Looking4Eats

02/25/2026

02/18/2026

02/18/2026

Chocolate Syrup

Ingredients:
1 cup water
1 cup sugar
3/4 cup cocoa powder
1 tsp vanilla extract

Instructions:

1. In saucepan mix water + sugar + cocoa.
2. Cook on medium heat, whisk until smooth.
3. Simmer 3–5 minutes until slightly thick.
4. Cool, add vanilla, store in jar.

Chocolate Sauce

Ingredients:

1 cup heavy cream
1 cup chocolate chips
1/2 cup sugar
2 tbsp unsalted butter
1 tsp vanilla extract

Instructions:

1. Heat cream + sugar until hot (not boiling).
2. Add chocolate chips + butter, mix until melted.
3. Stir smooth, add vanilla.
4. Cool slightly and use.

Chocolate Glaze

Ingredients:

1/2 cup heavy cream
4 oz semi-sweet chocolate
2 tbsp unsalted butter
2 tsp corn syrup

Instructions:

1. Heat cream until warm.
2. Add chocolate + butter, stir until melted.
3. Mix in corn syrup for shine.
4. Pour over cake/donuts.

Chocolate Mousse

Ingredients:

6 oz semi-sweet chocolate (chopped)
2 tbsp butter
2 eggs (separated)
2 tbsp sugar
1 cup heavy cream
1 tsp vanilla extract

Instructions:

1. Melt chocolate + butter, cool slightly.
2. Beat egg yolks + sugar, mix into chocolate.
3. Whip cream to soft peaks, fold in.
4. Beat egg whites stiff, fold gently.
5. Chill 2–4 hours and serve.

02/09/2026

01/21/2026

01/21/2026

01/14/2026

CHALLAH BREAD

Ingredients

All-purpose flour: 4½ cups

Sugar: ¼ cup

Instant yeast: 2¼ tsp

Salt: 1½ tsp

Warm water: 1 cup

Vegetable oil: ¼ cup

Eggs: 2 whole + 1 yolk (for dough)

Egg wash: 1 egg + 1 tbsp water

Method

1. Mix warm water, sugar, and yeast. Rest 5 minutes.

2. Add eggs, oil, salt, and flour. Knead soft dough.

3. Proof until double (1–1½ hrs).

4. Braid, proof 30 min, egg wash.

5. Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 30–35 min.

BAGUETTE BREAD

Ingredients

Bread flour: 3½ cups

Warm water: 1½ cups

Instant yeast: 2 tsp

Salt: 2 tsp

Method

1. Mix all ingredients, knead lightly.

2. Proof 1½ hrs.

3. Shape baguettes, rest 30 min.

4. Bake at 450°F (230°C) with steam for 20–25 min.

BRIOCHE BREAD

Ingredients

All-purpose flour: 4 cups

Sugar: ½ cup

Instant yeast: 2¼ tsp

Salt: 1 tsp

Warm milk: ¾ cup

Eggs: 4

Soft butter: ¾ cup

Method

1. Mix milk, yeast, sugar.

2. Add eggs, flour, salt → knead.

3. Gradually add butter.

4. Proof 2 hrs, shape.

5. Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 30–35 min.

FOCACCIA BREAD

Ingredients

All-purpose flour: 4 cups

Warm water: 1¾ cups

Instant yeast: 2¼ tsp

Salt: 2 tsp

Olive oil: ¼ cup

Method

1. Mix all, sticky dough.

2. Proof 1½ hrs.

3. Spread in pan, dimple with oil.

4. Bake at 425°F (220°C) for 20–25 min.

CINNAMON ROLL DOUGH

Ingredients

All-purpose flour: 3¾ cups

Sugar: ½ cup

Instant yeast: 2¼ tsp

Salt: 1 tsp

Warm milk: 1 cup

Eggs: 2

Butter: ½ cup

Method

1. Mix milk, yeast, sugar.

2. Add eggs, butter, flour, salt.

3. Proof 1½ hrs.

4. Roll, fill, cut.

5. Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 25–30 min.

゚

12/29/2025

Product Review: Skinny Butcher Crazy Crispy Chicken Tenders

As we often do, we took advantage of a BOGO at Publix and made a first time purchase of a 24oz (1.5lb) bag of Fully Cooked Skinny Butcher brand Frozen Crazy Crispy Chicken Tenders to tryout here in the Looking4Eats Test Kitchen.

As always we prepared the product as directed on the package so to get the manufacture / producer's desired results. In this case ... preheated oven at 400º, rack in the middle of oven, cooked for 30 minutes, flipping product half way through cooking. While the product claim is "Fully Cooked" we found that you'll probably find the product "ready to eat" around the 20 minute mark. First round, per the instructions, we found the product to be "well done". Since packaging stipulates that it is "Fully Cooked" we knocked 10 minutes off of round two and found it to be "done".

As for the product itself. ALL the flavor comes from the batter, the chicken product itself was virtually tasteless. To be fair though, chicken by itself is pretty bland. We did however like the spice flavoring in the batter and it nicely lent itself to pair with some Chick-Fil-A Poly Sauce as well as some Kraft Honey Mustard dressing. The general agreement was that it would not pair nicely with say a sweet and sour sauce. That's the thing about fried chicken. Depending on the spice blend utilized in the coating some sauces pair better than others. We did find the coating to be crispy, but we also found it to be a little on the heavy side. Which is something because the trend these days in frozen chicken options is "lightly coated". The product appearance seemed rather cheap in our eyes. While they nailed the overall consensus of the shape of a "chicken tender" they missed on the texture if that make sense. Oh! We failed to mention that while boasting 17g of protein, the pieces aren't solid chicken tender strips. We hate to use the word processed chicken but as they say "if the shoe fits".

The packaging says "About 6 Servings per Bag ... Serving Size 2 Pieces". Doing the math we were expecting 12 pieces / tenders ... that was not the case. Our bag contained 10 pieces or 5 servings. We know it is an approximation, however, when you're purchasing for a group (say a kid's birthday party) and you have 6 kids coming over and the package says 6 servings you do, and correct us if we're wrong, you do expect 6 FULL servings. And honestly ... that's a considerable difference. If there were 11 pieces thats one thing. But to be lacking a FULL serving is another.

Our over all impression left here in the test kitchen is that we're going to be a pass on a repurchase of this product. Definitely going to be a pass at full price ($14.39 at the time of purchase). We are glad that we tried this particular product as a BOGO (Buy One Get One) deal which put it around $8 after taxes.

The other thing to consider when purchasing this product for services is who are you serving and what is the occasion? We found it to be more, as we used as an example earlier, something you'd make available for some pre-teens at maybe a birthday celebration. Definitely not what we would consider to a chicken finger option that we would serve at say sporting event gathering with adults.

Our score on the "Skinny Butcher Crazy Crispy Tenders" ... a whopping 6 out of 10.

12/29/2025

BASIC WHITE BREAD

Ingredients

All-purpose flour: 4 cups
Active dry yeast: 2¼ tsp (1 packet)
Sugar: 1 tbsp
Salt: 1½ tsp
Warm water (110°F): 1⅓ cups
Unsalted butter (soft): 3 tbsp

Method

1. Mix warm water, sugar, and yeast. Rest 5–7 min until foamy.
2. Add flour, salt, and butter.
3. Knead 8–10 min until smooth.
4. Proof 1 hour until doubled.
5. Shape, proof again 30 min, bake at 375°F (190°C) for 30–35 min.

2️⃣ WHOLE WHEAT BREAD

Ingredients

Whole wheat flour: 3 cups
All-purpose flour: 1 cup
Active dry yeast: 2¼ tsp (1 packet)
Honey: 2 tbsp
Salt: 2 tsp
Warm water: 1½ cups
Olive oil or melted butter: 2 tbsp

Method

1. Activate yeast with warm water + honey.
2. Add flours, salt, oil.
3. Knead 10–12 min (whole wheat needs more kneading).
4. Proof 1–1½ hours.
5. Bake at 375°F for 35–40 min.

3️⃣ BRIOCHE DOUGH

Ingredients

All-purpose flour: 4 cups
Sugar: ¼ cup
Active dry yeast: 2¼ tsp (1 packet)
Salt: 1 tsp
Warm milk: 3 tbsp
Eggs: 4 large
Unsalted butter (soft): 10 tbsp

Method

1. Mix yeast with warm milk + sugar.
2. Add eggs, flour, salt → knead smooth.
3. Add butter gradually, knead 12–15 min until glossy.
4. Proof 1½–2 hours or overnight (chilled).
5. Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 25–30 min.

4️⃣ SOURDOUGH STARTER (Basic)

Ingredients

All-purpose flour (or whole wheat/rye): 1 cup
Lukewarm water: ½ cup

Method

1. Mix flour + water in a jar.
2. Cover loosely, rest 24 hours.
3. Feed daily: discard half, add ½ cup flour + ¼ cup water.
4. Ready in 5–7 days when bubbly and doubles.