Category Archives: Home Cooking

S’mores Mini Cookie Cups- No Campfire Required

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S'mores cookie cups are a weet treat when an outdoor fire isn't an option

Aren't these little S'mores cookie cups cuteS’mores Mini Cookie Cups

Aren’t these the cutest little pies? Once again, I’m falling for a world in miniature. These don’t require any real baking skill—at least not much—and honestly, I only got caught up in them because they were adorable. Turns out they’re pretty tasty too.

These little beauties are S’mores Mini Cookie Cups. There are a couple of versions floating around out there, so let me share mine first. Then we can talk about the alternative.

My Version

All you need are:

  • Mini graham cracker shells
  • Mini marshmallows
  • A Hershey bar
  • Refrigerated chocolate chip cookie dough

Start with a layer of mini marshmallows in the graham cracker shell.
Add a couple pieces of chocolate.
Squish a small ball of cookie dough flat and place it over the top to make a little “crust.”

Bake in a 350° oven for 15–18 minutes, and voilà—a mini s’mores cookie cup.

Tip: Place them on a sheet of foil. Marshmallows can leak out the sides, and if they do, you’ll have a sticky mess. The foil makes cleanup a breeze.

The Alternative Version

Then there’s the version that skips the graham cracker crust. Personally, that ruins the s’mores vibe for me, but to each their own.

For this one, press enough cookie dough into a mini muffin cup to form a little “cup.” Add marshmallows and chocolate, leaving the top open. Bake at 350° until the cookie cup is done. When they come out, top with another marshmallow and pop them under the broiler for 1–2 minutes to toast.

A Word of Warning

The only real stipulation for either variation is that you have to like sweet. These are sweet. I’ve always avoided traditional s’mores because they’re too sugary for me, but these were so cute I had to try them. They’re easy to put together and definitely satisfy a craving for something indulgent.

Your Turn

Okay, s’mores fans, time to sound off. Are you Team Graham Crust or waving the flag for Team Cookie Cup today?

 

Happy Easter

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May your Easter be colorful, cozy, and just a little bit sugary. Happy Easter!

Enjoy a colorful, spring Easter Cake with family and friends

Make your Easter Special

Classic Easter Traditions

  • Play Easter Games.
  • Enjoy an Easter Meal.
  • Dye Easter Eggs.
  • Eat a Giant Omelette. …
  • Host an Easter Egg Hunt. …
  • Make Hot Cross Buns. …
  • Fill Easter Baskets. …
  • Eat Chocolate Bunnies.
  • Enjoy an Easter Cake
  • Share an Easter Basket of Goodies

 

Happy Easter from my kitchen to yours!

Dusty’s Smothered Pork Chops

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My Long‑Time Favorite Pork Chop Recipe

Smothered pork chops surrounded by gravy. Of course it's in a cast iron skillet

A Little Backstory

Recently I shared two new pork chop recipes — Rediscovering Pork Chops and Pork Chops Take 2.
Now I’m down to the last of the chops, which means there’s room for one more recipe before I take a break. I actually have another new one waiting in the wings, but that will have to wait for my next pork chop run.

Today’s recipe is my long‑time favorite. It goes all the way back to the 1970s, when I’d just gotten my first professional (non‑waitress!) job. One of my coworkers told me he always made his pork chops in a skillet with Campbell’s Golden Mushroom soup. He insisted it had to be Golden Mushroom — not Cream of Mushroom.

I tried it, loved it, and over the years it evolved into the version I make today. It’s still simple, still comforting, and still one of my go‑to meals.

Dusty’s Smothered Chops

Ingredients

  • 4 thick‑cut, boneless center‑cut pork chops
  • 2 cans Campbell’s Golden Mushroom Soup
  • 2 cans sliced potatoes
  • 1 small can sliced mushrooms (optional)
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

  1. Heat a large skillet over medium‑high heat and add a light skim of oil (about 2 Tbsp).
    (I love a cast iron skillet for this.)
  2. Generously salt and pepper both sides of the chops. Add them to the hot pan and sear for color — about 2 minutes per side.
    Do not cook through.
  3. Transfer the chops to your slow cooker and pour in the soup. Add the sliced potatoes and the optional mushrooms, then stir gently to combine.
  4. Set to Low and cook for 6–8 hours.

Notes

  • Your chops will come out melt‑in‑your‑mouth tender.
  • The Golden Mushroom soup makes a wonderful gravy.
  • Add the optional mushrooms if you like a little extra.

Golden Mushroom vs. Cream of Mushroom

Why Golden Mushroom?

Golden Mushroom soup acts more like a flavor concentrate than a creamy base.
It melts into the pan juices and creates a rich, savory gravy that clings beautifully to pork chops — especially when you brown them first.

Can You Substitute Cream of Mushroom?

Not unless you want an entirely different vibe.

  • Cream of Mushroom makes the dish creamy and mild.
  • Golden Mushroom makes it bold, savory, and deeply seasoned.

In my own words… Yummy!

Wrapping Up

So that’s it — the last of this pork chop run. I’m all out for now, but I’m sure we’ll circle back another time.

How do you cook pork chops in your home? I’d love to know.

 

The Great Cupcake Caper

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The Great Cupcake Caper

 Or, How I Learned I’m Officially One of the “Old People”

Elderly "Florida" squirrel returns from shoppingOk, I admit it. I’ve crossed over. I am now officially one of the “elderly,” and as one of the Old People, I tend to be a little forgetful. But I still make lists — real lists — written on actual paper with a pen or pencil. I use my phone for plenty of things, but grocery lists are sacred. I want the satisfaction of crossing things off as they go into the cart. It’s a ritual.

So last Tuesday I headed to Hannaford for my weekly grocery run. Back in the day I’d pop in whenever I needed something, but now I try to do it all in one trip. Why Tuesday? Because Tuesday is Senior Discount Day, and I am absolutely here for saving a few pennies.

Right there on my list, bold as can be: flour.

My mother always bought the giant bag, but since it’s just me, I stick to the small ones. Easier to store, less likely to go stale, and it forces me to keep an eye on how much is left. Well… it finally happened. Hannaford only had the big bags, so I skipped it. I wasn’t planning any baking anyway. What could go wrong?

Oops.

Fast‑forward to dinner. After all the pork‑chop experimenting I’ve been doing, I wanted something sweet to finish the meal. I had a cat on my lap, so I figured the urge to bake would pass. But no. An hour later, I still wanted cupcakes.

I remembered I had a box of white cake mix in the cupboard. Easy peasy. Except… the “Best By” date was 8/20/2020. Not months old. Years. I’ll use things past their date, but even I have limits. That mix was basically an archaeological artifact.

Fine. I’d make cupcakes from scratch. Mini ones, so I wouldn’t overindulge. I pulled out my favorite yellow cake recipe — it’s so good.

Who needs a box anyway!

Soft Buttery Yellow Cake (Perfect for Mini Cupcakes)

Ingredients

  • 1 ¼ cups all‑purpose flour
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
  • 2 large eggs
  • ½ cup whole milk
  • 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ¼ teaspoon salt

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F and line your mini muffin pan.
  2. Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
  3. Add eggs one at a time, mixing well.
  4. Stir in vanilla.
  5. In a separate bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, and salt.
  6. Add dry ingredients alternately with milk, mixing just until combined.
  7. Fill mini cups about ⅔ full.
  8. Bake 10–12 minutes or until tops spring back.
  9. Cool completely before frosting.

As I gathered ingredients, I noticed the flour bag felt suspiciously light. A quick check confirmed I had just under one cup left. But by then I was committed. I wanted cupcakes. I was emotionally invested.

 

So I did some questionable math, cut the recipe in half, and created:

Half‑Batch Yellow Cake (Perfect for 18 Mini Cupcakes)

Ingredients

  • ⅔ cup all‑purpose flour
  • ½ cup granulated sugar
  • ¼ cup unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 large egg
  • ¼ cup + 2 tablespoons whole milk
  • ¾ teaspoon baking powder
  • ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
  • Pinch of salt

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
  2. Cream butter and sugar until fluffy.
  3. Add egg and vanilla; mix well.
  4. Whisk flour, baking powder, and salt in a separate bowl.
  5. Add dry ingredients alternately with milk.
  6. Fill mini muffin cups ⅔ full.
  7. Bake 10–11 minutes.
  8. Cool before frosting.

These bite‑sized morsels are a treasure for your taste buds. Honestly, you don’t even need frosting — but if you decide to go all in, that’s when the real adventure begins. Now came the frosting. Have you tried frosting mini cupcakes lately? I’m fine with full‑size cakes, but minis usually end with frosting all over my thumbs, the counter, and sometimes the cat.

So I tried piping it on. I didn’t have any tips, so I cut the corner off a plastic bag and hoped for the best.

Here they are — not the prettiest, but absolutely delicious. Maybe even better because of all the drama.

My Favorite Chocolate Frosting (Buttercream Style)

Ingredients

  • ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
  • 2 ½ cups powdered sugar
  • ¼ cup cocoa powder
  • 2–3 tablespoons milk
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
  • Pinch of salt

Instructions

  1. Beat butter until creamy.
  2. Add powdered sugar and cocoa gradually.
  3. Add milk a tablespoon at a time until smooth and spreadable.
  4. Mix in vanilla and salt.
  5. Pipe or spread onto cooled cupcakes.

Enjoy!
And remember: sometimes the best desserts come from a little chaos, a little improvising, and a cat who refuses to move from your lap.

 

 

Pork Chops, Take Two: The Marinade Edition

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Pork Chop experiments continue in Dusty's test kitchen

Overnight Soy & Worcestershire Pork Chops

Can success strike twice in Dusty’s Test Kitchen? Let’s find out.

It was another busy day in Dusty’s Test Kitchen, and yes — the pork‑chop experiments continue. My first attempt, Rediscovering Pork Chops: A Cast Iron Success Story, turned out so well that I had to try again. Could I repeat the magic?

This recipe is a little more involved than the last one, mostly because it needs an overnight marinade. But once the cooking starts, everything moves fast and easy.

Ingredients

Marinade

  • ½ cup soy sauce
  • ¼ cup Worcestershire sauce
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 tsp paprika
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp onion powder
  • ½ tsp black pepper
  • ½ tsp salt (optional, depending on your soy sauce)
  • Optional: 1 tbsp brown sugar
  • Optional: ½ tsp ginger powder

Finishing

  • 3–4 tbsp butter, cut into pats
  • Optional: 2 smashed garlic cloves or a few thyme sprigs

Instructions

1. Marinate Overnight

  1. Whisk all marinade ingredients together.
  2. Add pork chops and coat well.
  3. Refrigerate 8–24 hours.
  4. Remove from the fridge 20–30 minutes before cooking.

2. Pan‑Sear

  1. Preheat oven to 400°F.
  2. Heat a cast‑iron or heavy skillet over medium‑high until very hot.
  3. Add a thin layer of oil.
  4. Sear chops 2 minutes per side to develop color.
    • Do not cook through during this step.

3. Oven Finish with Butter

  1. Turn off the stovetop heat.
  2. Add the pats of butter to the bottom of the pan.
  3. Place the seared chops on top of the butter.
  4. Transfer the pan to the oven.
  5. Bake 5–8 minutes, depending on thickness.
  6. Remove when internal temperature reaches 140–145°F.
  7. Let rest 5 minutes before serving.

Notes

  • This method keeps thinner chops tender by combining a moisture‑boosting marinade, a quick sear, and a gentle oven finish.
  • The butter melts underneath the chops and bastes them as they finish, giving a glossy, savory finish.
  • Works with bone‑in chops too — just add 2–4 minutes to the oven time.
  • I served mine with oven‑roasted potatoes. I started the potatoes when I took the chops out of the refrigerator, so they had a 30‑minute head start.

My Rating

I’m giving this one 4 stars. Very flavorful, very tender — just shy of that 5‑star wow factor for me. But you can be the judge.