YaYa's Cookbook

09/04/2026

Creamy, cheesy Cauliflower Casserole is one of those easy side dishes that belongs beside just about any good supper. 🥦🧀

Tender cauliflower gets tucked into a rich, creamy mixture and baked under plenty of melted cheddar cheese.

It is simple enough for a weeknight, but it would be right at home on a holiday table too.

You can even put it together ahead of time and keep it refrigerated until you are ready to bake.

Serve it alongside chicken, pork, ham, or your favorite Sunday dinner.

And if you have somebody who claims they do not like cauliflower, all that cheese may just change their mind!

Save this recipe because a good casserole is always worth keeping.

Find the full recipe at yayascookbook.com

09/02/2026

🥪 YaYa’s Reuben Casserole 🥪

If you love a good Reuben sandwich, this casserole gives you all those delicious flavors in one hot, cheesy dinner. Corned beef, sauerkraut, Swiss cheese, and a creamy Dijon dressing are layered together and baked until everything is melted and bubbly. Save this one for leftover corned beef, too!

INGREDIENTS

1 lb sliced corned beef, chopped
2 cups sauerkraut, well drained
2 cups shredded Swiss cheese
½ cup mayonnaise
½ cup sour cream
2 Tbsp Dijon mustard
1 Tbsp ketchup, optional
1 tsp garlic powder
½ tsp onion powder
¼ tsp black pepper
Chopped fresh parsley for garnish, optional

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 375°F. Lightly grease a 9x9-inch baking dish.
Whisk together the mayonnaise, sour cream, Dijon mustard, ketchup, garlic powder, onion powder, and black pepper.
Spread half of the chopped corned beef in the baking dish.
Add half of the sauerkraut, followed by half of the dressing mixture and half of the Swiss cheese.
Repeat the layers with the remaining corned beef, sauerkraut, dressing, and Swiss cheese.
Bake uncovered for 25 to 30 minutes, until hot and bubbly and the cheese is completely melted.
Let rest for 5 minutes before serving. Garnish with parsley if desired.

YaYa’s Tip: Squeeze that sauerkraut really well before adding it. Getting rid of the extra liquid keeps your casserole creamy instead of watery!

⏱️ Prep: 15 minutes | Bake: 25-30 minutes | Serves: 8

08/31/2026

🥞 Crunchy Crust French Toast 🥞

If you like French toast, wait until you try it with a buttery, crispy coconut and cornflake crust! This one has that wonderful crunch on the outside with soft French toast tucked underneath. Warm maple syrup finishes it off just right.

FULL RECIPE

Ingredients

2 eggs
2/3 cup 2% reduced-fat milk
4 teaspoons sugar
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3/4 cup flaked, shredded coconut
2/3 cup crushed corn flakes
4 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
9 slices bread
Warm maple syrup, optional

Directions

Preheat oven to 300°F.
Whisk the eggs in a medium bowl until well beaten. Add the milk, sugar and cinnamon and mix well.
Combine the coconut and crushed corn flakes in a shallow dish.
Heat half of the butter and half of the vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium heat until bubbly.
Dip half of the bread slices into the egg mixture, then coat each slice with the coconut and cornflake mixture.
Cook the coated bread in the skillet until golden brown, about 2 to 3 minutes per side.
Transfer the finished French toast to an ovenproof platter and keep warm in the oven.
Repeat with the remaining butter, oil and bread.
Serve warm with maple syrup, if desired.

Serves 6

Find more of my family recipes at YaYasCookbook.com ❤️

08/28/2026

🍪 Potato Chip Chocolate Chip Cookies!

Sweet, salty, buttery, chocolatey, and just a little crunchy. The potato chips may sound unusual, but they are SO good in these cookies!

Ingredients:
• 1 cup salted butter, softened
• ¾ cup granulated sugar
• ¾ cup packed light brown sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 2½ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• ½ tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp salt
• 1½ cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 2 cups plain potato chips, roughly crushed
• ½ cup chopped pecans, optional

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Cream the butter and sugars, then mix in the eggs and vanilla. Combine the dry ingredients separately and gradually add them to the butter mixture. Gently fold in the chocolate chips, potato chips, and pecans if using.

Scoop rounded tablespoons onto a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake for 10 to 12 minutes. Let them cool on the pan for 5 minutes before moving to a wire rack.

The trick is not crushing those potato chips too finely. You want those salty little pieces in every bite!

08/26/2026

🍅 White Beans and Tomatoes

This is one of those easy little recipes that proves you do not need a long ingredient list to make something good. Fresh tomatoes, creamy navy beans, lemon, garlic and herbs make a light side dish that takes just minutes to put together.

Ingredients

1 (16-ounce) can navy beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 cup quartered cherry tomatoes
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 garlic clove, minced

Directions
Combine everything in a bowl and toss gently until well mixed. Serve at room temperature or chilled.

Makes 4 servings, about 1/2 cup each.

Simple, fresh and especially good when those summer tomatoes are at their best!

NavyBeans

08/24/2026

Cinnamon Sugar Crescent Roll Loaf

Yaya’s Cinnamon Sugar Crescent Roll Loaf is an easy four-ingredient breakfast or brunch treat made with refrigerated crescent dough, softened butter, cinnamon, and sugar. Rolled into two cinnamon-filled logs and baked together in a loaf pan, it comes out golden on top with tender,

Ingredients"

2 8-ounce cans refrigerated original crescent rolls
1/2 cup unsalted butter completely softened
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly coat a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan with nonstick cooking spray, then line it with parchment paper. Leave enough parchment hanging over the sides to make lifting the loaf out easier.
Combine the granulated sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl. Set aside 1 teaspoon of the cinnamon sugar for finishing the loaf.
Place the softened butter in a medium bowl. Add the remaining cinnamon sugar and stir until completely combined. Set aside about 1 tablespoon of this cinnamon butter for the top.
Carefully unroll both cans of crescent dough. Keep the seams together so each piece remains a large rectangle rather than separating it into individual crescents.
Divide the cinnamon butter between the two rectangles. Spread it evenly over the dough, reaching close to the edges.
Starting at one end, tightly roll each rectangle back into a log.
Place both logs side by side in the prepared loaf pan with the seams facing down.
Spread the reserved tablespoon of cinnamon butter over the tops of the dough.
Bake for 40 to 45 minutes. If the loaf begins getting too brown before the center is finished, loosely cover the pan with aluminum foil during the second half of baking.
Remove from the oven and immediately sprinkle the reserved teaspoon of cinnamon sugar over the warm loaf.
Let the loaf rest in the pan for about 10 minutes. Use the parchment paper to carefully lift it from the pan.
Slice and serve while still warm.

08/23/2026

Delicious Peach Ice cream 🍦😋

08/22/2026

08/21/2026

🍑 Fresh Peach Ice Cream

Nothing tastes quite like homemade peach ice cream when fresh peaches are in season! This is one of Mama Shirley’s old recipes, and it makes a creamy peach ice cream with little bites of fresh peach throughout. No fancy ingredients needed. Just good peaches and plenty of cream.

Fresh Peach Ice Cream Recipe

Ingredients

1 envelope gelatin
4 tablespoons water
1½ cups fresh peach pulp
1 tablespoon lemon juice
¾ cup sugar
½ cup coffee cream or light cream
1 cup whipping cream

Directions

Soften the gelatin in the water for 5 minutes.
Warm gently until the gelatin is completely dissolved.
Combine the peach pulp, lemon juice, sugar, and dissolved gelatin. Chill.
Combine the coffee cream and whipping cream and beat until thickened.
Fold the cream mixture into the chilled peach mixture.
Pour into a freezer-safe container and freeze until almost firm.
Stir well, then return to the freezer until firm. You can also finish it in an ice cream freezer.

Save this one for peach season because those ripe, juicy summer peaches are worth waiting for!

🍑 Full recipe at YayasCookbook.com

08/19/2026

🍊 Yaya’s Pecan Chicken with Oranges 🍊

If you are tired of making the same old chicken breasts, this one is a delicious change. The pecans give the chicken a wonderful crunch, and the oranges add just enough sweetness to make it something special.

PECAN CHICKEN WITH ORANGES

Ingredients

4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
½ cup chopped pecans
¼ cup all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
1 egg, beaten
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
½ cup orange marmalade
2 tablespoons orange juice
Fresh orange slices, for serving

Directions

Pound the chicken breasts to an even thickness so they cook evenly.
Combine the chopped pecans, flour, salt and black pepper in a shallow dish.
Dip each chicken breast into the beaten egg, then coat well with the pecan mixture.
Heat the butter and vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
Add the chicken and cook until golden brown and cooked through, about 5 to 7 minutes per side. Chicken should reach an internal temperature of 165°F.
In a small saucepan, warm the orange marmalade and orange juice together, stirring until smooth.
Spoon the warm orange sauce over the cooked chicken.
Garnish with fresh orange slices and serve while warm.

This is one of those dinners that looks a little fancy on the plate without making you work all afternoon to get it there. And that is my kind of fancy! ❤️

Save the recipe or share it with somebody who is always looking for another way to cook chicken.

More recipes at YayasCookbook.com

DinnerIdeas HomeCooking SouthernCooking