Nicolette Baker

There's nothing quite like a mother's love. And sometimes, that devotion extends to making your kids a bowl of Cinnamon Toast Crunch . . . from scratch. If your weekly screen time clocks in at a reasonable amount, I'll explain: Nara Smith, model and mother of two toddlers, is a pro at crafting labor-intensive meals. You'd likely recognize her from a series of elaborate cooking videos on TikTok. Some say that her content exemplifies the trad wife lifestyle, but for the purpose of this article, let's simply consider her a very skilled home cook with a killer wardrobe. My freezer is fully stocked with microwave meals, and I am way too accident-prone to wear a maxi dress while baking. Suffice to say, Smith's aesthetic choices aren't for everyone. But, in the name of research, I still donned my chicest outfit and prepped a bowl of homemade cereal for my nonexistent toddlers. Here's how it went. How to Recreate Nara Smith's Homemade Cereal If there's one thing to know about Smith, it's that she's skilled at making any task look effortless. Her March 1 cereal tutorial, which has since amassed over 26 million views, is no different. "Today my toddlers wanted cereal for breakfast again, so I decided to make Cinnamon Toast Crunch," Smith narrates in her buttery-smooth voice, noting that the sugary cereal is a favorite of her husband, fellow model Lucky Blue Smith. Smith starts by combining dry ingredients in a wooden bowl, then adding oil and water. After combining the dough with her hands, she rolls it out between two sheets of parchment paper. She recommends using a pizza cutter to cut the thin dough into squares, then sends it into the oven to turn crispy. While Smith doesn't claim that she created the recipe, eagle-eyed commenters were quick to point a resemblance to recipe developer Erin Simpson Lozier's tutorial. Her TikTok video, posted weeks prior to Smith's, outlines a similar process and ingredients. The major difference appears to be the cinnamon swirls: while Lozier recommends lightly combining the cinnamon to create a marble design, Smith prefers to mix the dough more thoroughly. Is Nara Smith's Cereal Recipe Worth the Time? Despite the endless comments poking fun at Smith's effort, this labor of love really isn't too technical or time-intensive. (At least, compared to her seriously impressive lasagna video.) The dough comes together fairly quickly, especially when using your hands to fully incorporate all ingredients. Dear reader, it's possible that she didn't deserve all those snarky comments. One thing the content creator didn't admit in her video? It's actually tricky to nail down the exact thinness of the classic cereal. My version emerged from the oven a bit puffier than the OG, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. I'd even consider skipping that $6 box of Cinnamon Toast Crunch for this version. There's plenty of room for experimentation here. I elected to use finely-milled pastry flour (instead of the suggested whole wheat flour) for a smoother texture. Monk fruit sweetener, a zero-calorie alternative that's supposedly 200 times sweeter than cane sugar, is recommended by Smith but sometimes difficult to track down. It's also easy to half the recipe, on the off-chance you're not also feeding a Tumblr-famous husband and two sweet kids. In case you didn't feel like waking in the early-morning hours to prepare this for breakfast - trust that it's delicious as a midnight snack, too. Especially when you don't have to share. Nara Smith's Homemade Cinnamon Toast Crunch Recipe Ingredients ¾ cup rice flour ½ cup whole wheat pastry flour ¼ cup monk fruit sweetener or cane sugar ¼ teaspoon baking soda 5 tablespoons oil ¼ cup water 1 teaspoon cinnamon ½ tablespoon monk fruit sweetener or cane sugar for sprinkling at the end Instructions Preheat the oven to 350°F. In a large bowl, combine all dry ingredients (expect the additional ½ tablespoon of sugar). Add water and oil. Mix dough thoroughly, then add cinnamon. Fully incorporate the cinnamon into the dough. Place the dough between two sheets of parchment paper and flatten with a rolling pin. Ensure the dough is very thin and uniform in thickness. Transfer the dough to a baking sheet and cut into squares. Sprinkle with remaining sweetener or sugar. Bake at 350°F for 10 minutes, then reduce the temperature to 250°F. Bake for an additional 35 to 45 minutes or until crispy. Related: Celebrity Name or Not, Kylie Jenner's Spiked Seltzer Is Worth Buying Nicolette Baker is a freelance writer living in Brooklyn, NY. Her expertise lies primarily in food, drink, and fashion media, but she enjoys covering all aspects of lifestyle with an accessible approach. She's written for Food & Wine, Byrdie, Business Insider, VinePair, and Flourish.

As a native Midwesterner, I know my way around a fried pickle. Crunchy? Check. Perfectly seasoned? Yup. Air-fryer-friendly recipe? No doubt about it. After Benny Blanco shared his own tutorial for frying up that crispy goodness, however, I'm holding a new standard for fried pickle recipes: would Selena Gomez approve? In a Feb. 14 cooking video, the "Eastside" singer (and Gomez's multitalented valentine) serves up a perfectly fried dill slice coated in a panko breading. "Guys, it's Valentine's Day, and these are my girlfriend's favorite pickles," Blanco says in the TikTok. "The only problem is, you can only get 'em shipped from f*cking Texas. But we got 'em, so now we're gonna fry 'em." It's not surprising that Blanco knows his way around a comfort food recipe - his cooking series (accompanied by mildly raunchy voiceovers) has cumulatively amassed billions of views across TikTok and YouTube. His debut cookbook, "Open Wide: A Cookbook For Friends," is expected to drop at the end of April. So, off the bat, I trust his fried-pickle expertise. How to Make Benny Blanco's Fried Pickles In this short TikTok clip, Blanco presents a gallon-sized jar of Gomez's favorite pickles, Best Maid Hamburger Slices. As Blanco demonstrates, you'll start by dipping the pickle rounds in batter, then generously coat with panko. "Say goodnight!" he jokes. While he doesn't share the exact ingredients here, it's reasonable to assume it's a mix of egg and buttermilk with a few spices. Blanco recommends adding a splash of Sprite to the batter, which he says, along with an expletive or two, is completely optional. I was initially a skeptic, I'll admit it, and while the ingredient might seem out of place in such a savory snack, that bright hint of citrus actually plays nicely with the dill pickle's sourness. You'll walk away with a thinly coated, flaky fried pickle that's primed for dipping in ranch dressing. While I can't guarantee this recipe will spark any romantic feelings, this deep-fried appetizer does provide a delicious crunch and dill flavor. After re-creating his recipe, I'd definitely save this appetizer for a leisurely weekend afternoon or reality TV watch party with friends. I will say, there is a bit of a challenge when it comes to this particular cut of pickles: when frying up these thin rounds, I found that the pickles quickly dried out and shrunk. Adjusting the ratio of the breadcrumb coating to pickle (as well as frying for a few seconds less) thankfully did the trick. The Pickles That Work Best For Benny Blanco's Fried Pickle Recipe It all comes down to your preferences. Best Maid's hamburger slices are ideal for re-creating Blanco's romantic snack, but they're a bit difficult to come by. While Blanco says that the family-owned-and-operated brand can only be shipped from Texas, you can also find them in a few large retailers across the US. It's well worth the time to hunt down these delicately sliced veggies, but it's understandable why you might want to include something more accessible. Any standard hamburger slice will work in this case. Searching for a heartier crunch? Try swapping out the suggested pickles for a thicker-cut variety, like the TikTok-loved Grillo's Pickles. Prepare to increase the amount of breadcrumbs and then fry them for a few seconds longer. No matter which way you slice it, you'll want to use large pickle rounds - all in a similar size - for cooking consistency. (Feel free to snack on the smaller slices while waiting for the oil to heat up.) Ensure all excess brine is dried before dipping them into the batter and panko to avoid any unpleasant sogginess. Related: This Trendy Earl Grey Martini Is My New Favorite Way to Drink Tea Nicolette Baker is a freelance writer living in Brooklyn, NY. Her expertise lies primarily in food, drink, and fashion media, but she enjoys covering all aspects of lifestyle with an accessible approach. She's written for Food & Wine, Byrdie, Business Insider, VinePair, and Flourish. Benny Blanco's Fried PicklesBenny Blanco IngredientsVegetable oil for frying 1/2 cup Best Maid Hamburger Slices 3/4 cup panko breadcrumbs 1/2 tablespoon flour 1/2 cup buttermilk 1 egg, beaten 1 tablespoon Sprite Paprika, salt, pepper Directions Heat a skillet of vegetable oil on medium heat on the stovetop. Pat excess liquid from pickles and set them to dry on paper towels. Combine buttermilk, egg, Sprite, and spices in a small bowl to create the batter. Set aside. In another bowl, mix panko and flour until thoroughly combined. Dip pickles in the batter, then cover with the breading mixture. Once the oil reaches 375°F, gently drop the pickles into the skillet. Fry for 2-3 minutes or until golden brown and crispy. Remove the pickles from the skillet and cool on a paper-towel-lined plate or a wire rack. Pair with ranch dressing and enjoy!