Friday, September 30, 2016

Apple Cider Donut Muffins

Forget pumpkin, these apple cider donut muffins are where it's at!
Apple Cider Donut Muffins // Forget pumpkin, these apple cider donut muffins are where it's at! #recipe #breakfast #applecider #apples #muffins

Please forgive me, Pumpkin. I didn't mean it! But seriously, I think apple can get a little overshadowed and that makes me feel bad. I definitely go pumpkin crazy as soon as September 1st hits, but I had to share this little recipe because it makes me reminisce autumn in upstate New York. Cider donuts are definitely a must up there and I haven't found any like it anywhere else I've lived. These definitely helped me cope with that missing part of autumn.

They are super simple to make. I was unable to make them with the apple cake mix, so I subbed in spice cake mix. The apple cider adds so much flavor and moisture to these muffins, plus they are so light and fluffy with the cake mix as a base. The sugar cinnamon is just icing on the cake -- or in this case, topping on the muffin! :)

Apple Cider Donut Muffins // Forget pumpkin, these apple cider donut muffins are where it's at! #recipe #breakfast #applecider #apples #muffins

Wednesday, September 28, 2016

Perfect Broccoli Cheddar Soup

The perfect recipe for soup night to warm you up once it starts to get chilly outside!
Perfect Broccoli Cheddar Soup // The perfect recipe for soup night to warm you up once it starts to get chilly outside! #recipe #broccoli #soup

The very first recipe I posted on my blog in 2010 was Cheddar Broccoli Soup. It's a special recipe and I am so glad it was my very first one. It's one that I've been making for years on end. It is my eldest child's favorite food [tied with calzones] and really everyone loves it. The only thing that I am weary about is that it takes precanned cheese sauce and I'm scared that one day it will be discontinued and then I won't know what to do! While this recipe is not a dupe for that recipe, it is definitely sufficient and we all really loved it. There is an option to mash the broccoli florets but we like the big ole hunks of them! I seriously have been blessed with kiddos who love broccoli as much as Nick and I do :)

Perfect Broccoli Cheddar Soup // The perfect recipe for soup night to warm you up once it starts to get chilly outside! #recipe #broccoli #soup

Monday, September 26, 2016

Menu Plan Monday - Sept 26, 2016

Menu Plan Monday for Sept 26, 2016 // What I'm making this week #menuplanmonday #mealplan

I cannot grasp that September is coming to an end already. Can it stay forever? September is the best! Although October means that Halloween is coming up and that makes me so happy. I adore Halloween. We're having a pretty simple meal lineup this week and I'm pretty excited about it :)

Monday - [b] English Muffin Bread [d] Lemon Sage Chicken
Tuesday - 16 Minute Beef & Bean Burritos
Wednesday - White Chicken Chili
Thursday - [b] Individual Cheese Danish [d] Schnitzel
Friday - Hasselback Pizza Chicken
Saturday - [*] Dulce de Leche Brownies
Sunday - [*] Browned Butter Pumpkin Spice Rice Krispie Treats


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Sunday, September 25, 2016

Slow Cooker Tuscan Sausage and Bean Soup

Slow simmered soup that is perfect for a cool autumn night - and is so simple to prepare!
Slow Cooker Tuscan Sausage and Bean Soup // Slow simmered soup that is perfect for a cool autumn night - and is so simple to prepare! #recipe #soup #crockpot #slowcooker

I don't really make a lot of soup in the crockpot, but after making this recipe, I am hoping to do it a bit more. It's so easy to prep the ingredients and then throw them in the crockpot to cook for a few hours. I do agree with Deborah of Taste & Tell that these veggies get mushy if you cook them for too long, so definitely cook until your desired doneness! I love soups with lots of veggies and loved the salty kielbasa in this one. I think it may have been my first soup using kielbasa as the protein :)

Slow Cooker Tuscan Sausage and Bean Soup // Slow simmered soup that is perfect for a cool autumn night - and is so simple to prepare! #recipe #soup #crockpot #slowcooker

Friday, September 23, 2016

Quesadillas de Camarones

Quesadillas that can be made with the camarones or with chicken as a substitute - but they are the real deal!

Camarones is Spanish for prawns. I didn't know that until I was about to post this recipe. I'm notorious for posting a recipe with a different language and leaving out a main ingredient that makes up the name. There was one where the title had mushrooms (like maybe pasta with mushrooms) and I omitted the mushrooms. This time I made Prawn Quesadillas without the prawn. Goodness gracious. However, I did include the instructions on how to make these WITH shrimp....but also sans camarones, as I made them. If you have been around as a reader for any length of time, you may have noticed that there are very few seafood recipes and if they do pop up, they are tuna recipes. Tuna is the only seafood that my husband and I eat. Our older two kids like shrimp (and my daughter loves calamari), but I have always found it hard to cook something well that I don't like to eat. Does that make sense?

These quesadillas are so very good. The sauteed vegetables really do make a huge difference in them. I couldn't find the Mexican red sauce for the protein, so I used a roasted good quality salsa. :)

Thursday, September 22, 2016

#NationalCoffeeDay with NESCAFÉ® Taster's Choice® #ad #CraftEachDay


Instant coffee has always seemed so foreign to me unless we're talking about using it in baking. Would you believe that I had never tried it as it was intended until last week?! I was lucky enough to be chosen take the NESCAFÉ® Taster's Choice® challenge and I just have to share with y'all how that went. National Coffee Day is coming up on September 29th and I am celebrating in a new way!

I received a mission kit from NESCAFÉ® that contained a package of the NESCAFÉ® Taster’s Choice® stick packs of instant coffee (in 100% Columbian roast - yum!), a glass mug and teaspoon, an educational booklet, and THREE recipe cards - count them, THREE! A challenge where I get to drink coffee, get a coffee mug (my addiction is real), learn something new, and make a few new recipes - if I wasn't already signed up, it wouldn't take much prodding. I did go ahead and run out to get the 7 oz. glass jar of their House Blend to save the stick packs for days where I need to leave the house.


I do not work outside the home, my "work" is my blog and it's more of a hobby at the moment. However, I do have 3 children, 2 cats, a dog, and a husband and they do keep my day busy. Most of the day, it is just me and my littlest, Mason (who is 18 months old), at home. Most mornings I rush to get my coffee brewed and put creamer in it. It can be a struggle because Mason loves to climb and mess with everything first thing in the morning. If he were like his older siblings, I could set him in his high chair and give him breakfast, but he doesn't like to eat first thing in the morning. So it's a rush to get my coffee while keeping an eye on him and while both cats are underfoot meowing because they are starving. This past week, I took the NESCAFÉ® Taster’s Choice® challenge and instead of brewing my one cup of coffee, I was able to use the instant coffee by adding just hot water - no waiting. I already love the convenience of the instant coffee!


Instant coffee isn't the only new thing I tried this week - I have never had NESCAFÉ® brand coffee before. I am pretty open to new things, so I was looking forward to trying their coffee. I love that my mission kit came with an educational booklet. I got to learn more about NESCAFÉ® as a whole and why their product is so well-crafted. They use responsibly sourced beans, carefully roast and brew their beans for the best flavor, and flash freeze to lock in that perfect flavor. I also love that they are working with coffee farmers to combat environmental issues that threaten the future of coffee.

NESCAFÉ® Taster’s Choice® comes in six varieties: House Blend, Decaf House Blend, French Roast, 100% Columbian, Hazelnut, and Vanilla.


And having your morning cup of joe is as easy as adding water! It's that simple. You can purchase both the stick packs (that are for 8 oz. cups of coffee) or the glass jar that holds 7 oz. of coffee deliciousness (an upgrade from the old plastic packaging to help keep the coffee fresh) in any of the six flavors. I personally loved the glass jar because it's easier to add just the right amount of coffee to make a 10 oz. cup - which is my favorite. But the stick packs are incredibly convenient for on-the-go cups like I needed this morning when I had a doctor's appointment.


The 100% Columbian blend was the one I tried first and I loved the bold rich flavors paired with my favorite creamer. I purchased the House Blend because I favor light roasts and the House Blend was smooth and mild. It's definitely my favorite of the two, but I cannot wait to try more. I served my House Blend cup topped with whip cream and pumpkin pie spice - yum!

Morning cup while finalizing my grocery list!
Early morning blogging and because I'm an adult, I'm having a bowl of Fruit Loops with my coffee.

If you are a coffee lover, I highly encourage you to take the NESCAFÉ® Taster’s Choice® challenge and share your experiences online! Be sure to tag @NescafeUSA and use the hashtags #CrafteEachDay and #TastersChoiceChallenge when you do :)

And be sure to check out the different recipes on their website. My mission kit came with recipes for Creamy Caramel Latte, Iced Coffee, and Chai Coffee. Last weekend was ultra busy and this one is supposed to be too, so I'm not sure I'll be able to make one of them, but they are definitely on my to-make list, especially the Creamy Caramel Latte. I already have plans to concoct my own pumpkin spice latte since the local stores are out of everything pumpkin and coffee and it makes me so sad!


What are your thoughts on instant coffee?
Would you try it?

Wednesday, September 21, 2016

Loaded Cheeseburger Potato Soup

 This combination of cheeseburger and loaded baked potato makes for the best kind of soup!
Loaded Cheeseburger Potato Soup //  This combination of cheeseburger and loaded baked potato makes for the best kind of soup! #recipe #soup

There is nothing more fitting than posting a soup recipe on our designated soup night. Tonight we're having minestrone, but this potato soup is absolutely wonderful. The original recipe called for pureeing the potatoes and cauliflower, but I honestly dread pulling out my blender for soups. It's just laziness. I stopped pulling out the blender for broccoli cheddar soup years ago. I like all the little pieces and chunks of veggies, so it doesn't bother me. But if you would like to, puree the cauliflower with 1 cup of the chicken broth and then add potatoes and puree until smooth. Add a little more broth, as needed. Then just add them as you would with step 5 below :) I didn't drain off the grease after cooking the turkey, but that is definitely an option if you don't want any grease making it into the final product!

Tuesday, September 20, 2016

Pumpkin Cupcakes with Maple Rum Frosting

These delicious spiced cupcakes flavored with real pumpkin are topped with a decadent maple rum buttercream frosting!
Pumpkin Cupcakes with Maple Rum Frosting // These delicious spiced cupcakes flavored with real pumpkin are topped with a decadent maple rum buttercream frosting! #dessert #cupcakes #pumpkin #maple #rum #recipe

When my husband was tasked to bring dessert in for a company holiday lunch last year, I immediately took to the kitchen to make a pumpkin recipe of some sort. I am bad for hoarding dessert recipes, but even worse with pumpkin recipes and I know they are more welcome in the fall than any other time of the year. I personally like them any day of the year, but some people look at you like you're crazy to give them a pumpkin cupcake in July. Same with if you offered someone a peppermint treat in April...even though peppermint is also good any time of the year.

Pumpkin Cupcakes with Maple Rum Frosting // These delicious spiced cupcakes flavored with real pumpkin are topped with a decadent maple rum buttercream frosting! #dessert #cupcakes #pumpkin #maple #rum #recipe

I chose to make these cupcakes because of the maple rum frosting. That's not necessarily my go-to thought when I think of what to pair with pumpkin. I knew that Nick would love it and thought it would make for a great recipe for him because he loves maple anything and rum is his favorite liquor. While I was not necessarily the biggest fan of the frosting, I loved the spices in the cupcake. Nick loved the maple rum frosting. It was really fluffy and he said the maple and rum complimented each other perfectly. They were a huge hit at the office too!

Monday, September 19, 2016

Menu Plan Monday - Sept 19, 2016

Menu Plan Monday for Sept 19, 2016 // What I'm making this week #menuplanmonday #mealplan

This week has a very promising lineup. I am excited about the different Americanized cuisines that are represented each day. Especially Monday's Asian meal and Tuesday's Mexican meal. YUM. We are having an old favorite on Thursday and Matthew requested one of his favorites for Friday. :)

Monday - Chinese Green Beans with Ground Turkey and Rice
Tuesday - Crispy Slow Cooker Carnitas
Wednesday - [b] Oatmeal Cookie Dough Breakfast Bake [d] Minestrone alla Genovese
Thursday - Jalapeno Cheese Grilled Chicken
Friday - [d] Roast Beef Sliders [s] Garlic Fries
Saturday - [*] Easy Oreo Bundt Cake
Sunday - [b] Snickerdoodle Crumble Donuts [d] Spaghetti and Crockpot Meatballs


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Friday, September 16, 2016

Maple Glazed Oatmeal Cookies

These cookies are classic and so easy to make at home!
Maple Glazed Oatmeal Cookies // These cookies are classic and so easy to make at home! #cookies #recipe #dessert #maple #oatmeal

I feel like a normal child likes chocolate chip cookies...and while I did love chocolate chip cookies. I was also in love with molasses cookies, oatmeal raisin cookies, and iced oatmeal cookies as well. The latter is the funniest to me because I don't like crunchy cookies, but iced oatmeal cookies are the exception. These ones actually aren't super thin and crunchy like the ones from my childhood, but are still fantastic. They are such a hearty cookie and the glaze is divine even if it has maple in it - which I am not fond of. They are so wonderfully full of warm spices like cinnamon and nutmeg.

Maple Glazed Oatmeal Cookies // These cookies are classic and so easy to make at home! #cookies #recipe #dessert #maple #oatmeal

These were also a huge hit with the family. In fact, Nick stashed half a dozen in a plastic baggie in his secret hiding place for food. And he claims he is NOT a sweets eater. He doesn't really like desserts. Of course, this is such a joke...literally every time I make a dessert, he exclaims it is the best thing he's ever eaten. It cracks me up. These are the perfect little cookie for the cooler season approaching.

Wednesday, September 14, 2016

Fried Oreos

A fair food favorite made at home - any time you want!
Fried Oreos // A fair food favorite made at home - any time you want! #recipe #dessert #Oreos #friedfood #fairfood

I am not the biggest fan of Oreos. I love cookies'n'cream ice cream, but I really don't like to sit and eat an Oreo or two by itself. I know, it's like sacrilege or something. However, I was definitely intrigued to try fried Oreos at home. A few years back, the kids and I (prior to Mason) went to the New York State Fair while Nick was deployed. I looked and looked for fried Snickers but couldn't find any. I didn't want to settle on fried anything else just in case I found the Snickers. I saw fried Oreos everywhere. I knew they were a big deal.

Fried Oreos // A fair food favorite made at home - any time you want! #recipe #dessert #Oreos #friedfood #fairfood

Making them at home is super simple. I used my trusty deep fryer, but you can use a good deep skillet and it works just as well. They brown quickly so you have to babysit them, but that means that a ton are done in a very short amount of time. Which can also be a little dangerous. THEY ARE SO GOOD. I know that doesn't really mean much in terms of explaining what they taste like or convincing anyone that they need to try them. But you know how it is when you taste something and the first words out of your mouth are: THIS IS SO GOOD!! It's like that. The Oreo cookie softens up just slightly and the batter that you fry them in is divine. It works together somehow by some witchcraft and they are so good with a little powdered sugar dusted over top and a big glass of milk.

Fried Oreos // A fair food favorite made at home - any time you want! #recipe #dessert #Oreos #friedfood #fairfood

I may not be a huge fan of Oreos, but I will gladly take a million fried Oreos any day of the week! What is your all's favorite fair food? What is one you have been searching for but yet to try? What is the weirdest fried fair food you have had? Tell me your fair stories in the comments! I would love to hear them :)

Monday, September 12, 2016

Menu Plan Monday - Sept 12, 2016

Menu Plan Monday for Sept 12, 2016 // What I'm making this week #menuplanmonday #mealplan

This week is my birthday week and I was so indecisive about what cake I wanted. I immediately looked at pumpkin holidays, but ended up going the chocolate route with a cake that I have had saved for so long. Too long. I am excited because we're having loads of good foods, plus we are going to eat at Grujo's on my birthday...and I'm getting a Doner wrap again because it is my favorite!

Monday - Sausage and Kale with Roasted Potatoes
Tuesday - [b] Fave Chocolate Donuts [d] Mexi Stuffed Peppers
Wednesday - German Pea Soup with Egg Dumplings
Thursday - Caprese Steak
Friday [b] Middle of the Cinnamon Roll Muffins [*] Tunnel of Fudge Cake
Saturday - [*] Dulce de Leche Brownies
Sunday - [d] My Favorite Meatloaf [s] Loaded Cauliflower Casserole


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Sunday, September 11, 2016

Unstuffed Cabbage Roll Skillet #SundaySupper

A creative way to have cabbage rolls and only have one pot to clean!
Unstuffed Cabbage Roll Skillet // A creative way to have cabbage rolls and only have one pot to clean! #recipe #onepot #cabbage

I was all over this week's Sunday Supper Movement event theme: Easy Skillet Recipes for Back to School (hosted by: Liz of That Skinny Chick Can Bake). I'm a mom of three - two are school-aged. One pot meals are my jam right now and they are perfect for my ever-busy Mondays.

I first had cabbage rolls when I met my stepfather's mom when I was in the fourth grade. My Gramma made the best cabbage rolls and I so wish that I had her recipe and her talent for rolling them. She passed away years ago from cancer and I miss her so very much. It is nice to have something that even comes close to her cabbage rolls that I can manage to make. This dish is as good as it will get for me to reminisce the time that I had with her.

Unstuffed Cabbage Roll Skillet // A creative way to have cabbage rolls and only have one pot to clean! #recipe #onepot #cabbage

The original recipe did not turn out for me (which is likely because of human error), so I ended up modifying the recipe and it turned out perfectly for me. I cannot get over how easy and delicious this recipe is. And the whole family loved it which is a huge plus for me because over the years I've eased cabbage into our meals little by little. It is one of my absolute favorites and I ate it a lot as a kid, but Nick was never a fan. Since I don't make it often, my older kids aren't accustomed to eating it. It's a winning recipe all around because of all of this. It tastes close to my Gramma's "pigs in a blanket" (what she called them), my family is learning to love cabbage like I do, and it's a one pot meal.

Friday, September 09, 2016

Fantastical Friday


Hello, Fantastical Readers!! I've been trying to get tons of recipes posted lately. In fact, I've been trying to post at least 3 new recipes each week versus the two that I was doing. Some weeks I'm managing to post 4, so I do hope y'all are finding some new things to try or new favorites!

Speaking of favorites...I thought I would share some of my favorite food finds from the week :)


Football Cupcakes from Your Cup of Cake - Recipe | Pin it
Football season is upon us and even though I won't be watching (but following along on my favorite team's social media), these cupcakes are so adorable and perfect for a crowd of hungry folks watching the game!

Pumpkin Spice Walnuts from 80 Twenty Nutrition - Recipe | Pin it
Spiced nut mixes are incredible and there is a bonus for those with different dietary lifestyles! This recipe is vegan, gluten free, and paleo.

Heavenly Green Beans from The Girl Who Ate Everything - Recipe | Pin it
I love trying new ways to make vegetables for sides and green beans are one of my favorites. This is an Asian-style recipe, so I'm so excited to try it out!

Orzo Stuffed Peppers from Amber Nicole Blog - Recipe | Pin it
My bestie is also currently working with RAGU and I am dying to make her stuffed peppers. They look incredible!

Twix Brownies from Confessions of a Cookbook Queen - Recipe | Pin it
That layer of caramel in the middle - love at first sight.

What recipe would you try first?

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Thursday, September 08, 2016

Pepperjack Chicken

 All this yummy dinner takes is a layering of some ingredients and some time in the oven.
Pepperjack Chicken //  All this yummy dinner takes is a layering of some ingredients and some time in the oven #recipe #chicken #maindish

There a lot of things I didn't like as a kid but ate because it was what we had...canned soup and Hamburger Helper to name a few. But I always loved the Stove Top stuffing. My mom made it as a side dish to chicken or pork chops a lot and I've never gotten sick of it. I was not deterred at all when I found a recipe that utilizes Stove Top. This is very reminiscent of a recipe I would have made 5 years ago. I did a lot of casseroles and a lot of "cream of" soups. I have strayed away from that, but do love it on occasion. It just tastes like childhood and I'm sure a lot of folks would agree with me there!

Pepperjack Chicken // All this yummy dinner takes is a layering of some ingredients and some time in the oven #chicken #recipe #maindish

The original recipe called for swiss cheese, but literally none of us will touch that, so I went the spicy route with pepperjack chicken. This meal was absolute comfort food and my whole family loved it. I decided since I was serving it up over pasta to cut the cooked chicken up. I scooped some of the pan goodness on top too. It was just a wonderful meal. I used chicken flavored stuffing, but really would love to test it out with cornbread stuffing and savory herbs  stuffing too (maybe with mozzarella with the latter).

Pepperjack Chicken // All this yummy dinner takes is a layering of some ingredients and some time in the oven #chicken #recipe #maindish


Wednesday, September 07, 2016

One Pot Tomato, Basil, and Chicken Pasta

A simple one pot dish that comes together in less than 30 minutes that the whole family will love.
One Pot Tomato, Basil, & Chicken Pasta // A simple one pot dish that comes together in less than 30 minutes that the whole family will love #recipe #chicken #pasta #maindish #onepot

One of my favorite parts about Secret Recipe Club is getting to go through someone's recipe index and find a treasure trove of new recipes to make. Sometimes I get ambitious and I will make a few for reveal day. Other times, I pick the one I want to make the most and save the rest for later. This was one of the many recipes I saved from a month where I was assigned to Fearless Homemaker. I love one pot meals. They are ultra convenient and typically also very quick to make. While they are not ALL pasta dishes, a lot of them are, so I also love them for that reason too. I am pastaholic carb lover. #sorrynotsorry

This particular one pot has simple flavors that work together very well and are very familiar to my family (and I'm sure most everyone's), so it was gobbled up with no hesitation.

Tuesday, September 06, 2016

Hazelnut Pancakes

 Who knew that an ingredient many have on hand could make pancakes as delicious as these?
Hazelnut Pancakes //  Who knew that an ingredient many have on hand could make pancakes as delicious as these? #recipe #pancakes #hazelnut #breakfast

These pancakes have a special ingredient that add the lovely hazelnut flavor: coffee creamer! The coffee creamer of choice is hazelnut which is one of our personal favorites. There is definitely room to experiment with all flavors of coffee creamer, syrups, and toppings. But today is about the simple hazelnut pancakes and they are wonderful. They really remind me of diner pancakes - they aren't these huge puffy fluffy pancakes, but they are still incredibly delicious!


Monday, September 05, 2016

Menu Plan Monday - Sept 5, 2016

Menu Plan Monday for Sept 5, 2016 // What I'm making this week #menuplanmonday #mealplan

I missed last week's MPM mostly because I totally grabbed onto the seat of my pants and just winged it. It actually turned out pretty well, but I'd like to not do that again, so here I am for this week's menu plan. :)

Monday - Leftovers
Tuesday -  [b] Biscoff Muffins [d] Chicken and Cheese Quesadillas
Wednesday - Kale Soup
Thursday - [*] Cream Cheese Rippled Pumpkin Bread [d] Unstuffed Cabbage Roll Casserole
Friday - Kids' Menu Burgers
Saturday - [b] Cinnamon Roll Donuts
Sunday - Tatortot Hotdish


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Sunday, September 04, 2016

Atomic Buffalo Turds #SundaySupper

These A.B.T.s are fantastically easy to make and stuffed to the brim with deliciousness.
Atomic Buffalo Turds // These A.B.T.s are fantastically easy to make and stuffed to the brim with deliciousness #recipe #jalapenopopper #bacon #SundaySupper #gameday

Today's Sunday Supper Movement Event is hosted by Coleen of The Redhead Baker (thank you, Coleen!) and the theme is... Easy Football Food Ideas for Game Day!

I'm not going to lie. I was totally drawn to this recipe because of its name. Some recipes I see the picture and go "oooh that looks good" and then other times I look at the recipe titles and think that sound delicious or I'm totally intrigued and want to see what the recipe is about. When I read atomic buffalo turds, I was like what exactly is that? Simply put: a jalapeno popper.

And I am all about some jalapeno poppers and I knew that a sausage stuffed jalapeno popper would be a huge hit. Now I know this is a football food event, but we don't have cable or a sports channel package and don't really watch games anyways (although I do keep up with my team - the Vikings - on their social media). So I had actually made these for NYE last year and I am gonna be honest here...I almost ate half of them by myself. I was already in the kitchen fixing other things and starving because there was so much good food all around me, so I kept grabbing one here and there. It was bad. I almost didn't leave any for anyone else!

Atomic Buffalo Turds // These A.B.T.s are fantastically easy to make and stuffed to the brim with deliciousness #recipe #jalapenopopper #bacon #SundaySupper #gameday

I was bummed at the spiciness of the peppers though. Sometimes our grocery store will have super spicy ones and other times they are really mild. I was hoping for some really spicy jalapenos, but ended up with some mild ones. They were still really fantastic and obviously if I ate half of them I didn't mind, but I am definitely holding out for a great batch of jalapenos and a perfect event to do these again!

Saturday, September 03, 2016

RAGÚ Homestyle Faux Baked Roasted Garlic & Tomato Spaghetti #ad

http://www.linqia.com/

Hello, Fantastical friends! I picked up a jar of the new RAGÚ® Homestyle pasta sauce to make a new recipe of baked spaghetti. I am so excited to be sharing this new recipe with y'all that I whipped up for my family in a jiffy the other night (Thursday night to be exact). I am definitely no stranger to baked spaghetti, but I thought the new pasta sauce with the promise of hugging the pasta needed a new (and better) recipe!

Faux Baked Roasted Garlic and Tomato Spaghetti // Rich and hearty RAGU turns this baked spaghetti into a wonderful homestyle meal #recipe #ad #spaghetti

I definitely prefer a hearty spaghetti sauce, so it really was a no-brainer for me to test out the new RAGÚ® pasta sauce. One of my new favorite things to do is to throw roasted grape tomatoes into any pasta dish - whether that be spaghetti, alfredo, pesto, etc. Another new favorite of mine is to do faux baked casseroles. Basically, I will cook all my ingredients completely and throw them into a baking dish. Then I simply top whatever it is with cheese and put it under my broiler. It comes out looking and tasting like it's been baked and it is wonderful!!

Faux Baked Roasted Garlic and Tomato Spaghetti // Rich and hearty RAGU turns this baked spaghetti into a wonderful homestyle meal #recipe #ad #spaghetti

The new RAGÚ® pasta sauce comes in five different flavors. I opted for the roasted garlic, but I also purchased the meat sauce as well. I will definitely be picking up the four cheese, mushroom, and traditional sauces soon too! All of them sound incredible and I love to try new pasta sauces out. Since roasted tomatoes have been my thing lately, I thought that I really needed to do roasted garlic as well. Everything roasted! I tossed my grape tomatoes with salt, pepper, basil, and olive oil to kind of match the flavorings of the sauce a little, so the tomatoes did not stand out so much or overpower the sauce. The sauce itself is rich, hearty, and so flavorful. It's definitely one of my all-time favorite sauces. The roasted garlic sauce is just plain good. The roasted tomatoes were the perfect compliment to the RAGÚ® Homestyle Thick and Hearty Roasted Garlic pasta sauce.


I love that RAGÚ® is calling their new line "Homestyle" and love even more that they say it is "simmered in tradition". Spaghetti has always been my most favorite meal. Growing up with a stepdad whose heritage was Italian meant we had a lot of Italian meals. A lot. But I never got sick of it. As I got older, I definitely tried my hardest to find a good homemade spaghetti sauce. I do have a few great recipes, but I admit that with three kids now, I am as busy as ever and prepared sauce is the way to go. I think that a homecooked meal doesn't always have to be from scratch and it certainly doesn't have to be a super complicated recipe. I think it's so important to just sit around the table with your family and enjoy each other's company over a meal made in your own kitchen. Those are the homestyle meals and it really does mean the world to your loved ones. 

Faux Baked Roasted Garlic and Tomato Spaghetti // Rich and hearty RAGU turns this baked spaghetti into a wonderful homestyle meal #recipe #ad #spaghetti

I, myself, have made spaghetti a million times for my family. Probably more times than anything else I've ever made and my children (the oldest two - little guy doesn't talk to that extent quite yet) raved about how amazing it was and how it was the best spaghetti and meal they had ever had. They say that about a lot of foods I make, really, but I could tell this time was just a little different. I'm really glad that they enjoyed this recipe because I certainly did. A big shout out to RAGÚ® for sponsoring this post and inspiring me pass on my family traditions, not to mention, for making such a great product that not only tastes good, but has no artificial colors or flavoring. Y'all have to stop by the RAGÚ® recipe page and check out all the wonderful recipes there!