Cinco de Mayo was this week, and these flavorful and bright Fiesta Shrimp were the perfect meal for the occasion!
We are still in quarantine, which has now been extended until June 4th. Most days, I’m totally fine being home, but something about Cinco de Mayo had me missing my friends. We had talked about planning a get together months ago when we realized that Cinco de Mayo fell on a Tuesday, and I wish we could have done that.
None the less, I made these delicious Fiesta Shrimp and they did not disappoint. This recipe is so versatile, you can serve these shrimp in many different ways. The Creamy Cilantro Lime dressing compliments the bold flavors of the shrimp. They are perfect as an appetizer or a meal. You could put them over rice or even in tacos. I actually ate them on a salad with the Creamy Cilantro Lime dressing, tortilla strips, and cheddar cheese and it was fabulous!
Creamy Cilantro Lime Dressing
- juice of 2 limes
- 1/4 cup mayo
- 1/4 cup sour cream
- 1 cup fresh cilantro
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 2 teaspoons sugar or honey
- salt and pepper to taste
Directions: Place everything except the olive oil in a bowl or food processor. I use the mini Ninja chopper for all of my homemade dressing and it is hands down the best thing I have used to get an emulsified dressing.
Slowly pour in olive oil, whisking vigorously until all oil is combined.
Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
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Fiesta Shrimp
Ingredients
1 pound frozen shrimp (I used large, uncooked frozen shrimp that contained about 36 per bag)
2 Tablespoons butter
2 cloves fresh garlic
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon adobo seasoning
fresh squeezed lime juice to taste
salt and pepper to taste
for dipping: creamy cilantro lime dressing (recipe above)
for topping: fresh express tortilla strips
Instructions
Head a large skillet over medium heat on the stovetop. Add butter and fresh minced garlic.
Cook until garlic is fragrant and tender. Add shrimp.
Cook shrimp until cooked on both sides, about 2-3 minutes. Add all seasonings, salt and pepper to taste, and fresh lime juice.
Optional: serve as an appetizer with the creamy cilantro dressing and tortilla strips or as a meal over rice.
Notes
If you are using frozen shrimp, be sure to defrost your shrimp in a bowl of cold water before cooking. Frozen shrimp that is not defrosted will put out a lot of excess water that can mute flavors.
Find it online: https://prettylittleapron.com/fiesta-shrimp/
Meatloaf with Brown Gravy
There are two types of people in this world. Meatloaf with ketchup and brown sugar people, and Meatloaf with Brown Gravy people. I am 100% a Meatloaf with Brown Gravy type of gal and I love making this simple recipe!
Before we jump to all the meatloaf talk and tips, let’s talk about quarantine really quick. We are on week 8 here in Pennsylvania, and things are starting to feel like we will be back to normal soon. People are browsing non-essentials at Target, I see people enjoying the outdoors and warm weather, and there are more cars on the road. This weekend we are set to reopen in the county where I live and it looks like that is going to happen.
My husband is also back to work. I have a feeling this is going to start feeling like a run-on Summer of 2020, and to be quite honest, I’m ok with that. I have thoroughly enjoyed the time I got to spend with my husband and my kids during quarantine. It was peaceful. It was relaxing not to have a schedule or anywhere to be. I focused on my family, and we did the things that we love to do and I really couldn’t have asked for anything more.
I am not sure how things will be when our county re-opens, however I know things will be a bit different for a while and I am ok with that as well. My family will do what we have to do to keep others safe and I’m happy to do it without complaining.
Meatloaf Tips and Tricks
- First, I highly recommend using 80/20 ground beef for this recipe. The last thing we want is dry meatloaf, and this will help with that.
- The recipe calls for soaking your breadcrumbs in the milk before adding them to the rest of the ingredients. This also prevents the meatloaf from being dry and dense.
- I do not use a loaf pan to bake my meatloaf. Instead I shape it into an oval on a piece of parchment paper or foil. This allows some of the drippings to come off of the meatloaf and I like that.
- The recipe calls for soy sauce, this is going to boost your flavor! Don’t worry, it won’t taste like a Teriyaki recipe.
- The recipe also calls for grated parmesan cheese. This also boosts flavor and adds moisture.
- Be sure not to over mix your meatloaf, as this can also cause it to be dense. I always get my hands in there, mix it together really good, and shape it. I don’t mess around with utensils or trying to mix it without touching the meat.
Brown Gravy Recipe
- 1/4 sweet onion
- 1 clove garlic (optional)
- 2 Tablespoons butter
- 2 cups beef stock
- 1-2 Tablepsoons cornstarch
- 1-2 Tabelspoons cold water
- salt + pepper to taste
Directions: Mince sweet onion to desired size. Mince garlic (optional). Heat 2 Tablespoons butter in a medium sauce pan over medium heat. Add sweet onion and garlic and cook until fragrant and tender, about 3-5 minutes. Add beef stock and bring to a simmer. Mix cornstarch with cold water and add to sauce pan, continuously stirring until gravy thickens. I suggest starting with 1 Tablespoon of cornstarch and adding more if needed. Add salt and pepper to taste.
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Meatloaf with Brown Gravy
Description
This classic Meatloaf with Brown Gravy is all the comfort food you need! A simple, minimalistic meatloaf recipe is paired with a delicious from scratch brown gravy that brings all the flavor and is glorious with mashed potatoes as well.
Ingredients
1 pound 80/20 ground beef
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
2 teaspoons soy sauce
1/2 cup Italian breadcrumbs
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
1/2 cup milk
1 large egg
Instructions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper or aluminum foil. Alternately, use a loaf pan for your meatloaf.
Place ground beef, salt, pepper, and soy sauce in a large bowl. Set aside.
In a separate bowl, add breadcrumbs, milk, and egg. Allow a couple minutes for breadcrumbs to soak.
Add breadcrumb mixture to ground beef and mix thoroughly with hands until all ingredients are evenly distributed.
Shape meatloaf in an oval on your parchment paper or foil. Bake at 375 for 35 minutes. Adjust heat in oven to 400 degrees and bake for an additional 15 minutes or until meatloaf begins to brown on top.
Serve with Brown Gravy (recipe above in text).
Notes
If you want an easier brown gravy, I highly recommend grabbing a packet of Simply Organic Brown Gravy. This has never failed me!
Find it online: https://prettylittleapron.com/meatloaf-with-brown-gravy/
Recipes You Might Like
Chicken and Broccoli
I love a good take out inspired recipe, and this Chicken and Broccoli is no different. I know I have shared quite a few chicken recipes lately, but for some reason we are on a chicken binge right now in my house and I am not complaining. I’d take this delicious Chicken and Broccoli over a heap of jasmine rice any day!
Today I was scrolling Facebook and saw a meme about food bloggers that caught my eye. It said something about how food bloggers write a bunch of nonsense before the recipe. In the comments were tons of hate comments about how people can’t stand it, and all the Karens just need to cough up the recipe and forget the jargon.
My first feeling was kind of annoyed. Food bloggers spend so much time on this stuff you guys! I know there will always be people who say cliche things, like they “can’t even” because the recipe from their Grandma’s attic turned out just perfect. But most of us are just trying to convey that we love food and we hope you love it too.
After feeling a bit annoyed I realized that I needed to put my big girl panties on and laugh it off with them. I get it, I do. But here’s the thing, Google requires a minimum number of words to recognize a post. The jargon is there for a reason, and it is so our recipes can reach you. Of course, there will always be something to say about a recipe, but I promise I’m not trying to annoy or bore anyone.
So listen, if you read this just post a comment that you made it through all the bulls**t and didn’t skip right to the recipe. HAHA You my friend are the real MVP today!
Chicken and Broccoli
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Prep Time: 10 -
Cook Time: 15
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Total Time: 25 minutes
Description
No need for takeout tonight! This Chicken and Broccoli brings a burst of flavor and a delicious sauce that goes great over a heap of rice.
Ingredients
2 Tablepsoons olive oil, for cooking
2-3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 cloves fresh garlic, minced
1 large head fresh broccoli, chopped
1 cup water + water for steaming broccoli
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1-2 Tablespoons corn starch
Instructions
Cube chicken into small pieces. Heat a cast iron skillet or non stick pan over medium heat with 1Tablespoon olive oil.
Add cubed chicken, lightly browning each side. Cook until chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees. Remove chicken from pan and set aside.
Wipe down and excess liquids from pan using a paper towel. Add 1 Tablespoon olive oil, minced garlic, and broccoli to pan. Stir until broccoli starts turning bright green, then add 1/4 – 1/2 cup water to the pan to steam broccoli. Continue cooking until broccoli is tender.
Add 1 cup water to pan, followed by 1/4 cup soy sauce, 1/4 cup brown sugar, 1/2 tsp ground ginger, and 1/4 tsp garlic powder. Bring to a simmer.
In a small separate bowl mix cornstarch and water. Pour mixture into pan and stir continuously until sauce thickens. Add chicken back to pan and stir to coat in sauce.
Serve chicken and broccoli with rice or extra veggies.
Find it online: https://prettylittleapron.com/chicken-and-broccoli/
Creamy Italian Chicken Bites
Chicken has been a common theme in our house this week. I posted my Honey Mustard Chicken recipe a few days ago, and here I am posting another chicken recipe! The truth is these Creamy Italian Chicken Bites are really that good and although I had other recipes lined up to share, I wanted to share this one first!
I am also working with limited ingredients these days as we are trying to limit grocery store trips. The state of Pennsylvania is still under a stay at home order which means we are at home 99% of the time. We have followed all the rules and are only going out for essentials which has just been grocery store trips for us. With trying to limit going out, we have been avoiding trips to the grocery store for things that we may have previously forgotten. This has forced me to improvise a couple times and hey, it was a fun challenge!
Back to the Creamy Italian Chicken Bites recipe, it is pretty straight forward. This is a great recipe for beginner cooks, especially children and teens! You cube your chicken, add the spices, cook and you are basically done. It can totally be a 30 minute meal if you move quickly. The chicken is relatively low key when cooking, so you can prepare a side dish or veggie at the same time. It makes for a perfect weeknight meal, or even meal prep for the week. I love the simplicity of this recipe and the best part is that it does not lack flavor.
Creamy Italian Chicken Bites
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Prep Time: 5
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Cook Time: 20
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Total Time: 25 minutes
Description
These Creamy Italian Chicken bites are loaded with flavor! Juicy, tender pieces of chicken are smothered in all of your favorite Italian spices and swirled with a hint of cream that brings the dish together.
Ingredients
2-3 boneless skinless chicken breasts
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 Tablespoons olive oil for cooking
1 1/2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
1/4 tsp onion salt
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
2 Tablespoons butter
3 Tablespoons sour cream
Instructions
Preheat a cast iron skillet or non-stick pan with 2 Tablespoons olive oil over medium heat on the stovetop.
Cube chicken and season with salt and pepper.
Add cubed chicken and garlic to skillet. Sprinkle with Italian seasoning, salt, onion salt, and pepper.
Brown chicken on all sides, cooking to an internal temperature of 165 degrees. Add butter, followed by sour cream. Season with additional salt and pepper to taste. Serves best with pasta or rice and veggies.
Find it online: https://prettylittleapron.com/creamy-italian-chicken-bites/
5
Honey Mustard Chicken
This Honey Mustard Chicken is a winner! I love meals like this, classic flavors + kid friendly. I started with a pan fried, panko breaded chicken breast that I then popped in the oven for a couple minutes to finish cooking. I added a delicious and tangy homemade honey mustard sauce to the chicken that is just a few ingredients but brings all the flavor!
Let’s do a little quarantine update before I get to all the details of the recipe, shall we? This week flew by. I feel like it just started and here we are on Friday night. The weather here in Central Pennsylvania was not great for outdoor activities this week. It was rainy and cool, not the kind of weather that gets me excited to spend time outdoors.
Needless to say I think this week we spent more time doing absolutely nothing then we have in the past 5 weeks. There was a lot of screen time and a lot of resistance to doing at home learning. The kids found the Miraculous series on Netflix and have been binge watching a couple episodes of that at a time. With it being rainy I just accepted it for what it was and let go. I am hoping for warm, sunny weather next week to make up for it! Getting outside for at least an hour a day works wonders for everyone.
Honey Mustard Chicken Recipe Tips
- I used Panko breadcrumbs to bread the chicken before pan frying. Panko breadcrumbs are a little harder to work with than regular breadcrumbs as they are not as coarse and can fall off the chicken easily. I managed to keep mine pretty in tact, however if you don’t have a well seasoned cast iron skillet or good non-stick pan I would recommend using regular breadcrumbs. If you use a stainless steel pan for this recipe make sure to coat the bottom of your pan very well with olive oil and add additional oil when adding a new piece.
- The honey mustard sauce can be tweaked to your personal preference. Every brand of honey is slightly different, so I recommend using my base recipe and then adding more honey/mustard/mayo to taste.
- When using chicken breasts, I always cut them in half length wise to ensure they are not thick. A thick chicken breast will not be as flavorful or crisp.
Honey Mustard Chicken
Description
This Honey Mustard Chicken is the perfect weeknight meal the whole family will love! A pan fried, panko breaded chicken breast smothered in the most deliciously tangy homemade honey mustard sauce. Don’t forget the oven baked fries!
Ingredients
4 Tablespoons butter
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
3/4 cup panko breadcrumbs
1/4 cup parmesan cheese
1/2 tsp salt
3 Tablespoons honey
1/4 cup yellow mustard
2 tsp soy sauce
1/4 cup mayo
olive oil for coating pan
Instructions
Preheat your favorite cast iron skillet or non-stick pan on stovetop. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Melt 4 Tablespoons butter in microwave.
Mix together breadcrumbs, parmesan cheese, and salt.
Dip each chicken breast in the melted butter, followed by the breadcrumb mixture.
Place the breaded chicken breast in your preheated pan and lightly brown each side, cooking about 2-3 minutes per side. When you have browned each side, place your chicken breast on the prepared baking sheet or pan. To finish cooking chicken breasts place them in the oven at 350 degrees for 18 minutes or until chicken is cooked to an internal temperature of 165 degrees.
While chicken is baking whisk together honey, mustard, soy sauce, and mayo. Taste test your sauce and add additional honey/mustard/mayo to taste.
Remove cooked chicken breasts from oven and drizzle honey mustard sauce over the top of your chicken.
Find it online: https://prettylittleapron.com/honey-mustard-chicken/
Brown Gravy Meatballs
We are on, let’s see…. week 5 of quarantine. I think it is Tuesday but for all I know it could be Friday. I have seen more of my husband in the last 5 weeks then I have in the last 5 years (not complaining). My kids are chugging along with at home learning and that is going pretty good. We do the minimum required because we have multiple children that are homeschooling but most days we are getting everything completed. My goal was not to go above and beyond but just to get it done. I figured if I set the bar low and we accomplished more then it would feel way better than the opposite. We are still doing a lot of cooking and these Brown Gravy Meatballs were a big hit.
We are also at the point in quarantine where we’ve accomplished getting all of our housework/cleaning projects done . Our laundry is all washed and put away. Our van is clean. I never thought I would say those words! Our yard is ready for summer, flowerbeds have been dug out and replanted and mulch has been spread. My husband even planted some seeds to grow beans and tomatoes.
We have replaced lightbulbs that have been out for months. Our toilets are spotless (to my standards with 4 boys in the house), the bathroom sink has been cleaned and cleaned again. The floor is swept everyday. I don’t even know whose house I am living in anymore!
Brown Gravy Meatballs Tips and Tricks
- Enough quarantine chat, let’s move on to these delicious Brown Gravy Meatballs. This recipe starts with a simple meatball recipe that is my go-to recipe. I actually don’t use any other meatball recipe because this one always yields tender and juicy meatballs with flavor. I think that is exactly what we are going for when it comes to meatballs, right? To get that juicy, tender flavor I highly recommend using 80/20 ground beef.
- While the meatballs are in the oven, I put together a simple brown mushroom gravy (mushrooms optional but add lots of flavor). The gravy starts with some butter, garlic, and mushrooms and ends with beef stock, salt, and pepper. It is super easy to make and great for dunking those delicious meatballs in.
- If perhaps your gravy is thin, no worries. Mix a tablespoon or two of cornstarch with just enough cold water to dissolve it and add it to the pan on medium-high heat, stirring continuously.
- I served my meatballs with egg noodles. This is a great combination and there was plenty of sauce to go around. If you’d like extra sauce for leftovers I would suggest adding an additional cup or two of beef stock when you add that in.
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Brown Gravy Meatballs
Description
These Brown Gravy Meatballs are a family favorite. Juicy, tender meatballs smothered in a simple and delicious brown gravy with mushrooms and garlic. Serve with egg noodle or mashed potatoes for the perfect weeknight dinner.
Ingredients
1 pound ground beef, I suggest 80/20 for flavor
1/2 cup breadcrumbs
1/2 cup parmesan cheese
1 egg
1/2 cup milk
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
2 tsp soy sauce
2 cloves fresh garlic
4 Tablespoons butter
1 package baby bella mushrooms
2 Tablespoons flour
2 1/2 cups beef stock
salt and pepper to taste (for sauce)
Instructions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
In a small bowl combine 1/2 cup breadcrumbs, egg, and milk. Allow to sit for a minute or two so breadcrumbs can soak up some liquid and become soft.
In a large bowl add ground beef, parmesan cheese, salt, pepper, and soy sauce. Add breadcrumb, egg, and milk mixture and mix with hands until all ingredients are incorporated throughout. Do not over mix.
Line a sheet tray with parchment paper. Pinch off approximately 2 Tablespoons of meat mixture at a time, rolling in your hands to form the meatball. Place meatballs on sheet tray and bake for 18-20 minutes or until meatballs are cooked to an internal temperature of 145 degrees.
In a large skillet over medium heat melt butter. Add minced garlic gloves. Cook until fragrant and tender. Add sliced mushrooms.
When mushrooms are cooked, add 2 Tablespoons of flour and stir until flour has disappeared. Gradually whisk in beef stock. Continue whisking to make sure sauce is smooth. Add meatballs to sauce. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve over egg noodles or mashed potatoes.
Notes
I use 80/20 ground beef for juicy, tender meatballs. Then leaner your beef, the more dense your meatballs will be.
If your sauce does not thicken up, turn up your heat. If your sauce is still on the thin side mix 1-2 Tablespoons cornstarch with cold water and add to sauce. Stir continuously over medium heat until sauce is thick.
Find it online: https://prettylittleapron.com/brown-gravy-meatballs/
Parma Rosa Shrimp Pasta
Craving the best of both Italian worlds? You have come to the right place! This Parma Rosa Shrimp Pasta combines both Alfredo and tomato sauce for a comforting Italian dish that is colorful and bursting with flavor.
Have you heard of Parma Rosa sauce before? It doesn’t seem to be super popular and I have no idea why because it is so delicious! I first discovered it at the grocery store as one of those packets that make a sauce. They have a place in everyone’s pantry, and my curiosity got the best of me one day and I purchased it. It was really good!
I thought to myself, what is this though? So I checked the back of the packet and it seemed a little too simple to be true. It was literally an Alfredo sauce with tomato sauce mixed in as well. Actually, pretty genius! I had to give a homemade version a try, and shrimp seemed like the perfect addition.
I am not one to boast but you guys, this meal turned out so pretty. We all eat with our eyes first and this one did not disappoint at all! Not only did I make the homemade sauce with a few simple ingredients, I also topped the shrimp with little bits of breadcrumbs and extra parmesan cheese and threw it in the oven under the broiler for a couple of minutes. Breadcrumbs have become my go-to Italian meal enhancer lately. Think something needs little crisp and crunch? Throw some breadcrumbs mixed with butter on it is automatically amazing.
Parma Rosa Shrimp Pasta Tips and Tricks
- If you are using frozen shrimp (I did!) make sure to defrost the shrimp in a large bowl of cold water before you add them to the skillet. If you just put the frozen shrimp in the skillet they will add a lot of liquid to the sauce and it could end up thin or tasteless.
- I used grated parmesan cheese for this recipe, not fresh.
- The breadcrumb mixture at the end is totally optional but adds a little crisp and crunch to the dish.
- I used linguini, however you can use any pasta you would like. It is also not necessary to toss your pasta in the sauce. If you would rather spoon your sauce and shrimp over your pasta that works just as well!
Parma Rosa Shrimp Pasta
Description
This creamy Italian comfort food dinner is the best of both worlds! Combining an Alfredo sauce base + tomato sauce and parmesan cheese, you’ll end up with a creamy and delicious sauce that is perfect for smothering your pasta and shrimp. Don’t forget the garlic bread and wine!
Ingredients
8 ounces linguini
24-36 large shrimp (or 1 bag frozen)
3 cloves fresh garlic, minced
4 Tablespoons butter
2 Tablespoons flour
1/2 cup half and half
1 cup milk
8 ounces tomato sauce
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
1/2 – 1 tsp salt
pepper to taste
1/2 cup breadcrumbs
1 tablespoon butter (melted)
Additional parmesan cheese to taste for topping
Instructions
Cook linguini pasta according to package directions.
In a large skillet over medium heat melt butter and add garlic. Cook until soft and fragrant.
Add shrimp. If shrimp is frozen be sure to defrost shrimp before adding or your sauce will be watery.
Cook shrimp 2 minutes on each side or until shrimp has an internal temperature of 145 degrees. Season shrimp with salt and pepper.
Remove cooked shrimp from pan, add flour and whisk to create a roux.
Slowly whisk in half and half, milk, tomato sauce, parmesan cheese, salt, and pepper. Whisk until sauce is smooth and creamy.
In a small bowl mix 1/2 cup breadcrumbs with 1 Tablespoon melted butter. Add shrimp and cooked linguini back to sauce, top with breadcrumb mixture and additional parmesan cheese to taste. Place under broiler for 5-7 minutes or until breadcrumbs are crispy and parmesan cheese is melted.
Find it online: https://prettylittleapron.com/parma-rosa-shrimp-pasta/
Cheesy Bacon Ranch Chicken
You guys! This Cheesy Bacon Ranch Chicken checks off all of my dinner recipe must haves:
- Delicious (obviously)
- Goes great with mashed potatoes
- Kid friendly
- Reheats well
- Crispy on the outside, juicy on the inside chicken
Basically it is the perfect weeknight or weekend meal that the whole family will enjoy. It isn’t complicated and doesn’t require slaving over the stove for hours. It isn’t my quickest meal, but it certainly is well worth the couple extra minutes it takes to put together.
The Cheesy Bacon Ranch Chicken starts with a nice bath in melted butter and dredge in breadcrumbs, parmesan cheese, and ranch seasoning mixed together. Next I put the breaded chicken right into my favorite cast iron skillet and lightly browned each side. To ensure the chicken was cooked through I popped it in the oven for a couple minutes, then added the bacon and cheese at the end and melted it in the oven for a couple additional minutes.
Cheesy Bacon Ranch Chicken Tips and Tricks
One thing that I hate when eating chicken is if the chicken is thick. It creates the opportunity for weird texture and unbalanced flavor (one side is super tasty and the thick side lacks flavor). I’ve posted about this a few times before, so I’m sorry if I sound like a broken record!
To ensure you get a nice and crispy crunch full of flavor in every bite I recommend slicing your chicken in half length wise. This will obviously make your chicken thinner, but then you can also use a meat tenderizer to pound your chicken thinner as well. I did both when preparing the chicken and this is my most important chicken tip with all chicken recipes.
As I mentioned, I browned my chicken in a cast iron skillet. If you don’t have one, I recommend using something that is non-stick or making sure your pan is well oiled if you are using stainless steel. After each piece of chicken was cooked I took a paper towel and wiped off the inside of the skillet to ensure no burnt breadcrumbs would transfer to the next piece.
I used a Simply Organic dry ranch dressing mix for this recipe. You can certainly substitute your favorite brand. Let me know how it works with other brands in the comments!
Cheesy Bacon Ranch Chicken
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Prep Time: 10
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Cook Time: 30
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Total Time: 40 minutes
Description
Winner winner! This Cheesy Bacon Ranch Chicken is a family favorite. All the best flavors in one meal. A crispy, flavorful chicken breast topped with cheddar cheese and bacon. Serve with mashed potatoes and your family will love you!
Ingredients
4-6 Tablespoons butter (melted)
4 chicken breasts
1/2 cup breadcrumbs
1/2 cup parmesan cheese
3 Tablespoons dry ranch dressing mix
1 teaspoon salt
6 strips cooked bacon
1-2 cups cheddar cheese (shredded)
Instructions
Melt the butter in the microwave. Preheat skillet or pan on low with a coating of olive oil. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a medium sized bowl mix together breadcrumbs, parmesan cheese, ranch seasoning, and salt.
Prepare chicken as mentioned above in tips and tricks if desired.
Dip each chicken breast in the melted butter, followed by the breadcrumb mix. Place each piece of chicken in your skillet to brown, cooking about 2-3 minutes on each side. Transfer to a baking dish. Bake chicken for 10 minutes. Remove from oven, top with bacon and shredded cheese and return to oven for an additional 8 minutes or until chicken is cooked through.
Find it online: https://prettylittleapron.com/cheesy-bacon-ranch-chicken/
Chocolate Fudge Sheet Cake
Chocolate Fudge Sheet Cake has to be one of my favorite desserts ever. I’m 100% a chocolate lover and this cake checks all the important attributes off the list.
Moist. Check!
Flavorful. Check!
Fudgy. Check!
Chocolate Overload. Check!
I know there are a million chocolate cake recipes out there, but I promise you this one is a winner!
I have now posted three sheet cakes in a matter of a couple weeks. My Vanilla Sheet Cake was first, then my Salted Caramel Sheet cake. There are a couple reasons for this.
- We are in quarantine and baking is getting me through! I love baking, creating, and photographing my desserts and dinners. It gives me time to clear my mind and I love that. Normally I would make desserts for gatherings with friends, however since we can’t do that right now my family gets to reap the benefits.
- I have just discovered that I really love sheet cakes! I wasn’t a huge fan before this because circular cakes can look amazing. However, sometimes I do not have the time or energy to go through all of the steps of a circular layer cake. When I realized that cutting a sheet cake into perfectly perfect squares yielded pretty results too, I realized I needed more sheet cakes in my life. And I went crazy!
Chocolate Fudge Buttercream
Ingredients:
2 sticks unsalted butter
1 (8 ounce) block cream cheese
2-3 cups powdered sugar
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Directions: Allow butter and cream cheese to come to room temperature by removing them from the refrigerator an hour or two in advance. Cold butter or butter softened in the microwave may yield a lumpy buttercream. Cream butter and cream cheese in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment until smooth. Add powdered sugar, 1/2 cup at a time. Add cocoa powder and vanilla extract. Taste buttercream, add additional powdered sugar to taste.
Icing the Chocolate Fudge Sheet Cake
First thing is first. Do NOT try to put your buttercream on a hot cake. I know, it is tempting. I’m always tempted too. Just refrain from giving into the temptation because you will end up with a mess and be mad at yourself for not waiting. I’ve been there!
When your cake is cooled, simply grab the ends of your parchment paper and lift the cake out of the 9×13 sheet pan and onto a cutting board. With a rubber spatula grab a big glob of buttercream and put it right in the middle of your cake. Using an offset spatula, spread your buttercream to the edges of the cake. I like to do this in two steps spreading to one half of the cake, adding more buttercream, and then spreading to the other half of the cake.
To cut your cake I would suggest using a large chef knife. Instead of dragging your knife through the cake, simply press down. After each cut wipe your knife off. This method will give you nice, clean cake squares that are beautiful and perfect to serve to guests. This also allows for your cake not to be butchered up by well meaning guests trying to serve themselves a piece of cake.
Sheet cake recipe adapted from Hershey’s Perfectly Chocolate Cake
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Chocolate Fudge Sheet Cake
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Prep Time: 15
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Cook Time: 30
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Total Time: 45
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Yield: 12 servings
Description
A moist, decadent chocolate cake base topped with a smooth and creamy American style Chocolate Fudge Buttercream. A chocolate lover’s dream!
Ingredients
2 cups sugar
1 3/4 cups cake flour or pastry flour
3/4 cups unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
1 cup milk
1/2 cup butter (or 1 stick)
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup boiling water
Instructions
- Heat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 9×13 inch cake pan with parchment paper. Melt 1/2 cup butter in microwave and set aside.
- Stir together sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt in large bowl.
- In a separate bowl mix together eggs, milk, melted butter, and vanilla. Add wet ingredients to large dry ingredient bowl and gently fold together.
- Stir in boiling water (batter will be thin). Pour batter into prepared 9×13 inch pan.
- Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until wooden toothpick comes out clean.
- Allow cake to cool completely, then spread 1 batch Chocolate Fudge Buttercream (recipe above in text) on top of sheet cake with an offset spatula. Top with sprinkles or topping of your choice.
Notes
See text above for tips on icing the cake and cutting the cake.
Find it online: https://prettylittleapron.com/chocolate-fudge-sheet-cake/
Salted Caramel Sheet Cake
Sheet Cakes are my new thing! I used to think they were boring, however lately I have realized that is just not so. This Salted Caramel Sheet Cake is anything but boring, and the perfect treat for a Birthday or special occasion.
Yesterday was my husband’s Birthday. It started as just “one of those days” where everything goes wrong all at one time. We started the day with no power due to a bad storm the night before. We figured by the time we woke up that the power would be restored, however it wasn’t. Next I decided I would go out to the grocery store to pick up a couple things we needed and our van wouldn’t start. When it rains it pours! Finally at about 5 Pm we had power and I thought great, I need to at least bake him a cake.
Totally on the fly I thought, Salted Caramel! He loves peanut butter but we didn’t have any on hand so this was the next best thing I could think of. I used my favorite Vanilla Sheet Cake base. Then I made some American Style buttercream with a hint of cream cheese while the cake was baking. At the end I boiled some sugar and made a homemade caramel sauce to put in the buttercream and top the cake. We had vanilla ice cream on hand as well, which was a perfect addition. At the end of the day we got to sing Happy Birthday to him and he got to enjoy a big piece of cake despite not having power most of the day.
Salted Caramel Sheet Cake Tips and Tricks
- For the Vanilla Sheet Cake base, I use my favorite cake mixing and baking method. This calls for a cup of boiling water at the end. Do not fear, the boiling water will not cook your eggs. This helps yield a super moist cake.
- I always use Watkin’s brand Vanilla Extract. You guys, trust me when I say this is the best vanilla extract I have found.
- American style buttercream is basically butter and powered sugar. I always add a hint of cream cheese to my icing to add flavor. This will take your desserts from fine to amazing! I also added 2 Tablespoons of the homemade caramel sauce to the icing and it gives just a hint of caramel which is what I was looking for.
- Cooking homemade caramel sauce is not as hard as you would think. You just boil sugar (without stirring) until you see it starting to turn an amber color. Then you add your heavy cream and butter and you are done. If you have never made homemade caramel sauce before my best advice is do not walk away from it. It can go from good to burnt very quickly. I was mixing my buttercream while my caramel sauce was cooking, however once I saw some color I stopped my buttercream and focused all of my attention on my caramel sauce.
- I always use parchment paper to line the bottom of my sheet cake pan. This makes it easy to lift the cake out once it cools to icing and cut. I put my parchment paper right on a cutting board and use a large chef knife to cut the cake. After each cut, I wipe the knife off to ensure the next cut is clean and pretty.
Homemade Caramel Sauce
- 1 cup sugar
- 1/3 cup water
- 3/4 cup heavy cream
- 2 Tablespoons butter
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Directions: Add sugar to a heavy bottomed pot. Add water to pot and mix to combine sugar and water. Place over medium heat and bring to a boil, do not stir. When sugar is completely dissolved and clear, raise heat to medium high. Cook until sugar starts to turn from clear to amber in color, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat immediately. Stir in heavy cream, butter, and vanilla extract. Your mixture will bubble up when you add these ingredients, just keep stirring. When the caramel is cool enough to give it a try, stir in a dash of salt at a time until you’ve reached your desired taste. If your caramel is lumpy, give it some heat and stir until it is smooth.
Recipe adapted from Fifteen Spatulas. For a full caramel tutorial with pictures, go check out Fifteen Spatulas recipe!
Salted Caramel Buttercream
- 2 sticks unsalted butter
- 1 (8 ounce) block cream cheese
- 2-3 cups powdered sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 Tablespoons homemade caramel sauce
- dash of salt to taste
Directions: Place room temperature butter and cream cheese in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Cream on medium speed until smooth. Do not use cold butter and do not microwave your butter. Microwaving will cause hot spots that could cause your buttercream to become lumpy. Add powdered sugar 1/2 cup at a time. Add vanilla extract and homemade caramel sauce.
Parmesan Encrusted Shrimp
Shrimp is one of my favorite ingredients for a quick under 30 minute meal. This Parmesan Encrusted Shrimp is SO GOOD and SO EASY. Not only is it delicious and simple, it also remind me of something you would order as an appetizer at a nice restaurant. It feels like meal that requires you to sit down with your family and enjoy a glass a wine and forget about the dishes!
Today Pennsylvania announced there will be no school for the rest of the year due to the Covid-19 virus. I can’t say that I was surprised, as it doesn’t seem there is an end in sight to this pandemic. My heart goes out to the teachers and students in Pennsylvania and all other states who left their classrooms for the last time in March. Most were unaware that this would be the last time they would all together for the rest of the school year. It makes me sad that there were no goodbyes. My heart hurts for the teachers who are at home thinking about what they missed and their students.
When they announced on March 13, 2020 that Pennsylvania schools would be closed for 2 weeks, I definitely did not see this coming. As weeks went on, I realized that it was only a matter of time until they announced the kids would not be returning from school.
You guys, this is why I love cooking and baking. It makes my heart happy. Cooking gives me an outlet to create and it has been getting me through not only the Covid-19 pandemic quarantine, but also a lot of other heartbreaking issues in my life. It helps me forget about everything I’m upset about. My hope is that everyone has something that they love to do during this time. Hugs to anyone having a bad day today or any other day. Just know that you are loved.
Parmesan Encrusted Shrimp Tips and Tricks
- For Frozen Shrimp: Make sure you defrost your shrimp before adding it to the pan! If it is still frozen it will make your butter and garlic mixture watery.
- For Pre-Cooked Frozen Shrimp: Again, make sure your shrimp are defrosted. After you melt your butter and cook your garlic, simply add your defrosted shrimp and give them a little heat until they are warm. Since your shrimp are already cooked, there is no need for additional cooking.
- Your breadcrumb mixture will be wet. This will give you a nice and crispy coating on top of your shrimp.
- I served my shrimp with rice and green beans. This combination was delicious! However, the shrimp would also go great with pasta.
- Be sure to watch your shrimp under the broiler. It can go from perfect to disastrous in a matter of seconds.
Ultimate Red Velvet Cupcakes
The Ultimate Red Velvet Cupcake recipe is right here, you guys! I’ve seen a ton of complicated Red Velvet cake recipes but here is the truth: When I am baking I like to keep things simple. This Red Velvet recipe is just that, SIMPLE. No random mixing techniques or weird ingredients. A straight to the point and easy recipe that yields a delicate, flavorful cake. This is what we are all after when we bake, right?
Before we just into the recipe, I’ve been sharing quarantine updates so here we go!
We are in our third week in quarantine. This is honestly the longest I’ve been in the same house with my husband for as long as I can remember. I’m always with the kids all day because I am a stay at home Mom, so this isn’t entirely different then my normal life with them except we aren’t doing school drop offs and pick ups. My husband normally works long hours and goes to bed early so our new schedule is so different than our normal lives.
Today was the first day we literally could not figure out what day it was. For some reason I was thinking it was Friday. He was thinking it was Tuesday. It is in fact, Wednesday. He wins for being closer but we definitely had a good 5 minute discussion about what day it actually was. HAHA If that doesn’t sum up the third week of quarantine I don’t know what does!
The kids are completing their first week of at home learning today. Apparently they are still getting an Easter vacation from Thursday to Monday. How nice of the school, right?!? At home learning has been pretty good this week. Nothing too scary to report. I will admit, I do miss packing lunches a little bit and keeping on top of homework when they get home from school. I do also wish on these beautiful days we are having that we would be taking them to baseball practice and getting some fresh air at the park! I guess it is the little things I am missing the most. There are so many positives of this whole experience though and I feel they out weigh the negatives for sure. We are keeping a positive outlook over here!
Ultimate Red Velvet Cupcake Tips and Tricks
- I am again, using a cup of boiling water at the end of this recipe. This makes for a very moist and delicate cake. The boiling water will not cook your eggs, I promise. I also use this technique in my Vanilla Sheet Cake recipe.
- You need a whole heck of a lot of red food coloring to get these cupcakes to the right color. Do not freak when you see that you will be using almost an entire bottle of red food coloring, this is not a typo! When you are mixing, you will see exactly why you need so much.
- The buttermilk in this recipe not only develops extra flavor, but also makes the texture nice and light. If you don’t have buttermilk on hand, regular milk will work just fine.
- The cake flour (also known as pastry flour) can be found in the baking isle near all the other flour options. I use Wegman’s brand pastry flour. I also suggest King Arthur’s Brand Cake Flour (sold in a box).
- I do not like a sickeningly sweet cream cheese icing. I used about 3 and a half cups of powdered sugar in my recipe, however you can add more depending on your own taste.
Cream Cheese Icing Recipe
- 1 stick unsalted butter (room temperature)
- 2 (8 ounce) blocks of cream cheese (room temperature)
- 3-4 cups powdered sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract (I use Watkin’s brand)
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment add your butter and cream cheese. Make sure these ingredients are room temperature! Cold cream cheese will yield a lumpy icing. I do not suggest microwaving these ingredients to soften.
- Mix butter and cream cheese until smooth, scraping down your bowl several times to avoid any lumps.
- Add 3-4 cups powdered sugar (or more to taste). Add vanilla extract.
- Place cream cheese icing in a piping bag and pipe icing on top of cupcakes. I used a Wilton #307 tip for piping.
Recipe adapted from Hershey’s “Perfectly Chocolate” Cake Recipe.
Summer Berry Stuffed French Toast
Who doesn’t love a decadent breakfast? This Summer Berry Stuffed French Toast is just that! Cream cheese, fresh berries, and brioche bread make one of the most delicious French Toast recipes ever.
Rewind: At the beginning of the summer we became the proud new owners of a 36 inch Blackstone Flat Top Griddle. What is that, you ask? It is an outdoor griddle that is basically the king of all breakfast makers. It is every Saturday/Sunday morning’s dream. My Dad gifted it to us when I told him our old budget grill rusted out last year. In all fairness, our old grill did what it was supposed to do for a couple of years and we got our money’s worth, but it was time for an upgrade and we got just that!
When my Dad asked how we felt about the griddle before he gifted it to us, the first thing we thought was that it would be awesome for breakfast foods! Just about every diner in America has a flat top griddle in the kitchen to crank out tons of eggs, pancakes, omelets, homefries, and french toast! We couldn’t wait to try it out on a Saturday morning for a breakfast feast. It makes making a big breakfast for our family of 7 a breeze! We can cook all the deliciousness all together on the flat top and keep all the bacon grease outside so it doesn’t stink up the house. Full review coming soon! 🙂
If you don’t own an outdoor flat top griddle, a cast iron skillet or indoor griddle will work just fine for this Summer Berry French Toast.
Tips For the Best Summer Berry Stuffed French Toast
- I have found that a nice big loaf of Brioche bread is perfect for this French Toast as well as other varieties. Once we found the combination of our griddle + Brioche bread, our French Toast got 1,000 times tastier!
- I called this Summer Berry French Toast because Hello June/July/August when Berries are super inexpensive in Pennsylvania compared to the rest of the year! 🙂 I used Strawberry for some of them and a mix of Raspberry and Blueberry for the others. My husband and I decided we liked the Strawberry the best. We even noted we could put a couple of the restaurants in our area to shame with this recipe!
- I would suggest going for a medium thickness slice. If you go too thick it is hard to get the inside of the toast to not be super wet and mushy. If you go too thin it just isn’t as good.
- I would also suggest using a serrated kitchen knife to slice the Brioche. Brioche in general is very delicate and if you try to use a butter knife or something like that you will end up with a big old mess.
- Speaking of big old mess, things can get a little messy when dipping your French Toast into the egg/milk mixture before cooking. Keep some paper towels on standby and set everything up beforehand. I would suggest using a larger bowl for dipping because the pieces are a bit thicker then your average slice of toast so you need more room. It really isn’t rocket science though and my dipping was kind of a hot mess so just know that your French Toast will still be beautiful and taste amazing.
- Butter is key. You need a nice little pat of butter to cook each piece to get that beautiful crisp golden outside seen below.
Summer Berry Stuffed French Toast
Description
A decadent mix of lightly sweetened cream cheese, fluffy brioche bread, and fresh summer berries make the best breakfast or brunch menu item!
Ingredients
1 loaf Brioche Bread (commonly found in the bakery section of the grocery store, not the bread isle)
8 ounces cream cheese
1/4 cup + 1 Tablespoon confectioners sugar
4 eggs
1/3 cup milk
2 Tablespoons brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon vanilla extract (I LOVE Watkins Vanilla Extract)
1-2 cups of Sliced Strawberries, Blueberries, and Raspberries
4-5 Tablespoons butter (for cooking)
Instructions
- Slice Brioche Bread with a serrated knife. Cut each slice diagonally to make two triangles. Set aside.
- Place 8 ounces cream cheese in a microwave safe bowl. Heat in microwave in 20 second increments, stirring in between, until cream cheese is smooth and spreadable. Add confectioners sugar and stir until incorporated.
- In a separate bowl mix 4 eggs, 1/3 cup milk, 2 Tablespoons brown sugar, 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon, and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract.
- Line a large tray or plate with brioche triangles. Lightly spread cream cheese mixture onto each piece. Top with fresh berries and sandwich two pieces together.
- Preheat you griddle or cast iron skillet. Melt butter when heated, dip each piece into egg/milk mixture when ready to cook and cook over medium heat until each side is golden brown (about 3-4 minutes per side). Your hands will get messy when dipping so make sure you have some paper towels on stand by!
- Serve with extra berries, powdered sugar, and maple syrup.
Find it online: https://prettylittleapron.com/summer-berry-stuffed-french-toast/
Slow Cooker Asian Pulled Pork
This Slow Cooker Asian Pulled Pork is a weekly recipe in my house! As a main dish, or on a sandwich it is packed with flavor and super easy to throw together. Take it to your next pot luck and everyone will be asking what you put on your pulled pork!
Ok guys, this recipe is one that I’ve made over and over and over again, and it just never gets old! I make little variations, stick with the recipe, serve it with broccoli, serve it on brioche rolls, the possibilities are endless. One thing is for sure though, it is loaded with juicy, delicious flavor and your family will gobble it up!
Life Update
With all the pulled pork talk out of the way, how about a life update? Last time I posted I think I had a semi-infant, and now my sweet girl is approaching her 1st birthday. The past year has flown by in the blink of an eye, but that’s what everyone tells you about having a baby, right?
If you are new here, I have 5 kiddos. 4 boys and 1 baby girl. I always wanted a daughter and she is seriously just the most precious, heart melting little girl. I adore her every move. Her brothers love her to pieces too. She just started walking and it is funny watching her try to keep up with them. They love to run circles around our house and she waddles around trying to get in the action as well. Never a dull moment over here in our little bubble called life. <3
Why We All Need A Little Slow Cooker In Our Lives
One thing is for sure, in all of the chaotic moments this Mama still has to feed these 5 mouths + my husband a couple meals a day. I NEED easy! Although my daughter is a precious little angel, she is also a lot of work and loves to be right next to me all day. It doesn’t bother me until it is time to cook (which I love doing) and I have no idea how I’m going to operate a stove and tend to my baby sweets.
With that being said my slow cooker and my Instant Pot have been my best friends this year! I honestly don’t think my family would have eaten without them. This Slow Cooker Asian Pulled Pork can be thrown together in 5 minutes, put on high for 4 hours, and shredded. The work is minimal, the flavor is amazing!
Slow Cooker Asian Pulled Pork Recipe Tips
- I always purchase my boneless pork roasts from Wegman’s. I know sometimes meats are labeled differently but Wegman’s makes it really easy and labels them “boneless pork roast.” Thank You for the clarity Wegman’s! This recipe is for a roughly 2 pound roast.
- The dijon mustard is a bit different but trust me, it adds SO much flavor. You need it! Don’t even think twice about it.
- I love to add scallions because they bring a ton of flavor. Throw some in while you are shredding the meat to add flavor.
- I add purple cabbage, more scallions, and cheddar cheese to my Asian Pulled Pork Sandwiches and boy oh boy this recipe makes a delicious sandwich! I would suggest grabbing some brioche buns as well.
- This recipe does refrigerate well and is great as leftovers!
Slow Cooker Asian Pulled Pork
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Prep Time: 5
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Cook Time: 4 hours
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Total Time: 4 hours 5 minutes
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Yield: 6-8 servings
Description
Juicy and flavorful pull apart pork with a simple, homemade sauce that is perfect for eating all by itself or on a sandwich. Travels well and great for parties and gatherings.
Ingredients
2 lb boneless pork roast
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup rice wine vinegar
3 Tablespoons dijon mustard
1/8 teaspoon granulated garlic
kosher salt to taste
Instructions
Place pork roast in your crockpot and season generously with course kosher salt. Add all other ingredients, and mix in the bottom of the crockpot. Spoon mixture over pork roast and cook on high for 4 hours.
Remove crockpot lid and shred pork. Toss pork in remaining liquid in crockpot to soak up all the flavor. Allow pork to stand for a couple minutes to thicken, then serve on brioche buns with toppings such as red cabbage, scallions, and sliced cheddar cheese.
Optional: Place pork on bun and top with cheese, Melt in the oven at 350 degrees. Add toppings and enjoy!
Find it online: https://prettylittleapron.com/slow-cooker-asian-pulled-pork/
Chipotle Salmon
This Chipotle Salmon is everything I love in a dinner! Quick, minimal ingredients, easy, packed with nutrition, and delicious! Did I mention the cleanup is a breeze? Grab just a few ingredients and dinner will be ready in 30 minutes or less.
When our local grocery store has frozen wild caught salmon on sale I grab a few to fill our freezer with healthy protein that I can defrost and make in a pinch. Baked salmon is one of my go-to quick recipes, and this Chipotle Salmon does not disappoint in the flavor department! Not only does it taste amazing, it is packed with nutrients that our bodies need, which is the whole point of eating to begin with, right?
This week was a busy one! The boys went back to school, and came home like little bears. Then a virus went through our house that left me in bed for a day! There is nothing worse then being sick as a mother. Thankfully my husband came to my rescue. Not only did he take care of me all night, he also took care of the kids all day then next day so I could sleep. Best husband award goes to him!
We are also planning a little party for my September babes! We have 2 boys that were born in September and September is just an overall awesome month to throw a party. I discovered a really awesome way to send out invitations, www.paperlesspost.com. They have the most ADORABLE designs, and all I had to do was grab the e-mails of my guests, pick a super cute invitation and send. I realized this was going to save me so much time + shipping expenses so I wanted to tell everyone about this handy discovery incase you are planning your own fall party. The best part is, all of the e-mails you sent your invitations to are saved on your dashboard so no more asking people 1,000 times for their address, writing it on your envelope, mailing it, and then needing it again next time. Who else has done this!?!?!
Chipotle Salmon Recipe Tips
- Beware that the Chipotle sauce can be spicy! If you aren’t fan of spice, but you’d love the Chipotle flavor I would suggest adding a sweetener like honey or brown sugar. I feel like that would be a super delicious addition to this salmon!
- The recipe is a tad spicy, but with the addition of the avocado the spice was toned down a lot.
- If you want to find the best price on wild caught salmon, I would suggest looking in the frozen section. As I mentioned before, I grab a few when they are on sale and stock my freezer.
- Fresh cilantro is perfect with this recipe, but if you are one of those people who gets a weird taste from cilantro, you can omit it.
Chipotle Salmon
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Prep Time: 10
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Cook Time: 20
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Total Time: 30 minutes
Description
This slightly spicy take on baked Salmon brings the flavor and the nutrition!
Ingredients
1 slab salmon
1-2 Tablespoon adobo sauce from a small can of Chipotle Peppers
2 Tablespoons salted butter
1 clove fresh garlic
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 avocado
juice of half a lime
red onion to taste
Instructions
Place a large piece of tin foil on a baking sheet. Put your salmon on top of the foil. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Season salmon with salt + pepper. Spoon your adobo sauce out of the can and spread across salmon.
Cut butter into small chunks and place on top of salmon. I use cold butter that melts in the oven and it works perfectly! Dice fresh garlic + cilantro and sprinkle on top of salmon. Fold up your foil so that it creates a packet and put in the oven.
Bake for 18-20 minutes or until salmon is flaky and cooked through.
While salmon is baking, mash 1 avocado. Mix in fresh cilantro, 1/2 a lime, and red onion to taste. Sprinkle with salt and serve on top of your Chipotle Salmon to balance out the heat.
Find it online: https://prettylittleapron.com/chipotle-salmon/
Instant Pot Creamy Chicken Tacos
This Instant Pot Creamy Chicken Tacos recipe is one for the books! Chicken is so quick to make in the Instant Pot, and this recipe combines just a few staple ingredients to make a delicious taco filling perfect for hard shells, soft shells, nachos, burritos, enchiladas and more!
In my last post, I talked about how much I adore my Instant Pot Duo Plus! It does so many things so I am still trying to navigate my way through them all, but I’ve created some really awesome recipes so far. We are a taco loving family, so naturally I wanted to create a couple taco night recipes that everyone in my family could enjoy. This Instant Pot Creamy Chicken Taco recipe was a winner, and approved by my husband and the kids!
This was certainly a “let’s just throw these ingredients into the pot and see what happens” kind of experiment, but I was pretty sure it would work out great. Cream cheese is in the recipe and is basically my secret weapon of cooking so I knew it would make a really delicious addition to tacos. This is a recipe that I probably would have tried to make in my slow cooker before, however the Instant Pot is so quick it has replaced my slow cooker for a lot of recipes.
I still think the slow cooker has it’s own place in the kitchen, however it just doesn’t compare to the Instant Pot for so many reasons. The slow cooker has one function, while the Instant Pot has nine and is way easier to clean! I also like the look of the Instant Pot better so for now my slow cooker is on the shelf. I’m sure at some point I will find which recipes I like better in the Slow Cooker vs Instant Pot but the experimenting with the Instant Pot is super fun!
Instant Pot Creamy Chicken Taco Recipe Tips
- As always, please read your Instant Pot manual in full before starting any recipe if you aren’t familiar with using it. 🙂
- I used 6 chicken breasts which equaled 2.5 pounds of meat. I do buy organic chicken, so the breasts are a lot smaller then the ginormous ones you may sometimes find at the grocery store. I would suggest going by weight and trying to get as close to 2.5 pounds of meat as you can.
- When you take the lid off of your Instant Pot, you will need to stir in the cream cheese as it will still be in chunks. To get a really smooth sauce, I put my Instant Pot on saute for a couple minutes and pulled apart the chicken while the cream cheese was melting down into the sauce. This step only adds an extra couple of minutes and makes the most delicious sauce ever!
- When you open your Instant Pot you may think the sauce seems thin. Once your chicken is pulled apart it really starts to soak everything up and come together. It will thicken the longer it sits as well so making this ahead of time is never a bad idea (totally not necessary though).
- I used Ortega brand products because that is what I prefer. You can surely use your own favorites in place of Ortega. I used to make my own taco seasoning but when I was pregnant with the baby I couldn’t get enough of Ortega seasoned tacos and it has stuck ever since then!
Instant Pot Creamy Chicken Tacos
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Prep Time: 5
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Cook Time: 12
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Total Time: 17 minutes
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Yield: 6
Description
A delicious, creamy taco filling that can also be used in your other favorite Tex-Mex meals!
Ingredients
6 chicken breasts (2.5 pounds of meat)
1 cup water
1 packet Ortega Taco Seasoning
1/4 cup Ortega Taco Sauce
8 ounces cream cheese
additional salt + pepper to taste
Instructions
- Put all ingredients into the Instant Pot. I just pulled apart my block of cream cheese into chunks and it worked great.
- Stir taco seasoning into liquid. Secure lid onto Instant Pot and set on manual mode for 12 minutes. After your 12 minutes of cooking time, you will want to do a 10 minute natural release of pressure. See recipe tips if you are unfamiliar with what this means.
- After your 10 minute natural release of pressure, release your steam vent to let out any additional steam, then remove lid. Switch your Instant Pot to saute mode, and mix cream cheese particles into the sauce. The saute will also help you shred your chicken easily.
- Serve in hard taco shells with all of your favorite taco night toppings! We served ours with hard taco shells, cojita cheese, and fresh cilantro.
Notes
I use an Instant Pot Duo Plus and love it!
Keywords: Instant Pot Creamy Chicken Tacos
Find it online: https://prettylittleapron.com/instant-pot-creamy-chicken-tacos/
Instant Pot Beef Teriyaki
This Instant Pot Beef Teriyaki is the perfect take out inspired recipe, right in your Instant Pot! Your pot will open to delicious, fall apart beef coated in a balanced, classic teriyaki sauce. I know you will love this one!
You guys. My Instant Pot is amazing me over and over again. Every time I make a recipe I have to pinch myself because it was so easy! I love throwing something into the Instant Pot during the day so that dinner is ready and I can clean up, and get out of the kitchen for the evening. I can enjoy dinner with my family instead of running around like a chicken with my head cut off. It feels really good to have most of the dinner dishes done before you even have dinner too!
I’m still discovering all of the ridiculously amazing settings on my Instant Pot. I have the Duo Plus, and it has two whole rows of settings that can do things like steam, sterilize, make yogurt, pressure cook, slow cook, and more. I mean, if this thing isn’t just pure magic then I don’t even know what it is.
I’ll be honest, when I first got it, I was kind of wondering if it would live up to the hype. After tasting this recipe, I can officially say the Instant Pot lives up to the hype 100% for me. It doesn’t get any easier then this, and you don’t have to stand over a stove all evening. You can throw your ingredients in the pot and walk away! Hallelujah!
With school starting next Monday I am sure on the hunt for some easy weeknight recipes. This Instant Pot Beef Teriyaki is exactly the kind of recipe I love to have on hand on a busy night where everyone has homework, the kids are whining, the baby is crying, and my husband is working late. I’m pretty sure that is always how those nights go, right? It is never just one thing, it is EVERYTHING all at once. When you feel like your drowning in your Mom duties, the last thing you want to do is cook. I’m finding more and more that instead of ordering take out like we used to, I am grabbing some protein throwing it in the Instant Pot, and putting a side on and I’m done.
Instant Pot Beef Teriyaki Recipe Tips
- I use 2 pounds of sirloin in this recipe, but other cuts of beef would work the same. Wegman’s is my go-to for meat, and they always have double packs of huge sirloins in their selection. I pick one up and the meat goes a long way! Roast meat or stew meat would work too, however I do prefer the sirloin because I can easily trim the chewy, fatty edges.
- As always, please read your Instant Pot manual before using the Instant Pot!
- If you aren’t familiar with Instant Pot terminology this is what you need to know: First press the manual button and on your screen you’ll see that you can set your pot to high pressure and adjust time. Set to 17 minutes. Make sure your steam valve is closed, we want to keep the pressure in the pot. If your steam valve is open, you’ll see the steam coming out of the pot. You don’t want this. Your pot won’t start cooking immediately, it does need to come to heat first. Everything happens automatically so you literally just set it and walk away. Once the pot is to temperature, the timer will start. After the timer runs out, it will beep to let you know it is done, however you still need to release the pressure. This recipe calls for a natural pressure release which literally means letting the pot sit and doing nothing. When your pot beeps to let you know your cooking time has finished, a new timer begins to let you know how long it has been releasing pressure. Once 20 minutes has elapsed, your dinner is done! All you have to do is open the steam valve to let any additional steam out, and then open the pot.
- This sounds super hard to follow but once you have done it one time you will realize how easy it is. Your Instant Pot does everything!
Instant Pot Beef Teriyaki
Description
The Instant Pot makes this Beef Teriyaki so easy! You will open your pot to tender, delicious Beef Teriyaki, and your mind will be blow at how simple it was!
Ingredients
2 pounds sirloin steak, cubed
1 cup water (to put in pot before cooking)
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon granulated garlic
1/4 cup cold water (for thickening sauce)
2 Tablespoons cornstarch (for thickening sauce)
Instructions
Cut your sirloin into cubes. Add sirloin, 1 cup water, 1/4 cup soy sauce, 1/4 cup brown sugar, 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger, and 1/4 teaspoon granulated garlic to your Instant Pot.
Set your Instant Pot on Manual Setting at high pressure. Make sure your steam valve is closed. Cook for 17 minutes, then allow a 20 minute natural release. Release vent to allow any extra steam to release, and open pot.
Switch Instant Pot to sauté mode, uncovered. Mix 1/4 cup cold water with 2 Tablespoons cornstarch, mixing well to make sure there are no clumps. Pour the cornstarch slurry into your Instant Pot and stir until your teriyaki sauce thickens.
Serve over a bed of jasmine rice or broccoli.
Notes
I used the Instant Pot Duo Plus for this recipe! Here is exactly the model I have. I can’t say enough about how magical this machine is!
Find it online: https://prettylittleapron.com/instant-pot-beef-teriyaki/
Creamy Chicken Gnocchi Soup
This Creamy Chicken Gnocchi Soup is a from scratch, delicious, and hearty recipe that my family loves! We love making this all year round, but it is perfect for crisp fall evenings and snow days!
Sometimes my husband comes home, starts eating what I made, and makes a couple remarks about how great it is and how “Mommy” is such a great cook. This is 30 you guys. Being called Mommy by your husband and being super proud of the from scratch soup you just made. 🙂 I really wouldn’t have it any other way!
I have to agree with my husband though, this Creamy Chicken Gnocchi Soup is delicious, and a great recipe to put on your fall cooking bucket list! I’ve had this soup in my head for a couple of weeks and finally I got to go to the grocery store baby free and actually came home with the ingredients I set out to get int he first place. Every other time I was there I was forgetting ingredients, then using the ingredients I did get for something else, and then forgetting things again. A vicious cycle it was, until I insisted I needed to do the grocery store baby free on a Saturday morning. 30 minutes in I get the text that baby is crying and I made a mad dash through the rest of the grocery store grabbing things. Guess I didn’t do too bad!
Creamy Chicken Gnocchi Soup Recipe Tips
First of all, this recipe is so easy! SO EASY. For chicken soups I generally will make the chicken ahead of time. To do this, I simply place the chicken in a baking pan with a bit of water at the bottom to keep it moist (because we all love that word), season it with kosher salt, and bake. I place a piece of tin foil over the top of the pan to make sure all that moist, watery goodness stays in. Then when I’m ready to make the soup I just chop the chicken into cubes and that is it. It just is overall an easier method!
Creamy Chicken Gnocchi Soup
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Prep Time: 5
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Cook Time: 30
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Total Time: 35 minutes
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Yield: 6 servings
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Category: soup
Description
This Creamy Chicken Gnocchi smooth will melt in your mouth! A from scratch recipe that is great for serving a crowd or your own family.
Ingredients
1 small onion
4 carrots, peeled
3 chicken breast, cooked and cubed (see recipe tips for exactly how I cook the chicken)
1 stick salted butter
1/2 cup flour
4 cups chicken stock
3-4 cups whole milk
1-2 tsp salt
1 pound gnocchi
1 cup spinach (optional)
Instructions
- Chop onion and dice carrot. In a large soup pot add butter, onion, and carrots. Over medium heat cook until onions are translucent and fragrant and carrots are beginning to soften.
- Add flour, stir to combine. Cook for an addition minute.
- Grab a whisk, and begin adding chicken stock 1 cup at a time, whisking to combine. Allow pot to thicken before adding the next cup of liquid. Repeat until you’ve added 4 cups of chicken stock and 3-4 cups of milk, depending on desired thickness. If your pot isn’t thickening you need to turn up your heat.
- Add gnocchi. Simmer until carrots are tender. Season with 1-2 tsp of course kosher salt and black pepper to taste.
Keywords: Creamy Chicken Gnocchi Soup
Find it online: https://prettylittleapron.com/creamy-chicken-gnocchi-soup/
Greek Pasta Salad
This Greek Pasta Salad Recipe is the perfect picnic or get together tag a long! With my secret ingredient, this salad brings the flavor and is easy to throw together at the last minute.
This Greek Pasta Salad is my favorite! My secret ingredient, the brine of the feta cheese, takes this recipe to the next level. I have tried Greek Pasta Salad with the brine and without the brine, and my WITH brine recipe is 100% my favorite of all time pasta salad. The saltiness of the feta paired with a hint of sweetness from the tomatoes and a delicious homemade dressing makes for the perfect pasta salad.
If you aren’t familiar with what I am talking about, you can buy feta cheese in a brine, which will be a liquid substance that the cheese is in. I prefer Feta in brine because I feel like the crumbled feta can be a little dry and lacking flavor. In any recipe I am using Feta cheese I do prefer Feta in brine. Pasta salads are especially important because putting a little bit of the brine in with your dressing creates the perfect salty, delicious dressing to compliment the pasta, veggies, and feta cheese. If you are skeptical or just not feeling it, you can omit the brine but I’m telling you it is so good!
Generally, I buy my Feta cheese at Wegman’s, because they always carry feta cheese in brine. I have struggled at other stores to find it all the time, but if I don’t see it in the regular cheese section I will always check the specialty cheese section and it is usually there. The crumbled feta just doesn’t compare so keep looking until you find it! 🙂
I have made this recipe with several different pasta varieties, but I like the orecchiette pasta the best. If you are looking for a swap, I would suggest rotini, small shells, or cavatappi. All of those pasta varieties have worked great for me in the past. The orecchiette creates a nice balance and that is why I prefer it but the others can certainly work too.
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Greek Pasta Salad
Description
A delicious, refreshing pasta salad that is a perfect side dish for any occasion.
Ingredients
1 pound orechiette pasta (rotini and shells work great too!)
1 pint cherry tomatoes
1 seedless cucumber
1/2 red onion
8 ounces feta cheese
1/4 cup feta cheese brine
1/2 lemon, squeezed
1/4 cup white vinegar
3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp dried oregano
salt + pepper to taste
Instructions
Cook pasta according to package directions. Don’t forget to salt your pasta water!
For the dressing: Add 1/4 cup feta cheese brine, 1/2 lemon squeezed, 1/4 cup white vinegar, 1 tsp dried oregano, and a dash of salt and pepper to a large bowl, blender, or food processor. Slowly drizzle in 3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil. If you are using a bowl, whisk vigorously while you are drizzling in your olive oil. (I used my Vitamix.)
Chop cherry tomatoes, seedless cucumber, and 1/2 red onion and place in a large bowl with 8 ounces feta cheese, and cooked pasta. Pour dressing over ingredients and toss to coat evenly. Sprinkle with additional salt + pepper + oregano if desired.
Store in an air-tight container for up to 7 days in the refrigerator. Recipe is best if made 1 day ahead of time to allow flavors to come together.
Keywords: Greek Pasta Salad
Find it online: https://prettylittleapron.com/greek-pasta-salad/
Instant Pot Steel Cut Oats
These Instant Pot Steel Cut Oats are my new favorite breakfast! I combine dried cherries, walnuts, and brown sugar to make the most delicious oatmeal topping ever! Perfect for breastfeeding Mommas + busy families who love make ahead breakfast options.
I mentioned in my 50 Words of Advice for New Moms post that I got an Instant Pot at my baby shower! When you have 5 kids, making a baby registry is hard. Since we have all of the essentials, we decided to throw some most wanted kitchen items on our Amazon Baby Registry, and Hello! I’m the new owner of an Instant Pot thanks to my Mother-in-law. 🙂
I have to say, EVERY new Momma needs an Instant Pot! When we brought our sweet Felicity home, it was a lifesaver. Breastfeeding cravings are a real thing, and I’m pretty sure I ate steel cut oats more then once a day for a couple of weeks. I always used the same vanilla + cherry + walnut + brown sugar topping combo and it never got old.
Preparing the steel cut oats in the Instant Pot is a breeze! The Instant Pot makes the perfect oats, and all you have to do is throw the ingredients in and turn it on. Any new Momma can relate that extra time is nonexistent, so I found myself searching for make ahead options that I could heat up during the day when I needed a snack or a meal. These steel cut oats were perfect for just that!
Tips for Making Instant Pot Steel Cut Oats
- SAFETY first! Please read through your entire Instant Pot manual if you are not familiar with using the Instant pot.
- I would not stray from the ratios provided. I’ve tested this once or twice when I came up short on the oats and honestly it just wasn’t the same! 2 cups of steel cut oats to 5 cups of water makes the perfect oatmeal. It is not too dry, but not runny either.
- I stuck with using 1/4 cup of brown sugar as I didn’t want my oatmeal to be super sweet. If you like your oatmeal on the sweeter side I would suggest 1/2 cup of brown sugar.
- For the best results, you will want to allow your Instant Pot to cool for a minimum of 20 minutes. This will release the pressure from the pot naturally (as opposed to opening the pressure valve), and you should see the little round stainless steel pressure meter come up fully. Your Instant Pot will start a timer as soon as your cooking time is over so you will know when it has been the full 20 minutes. If you do open your pot sooner, your steel cut oats might stick to the bottom. To prevent sticking even more you can coat the bottom of your pot with butter or coconut oil. FYI, I do not coat mine with anything and I haven’t had sticking when I followed this 100%.
- A pat of butter on the top of your warm bowl of steel cut oats + dried cherries + walnuts + brown sugar or maple syrup is LIFE.
Crock Pot Beef Tips and Gravy
This Crock Pot Beef Tips and Gravy Recipe combines just a few simple ingredients for a delicious, hearty dinner. Tender pieces of sirloin in a thick mushroom and gravy sauce come together for the best comfort food around! Serve over homemade mashed potatoes, egg noodles, or rice.
Welcome back to another episode of my life is a circus and I don’t really have time to cook! My name is Dana, I’ll be your host! Today we are making Crock Pot Beef Tips and Gravy for your whole family to enjoy. :)d
My circus has been wanting really simple food lately. Mix too many things together and there is a good chance 3 out of the 4 who eat food (baby is still doing the boob thing) won’t be interested in dinner. It might “look weird” or maybe it has “something green on it.” Whatever the case, I’ve started really simplifying not only my meals, but my shopping list as well.
I thought to myself for a hot second that there was no way I could post this Crock Pot Beef Tips and Gravy recipe. People would think it was stupid because it is only a couple of ingredients. What if… gasp… I used a Simply Organic brown gravy packet instead of making an elaborate sauce myself and spending $25 to gather the ingredients for the sauce? Then I remembered there are other Moms out there just like me who have a million things to do and just need a semi-healthy and very delicious dinner to put on the table tonight. Enter… Crock Pot Beef Tips and Gravy.
The Mashed Potatoes
Now that we have cleared up the fact that I indeed to have picky eaters and I am also the ring leader of a tiny circus of humans who have been refusing to eat lately, it might be time to talk mashed potatoes. Listen, let’s just be honest here. If the mashed potatoes aren’t good, the whole meal just isn’t as good. Mashed potatoes are the glue of a dinner and I’ve figured out how to make a pretty darn good potato.
I always make homemade mashed potatoes and I have a big secret. Many people have commented on my recipe wondering what I was doing different and how I delivered the best mashed potatoes ever. This will have its very own post one day soon but for now let’s just talk about why my mashed potatoes are better then 99% of the rest. I use cream cheese.
That’s right, cream cheese right in the mixer with the potatoes, butter, milk, and salt. With the whisk attachment, not the paddle. If you aren’t mashing your potatoes with a stand mixer, now is a great time to finally grab that mixer you have been stalking on Amazon. So here you go…
I’ve had my KitchenAid Artisan 5 qt mixer for a long time now, and it has been super helpful with everyday recipes like mashed potatoes. It is definitely a kitchen appliance staple in my house!
If you aren’t feeling the mashed potatoes, this recipe would be awesome over rice or egg noodles as well.
Summer Berry Pavlova
Is it just me, or do you get really excited when berries start coming down in price during the summer months? FINALLY I don’t have to pay $8.99 for a big thing of strawberries!
This Summer Berry Pavlova is an awesome summer dessert. Perfect for just after grilling sessions on the back patio. I love it because it isn’t a super heavy dessert so it is perfect for hot summer nights. The fresh berries are refreshing and pack a little bit of nutrition into your dessert. I actually don’t feel too guilty about eating this dessert because it is far lighter then your standard cake. It is finished with a dreamy dollop of fresh whipped cream. Summer eating doesn’t get any better then this! And seriously how beautiful are these to look at? If you are looking for a “WOW” factor dessert to take to a party this summer, this Summer Berry Pavlova is just that.
Typically, Pavlova is made with a larger meringue circle, however I love a mini dessert. If you’d like to make one large meringue disk, simply pipe in one big circle. You can use an icing spatula to create peaks or patterns if you want it to look super fancy. With all the beautiful, bright berries it is so easy to make this dessert look beautiful without spending too much time on decorating! If you make one large meringue disk, just pile up your berries and whipped cream on top, and slice it like a cake.
Meringue Making Tips
Meringue is easy to make, so don’t be intimidated! Above are the 3 stages of whipping the meringue:
- Soft peaks
- 1/2 the sugar added
- Finished
Your meringue will be nice and glossy when it is finished. If you rub a little between your fingers you shouldn’t feel any grit of sugar. I took a spatula and very gently put it into my piping bag fitted with a Ateco 850 tip. Sometimes people take a cup or bowl and make circles on their parchment paper with a sharpie (flip the parchment paper over then so that the marker won’t get on your meringue) as a guide. I didn’t feel this was necessary because I didn’t care if they weren’t all exactly the same as they were just for my family. My kids have no idea what meringue even is, so they would never look at them and wonder why they aren’t the same. The perks of your audience being babies and toddlers! 🙂
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