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cooking

Food Safety Tips For All Cooks

May 20, 2021 by Rachel 16 Comments

When my husband and I started dating nearly 13 years ago, I was blown away by what a pro he was in the kitchen. I had spent many of my post-college years making easy meals from my freezer. Admittedly, it was well after we got married that I even decided to give cooking a shot. On my first go at trying a new recipe, I posted a photo to Instagram. Immediately I received a comment about cross-contamination. I had no idea the mistakes I was making. Even now, as a much better cook, I need to remember certain safety items, which is why I’ve decided to put together food safety tips for all cooks!

Food Safety Tips For All Cooks

Basic Food Safety

Part of the reason I was always so nervous about cooking was because I didn’t trust myself cooking meat. Like many people, I was worried about undercooking it and getting food poisoning. So I would spend every night trying to figure out if my food was done enough before overcooking it.

Finally, after several years of ‘not getting it quite right,’ I started using a meat thermometer. It has been a lifesaver. I no longer question whether or not the chicken, beef, or pork is cooked safely. Because I know it is! I honestly wish I had started using a cooking thermometer sooner.

Giving Food Safety a Boost

Now, as a more experienced cook, I still struggle. But in different ways. One of my major issues when prepping a meal for my family is that I am distracted. Moreso, I know many moms are distracted during dinner prep. They’ll lose track in a recipe or forget if they added salt. But what if we forget about whether that cutting board would cross-contaminate?!

Food Safety Tips For All Cooks

The new Dixie Ultra™ Cutting Boards available at Walmart (in the foil aisle) help reduce the spread of germs by mitigating that risk. Simply prep, cut & toss! Basically, just toss away the germs when you’re finished.

Make Food Safety for everyone

I grew up with a mom that made a homemade dinner 6 out of 7 nights a week. But, I admit — I wasn’t present much during dinner prep times. So, one of the ways I’m taking food safety seriously is by educating my children in the kitchen.

Food Safety Tips For All Cooks

Teaching them to use a knife, cut veggies, and even grow their own food is important. But what good are these skills if they aren’t familiar with safe food handling? Getting them involved from a young age and talking about why we’re doing the things we are is educating in action.

Dixie Ultra™ Cutting Boards are especially perfect for Summer. When prepping for a cookout (like we recently did with extended family), they are my go-to. Dixie Ultra Cutting Boards helps eliminate the spread of germs between my sister’s fruit salad and prepping my pork recipe for the grill. That way, you’ll have a clean, fresh surface each time.

These tips are the easiest way to remove the worry of whether or not I could be creating a foodborne illness. Instead, I’m confident and able to stay focused on feeding the whole family.

PIN FOR LATER

Filed Under: #MomLife, brews + food, cooking, Home Safety Tips Tagged With: brews + food, cooking, home safety tips

Summertime Rainbow Garden Veggie Pizza

July 27, 2020 by Rachel 25 Comments

This was our first year trying to grow our own vegetables in our backyard garden. We have quite a bit of space, but decided to start small with just two raised garden beds. I went a bit crazy with seeds, thinking very few would take. But I was really wrong and now we have an abundance of veggies! What’s a mom to do with all the veggies?! Make the perfect Summertime Rainbow Garden Veggie Pizza, of course!

rainbow veggie pizza

This is one of those recipes that the kids can be really involved in. In fact, my kids have been super involved in the whole gardening process! They helped me plant the seeds and starters and they help me water every day. You should have seen the reactions they all gave to our first teeny veggie!

I figured that this would be our summer “lesson” in unschooling. And thus far, it has worked! My oldest (almost 8), has had so many questions about how and why plants grow. I do my best to communicate the science behind it, but truthfully, YouTube has been much better at it!

rainbow garden veggie pizza

Rainbow Garden Veggie Pizza

This pizza is as easy as it gets. Instead of traditional pizza dough, I opted for something easier — and perhaps even tastier — pita bread! Another great alternatives to traditional pizza crust would be naan.

As far as veggies are concerned, we used most of the items we could find in our garden. Yellow and red bell peppers, cucumbers, cauliflower, carrots, broccoli, and tomatoes! As far as veggies are concerned, the possibilities are endless!

rainbow garden veggie pizza

The pita bread (or naan) is just the perfect size for kids. They can put on whichever veggies they want, and leave off what they don’t! My middle daughter, for one, wanted her rainbow veggie pizza to consist of nothing but cucumbers and broccoli! No arguments from me, that’s for sure.

RAINBOW GARDEN VEGGIE PIZZA

Getting the kids involved in the process just increases the odds of them actually eating it. So my advice to you would be this: clean and cut the veggies and place them in separate containers. Ahead of time, mix the cream cheese mixture together. Set out the pita or naan on individual plates. And let them go for it! The worst thing that could happen is that they eat even more veggies!

Rainbow Veggie Pizza

Rainbow Veggie Pizza

Ingredients

  • 1 cup sliced cucumbers
  • 1/2 cup cauliflower
  • 1/2 cup broccoli
  • 1/4 cup sliced rainbow carrots
  • 1/2 cup cherry tomatoes (halved)
  • 1/2 cup of red / yellow bell peppers (cut into chunks)
  • 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
  • 4 ounces of cream cheese
  • 1/2 cup Greek yogurt
  • 1 Tablespoon lemon juice
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp pepper
  • 4 pieces of pita bread (or naan)

Instructions

    1. Wash and cut vegetables
    2. Using a 9x13 pan, add pita bread to cover the bottom of the pan.
    3. In a bowl, mix softened cream cheese, lemon juice, Greek yogurt, and
      salt and pepper together well.
    4. Spread mixture onto pita bread
    5. Evenly spread vegetables and cheese atop pita
    6. Enjoy!
© Rachel

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PIN ME - Kid Friendly Rainbow Garden Veggie Pizza
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PIN ME - How To Make Rainbow Veggie Pizza

Filed Under: children, cooking, easy recipes, parenthood, recipe, recipes, summer, Summer Bucket List Tagged With: children, cooking, easy recipes, parenthood, recipes, summer, Summer Bucket List

The Perfect Summertime Grilled S’mores Recipe

June 20, 2020 by Rachel 34 Comments

With Summer plans in limbo for everyone, we’re all scrambling to find fun things to keep our families busy. What better time to get creative with Summer recipes, am I right?

All three of my kids are in this really picky ‘grilled cheese’ phase. You know the kind of phase. It’s where literally all they will eat is plain old grilled cheese and nothing else.

GRILLED S'MORES SANDWICH

The funny thing about kids is that no matter how much they refuse real food, they will never ever turn down sweets. To tell you the truth, neither will I! I mean, we all love sweets, am I right?!

GRILLED S'MORES SANDWICH

The great thing about ‘Summer recipes’ is that it doesn’t have to be Summer to create them. As much as we would like to be around the campfire, life doesn’t always work out that way. In fact, on the best of days a good backyard campfire can quickly be ruined by a quick rainstorm or a fussy toddler. So, why not bring the backyard favorite indoors?

GRILLED S'MORES SANDWICH

For instance, a fun family favorite is S’mores. Everyone loves s’mores, right? Even I, someone who doesn’t really like chocolate, LOVES a good s’more. Truthfully, I prefer a non-traditional s’more with chocolate caramels instead of a chocolate bar. But a s’more is a s’more!

Tips for getting your s’more on indoors!

My first tip is this — don’t eat the chocolate (or the marshmallows!) before you start your s’mores! This is the most important and most difficult task!

My second tip is to use real butter. Margarine just doesn’t fry up and crisp the bread the way that real butter does! And I prefer salted butter — it just gives it a little salty-sweet flavor combo that is extra delicious!

Yield: 1

Grilled S'mores

GRILLED S'MORES SANDWICH

Have this decadent and RICH Summer recipe year-round!

Cook Time 7 minutes
Total Time 7 minutes

Ingredients

  • 2 slices of white bread
  • 1/4 cup of mini marshmallows
  • 1/4 cup of chocolate (dark or milk)
  • tablespoon of butter

Instructions

    1. Butter one side of each piece of bread with real butter (works better than margarine).
    2. Place 1 slice of bread onto a frying pan
    3. Set the heat to low (electric level 1 or 2). The process is slow and steady!
    4. Place chocolate chips and marshmallows on top of the slice of bread and top with second piece of bread (butter side up).
    5. Cover with lid to frying pan until chocolate starts to melt.
    6. Flip over once chocolate is melted. Fry other side until it is toasted (lid off).

Notes

This is completely addictive. I am warning you! Also, feel free to try with peanut butter cups or your favorite chocolate (like peppermint patties or ROLOs!).

As you can see, this recipe is simple and easy. I wish I could say it was also healthy, but it most definitely is NOT!

So tell me — what is your favorite chocolate for s’mores — milk or dark?

PIN ME - Perfect Indoor S'mores Recipe
PIN ME - Perfect Indoor S'mores Recipe

Filed Under: #MomLife, baking, brews + food, busy mom, camping, children, cooking, desserts, domesticity, easy recipes, family, food, Intermittent Fasting, mommyhood, parenthood, pinterest, recipe, recipes, Summer Bucket List, vacation Tagged With: baking, brews + food, children, comfort food, cooking, desserts, easy recipes, food, Intermittent Fasting, mommyhood, parenthood, pinterest, recipes, Summer Bucket List, vacation

Easy Memorial Day Cherry Pie Bites

May 22, 2020 by Rachel 35 Comments

When it came time for a Mother’s Day celebration I had ONE request — cherry pie! It turns out that bakeries are hard to come by when you’re in lockdown. We couldn’t find one anywhere! And I had very few items on-hand.

But I did have cinnamon rolls! Queue the cherry pie baking!

I remembered seeing somewhere that someone had made pies using a can of cinnamon rolls. I thought, sure, why not? It’s basically combining two of my favorite foods — pie and cinnamon rolls. What a delicious combination, right?!

mini pies

Cinnamon rolls are just something we always have on hand with three kids under 7. They are our special ‘weekend breakfast’ treat. It’s easier than going out for donuts, and all three kids gobble them up! And these were no exception!

muffin tin

With all of the bakeries running a minimal staff this weekend, I figured this is another great opportunity to try this recipe! I tried ordering an apple pie from my favorite local bakery, but they were sold out of pre-orders. So Cherry Pie Cinnamon Roll Bites it is!

cherry pie

Check out the full recipe for all of the details.

Yield: 8

Cherry Pie Cinnamon Roll Bites

mini pies

Quick + Easy Bite-Sized Cherry Pie

Prep Time 8 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 23 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 can of refrigerated cinnamon rolls
  • Cherry Pie Filling

Instructions

  1. Spray a regular-sized muffin tin with your choice of oil (avocado, vegetable, coconut).
  2. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
  3. Open can of refrigerated cinnamon roll dough. Take each individual roll, and flatten it out with the palm of your hand.
  4. Press into muffin tin.
    muffin tin
  5. Add one tablespoon of cherry pie filling to each of the 8 cinnamon roll cups.
  6. Bake for 15 minutes or until cooked through.
  7. Once cool, drizzle icing from cinnamon rolls on top of cherry pies.
  8. ENJOY!

And tell me — what’s your go-to “in a pinch” recipe?!

PIN ME - Cherry Pie Cinnamon Roll Bites

Filed Under: baking, brews + food, busy mom, cooking, desserts, easy recipes, food, party, recipe, recipes Tagged With: baking, brews + food, busy mom, cooking, desserts, easy recipes, food, foodie, party, recipes

Prepping for Company with Big Lots — Tips + Tricks

October 14, 2019 by Rachel 50 Comments

Oh, hi, October! And hellooooo, Fall! In our house, this season is very exciting because it’s the start of all things fun. This also means that it’s the start of all things busy. Am I right?!

Personally, I try to prep for the upcoming holidays as much as possible now so that I have less to do later. At crunch time — you know, just before company is coming over — I don’t want to be worrying about things that could have been taken care of.

Lucky for me, this year we’re starting with a blank slate. When we moved into our forever home last year, it was a week before Christmas. I threw the tree up and that was that. So this year I’m excited to decorate on our (literally) blank walls.

Here’s how I’m prepping for the holidays now.

A blank slate doesn’t have to mean spending a ton of money. I’ve turned to Big Lots to get all of our holiday dining, decor, and baking goods without breaking the bank!

The Perfect Holiday Tablescape

I chose a neutral setting that allows me to easily use the same table settings for both Thanksgiving and Christmas (and every little party in between). The chargers, plates, and table runner were all super affordable and incredibly on-trend.

plates and chargers with welcome sign
plate and charger with wine decanter

Food Prep Essentials

As I mentioned earlier, I try to make as much food ahead of time as possible. Big Lots has all of the items I need to make my favorite cookies, breads, and bars. They carry all of my favorite baking mixes and other staples like sugar, flour, and vanilla extract so I can make big batches and freeze them. Pro-tip: Wrap the loaves and cookies in plastic before putting them into freezer bags!

Food Prep mixer

The day before hosting, I’ll take my baked goods out of the freezer and put them into these adorable takeaway containers for my guests. That way no one leaves empty-handed!

I can’t wait to host friends and family this Thanksgiving and Christmas.

Setting The Bar

There’s so much merriment surrounding the holidays that I want every person that steps into our home to be welcome to celebrate. Part of my hosting-prep includes setting the bar. I want all things cocktail-related to be ready for guests because no one wants to have to run out last minute for sugar or garnish!

Big Lots has everything I need to have a fantastic array of beverage and cocktail options — and the barware to serve them in!

Champagne flutes and coffee maker

Whatever you do, don’t wait! Get that holiday prepping done now so that you can enjoy these moments with your loved ones later.

Tell me — what is your best way to prepare for having company?

the perfect holiday tablescape

Filed Under: brews + food, cooking, deals, drinks, holiday gift guide, home decor, money saving tips, tips + tricks Tagged With: cooking, deals, desserts, holiday gift guide, holidays, home decor, money saving tips, tips + tricks

Instant Pot Pulled Chicken Tacos

January 18, 2019 by Rachel 12 Comments

Something I’ve wanted to do desperately over the last 4 years is to feel more comfortable cooking meals for my family. Thankfully, over the last year, I’ve gotten a lot more confidence when it comes to trying and creating new meals — in large part due to my beloved Instant Pot!

One of our absolute favorites right now is this Pulled Chicken Taco recipe. We use fresh tortillas (these are our favorites), garnished with sliced avocados, chopped cilantro, sour cream, and the sharpest shredded cheddar I can find!

I played around quite a bit with the salsa variations (less, more, and different flavors), but this seems to be spot on! Additionally, this is the type of meal where if you want to make it ahead and then throw it in the refrigerator for the next day, the chicken will just continue to soak up those delicious juices!

I hope you enjoy! Please tell me what you think!

[gmc_recipe 13755]

 

 

Filed Under: brews + food, busy mom, cooking, Instant Pot Recipes, pictures, recipe Tagged With: brews + food, busy mom, cooking, Instant Pot Recipes, pictures, recipes

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