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Easy Slow-Cooker Meals for Busy Weeknights

December 8, 2015 by

If you can never seem to find the time to prepare a full meal for your weeknight dinners, the slow cooker may be the answer to all of your mealtime woes. Here are a few easy slow-cooker meals perfect for your next busy weeknight.

Spicy Turkey Lasagna [bhg.com]
Lasagna in the slow-cooker? Yep, it’s possible! This recipe takes just 20 minutes to prep the meat, noodles, and veggies, and since it takes just under four hours to cook, it’s a quicker alternative to the usual day-long slow-cooker meals.

Slow Cooker Chicken and Dumplings [allrecipes.com]
If you’re craving something hearty and comforting, these slow-cooker chicken and dumplings taste just as good as the kind your grandma used to make—but likely with half the effort. Use canned soup and packaged biscuit dough to save even more time.

Vegetarian Pinto Bean Sloppy Joes [eatingwell.com]
While many slow-cooker recipes contain meat, this veggie-filled version of the classic sloppy Joe is perfect for vegetarians. Instead of the usual ground beef, you’ll use pinto beans, zucchini, and corn in a sauce that’s equal parts tangy, smoky and perfect for a chilly autumn evening.

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Fast and Easy Dinner Recipes Everyone Can Master

November 10, 2015 by

So you’re not exactly a whiz in the kitchen? Not to worry! You can still create healthy, delicious dinners in no time flat by following these simple recipes.

Slow-Cooker Vegetarian Chili With Sweet Potatoes [realsimple.com]
Whether you’re a vegetarian or not, everyone will love this simple and spicy chili containing one of the season’s most popular ingredients: sweet potatoes. Simply combine all of the essential ingredients and let them simmer for seven to eight hours in the slow cooker. By the time you get home from work, you’ll have a hot, tasty dinner waiting for you.

Potsie's Creamed Chicken and Biscuits Casserole [food.com]
There’s nothing more comforting than a plate of good old-fashioned Southern chicken and biscuits, and this casserole version is an easy way to make the homemade favorite. Simply combine refrigerated biscuits with chicken breasts, canned soup, and some common kitchen essentials to create a warm dinner that the whole family will love.

Skillet Chicken and Spring Vegetables [countryliving.com]
If you’re looking for a lighter, more nutritious dinner option, this one-skillet dish is the perfect choice. While the veggies are in season in the springtime, you can make this dish all year round.

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Did You Know You Can Cook These Recipes in the Microwave?

October 13, 2015 by

If you think that the microwave is only good for re-heating leftovers and preparing microwave dinners, think again. This common kitchen appliance is actually a great tool for preparing scratch-made dinners, desserts, and even breakfast dishes! These three recipes will show you how it's done.

The Moistest Chocolate Mug Cake [tablefortwoblog.com]
By combining a few simple baking ingredients in your morning coffee mug, you can create a one-serving dessert that’s perfect when you’re craving a sweet treat. Best of all, this simple cake takes just two minutes to make in the microwave.

1-minute Microwave Quiche in a Mug [fullthymestudent.com]
Quiche certainly isn’t the easiest breakfast to make, but with this simplified recipe it becomes a whole lot easier. Simply blend eggs with fresh veggies, herbs, and bread and cook it all in a mug — in just one minute, no less.

Lemon Shrimp with Rice [marthastewart.com]
Ingredients like Sauvignon Blanc wine, chopped, fresh herbs, and fresh shrimp combine to make a meal with more gourmet flair than your usual microwave dinner. Prepare the other ingredients while the rice cooks, and then pop the whole thing in the microwave for an additional two minutes before serving.

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Craving Cookies? Try These Shortbread Recipes Tonight!

August 11, 2015 by

With a simple, three-ingredient recipe and Scottish origins, shortbread cookies are an incredibly popular dessert. Today, there are a number of different ways to prepare this buttery, crumbly cookie, each providing a different take on the classic recipe. Here are three unique shortbread cookie recipes.

Super-Easy Shortbread [Food.com]
If you don’t have much time to bake or you simply want to create a more traditional style of shortbread, this is a great recipe to try. It uses the standard ingredients of butter, sugar, and flour, and the golden color around the edges makes each cookie taste perfectly browned.

Shortbread Cookies Recipe & Video [Joy of Baking]
If you’re a more visual learner, this video recipe will show you exactly how to prepare rich shortbread cookies for your friends and family. It also includes a chocolate dipped version that teaches you how to create a semisweet chocolate coating on one half of the cookie.

Great-Aunt Annie’s Traditional Shortbread [Martha Stewart]
Martha Stewart’s classic shortbread recipe uses higher quality versions of the usual staple ingredients. Unsalted butter, confectioner’s sugar, and cake flour give this cookie recipe a rich taste and a pie-like shape that’s cut into wedge pieces.

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Bagged Lunch Ideas That Are Anything but Boring

March 10, 2015 by

Make your kids’ lunchtime the highlight of their day with these fun, creative bagged lunch ideas that are a world away from the usual peanut butter and jelly sandwich.

  1. Hard-boiled eggs. Most kids love eating scrambled eggs and “dippy” eggs for breakfast, but this protein-packed food is also a great portable idea for lunch. Store hard-boiled eggs in a plastic container or at the top of a lunch bag.
  2. Pizza wrap sandwiches. If your child loves pizza, grill some cheese, sauce, and pepperoni inside of a whole wheat tortilla to create a lunch food that’s a bit more portable than the usual slice.
  3. Tomato soup and grilled cheese. This kid-friendly combination doesn’t seem like it would be easy to take in a lunch box, but it can be with the right supplies. Invest in an insulated plastic soup container and a sturdy sandwich container and surprise your child with his or her favorite dinner – for lunch!
  4. Snack lunch. Turn a sack lunch into a “snack” lunch in a healthy way. Add wheat crackers, low fat cheeses, lean lunchmeat, and protein-packed peanut butter, and then let your child top the crackers however he or she likes.

How to Make a Brown-Bag Lunch You'll Actually Want to Eat [WebMD]
26 Brown Bag Lunch Ideas for Kids [About Food]
Sack Lunch Ideas [Pinterest]

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4 Party Dips Your Guests Will Love to Scoop

November 11, 2014 by

Dips make the perfect party snack because they’re easy to make, easy to serve and easy to eat. From fresh, spicy salsas to creamy guacamoles, there are a number of different types of dips that just about any guest will love. Here are four tasty party recipes that pair perfectly with chips, crackers and more.

Feta, Honey and Date Spread
If you’re tired of the usual dips and you’re looking for something with a more unique flavor, this Mediterranean-inspired dip is sure to impress. It takes just 20 minutes to make and is best served with warm pita chips.

Hot Spinach Artichoke Dip
You simply can’t go wrong with a gooey, cheesy spinach artichoke dip. A mix of Parmesan and pepper jack cheeses combine to make this one extra flavorful.

Cheesesteak Dip
Ideal for football games or for those looking for to bring a taste of Philadelphia to a party, this recipe turns the meaty flavor of a classic cheesesteak into dip form.

Creamy Cobb Salad Dip
Bring this one to a summer barbecue or picnic and you’ll be met with compliments all day long. Bleu cheese, avocado and bacon incorporate the traditional salad’s flavors, while chopped tomatoes on top add a fresh taste that’s tasty on crackers, toast points and much more.

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Three Ways to Make the Most Out of Fresh Mint

July 15, 2014 by

Many windowsill herb gardens include zesty, sweet-smelling mint because it’s one of the easiest plants to grow. Once your planters are overflowing with the leafy green plants, however, it can be difficult to find use for all of that fresh mint. Here are three smart ways to make the most out of mint in and around your home.

  1. Boost your beverages. Mint makes a fresh, tasty addition to beverages, both alcoholic and non-alcoholic. Simply add a few leaves of mint to a large pitcher of cold iced tea, or muddle some in a tall glass of water after your next outdoor workout. If you want to spice up a batch of cocktails, mint is a necessary addition to mojitos or elegant juleps!
  2. Make your own cleaners. While many store-bought cleaners give off a faint chemical smell, making your own all-natural home cleaners will leave each room smelling refreshed. To clean floors or countertops, dilute one cup of white vinegar with one gallon of water, then add a few drops of mint essential oil for its sweet smell.
  3. Cure an upset stomach. Whether you or your little ones have a tummy ache, mint is a wonderful at-home remedy for anyone in the family. Steep some mint or peppermint in hot water to alleviate an upset stomach or nausea.

15 Uses for Mint [Mother Earth Living]
15 Uses for Mint [Apartment Therapy]
26 Uses for Mint [Fluster Buster]

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