Name: Valentine's Day Cake Pops
Prep time: 15 min
Total time: 15 min
Yield: 20
Ingredients: 1/2 of a cake (such as a box cake), baked; 2 Tablespoons of cream cheese frosting, softened; 12 ounces of candy melts, red; 20 count of 6-inch cookie sticks; Pink, red, or white sprinkles!

Easy Valentine’s Day Cake Pops Recipe

January 16, 2021 by Rachel Leave a Comment

Confession: I love making cute desserts more than I like eating them. It’s true. My husband hates when I bake or buy baked goods because I never eat them. But that doesn’t stop me from baking. And, like all kids, mine just seem to love everything teeny, tiny, or cute. So these easy Valentine’s Day Cake Pops are sure to delight the heck out of them this season!

What you’ll need for this recipe

Listen — cake pops don’t have to be difficult. In this case, I used boxed cake mix. I made the cake according to the box instructions and then use half of it for these cake pops (I froze the other half to use at a later time). My kids prefer vanilla cake mix, so that’s what I used. But you can use whatever you like!

In addition, you’ll need the following for these Easy Valentine’s Day Cake Pops:

2 Tablespoons of cream cheese frosting, softened
12 ounces of candy melts, red
20 count of 6-inch cake pop sticks
Pink, red, or white sprinkles! Better yet? All three!

How to make this delightful snack!

Yield: 20 cake pops

Valentine's Day Cake Pops

Prep Time 15 minutes

Total Time 15 minutes

Ingredients

1/2 of a cake (such as a box cake), baked
2 Tablespoons of cream cheese frosting, softened
12 ounces of candy melts, red
20 count of 6-inch cookie sticks
Pink, red, or white sprinkles!

Instructions

INGREDIENTS -

STEP 1 -

In a large bowl, crumble your cake.

STEP 2 -

Add in your cream cheese frosting. Mix well with a hand mixer, spoon, or stand mixer.

STEP 3 -

Divide your cake into 20 sections. With the palm of your hand, round out each portion into a ball shape.

STEP 4 -

Place your cake pops on a sheet pan or plate, and place in the freezer for 15 minutes.

STEP 5 -

While your cake pops are in the freezer, place all of your candy melts in a medium sized bowl. Microwave for 30 second intervals until completely melted.

STEP 6 -

Remove the cake pops from the freezer.

STEP 7 -

Place your cookie stick in the candy melt, then the cake pop. Then add your cake pop to the candy melts. Coat the pop completely with the melt. On the side of the bowl, tap it gently with the stick removing any excess chocolate from the cake pop to create a smooth finish.

STEP 8 -

Place the cake pop on the parchment paper. Immediately add your sprinkles before the chocolate dries.

STEP 9 -

Continue steps 6 – 8 until each cake pop is complete.

STEP 10 -

ENJOY!

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Instant Pot Valentine’s Day Truffles Recipe

January 14, 2021 by Rachel 8 Comments

This year, more than ever, we need to celebrate the small things. I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again — it’s time to make a big deal out of the small holidays for our kids. I’ve never been one to obsess over Valentine’s Day — even before I was married. I recognized it for what it was. But just today my 8-year-old second grader asked me if we could do something special. Last year he had a school party, but he knows that’s not happening now. So instead we’re going to make Instant Pot Valentine’s Day Truffles for our at-home party!

What you’ll need for these Instant Pot Valentine’s Day truffles

I used my Instant Pot for this recipe because it makes the cake extra-moist. But you don’t necessarily need to use an IP. You can make the cake traditionally as well. I just really love the texture from pressure cooking.

As far as equipment, you’ll also need a springform pan. Other ingredients are vanilla almond bark, red food coloring, red velvet cake mix, eggs, cream cheese frosting, sprinkles, and a heart-shaped cookie cutter. Throw in some holiday-themed sprinkles, and you’re good to go!

How to make your Instant Pot Valentine’s Day Truffles

Instant Pot Valentine’s Day Truffles

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 1 hour 30 minutes

Total Time 1 hour 40 minutes

Ingredients

1 box of red velvet cake mix
3 eggs, large
1 cup of water
1/3 cup of vegetable oil
3 rounded tablespoons of cream cheese frosting
18 ounces of almond bark, vanilla
Red food coloring
Sprinkles

Instructions

INGREDIENTS:

STEP 1 -

Mix together your cake mix, vegetable oil, water, and eggs.

STEP 2 -

In your greased spring pan, pour in your cake batter.

STEP 3 -

Place one and a half cups of water to the bottom of your instant pot. Place the trivet inside. Cover your pan with aluminum foil. Place your pan inside the instant pot.

STEP 4 -

I close the lid on your instant pot, and make sure to close the ceiling valve. Set your instant pot to one hour 10 minutes on high pressure. Once the time is done, do a quick release.

STEP 5 -

Remove your take carefully from the instant pot by using a towel or hot pads, and use the trivet handles to pull the cake out. Allow the cake to cool for about 15 to 20 minutes.

STEP 6 -

Transfer your cake to a large bowl. Crumble it up. Spoon and three rounded tablespoons of frosting. Mix together.

STEP 7 -

Transfer the cake batter to parchment paper. Lay it out flat and use a small heart shaped cookie cutter to make each truffle.

STEP 8 -

After you have made each truffle, transfer to the freezer for about 15 minutes to allow them to harden.

STEP 9 -

While they’re in the freezer, make a small bowl of your white chocolate. Placed three squares in the microwave for 30 second intervals until completely melted.

STEP 10 -

Add a couple of drops of red food coloring to create your desired pink color.

STEP 11 -

Remove the truffles from the freezer, place in your chocolate, and make sure they are completely coated. Remove them from the chocolate, transfer them back to the parchment paper and Top them with your sprinkles. The chocolate will start to harden.

Instant Pot Valentine’s Day Truffles

STEP 12 -

ENJOY!

Instant Pot Valentine’s Day Truffles

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Valentine’s Day Girl Superhero Cards With Printable

January 13, 2021 by Rachel 8 Comments

The last twelve months have been anything but normal. Not just for us, either. I know it’s been crazy hard on our kids. And, not only that, but it’s been a helluva year for the girls of the world, too. I know that I lost one of my heroes — the notorious RBG was a hero of mine. And I was crushed when she passed. But there was also the release of a very powerful movie about a very powerful woman — Wonder Woman. My family went to a private pre-screening of the movie, just the five of us. It was incredible. And every since then, my four year old daughter has referred to herself as Super Wonder Woman (and I don’t have the heart to correct her). So why not this year for Valentine’s Day Girl Superhero Cards?! Even if your son is giving them?

Because representation matters

Growing up we were told we can be anything. And, while that’s true, women and especially women of color, have obstacles in their way. And while I do my best to teach my daughters and son that both boys and girls (and everyone who identifies in between) are all valued. But there are just far more images of boy superheroes than girls. And that’s why I was so excited to see Wonder Woman 1984. My (almost) 5-year-old daughter was glued to the screen for the entire movie. She loved every action-packed minute of seeing a GIRL superhero.

So perhaps the boys and girls in your life will love these Valentine’s Day Girl Superhero Cards just as much as mine do!

The Printable

Grab your printable from here to make these absolutely adorable cards this Valentine’s Day. And if your kids are remote learning, why not send them snail mail to all of their friends and make this an extra special day for everyone!

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Game Day Ready with Baked Chili Cheese Dog Bread

January 11, 2021 by Rachel 12 Comments

It’s almost time for the big day. Whether or not you’re a football-loving type, football season is basically a legit season. And personally? I am here for it. I’m here for it mostly because of the food and the cheers. And what better way to celebrate than with this game day ready Baked Chili Cheese Dog Bread. It’s delicious. It’s easy. And it is absolutely delightful! Walmart has all of the Kraft Heinz ingredients, Dixie^® Ultra plates, and Vanity Fair^® Extra Absorbent napkins you’ll need to make this incredible dish perfect for feeding and serving everyone!

Why Baked Chili Cheese Dogs?

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again — there’s nothing better than gathering for the big game. If there’s a reason to host and to make delicious food? I’m there.

Also? Chili cheese dogs are life. And baking makes them even more awesome because it gives them an extra boost of flavor and crunch.

How to make Baked Chili Cheese Dogs

This recipe is super easy. All of the ingredients, plates and napkins I need are found at Walmart, which is super amazing because they offer Walmart Grocery Pickup so I can get all of our groceries in a safe way.

Here’s what you’ll need from Walmart

1 (thirty-inch) French baguette
4 ounces of VELVEETA
6 OSCAR MAYER All Beef Hot Dogs (depending on size of baguette)
1 can (15 ounces) of premade chili sauce
½ cup of KRAFT Mild Cheddar Shredded Cheese
8 slices OSCAR MAYER Naturally Hardwood Smoked Bacon, cooked and chopped
½ yellow onion, diced
2 chives, sliced (optional topping)
¼ cup BREAKSTONE’S Sour Cream (optional topping)

How to make this delicious recipe!

1. Preheat the oven to 375°F.

2. Cut a ‘v’ shape into the end of the baguette. Continue down the length of the baguette, creating a ‘boat’ inside of the bread. Set on top of a large piece of tinfoil (enough to wrap the entire baguette).

3. Put the VELVEETA into a microwave safe bowl. Microwave the VELVEETA for 90 seconds, stopping every thirty-seconds to stir. Cheese should be semi-melted. Use a spoon to spread VELVEETA into the bottom of the baguette ‘boat.’

4. Place hot dogs on top of VELVEETA cheese, end to end, until the baguette is full.

5. Spoon the chili sauce over the hot dogs. Top with ½ cup of shredded cheese and the bacon.

6. Fold tinfoil up over the baguette loosely at the top. Put into the oven on top of a baking sheet. Bake until warmed through and cheese is melted — approximately 25 minutes.

7. Let cool slightly. Cut into bite-sized pieces. Garnish with yellow onions and chives. Serve with an optional sour cream dollop!

8. Enjoy this messy meal with Dixie Ultra^® Plates (which are amazingly sturdy for this meal) and extra absorbent Vanity Fair^®Napkins to clean up any messy faces.

Supplies for serving

We served this messy meal on Dixie Ultra^® Plates and with Vanity Fair^®Extra Absorbent Napkins for a reason. Did you know that Dixie Ultra^® Plates can hold up to two pounds of food and they are strong enough for a one-hand hold? That’s the kind of strength you need when you’re piling up your plate with tasty treats on Game Day. Vanity Fair^®Extra Absorbent Napkins are one part paper towel and one part napkin – so there’s no excuse to use paper towel as napkin. These will really get the job done to keep hands clean when eating messy, cheese food like this Baked Chili Cheese Dog Bread.

Use this recipe for all of your game day needs

Yield: 12 servings

Baked Chili Cheese Dog Bread

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes

Total Time 40 minutes

Ingredients

1 30-inch French baguette
4 ounces VELVEETA
6 Oscar Mayer® All Beef Hot Dogs
1 can (15 ounces) of premade chili sauce
½ cup of KRAFT Mild Cheddar Shredded Cheese
8 slices Oscar Mayer® Naturally Hardwood Smoked Bacon, cooked and chopped
½ yellow onion, diced
2 chives, sliced (optional topping)
¼ cup BREAKSTONE’S Sour Cream (optional topping)

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375°F.

4. Place hot dogs on top of VELVEETA cheese, end to end, until the baguette is full.

5. Spoon the chili sauce over the hot dogs. Top with ½ cup of shredded cheese and the bacon.

6. Fold tinfoil up over the baguette loosely at the top. Put into the oven on top of a baking sheet. Bake until warmed through and cheese is melted -- approximately 25 minutes.

7. Let cool slightly. Cut into bite-sized pieces. Garnish with yellow onions and chives. Serve with an optional sour cream dollop!

Baked Chili Cheese Dog

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Instant Pot Copycat In-N-Out Burgers Recipe

January 10, 2021 by Rachel 14 Comments

It’s been a lot longer than I expected since my last travel adventure. One of my favorite things to do when we travel is eat! Honestly, I feel like half the time we have planned our travel around the restaurants available. When we travelled to Las Vegas, I just knew I had to try In-N-Out Burger. We do not have In-N-Out here in the Midwest, and we certainly didn’t have it when I lived in New York! So In-N-Out was something I knew we had to try. And we LOVED it. So much so that I’ve been dying to try recreating it at home! And that’s why I made this Instant Pot Copycat In-N-Out Burgers Recipe!

Why the Instant Pot?

If you’ve been following my blog for a while you’ll know that I’m basically obsessed with pressure cooking and one-pot cooking in the Instant Pot. It’s just… easy. And, when food is made in a pressure cooker, it is 100 times juicier and more flavorful. Sure, you could make burgers on the grill; but I highly suggest you try using an Instant Pot. It’s a complete game-changer.

What you’ll need for these Copycat In-N-Out Burgers

Besides your trusty Instant Pot, you’ll need only a handful of other items.

One pound of 80/20 ground beef
1 Tablespoon of salt
1/2 of a Tablespoon of onion powder
1 Tablespoon of pepper
Three slices of American Cheese
3 hamburger buns
1/2 of a Tomato, sliced
3 iceberg lettuce leaves
1/2 an onion, sliced
3 Tablespoons of Thousand Island dressing

That’s it! Read the full recipe card details below to make your very own Copycat In-N-Out Burgers. But, be forewarned: you’re going to want to make these every single day!

The Recipe

Copycat In-N-Out Burgers

Prep Time 5 minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes

Additional Time to come to pressure 5 minutes

Total Time 20 minutes

Ingredients

1 pound of 80/20 ground beef
1 Tablespoon of salt
1 Tablespoon of pepper
1/2 Tablespoon of onion powder
3 hamburger buns
3 Tablespoons of Thousand Island dressing
1/2 Tomato, sliced
3 iceberg lettuce leaves
3 slices of American Cheese
1/2 an onion, sliced

Instructions

INGREDIENTS:

STEP 1:

Mix together your beef, salt, pepper, and salt.

STEP 2:

Divide the meat into three sections. Pat them into 3 flat patties. Wrap them in aluminum foil.

STEP 3:

Add 1 ½ cups of water to the inner pot of the Instant Pot. Place the trivet inside with your patties (in aluminum) on the trivet.

STEP 4:

Close the lid on your IP. Close the sealing valve. Set your IP to High Pressure for 10 minutes.

STEP 5:

When the 10 minutes has finished, do a quick release of the pressure.

STEP 6:

Remove the patties from the aluminum foil.

STEP 7:

Assemble your burgers. Add your thousand island dressing to the bottom bun. Add your tomato, lettuce, burger, cheese, and onion slice.

Copycat In-N-Out Burgers

Enjoy!

Tell me — what’s your favorite fast-food burger joint?!

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Instant Pot Cupid Hot Cocoa Bombs Recipe

January 6, 2021 by Rachel 5 Comments

I know, I know — Hot Cocoa Bombs are all the rage! But I just can’t stop! And I won’t stop, honestly. Not only do my kids love them, but I love making them. My kids can’t even finish a full mug of hot chocolate, but that doesn’t stop them from wanting one, like, every single day. And, y’all know I’ve been trying my darndest with this whole ‘staying-at-home’ thing. I’m trying desperately to keep my children excited, entertained, and engaged. And with Valentine’s Day right around the corner, why not try my hand at an Instant Pot Cupid Hot Cocoa Bombs Recipe?!

No Instant Pot? No Problem!

Sure, this recipe calls for an Instant Pot. But you don’t necessarily need an Instant Pot for these! I’m basically obsessed with mine. But you could just as easily use a double boiler. I just prefer the IP because I just find that it’s less messy. There’s a Sauté function on every Instant Pot that makes sautéing and searing super easy.

What you’ll need for this recipe

Besides an Instant Pot or double-boiler, you’ll need the following:

24 ounces of pink candy melts
2 cups of marshmallows
7 Tablespoons of hot cocoa powder
Sprinkles — I recommend super fun Valentine’s Day Themed Sprinkles like these!

Yield: 14 Cocoa Bombs

Instant Pot Cupid Hot Cocoa Bombs

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 5 minutes

Total Time 20 minutes

Ingredients

24 ounces of pink candy melts
2 cups of marshmallows
7 Tablespoons of hot cocoa powder
Sprinkles (optional)

Instructions

STEP ONE

Turn your instant pot onto sauté mode. Place one and a half cups of water inside your instant pot. Place a glass bowl that will fit in your instant pot as it will act as a double broiler.

STEP TWO

Add in your candy melts to the bowl. Continue to mix until the chocolate has completely melted.

STEP THREE

Lightly grease the inside of your silicone molds. Add chocolate to your molds making sure that chocolate is completely coding the mold on the inside. Place in the freezer for about five minutes.

STEP FOUR

Remove your molds from the freezer. Add a half a tablespoon of cocoa powder and about 4 marshmallows per mold.

STEP FIVE

Add more of your melted chocolate on top of the marshmallows to close the mold and lock the cocoa and marshmallows from coming out. Return to the freezer for about 5 to 10 minutes.

STEP SIX

Remove your cocoa bombs by pushing on the silicone side of the mold until the bomb pops out.

STEP SEVEN

With a spoon, drizzle your remaining chocolate over the bombs. Immediately add your sprinkles before the chocolate hardens.

STEP EIGHT

Please one or two bombs in your favorite mug and pour hot milk over it to melt the chocolate releasing the hot cocoa and marshmallows.

Instant Pot Cupid Hot Cocoa Bombs

STEP NINE

Stir with a spoon and enjoy!

Instant Pot Cupid Hot Cocoa Bombs

I can’t wait for you to try these Instant Pot Cupid Hot Cocoa Bombs!