Recipe for vegetarian, Sonoran-style green chile and cheese tamale pie topped with a slightly sweet, easy molé sauce from The Unofficial Elf Cookbook.
Holidays and Entertaining
Parmesan Ranch Macaroni Salad
A festive, creamy buttermilk and parmesan pasta salad adorned with tiny tomato “ornaments” a free preview recipe from The Unofficial Elf Cookbook by Jackie Alpers.
Chipotle Lime Mexican Grilled Corn
Recipe for a lighter version of Sonoran – Mexican style grilled corn on the cob, with chipotle, crema and lime.
Pot Roast Braised in Irish Stout Beer
Pot roast with carrots and potatoes braised in Irish Stout beer is similar to recipes brought to the American West by Irish settlers. Inspired by the Yellowstone 1923 TV series. Use as the base for Cara Dutton’s Irish Pasties recipe.
Mediterranean Style Grilled Octopus
Recipe for Mediterranean style grilled octopus served with scallions, romaine and fresh tomatoes in a light citrus vinaigrette from The Unofficial Yellowstone Cookbook by Jackie Alpers.
“Meaner Than Evil” BBQ Hot Wings
BBQ hot wings recipe. Choose your own eating adventure with spice levels varying from hot to insanely hot.
Mushroom, Onion and Acorn Soup
Wild morel mushroom and onion soup with toasted bread and melted cheese inspired by ingredients local to Northern Montana where the TV series Yellowstone is set. From The Unofficial Yellowstone Cookbook by Jackie Alpers.
The Unofficial Yellowstone Cookbook: Resource and Gift Guide
Shop for products from the Yellowstone TV series as seen in The Unofficial Yellowstone Cookbook by Jackie Alpers. This comprehensive list includes ingredients featured in the cookbook, cookware and plates and glassware used as props on Yellowstone, 1883 and 1923, and cooking resources.
Sweet and Spicy Nut Brittle
Inspired by ingredients local to the Northwestern U.S. this crunchy, spicy, sweet mixed nut brittle is perfect for holiday gifting. Walnuts, hickory nuts, and hazelnuts are grown in Montana where the television series Yellowstone is set
Cara Dutton’s Irish Pasties
Traditionally made with leftover Sunday pot roast, Butte pasties are a beloved Montana via Ireland tradition to this day.
Drinks from the Yellowstone Bunkhouse: The Red Domino Cocktail
A cocktail recipe from The Unofficial Yellowstone Cookbook author Jackie Alpers for Gin & juice – Yellowstone Style! With ingredients local to the Dutton family ranch. Drinks from the Yellowstone Bunkhouse: The Red Domino Cocktail.
Yellowstone 1923 Bee’s Knees Cocktail
The Bee’s Knees is a prohibition era, honey-sweetened gin cocktail featured in the speakeasy scene in Yellowstone’s 1923.
How to Make Papel Picado Tortilla Snowflakes
Sweet and sparkly tortilla snowflakes – an edible version of the popular Mexican folk art, papel picado which will brighten any winter holiday table.
Spicy, Smoky, Southwestern Mashed Potatoes & Gravy
Because I’ve been known to eat a Thanksgiving meal that consists almost entirely of mashed potatoes and gravy, I replace the cream and some of the butter in the recipe with an aromatic garlic and chile infused broth that I cook the potatoes in, resulting in lighter mashed potatoes that are BIG on flavor.
Sonoran Mexican Street Corn Cups
Recipe for Elote en Vaso. Roasted corn kernels in a creamy, cheesy sauce seasoned with chile, lime and chives.
Mexican Shrimp Cocktail, Sonoran Style: Coctel De Camaron
This easy Sonoran style Mexican shrimp cocktail with crisp cucumber, creamy avocado, red onion and hot sauce is ready in about 5 minutes.
Parmesan Crisps with Caviar and Crème Fraîche
Festive enough for New Year’s Eve, this pretty appetizer only takes about 5 minutes to make. Bacon infused caviar adds a unique smokiness that will intrigue your guests and is fairly inexpensive, but any decent quality caviar will do. The one-ingredient parmesan crisps are a savory, no-carb alternative to blini.
Homemade Sprinkles
Learn how to make homemade sprinkles in custom colors using the royal icing method. From the author of the Sprinkles cookbook.
Chelada Beer Cocktail
This super-refreshing citrus beer cocktail is served in a chile and salt rimmed glass over ice. It’s kinda like a beer margarita. I love it because it’s a big drink that lasts a long time and it has considerably less sugar and calories than a margarita.
The Moistmaker Thanksgiving Leftovers Sandwich From Friends
The Moistmaker Thanksgiving Leftovers Sandwich inspired by Friends: “The One Where Ross Loses it Over a Sandwich,” with a dinner roll soaked in gravy in the center, turkey, stuffing, and cranberry sauce, proving that Monica is a culinary genius.
Make Skillet Stuffing Shakshuka With Thanksgiving Leftovers
Recipe for Shakshuka made with leftover Thanksgiving stuffing. Be sure to make extra-extra stuffing for Thanksgiving so that you can make my Skillet Stuffing Shakshuka the next morning with the “leftovers”
Candied Yam Waffles
Waffles made with leftover candied sweet potatoes are a fun Thanksgiving leftovers brunch recipe that is sure to please.
Pumpkin Pie Baked Breakfast Oats
Recipe for pumpkin pie spiced baked oatmeal casserole infused with bits of actual leftover pumpkin pie.
Spooky Spaghetti Carbonara
A recipe for black spaghetti carbonara with mushrooms that is spooky looking, yet elegant enough for a Halloween themed adult dinner party.
Buffalo Chicken “Rumaki” Bites
Whatever happened to Rumaki, the Polynesian appetizer served at tiki parties in the 70s? Maybe buffalo-style rumaki will help bring it back.
Two Ingredient Beer & Cheddar Cheese Dip
Beer, cheddar cheese, and pretzels — what more could you want? How about that it’s only got two ingredients and you can make it in ten minutes or less?
Chocolate Dipped Frozen Banana Bites With Sprinkles
We all know that rainbow sprinkles make the world-go-round and this super-easy recipe is fun, festive and good for you too. You can melt the chocolate in the microwave which makes it the perfect treat for a hot summer’s day.
Bombshell Boxed Brownie Dessert Pan Pizzas
These individual brownie pan pizzas are baked and served in Lodge 3.5-inch cast iron skillets. The options for different toppings are endless. Have fun experimenting with different combinations or set up a topping bar and let everyone pick their own.
Mini Brownie Stack Cakes
A beautiful looking stacked dessert that’s easy to make using boxed brownie mix, berries and whipped cream.
Rainbow Sprinkles Cream Cheese
Rainbow sprinkles for breakfast? Yes! A crunchy and slightly sweet sprinkles cream cheese recipe for everyone who needs more rainbow sprinkles in their lives.
Mexican Street Corn Hot Dogs
How to make The Elote Hot Dog. A whole beef jumbo hot dog is topped with roasted corn, mayo, lime and spices and served in a top-cut, whole grain bolillo roll. Food photo and recipe by Jackie Alpers.
S’mores Brownie In A Mug
A decadent single-serving brownie in a mug with marshmallows and a soft, melted chocolate center. Make this recipe just for yourself, day or night.
Chocolate, Coffee, Pistachio Biscotti with Sprinkles
Biscotti means “twice baked” in Italian. First you form the crumbly dough into one stiff mass and bake it whole. Then you let it cool, slice it, and bake it again at a lower temperature. That’s what gives biscotti an almost cracker-like quality, which goes especially well with coffee. This triple-chocolate double-baked treat is dipped in a dark chocolate coating with sprinkles on top.
Chocolate Caramel Apple Pops
A cute, kid friendly recipe for slices of apples dipped in chocolate and decorated with sprinkles candy or nuts. This recipe was originally developed fro Refinery29.
Baguette Breakfast Casserole
Canadian bacon, eggs, herbs, and cheese baked inside slices of crusty baguettes. From the Unofficial Elf Cookbook by Jackie Alpers. A visually stunning breakfast casserole that is elegant, yet quick and easy to prepare.
Buttercream Frosting
Everyone needs a good buttercream frosting recipe. Here’s yours! From my cookbook, Sprinkles!: Recipes and Ideas for Rainbowlicious Desserts.
Funfetti Layer cake
Sprinkles melt away during baking leaving behind little confetti-like poufs of color in this deconstructed cake that shows off the sprinkles hidden inside.
Vegan Cocktail Pups recipe With A SECRET INGREDIENT!
These vegan, slow-cooker barbecue flavored cocktail pups are made with baby carrots instead of little smokies.
Brigadeiro: Brazilian Chocolate Truffles With Sprinkles!
How do you say “delicious” in Portuguese? Brigadeiro, that’s how! These easy-to-make balls are fun to roll in chocolate jimmies. Box them up for the perfect gift.
Fleur De Sel Caramels
Fleur de sel (flower of salt) is a hand-harvested sea salt with distinctive flavor. Look for variations that have a pink or gray tone. You’d think that something with such a fancy-sounding name might be complicated to make, but in fact these sweet and savory bite-size treats are as easy to concoct as they are to devour. Still, if you want to let your friends believe these caramels are a feat of culinary magic, your secret’s safe with me.
Cincinnachos! Cincinnati Chili-Cheese Nachos
Ohio meets Arizona! Cincinnati chili cheese nachos. “Cincinnachos” are the best of everything for snacking season. Cincinnati Style Chili, tortilla chips, kidney beans, cheddar cheese, raw onions and jalapenos.
Mini German Pancakes
These healthier German pancakes are topped with fat-free Greek yogurt and fresh fruit, reducing the sugar content. I added a little spreadable fruit and garnished them with confectioners’ sugar so they still taste sweet.
Savarin Chantilly – French Bundt Cake with Apricot Glaze
My niece got married in a field in Oskaloosa, Kansas last weekend. Afterwards we had lunch under a tent. My mother-in-law made all of the desserts including this Savarin, a rich airy cake soaked in a simple syrup and topped with apricot glaze and whipped cream. It’s traditionally served as a feast-day dessert in France. This is her recipe. It’s a little more complicated than the recipes I usually post, but I think it’s worth the effort.
Chocolate and Coffee Pudding Pops
Looking to kick start a hot summer day? These chocolate and coffee frozen pudding pops are just the ticket.
Sprinkles Fairy Bread Sandwiches
Make any day a celebration! Just barely sweet, these sparkly sandwiches make a fun breakfast surprise, after-school snack, or party food.
Inspired by Robert Louis Stevenson’s poem “Fairy Bread” from A Child’s Garden of Verses, fairy bread is a popular treat at children’s parties in Australia, New Zealand, and other little pockets of the world.
This recipe is from my book Sprinkles!: Recipes and Ideas for Rainbowlicious Desserts. The photograph is previously unpublished
Hand Painted Flower Cookies
Celebrate spring with hand-painted watercolor flower cookies. Herbs, fruit juice and plant dyes can all be used as food coloring.
Sparkling Cranberry and Brie Crostini
Visually stunning sugared cranberries are a study in contrast. The tart, dark berries which appear to have been encrusted in tiny jewels, add a magical quality to these brie crostini.
Rainbow Sprinkles Compound Butter
Learn how to fold crunchy rainbow sprinkles into lightly sweetened butter, and turn any breakfast into a celebration.
New York Style Hot Dog Bites
Everything you love about New York style hot dogs in cute appetizer form.
The Sparkling Pearl Tropical Cocktail
A variation of the Bushwacker glamorized with sparkling sprinkle bits and pearl sugar dragees in tropical hues, this is a seafaring drink said to be invented on a Caribbean island founded by pirates. Ahoy! This recipe is excerpted from my book Sprinkles Recipes and Ideas for Rainbowlicious Desserts.
