Instant Pot Mexican Rice Pudding

August 7, 2017 by

When you’re juggling work, kids, and life, it’s nice to have a dessert you can make with little to no effort to enjoy at the end of the day. This Instant Pot Mexican Rice Pudding is the perfect dessert to do just that! And it hits all of the right spots. 

Our lazy summer has turned into quite a busy one. I can’t even remember the last time I’ve been able to test out recipes to share here so when I had a craving for rice pudding, I knew I had to try it out in the Instant Pot to see if I could re-create one of my favorite desserts. With the help of the instant pot doing all of the work, I’ve gotten fairly close to replicating my favorite Arroz con Leche. This is the perfect dessert to dish out after a long day of juggling work and the kids when I want something no one else will steal bites of. 

One thing I love is that this recipe makes enough for 2 of my 3-cup Pyrex glass dishes. That way I can stack them in the fridge and take out 1/3 of a dish to enjoy. Because when I need a little comfort I don’t want to think about portions. 

You could try switching out the half and half with all milk but I feel the half and half adds a bit more creaminess to the dish. Also, if you have a ceramic pot insert for your Instant Pot you can reduce the amount of rice that may stick to the bottom of the pot. I’ve also found that there may be some spittle when releasing the pressure. That’s OK! Just put a dish towel over the top of your Instant Pot when you depressurize. 

Instant Pot Mexican Rice Pudding (Arroz con Leche)

  • 1 cup half and half
  • 1 cup milk
  • 1¼ cups water
  • 1 cup long-grain white rice
  • 1 can sweetened condensed milk
  • ⅛ cup sugar
  • ⅛ teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 teaspoons cinnamon

  1. Rinse rice well using a mesh colander.

  2. Add half and half, milk, sugar, water, and salt to Instant Pot

  3. Add rice to liquid mixture and stir

  4. Place lid on Instant Post, seal lid, and close vent.

  5. Press the Porridge button. The rice will take 20 minutes to cook on this setting.

  6. When the timer beeps, allow the pressure to release slowly for 10 minutes.

  7. After 10 minutes, press the Cancel button and open vent to release pressure.

  8. When depressurized, open lid.

  9. Add Sweetened Condensed milk and vanilla.

  10. Sprinkle with cinnamon and stir until well mixed, adding a splash of half and half if needed for creamy consistency.

  11. Store in individual glass containers and top with a sprinkle of cinnamon.

  12. Refrigerate and serve or enjoy hot!

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Filed Under: Desserts, In the Kitchen, Recipes Tagged With: , , , , ,

Mini Dessert Pizzas with Creamy Glaze

June 1, 2017 by

In preparation of the fun camping trips we have planned this summer, I made this delicious mini dessert pizza to enjoy with a cup of coffee. This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #DunkinCreamers #CollectiveBias

Whether you’re camping in in the wilderness or in your own backyard, there’s nothing like a delicious, slightly sweet treat to begin (or end) your day. And what else tastes better with a sweet treat than a deliciously caffeinated cup of coffee? With a little Dunkin’ Donuts® Extra Extra Creamer stirred in, of course. 

These mini dessert pizzas are so fun to make! Plus, they’re so versatile. And I love that we can make them on the grill when we’re out in the wilderness or at home in the oven. We always bring fruit and creamer with us when camping and occasionally have pie crust for hand pies and other desserts but usually only use one of the two crusts that come in the package. I love that this recipe uses up that other pie crust AND can be made with the creamer we already have on hand. 

Another bonus about this recipe? the fact that the kids can help make it. While they try and sneak my coffee in the morning, I can distract them by asking them to help make these with me. That means I get to enjoy a HOT cup of coffee while they work on finishing up the recipe. And then I can enjoy another cup when we’re eating these up. Yum! 

Since the recipe is so simple, it’s important to layer on the flavor. From the dough to the strawberries to the glaze, we kick up the flavor at every step. Cinnamon is the perfect addition to sprinkle onto the dough, and macerating the strawberries in sugar and vanilla just add a little extra boost. But then when it comes to the final touch… the glaze… we save the best for last! 

Dunkin’ Donuts® Extra Extra Creamer is made with real sugar, milk, and cream for a wonderfully rich and smooth taste. The perfect choice for coffee purists. And it tastes amazing in this simple glaze. You can also sub Dunkin’ Donuts® Vanilla Creamer for another pop of flavor. 

We’re sharing one flavor – strawberries and cream – but there are endless possibilities when it comes to making these. Looking for more flavor options? 

Here are a few of my kids’ favorites: 

  • S’mores – mini baked pie crust round topped with marshmallows and 1 square of chocolate placed under the broiler until golden then drizzled with creamy glaze made with Dunkin’ Donuts® Vanilla Creamer and sprinkled with graham cracker crumbs.
  • Apple Pie – mini baked pie crust round topped with diced granny smith apples that have been cooked up in a skillet with sugar and cinnamon and drizzled with creamy glaze with Dunkin’ Donuts® Caramel Creamer
  • Bananas & Cream – mini baked pie crust round topped with a little banana pudding and sliced bananas and drizzled with a creamy glaze made with Dunkin’ Donuts® Caramel Creamer.

Mini Dessert Pizzas with Creamy Glaze

  • 1 package pie crust
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 6 strawberries
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
  • 3 tablespoons powdered sugar
  • 1 tablespoon Dunkin’ Donuts® Extra Extra Creamer

  1. Preheat oven or grill to 350 degrees. 

  2. Using a round cutter, cut pie crust into circles and place onto pizza stone or parchment-lined cookie tray. Sprinkle a little cinnamon onto each round. Place in oven or on grill and bake for 15 minutes or until slightly golden.

  3. Dice strawberries and place into a bowl. Sprinkle with sugar and add vanilla. Stir until sugar dissolves. 

  4. Mix together powdered sugar and Dunkin’ Donuts® Extra Extra Creamer until smooth and glaze forms. 

  5. Once pie crust has cooked, let cool 5 minutes then layer mini pizzas. Add 1 tablespoon strawberries to each round then drizzle with glaze. 

What’s your favorite dessert pizza flavor? 

Looking for Dunkin’ Donuts® Extra Extra Creamer to make your morning extra special? Head over to Walmart and pick up one or two containers from the Dairy aisle. 

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Filed Under: Baking, Desserts, In the Kitchen, Recipes

6 Ways to Enjoy Butterbeer at Universal Orlando

May 12, 2017 by

As I’m sure you saw on my Instagram account recently, I had the chance to head to Orlando, Florida sans kids for a few days to attend a conference. While I was in the great state of Florida for the first time, there was one thing I knew I had to do… visit the Wizarding World of Harry Potter and try all of the butterbeer varieties I could! So when Universal Orlando was kind enough to offer me 2 guest passes, I kindly took them up on their offer. 

Did you know there are 6 ways to enjoy Butterbeer in the park? Yup! 6 ways to enjoy the delicious sweet treat that is famous amongst Potter fans. To be able to taste the deliciousness we once only read about and watched on the big screen goes hand in hand with the awe I felt as I walked up to Hogwarts and the Wizarding World of Harry Potter for the first time in Universal Orlando. 

So without further ado, here are the 6 ways to enjoy Butterbeer at Universal Orlando. Try all 6 and let me know which you would rate as #1 on your list! 

6 Ways to Enjoy Butterbeer at Universal Orlando

1. Cold Butterbeer – 

At the top of my butterbeer list is the classic cold Butterbeer. Closest in recreation to what the characters enjoyed in the series, it’s smooth, creamy, and super sweet. Plus, since it was in the mid-90s when we visited, it was the perfect treat to enjoy while trying to stay cool as we waited in line to visit Ollivander’s Wand Shop and pick out our wands. 

The best part was the butterscotch-flavored cream on top that we enjoyed with every sip as we made our way down to the bottom of the cup. Such deliciousness. If you’re a cream soda fan, you will fall head over heels for it! 

2. Butterbeer Potted Cream – 

Runner-up has to go to the amazingly smooth butterscotch-esque Butterbeer potted cream found in Diagon Alley at The Leaky Cauldron. It’s the essence of perfection when it comes to butterscotch pudding and paired well with my fish and chips as a not too sweet treat. It would also be perfect paired with one of their beers on tap as a fun afternoon snack if you aren’t too hungry for a full meal. 

3. Butterbeer Soft Serve Ice Cream – 

We headed over to the end of Diagon Alley for this next sweet treat. When you’re there, make sure to head into the Florean Fortescue’s Ice Cream Parlour right across from Gringotts Bank. They have quite a few varieties of ice cream but only one soft serve… this delicious Butterbeer. But be careful! In the Florida heat, the soft serve melts fast! 

4. Frozen Butterbeer – 

If you don’t like your drinks super sweet but still want to get the great flavor of butterbeer, definitely grab a pint of frozen butterbeer. Because of its slushy state, it is a slightly milder version of the cold butterbeer and is absolutely perfect to help cool oneself down on a super hot summer day at the park. I suggest using a straw to enjoy this delicious variety. But make sure to lift up the straw to get the cream with each sip. 

5. Butterbeer Fudge – 

At the bottom of our butterbeer obsessed list is the butterbeer fudge found at Honeydukes sweet shop. While in theory it sounded lovely, it was just too sweet for this sweet tooth. If you have friends to share with, just one square will go a long way! While you’re at Honeydukes, pick up a few quill suckers (that actually write!) and some chocolate frogs as well (if it’s not too hot out). 

6. Hot Butterbeer – 

And last but not least is the hot butterbeer variety. Sadly, due to the heat, we were not able to try this variation so we have no way to rate it against the other options. However, if you’ve had the pleasure of enjoying this version, please let us know your thoughts!! 

Now that we’ve made our way through this amazing list of all things butterbeer, I do want to dispell a myth that a few individuals (not to be named) mentioned to me before going. Sadly, there is no alcoholic version of butterbeer in Universal Orlando. 

After visiting every butterbeer dealer … er… dispenser, we received the same answer to our question. Nowhere in the park can you order the alcoholic version of this bubbly delicious drink. However, you CAN enjoy some great alcoholic drinks like Wizard’s Brew or Dragon Scale in Diagon Alley at The Leaky Cauldron or The Hopping Pot. 

What’s your favorite variety of Butterbeer? 

Thank you to Universal Orlando for inviting me to enjoy your parks and experience The Wizarding World of Harry Potter. 

Filed Under: Desserts, Drinks & Refreshments, In the Kitchen, Travel Tagged With: , , ,

Hard Boiled Eggs in the Instant Pot

April 14, 2017 by

Want to make your life easier? Try these hard boiled eggs in the instant pot and watch the shells slide off! Plus no more grey ring around the yolk. 

One of the biggest uses I get out of my Instant Pot when I am not making dinner is making hard boiled eggs. I use the 5/5/5 method where I cook them for 5 minutes with a cup of water, let the pot naturally release steam for 5 minutes, then put the eggs in an ice bath for 5 minutes.

The shells fall off and the eggs are cooked beautifully! When I make them on the stove I always end up with gray rings around my yolk. No more gray rings! [Read more…]

Filed Under: Appetizers & Sides, Breakfast, Easter, Holidays, In the Kitchen, Recipes, Snacks Tagged With: , ,

Classic Homemade Brownies The Kids Can Make

April 12, 2017 by

These classic homemade brownies are the perfect dessert to let the kids help make! They’ll love mixing, cracking eggs, and baking from scratch. 

One thing I absolutely love doing with the kids is watching them learn how to bake. And my 6-year-old just graduated from baking brownies from a mix to baking from scratch. Her suggestion! 

After talking about how easy it was to make homemade brownies with my husband, she asked me if I could help her make them. So we got all of the ingredients out and started baking. 

What I love about this recipe is its simplicity. 

The fudgy goodness is absolutely perfect and the brownies pair so well with a glass of cold milk. Sure you can dress them up or add in some fun flavors, but these can stand on their own.

You can also add some espresso to enhance the chocolate flavor. We just didn’t have some on hand right now so we went without.  [Read more…]

Filed Under: Baking, Desserts, In the Kitchen, Recipes Tagged With: , , , , ,

Healthy Mediterranean Tuna Salad Pinwheels

March 31, 2017 by

Mediterranean Tuna Salad pinwheels #shop
With spring arriving and the change in weather, I try to turn to some of my favorite light, healthy lunch recipes. One of my favorite recipes is this healthy Mediterranean tuna salad.

By cutting out the mayo and subbing olive oil instead, this tuna salad is not only light and refreshing, it also has fewer calories in it as well! The best part is how versatile it is! Don’t have basil? Try another herb you do have. Don’t like onions? Try another flavor!

To spruce it up for the kids I decided to make these healthy Mediterranean tuna salad pinwheels. I simply wrapped up the tuna salad in some whole grain tortillas, layered some greens and fresh tomatoes from my garden, and piled on the tuna salad.

The results? Delicious! And I’m fairly certain the star of this recipe is the tuna.

Healthy Mediterranean Tuna Salad Pinwheels

  • 1 can tuna (flaked)
  • 1 tablespoon fresh basil (chopped)
  • 1 tablespoon fresh chives (minced)
  • 1/2 stalk celery (diced)
  • 1/4 red onion (diced)
  • drizzle of olive oil
  • salt and pepper
  • juice of 1/2 a lemon
  • 1 tomato (sliced)
  • 2 pieces red leaf lettuce
  • 2 whole grain tortillas
  1. Mix together the first six ingredients in a small bowl. Set aside. Grab the two tortillas and layer a piece of lettuce onto each one. Then add a few slices of tomatoes (about three on each tortilla).
  2. Spread a bit of the tuna salad onto the middle of the tortilla. Roll up the tortilla tightly. Secure with toothpicks and cut into rounds, using extra toothpicks in each individual pinwheel.
  3. Serve and enjoy!

Mediterranean Tuna Salad pinwheel wrap up close #shop

Not only is this a fabulous lunch for the family, it’s also a great appetizer for any parties coming up. Simple and easy to make, guests are sure to love the fresh, delicious flavor of these pinwheels.

Mediterranean Tuna Salad Pinwheels close upWhat’s your go-to healthy lunch recipe?

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Filed Under: Appetizers & Sides, Health & Wellness, In the Kitchen, Lunch, Recipes, Uncategorized Tagged With: , , , , ,

Creamy Avocado Pasta with Lemon and Garlic

March 29, 2017 by

This creamy avocado pasta with lemon and garlic is ready in less than 30 minutes with the help of our sponsor, Barilla, available at Walmart. 

You know when you’ve been so busy the whole weekend and then realize you completely forgot to come up with a game plan for dinner on Monday night? This is the meal I make when that happens. And wouldn’t you know? it happens more often than not. 

Luckily avocados are in season right now and we can go pick a few off our neighbor’s tree (after asking of course) to use when we need them. Our lemon tree is doing quite well too so pairing the two flavors together make for a pretty delicious meal pairing. 

One thing I love about this meal is that it uses ingredients I either always have on hand or have readily available with little effort. We try and stock our pantry with must-have items like Barilla Whole Grain pasta and sauces. Not only are they great for meals in a pinch, but I also know that my family is getting a meal that meets their nutritional needs. 

Barilla Whole Grain pasta is a great source of fiber and is made with 100% whole wheat. My family is getting 56g of whole grain in each serving of pasta. It also pairs perfectly with lean proteins like salmon or chicken but can hold it’s own as a full meal as well, just like this recipe. 

Normally we make creamy avocado pasta and pair it with salmon when we have it on hand, but if we don’t, we can forgo the lean protein and just eat this dish as a full meal. I’ve also been known to throw some shrimp into the dish as an alternative option. The creaminess of the avocado adds to the delicacy of the seafood. And who doesn’t love the flavor of garlic and lemon with salmon and shrimp? 

Creamy Avocado Pasta with Lemon and Garlic

  • 6 ounces Barilla Whole Grain Linguini
  • 4 tablespoons olive oil (divided in half)
  • 1/4 cup onion (diced)
  • 2 cloves garlic (minced)
  • 2 tablespoons Barilla pesto
  • 1/2 avocado (diced & mashed)
  • salt to taste
  • Saute onions and garlic in 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Set aside.
  1. Saute onions and garlic in 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Set aside.
  2. Cook Barilla Whole Grain Linguini according to package directions. Drain and add to a heated pan with 2 tablespoons olive oil.
  3. Add sauteed onions and garlic and Barilla pesto to pasta and cook 1-2 minutes.
  4. Add mashed avocado and stir to combine. Remove from heat and serve.

Serving size: 1/2 cup of pasta

What’s your favorite springtime flavor to pair with pasta? 

Looking to save a little more than time on this quick and easy dinner? Grab a coupon from Ibotta to use at Walmart when you’re stocking up on your favorite Barilla pasta and sauces! 

Find more great recipes to enjoy with your Barilla pasta and sauces by following this Pinterest board for simple, delicious pasta dishes inspired by Barilla. 

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Filed Under: Dinner, In the Kitchen, Recipes Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

Low Carb Egg Drop Soup to Soothe the Soul

February 6, 2017 by

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of the happy egg co.. All opinions are 100% mine.

Looking for the perfect winter meal to warm you up and make you feel better when you’re sick? This low carb egg drop soup is keto friendly and makes you feel better with tons of wholesome goodness all in one bowl. 

 

We’re a huge egg loving family. From scrambled eggs with bacon in the morning to delectable baked goods made with eggs, we love eggs. So much so that two years ago for my birthday, the kids and my husband got me 2 egg-laying chickens for our backyard. And having chickens has been SO much fun. But also a lot of work. And when winter rolls around, the egg laying slows down and even stops. Right now we’re left with no eggs and that is no bueno for this family. So we depend on the next best thing!

When our two aren’t laying, we pick up a carton or two of the happy egg co. eggs.The happy egg co.takes the consumer confusion out of the egg aisle – their delicious, brown-shelled eggs are produced by free to roam hens raised on family run free range farms. For this brand, raising their hens humanely isn’t simply a marketing tactic or a misleading mantra. The happy egg co. offers both Free Range on Pasture and Organic Free Range on Pasture eggs.

So when I fell sick last week and needed something to soothe me but still stick to my low carb high fat diet, I decided to make my version of egg drop soup. Using the ingredients I had at home, including the happy egg co. eggs, I came up with a recipe that was full of flavor without being too much when you’re sick. 

The happy egg co. eggs have such a wonderful bright, golden yolk, don’t you think? I added a few not-so-typical ingredients to our version. The radish cooked in the broth tasted almost like potatoes and the parsley gave it an earthy flavor. Chives for the onion flavor I love so much and a little pinch of cumin added some smokiness to the bowl. Overall I will be trying this again and again when I need to warm up. It may be my new go-to instead of chicken soup.  

Low Carb Egg Drop Soup

  • 1 cup chicken broth
  • 1 radish (julienned)
  • 1 teaspoon cumin
  • 1 happy egg co. egg (whisked)
  • 1 tablespoon fresh parsley
  • 1 tablespoon fresh chives
  • salt and pepper to taste
  1. Heat broth in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Add radish and cumin and whisk to combine. Let cook 1 minute then add egg and whisk into pan for 30 seconds. Add parsley, chives, and salt and pepper and cook one more minute. Serve and enjoy!
Serving 1 | 81 cal 2g carbs 5g fat 7g protein
Suggestion: Add 1 tablespoon of butter if you’re short on fat macros for the day!

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Filed Under: In the Kitchen, LCHF, Lunch, Recipes, Soups & Salads Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,

Chocolate Peanut Butter Pecan Fat Bombs

January 2, 2017 by

These Chocolate Peanut Butter Pecan Fat Bombs hit the spot when you’re craving something sweet and help increase your fat macros. Plus they’re super easy to make! 

chocolate-peanut-butter-pecan-fat-bombs-recipe

I’m hopping back on the LCHF way of eating and have successfully been on plan for the past week. That means I’ve been able to get through a mini vacation up to Palm Springs AND our annual Cookie Christmas celebration + brunch on New Year’s day with my family. Now that I’ve tackled this first week, I know I can keep it going.  As I continue this journey I’ll be sharing over on my other blog, Low Carb San Diego. I’ll include great recipe ideas, tips and tricks, as well as my personal journey. I hope you follow along! 

These Chocolate Peanut Butter Pecan Fat Bombs hit the spot and help me increase my fats (something I always have a problem with). It’s a great treat for the end of the night or for when I know I’m going somewhere with lots of sweet treats. Bringing a fat bomb and one of my favorite low carb bars helps me say no to temptation and press forward. 

chocolate-peanut-butter-pecan-fat-bombs-with-monkfruit-in-the-raw

Find the full recipe here

Filed Under: Desserts, In the Kitchen, LCHF, Recipes, Uncategorized, weight loss Tagged With: , , , , , , , , ,

Pfeffernüsse Cookies To Share The Holiday Spirit

December 23, 2016 by

pfeffernu%cc%88sse-cookies-to-share-the-holiday-spirit

This time of year is magical, isn’t it? The holiday cheer, the smiles on everyones faces, and the loads of treats and goodies around every corner. We continue the holiday season even after Christmas is over by celebrating our own Christmas with my husband’s extended family. And that celebration has been dubbed Cookie Christmas. 

Why? You ask? Because we get together the day before the event and bake up 10+ different kinds of cookies to serve the next day. My husband’s aunt spends countless hours the week before the event making all of these doughs to bake up together. And then we all come together on Cookie Christmas to enjoy them all (and bring them home in tubs and bags to enjoy for weeks after). 

Each year there’s one or two recipes we try out to see if it can earn it’s place in the Cookie Christmas line up. We have our classic chocolate chip, our snickerdoodle, yummy sugar cookies decorated by the kids with frosting and sprinkles, etc. This year I thought I’d try out a new recipe or two to see if I could put it on the list of maybes to introduce to Cookie Christmas. And this recipe? It’s a winner! 

pfeffernu%cc%88sse-cookies-to-share-with-friends

Pfeffernüsse Cookies

  • 1/2 cup molasses
  • 1/4 cup honey
  • 1/4 cup shortening
  • 1/4 cup butter
  • 2 eggs
  • 4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 3/4 cup white sugar
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cardamom
  • 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1 teaspoon ground cloves
  • 1 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup confectioners’ sugar for dusting

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Stir the molasses, honey, shortening, and butter together in a small saucepan over medium heat. Cook until creamy, stirring consistently. Remove from heat and allow to cool to room temperature. Add the eggs and combine.

Mix the flour, white sugar, brown sugar, cardamom, nutmeg, cloves, ginger, cinnamon, baking soda, pepper, and salt in a large bowl. Add the molasses mixture and stir until thoroughly combined. Refrigerate at least 2 hours.

Roll the dough into quarter-sized balls. Arrange on baking sheets, spacing at least 1 inch apart.

Bake for 10 to 15 minutes. Move to a rack to cool. Dust cooled cookies with confectioners’ sugar. Or get the kids involved and dump 1/2 a cup of confectioners’ sugar into a bag, then add a few cookies, seal the bag and shake shake shake! 

pfeffernu%cc%88sse-cookies-to-share

Interested in trying out some more new cookie recipes? You need to check out the #HousefulofCookies recipes being shared all month! YUM! 

pfeffernu%cc%88sse-cookies-a-fun-spiced-holiday-cookie

Filed Under: Baking, Christmas, Desserts, Holidays, In the Kitchen, Recipes, Uncategorized Tagged With: , , , ,


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