This pumpkin muffins recipe uses a full 15-ounce can of puree and oil instead of butter, so the crumb stays soft instead of drying out by morning. I start them at 425°F so the tops dome, then drop the oven to 350°F so the centers set without a wet band. If you want pumpkin in a loaf, I already have a chocolate chip pumpkin bread, and these sit well next to a slice of pumpkin cheesecake on a fall table.

Ingredients

• 1 can (15 oz / 425 g) pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling
• ½ cup (120 ml) vegetable oil, or melted coconut oil
• ¾ cup (150 g) packed light brown sugar
• ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1¾ cups (220 g) all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 cup (180 g) chocolate chips, optional
• 1 tablespoon coarse sugar, for the tops, optional

Instructions

1. Heat the oven: Heat the oven to 425°F (218°C) with a rack in the center. Line a 12-cup muffin pan with paper liners, or grease the cups well so the muffins release. The oven needs to be fully at 425°F before the pan goes in, or the tops stay flat instead of doming.
2. Whisk the dry mix: In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, baking soda, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, and salt until the spices look even and you don’t see streaks of soda. Spoon the flour into the measuring cup and level it off. Packing the cup is the fastest way to a dry muffin.
3. Whisk the pumpkin batter: In a large bowl, whisk the pumpkin puree and oil until the mixture is smooth and glossy. Add both sugars, the eggs, and vanilla, and whisk until the sugar dissolves and the batter looks uniform. The full can replaces the milk a lot of muffin recipes add, so don’t thin it.
4. Fold and fill: Pour the dry mix into the wet and fold with a spatula just until the last streak of flour disappears. The batter should be thick, not pourable. If you’re adding chocolate chips, fold them in now, then divide the batter among the 12 cups, filling each liner to the top so they have enough batter to dome. Sprinkle the coarse sugar on the tops if you want a bakery crunch.
5. Bake high, then lower: Bake 5 minutes at 425°F, then lower the oven to 350°F (177°C) without pulling the pan. Bake 15 to 17 minutes more, until the tops spring back and a toothpick in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs, not wet batter. Cool in the pan 5 minutes, then move them to a rack so the bottoms don’t steam and go soggy.

Dry crumb vs a gummy middle

• If the muffins taste dry the next morning, you packed the flour or swapped the oil for melted butter. Spoon and level the flour, and keep the oil. Butter tastes fine on day one, then the crumb tightens.
• A gummy, wet band in the center is usually pumpkin pie filling, which has starch and extra sugar, or mixing until the batter turns gluey. Use plain puree, and stop folding when the last flour streak is gone.
• If they sink as they cool, they came out too early. Give them 2 to 3 more minutes next batch. A toothpick with wet batter is not done, even if the tops look set.

Keep the muffins in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. The fridge dries them out faster than the counter. For longer storage, freeze them once they’re cool, then thaw at room temperature or warm 15 to 20 seconds in the microwave.

This jalapeno poppers recipe goes watery when the halved peppers hit the pan still wet. They steam, the cream cheese thins, and the panko stays pale. I wipe the hollows dry, fold crisp bacon into the filling instead of wrapping raw strips around the outside, and bake them on a wire rack so heat can reach the bottoms.

I put them on a game-day table next to buffalo chicken dip and spinach artichoke dip, because all three can sit in the oven while the rest of the spread comes together.

Ingredients

• 12 medium jalapenos (about 3 to 4 inches / 8 to 10 cm long)
• 4 slices bacon
• 8 ounces (226 g) cream cheese (softened)
• 1 cup (113 g) sharp cheddar (shredded)
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• ¼ teaspoon smoked paprika
• 2 tablespoons thinly sliced scallions
• ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
• ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• ⅓ cup (20 g) panko breadcrumbs
• 1 tablespoon (14 g) unsalted butter (melted)

Instructions

1. Crisp the bacon: Lay the bacon in a cold skillet and set it over medium heat. Cook, turning once, until the fat has rendered and the slices are brown and crisp, 6 to 8 minutes. Drain on paper towels, then chop into small bits. If the bacon is still floppy, it will clump in the filling instead of staying in little smoky pieces.
2. Halve and dry the peppers: Heat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Set a wire rack in a rimmed baking sheet and spray the rack lightly so the peppers don’t stick. Put on gloves, then slice each jalapeno in half lengthwise so a bit of stem stays on both halves. Scoop out the seeds and the pale ribs with a small spoon, then wipe every hollow with a paper towel until the inside looks matte, not shiny. Wet cavities are what turn the filling into soup.
3. Mix the filling: In a medium bowl, mash the cream cheese until it’s smooth and spreadable, with no cold lumps. Fold in the cheddar, chopped bacon, garlic powder, smoked paprika, scallions, salt, and pepper until the bacon is evenly scattered. The mix should stand on a spoon; if it looks loose, the cream cheese was too warm and you should chill it 10 minutes before filling.
4. Fill and add panko: Spoon the filling into each hollow so it sits level with the cut edges, not mounded over them. Stir the panko with the melted butter until the crumbs look damp, then pinch a thin layer onto each pepper. A heavy pile of crumbs stays raw in the middle while the cheese below already bubbles.
5. Bake on the rack: Set the peppers on the wire rack, filling side up, with a little space between them. Bake 18 to 22 minutes, until the panko is gold, the cheese is bubbling at the edges, and the pepper walls look a little wrinkled but still hold a boat shape. Rest 5 minutes so the filling sets enough to pick up without sliding. If they collapse into flat skins, they baked too long.

If the poppers go watery or leak

• Leave a bit of stem on each half so it acts as a backstop, and the filling doesn’t slide out the open end once the pepper softens.
• Fill the hollow only to the rim. A mound of cream cheese melts, runs down the sides, and burns on the pan while the hollow itself looks empty.
• I don’t wrap raw bacon around these. The top browns while the underside sits in fat and stays rubbery, which is why the bacon is cooked first and mixed into the filling.
• Skip the foil-lined sheet with no rack. The bottoms steam in pepper juice and bacon fat, and the panko never dries out.
• Scrape the pale ribs, not only the seeds, if you want them mild, because the heat lives in that membrane. Mini sweet peppers work the same way if you need a no-heat tray.
• Wear gloves and don’t touch your face. Capsaicin stays on skin after a regular wash, and it burns if it reaches your eyes.

Storage

Cool leftovers and refrigerate in an airtight container within 2 hours. They keep 3 to 4 days. Reheat on a rack at 350°F (175°C) for 8 to 10 minutes, until the filling is hot, not until the peppers collapse again. Freeze them unbaked: fill, top with panko, freeze on a sheet until solid, then bag for up to 2 months and bake from frozen at 400°F (200°C) for 25 to 30 minutes. I wouldn’t freeze already-baked poppers; the peppers go limp and the filling weeps. USDA leftovers and food safety covers the 2-hour cooling window and the 165°F (74°C) leftover reheat target.

FAQ

How do you make jalapeno poppers less spicy?

Scrape out every seed and the pale inner ribs. That’s where the heat lives; the green wall is mostly mild. Rinse the hollows and dry them again if you want them even gentler. For no heat at all, use mini sweet peppers the same size and keep the rest of the recipe the same.

Can you make jalapeno poppers ahead of time?

Fill them, add the panko, and refrigerate up to 24 hours. Bake from cold and add 2 to 3 minutes. Don’t hold them much longer than that; salt in the filling pulls water from the peppers and the boats go soggy in the fridge.

Can you freeze jalapeno poppers?

Freeze the poppers before they go in the oven. Set the filled, crumbed peppers on a sheet until solid, then bag them. Bake from frozen at 400°F (200°C) for 25 to 30 minutes, until the panko is gold. I don’t freeze leftovers after baking; thawed peppers turn limp and the cream cheese weeps.

This shrimp scampi recipe combines juicy shrimp, garlic, butter, white wine, lemon, and linguine in a light, glossy sauce that coats the pasta instead of pooling at the bottom of the pan. The key is cooking the shrimp briefly, then taking them out while the wine reduces so they stay tender rather than turning tough.

A little reserved pasta water helps bring the garlic butter sauce together, while cold butter stirred in at the end gives it a smooth finish without adding cream. Serve it with golden garlic bread for soaking up the extra sauce. For another easy pasta dinner, try chicken Alfredo, or go with blackened shrimp when you want something spicier.

Ingredients

• 8 ounces (225 g) linguine
• 1 pound (450 g) large shrimp (21/25 count) peeled and deveined tails off
• ¾ teaspoon kosher salt (divided)
• ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons (30 ml) olive oil
• 4 tablespoons (56 g) unsalted butter (2 tablespoons kept cold)
• 5 garlic cloves minced
• ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
• ⅓ cup (80 ml) dry white wine (Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc)
• 2 tablespoons (30 ml) fresh lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 1 cup (240 ml) reserved pasta water as needed

Instructions

1. Boil the linguine: Bring a large pot of water to a boil and salt it until it tastes like the sea. Add the linguine and cook until it’s 1 minute shy of the package time, usually 8 to 9 minutes, so it still has a white core if you bite a strand. Scoop out 1 cup of the cloudy pasta water, then drain the noodles and leave them in the colander. Don’t rinse them, because the starch on the surface is what helps the sauce cling.
2. Dry and season the shrimp: If the shrimp were frozen, thaw them in a bowl of cold water for about 10 minutes, then peel and devein if needed. Spread them on paper towels and press the tops until the towels stay dry and the shells look matte. Toss with ½ teaspoon of the salt and the black pepper right before they go in the pan, not earlier.
3. Sear, then pull the shrimp: Heat the olive oil and 2 tablespoons of the butter in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat until the butter foams and smells nutty, about 1 minute. Lay the shrimp in a single layer and leave them alone for 80 to 90 seconds, until the undersides turn pink and the flesh is still translucent in the middle. Flip and cook 60 to 90 seconds more, until they form a loose C and look just opaque. Move them to a plate; they will finish later. If they have already curled into tight Os, they are overcooked and should come off immediately.
4. Build the wine sauce: Drop the heat to medium so the leftover fat doesn’t scorch the garlic. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes and stir for 20 to 30 seconds, until the garlic smells sweet and looks pale gold, not brown. Pour in the wine, scrape the browned bits from the pan, and let it bubble until it reduces by about half and the sharp alcohol smell is gone, 1½ to 2 minutes. Stir in the lemon juice so the sauce tastes bright before you add the cold butter.
5. Mount the butter off heat: Take the skillet off the burner. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of cold butter and swirl the pan until it melts into a glossy, slightly thick sauce. If you leave the pan on high heat, the butter breaks and you get a greasy puddle with lemon floating on top. Taste and add the last ¼ teaspoon of salt if the sauce tastes flat.
6. Toss pasta and finish: Add the drained linguine and ⅓ cup of the pasta water. Toss over low heat for 30 to 45 seconds, until every strand looks coated and the sauce clings instead of pooling. Return the shrimp and any plate juices, add the parsley, and toss just until the shrimp are hot, about 30 seconds. If the pan looks dry, add pasta water a spoon at a time; if it looks watery, keep tossing off heat until it tightens. Serve it while the sauce is still glossy, because it tightens as it sits.

If the shrimp turn rubbery

• Pull the shrimp when they still look a little underdone in the center. Residual heat and the final 30-second toss will finish them; a 4-minute simmer in the wine won’t un-tough them.
• Pat thawed shrimp dry until the towel stays clean. A wet pound of shrimp can dump a tablespoon of water into the butter, and that liquid stops the wine from reducing.
• Keep garlic on medium heat for half a minute only. Browned garlic tastes bitter in this short sauce, and there’s no tomato or cream to hide it.
• Mount the last 2 tablespoons of butter off the heat. On a hard boil the fat separates, and more wine won’t bring it back together.
• Use pasta water, not extra wine, if the linguine looks dry in the pan. More wine at the end makes the sauce sharp and thin again.
• Crowding 2 pounds of shrimp in a 12-inch skillet steams them. Cook in two batches, or they will gray instead of sear and the sauce will taste watery.

Storage

Eat shrimp scampi the night you cook it when you can. If you have leftovers, cool them and refrigerate in an airtight container within 2 hours. They keep 3 to 4 days in the fridge. Reheat a portion in a skillet over low heat with a spoon of water just until the shrimp are warm, not bubbling hard, so they don’t tighten again. I wouldn’t freeze this; the shrimp turn mealy and the butter sauce splits on thaw. USDA leftovers and food safety covers the 2-hour cooling window and the 165°F (74°C) leftover reheat target.

FAQ

Can you make shrimp scampi without wine?

Swap the ⅓ cup of wine for ⅓ cup of low-sodium chicken broth plus 1 extra teaspoon of lemon juice. Broth doesn’t reduce with the same bite that wine does, so the extra lemon keeps the sauce from tasting flat. Skip sweet wines, and don’t skip the acid altogether; a butter-garlic pan with no wine and no lemon tastes greasy instead of bright.

Can you use frozen shrimp for shrimp scampi?

Frozen shrimp are what I use most of the time. Thaw them in cold water, not on the counter and not in the microwave, then peel, devein, and dry them hard before they hit the skillet. If they go in wet, they steam and the sauce turns watery. Pre-peeled tails-off shrimp save time; tails-on look nicer on a platter but are a nuisance in linguine.

How do you know when the shrimp are done?

Look at the shape and the color, not only the clock. Done shrimp are opaque and curved into a C. Overcooked shrimp curl into a tight O, turn chalky white, and bounce when you bite them. Large 21/25 shrimp need about 90 seconds on the first side and a little less on the second in a hot pan, then they come out. They go back in for 30 seconds at the end, which is enough to heat them without cooking them twice.