125 Best Chicken Recipes plus a Chicken Fajitas Recipe

March 17, 2014 by 4 Comments

Chicken is a main staple in this home. And knowing multiple ways to serve it to my family only makes my job easier. So when I was asked to review 125 Best Chicken Recipes by Rose Murray I knew I couldn’t turn down the opportunity. Plus there was a delicious chicken fajitas recipe I just had to share with you!

Not only has 125 Best Chicken Recipes been an easy recipe book to follow, it’s filled with great ideas for all sorts of different cuisine and flavor profiles. I can find something to make when my girlfriends come over or something to make for my selective kids.

And the chicken fajitas dish I’m sharing today is something that was so simple to whip up in under 30 minutes! Definitely a great chicken dish to add to my collection of go to recipes.
125 Best Chicken Recipes book Chicken Fajitas recipe [Read more…]

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Movie Night Ideas: Jungle Book Inspired Chicken Skewers Recipe

February 6, 2014 by 17 Comments

I am a member of the Collective Bias® Social Fabric® Community. This #JungleFresh shop has been compensated as part of a social shopper amplification for #CollectiveBias and its advertiser.

movie night ideas jungle book dinner

With the Blu-Ray/Combo Pack Diamond Edition release of Disney’s The Jungle Book coming out next Tuesday (2/11), I thought it’d be nice to celebrate with a Jungle Book inspired family dinner.

I wanted something healthy yet delicious that would please the whole family so I headed out to Walmart to get some inspiration for my dish. And of course as soon as I walked in I found myself in the produce department.

Fresh fruit was the perfect place to start planning our meal. So I decided we’d make some fruit skewers ala Baloo in The Jungle Book. Remember the scene when he turns his finger nail into a fruit skewer? Yeah, that one. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Dinner, Disney, DIsney Movies, Entertainment, In the Kitchen, Recipes, Uncategorized Tagged With: , , ,

Tequila Lime Pork Tacos with Creamy Tomatillo Avocado Sauce

February 4, 2014 by 9 Comments

tequila lime pork tacos

For a few weeks now I’ve been craving street tacos. Simple, easy, and delicious. So for the big game I decided to make some tequila lime pork tacos after making margaritas earlier in the week.

I mean, what’s more fitting to pair with a margarita than a tequila lime pork taco? And I made this delicious tomatillo avocado sauce that paired perfectly with the meat. Simple I tell ya! 

tequila lime pork tacos ingredients

The tequila lime marinade I used contained 6 ingredients: tequila, lime juice, red crushed peppers, diced green chilies, cumin, and garlic. And you only need about 2 hours to marinade the meat.

tequila lime pork tacos marinate pork

While I waited for the meat to marinade I made the tomatillo avocado sauce in our food processor. So simple! I put it in the fridge to let the ingredients meld together a bit.

tequila lime pork tacos cook pork

Then it was time to put everything together and cook the meat!

Now this meat… it’d be amazingly good just on its own if you’re looking for a great pork dish. The flavor was so tasty and the marinade really worked it’s way into the meat to tenderize it.

tequila lime pork tacos close up

Tequila Lime Pork Tacos with Creamy Tomatillo Avocado Sauce

  • 1.5 ounces Partida Reposado tequila
  • juice of one lime
  • 1 4 ounce can diced green chilies
  • 2 tablespoons cumin
  • 1/2 tablespoon red pepper flakes
  • 2 cloves garlic (minced)
  • 1 pound pork tenderloin
  1. Add first 6 ingredients to a gallon size zippered plastic bag. Mix together well.
  2. Place pork loin in bag and marinate for 2-24 hours.
  3. Grill meat until fully cooked, about 8 minutes on each side.

 

tequila lime pork tacos aerial

What’s your favorite topping for tacos?

Filed Under: Dinner, Recipes Tagged With: , , ,

Hawaii-Inspired Pasta Puttanesca with Seared Ahi Recipe

February 2, 2014 by 21 Comments

I am a member of the Collective Bias® Social Fabric® Community. This shop has been compensated as part of a social shopper amplification for #CollectiveBias and its advertiser. #ChooseSmart

pasta puttanesca with seared ahi

February is the month of love. And this month I plan on making sure my husband knows exactly how much I appreciate him. While we don’t have a lot of time to go out together one-on-one anymore, I can create a great evening just for the two of us with a special recipe inspired by our favorite places to travel: Hawaii and Italy.

We’ve both loved Hawaii since we were dating and took a trip there with my family. Then we went again for our Honeymoon. And again with our two kids two years ago. The culture, the ambiance, the relaxation. It all screams the perfect vacation to us.

We’re also very interested in exploring and going on adventures and Hawaii is a great place for just that. But so is another country I’ve come to love after traveling there together when I was pregnant with our son. That special place is Italy. So in the spirit of the month of love I’ve combined our two favorite places to travel into this one dish. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Date Night, Dinner, In the Kitchen, Parenting, Recipes, Uncategorized Tagged With: , , , ,

Social Fabric is Like a Lasagna Recipe #LuvSoFab14

January 29, 2014 by 39 Comments

lasagna recipe social fabric layers

Sometimes it takes a while to find out where you belong. What you want to do when you grow up, who your friends are, how you better yourself on so many different levels. And I think I’ve finally succeeded on figuring these out with the help of Social Fabric and Collective Bias.

Friends, community, support. These are the words that come to mind when I think of Social Fabric and what the SoFab community has done for me.

Now I have the chance to finally meet the SoFab family I’ve come to love in person at SoFabCon’14 in Arkansas this May.  [Read more…]

Filed Under: Dinner, Life, Recipes, Uncategorized Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

Finding a New Way to Stay Active and Enjoy Life + a recipe for Salmon Burgers

January 13, 2014 by 22 Comments

I was given a free one month subscription to Weight Watchers to try their new Simple Start plan and write about my experience.Though I was compensated for my time and commitment, all views, positive and negative, are my own

Finding A New Way To Stay Active and a recipe for Salmon Burgers #SimpleStart

Every other time I start a weight loss journey I jump right in feet first. I start running again, go to lots of classes at the gym (more than my normal 2 or 3), and eat by the book. But this first week on Simple Start I’ve tried something a bit different.

Instead I’ve taken it a bit slower. I’ve decided that I’m not quite the runner I wanted to be. Walking seems to be easier on my joints and I’m getting more miles in by switching up the pace. And… I’ve found my motivation!

I’m also having some fun in the kitchen as well. Not necessarily trying outlandish and adventurous things, but going back to the recipes I love. Including this amazingly delicious salmon burger that’s perfect for any time of the year. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Dinner, Health & Wellness, In the Kitchen, Recipes, Uncategorized, weight loss, Weight Watchers, Weight Watchers Tagged With: , , , , ,

Easy Weeknight Dinner: Leftover Pot Roast Pot Pies

December 4, 2013 by 18 Comments

I created my Pot Roast Pot Pies using Campbell’s Slow Cooker Sauce as part of a sponsored post for Socialstars. #CampbellsSkilledSaucers

Pot Roast Pot Pies #CampbellsSkilledSaucers

I have a love-hate relationship with my slow cooker. Because sometimes I have these amazing, awesome creations that everyone raves about. And other times I’m calling the pizza guy before my husband gets home because what’s in the slow cooker is definitely inedible. Luckily since I’ve found Campbell’s Slow Cooker sauce I can create an easy weeknight dinner AND create a second dinner for another night in the week with the leftovers.

Each time I’ve used these sauces I’m left with an absolutely delicious meal that the whole family loves. Lucky for me I’m stocked up on all of my favorite flavors. I love the Tavern Style Pot Roast: roasted garlic, mushrooms, cooked in it’s own gravy. Delicious. And the leftovers? They make these awesome leftover pot roast pot pies!

Creating a simply amazing weeknight dinner that can be turned into two meals is simple and easy! First you grab one of your favorite Campbell’s Slow Cooker Sauces. Then grab the meat you want to use. Feel free to add veggies as well but I prefer the texture of roasted veggies with my crock pot meals. In as little as 5 minutes your whole dinner will be prepped with the help of Campbell’s Slow Cooker Sauces.

In order to get a great texture on my roasts, if I’m cooking beef or pork I like to sear the sides of the meat first before placing it into the crock pot. 2-3 minutes per side in some olive oil should be more than enough time. But if you don’t have the time, or simply want to keep things as easy as possible, this step is not required.

Campbell's Slow Cooker Sauces tavern style pot roast and veggies #CampbellsSkilledSaucers

When my slow cooker meal is about an hour away from being done I prep the sides. Small potatoes, carrots, and parsnips go great with the Tavern Style Pot Roast. I left the potatoes whole and cut the veggies into sticks.

Then coated everything in olive oil and tossed with some salt, pepper, fresh rosemary and roasted garlic. Throw the veggies and potatoes in the oven to roast about 30-40 minutes on 375 degrees or until slightly golden and tender.

Pot Roast Pot Pies ingredients #CampbellsSkilledSaucersIf there are any leftovers from this quick and easy slow cooker recipe (and there were for my small family) save them! Because this is where the magic happens. Two dinners from one slow cooker meal! Pot roast turns into pot roast pot pies for a meal a few nights later.

Pot Roast Pot Pies without Crust #CampbellsSkilledSaucers

The only difficult thing about this second meal is the fact that I made the dough from scratch. But guess what? My food processor did all of the work!

Homemade dough takes less than 5 minutes to put together if you do have a food processor. I’m pretty sure it’s cheaper than store-bought dough too but I won’t judge if you opt to use that! Crescent roll dough would be tasty on these as well.

Grab our delicious savory dough recipe here! 

Pot Roast Pot Pies baked #CampbellsSkilledSaucers

Leftover Pot Roast Pot Pies

  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1/2 cup flour
  • 2 cups chicken stock
  • 2 servings leftover pot roast
  • 2 servings leftover potatoes & veggies
  • salt & pepper to taste if needed
  • pot pie crust
  1. Heat butter on medium in a small sauce pan until melted. While whisking butter, add flour. Make sure to break up any lumps.
  2. Cook until butter and flour mixture starts to smell nutty and is a golden brown color.
  3. Slowly add stock while whisking continuously until everything is combined. Let cook another 2-3 minutes or until sauce is thickened. A good way to check this is to dip a spoon into the sauce and put a line down the spoon. If the line fills up, it’s not thick enough!
  4. Once sauce is thickened, add diced meat, potatoes, and veggies. Let cook until heated thoroughly. Add salt and pepper if needed.
  5. Grab pie dough from the fridge and roll out to about 1/4″ thick. Trace a circle in the dough with a butter knife using the dishes you’re baking the pot pies in as a guide.
  6. Fill each dish with equal amounts of pot pie filling and cover with pie dough. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until top of pie dough is golden brown.

Pot Roast Pot Pies inside pie #CampbellsSkilledSaucers
There are a total of 5 different Campbell’s Slow Cooker sauces available on store shelves including Tavern Style Pot Roast, Sweet Korean BBQ, Hawaiian Luau, Moroccan Spiced Stew, and Mexican Red Chile Taco.

I’m definitely trying the Sweet Korean BBQ next. How amazing would that taste over rice? And maybe Korean BBQ tacos later on in the week! Yum. What would you try?

What’s your favorite slow cooker meal?

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

Thanksgiving Leftover Recipes

November 23, 2013 by 11 Comments

Thanksgiving Leftover Recipes

One of my favorite parts about Thanksgiving, besides the giving thanks and being with friends and family, are the leftovers. The delicious, tasty, easy to heat up and eat whenever you please leftovers. I love Thanksgiving leftovers so much that when I started writing up this post I realized that I had no Thanksgiving leftover recipes of my own. Because I just eat the leftovers as is! Or in a huge, Dagwood style sandwich.

So I reached out and asked my blogging friends what they do with leftovers. And I’m so glad I did. Some of these dishes may sound a little weird, and others sound absolutely amazing. But they all have one thing in common. They’re delicious! [Read more…]

Filed Under: Appetizers & Sides, Breakfast, Dinner, Holidays, In the Kitchen, Recipes, Soups & Salads, Thanksgiving, Uncategorized Tagged With: , , , , , , , , ,

Grilled Teriyaki Salmon

November 13, 2013 by 6 Comments

Grilled Teriyaki Salmon

With the hubub of the holidays around us, I’ve found myself indulging a bit too much lately. So I’ve decided to try and get back on track and watch my eating habits over the next few weeks. Sure I’ll save a few moments of indulgence for Christmas when it arrives but there’s no excuse for treating every day in December like a holiday! This grilled teriyaki salmon is one step in my plan of eating healthier than I have been.

In order to get this beautiful char on the salmon, and not have my salmon stick to the grill pan I used, I sprayed a little Pompeian Grapeseed Oil that I received for review onto the grill pan first before using it. And what do you know?! The salmon came off the pan easily and effortlessly! Plus the oil didn’t interfere with the awesome taste of the marinade I used on the salmon.

To keep things simple I served this salmon to the family with my kids favorites: brown rice and broccoli. They’re broccoli fanatics so I knew they’d gobble up their plates. And they did! They even tried the salmon. My daughter still isn’t a fan but my son asked for another fillet! The next day I stir fried the left over broccoli, rice, and a few other ingredients in my fridge using the grapeseed oil again and made a delicious healthier “fried” rice for breakfast. Yum!
[Read more…]

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

Enjoying a Mom’s Night In with Mrs T’s Pierogies

November 12, 2013 by 9 Comments

I participated in a campaign on behalf of Millennial Central Consulting for Mrs. T’s Pierogies. I received a product sample to facilitate my review and a promotional item as a thank you for participating.

Mrs T pierogies with friends

About once a month or so my friends and I make a point to get together and enjoy a little adult company sans kids. And about every other time we choose to have a mom’s night in as opposed to a mom’s night out.

When it’s my turn to host I always want to serve a dish that just about anyone can eat and that’s simple and versatile. So when I was asked to try Mrs T’s pierogies with my friends I was excited to try it out! Surprisingly I had never tried pierogies but am always looking for new foods.

Not only did Mrs. T’s pierogies turn out to be super easy to make but they’re also very tasty. The perfect comfort food for a mom’s night in. And great with a glass of wine. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Dinner, In the Kitchen, Life, Mom's Night Out, Recipes, Uncategorized


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