Harvest Apple Cinnamon Muffins

by Gina DosSantos | Sep 29, 2025 | Recipes

Perfect for breakfast or lunchbox treats

Ingredients:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/3 cup melted butter
• 1 egg
• 1 cup milk
• 1 large apple, peeled and diced
• 1/4 cup rolled oats (for topping)

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 400°F. Line muffin tin with paper cups.
2. Mix dry ingredients in a large bowl.
3. Whisk together melted butter, egg, and milk in separate bowl.
4. Fold wet ingredients into dry ingredients until just combined. Don’t overmix!
5. Gently fold in diced apples.
6. Fill muffin cups 2/3 full and sprinkle with oats.
7. Bake 20-22 minutes until golden brown.

Pro tip: These freeze beautifully for quick lunchbox additions and create an amazing aroma for home showings!

2. Creamy Pumpkin Pasta Skillet

One-pan dinner that’s kid-friendly and impressive for guests

Ingredients:

• 12 oz penne pasta
• 1 can (15 oz) pumpkin puree
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1/2 cup parmesan cheese, grated
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tsp sage (dried)
• 1/2 tsp nutmeg
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• Optional: cooked chicken or turkey

Instructions:

1. Cook pasta according to package directions, reserve 1 cup pasta water.
2. In large skillet, heat olive oil and sauté garlic for 30 seconds.
3. Add pumpkin puree, cream, sage, and nutmeg. Simmer 5 minutes.
4. Add cooked pasta and parmesan cheese, tossing to combine.
5. Add pasta water as needed for desired consistency.
6. Season with salt and pepper.

This recipe scales easily for entertaining and creates that perfect “homey” feeling buyers love.

3. No-Bake Peanut Butter Pumpkin Energy Balls

Healthy lunchbox snacks that require no baking

Ingredients:

• 1 cup old-fashioned oats
• 1/2 cup peanut butter (or almond butter)
• 1/3 cup honey
• 1/4 cup pumpkin puree
• 1/4 cup mini chocolate chips
• 2 tbsp ground flaxseed (optional)
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• Pinch of salt

Instructions:

1. Mix all ingredients in a large bowl until well combined.
2. Refrigerate mixture for 30 minutes (makes rolling easier).
3. Roll into 1-inch balls using your hands.
4. Store in refrigerator for up to one week.
5. Pack 2-3 in lunchboxes for a protein-rich snack.

These are perfect for busy families and can be made ahead of time!

Bonus Staging Tip

When preparing any of these recipes before a showing, remember that the aroma of baking or cooking can create positive emotional connections with potential buyers. The smell of cinnamon and vanilla, in particular, suggests warmth and comfort – exactly what you want buyers to feel when touring your home.

Keep portions reasonable and consider packaging extras as small gifts for your real estate agent or potential buyers – it’s a memorable touch that helps your home stand out in their minds!

These recipes celebrate the best of fall flavors while being practical for busy lifestyles, whether you’re settling into a new home or preparing your current one for market.

Slow Cooker Stuffed Bell Peppers: A Cozy, Crowd-Pleasing Recipe for Home

by Gina DosSantos | Aug 12, 2025 | Recipes

Whether you’re settling into a new home or hosting a casual dinner with friends, there’s nothing quite like a warm, hearty meal to make a house feel like home. These slow cooker stuffed bell peppers are a colorful, flavorful dish that is easy to prepare and perfect for busy days. Packed with wholesome ingredients and bold flavors, they are a great way to bring people together around the table.

Ingredients You’ll Need:

• 6–8 large bell peppers (any color you love)
• 3 cups cooked white rice
• 2 cans (15 oz each) black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 can (14 oz) fire-roasted diced tomatoes
• ½ cup frozen corn
• 1 packet taco seasoning (we love Siete for a clean, flavorful blend)
• Salt and pepper to taste

Toppings to Serve:

• Sliced avocado
• Chopped fresh cilantro
• Sliced green onions
• Hot sauce or salsa
• Lime wedges

How to Make It:

1. Prep the Peppers: Slice the tops off the bell peppers and gently remove the ribs and seeds. Be careful not to tear the peppers they’ll need to hold all that delicious filling!
2. Mix the Filling: In a large bowl, combine the cooked rice, black beans, tomatoes, corn, and taco seasoning. Stir until everything is well mixed.
3. Stuff the Peppers: Spoon the filling into each pepper, packing it to the top. Depending on the size of your peppers, you may need more or fewer.
4. Slow Cook: Pour ½ cup of water into the bottom of a 6-quart (or larger) slow cooker. Arrange the stuffed peppers upright in the cooker, spacing them evenly.
5. Cook Until Tender: Cover and cook on low for 6 hours or on high for 3 hours, until the peppers are soft and the filling is hot.
6. Serve & Enjoy: Plate the peppers and top with your favorite garnishes, avocado, cilantro, green onions, salsa, and a squeeze of lime.

This recipe is perfect for a cozy night in or a casual gathering with neighbors. It’s plant-based, budget-friendly, and full of flavor, just the kind of dish that makes a house feel like home.

Instant Pot Butter Chicken

by Gina DosSantos | Jun 15, 2025 | Recipes

Prep Time: 5 minutes | Cook Time: 20 minutes | Total Time: 25 minutes

Servings: 4 | Calories: 336 per serving

This quick and flavorful Instant Pot Butter Chicken recipe is a must-try for busy weeknights. With a rich, aromatic sauce and tender chicken, it’s the perfect comfort food, made even easier with the Instant Pot. Plus, it’s versatile enough for those following keto or dairy-free diets.

Ingredients:

* 1 (14-ounce) can of tomatoes

* 5-6 garlic cloves, minced

* 1-2 teaspoons minced ginger

* 1 teaspoon turmeric

* 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

* 1 teaspoon smoked paprika

* 1 teaspoon kosher salt

* 1 teaspoon garam masala

* 1 teaspoon ground cumin

* 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken thighs (or breasts, bone-in, or any other cut of your choice; if frozen, add 1-2 extra minutes to the cook time)

* For finishing:

* 4 oz butter (cut into cubes) or coconut oil for a dairy-free version

* 4 oz heavy cream (or full-fat coconut milk for dairy-free)

* 1 teaspoon garam masala

* 1/4-1/2 cup chopped cilantro

Instructions:

1. Prepare the Instant Pot:

Add all ingredients (except butter, cream, and 1 teaspoon of garam masala) into the Instant Pot. Stir well to combine the sauce before placing the chicken on top. If using frozen chicken, push it slightly into the sauce to help it defrost faster.

2. Pressure Cook:

Close the Instant Pot lid, set it to high pressure for 10 minutes, and let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes once cooking is complete. After that, carefully release any remaining pressure.

3. Blend the Sauce:

Open the Instant Pot, remove the chicken, and set it aside. Use an immersion blender to blend the sauce until smooth and well combined.

4. Finish the Sauce:

Add the cubed butter, cream, cilantro, and garam masala to the sauce. Stir until the butter melts and everything is well incorporated. It’s important to let the sauce cool slightly before adding the butter and cream to avoid thinning the sauce. If the sauce becomes too thin, simply refrigerate it for a bit to thicken.

5. Store Extra Sauce:

At this point, you can remove half of the sauce and freeze it for later use, or store it in the fridge for 2-3 days.

6. Serve:

Return the chicken to the sauce and heat through. If desired, break the chicken into smaller pieces (but don’t shred it). Serve over rice or zucchini noodles for a low-carb option.

Enjoy a comforting, rich meal with minimal effort and maximum flavor!

This recipe combines the ease of the Instant Pot with the bold flavors of traditional Indian butter chicken, making it a great addition to your weeknight dinner rotation. Whether you’re serving it to guests or enjoying a quiet night in, this dish is sure to impress!

Jordan Marsh Blueberry Muffins

by Gina DosSantos | May 29, 2025 | Recipes

Even though the ingredients in these Jordan Marsh Blueberry Muffins might seem pretty basic, their big berry flavor can really take you back in time.

These muffins are packed with so many berries that they can turn the batter a light lavender color, and the sugary topping adds a nice crunch. They’re an old-school department store favorite for a reason!

Ingredients

– 1/2 cup butter

– 2 cups unsifted flour

– 1 cup sugar

– 2 large eggs

– 1/2 cup milk

– 2 teaspoons baking powder

– 1/2 teaspoon salt

– 2-1/2 cups large fresh blueberries

– 1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

– 2 tablespoons sugar (for the top of the muffins)

Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 375°F.
2. In a large mixing bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating after each addition.
3. In another bowl, combine all the dry ingredients. You can use an electric mixer to make sure they’re thoroughly combined so you won’t need to overmix later.
4. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the butter and sugar mixture, along with the milk and vanilla.
5. Mash 1/2 cup of the blueberries and stir them in by hand to give the batter a light blue color and extra blueberry flavor. Then, gently stir in the remaining whole berries by hand.
6. Spray a 12-muffin baking pan with non-stick spray. Fill the greased muffin cups with the batter.
7. Sprinkle sugar on top of the unbaked muffins.
8. Bake at 375°F for 25-30 minutes. Let them cool in the pan. After a few minutes, run a knife around the edge of each muffin to free it from the pan, then let cool. Because of the mashed berries these muffins will fall apart if removed from the muffin pan too early. Move to wire racks when firm. If you want, you can brush the muffins with melted butter and sprinkle them with more sugar.

Enjoy baking and eating these delicious muffins!

Slow Cooked Lamb Shanks in Red Wine Sauce

by Gina DosSantos | Apr 21, 2025 | Recipes

Image by limarga26 from Pixabay

Prep: 20minutes Cook: 3hours hrs 30minutes mins

Servings 4

Ingredients

• 4 lamb shanks , around 13 oz / 400g each (Note 1)
• 1 tsp EACH cooking/kosher salt and pepper
• 2 – 3 tbsp olive oil , separated
• 1 onion , finely diced (brown, yellow or white)
• 3 garlic cloves , minced
• 1 cup carrot , peeled, finely diced (Note 2)
• 1 cup celery , finely diced (Note 2)
• 2 1/2 cups red wine (full bodied (good value wine, not expensive! Note 3)
• 800 g / 28oz can crushed tomatoes
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 2 cups chicken stock , low sodium (or water)
• 5 sprigs of thyme (preferably tied together), or 2 tsp dried thyme
• 2 dried bay leaves (or 4 fresh)

Instructions:

• Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F (all oven types – fan and standard).
• Season shanks – Pat the lamb shanks dry and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
• Brown – Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large heavy based pot over high heat. Sear the lamb shanks in 2 batches until brown all over, about 5 minutes. Remove lamb onto a plate and drain excess fat (if any) from the pot.
• Sauté aromatics – Turn the heat down to medium low. Heat remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil in the same pot. Add the onion and garlic, cook for 2 minutes. Add carrot and celery. Cook for 5 minutes until onion is translucent and sweet.
• Braising liquid – Add the red wine, chicken stock, crushed tomato, tomato paste, thyme and bay leaves. Stir to combine.
• Add shanks – Place the lamb shanks into the pot, squeezing them in to fit so they are mostly submerged. (Note 1)
• Oven 2 hours covered – Turn stove up, bring liquid to a simmer. Cover, then transfer to the oven for 2 hours (see notes for other cook methods).
• Uncovered 30 minutes – Remove lid, then return to the oven for another 30 minutes (so 2 1/2 hours in total). Check to ensure lamb meat is ultra tender – if not, cover and keep cooking. Ideal is tender meat but still just holding onto bone.
• Remove lamb onto plate and keep warm. Pick out and discard bay leaves and thyme.
• Sauce – Strain the sauce into a bowl, pressing to extract all sauce out of the veggies (Note 5 for repurposing the veggies). Pour strained sauce back into pot. If needed, bring to a simmer over medium heat and reduce slightly to a syrupy consistency (see video) – I rarely need to. Taste then add salt and pepper to taste (Note 5 on sauce taste).
• Serve the lamb shanks on mashed potato or cauliflower puree with plenty of sauce! Garnish with thyme leaves if desired.

Recipe Notes:

1. Lamb Shanks – sizes vary considerably so make sure you get ones that will fit in your cooking vessel! 4 x 400g/13oz lamb shanks fits snugly in a 26cm/11″ diameter Chasseur dutch oven which is what I use. They don’t need to be completely submerged, just as long as most of the meaty end is mostly submerged, that’s fine. If you don’t have a pot large enough, you can switch to a baking dish for the slow cooking part, and cover with a double layer of foil if you don’t have a lid for it. You can also ask your butcher to cut the shaft so it bends if you are concerned, or to trim it slightly.

Cook time – 350-400g shanks should cook to “fall apart tender” but still holding onto bone in 2.5 hrs at 180°C/350°F. It can take up to 3 hrs, so to err on the side of caution re: dinner timing, give yourself 3 hours oven time. Shanks are the sort of thing that can sit around for ages and stay warm (keep covered in pot) and the flavour just gets even better. In fact, if you are cooking to impress, cook it the day before then reheat to serve – flavour will develop overnight, like with any stew!

2. Onion, carrot and celery is the “holy trinity” of slow cooking, creating a beautiful flavour base for the sauce. It’s not a deal breaker to exclude the carrot and celery, but it does give the sauce an extra edge.
3. Wine – Use a good value full bodied red wine, like cabaret sauvignon or merlot. Shiraz is ok too. No need to use expensive wine for slow cooked recipes like this (and the New York Times agrees). Use discount end of bin specials (I get mine from Dan Murphey’s). Pinots not suitable, too light. 99% of the alcohol in the red wine evaporates during cooking. The sauce does not taste winey at all, it completely transforms.

Non alcoholic sub: 1 1/2 cups beef broth LOW SODIUM, 1 cup water. + 1 tbsp Worcestershire Sauce. Beef has a stronger deeper flavour than chicken so will be more suited to being the sub for wine.

4. Most of the alcohol in the red wine will evaporate during this step but not completely – it will finish evaporating during the slow cooking. The sauce does not taste winey at all, it completely transforms.
5. Sauce options: The other option is to blitz the sauce using a sick blender. The sauce will be thicker, and you’ll have more of it (leftovers great tossed through pasta). This is what I used to do, but nowadays I prefer to strain the sauce because I like how glossy and rich it is – this is how restaurants serve it. You could also skip straining or blitzing, it just means you get little veg lumps in the sauce. All are tasty options, it mainly comes down to visual.

TIP: If you strain the sauce, keep the veggies etc in the strainer to make a terrific sauce, they are loaded with flavour even though all juice is squeezed out of them. What I do is make a basic tomato sauce with garlic, onion, canned tomato and water. Then I blitz that with the veggies. Use it to make a killer pasta or lasagna!!

Sour sauce? Sounds like there might’ve been issues with your canned tomatoes (poor quality = overly sour, good quality = sweet). Add a touch of honey or sugar, simmer for few minutes. Also, you didn’t rush the carrots/celery sautéing step did you?? Cooking them for 5 minutes sweetens them!

6. OTHER COOK OPTIONS:

Slow cooker – Follow recipe to step 7. Bring sauce to simmer, scrape bottom of pot to get all brown bits into the liquid. Place shanks in slow cooker, add the sauce. Cook on low for 8 hours. Remove shanks, strain and reduce sauce to desired thickness on stove (if you blitz per Note 5, you won’t need to reduce).

Pressure Cooker – Follow Slow Cooker steps, cook for 40 minutes on high. Release pressure according to manufacturer directions. Stove – to cook this on the stove, cook for about 2 hours on low, ensuring that you check it at 1 hour then every 30 minutes thereafter to ensure there is enough braising liquid (because liquid evaporates faster on the stove) and the bottom of the pot isn’t catching. Turn the lamb shanks twice. You won’t get the brown crust, but the flavour is the same!

Cherry Cheesecake Recipe

by Gina DosSantos | Feb 28, 2025 | Recipes

Image by StockSnap from Pixabay

Ingredients

For the Crust:

1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted

For the Cheesecake Filling:

3 (8 oz) packages cream cheese, softened

1 cup granulated sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

3 large eggs

1 cup sour cream

For the Cherry Topping:

1 can (21 oz) cherry pie filling

Instructions

Prepare the Crust:

Preheat your oven to 325°F (163°C).

In a medium bowl, combine the graham cracker crumbs, sugar, and melted butter. Mix until the crumbs are evenly coated.

Press the mixture firmly into the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan to form an even layer.

Bake the crust for 10 minutes, then remove from the oven and let it cool while you prepare the filling.

Make the Cheesecake Filling:

In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened cream cheese until smooth and creamy.

Add the sugar and vanilla extract, and continue to beat until well combined.

Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.

Mix in the sour cream until the filling is smooth and well blended.

Bake the Cheesecake:

Pour the cheesecake filling over the cooled crust, spreading it evenly.

Place the springform pan on a baking sheet to catch any drips.

Bake the cheesecake in the preheated oven for 55-60 minutes, or until the center is set and the edges are lightly golden.

Turn off the oven and leave the cheesecake inside with the door slightly open for about an hour to cool gradually.

Remove the cheesecake from the oven and let it cool completely at room temperature.

Add the Cherry Topping:

Once the cheesecake is completely cooled, spread the cherry pie filling evenly over the top.

Refrigerate the cheesecake for at least 4 hours, or overnight, to allow it to set.

Serve and Enjoy:

Carefully remove the sides of the springform pan before serving.

Slice the cheesecake and enjoy the creamy, cherry-topped goodness!

This cherry cheesecake is sure to be a hit with its creamy filling and sweet cherry topping. Enjoy!