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4 Impressive Italian Dinners You Can Make In Your Own Kitchen

Who doesn’t love a big bowl of pasta? According to a recent survey conducted by YouGov, an international research data and analytics group, Italian food tops the list as the World’s most popular cuisine. And we’re not surprised. From simple favorites like Fettuccine Alfredo and Chicken Piccata to masterpieces like Penne alla Vodka and Fettuccine alla Carbonara, there’s a lot to love. Best of all, unlike other regional favorites, most Italian dishes are surprisingly not that difficult to make at home. Here are four impressive yet easy Italian dinner recipes you can whip up right in your own kitchen.

Penne alla Vodka

This recipe starts with penne pasta cooked al dente. As the name implies, you’ll also need to grab a bottle of Vodka from your bar cabinet for the sauce (plan on using a little less than ¼ cup per pound of pasta). While this spirit adds a flavorful kick, it’s also fine to omit the Vodka altogether. Additional ingredients include heavy cream, Parmesan cheese, and crushed red pepper flakes from your spice drawer . Most recipes call for fresh Roma or crushed tomatoes, but we like this Penne Alla Vodka from Delish that uses tomato paste for a bright touch of sweetness.

Fettuccine alla Carbonara

Close your eyes and imagine fettuccine noodles smothered in a rich and creamy, Parmesan cheese-based sauce, with prosciutto and bacon. Have we piqued your interest? Carbonara is perfect for a special occasion like Valentine’s Day, and it’s easy to make at home. This recipe for Fettuccine alla Carbonara from Better Homes & Gardens adds dry white wine from your bar cabinet, and rivals any Italian restaurant. For a full list of ingredients and an instructional video from BHG, click here.

Fettuccine Alfredo

Like spaghetti and meatballs and lasagne, Fettuccine Alfredo is one of the more popular Italian dishes on restaurant menus. Rich yet simple, this easy homemade Fettuccine Alfredo recipe from Bon Appétit has just five ingredients that are commonly found in the refrigerator and kitchen pantry cabinet. After gently simmering the sauce to ensure even melting, add cooked fettuccine pasta and toss to coat. Serve topped with fresh ground pepper and even more grated Parmesan.

Chicken Piccata

This Italian dish features tender, thinly sliced chicken breasts dredged in flour and sauteed in a buttery lemon-based sauce. The use of flour gives chicken a nice coating and helps to thicken the sauce. For an easy to follow recipe from Italian chef and Food Network star Giada De Laurentiis, click here. When cooking at home, top Chicken Piccata with brined capers and chopped fresh parsley and serve with a side of linguini. If you’re in the mood for seafood, swap out chicken for freshly peeled and deveined shrimp.

Regardless of the recipe, remember this rule of thumb for professional results when cooking pasta at home. Always salt your water (around 2 tablespoons should do for a pound of pasta), and use coarse sea salt, which is considered less bitter when boiling.

Welcome to Willow Lane Cabinetry — the #1 place to buy affordable, semi-custom cabinets online! Let us help you create the kitchen, home office, home bar, laundry room, TV room or bath of your dreams with our 100% free room design tool. We offer all wood cabinetry, fully assembled and delivered for free, plus all the accessories needed to complete your remodel. Visit our website to see our products today!

4 Decadent Valentine’s Day Desserts With A Healthy Twist

Your New Year’s resolution was to eat healthier, and here comes Valentine’s Day to sabotage your plans! Don’t fret. You can have your cake and eat it too! We’ve searched high and low for sweet recipes that can be enjoyed without feeling an ounce of guilt. Best of all, they can be easily made right in your own kitchen! Here are four decadent homemade desserts with a healthy twist to share with the ones you love this Valentine’s Day .

The proof is in the pudding.

Valentine’s Day is all about love — and chocolate. Give chocolate pudding a healthier spin with this clever recipe from Eating Well. “Chocomole” Pudding is super rich and creamy, and has some surprisingly sweet ingredients from the kitchen pantry cabine t, like avocados, soft and chewy Medjool dates, coconut milk, and agave nectar. Did we forget to mention this delicious chocolate treat is also dairy-free and vegan?

The cake that can’t be “beet.”

Who needs a box of chocolates when they can have a big slice of chocolate cake? This Chocolate Bundt Cake recipe from Always Order Dessert has a secret ingredient that is naturally sweet — roasted and pureed red beets! With a dash of Vietnamese cinnamon from your spice rack and a delectable Truffle Ganache Glaze made with semi-sweet chocolate, this Valentine’s Day dessert is hard to resist.

Good things come in small packages.

Too stuffed for dessert? Never! There’s always room for dessert after a Valentine’s Day dinner when that dessert is Chocolate Chip Cheesecake Stuffed Strawberries. This bite-sized vegan treat from Oh My Veggies proves good things come in small packages. In addition to fresh strawberries, the recipe calls for healthy ingredients from the kitchen pantry cabinet, like raw whole cashews, ground flaxseed, and cacao nibs (or chopped dark chocolate), with maple syrup for a touch of added sweetness. Like strawberry cheesecake, only better!

Looks can be deceiving.

This White Chocolate Raspberry Tart from Cooking Light is the ultimate Valentine’s Day dessert, thanks to its salty, buttery crust, creamy white chocolate filling, and red raspberry topping. While it looks fancy, this recipe is actually quite simple to achieve. It’s also pretty healthy, thanks to Greek yogurt and fresh fruit. Your Valentines will have no idea this amazing dessert only has 188 calories per slice!

How To Make Homemade Trail Mix Without Leaving Your Kitchen

Homemade trail mix is one of those great grab and go snack ideas that not only satisfies your hunger, but also satisfies your taste buds! The perfect blend of crunchy, chewy, salty, and sweet ingredients, homemade trail mix is healthy and easy to make — right in your very own kitchen!

As an added bonus, homemade trail mix is easier on the wallet than store-bought varieties. All you need are a few simple ingredients that you probably already have in your kitchen pantry cabinet. So go ahead, get creative! Once you know how to make homemade trail mix, you can whip up a batch for those marathon holiday shopping trips and another for gifting!

Ingredients

Homemade trail mix is designed to be eaten by the handful, so think small when shopping or raiding your kitchen pantry cabinet. Common ingredients for homemade trail mix include:

Nuts (Walnuts, Almonds, Pecans, Cashews, Pistachios, Macadamia Nuts)
Seeds (Roasted Pumpkin Seeds, Sunflower Seeds)
Peanuts (Spanish, Dry Roasted, Candied)
Breakfast Cereal (Granola, Flakes, O’s)
Chocolate Chips (White, Semi-Sweet, Milk Chocolate)
Carob Chips
Butterscotch Chips
Peanut Butter Chips
Mini Marshmallows
M&Ms
Shredded Coconut
Banana Chips
Raisins and Other Dried Fruit (Apples, Cranberries, Apricots, Blueberries, Papaya, Pineapple)
Crystalized Ginger
Candied Orange Peel
Rye Chips
Cheese Crackers (bite-sized)
Pretzels (mini pretzels, pretzel sticks)
Wasabi Peas
Popcorn

Instructions

Nothing could be easier than making homemade trail mix. Simply spread out the all ingredient packages across your kitchen island countertop, scoop out each individual ingredient into a large mixing bowl, and gently combine all the ingredients with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula.

Depending on the ingredients you choose (sweet or savory), you can also season your homemade trail mix with spices from your door mounted spice rack or wood spice tray, like sea salt, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, garlic powder, onion powder, chili powder, curry powder, or Cayenne pepper.

Homemade trail mix will keep for up to a month when stored properly in Mason jars (for gifting) or an airtight container (for your enjoyment). If you’re making a large batch, it’s best to keep your trail mix in the refrigerator instead of in the kitchen pantry cabinet. Small batches can be bagged into individual portions for grab and go snacking during the busy holiday season.

Edible Thanksgiving Centerpiece Ideas And Inspiration

Before you go out and buy a centerpiece for your Thanksgiving table, consider creating your own edible creation. Both beautiful and delicious, these personalized designs will be the ultimate conversation starter (or snack) for your holiday guests. From custom cabinets to custom centerpieces, Willow Lane Cabinetry has you covered this season.

Fall Harvest Centerpiece

Seasonal produce is so colorful and full of texture. When arranged the right way, your favorite fall harvest can be transformed into a breathtaking centerpiece for your kitchen or dining room table.

This fall harvest centerpiece from DIY Network is a great example of how easy and beautiful an edible centerpiece can be. To recreate this design, start with a large bowl or crate that can be used as the foundation for your centerpiece, then layer leafy greens like kale or swiss chard. Add seasonal produce that captures the classic fall covers, like pumpkins, turnips, and carrots. Use herbs to fill in any gaps and your edible arrangement is complete.

Simple Kale Bouquet

Kale is more than just a superfood — it is also a beautiful leafy green that makes for a gorgeous fall bouquet. And it’s not just green either! Kale comes in many variegated hues.

As you can see in this edible centerpiece from HGTV, you can find kale in rich purple shades and even white. When combined, these leaves create a beautiful bouquet for Thanksgiving dinner. This variation also uses asparagus to add texture and pops of green, but you can incorporate any fall vegetable or plant of your choosing. This bouquet is so unique, your guests will never believe that no flowers were used!

Colored Pasta Centerpiece

It might come as a bit of a surprise that you have the perfect material for a fall centerpiece right in your kitchen pantry cabinet, but dry pasta can be used to make a beautiful and artistic arrangement. All you’ll need is a few different types of pasta and glass or wire containers.

Home Is Where the Boat Is created this colorful centerpiece using a variety of shapes, sizes, and colors of pasta. You probably already have your standard white or whole wheat pasta in your kitchen pantry cabinet. But you can also find red, green, and purple pasta, which is naturally colored by vegetables. These vibrant shades are perfect for fall and can be combined to create a fun centerpiece for your holiday table.

Apple Centerpiece

Another easy and edible fall centerpiece pairs apple and eucalyptus. This sweet arrangement from Design Improvised takes just a few minutes to throw together, yet still looks professionally designed. It truly is foolproof.

All you’ll need is a small pedestal bowl, different sized apples, and some fresh eucalyptus. The best part about this centerpiece is that you get to enjoy one of fall’s most beloved fruits when dinner is over.

Pumpkin Flower Vase

For a semi-edible centerpiece, turn your pumpkin patch picks into flower vases. By simply scooping out the center, you can create a fall vase that is fun and festive.

Follow these directions from Southern Living, which advises putting florist foam inside your pumpkin and keeping it well watered so that your pumpkin vase will last a full week.

8 Cooking Methods Every Home Chef Should Know

Dream kitchens are designed for cooking. You already have the best kitchen cabinets from Willow Lane Cabinetry. Here are the best cooking methods every home chef should know.

Braising: This method requires a pan with a tightly covered lid, and involves cooking in a small amount of liquid on the stovetop. But first, you need to sear the meat with a thin coating of oil. Want to cook a melt-in-your mouth pot roast or succulent lamb shank? Braising lets the juices tenderize and flavor tougher cuts of meat. For a step-by-step guide for braising meats from Food Network, click here.

Broiling: This cooking method calls for direct, intense heat (usually from above in your oven) and is great for quickly cooking thin steaks and veggies or crisping the tops of casseroles. When broiling, closely monitor what you are cooking, because your meal can go from golden brown to burnt in a matter of minutes.

Grilling: One of our favorite methods of the list, grilling is a spring and summertime staple, and is easy to master. Grilling involves dry heat applied to the surface of foods, whether it’s BBQ chicken, grilled veggies, or juicy burgers. Want to learn how to grill like a pro? Click here for tips from Good Housekeeping.
Pan-Frying: This method involves cooking foods in a skillet with a thick layer of oil. Healthier and easier than deep frying (where food is fully submerged in oil), pan frying is perfect for giving breaded chicken cutlets, crab cakes, and batter dipped fried green tomatoes a crispy coating. Or try this Chicken Stir-Fry from Epicurious!

Roasting: You’ll need a roasting pan and a large oven for this cooking method. Great for moist Thanksgiving turkey or tender roast beef, roasting allows melted fat to drip away while guaranteeing a crisp surface, and involves cooking at a high temperature.
Sautéing:In this popular cooking method, meat or evenly cut vegetables are cooked in a shallow pan over high heat on the stove top. Want to brown sausages with onions and peppers? Start by heating a thin layer of oil in your pan, and be sure to stir often.

Slow Cooking: Another of our favorites on the list, this low and slow method is a must for busy families, especially during the fall and winter months. Slow cooking is perfect for stews and soups, chili, and pulled pork. Prep your meal in the morning and come home hours later to a hot and hearty dinner.

Steaming: Steaming involves cooking foods (usually fresh vegetables) over boiling water. Simply place your broccoli florets or baby carrots in a steamer basket, set over a pot of boiling water, and top with a lid.
The best kitchen cabinets are organized and ready for cooking, so be sure to install a two-tier cookware organizer and more inside cabinet accessories to hold cutting boards, knives and other cooking tools every home chef should own. Dream kitchens are designed for cooking, so keep at it and you’ll master these methods in no time!

How To Throw An Unforgettable Autumn Dinner Party In Your Open Concept Kitchen

Dream kitchens are all about cooking, dining and entertaining. This autumn, gather your family and friends for an unforgettable dinner party in your open concept kitchen. Whether it’s a formal holiday feast around the dining room table or a casual buffet spread on your kitchen island, you can rest assured your guest will leave will full bellies and fond memories.

Fancy fall appetizers help to get the party started.

Leading up to your dinner party, stock your kitchen pantry cabinets with unique and unexpected ingredients. You don’t have to be an experienced home chef to serve impressive appetizers. Instead of a basic cheese platter, craft a charcuterie board with fancy crackers, seasonal fruits and vegetables, salty nuts, dried meat, and a selection of soft and hard cheeses. In autumn, swap out the cold dips typically served in summer for hot varieties, such as this Asiago Cheese Dip recipe from Fresh Market. Serve hot dips with whole grain tortilla chips, pita crisps, or pieces of crusty sourdough and pumpernickel bread.

A memorable dinner party needs a memorable main course.

While fancy finger foods whet appetites, it’s the main course that truly makes an autumn dinner party memorable. If you prefer to serve a buffet spread on your kitchen island rather than a sit-down meal, plan for a variety of options that can be easily enjoyed at the table or from the comfort of your TV room sofa. Take advantage of the season’s bounty and prepare a menu that incorporates a cornucopia of delicious fall flavors, like this Autumn Pear Salad. Need more inspiration? Click here for 65 main-course recipes for a fall dinner party from Epicurious.

An unforgettable dinner party should have a signature cocktail.

It’s important to keep your bar cabinets stocked when entertaining any time of year, but a signature cocktail will help set the tone for your fall gathering. In cooler months, choose a cocktail that is spicy yet sweet and can be whipped up in large batches. Click here for 45 signature fall cocktails from Town and Country. As a host or hostess, you should also serve water infused with fresh fruit and have soda, tea, wine and cider on hand. When it’s time for dessert, be sure to brew a pot of decaffeinated coffee for your evening guests.

End your fall dinner party on a sweet note.

Dessert is the perfect ending to an unforgettable dinner party. Fall is ripe with seasonal fruits that are ideal for baking into pies and tarts. Try this Individual Rustic Apple Tarts recipe from Martha Stewart. Other fall options could include ginger cookies, spiced cake, or Paula Dean’s decadent Pumpkin Cheesecake.

Happy hosting!

Welcome to Willow Lane Cabinetry — the #1 place to buy affordable, semi-custom cabinets online! Let us help you create the kitchen, home office, home bar, laundry room, TV room, or bath of your dreams with our 100% free room design tool. We offer all wood cabinetry, fully assembled and delivered for free. Plus all the accessories you need to complete your remodel. Visit our website to see our products today!

How To Preserve Fresh Summer Herbs For Fall And Winter Cooking

When you think of dream kitchens, do you picture families gathered around the table for home-cooked meals and freshly baked desserts cooling on the kitchen island countertop? With the summer season approaching its end and holiday hosting on the horizon, now is the time to think about preserving your fresh summer herbs for fall and winter cooking and baking. Read on to learn how.

Keeping Herbs Fresh In The Fridge

Keep herbs fresh by wrapping them in a damp paper towel and storing them in a plastic container or re-sealable plastic bag. You can also trim the stems and place your herbs in a glass jar filled with water. Cover the top with a plastic baggie to maintain moisture, and store them in the refrigerator. This method works well for long-stemmed herbs like cilantro, rosemary, thyme, chives, and parsley, but it will not work with basil.

Hang Drying

For this tried and true method, tie a handful of herb stems together at the bottom using a bit of string or yarn. Hang these tidy bundles in a warm place inside your home and let them dry for anywhere from a few days to two weeks, depending on humidity and the type of herb you are drying. This method works well for woody herbs like rosemary, oregano and thyme, as well as chives, dill marjoram, tarragon, and sage (a staple in Thanksgiving stuffing recipes). For more tips on air drying herbs from Better Homes and Gardens, click here.

Freeze Drying

For this simple method, line a large baking tray with freezer paper. Remove the leaves from the stems and neatly arrange the leaves on the baking tray in a single layer. Place the tray of herbs in the freezer for 30 minutes to an hour, depending on the herb. Move your herbs to a re-sealable freezer bag, and store your freeze-dried herbs in the freezer for later use. This method is ideal for basil, chives, dill, mint, oregano, sage, tarragon, thyme, and lemongrass.

Herbs can add unmatched flavor to your fall and winter dishes and desserts. Keep your kitchen pantry cabinet spice rack well stocked by trying one of these simple methods, and join the ranks of dream kitchens filled with food and family.

Welcome to Willow Lane Cabinetry — the #1 place to buy affordable, semi-custom cabinets online! Let us help you create the kitchen, home office, home bar, laundry room, TV room, or bath of your dreams with our 100% free room design tool. We offer all wood cabinetry, fully assembled and delivered for free. Plus all the accessories you need to complete your remodel. Visit our website to see our products today!