I have to admit that in the past I had my doubts about beef stew made in an Instant Pot. Because I’ve sometimes found that the flavor falls flat compared to stew cooked on the stovetop. I discovered that the biggest mistake that I used to make was – using the same amount of liquid when converting a braising recipe to the pressure cooker version. This is a big no-no....

The first time I had Thanksgiving dinner was back in 2012. Thomas, my future husband, invited me to spend Thanksgiving with his family at his parents’ place in Albany, Georgia. The experience was very special for me. Not only was it the first time I ate turkey, but it also opened my eyes to how American people cook and celebrate the festival in a very traditional way. Yep, I’m talking about homemade turkey, multiple pies, and baked green beans made with Campbell’s mushroom soup....

If you have a fresh bunch of curly Kale ready, this kale curry can be done in less than 30 minutes. I had such a good harvest of Kale in my garden this year that I had to try something different than the usual kale salads or Kale soup. I agree to be sent email. If you are tired of kale chips, soup, or salads, here is a delicious way to enjoy this super-green differently and creatively....

Published on August 19, 2019 Lemon Zucchini Bars These bars have two summer baking staples in one: lemon AND zucchini. It’s a great way to use up extra zucchini and it’s bursting with bright lemon flavor in both the bar AND the lemon cream cheese frosting! If you like my lemon zucchini bread, I know you will LOVE these zucchini bars. They are such a treat! You won’t want to share these zucchini bars, but if you are feeling generous, they’re perfect for cutting into squares and sharing....

Published on October 20, 2021 Monster Cookie Bars- soft and chewy peanut butter oatmeal cookie bars with chocolate chips and colorful M&M’s. All of your favorites in one pan! The perfect dessert for parties and potlucks! I love making the bars when I don’t have time to roll and bake a few dozen cookies. The bars are SO easy and SO fun! The peanut butter oatmeal cookie bars are soft, chewy, and loaded with chocolate chips and colorful M&M’s....

Updated July 24, 2019 Morning Glory Muffins, a Breakfast favorite! I have never understood those people who skip breakfast. I go to bed thinking about breakfast. It is probably my favorite meal of the day and I eat the second I roll out of bed. Our boys are just like their mama, they wake up hungry and want breakfast ASAP! I try to always keep healthy muffins in the freezer so I can pull them out for the boys when they wake up begging for breakfast....

Easy herby lemon chicken skewers Pinned 338,000 times. Easy lemon chicken skewers with garlic and herbs are delicious, healthy and fast making them perfect for dinner any time of the year served with simple side dishes. I also love meal prepping this ahead for easy grab and go lunches. Corn and grilled zucchini salad Pinned 330,000 times Easy grilled zucchini salad with charred corn, feta cheese and peppery arugula is a delicious, gluten free and vegetarian summer salad....

Updated August 13, 2019 I love oatmeal raisin cookies, they are one of my all-time favorite cookies. I wish I could eat them every day, but I don’t always have time to bake cookies and I probably shouldn’t be eating cookies every single day. I try to take a few days off during the week:) When I am craving cookies and don’t have time to bake or am trying to be “good” I make No-Bake Oatmeal Raisin Cookie Energy Bites....

Why don’t we frost snacks more often?! It feels so dang special. And now I don’t know how I lived without a bowl of whipped cream cheese frosting in my fridge at all times. Say hello to the ultimate healthy baked oatmeal recipe! Just like my famous Healthy Carrot Cake, We’ve got plenty of spices for classic carrot cake flavor but the orange juice is the real kicker. It lends natural sweetness and a splendid brightness to gives it major life....

Published on March 03, 2017 We have been doing a house tour on our blog for the past couple of months and today we are talking about my office. This is my first home office, even though I’ve been working from home for almost seven years. In our last house, I had a little corner in our kitchen as my office. My computer sat on the kitchen counter and that was my little work space....

If you’re a fan of Chinese takeout, you’ve probably come across orange chicken at some point. It’s one of those iconic dishes that combines tangy citrus with savory, slightly sweet flavors. But what if you could elevate this idea with a different protein? Try out orange beef! The crispy juicy beef works great with the orange sauce, offering an even richer taste. Orange beef ingredients Which cut of beef to use Flank steak or skirt steak is usually my default cut for making stir fried dishes, because it yields a tender result....

Updated April 09, 2020 Every week, I go through the grocery store flyers to see what is on sale. Josh considers the flyers junk mail and used to throw them away, but he has learned that he will have to dig them out of the trash if he throws them away, so now he saves them for me. I look forward to flyer day every week. Yes, I am a nerd!...

With the holidays right around the corner, I’m starting to think about ways to feed a crowd that don’t involve hours spent in the kitchen. I love serving boards of all kinds as it means guests can build their own plates and there’s less hassle. There’s also just always a moment of “oooohhh!” when you serve food piled onto a board. Cheese boards, charcuterie, desserts? Yup, always the same response....

What is Vongole? Vongole is Italian for “clams”. Pasta Vongole or Spaghetti alle Vongole therefore is just pasta dish served with a clam sauce, a classic dish in Italy. Ingredients needed I used frozen, whole clams for this Pasta Vongole recipe, however this is the perfect recipe to make if you can find fresh clams. Any small clams will work. Manila clams and Littleneck clams are good options if you can find them....

Published on July 19, 2023 Peanut Butter Protein Balls- these no-bake protein balls are made with oat flour, peanut butter, honey, vanilla, sea salt, protein powder, and dipped in chocolate! Store in the fridge or freezer so you can have a healthy snack or treat anytime! Whenever I want an EASY peanut butter chocolate treat, I make my Peanut Butter Protein Balls. They are SO easy to make, you only need a few basic ingredients, and they are SO good....

Updated June 23, 2020 Meet my new favorite quick and easy meal, Polenta Rounds with Fried Eggs and Avocado Bean Salsa. This recipe comes from Lindsay’s cookbook, Healthyish, and I am obsessed! I have been making this recipe at least once a week since I got Lindsay’s fabulous cookbook. It is my new healthy go to for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. It is good anytime of the day and it’s vegetarian and gluten-free!...

Updated March 26, 2019 I have one word for this grilled cheese sandwich, WOW! Yes, all of the letters need to be capitalized. This Pumpkin, Chocolate, and Brie Grilled Cheese Sandwich is out of this world. I can’t even begin to tell you how decadent and divine it is. When I dreamt up the combination in my head I had a feeling it would be good, but good is a major understatement....

Published on May 03, 2023 This deliciously creamy Queso is easy to make from scratch and a crowd favorite every time! Serve with salty tortilla chips for the best appetizer ever! This Queso Dip recipe is their all-time favorite. It’s creamy, slightly spicy, and really good with salty tortilla chips. And guess what? It’s easy to make at home. That’s right, you don’t have to go to a restaurant to get queso....

Updated May 21, 2019 I am a fruit fanatic, especially in the summer. I eat fruit with every meal and snack on various fruits throughout the day. When it is hot outside, sometimes all I want to eat is fruit. My latest obsession is this Quinoa Fruit Salad with Honey Lime Dressing. It is light and refreshing and perfect for a hot summer day. For this particular Quinoa Fruit Salad, I used blueberries, strawberries, and mango....

Published on November 06, 2023 Roasted Delicata Squash- this vegetable side dish is a fall favorite! The squash is easy to prepare (no peeling involved), sweet, tender, and delicious! Serve at Thanksgiving, Christmas, or along side any meal. The squash has a natural sweetness to it with a tender flesh that is creamy when cooked and caramelizes when roasted in the oven. The squash is a cross between butternut squash and sweet potato, some people even refer to it as sweet potato squash....