Name: Instant Pot Copycat Panera Mac and Cheese
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 4 min
Total time: 19 min
Ingredients: 1 pound Pasta Shells; 1 1/2 teaspoons salt; 4 tablespoons margarine; 8 ounces White Cheddar Cheese, shredded; 6 slices White American Cheese; 1 cup Milk; Black Pepper, optional

Instant Pot Copycat Panera Mac and Cheese

September 7, 2020 by Rachel 23 Comments

Busy weeknights are back. And that means I have even less time to make dinner for our family of 5. One of my favorite ways to save time on meals is by using my Instant Pot. And, by far, one of my families favorite weeknight meals is this Instant Pot Copycat Panera Mac and Cheese!

Instant Pot Copycat Panera Mac and Cheese

Panera Mac and Cheese is one of my families favorite guilty pleasures. But, guess what? It’s crazy expensive! I mean, for the serving size, it just seems ridiculous to pay $8 or $9 for a large macaroni and cheese when you can make 4-6 servings of the same thing for a fraction of the cost.

What you’ll need

The recipe itself is so crazy easy. And it takes very few ingredients.

16 ounces (or one pound) of pasta shells
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
4 tablespoons margarine
8 ounces White Cheddar Cheese, shredded
6 slices White American Cheese
1 cup Milk
Black Pepper, optional

We use the big pasta shells because my kids know that those are the kind that Panera uses. And sometimes I have to ‘trick’ my kids into eating. And whatever works, right?

The process

If you are new to pressure cooking, this is a great recipe to start your Instant Pot journey off with. Instant Pot meals are oftentimes dump-and-start. This one is dump-and-start until the end. After the noodles are cooked is when you mix in the cheese. And then — bam! — done!

The prep time is listed as 4 minutes, but it truly shouldn’t take you that long. You’ll start by adding the pasta, butter, and salt to your Instant Pot. Add 4 cups of water, and then give a good stir making sure each noodle has been mixed with the water.

Close the lid on the Instant Pot, and turn the valve to sealed. Choose High Pressure and adjust the timer for 4 minutes. It will take about 10 minutes for your Instant Pot to come to pressure (hence the ‘extra time’ in the recipe). Once the time is up, manually release by pulling the valve to you and opening it. Be sure to open using a towel, hot pad, or long wooden spoon.

You’ll want to remove some of the water from the pot. No need to make sure all is gone, just a bit. Then just add in the shredded cheese, slices cheese, and milk to the noodles. Mix until fully melted and incorporated. That’s it!

The Recipe

Instant Pot Copycat Panera Mac and Cheese

Prep Time 5 minutes

Cook Time 4 minutes

Additional Time 10 minutes

Total Time 19 minutes

Ingredients

1 pound Pasta Shells
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
4 tablespoons margarine
8 ounces White Cheddar Cheese, shredded
6 slices White American Cheese
1 cup Milk
Black Pepper, optional

Instructions

Add to your Instant Pot pasta, butter, and salt. Add 4 cups of water, and then give a good stir making sure each noodle has been mixed with the water.
Close the lid on the Instant Pot, and turn the valve to sealed.
Choose High Pressure for 4 minutes. It will take about 10 minutes for your IP to come to pressure.
Once the time is up, manually release by pulling the valve to you and opening it. Make sure to open using a towel or hot pad.
Remove some of the water from the pot. No need to make sure all is gone, just a bit.
Add in the shredded cheese, slices cheese, and milk to the noodles. Mix until fully incorporated.
Serve in bowls, and enjoy!

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Keto Sauteed Kale Prosciutto and Fried Egg Recipe

September 3, 2020 by Rachel 20 Comments

It’s been quite a week over here. We were thrust into a new routine and I thought for half of a second that I had a grasp on it. I was very wrong. And my whole mood has just been ‘off.’ I need a major reset of attitude, mentality, and health. And what better way to do so than trying out a new Keto Sauteed Kale, Prosciutto, and Fried Egg Recipe!

Keto Sauteed Kale Prosciutto and Fried Egg

I’m not doing a keto diet, but I am still doing intermittent fasting. In truth, this pandemic has not been helpful to that lifestyle. I’ve been eating a lot of processed foods. And I know I’m not alone. I’m aware that most of us have been struggling with stress and anxiety throughout recent months. So why not do a little reset, whether it be physical, mental, emotional, or all of the above?

Intermittent Fasting and Meals

I’ve talked about my decision to try intermittent fasting a little bit here. But, again, I definitely got ‘off track’ in recent months. But now that I’m ‘resetting’ I will be back to a 20/4 cycle. Basically, that means I fast for 20 hours and keep my ‘eating window’ open for approximately four hours a day.

It’s really important to end your fast with something that will fuel your body. And that’s why this keto sauteed kale, prosciutto and fried egg recipe is so perfect. It balances out the need for protein and leafy greens, but it’s also so delicious (which I can tell you after a fast, you want something yummy).

“Are you eating for 4 hours straight?”

I am absolutely not eating for four hours straight. But if I’m hungry again in that four hour window, I will have another meal or snack. If I make this particular recipe to break my fast, I will likely eat again nearing the end of the four hour mark. Like I’ve said, it’s a great meal to break my fast with, but it’s not so heavy that I can’t eat again.

What you’ll need for this recipe

This recipe is honestly super easy. I grabbed some prosciutto at Trader Joe’s, but it can be found anywhere. You’ll definitely need a couple of eggs, fresh kale, and olive oil. That’s it!

Keto-friendly Sauteed Kale, Prosciutto, and Fried Egg Recipe

Sauteed Kale, Prosciutto, and fried egg

Ingredients

2 tablespoons of olive oil
6 cups of chopped kale
4 ounces of chopped prosciutto
2 eggs

Instructions

recipe ingredients

Heat 1 tablespoon of oil over medium heat and add prosciutto.
Saute prosciutto until edges turn brown, and it starts to get crispy.
Add kale and saute with prosciutto, for about 2 minutes.
Remove from saute and put into a separate plate.
Heat 1 tablespoon of oil over medium heat, and add eggs.
Fry eggs to desired doneness, then place on top of kale and prosciutto.

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Easy and Delicious Instant Pot Mexican Casserole Recipe

August 31, 2020 by Rachel 32 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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9 Fun Things To Do With Your Kids at Home

August 30, 2020 by Rachel 12 Comments

Whether by choice or by circumstance, staying at home with our kids is something that we’ve all been tasked with lately! At the beginning of this pandemic, I felt excited to finally get a chance to slow down and just ‘be’ with my kids. But two weeks turned into 6 months and we’re all getting a little tired of the humdrum of staying at home. If you’re out of ideas and need a refresh, I’ve got the perfect list for you! Here are 9 fun things to do with your kids at home!

Take a Virtual Museum Tour

Just because you’re stuck at home doesn’t mean you can’t experience art and culture! Services like Google Arts and Culture offer virtual museum tours! Your kids can enjoy artwork from all over the world in the comfort of your home. How cool is that?!

Try a card game!

A simple deck of cards can offer so much of happy hour spending with time is remarkable. There are nearly 40 different card games that can be played at home. A light and casual game of UNO or go-fish is a great way to keep busy, learn, and have fun!

Read a new book.

If your family is anything like mine, then you might find yourself with several bookshelves full of kids books. Sitting down to actually read eacho f them? That’s another story. Each day ask each of your kids to pick out a short story to read. Then pile up and got through each book in a cozy corner or on the couch. Their imaginations will lead them to incredible places! If you prefer, there options for digital downloads from your library or on the Kindle store!

Have a Lego building contest

LEGO is, by far, one of the top building games for kids. We have thousands of LEGOs on hand from our seven-year-old. But the great thing about LEGOs is that kids (and grownups!) of all ages can enjoy them.

For this, pick a theme — like, “house,” “car,” or “airplane.” And set a timer. Everyone builds their own version of the theme and at the end you vote on who’s is the best!

Do a puzzle

Puzzles are extremely useful for growing your kid’s mental health. This indoor fun activity offers a great way of learning and engaging. Plus, doing puzzles together will undoubtedly build problem solving and logic skills!

If you’re looking for a fun puzzle, I recommend heading to Puzzle Huddle. This business is minority owned and focused on including diversity in their puzzles. My son is obsessed with their “future engineer” puzzle.

Put together a dessert board

When we’re all stuck at home 24/7, meals can get boring. Whether you still have Summer weather or dipping into cooler temperatures, a s’mores board is always a good option. We put together a s’mores board with traditional offerings like graham crackers and marshmallows. But it also includes rolos, peanut butter cups, oreos, ritz crackers, and even strawberries! Everyone gets an option with indoor s’mores!

If you can’t make it outdoors for your s’mores, try wrapping them in foil and sticking them in the oven! The kids will still have a blast and will remember these moments forever.

Paint with your kids

Painting is so fun for everyone! Creating amazing art using vibrant colors is an awesome way to spend time with your kids. You can even try out some marshmallows, popcorns or slices of bread to try out food painting activities at home. Check out these edible food paints for more ideas!

Make some homemade Play Dough

I used to be the kind of mom that was anti-play dough. It just seemed messy. And my naivete as a new mom meant that I hated the colors mixing. But I learned, fast, that you should throw your cares out the window! And always buy Play Dough when it’s on sale.

So if you already have some, great! Everyone play together. But if you don’t, this is the perfect time to try making it yourself. Make bright colors, add in some sensory items, and play the day away. If you need a good homemade Play Dough recipe, head here.

Try a science experiment

Home-based science experiments like glitter slime and exploding volcanoes are so fun. But there are also loads of other experiments where you can try out of homemade supplies. Just hop on YouTube for hundreds of videos to try out kid-friendly science projects. What a great way to have fun with your kids while getting some STEM learning in, right?!

Tell me — what’s your favorite thing to do with your kids at home?!

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Delicious Bento Box Pizza Muffins Recipe

August 27, 2020 by Rachel 23 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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Five Ways to Ease Your Kids Into a School Routine

August 25, 2020 by Rachel 17 Comments

The transition from summer to school is tough! It will be especially hard this year since we’ve been in this strange “stay at home” summer mode for so many months. To help with the transition, I’ve developed a list of five ways to ease your kids into a school routine.

Five Ways to Ease Your Kids Into a School Routine

Do Your School Supply Shopping Early

There is nothing worse than panic buying school supplies the day before school starts. The stores are packed, the supplies are picked over and the emotions are high. Trust me, you do not want to spend your final moments of summer with your kids in the school supply aisle the night before school starts. Shop for your school supplies early. It will help your kids start thinking about the upcoming year.

Get Back into a Routine

Remember that bedtime routine that your kids had when school was in session? Yeah, it is time to bring that back. Make sure you start their normal bedtime routine at least a couple of weeks before school starts. You will also want to make sure you are setting an alarm in the morning. If your kids are like mine, their bedtime has gotten increasingly late all summer. I plan to gradually make them go to bed 15 minutes earlier than normal every few nights until they are back on their normal school routine. This will make the first week of school less jarring.

Make Your Kids Get Dressed

My kids would stay in their PJs all day if I would let them, and honestly some days I do – it is summer after all. However, it is time for a reality check. After their alarm goes off, have your kids get dressed, brush their teeth, and eat breakfast. It will make that first week so much smoother if they’ve already established this rhythm.

Do a Practice Run

A few days before school actually starts, do a practice run. Have your kids go to sleep the night before at the normal school night bedtime and set their alarm like it is an actual school day. Practice how you as a family will get out the door that morning. If you have a younger kid, you might be pleasantly surprised to see that they do not need as much help from you in the morning. See how long it takes to actually get out of the house and to school. This will help both you and your kids feel more prepared for the first day of school, especially if your kids are going to a new school.

Talk to Your Kids

Going back to school is stressful for both kids and parents. Make sure you talk to your kids and see if they have any concerns. Ask them what they thought went well last year and how you all can improve your school routine as a family.

With a little planning and preparation, you can ease your kids into a school routine that will make the transition painless!