Lauren Grant

2 weeks ago | zestfulkitchen.com | Lauren Grant

This post may contain affiliate links. This Ginger Margarita is sweet, spicy and refreshing. What sets this apart from others is that it uses fresh ginger, a ginger syrup and ginger liqueur for maximum flavor. Plus, it’s easy to make one at a time or assemble in advance as a batch cocktail. I tested this margarita every which way trying to achieve adequate ginger flavor. After numerous tests I found the combination of fresh muddled ginger, ginger simple syrup and ginger liqueur is the way to go.

2 months ago | zestfulkitchen.com | Lauren Grant

This post may contain affiliate links. These chewy pistachio bars are made with Special K cereal and homemade pistachio butter. The pistachio special K bar gets topped with dark chocolate to create an elevated version of a Midwestern classic. So if you love Scotcharoos, then you’ll love these Pistachio Chocolate Bars! I grew up with Scotcharoos at every get-together, holiday or gathering you can imagine. My grandma Gusty makes THE best scotcharoos.

2 months ago | zestfulkitchen.com | Lauren Grant

This chocolate mint cake stays moist for days, keeps well in the refrigerator and serves a ton of people. The base is an ultra-moist all-butter chocolate cake that gets topped with a buttery creme de menthe frosting. Right out of the fridge, the creme de menthe frosting is dense and cheesecake like, but let it come to room temperature and it transforms into the most light and fluffy frosting. Either way, this chocolate mint cake is dreamy! My mom has been making this recipe for years.

2 months ago | zestfulkitchen.com | Lauren Grant

This smoky Chicken and Corn Chowder is creamy yet light and loaded with a surprising amount of flavor for a soup that requires just 9 ingredients. Made with both fresh and canned corn, it’s got layers of corn flavor. Then chicken thighs make the soup satisfying without any risk of getting overcooked—no matter how many times you reheat it. And finally, half-and-half adds creaminess and body without making it overly stodgy or heavy.

2 months ago | zestfulkitchen.com | Lauren Grant

This tuna potato salad is the perfect crossover of two classic salads—potato salad and tuna salad. Taken up a notch, this elevated side dish has a base of crispy smashed potatoes that an herby and tangy green bean salad gets served over top. Finished with large chunks of yellowfin tuna, this side dish can easily be served as a main for lunch. It’s also right at home on a brunch table alongside quiche, fruit and some pastries! The full recipe, with amounts, can be found in the recipe card below.