Easy and Delicious Recipes

Author: Sarah Berthold

Keto Chicken Wings (With Keto BBQ Sauce)

Keto Chicken Wings (With Keto BBQ Sauce)

These Keto Chicken Wings are oven-baked yet so crispy and taste as if you got them from your favorite restaurant.  I first made them for several of our friends, and these keto crispy chicken wings were gone in minutes.  I bet you and your loved Read More

Mexican One Pot Beef and Rice Casserole Recipe

Mexican One Pot Beef and Rice Casserole Recipe

Mexican One Pot Beef and Rice Casserole Recipe is a simple peasy skillet dinner full of all that cheesy goodness, even the rice gets cooked perfectly in the pan! This is certainly one of my family’s favorite Mexican Dinners and among my favorite recipes to make. Read More

Grilled Beef Kidney Recipe

Grilled Beef Kidney Recipe

The grilled Beef Kidney Recipe is one of the best meals I’ve ever made. Organ meats like Kidneys aren’t so popular in the USA for some reason, though French chef and author Jacques Pepin says that beef kidneys can be a tender and tasty cut when prepared correctly.

Like beef liver, they are a specialty food in most of Western Europe. Unlike lamb or veal kidneys, beef kidneys are big and tough and need long braising over non, moist heat to become tender. And when cooked right, they are the most fantastic meal to serve.

They receive a bath in a marinade of olive oil, balsamic and fresh herbs. Then they meet the grill to get a perfectly timed moment, long enough to get a beautiful char on the outside yet short enough to remain tender and pink at the center. That is about all the cooking which happens and about the plate that they go to! No fancy sauces, only a generous drizzle of Maldon crystals and black pepper.

Ingredients

  • 1 beef kidney, cleaned and halved

  • 4–5 tablespoons olive oil

  • 2 tablespoons fresh sage, finely minced (plus 15–16 whole leaves for garnish)

  • 2 teaspoons aged balsamic vinegar

  • 4 tablespoons frying oil (vegetable or neutral oil)

  • Maldon salt or flaky sea salt, to taste

  • Freshly ground black pepper, to taste


Instructions

1. Clean the Kidney

Trim away the membrane and excess fat from the beef kidney. Use a sharp knife to carefully remove any tough bits while keeping the kidney intact.

2. Marinate

In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, minced sage, and balsamic vinegar. Place the kidney halves in the marinade, turning to coat well. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours.

3. Fry the Sage Leaves

In a small skillet, heat the frying oil over medium heat until hot but not smoking. Add the whole sage leaves and fry for about 10 seconds, until crisp. Remove and drain on paper towels.

4. Grill the Kidney

Preheat a grill pan, griddle, or cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Remove the kidney halves from the marinade and shake off excess oil. Grill for 1–2 minutes per side, depending on thickness, until just cooked through. Be careful not to overcook — kidneys can become dry and rubbery.

5. Serve

Transfer the grilled kidneys to plates. Season generously with flaky salt and freshly ground black pepper. Garnish with the crispy sage leaves and serve immediately.


Tips & Notes

  • Don’t overcook: Kidneys are best when slightly pink in the center — cooking them too long makes them tough.

  • Marinade swap: A splash of red wine vinegar or sherry vinegar can replace balsamic if you prefer a sharper flavor.

  • Serving suggestion: These kidneys pair beautifully with crusty bread or creamy mashed potatoes to soak up the juices.

Grilled Beef Kidney Recipe
Garlic Butter Steak Bites With Spicy Marinade

Garlic Butter Steak Bites With Spicy Marinade

Today I’m going to share Garlic Butter Steak Bites With the Spicy Marinade recipe. The beef bites are very tender and juicy and take only 10-15 minutes to make. They go perfectly well with potatoes for lunch and dinner! Garlic butter steak bites are simple Read More

Chocolate Truffle Tart Recipe

Chocolate Truffle Tart Recipe

This Chocolate Truffle Tart Recipe is simple yet elegant. For every chocolate lover’s dessert for any special occasion, anytime of year.  It’s decadent and so rich, but easy to create, and easily transformed into gluten free or diary free versions that are equally good. This Read More

Almond Joy Candy Bars Recipe (Copycat)

Almond Joy Candy Bars Recipe (Copycat)

The best part about these Almond Joy candy bars recipe is that you simply don’t need any special pan. These are just a coconut mixture formed into shape, frozen for a short time, before dipped in chocolate.

Almond Joy Candy Bars

Ocho coconut bars taste very similar, so if you’ve eaten those, you’ll get an idea of how delicious they are. In this Almond Joy Candy Bars Recipe, we use a bar of really top quality chocolate and also as well as the best coconut you’ll shop in the grocery.

Everyone that has tried this recipe was so incredibly impressed and happy. It’s definitely a pleasant surprise and a change from the standard cookie that folks get burned out on.

Pin the image below if you like this Almond Joy Copycat Recipe!

Almond Joy Candy Bar Copycat

Ingredients

  • 14 ounces of Baker’s sweetened coconut
  • 4 Tbsp of corn syrup, light
  • 1/3 can of condensed milk, sweetened
  • 1/2 tsp of salt
  • 1 cup of confectioners sugar
  • 2 tsp of vanilla extract
  • 1/2 tsp of almond extract
  • 2 Tbsp of unrefined melted coconut oil
  • 3 cups of chopped semisweet chocolate
  • 30 almonds, roasted and salted

How to make Almond Joy Candy Bars Recipe (Copycat)

  • Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, and spray it with non-stick spray.
  • Use a food processor, and pulse the coconut until it’s broken down just a bit.
  • Take a medium bowl and combine all ingredients (not the almonds) , mix well until well combined.
  • Take a small scoop of the coconut mixture and form into a rectangle with your hand, using a gloves and place on the lined parchment.
  • Place side by side two almonds, a top each bar, pressing into the bar and reforming the form as required. Put in the freezer for about one hour to chill.
  • After that, temper the chocolate by melting 1 1/2 cups in a bowl for 1 minute within the microwave, stopping it to stir every 15-20 seconds.
  • When it’s fully melted, add the remainder of the chocolate and blend well until smooth. It’s going to take about 2 minutes of stirring before it all melts nicely.
  • Add the whole coconut bar within the melted chocolate, remove with a fork, and tap to get rid of the excess chocolate, and place back on the parchment paper.
  • Keep doing it til all are total covered in chocolate.
  • Wrap them up individually so they stay fresh and place in the fridge.

If you liked this recipe, be sure to check Portillo’s Chocolate Cake Recipe!

 

Homemade Hostess Cupcake Recipe

Homemade Hostess Cupcake Recipe

Homemade Hostess Cupcake Recipe is creamy in the middle, an extra moist cake with a nice fudge ganache and the classic crisp vanilla swirl on the top. This isn’t one of my easiest recipes, considering there are many delicious components that make this delicious masterpiece. Read More

Pumpkin Tres Leches Cake With Spicy Cream

Pumpkin Tres Leches Cake With Spicy Cream

Pumpkin Tres Leches Cake! A lightweight and delicious pumpkin spice cake soaked with 3 milks and amaretto, then topped with cinnamon amaretto cream. A deliciously tasty cake that will heat you up on a cool winter night. Pumpkin Tres Leches Cake Now for a fast Read More

Cheesecake Factory Nashville Hot Chicken Nuggets (Copycat)

Cheesecake Factory Nashville Hot Chicken Nuggets (Copycat)

And now it’s time to make these Cheesecake Factory Nashville hot Chicken Nuggets. Extra spicy and perfectly crisp chicken breast nuggets with a touch of sweetness, this copycat recipe is perfect for any occasion.

Cheesecake Factory Nashville Hot Chicken Nuggets

If you’ve been to the Cheesecake Factory, you know their menu is really long. It’s sometimes exhausting to decide on what to order; thus, I’m typically the person getting many small plates so I can taste a wide range of tasty dishes.

However, in addition, to the ludicrously amazing Sweet Corn Cakes (which are actually pure corn and butter), I’m always bound to include their Nashville Chicken Nuggets. And today, I’m going to share this recipe with you.

Cheesecake Factory Nashville Hot Chicken Nuggets

Right now, Nashville hot chicken is really in trend all over. These Chicken nuggets are an absolute must-try if you haven’t already. You’ll be able to use this same recipe to form a delicious sandwich by adding some cool coleslaw.

If you like this recipe, take a glance at these different copycat recipes I’ve added before:

Popeyes chicken sandwich recipe
KFC Chicken Littles recipe (Copycat)
McDonald’s Chicken McGriddles (Copycat)
Chick-Fil-A Chicken Minis and Burgerville Fried Asparagus with Garlic Aioli (Copycat)

Ingredients

For the Pickle Brine

  • 6 nugget-sized chicken breast fillets (cut into chunks)

  • ¼ cup pickle juice (enough to cover chicken)

  • ½ cup pickle slices, for serving

For the Dredge & Dip

  • 3 cups all-purpose flour

  • 1 tablespoon sea salt

  • 1 tablespoon cayenne pepper

  • 2 teaspoons paprika (reduce to 1 tsp for milder heat)

  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder

  • 1 teaspoon black pepper

  • 1 cup whole milk

  • 2 large eggs

  • 1½ tablespoons Louisiana hot sauce

  • Frying oil (vegetable or peanut oil)

For the Nashville Sauce

  • ¾ cup melted butter

  • 1 tablespoon dark brown sugar

  • 1 tablespoon honey

  • 4 tablespoons cayenne pepper

  • 1 tablespoon Louisiana hot sauce

  • 1 teaspoon paprika

  • ⅔ teaspoon garlic powder

  • Salt and pepper, to taste

For the Thick & Herby Ranch

  • 1 cup full-fat mayonnaise

  • ⅓ cup sour cream

  • ⅓ cup full-fat buttermilk (more if you want a thinner dip)

  • 1–2 garlic cloves, grated

  • 3 tablespoons freeze-dried chives

  • Salt and pepper, to taste


Instructions

1. Make the Ranch

  1. In a small bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, sour cream, and buttermilk.

  2. Stir in garlic, chives, salt, and pepper.

  3. Adjust seasoning to taste. Chill overnight (or at least 2 hours) to let flavors meld.

2. Brine the Chicken

  1. Place chicken pieces in a large bowl.

  2. Cover with pickle juice and refrigerate for 8–24 hours.

  3. Drain and pat dry before frying.

3. Prepare the Dredge & Dip

  1. Heat oil in a heavy-bottomed pot to 325°F (163°C).

  2. In a bowl, mix flour, salt, cayenne, paprika, garlic powder, and black pepper.

  3. In another bowl, whisk milk, eggs, and hot sauce.

  4. Dredge chicken in the flour, dip into the egg mixture, then coat again in flour. Shake off excess.

4. Fry the Chicken

  1. Fry chicken in batches until golden brown, about 6 minutes.

  2. Remove to a wire rack with paper towels and rest for 1 minute.

  3. Return to the oil for an extra 2 minutes until crispy and fully cooked (internal temp: 165°F / 74°C).

  4. If dredged chicken becomes sticky while waiting, toss it quickly in flour before frying.

5. Make the Nashville Sauce

  1. Melt butter in a heatproof bowl.

  2. Stir in brown sugar, honey, cayenne, hot sauce, paprika, garlic powder, salt, and pepper.

  3. Brush the sauce over hot fried chicken until fully coated.

6. Serve

Serve chicken hot with pickles on the side and plenty of herby ranch for dipping.


Tips & Notes

  • Heat control: For milder chicken, reduce cayenne in both dredge and sauce.

  • Double-fry secret: That second quick fry ensures extra crunch.

  • Oil tip: Peanut oil or canola works best for frying without burning.


Make-Ahead & Storage

  • Brine ahead: Chicken can be brined up to 24 hours in advance.

  • Storage: Store leftovers in the fridge for up to 2 days. Reheat in the oven or air fryer for best crispness.

  • Ranch dip: Can be made 2 days ahead and stored chilled.


Serving Suggestions

  • Serve with coleslaw, cornbread, or French fries for a full Southern spread.

  • A cold beer or sweet iced tea is the perfect match for the heat.

  • Try sliders: tuck the hot chicken into soft buns with pickles and ranch.

Pin the image below if you like this Cheesecake Factory Copycat Recipe!

Cheesecake Factory Nashville Hot Chicken Nuggets

If you like this, check out our Keto Chicken Wings.

 

Burgerville Fried Asparagus with Garlic Aioli (Copycat)

Burgerville Fried Asparagus with Garlic Aioli (Copycat)

Discover the irresistible taste of this Crunchy Burgerville Fried Asparagus with Garlic Aioli. This deliciously addicting dish from Burgerville has a crunch that will keep you coming back for more and a flavor that stays with you long after the last bite. It tastes so Read More