easy recipes

Name: Copycat Starbucks Vanilla Sweet Cream Cold Brew
Prep time: 5 min
Total time: 5 min
Yield: 48
Ingredients: 1 cup of sweetened condensed milk; 4 cups heavy cream or milk for a thinner option; 2 tablespoons of vanilla extract; Your favorite brewed coffee, cold

Copycat Starbucks Vanilla Sweet Cream Recipe

June 10, 2021 by Rachel 16 Comments

If you’ve been around here for a while, you might know that I have a self-confessed addiction to Starbucks. It started in college with an iced green tea. But, over the years, it evolved. From there I went to lattes. And, thereafter, iced coffee. I spent a long time truly loving my iced coffees (honestly, I still do — unsweetened). Over the last couple of years my obsession has been cold brew with sweet cream. If you’re a Starbucks connoisseur you’ll know that these can get pricey. But this copycat Starbucks Vanilla Sweet Cream recipe is the perfect way to recreate this favorite from home!

What you’ll need

There are only a few ingredients for this recipe, but they are key to making this sweet cream perfect! So please be sure not to skip any of them. The ingredients are as follows:

1 cup of sweetened condensed milk
4 cups heavy cream or milk for a thinner option
2 tablespoons of vanilla extract
Your favorite brewed coffee, cold

That is all you’ll need! That being said, I suggest either buying Starbucks Cold Brew concentrate, or brew your own cold brew from home.

How to make Copycat Starbucks Vanilla Sweet Cream

Here are the recipe details! I promise, it’s super simple!

Yield: 48 ounces

Copycat Starbucks Vanilla Sweet Cream Cold Brew

Prep Time 5 minutes

Total Time 5 minutes

Ingredients

1 cup of sweetened condensed milk
4 cups heavy cream or milk for a thinner option
2 tablespoons of vanilla extract
Your favorite brewed coffee, cold

Instructions

INGREDIENTS -

STEP 1 -

In a blender, combine the sweetened condensed milk, cream and vanilla. Blend for 30 to combine. For a more frothy combination, blend for 60 seconds.

STEP 2 -

Pour over iced coffee to taste and enjoy.

PIN FOR LATER

Air Fryer Garlic Parmesan Fries Recipe

June 8, 2021 by Rachel 11 Comments

Back in the day, we used an oil deep fryer. Despite loving it, we rarely used it because it was a pain. The oil was messy and difficult to dispose of. So when air fryers became the popular new kitchen appliance, we quickly jumped on board. And we have been perfecting air fryer recipes ever since! These air fryer garlic parmesan fries taste like they are too good to be true! But I promise they are the real deal!

Why you need an air fryer

If you’ve been around here for a while, you’ll know that I’m obsessed with two kitchen gadgets: the Instant Pot and my air fryer. In my opinion, everyone needs an air fryer. You can get a standalone air fryer like this one, or (if you’re going to be recreating a lot of the recipes on my site) the pressure cooker/air fryer combo like this one!

In an air fryer you can make everything from marinated chicken breast to mozzarella sticks. Homemade meals and easy frozen entrees are a breeze. And they are ready to eat in just minutes — cooked to perfection every time!

What you’ll need to make air fryer garlic parmesan fries

Besides the aforementioned air fryer, you’ll need the following ingredients:

1 large potato
1/2 tablespoon of salt
1/2 tablespoon of pepper
1 tablespoon of oil
1 tablespoon of minced garlic
1/2 tablespoon of parsley
1 cup of shredded parmesan cheese

The full recipe

Air Fryer Garlic Parmesan Fries

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes

Total Time 30 minutes

Ingredients

1 large potato
1/2 tablespoon of salt
1/2 tablespoon of pepper
1 tablespoon of oil
1 tablespoon of minced garlic
1/2 tablespoon of parsley
1 cup of shredded parmesan cheese

Instructions

INGREDIENTS -

STEP 1 -

Peel and cut potato into desired size fries.

STEP 2 -

Place fries in mixing bowl and pour oil over. Add salt and pepper and mix until fries coated thoroughly.

STEP 3 -

Place fries in air fryer basket and cook for 15 minutes at 370 degrees. Shake fries halfway.

STEP 4 -

Remove fries. Top with garlic and parmesan cheese and serve garnished with parsley.

STEP 5 -

ENJOY!

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Easy and Fresh Summer Corn Salsa Recipe

June 3, 2021 by Rachel 14 Comments

My kids are OBSESSED with corn. I swear during the Summer they all live off corn alone. So, it’s safe to say we almost always have corn on the cob or frozen corn in the house. And what better way to celebrate the Summer months with a delicious easy and fresh Summer corn salsa!

What ingredients you’ll need

The ingredients are so simple. I can pick most of them up from the local farmers market. But, if I want to take an easy shortcut I’ll use two cans of corn instead of fresh corn.

2 15-ounce can of whole corn kernels
1/2 red onion
1 roma tomato
1/2 cup fresh cilantro
1-2 fresh jalapenos
Juice of 1 lime
1 tsp chili powder
Dash of salt & pepper

That’s it! It’s super simple, and no need for any fancy gadgets this time (I’m looking at you, Instant Pot!).

Easy and Fresh Summer Corn Salsa Recipe

Summer Corn Salsa

Prep Time 5 minutes

Total Time 5 minutes

Ingredients

2 15-ounce can of whole corn kernels
1/2 red onion
1 roma tomato
1/2 cup fresh cilantro
1-2 fresh jalapenos
Juice of 1 lime
1 tsp chili powder
Dash of salt & pepper

Instructions

INGREDIENTS -

STEP 1 -

Drain liquid from the can of corn.

STEP 2 -

Finely chop the onion, tomato, cilantro and jalapenos.

STEP 3 -

Place the chopped ingredients into a large bowl.

STEP 4 -

Add lime juice, chili powder, salt & pepper.

STEP 5 -

Mix all ingredients well.

STEP 6 -

ENJOY!

Easy and Fresh Summer Corn Salsa

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Easy Instant Pot Peach Cobbler Recipe

May 17, 2021 by Rachel 8 Comments

Living in the Midwest of the United States, we aren’t quite in peach country. But, last year I decided to order from The Peach Truck for the very first time. I heard it was a lot of peaches, but I decided not to split with anyone. So, yeah. We had a lot of peaches. Also? They were absolutely delicious. And well worth the money. So I ended up getting fairly inventive with my recipes. But my absolute favorite? This Instant Pot Peach Cobbler Recipe!

What you’ll need to make Instant Pot Peach Cobbler

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 more flavorful. Sure, you could make soup in a stock pot on the stove; but I highly suggest you try using an Instant Pot. It’s a complete game-changer.

In addition to the IP, you’ll need the following:

4 cups of fresh peaches, sliced OR 1 29-ounce can of peaches, drained and rinsed
1/2 box of yellow cake mix
1 stick of butter
1/4 cup of brown sugar
1 tablespoon of cornstarch

That’s it!

How to make Instant Pot Peach Cobbler

Yield: 4 - 6 servings

Instant Pot Peach Cobbler

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes

Total Time 40 minutes

Ingredients

4 cups of fresh peaches, sliced OR 1 29-ounce can of peaches, drained and rinsed
1/2 box of yellow cake mix
1 stick of butter
1/4 cup of brown sugar
1 tablespoon of cornstarch

Instructions

INGREDIENTS -

STEP 1 -

In a bowl, melt 2 tablespoons of butter and mix in the brown sugar and cornstarch. Pour mixture over peaches to coat each slice with the mixture.

STEP 2 -

Spray round cake pan with oil and pour in the peaches. Sprinkle half of the cake mix and stir it around the peaches. Pour remaining cake mix on top.

STEP 3 -

Cube remaining butter and even place around the cake mix.

STEP 4 -

Cover the pan with aluminum foil and set on a trivet in the instant Pot.

STEP 5 -

Add 1 cup of water to the base of the instant pot and close the lid.

STEP 6 -

Pressure cook on high for 13 minutes and let it natural release for 5 minutes.

STEP 7 -

Remove from instant pot. Remove the foil and place under a broiler for 3 minutes allowing the batter to crisp up.

STEP 8 -

ENJOY!

Looking for other yummy peach recipes? Try a peach mojito or peach angel food cake!

PIN FOR LATER

Starbucks Copycat Matcha Iced Green Tea

May 9, 2021 by Rachel 13 Comments

One of my favorite non-coffee items from Starbucks is their green tea. Back in college (many years ago), I would order a Venti Iced Green Tea, sweetened. That order has changed over the years. I got on a matcha kick a few years back, and it’s now my go-to for my non-coffee days. But, y’all know I like to save some money! Well, this Starbucks Copycat Matcha Iced Green Tea recipe is the perfect way to make it at home!

What you’ll need for this recipe

There are only four ingredients in this recipe, and one of those is ice. So when I say it’s simple to make at home, I mean it’s, like, really simple. The one piece of equipment you’re going to want to use is a blender. Now, I prefer the Vitamix, because it’s one of those ‘it can do anything’ appliances. Also, it’s a local company here in Ohio, and they have the absolute best customer service. One time our Vitamix motor started to smell like it was burning. We shipped it back to headquarters and they shipped a new one back to us! Seriously. Their warranty is incredible.

But, as far as other ingredients go, here’s what you’ll need:

4 1/2 cups of milk
1/3 cup of vanilla syrup
1/3 cup of Matcha green tea powder
Ice

The recipe can easily be customized by using almond, oat, or soy milks (whichever you prefer)! But, when using matcha, be sure to use a good, authentic matcha powder like this one.

Starbucks Copycat Matcha Iced Green Tea Recipe

Yield: 3 Venti Sized Drinks

Starbucks Copycat Matcha Iced Green Tea

Prep Time 5 minutes

Total Time 5 minutes

Ingredients

4 1/2 cups of milk
1/3 cup of vanilla syrup
1/3 cup of Matcha green tea powder
Ice

Instructions

INGREDIENTS -

STEP 1 -

In a blender, add the ingredients and blend until powder is fully dissolved.

STEP 2 -

In 3 venti cups add ice to top and pour in blended matcha tea.

STEP 3 -

ENJOY!

PIN FOR LATER

Perfectly Imperfect Hassle-free meal kits for busy moms

May 4, 2021 by Rachel 27 Comments

I used to think that babies made my life hectic. But, with the older my kids get, the more their schedules (and my own schedule) gets bogged down with commitments. Weeks will be go on where my meal-planning is spot-on; and, yet, others where our meals are in desperate need of help. Perfectly Imperfect hassle-free meal kit are the absolute saving grace — especially for busy moms.

What is Perfectly Imperfect

Perfectly Imperfect Produce boxes are a subscription-based produce boxes. Perfectly Imperfect takes produce that would otherwise be wasted (this is mostly due to superficial flaws), and make sure it isn’t. And, while these veggies may look “different,” they aren’t! Perfectly Imperfect Produce is still just as delicious and deserves to be used and enjoyed.

By eliminating food waste, we are helping to eliminate the 6 billion pounds of produce that is wasted due to ‘imperfections.’ And that’s a mission I can get behind!

Diced + Easy: Ready, Set, Cook!

As someone who has cooked her little tail off for the last 12 + months, I’m completely burned out. I’ve created and cooked dozens of new recipes. But, everyone needs a helping hand sometimes! Especially when that helping hand is delivered right to your door.

Luckily, time can now be saved with Perfectly Imperfect Produce Diced + Easy Meal Kits. Diced and easy kits can be customized to accommodate families of all sizes. Plus, these meal kits can be customized for the types of cuisine you and your family like!

This brand new meal kit is super exciting for a lot of reasons. First, everything is already sliced, diced, and ready to go. Second, all of these rescued meals are very ‘veggie forward.’ Meaning, they aren’t vegan necessarily. But, if you’re a flexitarian like me, these are perfect.

Our first box had everything prepped and ready for the week. Lunches, dinners, and healthy snacks were all ready. Nothing else required. Well, it was perfect!

Perfectly Imperfect Hassle-free meal kit recipe sneak peek

All of the food has been delicious, but the standout to me was the roasted cauliflower tacos. We make a lot of traditional tacos in our house. But veggie tacos weren’t something I had tried before.

I seriously whipped this up in 5 minutes of prep work. Everything but the avocado and lime were already diced and ready to go. And, oh my goodness, my family is obsessed with these now.

I’m sharing the recipe with you below so you can try it at home. But I encourage you to try a Diced + Easy meal kit of your own. Save on your first box by using code ITSAHERO20 .