Friday, July 30, 2021

Spinach Artichoke Pasta

Who needs spinach artichoke dip when you can have your favorite appetizer as a dinner?!

I am always surprised at what my family is willing to try when I pick something for the meal plan that is more "off the cuff" - I think that Nick will eat spinach artichoke dip sometimes, but not 100% sure. The kids have never had it. I love it! Of course, this being a one pot meal was a plus and I really liked the garlicky spinach. I don't think it's the rest of the family's favorite pasta dish (to be fair, there are so many to choose from), but I was really happy I put it on the menu and finally got around to making it.

Wednesday, July 28, 2021

Ultimate Bangers and Mash

A classic British dish with the most amazing onion gravy ever!

I really cannot express how much I love this recipe. But I can start with the fact that I don't like bratwursts and I don't like gravy and I reluctantly made this because I felt like it was something my family would enjoy. I ate brats. I ate them and liked them! The onion gravy is probably my all-time favorite gravy and one I would eat with so many different meals. It's incredible.

Monday, July 26, 2021

The Best M&M Cookies

Soft and chewy M&M cookies perfect for packing in school lunches or snacking on in the afternoons!

I love pudding mix cookies - they are turn out so soft and chewy! I stumbled upon these while trying to find a recipe that I could possibly con my picky 6 year old into eating (back when he was 5). Mason loves M&Ms, so I figured I might be able to convince him to eat these. Of course, he loved them and it opened the door to him trying a lot of different cookies without hesitation!

Friday, July 23, 2021

Copycat McDonald's Pancakes

When you have a hankering for McDonald's pancakes, but you don't want to leave your house, I've got you covered!

When I was a kid, we had Dairy Queen and Burger King and that was about it in the area I grew up in. Occasionally we went to the bigger town almost an hour away and would get Arby's. It was pretty exciting when we got a McDonald's and we ate there a bit more when it was new. I personally loved getting the pancakes for breakfast. I like getting the frozen Eggo kind because they remind me so much of McDonald's pancakes (let's be honest, I wouldn't be surprised if they are the same thing or close to), so, of course, I jumped at the opportunity to try a copycat. I love copycats. These definitely aren't exact but they are close and they were great!

Wednesday, July 21, 2021

Linguini Carbonara

Rich classic carbonara with linguine pasta, peas, and bacon.

Matthew (my oldest) would eat carbonara every single day if he could. So we have it for dinner often and I have saved different recipes to try (my favorite is pesto carbonara). This is very much so a classic carbonara and really easy to make. It's so rich and full of flavor.

Monday, July 19, 2021

Churro Bars

Delicious bars with loads of cinnamon sugar that taste just like a churro!

I have yet to have an actual churro but I have many churro-flavored treats or things that resemble churros in some way - there's a Cinnamon Toast Crunch churro cereal that is so good! I love dessert bars and these are great. Lots of cinnamon sugar goodness!

Friday, July 16, 2021

Steak Gyros with Tzatziki Sauce

Fantastic marinated flank steak with homemade cucumber tzatziki sauce that I dare you to not eat by the spoonful!

We had a German fast food restaurant locally for many years and we went every few months to get doner because it's sooo good. Unfortunately, before COVID even struck, the restaurant closed down and we lost our doner supplier. My understanding is that there a lot of things in the Europe area that are similar, including gyros. I am the only person in my family who likes lamb, so I thought this recipe would be great for sating the doner cravings but also not having my entire family complain about lamb. Also I don't have a rotisserie spit thing to throw a big bunch of lamb and beef on, so flank steak will have to do. I definitely want to try pita flatbread next time instead of pockets. I think it'd be way easier to serve.

Wednesday, July 14, 2021

Easy Low Carb Big Mac Salad

A lower carb version of a McDonald's staple!

I love Big Macs, but I try not to eat fast food because I find myself constantly disappointed by the quality. I'll crave a Big Mac and get it and feel like crap afterwards. I don't know if that's a "I'm in my 30s" thing or just because I don't eat a lot of fast food or if it's because fast food quality really is subpar nowadays. I digress. I love making copycat recipes at home and have made a Big Mac copycat, but I really like salad too and then I don't end up with a bunch of extra top buns. Win win!

Monday, July 12, 2021

Creamed Chipped Beef

A classic breakfast with chipped beef and rich gravy over toast.

I have always been pretty anti-gravy. However, when I was younger there was one exception: my grandma's chipped beef gravy. I had this recipe saved for so long and finally really had a craving for it and wanted it desperately. It tasted just like how I remembered and Nick and the kids loved it too, so it's definitely something we'll eat often.

Friday, July 09, 2021

Summer Grilled Corn Salad

The perfect summer side dish for any cookout - bright, fresh, and light!

I have some side dish recipe saved to try but I honestly usually forget about them. I tend to like to just make a couple vegetable, carb, and/or starch sides and call it a day. But I made this last summer and it is one of my favorite things ever. I love sweet corn and especially enjoy fresh sweet corn cooked on the grill. I love that this is just a ton of veggies. I did not make the avocado cilantro lime dressing but chose to use some of the elements of it so that Nick would eat it. He doesn't do dressing.

Wednesday, July 07, 2021

Blueberry Pie Yogurt Parfaits

This stunning yogurt parfait has all the flavors of blueberry pie and is a perfect breakfast or snack!

I pretty much eat yogurt for breakfast every day and have for a good while now. When I have the opportunity, I love making parfaits. There's something so satisfying about the different layers in the cup. I don't particularly care for blueberry pie - it's okay - but I love the elements of the pie in this yogurt parfait. I mean grahams and yogurts with fresh blueberries - YUM!

Monday, July 05, 2021

M&M Brownies

Classic fudgy brownies with M&Ms and chocolate chips mixed in for extra chocolateness!

This recipe is a very classic brownie recipe with chocolate chips and M&Ms added to it. They are fudgy and perfect with a glass of milk. Can't say much more about it - a solid recipe that is definitely going to be a go-to for me!