Spanish Rice

In this house we actually call this Orange rice because as you can see it is bright orange, but I will call is Spanish rice as this is what I make to go along with all of our Mexican themed meals. Is this true Spanish rice? No idea...but does it taste good...YES! So call it what you may, just make it.
I feel like when I make any kind of Mexican dish I need to have rice and beans with it. I don't know if that's just because it's been ingrained in me because every Mexican restaurant serves rice and beans with all of it's meals or because it's traditional to do so. Either way, I like the combination of it all together, so I always do it.
This recipe is super simple and doesn't require any prep-work other then putting everything in the pot and letting it do it's thing.
The two seasonings I use in this recipe I have been asked quite a few times what they are and where to buy them.
First, the Sazon Goya seasoning. I like to use either this one or this one. Either work just fine and taste pretty similar. As you can see one has chicken on it and one has fish on it. So I use one or the other depending on what I am serving it with. You can buy these through Amazon, or I am always able to find them at local Mexican markets.
The second seasoning is Knorr Tomato Bouillon. I use this in quite a few of my Mexican themed dishes. This can be purchased through Amazon or I often am able to find it in most grocery stores down the Mexican food isle next to the chicken bouillon.

Breakfast Cheesecake

This is such a busy time of year! The last thing I want to be worrying about in the morning is what I am going to feed people. This has become a traditional Christmas breakfast/brunch for us, because it can be made the night before or days in advance and still taste amazing, which makes it perfect for a busy season. It is on the sweet side, so I will usually have some hashbrowns and bacon to go along with it, but those aren't to hard to prepare.
As much as I love this recipe at Christmas time, this recipe holds a little bit of special meaning to me as well because it was the first "meal" that one of my friends brought to me when I had my first child. She brought it with a huge bowl of mixed fruit and it was the most unique and helpful meal I received. Dinner is great, but people often forget about breakfast. So the reason it holds special meaning is because I was able to eat it for several breakfasts, and even some midnight snacks while I was home with my first newly born child and in survival mode for the first time ever. Ever since then, I have made this for others who have recently had a baby.
But you don't need a special occasion to have this. 😀 This also makes for a great dessert!

Homemade Eggnog

How is it Christmas already?! Where has the time gone? I hope everybody has a Merry Christmas!
In my home, it just isn't Christmas until I have had a nice cold glass of Eggnog! This recipe is one that I have been making for years and is a family tradition from my childhood. There are two things I remember about Christmas as a kid, opening presents and making Eggnog with my mom.
If you are thinking, but store bought is so much easier and tastes good...true it is easier, but not by much AND homemade is SOOOOOO much better! Seriously. If you have never made it, you HAVE to try it.
As stated in the title, this version does not have any alcohol in it, sorry, but it does have some rum flavoring in it so you still get the right flavors going on in it.

Banana Bread

You know those recipes that you have had forever? This is one of mine. I have had this recipe since before I got married and it shows. The printed version of this recipe is covered in splatters and all sorts of goop, which means it's well loved. As Christmas draws near I find myself in the baking mood. Every Christmas I bounce between a few different ideas for friend and neighbor gifts and this banana bread is one of those that I use. This recipe is one that I have been making for years and years and absolutely love it. Now, I don't only make this at Christmas time, I make it anytime I have bananas that need to be used up.

Sugar Cookies

Sugar cookies are my families absolute favorite cookies ever. Maybe it's because they are one of the only cookies that I can actually make without massacring.
Usually I stick to making sugar cookies ONLY for Valentines day (big family tradition) but this year for our friend and neighbor gifts we decided to make these sugar cookies. This sugar cookie recipe has been in my family for a long time! Everybody in my family uses this recipe, especially to make our giant valentines day hearts, so in my humble opinion, it is the best recipe out there. 
Now there is a big debate about whether sugar cookies should be crisp or soft. I personally am a soft sugar cookie lover so I make mine thicker and cook for less time. So you will have to make them and let me know whether you are a crisp or soft lover!
*Also, I have a frosting recipe included that I always use as well*

Egg Roll in a Bowl

Okay, since the last recipe shared was about the most unhealthy recipe in the world, I decided I should remind you all that generally I do love cooking healthier 😂
This recipe is SO CLOSE to being anti-inflammatory that I decided to label it as such anyway, even though the sauce drizzled on top is not. The rest of it is, so if you follow the anti-inflammatory diet, just don't add the spicy mayo sauce on the top, but I HIGHLY suggest adding it when you can because it is delicious.
I love the flavors that are in typical egg rolls, but sometimes I don't want the added carbs and fat from deep frying them. This recipe is so full of flavor that you don't even miss the added grease.

Pastrami Chili Cheese Fries

Okay this recipe is by no means healthy AT ALL BUT man is it delicious and easy and brings back so many memories.
This is my Ode to The Hat. This is one place that I REALLY REALLY REALLY miss about
living in California. This is probably one of the most unhealthy things you can possibly eat, but it is absolutely one of the best things you will ever eat. They are famous for their ginormous Pastrami sandwiches, which are also amazingly fantastic and consist of pastrami, pickles, and mustard. This is what most people order. After going there with a "Hat Pro" we ordered the (not on the menu) Pastrami Chili Cheese Fries. Oh my goodness. Since I know most of you aren't from California and can't visit The Hat, I have created the same recipe that I use at home. Granted it isn't exactly like The Hat, because their pastrami is out of this world (and I don't even like pastrami) but its a great homemade alternative.

BBQ Pulled Pork w/ Garlic Aioli

MMMMMM. Pretty much anything that has a garlic aioli is going to be a favorite of mine. There is just something about it that takes a basic recipe such as this, and brings it to the next amazing level of deliciousness. This recipe is super easy! You literally throw a few ingredients in the slow cooker, whisk up the garlic aioli, and then wait until dinner time. You can't get much easier then this. Plus, it's BBQ...who doesn't like BBQ.
I like making slow cooker meals like this on days where I know I am not going to have a lot of time at night to prepare a meal. I feel like there are some nights where we are just running from one thing to the next. It's nights like those where I still want to have a home cooked meal but I run out of energy and time to make one. Thus the slow cooker comes into play.

Anti-Inflammatory Lettuce Wraps

I love lettuce wraps. They make me feel like I am doing something good for my body, and everybody else in my family loves them as well. Double win for me. I know I have another lettuce wraps recipe on the blog already, but this one is one that we have been making a lot lately because it is full of ingredients that are anti-inflammatory. I honestly can't decide which recipe I like better. I guess you can decide if you make both of them 😁
One thing I love about this recipe is that yes it has meat in it, but it's also loaded with minced up mushrooms, which helps stretch the meat without you even realizing it's mushrooms. My daughter HATES and I mean HATES mushrooms. If we get a supreme pizza with mushrooms on it, even if we pick them off, she won't eat it because the sauce and bread take on the flavor of the once placed mushroom. True story. BUT...she loves this recipe. Gobbles it up every stinking time! Of course, I don't tell her there are mushrooms in it until after she has already consumed a massive plate full and every time she gets mad at me and tells me she hates mushrooms, and yet I continue making it, and she continues to enjoy it. 😏😏

Turmeric Roasted Cauliflower

Is everybody else's bodies just exhausted from the massive amounts of over eating from the last couple of weeks?! Mine is. From having 3 birthdays, Thanksgiving, and a baptism, my body has been feeling a bit like it needs a break from the carbs and sugar. Thus the need to blog about a few more of my favorite Anti-Inflammatory recipes. Can you have to many? I don't think so.
This recipe here has been one that I have made over and over again.
Usually I'm not a huge cauliflower fan but roasting it does amazing things to it and honestly the turmeric seasoning and other spices make this recipe a keeper in my book.
I'm always looking for new ways to cook vegetables. Side dishes in my house get pretty boring and I feel like I get in this cycle of "okay do I roast it, steam it, or just boil it to tar tonight?"
I'm so glad that I have a side dish now that has amazing flavors, is healthy, and looks beautiful in color!

Chicken and Lentil Soup

It has really begun getting colder here lately and I for one have not been ready for it. I hate being cold, so when I have been planning my meals all I can think of is soup. What is it about soup that just warms the body so well!?
This has become one of my families favorite soups over the years. I think one of the reasons we like it so much is because it has more of the Spanish flavors that we like. I also love the fact that it is jammed with delicious lentils. I love lentils. Especially in soup. You won't regret trying out this soup recipe because it's got amazing flavor and is packed with protein.

Dinner Rolls

With Thanksgiving only a few days away I thought it appropriate to share my all time favorite dinner roll recipe. I have always been known to just buy my rolls because I am just not a good baker, but I finally came across an amazing recipe that even I haven't been able to mess up! These rolls are pure heaven and I can say that with a lot of confidence because even my husband who doesn't care for much bready stuff LOVES these rolls.
This recipe makes 24 rolls, so keep that in mind when making them. The nice thing is, if you make a full batch for one meal, you can stick the leftover rolls in the freezer for another time. Rolls freeze so amazingly well!

Quick Chicken Tacos

Tacos are life. That pretty much just sums up everything I want to say.
These chicken tacos are so incredibly easy to make and take no time at all to whip up. One thing I like to do is make extra chicken and use it to jazz up some nacho's, quesadillas, or even add to Mac-n-Cheese (I KNOW) with some BBQ sauce. If you haven't figured it out by now, this chicken is incredibly versatile and can be used in a variety of dishes, but my favorite has got to be these chicken tacos.
I do like to to the extra mile, and fry up our corn tortillas myself, but that is a step that doesn't have to be necessary, but in my opinion, very worth it.

Sausage & Potato Casserole

I figure I have posted enough healthier meals, let's shake things up a bit and talk casseroles. Generally, I am not a HUGE lover of casseroles because let's be real, they don't look that appetizing and I hate that my kids take one look at them and immediately decide that the meal will be disgusting without even trying it.
BUT this is a casserole my entire family is always on board to eat. Is it the most healthy recipe...no...but is it delicious...ABSOLUTELY!
This recipe reminds me so much of my favorite breakfast food, which is biscuits and gravy. Basically, it's a more dinner appropriate version (although I am very much so NOT opposed to having breakfast food for dinner).
I came across this recipe many, many, many (yep I'm old) years ago in some random cookbook I used to have. The funny thing is, the recipe didn't have a picture (probably because casseroles are not fun to photograph). I almost NEVER make recipes if I have not seen a picture of it but for some odd reason I had decided the ingredients sounded good enough on their own that I was going to give it a try. I'm glad that I did, because this dish is one of my husbands favorites now.
Not gonna lie, this recipe is more labor intense then I generally like because I like things super easy, and it does dirty up a few extra pots and pans, but, it's worth it.

Slow Cooker Basil Chicken

I love basil. Like, absolutely love it. So when a friend of mine told me I need to try a similar Basil Chicken recipe, I knew I needed to jump on it immediately. This recipe is amazing. If you like curry, and you like basil, this recipe will be your jam.
I think sometimes people feel that Anti-Inflammatory recipes are lackluster in the flavor department, but I am here to show you otherwise. This Anti-Inflammatory recipe is jam packed with flavor and seriously will not disappoint. I love the fact that this dish is made in the slow cooker, because it makes my house smell delicious for many hours and it helps to keep dinner time less hectic. I also love the fact that I GENERALLY will have all of the ingredients on hand to make this, which makes it budget friendly and easy to add into a rotation when I have forgotten something at the store for a different meal.
I haven't tried to figure out times for making it in the Pressure Cooker yet, but I'm sure that won't be to far off in the future.

Creamy Cilantro Dressing

I can't believe that in my many rantings and ravings about me missing and loving my precious El Pollo Loco that I forgot to post this very very delicious recipe I found online for their creamy cilantro dressing. I'll tell you what...I could order their little itty bitty Loco Salads every single day  and never EVER get tired of it. Anyway, this recipe isn't EXACT,but it tastes pretty darn good regardless.
If anybody does happen to have the EXACT recipe they use and want to share it with me....I WILL LOVE YOU FOREVER! BUT--until then, this is close enough!

Homemade Chicken Broth

Oh chicken broth. We love this stuff so much at my house. Whenever I get a rotisserie chicken from Costco or have leftover bones from any kind of chicken (or turkey) I make broth out of it and store it in the freezer for a rainy day.
When one of us is sick at our house we heat up some of this yummy deliciousness and it makes us feel so much better! Its a great way to get a lot of nutrients into your body.
I use this for all sorts of recipes. I especially love it in my Homemade Chicken and Quinoa Soup! It is a great start to any soup to be honest :)
You will not be sorry you tried making your own homemade broth, and may not even go back to buying that store bought kind because this stuff has so much more flavor!

By the way, I just want to give a big shout out to my wonderful followers.  Man, I really do appreciate all of you who follow my blog and enjoy these recipes. It really makes me happy to know that sharing great recipes can really help people enjoy being in the kitchen. I appreciate all of your comments as well! When I see that I have new comments it seriously makes my day a billion times better! SO THANK YOU!

Butternut Squash Soup

It's soup season! I love fall. The leaves changing, the weather getting cooler (although it's gotten cold to fast for me this year), and the general bout of excitement that seems to be in the air for the rest of the year because there are so many awesome holidays over the next few months! I'm not usually a craver of soup but I feel like our family has been sick with something new every couple of weeks this season so we have been enjoying A LOT of soup at this house. There is just something about being sick and eating an awesome bowl of soup that makes everything in your body feel better, for the 10 minutes it takes to eat it 😁
Anyone who knows me well knows that fall flavors are generally not my favorite. I avoid Pinterest at all costs once September hits because all I see on there is "Pumpkin this" and "Squash that". Pumpkins should be carved...not eaten...JUST KIDDING! I came across this recipe in a cookbook and it screamed fall flavors. Like I stated above, I usually go right by a recipe like this, BUT, for some odd reason I decided nope we are going to try it. GUYS!!!! I am so glad I did. Who knew butternut squash could actually taste okay?! 😂
This soup has so many "warm" spices in it that roast in the oven with the butternut squash helping the squash to develop some really tasty flavors! So if you are looking for a delicious soup that screams fall, you need to give this one a try.

Quinoa Stuffed Peppers

I have a recipe for stuffed peppers that I absolutely love. I decided to tweek said recipe to be an Anti-Inflammatory version and guess what... I literally can't decide which recipe I like better. The other night I decided to make both of the recipes to eat so I could figure out which I liked best and it was an equal tie. They are very similar, but this recipe leaves out some of those inflammatory ingredients that give some of us problems. 
If you have been to my blog before and looked at this recipe, I have changed it a bit so make sure you give this new version a try!

Tilapia Tacos

Okay after taking pictures I realized that I had a LOT of tomatoes in this shot, but I promise there is good fish in there as well!!
We don't eat fish enough at our house, but when we do I like to make sure that I make it in a variety of ways. My kids aren't the biggest eaters of fish (although my oldest LOVES salmon), so when I am cooking fish I tend to try to hide it with lot's of flavor so they don't realize they are eating fish. Thus, the taco. I love fish tacos and I love that there are so many different ways of making fish tacos!
This recipe is great for those who are watching their weight and looking for a non deep fried piece of fish. It's so full of flavor and takes 15 minutes to make!
One of the reasons we don't eat a lot of fish is because it's so darn expensive! Healthy, yes...but expensive! When I'm trying to add some fish in, but not break the bank I always resort to using Tilapia! It's affordable and can be eaten in so many different ways.
So if you are looking for a cheaper way to incorporate fish into your diet, this is your recipe!

Fried Zucchini

Is it truly summer if you haven't had fried zucchini?! Now, I am well aware that summer is over and that most gardens have now officially frozen over but some of you may still have some zucchini in your fridge that need to be used. This recipe has been a family favorite for years. The outside gets super crispy and delicious while the inside stays nice and soft! Growing up I remember the only way we would have fried zucchini is coated in flour and fried in butter (which is still heavenly don't get me wrong) but this version adds in some Parmesan cheese and panko breadcrumbs to give it even more of a delicious crunch!

"Everything" Bagel Baked Chicken

Have you tried the Everything Bagel Seasoning yet?! This stuff is AMAZING! I literally put it on almost everything I make now. Okay, maybe not everything but when I am looking for a simple way to jazz up any kind of meat or veggie I pull out this stuff and sprinkle away! It used to be that you could only find this stuff at Trader Joes, but I have recently been able to find variations of it at Walmart and Costco as well.
Okay now that you know what seasoning I'm actually talking about, let's talk chicken. This chicken is beyond delicious, and probably one of the easiest recipes you can possibly make. It's juicy, full of flavor, and again, incredibly easy. Now this picture does not do this chicken justice, so just trust me when I say that it's delicious. At first I had a hard time getting my kids to try this because they couldn't get past the "little black stuff" all over it, but once I got them to try a bite (possibly forced) 🤷, they shoveled the rest down easily.

Zuppa Toscana Soup

This is one of my favorite soups ever. I made this recipe the other day and it tasted exactly like the one at Olive Garden, probably even better. Is it the healthiest of soups? No, but it is delicious regardless. Plus, it has kale in it, so I figure having that addition makes it healthy right?
It has been off and on cold here lately which has really been getting me in full blown soup mode. This recipe is the perfect way to warm up the body and get you in the mood for cooler weather!
I have made this soup in a variety of ways, on the stove, in the slow cooker, and in the pressure cooker. They all taste the same and turn out great, so you can pick the method that works best for you!

Mediterranean Chicken

I have been loving my slow cooker lately. For some reason, I have been busier then usual lately and by the time I get home I haven't wanted to fix dinner. Thus the amazingness of the slow cooker comes into action. Being able to prepare my meals earlier in the day and let it cook while I am out and about makes my life so much easier! Not only does it make dinner time less chaotic, but your house smells amazing the whole time it's cooking, or you get to walk into a home that smells fantastic after a long day.
Is there anything better then that? Okay, having somebody else do all the prep and cooking would probably be better BUT this is a close second. 😁
This is a new recipe that we tried out that is Anti-Inflammatory! Wahoo, I know it's been a while since I added a recipe that knocks out all of those inflammatory foods, but here it is. This dish is packed with flavor. If you have a love for kalamata olives, you will love this dish...if not...well it may not be your favorite! I LOVED this dish and I hope you do as well!
*I also like to prepare this in the Pressure Cooker so I don't need to dirty up another pan to saute the chicken. I have only prepared it using the saute and slow cooker features so far, so if you try it with a different feature you will have to let me know how it turned out!

Stuffed Zucchini Boats

Growing up, I remember my mom making a recipe similar to this every summer when we would have an abundance of zucchini growing in our garden. Recreating this dish brought back a lot of memories and also helped to create similar memories with my own children. This year our zucchini haul wasn't huge, but it was the perfect amount. We had roughly 1 zucchini pop up every week, so we didn't get burned out and start randomly leaving them on the neighbors doorsteps (yep I'm a weirdo like that).
This recipe is both simple and very adaptable. It reminds me of a noodle-less version of spaghetti and meatballs.

Ranch Chicken and Veggies

I am all for easy meals. This recipe is beyond yummy and has all your side dishes cooked along with the meat on one pan. You can't get much easier then that. Lately I have been loving the "one pan" and "one pot" meals. Less dishes to wash after, and you get your sides and main dish knocked out at once. With little kids it can be hard to spend 30-60 minutes in the kitchen working on everything so the faster I can get everything done, the happier we all are.
*One addition that I have changed about this recipe since I first published it is that I do like to sear my chicken first in another pan because I don't like to rely on the broiler at the end. I have noticed that the skin gets far more crispy and cooked doing this, but it does add an additional pan to clean 😱*gasp*😱

Honey Walnut Shrimp

Oh my.  I have tried making this recipe quite a few times and never could get the sauce to taste like the kind they have at Panda Express. Well....I've figured it out, at least as close as I could tell.
This is my all time favorite dish to order when we go to Panda Express. Yes I realize spending an extra $1 is a lot of money especially when you only get like 4 shrimp...but I love it. I love the crunchy candied walnuts and the sweet sauce on the shrimp..mm..mm.mmmm.
Like I said before, I have tried a few different recipes that I have found online and been given by friends and family and I didn't care for the sauce that much because it had way to much mayo for my liking and the flavor just wasn't quite right. So I played around with the ingredients and measurements a little bit and I think I got it down.
I hope you like it as much as we did.

Chow Mein

Whenever I would go to Panda Express growing up I always got the fried rice. The Chow mein always looked so gross to me, but whenever we would go to any type of Chinese restaurant, my mom would get it. Since Panda changed their rice recipe a while ago (I actually have no idea how long ago it was haha) I decided one day a couple years ago to venture out and try the chow mein. Okay, normally I have a hard time saying that my mom knew what she was talking about ;) but she did. Chow mein rocks! I've never gone back to the fried rice and always get the chow mein now and trust me I have a hard time resisting the urge to tell them to just fill up the whole container and forget the main dishes.
This recipe is a great mock version of the Panda Express kind. It has very similar ingredients, as far as I can tell, and it tastes just as good if not better.
It also comes together very quick so its an easy side to pair with your favorite dishes.  SO YUMMY!
Anyway, enjoy!

Ham and Potato Soup

Typically I make this soup around Easter when I have a lot of leftover ham in my fridge that needs used, but the weather took a sharp turn this week and decided to become a frozen nightmare and I REALLY wanted soup. Not just any soup, but this soup. Thankfully, I actually did still have some leftover ham in my freezer from Easter :) Had the ham been in my freezer a little to long? Probably...did I care...not really. It still tasted fantastic and that's all that matters right?!
This soup is ready in under 30 minutes which makes it the perfect weeknight meal, especially on those nights where it's frigidly cold outside.

Cinnamon Sugar Muffins

Whenever I used to ask my husband what he wanted for a "special breakfast" he would always respond by saying, "Oh what about those muffins my mom used to make with that yummy cinnamon sugar stuff on top". My husband absolutely loves this recipe. I don't know if it is because these muffins are so yummy or if it's because it's a recipe his mom used to make. Regardless, these muffins are so easy and darn tasty.
I remember the first time my mother in-law made these for me. I knew I had to have the recipe right away. Since then, I have been making these quite frequently and these have now become one of my children's favorite muffins as well.

Chicken Parm, Lightened Up

OH...MY...GOODNESS! I love taking a dish that is usually pretty heavy and lightening it up a bit.
We make this recipe quite a bit at our house because it's always a pleaser with everybody (which keeps my mom sanity happy when the kids aren't complaining. Am I right?!)
This happens to be one of those delicious meals that you won't even miss all those extra calories or carbs! Using spaghetti squash to replace your pasta is a fantastic idea because it squeezes in a vegetable SO EASILY! Really its all about the texture and the spaghetti squash gives you just that. It really tricks you into thinking you are eating spaghetti (at least it does for my family...and we are pasta LOVERS). Using grilled chicken instead of breaded chicken helps to cut down on the carbs and the extra calories, and really who doesn't love grilled chicken?!

Chicken Massaman Curry

A few years ago, when my parents were visiting us, they took us to a Thai restaurant by our apartment. I had never had Thai food before so I had no idea what to order. Long story short...we ended up eating Massaman which was so absolutely amazing. So amazing in fact that I ended up going back the next weekend to get some more and then back a couple of weeks later. Since then, I become obsessed with it. Shortly after this experience I went to the Asian food market just down the road and I grabbed every can that said Massaman on it so that I could give them a try. I finally found the paste I like the best and created this beautiful recipe! I hope you enjoy it as much as I do!

Aebleskivers

Not sure how to say the name of these babies? That's okay, my husband calls them Eberskeebers because it sounds funnier and knows it bugs me. The correct way to say these though is able-ski-vers. Still not sure?? Just call them Pancake Puffs, it makes life more simple :)
Unfortunately, you do need a special type of pan for these babies, but Amazon saves the day if you don't have one. THIS is the style of pan that I have and have been using it for years.
These babies are delicious! If you like pancakes, then you HAVE to give them a try. They puff up to be about the size of a golf ball. At our house, we like to eat them dipped in plain old syrup but I have stuffed them before with nutella, jams, and chocolate.

Carne Asada Fries

GUYS!!!! Oh man. I had this baby last night and had to jump on today to share it with you. The marinade on this steak is amazing and paired with the guac and fries just takes it over the edge.
One thing I have decided lately is that everything is better served on top of fries. We went to a little mom and pop sandwich place a couple weeks ago and they suggested that we try the fillings on top of fries instead of in the sandwich buns and holy smokes. It was so much better, and we all know how much I loves me some bread! So for me to say it was better on fries is saying a lot.
This recipe is simple, fast, and screams Southern California lovin. One thing I miss about living there is the amazing carne asada you could pick up pretty much everywhere. I'm here to tell ya that this is a great recipe if you want to get that So Cal vibe in your home for a meal. It won't let you down.

Baked Beans

This recipe brings back such good memories. My husband and I love to camp. When we were first married we camped all the time and this was one of our favorite meals to prepare over the fire.
I don't do much cooking over the fire anymore for this recipe and instead use my handy dandy oven ;) but whenever I eat this it does remind me of those days.
This is seriously one of my favorite recipes because it is so versatile. I've made it with pork chops, with ground hamburger, and with hot dogs (yes we are very healthy at our house😁). This is also my all time favorite meal to make as a freezer meal. It warms up so well and tastes like it was never in the freezer.

Corn Bread

This recipe has been in my family for years. It's one of those recipes that just brings comfort every time I eat it. Maybe I am biased either with my taste or with the fact that it's a recipe that has been around forever, BUT I feel like this is the best recipe out there :)
 It's just simple. It doesn't have the bits of chunky corn or jalapeno in it (which I personally am not a fan of, but I know some people like). If you like those things, no biggie, just add them in, but don't tell me.
If I am making this recipe for a gathering of people, say for a Chili Cook Off, then I tend to pour the batter into muffin tins instead so that it is easier for others to eat with their chili!

Pressure Cooker Corn on the Cob

It's that time of year, when the corn is cheap and absolutely amazing! We don't eat a ton of corn in our family because it is a trigger food for one of my daughters arthritis BUT corn on the cob is something we absolutely cannot avoid during this time of year. Growing up the only way we had corn on the cob was boiled in a big pot on the stove. Generally, that is how I still cook it, but I have been trying to branch out a bit more with my Pressure Cooker and found that it is SUPER easy to make corn on the cob and doesn't take long at all. One thing I like about using the Pressure Cooker is that it's kind of like the "set it and forget it" type idea, whereas, when you cook the corn on the stove you have to keep turning it so that one side doesn't get overdone while another side is barely cooked.

Chicken Alfredo Pasta

My absolute favorite way to use my Homemade Alfredo Sauce is to combine it with grilled or roasted chicken and put it all on top of penne! I feel like I say this about every recipe, but, this really is one of my families favorite recipes!! It's also one of my favorite meals to make for people either when they come to visit my house, or if they need a meal brought to them. It's always a crowd pleaser for both adults and kids. I mean, it's full of cheese...so why wouldn't people like it?!
A few years ago, this recipe was one that my husband would ask for every single week. I generally ask him to think of one recipe that he would like to have the following week and this my friends was always his response, "oh I don't know, maybe some chicken...with some white sauce...and some penne?" EVERYTIME!!! It got so old that I kind of stopped asking him, which I think was his intention all along.

Chicken and Andouille Sausage

This right here is one of my favorite Anti-Inflammatory recipes ever. I love how the flavors of the ingredients give the broth such amazing flavor.  The andouille sausage gives the broth the slightest hint of heat, which I love. This dish is great to serve on any day of the year because you can make this as soupy or not as you like. When it's hot outside I generally don't add as much of the liquid because I'm not a huge soup fan when its hot, but when it's cold, I add a LOT more of the broth and less of the quinoa to make it feel more soup like.
*I know the picture doesn't look that appetizing with the chicken having the skin on, but leaving the skin on while cooking helps add more flavor to your broth. You can also remove the skin before cooking to have less calories and it will still taste great.

Crispy Not Fried Drumsticks

Moist, tender chicken drumsticks with a crunchy coating...ummm YES PLEASE! This recipe is fabulous. Everybody in my family always gobbles these babies up. Although, I think there may be something wrong with my children because they do not like to eat the meat off the bone...I KNOW!!! Weird right?! I had always thought that the way to get kids to eat their meat was to allow them to eat it off the bone because it's somehow more fun, not so in this household. It usually has the opposite effect. 
Any who, part of the reason I like this recipe so much is because it is baked instead of fried. Baked chicken is so much healthier for you and really you still get that delicious crunch so I personally don't miss it being fried in lots of oil.
I have recently started using an air fryer and this recipe is great cooked in it as well. Times may vary based on the brand you have, but those directions are included as well.
ENJOY!

Grilled Zucchini

This is a side dish that I have recently fallen in love with and have made many times during the past few weeks. Growing up, pretty much the only way we ever had zucchini was dredge it in egg and flour and fry it in butter. Which don't get me wrong is wonderful...but full of extra calories that you don't need...all the time :).
Keeping things simple in my kitchen is the best way for me to get a healthier meal on the table. These go with any main dish, but especially work great if you are already cooking something out on the grill. Last night we did these up with some grilled corn on the cob and some grilled pork chops and it was amazing! My husband has become quite the grilling master. This side dish is not only healthy but comes together in a matter of minutes. Enjoy!

Buttermilk Syrup

Oh Buttermilk Syrup. I love this stuff. It makes such a great addition to the Buttermilk Pancake recipe I shared earlier. I first had this recipe at my sisters house and instantly fell in love with it. We make this every time we have extra buttermilk sitting in the fridge, and never regret it. The flavor of this syrup is way different then that of regular maple syrup. It almost has a bit of a caramel(ish) flavor, and is very rich...and heavenly.
If you are looking for something different to try on your waffles or pancakes, give this a try. You won't regret it.

Buttermilk Pancakes

We love breakfast food at our house so I like to have an assortment of different recipes on hand at all times for those mornings or nights when we need something full of carbs and sugar :)
This is BY FAR the best buttermilk pancake recipe I have ever had. I tend to like buttermilk pancakes better then plain ol' pancakes because you get that different flavor from the milk, which shakes things up a bit.
What I like to do with these is make a triple batch and store them in our freezer for quick breakfasts for my kids. 
These babies go AMAZINGLY well with Buttermilk Syrup. Which is great because you can use up your extra buttermilk making this.

Pulled Pork Tacos

OH MY GOODNESS! I don't know why I don't make these more often! Not only are these ridiculously easy but they are RIDICULOUSLY GOOD!
This is a recipe that my mom had started making during my teenage years and I fell in love with them. These flavors in the cooking liquid is amazing that you don't even need to top your tacos with anything, unless of course you want to. The flavors remind me of a classic Mexican taco wagon. You know the ones I am talking about!
Cooking the meat in the slow cooker allows the flavors to really develop in the meat while making the meat nice and tender, also making it easy to shred.
One thing I love about shredding meat is that it makes it go a long way. I did a pretty small roast and we will be eating this for leftovers for at least a few days. This is also a meal that warms up fantastic.
You will not be mad you tried this one out.

Balsamic Glazed Steak Rolls

These little guys won't disappoint! I promise you that. They taste as good as they look, maybe even better because I am not the best photographer.
These little roll ups do require a little bit of work so this one will need to be saved for a day when you just feel like being in the kitchen for a little while. BUT I love the fact that there are tons of veggies rolled up into the meat, so I don't personally feel like I need to cook an additional vegetable side. I think these rolls are great with or without the balsamic sauce, and sometimes I even cheat a little and just buy some balsamic glaze from the grocery store just to save some time and effort.

Chicken Enchiladas

Okay guys...this recipe here...is A-MAZE-ING!! I thought I liked enchiladas before, but after having this recipe I literally don't know if I can go back to my other recipes. This is by far the BEST wet, red, chicken enchilada recipe I have ever come across.
The reason this recipe is so different from others I have tried is the sauce.
THIS ENCHILADA SAUCE is to die for! It's homemade, so yes, it takes a little more effort then just dumping the red deliciousness out of a store-bought can, BUT, it is absolutely worth every additional second it takes to make it.
*Quick tip* I will usually make a double or triple batch of the enchilada sauce alone and freeze it in recipe sized portions so that I don't have to make it from scratch every time. This way you only have to go to the effort of making it from scratch once every few times.

Drunken Italian Noodles

This recipe is AMAZING! It is fast and easy to make which is great for a weeknight or weekend meal. The longest part is prepping your vegetables.This recipe has all your veggies, meat, and carbs all in one dish so really you can't beat that. One of my favorite parts about this dish is using fresh noodles and herbs. I never realized just how much better fresh noodles are vs. boxed dried noodles from the store are until I had this dish. BIG DIFFERENCE!
Now I've never been to Italy so I cannot verify if this truly is "Italian" but it has good flavors nonetheless.

Panzanella Style Salad

Okay I know this doesn't look like your typical Panzanella because I didn't slice up the stale bread and incorporate it into the salad, but I've adapted this recipe to how we like it and called it Panzanella for so long now that I don't know what else to call it. So please don't criticize the name if you know your stuff. You can still chop up your bread and put it in the salad so it is traditional, I just don't like to because I like having leftovers.
This recipe we have been using for YEARS! At first, this was a "branching out of our comfort zone" recipe, but now it is a staple at our house.
One thing I like about this recipe is if you have leftovers (the main reason I don't like adding the bread to the salad) is that it tastes great the next day cold or slightly warmed up.

Sweet Coleslaw

This coleslaw is fan freakin' tastic! Definitely my go to recipe.
This is a sweet coleslaw, which I personally like a lot better then those hard core coleslaws you buy at the store.
I have made this recipe many many times now and love it just as much as I did the first time. This is a great side dish that takes very little time to pull together (as long as you let it sit in the fridge) and goes with just about everything! My personal favorite thing to serve this with is my Shredded BBQ Chicken Sandwiches.

BBQ Shredded Chicken Sandwich

This is a super easy recipe. Some of the ingredients are a little weird for a typical BBQ, but I'll tell you what....THEY WORK! Shred the chicken and put on sandwiches, serve it over a salad, or leave it whole! It's good no matter how you eat it. Just get it in your belly!!!
I have made this recipe many times for family and friends whenever they have stayed with us, and every time I have been asked for the recipe. The best part about it is that it's made in the slow cooker, so you don't have to spend a lot of time at dinner getting it ready. I like to pair my meat up with my favorite Sweet Coleslaw recipe. Enjoy!