Saturday, December 31, 2016

Countdown to 2017: Most Popular


I always look forward to this day and love seeing what recipes were viewed a ton on my blog this year. I also look forward to seeing what other bloggers' most popular recipes are too. I hope everyone has a safe and happy New Year's Eve. I'm so excited to grub tonight! We'll be back tomorrow with the last day of the countdown because it'll no longer be 2016!
       

Friday, December 30, 2016

Countdown to 2017: Best Crockpot


The crockpot, in my opinion, is one of the best kitchen tools there is. It's so versatile too. It's nice for busy days. It's nice when you want to have a lazy day. It's nice for hot summer days when you don't want to have your oven on. It's nice for cold winter days when you want a hot soup. You can make snacks, dessert, sides, etc. in it. 
       

Thursday, December 29, 2016

Countdown to 2017: Best Dessert


Ah, the day I look forward to the most of the Countdown: Best Dessert! I have the biggest sweet tooth and have entirely too many dessert recipes saved/stashed/hoarded. And that certainly will never stop me from saving more. I can't wait to see what my friends share today.
       

Wednesday, December 28, 2016

Countdown to 2017: Best Main Dish


Today's category is Best Main Dish. I definitely have an abundance of main dish recipes on my blog because I make so many! Breakfast and desserts are far and few between, but main dish is 6 nights a week. We do tend to make at least one or two oldies in a week, but I am always happy to find something new to make for dinner.
       

Tuesday, December 27, 2016

Countdown to 2017: Best Breakfast

 
Today's category is Best Breakfast recipes of 2016. I was surprised that I posted as many breakfast recipes as I did. I just this month started really cracking down on trying to make three breakfast recipes a week. And I've been getting around two a week...which is better than zero LOL. Can't wait to see what breakfast recipes my blogging friends share because I love breakfast foods!
       

Monday, December 26, 2016

Menu Plan Monday - December 26, 2016

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

Ah, the calm before another storm...and by that...I mean a short break before another round of tons of food! NYE seems like it has come SO quickly, doesn't it?  I'm trying to go easy on the recipes for the first part of the week to allow for more room in my fridge for New Year's Eve food.

Monday - Cheesy Jalapeno Tuna Casserole [from Cravings]
Tuesday - Crunchwrap Supreme Copycat
Wednesday - Grandma Ruth's Italian Chicken Soup
Thursday - Cinnamon Roll Donuts // Quinoa Stuffed Peppers
Friday - Jalapeno Popper Pizza
Saturday - Maple Bars
Sunday - Crockpot Meatloaf

NYE Grub: White Pizza Dip, Rolo Stuffed Crackers w/Homemade Ritz Crackers, Jalapeno Popper Wontons, Deep Fried Pickles, Slow Cooker Chex Mix, Slow Cooker Honey Buffalo Meatballs

------------------------------

don't miss a thing. follow fantastical on:
facebook | pinterest | bloglovin | instagram

Countdown to 2017: Best Appetizers and Snacks


It's that time of year once again! I am joined by my blogging friends to share the best recipes of 2016. The schedule is shown above in the little image - the countdown runs from December 26th to January 1st. I hope you stop by each day to see what recipes made our lists for each category. If you are a food blogger and just now hearing about the Countdown, please feel free to jump in. You don't have to participate every single day by any means. The blog hop is open from 12am EST the day the category goes live until 12pm EST the following day, so you still have time to draft something up and post it!



Friday, December 23, 2016

Fantastical Friday


Hello, everyone -- I just wanted to wish you all a Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, Happy Kwanzaa, whichever you may celebrate and if you don't celebrate any of those, I hope you are able to spend some time off the last little bit of this year and enjoy the company of friends and family! Happy Holidays!! I wish you and your loved ones all the best in the New Year too. :)

I will be back on Monday to start the Countdown to 2017 - see you then!

------------------------------

don't miss a thing. follow fantastical on:
facebook | pinterest | bloglovin | instagram

Thursday, December 22, 2016

Hawaiian Burgers

Pineapple isn't just for pizza -- it's pure heaven on this burger with a little teriyaki sauce to compliment it!
Hawaiian Burgers // Pineapple isn't just for pizza -- it's pure heaven on this burger with a little teriyaki sauce to compliment it! #recipe #pineapple #beef #burger

It is definitely an odd time to share such a summer-y dish, but stay with me on this one. We eat burgers year round even if we can't grill out and I seriously love these burgers. Even in the dead of winter, they make me feel warm inside like it's really not cold outside. I especially love the teriyaki sauce and provolone on the burgers AND the toasted onion rolls. Oh my gosh. The toasted onion rolls are everything. There is also a special sauce made with teriyaki sauce as well.

Hawaiian Burgers // Pineapple isn't just for pizza -- it's pure heaven on this burger with a little teriyaki sauce to compliment it! #recipe #pineapple #beef #burger

Wednesday, December 21, 2016

Slice 'N Bake Hazelnut Cookies #FantasticalFoodFight

Delicious slice and bake hazelnut shortbread cookies dipped in chocolate and topped with more hazelnuts!
Slice 'N Bake Hazelnut Cookies // Delicious slice and bake hazelnut shortbread cookies dipped in chocolate and topped with more hazelnuts! #FantasticalFoodFight #cookies #hazelnut #dessert

Hello, everyone! Welcome to our second Food Fight! Fantastical Food Fight is a group of food bloggers who gets a theme or ingredient each month and makes some sort of variation for it. It could be traditional or nontraditional and can be found in a cookbook, on a blog, or be a blogger's own creation! For more details, check out this page. This month, our theme is SHORTBREAD COOKIES. Perfect timing for Christmas, if you ask me!

Slice 'N Bake Hazelnut Cookies // Delicious slice and bake hazelnut shortbread cookies dipped in chocolate and topped with more hazelnuts! #FantasticalFoodFight #cookies #hazelnut #dessert

I went to my go-to dessert vault: Sally's Baking Addiction! I found this slice 'n bake cookies recipe that is technically not quite a shortbread, but Sally made it using her shortbread cookie recipe as a base. They definitely taste a lot like shortbread and if anyone asked me, I would definitely call them a shortbread cookie. Surprisingly enough, these were a pretty big hit with the whole family. My kids loved them and that struck me as quite odd because they weren't super sugary overly sweet cookies. They were really easy to make and even though you have to let the dough chill for at least 4 hours, it seemed like they were done pretty quickly too. It worked out perfectly for me because I made the dough during Mason's nap and then baked the cookies as I made dinner.

Slice 'N Bake Hazelnut Cookies // Delicious slice and bake hazelnut shortbread cookies dipped in chocolate and topped with more hazelnuts! #FantasticalFoodFight #cookies #hazelnut #dessert

Be sure to check out the other shortbread cookies below from my fellow Food Fighters! :)

Tuesday, December 20, 2016

Fajita Bowls

Cilantro lime rice topped with marinaded chili lime veggies and chicken make this fajita bowl better than the rest!
Fajita Bowls // Cilantro lime rice topped with marinaded chili lime veggies and chicken make this fajita bowl better than the rest! #recipe #burritobowl #chicken #maindish

I am a newbie to burrito/fajita bowls (and still haven't tried a smoothie bowl) even though they have probably come and gone in the trending foods. I'm always pretty late to the trending food game LOL. Anyways, I was intrigued by this recipe from Carlsbad Cravings. It's not just taco-seasoned chicken...it's chili lime seasoned chicken and it's seriously such a punch of flavor to your tastebuds. The chicken alone was really delicious and so hard for me to stop snacking on while I fixed the rest of the bowls. If you follow the link at the very end of this post, you can also make the chipotle lime crema for the topping instead of just plain sour cream. I have made a similar crema before, but since I am the only one that ate it...I didn't want to be wasteful and just topped mine with plain sour cream.

Fajita Bowls // Cilantro lime rice topped with marinaded chili lime veggies and chicken make this fajita bowl better than the rest! #recipe #burritobowl #chicken #maindish

Monday, December 19, 2016

Menu Plan Monday - December 19, 2016

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

Aw yeah! It's Christmas time! I am making tons of good stuff for Christmas dinner and I am so very excited about it. We will definitely be missing a few members of the family this week, but they have a very good reason to be missing out -- there will be another Little arriving! This was definitely the year of Littles for our family and it's so awesome.

Monday - Cranberry Cream Cheese Muffins // One Pan Orecchiette with Italian Sausage and Kale
Tuesday - Chicken and Broccoli Grilled Burritos
Wednesday - Slow Cooker Beef Stew
Thursday - Gingerbread Donuts // Bacon-Wrapped Chicken Tenders with Cheddar Jalapeno Mashed Potatoes and peas
Friday - 2 AM Breakfast Burgers

Christmas Eve Grub: Italian Baked Eggs, No Bake Reese's Peanut Butter Bars (maybe), Cut Out Cookies, Reese's Trees

Christmas Day Grub: Peppermint Hot Cocoa Donuts, Sweet Potato Casserole, Egg Nog Bread, Gingerbread Cheesecake, Smoked Gouda Scalloped Potatoes, Asparagus Casserole, Chocolate Hazelnut Crunch Truffles, Easy Butterfinger Fudge


------------------------------


don't miss a thing. follow fantastical on:
facebook | pinterest | bloglovin | instagram

Friday, December 16, 2016

One Pot Wonder Stuffed Pepper Skillet

The one pot wonder of the world! This stuffed pepper skillet is wonderful.
One Pot Wonder Stuffed Pepper Skillet // The one pot wonder of the world! This stuffed pepper skillet is wonderful. #recipe #onepot #beef #turkey

This recipe originally calls for rice, however, when I had planned this out, it was right around the time that I had made a similar rice-based one pot meal. So I really wanted some quinoa in my life. I also for some reason had a bunch of different quinoas on hand and didn't want them to go to waste because it's not necessarily the cheapest grain.

You could absolutely use rice in this though, so if quinoa isn't in your budget or tastes, definitely pull out the rice. You main have to adjust the cooking time to cook your rice all the way though. The next time this is on the menu, I'm going to drain my tomatoes. I think that quinoa may have absorbed less liquid than rice would have, but that's for me to figure out I suppose LOL. It was still a super flavorful dish. I love having stuffed peppers without having the big pieces of pepper to cut while I try and eat. My kids appreciate it too :)

One Pot Wonder Stuffed Pepper Skillet // The one pot wonder of the world! This stuffed pepper skillet is wonderful. #recipe #onepot #beef #turkey

Wednesday, December 14, 2016

Cheeseburger Soup

This creamy soup is wonderful, creamy, and the perfect meal to sit down and enjoy on a cold winter day.
Cheeseburger Soup // This creamy soup is wonderful, creamy, and the perfect meal to sit down and enjoy on a cold winter day. #recipe #soup #beef

I have shared a few cheeseburger "themed" soups lately, but this one is my favorite of the lot. I have been digging creamier soups and this one is so smooth! I love that it still has traditional soup goodies like carrot, onion, and celery. Plus it also has potatoes and ground beef....and CHEESE. It's like a whole cheeseburger meal in a soup.

Cheeseburger Soup // This creamy soup is wonderful, creamy, and the perfect meal to sit down and enjoy on a cold winter day. #recipe #soup #beef

Tuesday, December 13, 2016

Peppermint Kiss Sugar Cookies

These festive little "blossom" cookies are perfect for the winter season!
Peppermint Kiss Sugar Cookies // These festive little "blossom" cookies are perfect for the winter season! #recipe #cookies #hersheykiss #peppermint

My mom makes peanut butter blossom cookies pretty much every year for Christmas and I love them. I love finding similar recipes to my favorite classics. I always buy the candy cane kisses because they are so good to put in hot coffee or hot cocoa. Seriously delicious - if you haven't tried it, you have to! So I already knew these little kisses were amazing and I thought the combination of candy cane and sugar cookies and chocolate would be delicious. My cookies ended up a little more crumbly looking than Alyssa's, but still were very very good. I think I may have just ended up rolling the cookie dough balls too large. No biggie.

Peppermint Kiss Sugar Cookies // These festive little "blossom" cookies are perfect for the winter season! #recipe #cookies #hersheykiss #peppermint

Monday, December 12, 2016

Menu Plan Monday - December 12, 2016

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

I am so so so so antsy for Christmas. It's coming up so quickly and I can't believe it. This week has a few oldies and a few pretty intricate recipes to try out. I am also really excited to test out a family recipe of my sister-in-law, Chantal. I can only hope it turns out alright.

Monday - Biscoff Muffins // Cobb Salad [from Cravings]
Tuesday - One Dish Taco Goulash
Wednesday - Spicy Pork Ramen Noodle Soup
Thursday - Heath Donuts // Hobo Dinner
Friday - Grilled Chicken and Bacon Pizza
Saturday - Mocha Coffee Cake // German Cheesecake [my sister-in-law's family recipe]
Sunday - One Pot Pork Chops and Gravy with Seasoned Roast Potatoes

------------------------------

don't miss a thing. follow fantastical on:
facebook | pinterest | bloglovin | instagram

Friday, December 09, 2016

Fantastical Friday: 9 Recipes for Brownies That Will Blow Your Mind


Happy Friday! Yesterday was Brownie Day and I thought it would be the perfect opportunity to share some brownie recipes with y'all that I am dying to try. What is a brownie recipe you have on your "to-make" list?

  1. Cheesecake Swirled Brownies from Like Mother, Like Daughter - Recipe | Pin it
  2. Slow Cooker Hot Fudge Brownies from Wine & Glue - Recipe | Pin it
  3. Thick and Chewy Better Than Boxed Brownies from Life Made Simple - Recipe | Pin it
  4. Cookie Butter Caramel Swirled Brownies from Grumpys Honeybunch - Recipe | Pin it
  5. Samuel's Salted Caramel Peanut Brownie Bombs from Yammie's Noshery - Recipe | Pin it
  6. Nutella Brownies from Sally's Baking Addiction - Recipe | Pin it
  7. The Best German Chocolate Brownies from Averie Cooks - Recipe | Pin it
  8. I Just Got Dumped Brownies from Gal on a Mission - Recipe | Pin it
  9. Butterfinger Brownies from Like Mother, Like Daughter - Recipe | Pin it
------------------------------

don't miss a thing. follow fantastical on:
facebook | pinterest | bloglovin | instagram

Thursday, December 08, 2016

Italian Chicken and Vegetable Bake

Five ingredients thrown together and baked 1 1/2 hours for an easy, delicious dinner
Italian Chicken and Vegetable Bake // Five ingredients thrown together and baked 1 1/2 hours for an easy, delicious dinner #recipe #chicken #onedish

One dish meals are wonderful. They are a gift. They are a saving grace when I have either a busy, busy day or if I have had a bad day and discover that a one dish meal is on the menu for the night. It's so simple to just throw everything in the pan and stick it in the oven and forget it until it is done. I love that this is such a hearty meal and it's only five ingredients. It could not be an easier of a dish if it tried.

Italian Chicken and Vegetable Bake // Five ingredients thrown together and baked 1 1/2 hours for an easy, delicious dinner #recipe #chicken #onedish

Wednesday, December 07, 2016

Blackened Chicken Alfredo Nachos

These untraditional nachos are topped with spice-crusted chicken, creamy alfredo sauce, and juicy tomatoes.
Blackened Chicken Alfredo Nachos // These untraditional nachos are topped with spice-crusted chicken, creamy alfredo sauce, and juicy tomatoes #nachos #chicken #alfredo #maindish

I can only attest to having two "blackened" foods and that is blackened tuna steak at a restaurant and this recipe. I think it's a pretty fantastic method of cooking and the crust of seasoning is so freaking delicious. However, I'm going to be honest and say I was totally skeptical of alfredo nachos. It took me many years to even touch alfredo and then I was still not completely sold on it. I still prefer homemade alfredo over jarred, but I will say that Classico brand makes some delicious four-cheese alfredo sauce and that is what I used in this recipe.

I was throughly pleased with how this dish turned out and impressed with how tasty it was. The alfredo was the perfect creamy compliment to the crunchy spiced crust of the chicken. The tomatoes were the perfect burst of flavor. I really love being surprised by new dishes and getting out of my comfort zone. You never know what will happen, right?!

Blackened Chicken Alfredo Nachos // These untraditional nachos are topped with spice-crusted chicken, creamy alfredo sauce, and juicy tomatoes #nachos #chicken #alfredo #maindish

Tuesday, December 06, 2016

Banana Nutella Muffins

Sweet banana muffins with a rich swirl of Nutella
Banana Nutella Muffins // Sweet banana muffins with a rich swirl of Nutella #recipe #muffins #breakfast #Nutella

Banana bread is one of my all-time favorite things and I do occasionally enjoy a lovely banana nut muffin. I thought the idea of Nutella and banana together in a muffin was such a great idea and the recipe itself looked quite simple. And all those things were so true. The muffins were very easy to make and they were so delicious. The richness of the Nutella really truly is the perfect addition to a sweet banana muffin.

Banana Nutella Muffins // Sweet banana muffins with a rich swirl of Nutella #recipe #muffins #breakfast #Nutella

Monday, December 05, 2016

Menu Plan Monday - December 5, 2016

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

I decided to finally crack open my Cravings cookbook that Chrissy Tiegen wrote. I think I may have had a recipe from the cookbook last week. I am really looking forward to the two recipes from the cookbook this week and especially excited about Sunday's dinner and side :)

Monday - Middle of the Cinnamon Roll Muffins // Beef and Broccoli Noodle Bowls
Tuesday - Easy Chicken Fajita Bake
Wednesday - Pot Pie Soup [from Cravings]
Thursday - Glazed Chocolate Donuts // Caprese Chicken with Spinach Salad and Warm Bacon Dressing
Friday - Oven Baked Schnitzel Burgers with chips
Saturday - Huevos Rancheros // Butterscotch Pudding
Sunday - Spicy Italian Meatloaf [from Cravings] with Slow Cooker Buttery Garlicky Mashed Potatoes

------------------------------

don't miss a thing. follow fantastical on:
facebook | pinterest | bloglovin | instagram

Salted Butterscotch Pudding Cookies #FBLCookieExchange

These soft, chewy cookies are chock-full of butterscotch flavor with a hint of salt.
Salted Butterscotch Pudding Cookies // These soft, chewy cookies are chock-full of butterscotch flavor with a hint of salt #recipe #cookies #butterscotch #FBLCookieExchange

As the holidays approached this year, Lindsey and Julie, who hosted the Great Food Blogger Cookie Swap, announced that they would not be holding the swap anymore. It was so sad, but I was happy when Allison of The PinterTest Kitchen decided to host a cookie exchange and was more than happy to be her co-host! It just didn't seem right to not have the cookie swap happen. We are, of course, a lot smaller in numbers, but if Allison is game to host next year, I'm game to co-host once again!

The premise is that you are matched with 3 bloggers and send each a dozen cookies (and they don't know who has them until they receive their cookies!). In turn, you also receive a dozen cookies from 3 different bloggers. I received Best Cut Sugar Cookies from The Saucy Southerner, Double Chocolate Mint Cookies from 2 Cookin' Mamas, and Double Chocolate Buckeye cookies from For The Love of Food. They didn't make it any longer than a few days and we loved them all. I can't wait to get the recipes!

I sent a dozen each of these pudding cookies to Liz, Megan, and Colleen. I decided to not search far and long to find a recipe this year. I decided upon the butterscotch pudding cookies because my husband loves butterscotch and I figured they would hold up well in transit. I was honestly really surprised with how much I loved the cookies and how very addictive they were! The little touch of salt really made the difference!

Salted Butterscotch Pudding Cookies // These soft, chewy cookies are chock-full of butterscotch flavor with a hint of salt #recipe #cookies #butterscotch #FBLCookieExchange

If you would like to be notified of blogging events like this cookie exchange, please check out the Food Blogger Love group: here.

Friday, December 02, 2016

Gingerbread Cookie Bars

Chewy spiced gingerbread cookies in bar form topped with cream cheese frosting - perfect for the winter months!
Gingerbread Cookie Bars // Chewy spiced gingerbread cookies in bar form topped with cream cheese frosting - perfect for the winter months! #gingerbread #dessert #bar #recipe

Gingerbread is quintessential for Christmas and I don't make anything gingerbread...ever. What's wrong with me? So last year, I decided to change that and I picked something gingerbread from my Pinterest boards. I picked out a beautiful first gingerbread dessert recipe and would love to have them again soon. The base is chewy and spiced and wonderful. The frosting is creamy and finger-licking good. The combination of the two is magical and seriously perfect for Christmas. I topped mine with a little homemade gingerbread spice mix.

Gingerbread Cookie Bars // Chewy spiced gingerbread cookies in bar form topped with cream cheese frosting - perfect for the winter months! #gingerbread #dessert #bar #recipe

Wednesday, November 30, 2016

Swedish Meatball Soup

Move over chicken noodle soup! Move over beef stew! This Swedish Meatball Soup has y'all beat!
Swedish Meatball Soup // Move over chicken noodle soup! Move over beef stew! This Swedish Meatball Soup has y'all beat! #recipe #soup #meatball

I am really digging Swedish meatballs lately. We've had them over mashed potatoes and in soup and yum! I just can't get enough! It was such a nice change of pace to have a beef-based soup. I feel like all the soups we eat are chicken or meatless. If you all have a great beef soup recipe, definitely leave me a comment below and a link to the recipe because if it's one thing I can't help, it's to hoard more recipes!

Swedish Meatball Soup // Move over chicken noodle soup! Move over beef stew! This Swedish Meatball Soup has y'all beat! #recipe #soup #meatball

Tuesday, November 29, 2016

Pesto Burgers

This variation doesn't add any time to making a burger, but it sure does blow a regular burger right out of the water!
Pesto Burgers // This variation doesn't add any time to making a burger, but it sure does blow a regular burger right out of the water! #recipe #burger #pesto

We have burgers every other Friday, so I'm always looking for different kinds of burgers to make. Some are pretty labor intensive while others, like this one, are simple tweaks that really make the burger quite different. You prepare the burger much like you would any other...form your patty and cook it. The cheese of choice (weapon of choice har har) is mozzarella and you top the burger with just tomatoes and pesto. It's all very simple, but outstanding in flavor. You can make your own pesto or buy some at the store - it's up to you. I served mine up on crazy good butter buns!

Pesto Burgers // This variation doesn't add any time to making a burger, but it sure does blow a regular burger right out of the water! #recipe #burger #pesto

Monday, November 28, 2016

Menu Plan Monday - November 28, 2016

Menu Plan Monday for Nov 28, 2016 // What I'm making this week #menuplanmonday #mealplan


I cannot believe that Thanksgiving is gone already. It was so weird for it to not be absolutely freezing out. We got our Christmas tree up last night after all our family members that were in town had left. Excited about this week's recipes. So many goodies!

Monday - Homemade Hamburger Helper with Broccoli
Tuesday - Copycat Entenmann's Cheese Filled Crumb Coffee Cake // Easy Tex Mex Chicken Skillet Dinner
Wednesday - Stir Fry Soup
Thursday - Snickerdoodle Crumble Donuts // Hibachi Chicken and Fried Rice
Friday - Meat Lovers Hashbrown Crust Pizza
Saturday - Raspberry Chocolate Chip Cheesecake Bars // Toasted Hazelnut Cookies
Sunday - Easy Lemon Chicken Potato Casserole

------------------------------

don't miss a thing. follow fantastical on:
facebook | pinterest | bloglovin | instagram

Friday, November 25, 2016

Countdown to 2017 [The Information Post]

I have been participating in a fun shindig called "Countdown to..." each year since 2011 to round up my best/favorite recipes from the year from my blog. I joined other food bloggers in this really fun activity, sharing round ups from Dec 26 until Jan 1 to ring in the new year. This will be my third year hosting it!

In the Countdown to 2017, you will round up your best and/or favorite recipes posted in 2016 for each category on the specified days and link up to the blog hop. You don't have to participate every single day, but can join for however many days you want. Each blog hop will open at 12am EST and close 48 hours later. The first of January is a "Wild Card" category where you can choose what you want to share, whether that be your favorite recipes of 2016, your family's favorites, a list of recipes you want to try in 2017, beverages, etc.

If you have any questions, please email me at fantasticalsharing1 at gmail dot com. I'll see you back on the 26th for the first Countdown to 2017 post all about the best appetizers and snacks recipes of 2016! Sign up for the mailing list is below the image at the end of the post.

Please feel free to post on your blog about the Countdown or share the button on your sidebar or one on your social media. To save, right-click and upload from your computer, tablet, or phone. Do not copy/paste.


Sign up for the mailing list: here.

------------------------------

don't miss a thing. follow fantastical on:
facebook | pinterest | bloglovin | instagram

Wednesday, November 23, 2016

Slow Cooker Cheeseburger Soup

A delicious cheesy potato soup fixed in the crockpot with ground beef and topped with all the best hamburger toppings!
Slow Cooker Cheeseburger Soup // A delicious cheesy potato soup fixed in the crockpot with ground beef and topped with all the best hamburger toppings! #recipe #soup #slowcooker #crockpot

I love a good potato soup and I love when one is more than just potatoes. Don't get me wrong...plain potato soup is great and hearty and wonderful. But add ground beef and cheese and then all the right burger toppings and it is just out-of-this-world delicious. Although this is a slow cooker recipe, it does require dirtying one skillet to cook the ground beef and also make a cream mixture to help thicken up the soup. I personally don't think that's too horrible of a trade off and really loved this soup. I went super heavy handed on the toppings and it was just so good. So so so good.

Slow Cooker Cheeseburger Soup // A delicious cheesy potato soup fixed in the crockpot with ground beef and topped with all the best hamburger toppings! #recipe #soup #slowcooker #crockpot

Tuesday, November 22, 2016

Chicken Enchiladas with Roasted Poblano Salsa and Cucumber Pico de Gallo

These impressive enchiladas have the perfect balance of everything with homemade salsa and cool and spicy pico de gallo.
Chicken Enchiladas with Roasted Poblano Salsa and Cucumber Pico de Gallo // These impressive enchiladas have the perfect balance of everything with homemade salsa and cool and spicy pico de gallo #recipe #chicken #enchiladas

Sometimes I will put off making a recipe because I think it looks really complicated and like too much work. I find it pretty funny that I will take the time to measure out what seems like at least a dozen spices for Skyline Chili, but I can't chop up a few things and stir them together. So I've been trying to look at recipes and estimate the time it would take to make that recipe and TRY my hardest to plan it on a day that doesn't have too much going on.

This recipe had me stupid excited because I love homemade salsa and I never get to use poblanos because I will plan a recipe and then my chosen grocery store will be out of them. I was pretty stoked that the store had poblanos and I was able to make this recipe because YASSSSSSSS. First off, this poblano salsa is not only tasty but super duper gorgeous. Look at it!

Chicken Enchiladas with Roasted Poblano Salsa and Cucumber Pico de Gallo // These impressive enchiladas have the perfect balance of everything with homemade salsa and cool and spicy pico de gallo #recipe #chicken #enchiladas

There is a ton of poblano salsa in it and the quesadilla queso type cheese is so melty and delicious. And let's just talk about the cucumber pico...


It is LITERALLY (Chris Traeger voice) the icing on the cake...but pico de gallo on the enchiladas. It's so so wonderful. It's both cool and spicy and I could eat it by itself. It's amazing. The entire combination of the enchiladas, salsa, and pico is incredible. I can't get over it.

Chicken Enchiladas with Roasted Poblano Salsa and Cucumber Pico de Gallo // These impressive enchiladas have the perfect balance of everything with homemade salsa and cool and spicy pico de gallo #recipe #chicken #enchiladas

Monday, November 21, 2016

Menu Plan Monday - November 21, 2016

Menu Plan Monday for Nov 21, 2016 // What I'm making this week #menuplanmonday #mealplan

One of my favorite favorite holidays ever is Thanksgiving because I love that it's a food holiday and a family holiday. It's just a big family feast and that is THE BEST, if you ask me. This year, we are going to do pot roast with a little turkey on the side and we're going simple on the food side of things. Last year, there was a lot of extended family in town, so we made a LOT of food. We still will have a crowd this year, but we won't be doing two kinds of potatoes, plus tons of sides. We're keeping it simple :) My mom's birthday falls on Saturday after Thanksgiving this year, so I'm making Junior Mint Cupcakes for her because she LOVES Junior Mints.

Monday - Chicken Alfredo Baked Ziti
Tuesday - Biscoff Muffins // 1970s Style Tacos
Wednesday - Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls with Caramel Frosting // Crockpot Italian Chicken, Quinoa, and Vegetable Soup
Thursday - Nutella French Toast Rolls // {Thanksgiving Menu below!}
Friday - Leftovers
Saturday - Huevos Rancheros // Outrageous Jalapeno Popper Grilled Cheese // Junior Mint Cupcakes
Sunday - Crockpot Meatloaf

THANKSGIVING MENU
What I'm Making: Perfect Roast Turkey, Jalapeno Popper Deviled Eggs, Sweet Potato Casserole, Dulce de Leche Pumpkin Bars, The Best Ever Chocolate Satin Pie
{Other family members are making: the ham, green bean casserole, regular deviled eggs, mashed potatoes, dinner rolls, acini de pepe salad, and pecan and pumpkin pies.}

------------------------------


don't miss a thing. follow fantastical on:
facebook | pinterest | bloglovin | instagram

Honey Butter Rolls #SecretRecipeClub

Simply set these aside to rise and brush with a delicious honey butter before baking for 15 minutes and you have the most addictive dinner rolls ever!
Honey Butter Rolls // Simply set these aside to rise and brush with a delicious honey butter before baking for 15 minutes and you have the most addictive dinner rolls ever! #SecretRecipeClub #bread #sidedish

Today is SUCH a sad day. It is my final Secret Recipe Club reveal -- and the final SRC reveal for the club as well. Over the past 5 1/2 years, Secret Recipe Club has connected food bloggers from around the globe in a Secret Santa exchange of sorts. I joined when the original owner, Amanda, added a fourth group because of the influx of new members. Over time our numbers have diminished and although it would seem like the smaller the number the easier it is to run, it's quite the opposite. So instead of letting us dwindle down, I thought it would be best to go out with a bang! So while it is sad that the Secret Recipe Club is ending, I'm so happy to have been a part of it and to have met so many great blogging friends along the way. We're keeping the blog alive to share blogging events that our alumni may be hosting or want to share and staying connected with each other.

This month, I was assigned to Erin's blog, Table for Seven. I believe I found Erin's blog in the early years of SRC and I was hoping to get her blog, but then she did leave for a while and I was so bummed. Then she came back and I was super happy to hopefully get the chance to feature her wonderful blog! Erin is a mom of 6 (she has a blog about her angel, Eliza Hope) and has been married to her husband for over 15 years. She has a million recipes on her blog that I want to try, but I did narrow it down to some sweets: Cinnamon Sugar Popcorn, Chocolate Eclair Cake, Chocolate Rolo Cake, Pumpkin Nutella Cookie Bars, and Chocolate Chip M&M Cookie Bars. But ultimately chose to test run a recipe for Thanksgiving: Honey Butter Rolls.

Honey Butter Rolls // Simply set these aside to rise and brush with a delicious honey butter before baking for 15 minutes and you have the most addictive dinner rolls ever! #SecretRecipeClub #bread #sidedish

I went to go make my grocery list and add the ingredients needed -- and to double check I had the essentials for the bread dough when it turns out these are 3 ingredient rolls and I had all three ingredients on hand. I love shortcut recipes and even more so, I love using frozen bread dough for different things. These were so delicious! I typically don't like honey, but mixed with the salted butter was just the right hint of sweet. And although they aren't necessarily fast, they are really low hassle to make and would be perfect for if you already have a full menu of food to make - especially on a busy holiday like Thanksgiving! You can set them aside while you cook other things. Bonus: the kitchen will be the perfect warm place for them to rise. Then when the meal is almost ready, these little rolls only take about 15 minutes to bake.

Honey Butter Rolls // Simply set these aside to rise and brush with a delicious honey butter before baking for 15 minutes and you have the most addictive dinner rolls ever! #SecretRecipeClub #bread #sidedish