Stephanie, Author at Stephanie Recipes

Butter Pecan Cookies with Brown Butter and Toasted Pecans

Why Butter Pecan Cookies Never Leave My Baking Rotation

Butter pecan cookies have followed me through different seasons of my life, and every time I make them, something familiar settles in. From the very first test batch, I knew they were not just another cookie recipe. Instead, they felt like a quiet classic that earns its place over time. First, there is the smell, warm butter slowly turning nutty, then the deeper aroma of toasted pecans filling the kitchen. That combination alone already tells you what kind of cookie this will be.

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Appetizers & Snacks

Cheddar Cheese Bread

Cheddar Cheese Bread and Why I Keep Baking It Again

The first time I baked this cheddar cheese bread, I did not expect it to become a repeat recipe. I was simply looking for something warm to serve alongside dinner, something that felt homemade without being overly complicated. However, once it came out of the oven, everything changed. The kitchen smelled deeply savory, with melted cheese and baked dough blending into a scent that lingered long after the bread was sliced. From that moment on, this recipe earned a permanent place in my notebook.

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Dinners

Pasta Salad with Italian Dressing

Pasta Salad with Italian Dressing and Why I Keep Coming Back to It

Some recipes arrive quietly in your life and then never really leave. This pasta salad with Italian dressing is exactly that kind of recipe for me. First, it showed up as a practical solution for feeding a group without stress. Then, over time, it became something I genuinely craved. Even now, after making it more times than I can count, I still feel a little spark of excitement when I start chopping the vegetables and boiling the pasta.

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Dinners

Coconut Curry Shrimp

Coconut Curry Shrimp and Why I Always Come Back to It

The first time I made coconut curry shrimp, it was one of those evenings where I wanted comfort without effort. I remember opening the fridge, hoping something would jump out at me, and realizing I had shrimp that needed to be used soon. At the same time, I spotted a can of coconut milk in the pantry. Then, almost automatically, this dish formed in my mind. I did not follow a plan or a recipe that night. Instead, I cooked by instinct, guided by smells, textures, and memories of flavors I love.

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Baking

Cranberry Bliss Bars Starbucks

Cranberry Bliss Bars Starbucks Style and Why I Had to Make Them Myself

There are certain flavors that instantly pull me into a season, and for me, cranberry bliss bars are one of them. The first time I tasted one years ago, it was during a rushed afternoon coffee stop, and yet that single bite slowed everything down. The sweetness, the citrus, the tart cranberries, it all felt layered and intentional. Ever since then, I associate these bars with quiet moments and small rewards after long days.

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Dinners

Rotisserie Chicken Mushroom Soup

A quiet day that slowly turned into Rotisserie Chicken Mushroom Soup

The first time I made this rotisserie chicken mushroom soup, nothing dramatic was happening. In fact, that was the point. It was one of those slow days where the hours stretch gently, and the kitchen feels like the safest place to land. First, I opened the refrigerator with no real plan. Then I noticed a rotisserie chicken wrapped carefully in foil, saved from the night before. Next to it sat a container of mushrooms I had bought with intention but not direction. At that moment, something clicked quietly rather than loudly.

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Baking

Cinnamon Swirl Banana Bread

Cinnamon Swirl Banana Bread and the Way It Became My Signature Bake

I did not plan for cinnamon swirl banana bread to become something I was known for. At first, it was simply a way to use bananas that had gone too far on the counter. However, the moment I sliced into my first loaf and saw those soft cinnamon ribbons running through the crumb, I knew this version would stick. The smell alone changed how the kitchen felt. Instead of just sweet banana, there was warmth, spice, and something that felt intentional.

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Appetizers & Snacks

Cheese Garlic Chicken Wraps

Why Cheese Garlic Chicken Wraps Became My Go-To Comfort Meal

I did not plan for these Cheese Garlic Chicken Wraps to become such a regular part of my kitchen routine. At first, they were simply a solution to a hungry evening and a fridge that looked uninspiring. However, once I tasted that first crispy bite, everything changed. The combination of garlic, melted cheese, and tender chicken wrapped in a golden tortilla felt deeply satisfying. From that moment on, this recipe earned a permanent spot in my mental rotation of reliable meals.

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Dinners

Roasted Butterball Turkey Breast

Why I Started Cooking Roasted Butterball Turkey Breast Outside the Holidays

First, I want to be honest and say that turkey used to intimidate me. For years, I treated it as a once-a-year responsibility rather than something enjoyable. Thanksgiving made it feel heavy, both literally and emotionally. However, everything shifted the first time I made this roasted butterball turkey breast on a quiet weekday. Instead of stress, I felt calm. The oven hummed steadily, the kitchen smelled clean and savory, and nothing felt rushed. That experience changed my relationship with turkey entirely. Then I realized turkey does not need a crowd or a celebration to make sense. It can simply be dinner. Since then, roasting a Butterball turkey breast has become one of my most grounding kitchen rituals.

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Baking

Gluten-Free Seeded Bread 

How This Gluten-Free Seeded Bread Became a Weekly Habit

First time I baked this gluten-free seeded bread, I honestly did not expect much. My past experiences with gluten-free loaves were mixed at best. They often crumbled when sliced or dried out within hours. However, something about this bread felt different from the start. As the batter rested on the counter, it thickened slowly and deliberately, almost as if it was finding its own structure. That quiet transformation caught my attention immediately.

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