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12 Healthy Instant Pot Recipes To Add Variety To Your Meals

by Amber King January 15, 2020

Raise your hand if you think your Instant Pot is the greatest thing you own! I bet there are a whole lot of moms raising their hands right now. A friend once told me that if her house caught on fire and she had time to save one object, it would probably be her Instant Pot. These handy kitchen gadgets haven’t been around for that long, but they’ve quickly changed the way busy moms feed their families. This programmable pressure cooker simplifies meal times, and there’s so much you can do with them. Meats, veggies, soups, and even desserts—you’d be surprised what you can make.

To celebrate our unwavering love for our favorite kitchen appliance we’ve put together a list healthy Instant Pot recipes. Check them out to stay on track and make healthy eating easier and more fun.

1. Teriyaki Rice with Chicken and Vegetables

When your family is bored with your go-to meals, it’s time to mix things up. Teriyaki rice with chicken and vegetables is a great way to do that. Teriyaki sauce has a flavor that kids typically enjoy, and you can decide how much you use. This blend of protein and veggies is a quick and healthy meal that you can make in a matter of minutes.

We found this recipe with Life Made Sweeter. Click here to try it out.

2. Creamy Parmesan Instant Pot Mashed Cauliflower

Sweet Peas and Saffron

Mashed potatoes are my ultimate comfort food. Cover those bad boys in butter and gravy, and I’ll be one happy girl. But I know there are healthier options out there. Mashed cauliflower is a healthier alternative that is also low in carbs. They’re pretty tasty, and when you have an Instant Pot, they’re easy to make.

Sweet Peas and Saffron has a great recipe.

3. Instant Pot Turkey-Stuffed Peppers

Cooking Light.

I was recently introduced to stuffed peppers, and they were a big hit in my house. I made them the old-fashioned way with the stove and oven, but an Instant Pot would have saved me a lot of time. When you make them with 93% lean ground turkey, they also make a decently healthy meal. They’re a great way to get your kids to branch out and try new vegetables.

We got the recipe from Cooking Light.

4. Instant Pot Chicken Zoodle Soup

Diethood

This isn’t your grandma’s chicken noodle soup. It’s just as delicious, but it has a healthy twist. Zoodles are a low-carb option you can use in just about any dish that calls for noodles. If you’re not sure what they are, let me explain. Zoodles are nothing more than zucchini that’s either thinly sliced or put through a spiralizer. (If you’ve never used a spiralizer, you need to. So. Fun.) This healthy Instant Pot recipe uses zoodles to make a classic recipe new and exciting.

Diethood explains this recipe step-by-step.

5. Instant Pot Paleo Chicken and Broccoli

Lexi’s Clean Kitchen.

There will always be days that call for greasy Chinese food take-out. But when your cravings don’t mesh well with your diet, you have this healthy Instant Pot recipe to get you through. This easy version of chicken and broccoli is full of all the best flavors and offers a healthier alternative to soy sauce.

You can find the recipe from Lexi’s Clean Kitchen.

6. Instant Pot Chicken Fajita Soup

Gluten-Free Palate

If Chinese food isn’t your jam, what about Mexican? Fajitas are packed full of flavor, and I love turning favorite meals into easy soups. This soup is filling enough to count as a full meal, and there are a lot of different flavors and textures to keep things interesting. Better yet, we happened to find a recipe that is 100% gluten-free and can be easily altered to make it paleo-friendly.

Check out the recipe with Gluten-Free Palate.

7. WW Zero Point Chili Recipe

The Holy Mess

This one is for all you WW (formerly Weight Watchers) fans! This popular diet was recently named one of the best out there, and part of that is thanks to how tasty the food is. This Instant Pot chili recipe will cost you zero WW points, and it tastes good. It’s hard to find something this healthy AND this tasty. It’s made with lean ground turkey and a whole garden of vegetables.

We found this healthy Instant Pot recipe with The Holy Mess.

8. Instant Pot Vegetarian Spaghetti and Meatballs

Maybe I Will

I don’t think there’s a child alive that doesn’t love spaghetti and meatballs. It’s a pretty easy meal to make, but this vegetarian version is healthier than your average pasta. And as a bonus, you seriously limit the number of dishes you need. You dump everything into your Instant Pot, and you don’t even need to dirty the strainer.

Click here to get the recipe from Maybe I Will.

9. Lemon Butter Garlic Salmon With Vegetables

365 Days of Slow + Pressure Cooking

My go-to protein throughout the week is typically chicken, but sometimes you just need to mix it up. Salmon is a healthy way to add protein into your diet and diversity into your meals. Fish can sometimes be tricky to cook, but this recipe couldn’t be simpler. It’ll take you only 15 minutes to prep everything and four minutes to cook it all in your Instant Pot.

We found this recipe from 365 Days of Slow + Pressure Cooking

10. Four-Ingredient Salsa Verde Chicken

My Montana Kitchen

My family likes chicken, but I always find myself reverting back to the same-old recipes. This salsa verde chicken helps get me out of that funk. There are only four ingredients, so you know it’s easy and simple to make–not to mention affordable. Your Instant Pot will cook chicken breast perfectly every time, leaving you with a meal that is moist, tender, and flavorful.

My Montana Kitchen has the recipe.

11. Hawaiian Chicken Tacos With Jalapeno Ranch

Pinch of Yum

Every day can be taco Tuesday when you have an Instant Pot. Basic tacos are good, but Hawaiian chicken tacos are seriously amazing. There’s so much flavor going on in these tacos. They’re guaranteed to help you branch out from your usual rotation of dinner ideas. Kids might not like the spice from the jalapenos, but you can always customize the recipe to suit their taste buds.

You can learn how to make this healthy Instant Pot meal from Pinch of Yum.

12. Mushroom Rice

Yellow Thyme

This recipe is for all the mushroom-lovers of the world. You have freedom to choose what kind of rice you want (choose whole grain for a healthy boost) and you can even make it vegan if that’s your jam. Rice dishes are ideal when you know you’ll want to eat the leftovers for lunch the next day. And you can make this meal entirely inside your Instant Pot, so cleanup takes only seconds.

Yellow Thyme has the recipe.

Food Healthy Eating Lifestyle

Experts Rank The Best And Worst Diets For 2020

by Amber King January 6, 2020

written by Amber King

With 2019 officially behind us and 2020 just beginning, experts have compiled data to give us an answer to one of our biggest new year’s questions. Which diet is the best? And maybe even more important, which diets will waste our time?

U.S. News and World Report recently released their 2020 ranking of 35 popular diets. This is the 10th year for the list, and they’ve gathered a panel of health experts to give an objective and well-researched presentation of the facts. To make it to the top of the overall list, diets were evaluated based on their scores in different categories. Those categories included how easy the diet is to follow, safety, effectiveness, nutrition, and how protective it is against conditions including diabetes and heart disease.

Some of the results are predictable, but there are a few surprises. One of the most popular nutritional trends of 2019, for example, ended up near the very bottom of the list. Here’s a breakdown of the findings.

The Best of the Best

According to the study, the best diet for 2020 is the all-popular Mediterranean diet. This simple, plant-based diet has now held its top ranking for three years in a row. Its success has a lot to do with how easy it is to follow and its long list of proven health benefits.

diet

The key to the Mediterranean diet is cutting back on red meat, sugar, and saturated fat. It encourages whole grains, fruits, herbs, and foods that are rich in Omega-3. Seafood is an important part of the diet, as is olive oil and the occasional glass of red wine (something I think we can all get behind). Moderate amounts of dairy and poultry are okay, but red meat is reserved for only cheat days and special occasions. Another big part of this nutritional regimen—and a reason why it’s so popular—is that it emphasizes the importance of enjoying good food with good friends. Meals can be put together from foods found easily in the grocery store, and most people say they can stick to the diet because the foods are tasty as well as nutritious.

Research shows that as the best diet, sticking to this meal plan can support a healthier heart and lower the risk of dementia. It’s also linked to stronger bones, reduced risk of diabetes and breast cancer, lower blood sugar, and a longer life.

Honorary Mentions

While the Mediterranean diet claims the top spot, a few others also earned high marks. The DASH (dietary approaches to stop hypertension) and Flexitarian diets tied for second place. DASH is often recommended by health expert to people needing to lower their blood pressure. It involves eating more fruits and veggies while basically eliminating saturated fats and limiting salt intake. The equally-ranked Flexitarian diet focuses on the benefits of whole grains, fruits, veggies, and plant-based proteins. It limits meat but allows for the occasional indulgence, hence its “flexibility.”

In third place, the MIND diet is a combination of the Mediterranean and DASH diets. People typically find this nutrition plan easier to follow, as it allows more meat options and less fish.

And in fourth place, WW (the previously rebranded Weight Watchers) earned good points for weight loss. It’s also applauded for recognizing the importance of having a support group when it comes to diet changes.

Better Luck Next Year?

Scroll to the bottom of the list, and the worst-ranked diet for 2020 is the unfamiliar Dukan diet. This high-protein plan is based on eliminating carbs to force the body to start burning fat. It sounds good in theory, but there are more than a few problems. First, there are a lot of rules, and it’s not easy to follow. You have to carefully watch what you eat and cut out favorites like bread, cheese, and fruit. It also falls short nutritionally and has little scientific evidence to back up its claims.

Possibly the most surprising ranking on this list comes in second to last. It’s the keto diet that so many have raved about in 2019. Similar to the Dukan diet, keto is all about forcing the body into a state of ketosis, where it runs on fats instead of carbs. Praise for keto includes that it makes you feel fuller (so you want to eat less), and it can bring about rapid weight loss. But according to this study, the bad mostly outweighs the good.

Keto involves cutting carbs to the extreme. Not only is this hard to do, it’s also not very healthy. It provides fewer carbs than what is recommended by health guidelines. A lot of people experience rapid weight loss soon after switching to keto, but it’s common for them to put the weight back on within weeks. It’s simply unrealistic to completely cut carbs out of a diet for the long-term. As JAMA Internal Medicine put it, “enthusiasm outpaces evidence” when it comes to the keto diet.

In addition to the overall ranking, U.S. News & World Report also breaks down the same 35 diets into different categories. There is the Best Weight-Loss Diet (Weight Watchers), Best Diabetes Diet (Mediterranean), Best Fast Weight-Loss Diet (HMR Program), and Easiest Diet to Follow (Mediterranean again).

Check out the full list to help reach your 2020 nutritional goals.

Food Lifestyle Recipes Seasonal

7 Of The Best Sweet Potato Recipes

by Amber King November 25, 2019

written by Amber King

The holiday season is never complete without sweet potatoes. These starchy tubers are extremely versatile, and they belong on the table whether it’s breakfast, lunch, or a huge Thanksgiving feast. They’re full of fiber and antioxidants, and a bit of added sweetness can even convince picky kids to take a bite. We’re in the heart of sweet potato season, so we’ve gathered all our favorite sweet potato recipes to inspire your next meal.

Check them out!

1. Sweet Potato Skins

Woman’s Day

To start us off, we love a good sweet potato appetizer. These sweet potato skins are casual and healthier than normal potato skins. You can add cheese and bacon if you want, and try experimenting with some of your other favorite flavors and seasonings.

Woman’s Day has a tasty-looking recipe.

2. Sweet Potato Fritters

Epicurious.

These easy-to-make sweet potato fritters are another fun appetizer idea. They’re fried and full of delicious flavor. You can serve them before your Thanksgiving feast or include them as a side for an everyday meal. Kids will love them because they’re fried, and you’ll love them because they’re made from fiber-filled sweet potatoes.

We got the recipe from Epicurious.

3. Honey Glazed Sweet Potatoes

The Country Cook

For a more traditional fall-themed side dish, try these honey glazed sweet potatoes. They’re made on the stove, and you only need four ingredients. They have the perfect amount of sweetness so everyone at the table will want to dig in.

The Country Cook came up with this great recipe.

4. Twice-Baked Sweet Potatoes

Lil Luna

What’s better than a twice-baked potato? A twice-baked sweet potato! This recipe yields deliciously tender and flavorful potatoes that go well with just about any entree. You can even make this side dish ahead of time and heat them up for later.

Go to Lil Luna for the recipe.

5. Sweet Potato Casserole

Spend With Pennies

Everyone loves a good casserole, and this super simple sweet potato casserole is no exception. It’ll look perfect set against your traditional Thanksgiving tablescape, and it won’t take up a lot of your time in the kitchen. The marshmallow topping might be our favorite part, but this casserole is one that will have guests reaching for seconds.

Spend With Pennies has the recipe.

6. Maple Cranberry Sweet Potatoes

Good Housekeeping

This sweet potato recipe looks just as delicious as it tastes. It uses all the best fall produce to create a side dish that is rich in antioxidants and oh so colorful. If you’re rushed for time, you can also prepare this dish the day before and heat it up when you’re ready to serve your meal.

Get the recipe with Good Housekeeping.

7. Sweet Potato With Crispy Rice Topping

The Cake Chica

If you’re looking for a sweet potato recipe that is fun and different than your normal go-to side dish, this is it. This recipe has everything you need to wow your guests. It comes with decadent caramel sauce, a fun crispy topping, and smooth sweet potatoes.

We love this recipe from The Cake Chica.

What’s your favorite sweet potato recipe?

Food

5 Ways for You and Your Family to Become Locavores

by Jennifer Landis November 11, 2019

written by Jennifer Landis

As a parent, you put a lot of thought into what to feed your family. Weekly budgeting, meal planning and shopping — it all takes time and effort. Yet you take these steps to keep your family healthy.

Nevertheless, you can do more to make your diet nutritious and enriching. Many choose to become locavores, people who source food from local sources — anything less than 100 miles away. Locavores experience a slew of benefits.

For one, a purchase from a nearby farm travels less distance than grocery store goods. Therefore, the process uses less fuel and less carbon enters the atmosphere.

As a locavore, you’ll also experience added health benefits. Fresh produce loses 30% of its nutrients within three days of harvest. Spinach, for example, loses 90% within the first 24 hours. When you buy local, goods are fresher than those at big box stores.

Now that you’re ready to make the switch, discover how to turn your family into locavores.

Search Online

A straightforward way to find local fare is to search on the internet. Seek out farmers who sell their harvests. You can also look for nearby restaurants that source ingredients from local providers.

Don’t limit yourself to food. You can also find clothes, beauty products, office supplies and other useful items made in your hometown. If you can’t find anything, post a question on a local forum and wait for people to reach out. Many people have home-based businesses they’re dying to talk about.

Hit the Farmer’s Market

You can always find local fare at the farmer’s market. Locavores who shop at markets prove community-based business matters. When you support a local seller, you boost the city’s economy.

With an increase in demand for local food, you’ll begin to see more of it. Restaurants might add new local-inspired options. Boutiques might source items from nearby artists. This change will make it easier to maintain a locavore lifestyle — a win-win for you and the community.

Sign Up for a Co-Op

Once you’re fully on board with the locavore lifestyle, join a community-supported agriculture (CSA) program. You pay an upfront subscription fee in exchange for the regular delivery of locally-grown crops. Subscribers gain access to a range of products from a single farm or group. Each shipment is sure to inspire your weekly menu.

Another option is a co-op, a system where farmers pool resources and provide goods to individual members. To join, you pay a membership fee. In exchange, you receive well-sourced groceries. Some co-ops fill shelves with food from nearby farms. Others grow and harvest the food themselves with the help of volunteers. You may be asked to work in the field picking strawberries. You could also help members shopping in the store.

Start a Garden

You can’t get more local than a garden in your backyard. Step out the door into your personal supply of fresh fruits and veggies. Starting a garden might seem daunting, but it’s a simple process. Find a sunny spot and ensure the soil is loamy enough to support growth. A space of 160 square feet — about the size of a shed — is enough to grow food for a family of four.

Start with plants that are easy to grow and great additions to mealtime. Include options like:

Carrots
Zucchini
Tomatoes
Cucumbers
Green Beans

A garden is an activity the whole family can participate in. Teach your kids how to dig into the soil and plant seeds. Keep an eye out for symptoms of disease, such as leaf and stem rust, a golden residue that tends to seek out corn. You can even let Fido wander around the jungle as the whole family picks fresh goodies.

Preserve Crops Post-Harvest

Gardens don’t yield much in the cold months, but you can still enjoy your harvest year-round. Some foods stay fresh for months, as long as you know how to store them. For instance, sweet potatoes, squash and apples have long shelf lives. With the right preservation techniques, you can eat like a locavore until spring comes.

Preservation won’t keep fresh fruits and veggies in their original form. The result, however, is more nutritious than the canned variety at the grocers. For example, transform leftover tomatoes into salsa, spaghetti sauce or juice. Blend once-fresh peaches or raspberries into jams. You can also pickle cucumbers into a salty treat. Running out of recipes? Simply can your leftovers, a preservation method that requires a pressure cooker and glass jars.

Love Local and Become a Locavore

Eating local might take a bit of research on your part. However, the work will pale in comparison to the payoff. You and your family will get to eat fresh, tasty and nutritious food year-round. Local businesses will flourish as you buy products. Plus, you can learn the benefits of growing your own garden.

Start your quest to become a locavore today, and see how great you feel tomorrow.

Food Lifestyle Recipes

10 Weeknight Dinner Ideas For The Whole Family

by Bee May 29, 2019

written by Bee

Every Monday through Friday, moms everywhere face the same challenge: how in the world are we supposed to feed our families and keep them happy between work, toddler dance class, baseball practice, homework, music lessons, and who knows what else? There’s barely time to tie our shoes let alone cook a delicious and nutritious weeknight dinner the entire family will agree on.

It’s an age-old problem that doesn’t seem to go away no matter how old your kids are or how many appointments you cram onto your calendar. When you’re tired of pizza and even the kids can’t stomach any more hot dogs, it’s time to refresh your weeknight dinner repertoire.

These recipes were chosen based on being weeknight-friendly. There’s something here for every set of taste buds.

1. Garlic Butter Pork Chops

Before you panic, trust us, these pork chops are tasty, and they take about 20 minutes to make. A lot of pork chop recipes can leave you checking the oven every few minutes worried about overcooking, but this pan-fried recipe is foolproof.

You have the option of either bone-in or boneless meat, but remember, bones provide a whole lot of juicy flavor. Boneless is the leaner option, as most of the fat has been removed, but it will be drier and slightly less flavorful.

Regardless of what you pick, make sure your meat is high quality. You’ll have to pay a little more, but the flavor is worth it.

Click here for the full recipe.

2. Parmesan Baked Chicken Breast

This is a go-to recipe for when you want a hardy meal but don’t have a lot of time (or ingredients) to make it happen.

Everyone loves chicken, and there’s even a chance your pickiest little eaters will scarf down this tasty recipe. The key is in how you bake it. You want your chicken breasts to be perfectly seasoned and baked just the right amount so they’re juicy and not rubbery.

Don’t worry, it’s not as hard as it sounds.

Check out the full recipe for Parmesan baked chicken breast here.

3. Garlic Butter Sauteed Asparagus

Finding a main dish is one thing, but don’t forget about those sides. It’s a good idea to stock your kitchen with side dish ingredients that pair well with most of your family’s favorite meals. You don’t want to restrict your already complicated meal planning because your sides don’t go well with your mains.

This garlic butter sauteed asparagus recipe is exactly what we’re talking about. It’s one of those side dishes that can be paired with almost anything. Salmon, chicken, shrimp, even pastas—you have plenty of options.

Your kids might initially turn up their noses at the sight of these green spears, but the garlic butter makes up for any vegetable-ness they might resist.

You’ll find secrets for the perfect saute along with the full recipe here.

4. Garlic Butter Fish

When you feel like you’ve been cycling through the same routine of chicken, beef, pork, and pasta, why not add some variety to your life? Fish recipes are great for weeknight dinners because they’re fast and filling.

You also have the benefit of having an entire sea’s worth of fishy flavors to choose from. If your kids don’t like a certain kind of fish, mix it up and try something different. Halibut is a mild type of fish that’s often great for picky eaters.

Pair your family’s favorite type of fish with this easy-to-make and affordable garlic butter for a meal that tastes like it came right from a seafood restaurant.

Get the recipe here.

Keto Recipes

5 Of The Best Keto Pizza Recipes

by Grandma Penny May 14, 2019

written by Grandma Penny

There’s more than one reason why the keto diet is one of today’s most popular health trends. By choosing this high-fat, low-carb meal plan, you transition your body into using a different, more efficient, type of fuel. A body in ketosis is in a better position to lose weight, stabilize blood sugar, and reduce inflammation. Not only does it help you drop a few unnecessary pounds, but many people on the keto diet report feeling energized and generally more comfortable with their body.

If you’re committed, the keto diet can bring drastic changes to your life. But like any other diet, it isn’t always easy. There are strict guidelines to follow, and the list of foods you can’t eat is somewhat limiting. Basically, if you know it’s high in carbs, you can’t have it. The slightest break in the diet will throw your body out of ketosis, and you’ll need to start all over. So there’s really no such thing as a cheat day, really.

That means that when you’re craving a slice of pizza, you can’t call up your favorite pizza joint and order a pie. Pizza crust is notoriously high in carbs, and that puts it on your list of banned foods. But fear not, pizza lovers! There are ways around the low-carb rule if you’re willing to work for it.

I’ve found these five keto pizza recipes to satisfy your cravings.

1. Keto-Friendly Chicken Pizza

A little like chicken Parmesan, this keto-friendly twist on traditional pizza is cheesy and delicious. It’s easy to make, and it’s filling enough to be an entire meal all on its own.

2. Low-Carb Zucchini Crust Pizza

It’s amazing what you can do with a single zucchini. It’s an all-purpose type of vegetable, and this keto pizza recipe is a great example. Instead of bread crust, this recipe has a low-carb zucchini crust.

3. Cauliflower Pizza Crust

Ahhh cauliflower. This magical little vegetable has the keto diet to thank for its growing popularity. Not only is cauliflower one of the better tasting vegetables (even kids who don’t like vegetables can be convinced not to hate it), it’s also the perfect foundation for your keto pizza.

4. Cheesy Keto Pizza Crust

Being on the keto diet means you’re going to miss out on a lot of good foods, but thankfully, cheese isn’t one of them. All types of cheese are low in carbs and high in fat. This keto pizza recipe puts that cheesy goodness to good use.

5. Sausage Crust Pizza

This recipe is like the keto version of a meat lover’s pizza. Instead of putting sausage on top, you use sausage as your crust. You can pick what type of meat you want and then layer even more meat or vegetables over the cheese.

Featured image via Keto in Pearls

Food Recipes

Do You Know The Key To Making The Perfect Grilled Cheese Sandwich?

by Grandma Penny March 23, 2019

written by Grandma Penny

The grilled cheese sandwich is celebrated as both a kid-pleasing lunch and even a quick dinner for nights when you’re in a pinch for time. We love it because it’s easy to make, and our kids love it because it’s simply delicious. It’s a basic concept–just bread and cheese–but if you want, you can turn your ordinary grilled cheese sandwich into a culinary masterpiece.

You might think the cheese is the most important part, it’s called a grilled “cheese” after all, but it’s the bread that will make or break your sandwich. The best grilled cheese sandwiches are crispy, crusty, and a little crunchy. That means you need your bread to be–get this–less than fresh. Stale bread is actually the best kind of bread you can use for a grilled cheese. It gives the sandwich that extra kick of great taste and texture.

I only make my grilled cheeses with slightly stale bread, and you can definitely tell the difference. Another tip for making the perfect grilled cheese sandwich is to get creative. Who said a grilled cheese sandwich needs to be boring? I love experimenting with my sandwiches and end up creating some really delicious combinations.

Just like pizza, everyone has their favorite add in to grilled cheese. This list seems just as inexhaustible as the list of potential pizza toppings. Not to mention, adding ingredients to your grilled cheese is a great way to get rid of those little leftovers. My favorite is smoked Gouda with some spinach and cooked bacon.

Things I’ve added to my grilled cheese as of late:

cooked bacon
Andouille sausage
prosciutto
scraps of ham left from Easter dinner
tomato slices
spinach, cooked and raw
mushrooms
lobster leftover from Valentine’s dinner
olives
pepperoni
ground beef taco filling
every kind of sweet or hot pepper
chicken fajitas
black bean burger
ravioli

Pick ingredients you have lying around the kitchen, and test them out to see what works! It’s great way to repurpose meals and many of these will taste even better on their second go thanks to the magic of grilled cheese sandwiches.

Food Recipes

Impress Your Guests With This Homemade Tuscan White Bean Dip Recipe

by Grandma Penny March 23, 2019

written by Grandma Penny

If you want to really impress your family and party guests, Tuscan white bean dip is the way to do it. You can use it as an appetizer before you serve your main meal or bring it to a potluck for a classier version of chips and dip.

The recipe is so simple it’ll only take a few minutes to make. You’ll need a food processor to get a nice and even consistency, and it might take more water or bread crumbs to get the exact consistency you’re looking for.

One of the reasons Tuscan white bean dip is such a success is that it can be paired with almost any kind of cracker, chip, or bread. My favorite way to serve this dip is with homemade crostini. I make my crostini using stale bread, and it’s always a hit. You can find my recipe for homemade crostini here.

Food Holiday

9 Delicious Christmas Candy Recipes

by Ellice Vargas November 6, 2018

written by Ellice Vargas

If there’s ever a time to try out homemade candy, it’s Christmas This year, instead of gifting friends and family with cookies for a treat, why not try your hand at making homemade Christmas candy? It’s easier (and tastier) then you think!

Source: Garnish And Glaze

1. Polar Bear Paws

Other than the fact the name of these candies is adorable, and just perfect for the Christmas season, these candies sound like a heavenly treat. If you decide to use store-bought caramels this recipe doesn’t take long at all to put together, but will be sure to wow all your friends.

Follow the step by step instructions at www.garnishandglaze.com.

Source: Mel’s Kitchen Cafe

2. Homemade Peppermint Patties

I love peppermint patties, one of my absolute favorite candies. But, I would never thought of making my own until I saw this recipe. I love that you can garnish the top of these homemade beauties with some crushed candy cane to really get into the festive spirit.

See the full recipe over at www.melskitchencafe.com.

Source: Garnish And Glaze

3. Christmas Caramels

Kick your candy making skills up a notch with these homemade caramels. Sure, we all know you can buy caramels, but why would you after tasting these? I love the idea of making this a holiday tradition with your kids. You wouldn’t have to ask me twice, thats for sure.

Check out the full recipe over at www.garnishandglaze.com, and see what other things you can make with these delicious homemade caramel.

Food

12 Sheet Pan Meals For Easy Weeknight Dinners

by Jordyn Smith September 10, 2018

written by Jordyn Smith

Much like slow cookers and cast iron skillets, sheet pans are great for creating meals that taste great and are completely finished in no time. If your family is anything like mine, you probably only use sheet pans to bake cookies and pre-made garlic bread. Unsurprisingly, they’re great for way more things than that. Things like shrimp, and chicken, and fish. Just about any of your favorite meats and vegetables can be easily prepared using a sheet pan and your oven. This list of sheet pan recipes is super eclectic, fun, and best of all, super freakin’ easy! Keep reading for 9 sheet pan meals for easy weeknight dinners.

Source: damndelicious.net

1. Sheet Pan Shrimp Boil

Shrimp boils are known for being super complex, super messy, and super delicious. This sheet pan recipe is definitely delicious but it is far from messy or complex. Tender shrimp, smoked sausage, corn, and yellow potatoes are seasoned to perfection then cooked for about 30 minutes. This entire recipe takes well under an hour and tastes absolutely amazing.

Head over to Damn Delicious to find tons of equally simple recipes.

Source: chelseasmessyapron.com

2. Sheet Pan Balsamic Chicken and Veggies

The flavors in this recipe are very big for a process that is so seemingly simple. Juicy chicken tenders are cooked alongside a whole host of veggies in a balsamic glaze. The entire recipe is super simple and contains minimal ingredients.

Find more dinners and desserts for your busy weeknights at Chelsea’s Messy Apron.

Source: jocooks.com

3. Sheet Pan Ranch Pork Chops and Potatoes

I’m always looking for ways to make pork chops more exciting and this recipe is the perfect answer. Both the chops and the potatoes are coated in a simple but delicious ranch seasoning then baked together on a sheet pan. Forty five minutes is all the time you need to create a recipe that will satisfy the entire family.

Get great snacks, cool dinners, and fun desserts at Jo Cooks.

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