easy recipes

Name: Instant Pot Mexican Casserole
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 3 min
Total time: 10 min
Yield: 4
Ingredients: 1 pound of ground beef; 2 cups red enchilada sauce; 3 cups cheddar cheese grated (divided); 10 corn tortillas cut into strips; Sour cream (optional garnish); Cilantro (optional garnish); Black olives (optional garnish)

Easy and Delicious Instant Pot Mexican Casserole Recipe

August 31, 2020 by Rachel 34 Comments

This past weekend we (finally) had some cooler weather. I’m taking it as a sign that it’s nearly my favorite time of year. The Fall weather also brings a back-to-school season which, itself, brings more hussle and bussle. Despite our new school year being remote, I still expect our weeknights to be very chaotic. So in an effort to streamline dinnertime and make something that everyone will love, I made this super easy Instant Pot Mexican Casserole recipe.

Why the Instant Pot

My husband has been using a pressure cooker for years. I’ve always hated the traditional pressure cookers because I think they are scary (and, quite honestly, I just don’t trust that I can use one properly). But if you’re holding out because you think the Instant Pot isn’t worth it — you’re oh so wrong!

I use my Instant Pot for literally everything: eggs, rice, spaghetti and meat sauce, and even yogurt! You can grab one here for a great price. Honestly, it’s an amazing investment. It saves me so much time when preparing meals for my family.

What you’ll need for Instant Pot Mexican Casserole

Besides an Instant Pot, you’ll need the following:

1 pound of ground beef
2 cups red enchilada sauce
3 cups cheddar cheese grated (divided)
10 corn tortillas cut into strips
Sour cream (optional garnish)
Cilantro (optional garnish)
Black olives (optional garnish)

I know that many people feel differently, but we are Team Cilantro and Team Black Olives over here! So we definitely use them as a delicious garnish.

The recipe itself takes only a few minutes of prep. This is a one-pot meal, so you brown the ground beef right in the Instant Pot itself! Just use saute mode to brown the beef, then add all of your ingredients to the pot! Super easy!

Instant Pot Mexican Casserole Recipe

Yield: 4

Instant Pot Mexican Casserole

Prep Time 5 minutes

Cook Time 3 minutes

Additional Time 2 minutes

Total Time 10 minutes

Ingredients

1 pound of ground beef
2 cups red enchilada sauce
3 cups cheddar cheese grated (divided)
10 corn tortillas cut into strips
Sour cream (optional garnish)
Cilantro (optional garnish)
Black olives (optional garnish)

Instructions

Instant Pot Mexican Casserole

Turn your Instant Pot on sauté mode. Brown your beef.
Once the meat is browned, pour in the enchilada sauce. Mix well until fully incorporated.
Pour in 1.5 cups of cheese, and all of the sliced tortillas. You can also add black beans, corn, or black olives! Anything you know your family will enjoy!
Stir everything well at this point until completely incorporated.
Pour in the remaining cheese, and add the lid to the Instant Pot. Close the valve.
Cook on “High” for 3 minutes to melt the cheese. Release the pressure manually.
Once done, serve with more olives, sour cream, and/or cilantro as garnish!
Enjoy!

Tell me — what’s your favorite weeknight recipe?

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Delicious Bento Box Pizza Muffins Recipe

August 27, 2020 by Rachel 24 Comments

Next week we start up back-to-school. The start date has been pushed out two weeks from when we originally go back, but I think we needed this time to prepare. From my understanding, our new schedules for distance-learning will be far more rigid than they were in the spring. But there will be routine. And that is something that we thrive on! Our lunch break will be short, so I’ll be trying to squeeze in as much nutrition as possible in those few minutes. And this Bento Box Pizza Muffins Recipe is jam-packed with nutrition! Bonus? The kids will eat them up!

DELICIOUS BENTO BOX PIZZA MUFFINS RECIPE

Why a bento box?

As a mom of three kids, I’ve learned to get creative. A few years ago I found that if I put my kids food into a cupcake tin or a bento box, they are 100% more likely to eat. I stocked up on a few small cupcake tins and bento boxes. Later I added a handful of silicone liners, and the rest is history.

What you’ll need for this recipe

It’s easy to make pizzas on bagels or mini naan; but this recipe twists it up a bit. So instead of crust, you’ll use flour, eggs, baking powder, milk, and vegetable oil. Add in some fresh tomatoes, tomato puree, cooked chicken, fresh cheese, and basil! Pro tip: make your life easy and use canned chicken or repurpose some of your rotisserie chicken!

Once prepared, the muffins will cook in approximately 25 minutes. You can prep this in advance for a weeks worth of lunches. Or, better yet, use some now and freeze the rest for later!

The Bento Box “extras”

Again, it may seem silly. But adding in some blueberries and carrot sticks just adds more ‘color’ and more fun for the kids! Use a mini cookie cutter in the shape of a star or a heart to jazz up kiwi slices!

Bento Box Pizza Bites Recipe

Yield: 12

Pizza Muffins

Ingredients

1 and 1/4 cups of plain flour
2 teaspoons of baking powder
1/4 cup of vegetable oil
2 eggs
1/2 cup of milk
3 tablespoons of tomato puree
1/2 cup of cherry tomatoes
1/2 cup of cooked chicken
1/4 cup of grated mozzarella + extra for topping
1 teaspoon of dried basil
salt + pepper to taste

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Line a muffin tray with paper muffin liners.
Cut the cherry tomatoes into quarters and cut the cooked chicken in chunks. Set Aside.
In a mixing bowl, add the flour and baking powder. Mix.
Add the vegetable oil, eggs, milk and tomato puree to the bowl. Whisk until batter is smooth.
Add the cherry tomatoes, cooked chicken, grated mozzarella, dried basil, salt and pepper. Gently mix until combined.
Pour the mixture into the muffin liners.
Top with grated mozzarella.
Bake in the preheated oven for 25 min until the muffins are golden on top and a toothpick comes out clean.
ENJOY!

Notes

Store in an airtight container for 3-4 days. To freeze just place into freezer bags.

Tell me — what’s your favorite bento box add-on for kids?!

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PIN ME - Kid Friendly Pizza Muffins Recipe -- Perfect for bento box lunches

PIN ME - Pizza Muffins Recipe -- Perfect for bento box lunches

This Golden Milk Recipe is TikTok Famous

August 24, 2020 by Rachel 6 Comments

I need to admit something — I’m not big on following trends. I’m not even ON Tik Tok. But Food trends? Food trends are my jam. So when Golden Milk went Tik Tok Famous, I decided to hop on board an perfect this for myself. I tried a few different methods and this Golden Milk Recipe is TikTok Famous for a reason!

What is golden milk?

Golden milk is a traditional Indian drink made with warmed milk, turmeric, and other spices. It’s been said to help reduce inflammation, but also has other health benefits like boosting your immune system and helping to improve your mood!

Regardless of health benefits, this golden milk recipe is delicious. It reminds me of my favorite warm-milk teas. It’s smoothe, delicious, and spiced to perfection. You’ll find it to be the perfect combination of cozy, creamy, nutty, and rich.

What you’ll need

Even a novice cook will have almost all of these ingredients in the house. If you actually do not have turmeric, don’t fret. It can be found in any grocer’s spice aisle. We buy our turmeric from a small, local, middle eastern store; but you can truly find it anywhere. I also suggest using either almond milk or coconut milk in addition to the whole milk that the recipe calls for. It adds an extra layer of flavor.

And remember those cheesecloths you needed for my Instant Pot Dairy Free Yogurt Recipe? You’re going to need those for this recipe, too!

Golden Milk Recipe

Golden Milk

Prep Time 5 minutes

Cook Time 5 minutes

Total Time 10 minutes

Ingredients

½ cup coconut milk or almond milk
1 cup whole milk
1 teaspoon turmeric
1 tablespoon honey
1 whole stick of Cinnamon
½ teaspoon of whole Cloves
5 green cardamom seeds (approximately ½ teaspoon green cardamom seeds)
½ teaspoon whole peppercorn
approximately one 1” wedge of fresh ginger, peeled and sliced
cinnamon for garnish (optional)

Instructions

Add all ingredients into a small saucepan.
Whisk until combined, over medium-high heat.
Once combined, whisk occasionally, until heated. About 5 minutes.
Remove from heat, and strain over sieve or cheesecloth.
Top with grated cinnamon.

Once you try this recipe for yourself, you’ll quickly understand WHY a Golden Milk Recipe is Tik Tok Famous! It’s obviously beautiful, but it’s also SO good!

Tell me — have you tried this Golden Milk craze yet?!

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Delicious Air Fryer Salsa Verde Recipe

August 17, 2020 by Rachel 18 Comments

It’s official tomato season! All over social media I’m seeing photos of friends reaping their harvest of tomatoes, tomatillos, squash, and zucchini! Our recent harvests have been very plentiful! So why not put some of these garden veggies to use with making a super easy and super delicious air fryer salsa verde recipe!

What you’ll need

I know that air fryers have recently soared in popularity, but it doesn’t have to be a standalone appliance. In fact, I despise standalone kitchen appliances. They take up so much space! If you’re in the market for an air fryer please consider getting the Breville Convection and Air Fryer (it’s currently on sale right now!). We had an older version of this Breville Convection Toaster Oven, and when it came time to replace it, we went with this exact model. I know, I know… it’s not the most inexpensive option out there. But we get daily use out of it. More than a few times a day, in fact!

But you’ll also need tomatillos! Tomatillos, or husk tomatoes, can be grown across North America. So if you’re looking for something to grow in next years backyard garden, look no further! You’ll likely be able to find tomatillo seeds in your local garden store, but if not be sure to check a website like Seeds Now! Hurry! It’s time to start planning next year’s garden, now!

But why air fry?

Air frying is such a good alternative to traditional frying. It’s a way healthier option! Air frying doesn’t use any oil, so no need to worry about unneeded cholesterol spikes!

And why this recipe?

Because it is SIMPLE and delicious! And who doesn’t like those two things!? Besides a pound of tomatillos, it calls for a jalapeno, half of a white onion, a teeny pinch of salt, and cilantro (if that’s your jam — PS. it IS my jam!). How easy is that, right?! I am basically obsessed.

The Air Fryer Salsa Verde Recipe

Yield: 16 ounces

Air Fryer Salsa Verde

Ingredients

1 lb. tomatillos, peeled and rinsed
1 large jalapeno (or 2 serranos for spicier salsa)
½ small white onion
salt to taste
cilantro, handful
water (optional)

Instructions

Place the tomatillos and onion into the air fryer basket, depending on the size of your air fryer you may need to do this in batches. Close the machine and set temperature to 390F for 5 minutes.
Carefully open the air fryer and very gently remove the tomatillos, place them on a small bowl. If the jalapeno has also softened and browned a bit remove it from the air fryer as well.
Leave the onion in the air fryer but flip it over. Set temperature to 390F and time to 3 minutes. Once time is up check on the onion, it should be softened and a bit browned on the edges.
Allow the ingredients to cool before placing them in a Vitamix or blender. Add the salt and the cilantro on top. Any liquid that was released by the tomatillos while they cooled should also be added.
Blend until you have a smooth salsa. If desired, add water to thin it down some more. Taste for salt and add as needed!
ENJOY!

Easy peasy, am I right?! Just pair with your favorite tortilla chip and you’re DONE! Tell me — what’s your favorite way to use an air fryer?

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The Bratsgiving Polish Boy : A Cleveland Twist

August 12, 2020 by Rachel 25 Comments

As a foodie, I’m always on the lookout for the daily ‘national food holiday’. It’s a fun and exciting way to switch up meals and meal plan. So I was excited to see that this month we are celebrating National Bratwurst Day (or, as we call it, Johnsonville Bratsgiving) on August 16th. I grew up in the Midwest. And, here in Ohio, we LOVE a sandwich called the Polish Boy. A traditional Polish Boy is made up of kielbasa, topped with french fries, cole slaw, and barbecue sauce, in the middle of a hoagie roll. So why not put a Cleveland twist on Bratsgiving with the Bratsgiving Polish Boy?

Well that’s exactly what I did.

Why Johnsonville Brats?

I personally love the flavor of Johnsonville Bratwurst. The Beer Brats and Original Brats are staples in our house. They don’t take long to grill (or cook on the stovetop) and our whole family will eat them up!

Why the Cleveland twist?

Cleveland is a foodie haven. What was once a rundown city in the rustbelt has turned into a bustling foodie travel destination. We have world renowned chefs, like Michael Symon and Dante Boccuzzi. But we also have critically acclaimed restaurants all over the place. It’s truly an incredible place to live. So why not “Cleveland”-up the Bratwurst?!

What makes it a “Polish Boy”?

A traditional polish boy is on a hoagie bun and topped with coleslaw, french fries, and barbecue sauce. The french fries are a DEAD giveaway to this Cleveland twist. And, in this case, I ended up using both traditional coleslaw and a beet-sauerkraut.

I opted for fresh cut fries, using this knife. While it does make it slightly more labor intensive, it makes the Polish Boys 100x more delicious. My kids, however, are ‘weird’ about crinkle cut fries — so I sliced some string thing fries for them.

How to make your own Cleveland Bratsgiving Polish Boy Sandwich

Yield: 5

Cleveland Bratsgiving Polish Boy Sandwich

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 45 minutes

Total Time 1 hour 5 minutes

Ingredients

1 (5-count) package of Johnsonville Bratwurst
5 large yukon gold potatoes
Cleveland Kraut, Gnar Gnar or Beet Red
5 hoagie rolls
Coleslaw
2 tablespoons of olive oil

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Clean potatoes well. Using the crinkle cut knife, cut 5 large potatoes into fries.
Line a baking sheet with the cut french fries. Drizzle olive oil and sprinkle salt on potatoes. Bake for 45 minutes.
Prepare Johnsonville Brats according to the package instructions.
Once Johnsonville Bratwursts are cooked thoroughly, remove and place in hoagie rolls.
Remove baked fries from oven. Add on top of bratwurst.
Add your choice of slaw or sauerkraut.
ENJOY!

Vote for your favorite Midwest Cities #Bratsgiving Creation!

Here’s what I need you to do. Head to the Johnsonville website and choose which Midwest city has the best Bratsgiving recipe creation. Vote for your favorite chef-inspired recipe and Johnsonville will donate $5,000 to the winning chef’s charity of choice. How great is that?! I love when a company gives back!

Tell me — What’s your favorite type of Johnsonville Brat!?

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Bento Box Sweet Potato + Salmon Bites

August 5, 2020 by Rachel 27 Comments

Yesterday I shared our plan to transition to homeschooling. It’s been a difficult year on everyone. Despite the challenges, I’m doing my best to make our transition to back-to-school (no matter what it looks like) consistent. One thing I know for sure is that kids love creative back-to-school lunchbox ideas. I, for one, still plan on making creative and fun lunches for my kids. Because, guess what? The more creative I get with lunches, the more my kids want to eat it! If you find yourself thinking that your kid would never eat bento box sweet potato salmon bites, let me tell you — even the pickiest of eaters will eat something when it’s pretty!

The Power of Snack Trays

Kids aren’t the only ones who are intrigued by bento box lunches. I mean, I could basically live on charcuterie boards and that’s practically the same thing. But why keep buying those Lunchables week after week when, with a tiny bit of prep, you can make your own!

I bought a few Bento Boxes off of Amazon so that I can prep a few days worth of meals at a time. And then I bought a few extra from the Target Dollar Spot so that I could duplicate these fun lunches for the little ones. Seriously, if you haven’t tried feeding your kids from a bento box or a muffin tin, TRY it. They, miraculously, will eat whatever is in there!

Sweet Potato + Salmon Bites!

In a house full of picky kids, we’re always trying to sneak foods in that are nutrient-rich. The good news is that they will never know that these Bento Box Sweet Potato Salmon Bites are full of the good stuff. They taste just that good!

The Recipe

Yield: 12 bites

Kids Bento Box - Sweet Potato + Salmon Bites

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 23 minutes

Total Time 33 minutes

Ingredients

7 oz fresh salmon fillets
3.5 oz sweet potato
1 small onion
1/8 cup of ground almonds
1 tablespoon of lemon juice
salt + pepper to taste
olive oil

Instructions

Peel the sweet potato and chop into large chunks. Microwave* or steam until soft and mashable. Let cool.
Preheat the oven to 375°F.
Dice the onion.
Chop salmon fillets into chunks.
In the Vitamix or food processor, add all the ingredients except olive oil.
Blitz until everything is broken up and comes together. Don’t overblend, you still have some chunks.
Lay out a parchment paper onto an oven tray. Wet your hands. Shape the mixture into balls (about 1.5 inches in size)
Spray with olive oil.
Cook for 20 minutes.
ENJOY!

Notes

Notes on microwaving sweet potato: Place sweet potato chunks in a microwave-safe bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Poke 3-4 holes and microwave on high for 3 minutes, checking after 3 minutes to see if it is tender. If it's not, microwave in 30-second increments until it is.

Bites can be eaten hot or cold!

easy recipes

Why the Instant Pot

What you’ll need for Instant Pot Mexican Casserole

Instant Pot Mexican Casserole Recipe

Ingredients

Instructions

Tell me — what’s your favorite weeknight recipe?

Pin for later:

Why a bento box?

What you’ll need for this recipe

The Bento Box “extras”

Bento Box Pizza Bites Recipe

Ingredients

Instructions

Notes

Tell me — what’s your favorite bento box add-on for kids?!

PIN FOR LATER

What is golden milk?

What you’ll need

Golden Milk Recipe

Ingredients

Instructions

Tell me — have you tried this Golden Milk craze yet?!

PIN FOR LATER

What you’ll need

But why air fry?

And why this recipe?

The Air Fryer Salsa Verde Recipe

Ingredients

Instructions

PIN FOR LATER

Why Johnsonville Brats?

Why the Cleveland twist?

What makes it a “Polish Boy”?

How to make your own Cleveland Bratsgiving Polish Boy Sandwich

Ingredients

Instructions

Vote for your favorite Midwest Cities #Bratsgiving Creation!

Tell me — What’s your favorite type of Johnsonville Brat!?

Pin for later

The Power of Snack Trays

Sweet Potato + Salmon Bites!

The Recipe

Ingredients

Instructions

Notes

So tell me — what tricks are you planning on using for lunches this school year?

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