft for quite some time - an hour or longer.

Now that you’ve got that down, how about trying your hand at homemade flour tortillas?

Soft, warm homemade tortillas are one of the best things in the whole wide world. Combine that with how easy they are to make and flour tortillas from scratch becomes one of the few life decisions for which there can be no regrets.

Unless you eat them all yourself. Even then. Probably worth it.

This all-butter recipe is so easy and delicious, you may never buy tortillas again.

Recipe: Homemade Flour Tortillas