Pretty Little Apron

Entrees

Fiesta Shrimp

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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!

Party Shrimp

Party Shrimp

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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Party Shrimp

Fiesta Shrimp

  • Author: Dana
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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.

Meatloaf with Brown Gravy

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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 with Brown Gravy

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.

Meatloaf with Brown Gravy

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

Meatloaf with Brown Gravy

  • Author: Dana
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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!

 

Recipes You Might Like

Brown Gravy Meatballs

Parma-Rosa Shrimp Pasta

Traditional Meatballs 

Honey Mustard Chicken 

Honey Barbecue Meatballs

 

Chicken and Broccoli

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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 Chicken and Broccoli

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Chicken and Broccoli

Chicken and Broccoli

  • Author: Dana
  • Prep Time: 10
  • Cook Time: 15
  • Total Time: 25 minutes
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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.

Creamy Italian Chicken Bites

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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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Creamy Italian Chicken Bites

Creamy Italian Chicken Bites

  • Author: Dana
  • Prep Time: 5
  • Cook Time: 20
  • Total Time: 25 minutes
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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.

5

 

Honey Mustard Chicken

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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

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 Breaded Chicken

Honey Mustard Breaded Chicken

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Honey Mustard Chicken

Honey Mustard Chicken

  • Author: Dana
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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.

Brown Gravy Meatballs

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Meatballs in brown gravy

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!

Meatballs in brown gravy and mushroom sauce

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.
  • Brown Gravy Meatballs

Brown Gravy Meatballs

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Brown Gravy and Mushrooms over meatballs

Brown Gravy Meatballs

  • Author: Dana
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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.

Parma Rosa Shrimp Pasta

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Parmarosa 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.

Parmarosa Shrimp

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.

Parmarosa Shrimp Pasta closeup photo in a large skillet

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!
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Parma Rosa Shrimp Pasta

Parma Rosa Shrimp Pasta

  • Author: Dana
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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.

Cheesy Bacon Ranch Chicken

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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.

Cheesy Bacon Ranch Chicken

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

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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Cheesy Bacon Ranch Chicken

Cheesy Bacon Ranch Chicken

  • Author: Dana
  • Prep Time: 10
  • Cook Time: 30
  • Total Time: 40 minutes
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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.

 

 

Parmesan Encrusted Shrimp

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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 Recipe

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.

Parmesan Encrusted Shrimp

Parmesan Encrusted Shrimp

Slow Cooker Asian Pulled Pork

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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

  1. 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.
  2.  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.
  3. I love to add scallions because they bring a ton of flavor. Throw some in while you are shredding the meat to add flavor. 
  4. 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.
  5. This recipe does refrigerate well and is great as leftovers!

 

 

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Slow Cooker Asian Pulled Pork

  • Author: Dana
  • Prep Time: 5
  • Cook Time: 4 hours
  • Total Time: 4 hours 5 minutes
  • Yield: 6-8 servings
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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!

Chipotle Salmon

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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.

Chipotle Salmon Recipe

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?

Chipotle Salmon Recipe


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

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.
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Chipotle Salmon Recipe

Chipotle Salmon

  • Author: Dana
  • Prep Time: 10
  • Cook Time: 20
  • Total Time: 30 minutes
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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.

Chipotle Salmon

Instant Pot Beef Teriyaki

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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!

Instant Pot Beef Teriyaki

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!

 

Instant Pot Beef Teriyaki

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

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

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Instant Pot Beef Teriyaki

Instant Pot Beef Teriyaki

  • Author: Dana
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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!

Instant Pot Beef Teriyaki

Creamy Chicken Gnocchi Soup

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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!

Creamy Chicken Gnocchi Soup

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

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!

 

 

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Creamy Chicken Gnocchi Soup

Creamy Chicken Gnocchi Soup

  • Author: Dana
  • Prep Time: 5
  • Cook Time: 30
  • Total Time: 35 minutes
  • Yield: 6 servings
  • Category: soup
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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

  1. 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.
  2. Add flour, stir to combine. Cook for an addition minute.
  3. 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.
  4. 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

Creamy Chicken Gnocchi Soup

 

Italian Avocado Salad

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This Italian Avocado Salad is everything avocado dreams are made of! Delicious, fresh ingredients, with a creamy homemade Italian dressing…. you really can’t go wrong here! Pair it with your favorite protein and you have a delicious meal! 🙂


I was at the grocery store today and had in my mind that I’d like to make an avocado salad with my Creamy Italian Dressing recipe. I have been trying to find new ways to eat avocados because of all the health benefits. This recipe is an avocado home run!

Not only was the recipe delicious, I found the PERFECT bag of avocados. Not too mushy, but not un-ripe. Small seeded so that one side doesn’t have to be completely uprooted to remove the seed. The skins peeled right off. I mean, in the avocado world I basically hit the jackpot! I was peeling those babies like YESSS this is avocado life.

*Side note: You should start peeling your avocados! A lot of the good nutrients are right under the skin and when we scoop them out instead of peeling we loose important stuff. Peeling also allows you to cut some pretty impressive chunks for this salad. I simply slice the avocado in half, then slice it into chunks when it is still in the peel. If your avocado is perfectly ripe you should be able to start peeling it from one of the edges. If you are finding it hard, slice the little nugget on the end off and you should be able to start peeling.

Italian Avocado Salad

Keto Diet Update

This is the part where I talk about my diet, so if you aren’t interested just scroll. 🙂

I mentioned in my Keto Approved Burger post that I started the Keto diet. I’ll be 100% honest here, it hasn’t been unicorns and rainbows. I’ve had some ups and downs due to breastfeeding and being concerned about the safety during this time. I’ve gotten off track quite a few times but somehow I always seem to reset and start again. I’m on a roll this time, and hoping to continue!

Italian Avocado Salad

Storing Your Italian Avocado Salad

We all know that avocados can brown very quickly! The dressing in this salad prevents this to a certain degree. I would suggest making the salad at the time you are going to eat it, and finishing it within a day or two. I’ve stored mine overnight and had no browning/turning to mush but the second day I finished it.

If you are making the salad for a gathering or picnic I would suggest putting it together 1-2 hours before you go. A bit of time in the refrigerator is great because it allows the flavors to come together, but isn’t enough time for the avocado to start looking funky.

One More Thing

My Creamy Italian Dressing recipe yields about 2 cups of dressing, which is a lot more then you will need for this salad. I cut the original recipe in half for this salad and it was plenty. If you’d like to have some extra dressing (it is super delicious), then you can double the dressing ingredients. In my original recipe I was using a food processor to make the dressing, however I no longer have that (long story), so I just used a bowl and a whisk. The food processor makes a thicker dressing, but you certainly can get away with just whisking super vigorously and making sure you pour your oil in slowly. I also omitted the red pepper flakes because I just didn’t think they would mesh well with the avocado.

Honey Cilantro Lime Shrimp

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Honey Cilantro Lime Shrimp

Have you ever been eating shrimp and thought… wow…. I just ate half of what I cooked?!?! This Honey Cilantro Lime Shrimp will quickly vanish into thin air just like shrimp always does! This is a super simple recipe with a nice balance of sweet, acidic, and salty flavors. It is great for parties, game days, or a nice dinner with the hubby and kids. The sauce is customizable so if you aren’t feeling the balance, add some additional acid/sweetness to make it your own. You really just can’t go wrong with a beautiful pile of shrimp and a few fresh ingredients for the sauce!


Honey Cilantro Lime Shrimp

Welcome to the paragraph on this post about my life in the current moment. I don’t have a ton to write today, other then the fact that I’ve been pondering how Mom’s ever stop looking at all the pretty little things for baby girls!?!

WHEN. DOES. IT. END.

You guys, if you haven’t been following I have 4 boys. For 11 years I’ve walked by the baby girl section longing to buy it all. Like every single cute headband and bow and delicious little onsie with the cupcake and sprinkles all over it. For a really long time I completely shut out that side of the clothing store because I had come to the realization that I was a boy Mom and that meant green and brown striped onesies covered in dump trucks. I didn’t even want to peek at what may be on the other side of the store because I had nobody to purchase the cuteness for.

Until I did! 🙂

Don’t get me wrong, boys clothing has come a long way since my first was born. PRAISE JESUS. However, for me it still just doesn’t even compare to the bows and leopard print and leggings and dresses. It is, in the end, just clothing that will be shat upon and peed in and thrown up on. But the baby girl waiting game has been getting the best of my lately and my internet browsers are filled with all the cuteness that is out there and able to be purchased. Lord help my bank account and self control! Who has a favorite place to shop for little girl’s clothing?

Honey Cilantro Lime Shrimp

Honey Cilantro Lime Shrimp Recipe Tips

  1. As mentioned above, if you need to balance out your sauce, go ahead and add more lime/honey to your liking.
  2. I LIGHTLY sprinkled the shrimp with adobo seasoning, and went even lighter with the cumin. These flavors really bring the dish together though, so don’t skip out on them! If you aren’t familiar with adobo seasoning, I use Goya brand and it has never failed me.
  3. If you don’t want to stand and peel two pounds a shrimp like I did, look for the pre-peeled shrimp! Generally I always buy frozen shrimp because… Hello… Mom of 4, soon to be 5 over here doesn’t have a million dollars to spend on seafood each week, so frozen it is! I was not able to find wild caught shrimp that was pre-peeled.
  4. The fresh cilantro kicks this recipe up about a million notches so don’t skip out on it unless you are the 10% who thinks that cilantro tastes like soap. 🙂
  5. I served this shrimp over rice with avocado slices on the side. It made for a fantastic dinner!

Honey Cilantro Lime Shrimp

honey cilantro lime shrimp #shrimprecipes, #honeylimeshrimp, #cilantrolimeshrimp, #shrimpdinners, #seafoodrecipes

 

Honey Barbecue Bacon Meatballs

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Honey Barbecue Bacon Meatballs

The Super Bowl is right around the corner, and these Honey Barbecue Bacon Meatballs are a crowd-pleasing appetizer worthy of bringing to the big game!


Truth: I don’t care about the Super Bowl. I don’t follow football, my husband doesn’t follow football, and well… we just aren’t a sporty family. I GUESS I’m rooting for the Eagles because my Mom is a super fan and I’m close to Philadelphia. 🙂 We usually go to a family friendly party, and I’m strictly there for the food so don’t ask me about the game or even the commercials because I could care less!

My ALL TIME favorite Super Bowl appetizer is Buffalo Chicken Dip. It is addicting, delicious, and expected to be at every party. Wings are also right up there on the list of must haves, but you will always need a few other items to fill in for the folks who aren’t into spicy foods. Shrimp, meatballs, guacamole, pizza… you know all the good stuff!

Honey Barbecue Bacon Meatballs

For these Honey Barbecue Bacon Meatballs, I did make my meatballs from scratch because it is super simple to do! HOWEVER…. if you happen to pick up frozen meatballs to make this recipe, no judgement here! That is what I love about this recipe, it is customizable and can be made in even less time if you are in a hurry. Getting all of my family ready and out the door for a Super Bowl party is stressful enough, so I totally get it. If you are running low on time or just don’t care…. GET THE FROZEN MEATBALLS. 🙂

Homemade Honey Barbecue Sauce over meatballs. Smoky sweet meatballs.

Honey Barbecue Bacon Meatballs Recipe Tips

  1. Again, this recipe is totally customizable. Don’t have time to make meatballs from scratch? Buy frozen! Want your sauce a bit sweeter? Add more honey! Really love ranch dressing? Drizzle some on there like I did!
  2. If you are making meatballs from scratch, the meatball recipe is a basic tried and true recipe. There isn’t anything particularly different about it, because the sauce and the bacon are really making these meatballs.
  3. The sauce is WAY better the next day. I would suggest maybe making it the day before, and letting all of the flavors come together overnight in the refrigerator. Here is the thing about homemade sauces like this…. they need time. Just like the sauce you buy in the grocery store has been sitting for a period of time, it is also good to let your homemade sauce sit and mingle together.
  4. If you’d like to make these as a meal, they are great with a simple side like buttered egg noodles or jasmine rice. We have eaten them as a meal with rice and they were fantastic.
  5. If your party is large, I would suggest making a double batch. If you’d like to stick with a single batch, you can always make them mini-meatballs to stretch them farther.
  6. For the meat… I prefer to use a meatball/meatloaf mix of meats. It includes beef, pork, and veal. I know, I know. But listen, the meat matters! My local grocery stores do sell this already pre-mixed specifically for meatballs and meatloaf. If you can’t find a meatball mix at your grocery store, I would ask the butcher there to make you a mix, or just purchase 1 pound of each and make a large batch and freeze the extras.

Honey Barbecue Bacon Meatballs #meatballs, #meatballsrecipes, #barbecue, #honeybarbecue, #gamedayrecipes, #superbowlrecipes

 

Sticky Sesame Apricot Chicken

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Apricot Chicken Recipe


This may not seem very interesting to most people, but something really epic happened to me today. I FINALLY found maternity jeans that I don’t hate. AND… I got new shoes. 3 pairs! AND… a new bra. AND… a few other nice shirts to get me through the rest of my pregnancy. Life is good. I look like a normal human being again. It feels good!

If anyone ever tells you a new pair of jeans that fit right isn’t life changing, please have them reference this. IT IS. This baby bump and Mama are so happy!

When I arrived home from my epic shopping adventure, food was necessary. Walking around the mall is exhausting when it feels like there is a bowling ball, that may or may not pop out at any time, between your legs. So I put together this Sticky Sesame Apricot Chicken and sat down!

Apricot Chicken Recipe

What I really love about this Sticky Sesame Apricot Chicken recipe is it combines so many flavors. The apricot preserves I used are a bit tart. Mix that with the sweetness of brown sugar, and the saltiness of soy sauce….and you have the perfect combination! I’ve mentioned my Jasmine Rice cravings, and this recipe did not  disappoint! It goes great over a giant heap of perfectly cooked Jasmine Rice, and some additional soy sauce on top. 🙂

Sticky Sesame Apricot Chicken

Recipe Tips

  1. I mentioned this in my Honey Mustard Garlic Chicken recipe as well, but when coating chicken it really helps to get everything in place before you start so you don’t have to continually wash your hands and then reach for the forgotten items. I’ve only done this a million times before I started telling myself over and over again to get everything in place before starting!
  2. Use one hand to dip in the egg, and then the other to coat in cornstarch. If you try to use the same hand you will have a hot mess! After working in restaurants and coating about a million pieces of chicken, sometimes this still isn’t second nature to me. The temptation to dip with the same hand is still there! haha
  3. This is a base recipe. If you like more salty, add more soy sauce! If you like more sweet, add more brown sugar!

Sesame Apricot Chicken

 

 

 

 

Sundried Tomato Feta Baked Salmon

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Sundried Tomato Feta Baked Sallmon

Friends… this one is no joke. This Sundried Tomato Feta Baked Salmon is the best salmon I have ever made! Not only does it taste absolutely amazing, it is SO EASY to make. I repeat SO EASY.


I have mentioned, I am about to pop. About to pop as in numerous strangers have asked me if I am having twins. The conversation usually goes something like this:

Stranger: “Oh my, when are you due?”

Me: “March.”

Stranger: “Wow, I thought you were going to say next week! Are you sure there is only one in there?”

Me: “Yes, I’ve carried all of my kids like this.”

Stranger: “Your belly is really low! Thank goodness you are all belly! This must be your first child!”

Me: “No, I actually have 4 boys already.”

Stranger: *Now completely stunned. “My word you have your hands full.”

Me: “No shit.”

Ok so maybe I just smile and walk away, but seriously folks if one more person tells me I have my hands full. It is just a statement that has no answer. It is awkward. It is annoying. Find a more encouraging statement!

**Pregnant rant over. Just leave the preggo ladies alone from now on.

Moving on to this Sundried Tomato Feta Baked Salmon. It is really all of my pregnant dreams come true. PLUS it is healthy and provides little unnamed babe with lots of healthy fats and proteins. I can’t say my diet has been entirely healthy throughout my entire pregnancy, but this is a meal that I can feel good about. It doesn’t even hurt my back or the rest of my body to make because it literally takes minutes to throw all the ingredients on the salmon, wrap it up in the foil, and bake! Instant pregnancy cravings gratification!

Sundried Tomato Feta Baked Salmon

Recipe Tips

  1. There isn’t much to say about this recipe because it is super simple. The main tip I would suggest is making sure you generously season your salmon before baking. I used coarse kosher salt.
  2. I always look for sundried tomatoes that don’t contain sulfur dioxide. Mine came in a jar in oil and seasonings and were perfect because they weren’t super dry after being baked. I found the jarred ones in the healthy-ish section of the grocery store. The sulfur dioxide commonly added to the bagged ones is only there for color retention.
  3. If you are feeling adventurous, a squirt of lemon over this salmon would probably be a delicious addition!

Sundried tomato baked salmon

Sundried Tomato Baked Salmon

Sticky Honey Mustard Garlic Chicken

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Hello! Welcome to my first post in 2018, and my first post under a brand spankin’ new name! This Sticky Honey Mustard Garlic Chicken is the perfect way to start off the new year, but first….


What gives on the name change!?!?!

I’m ready to drop a few truth bombs right now, and it may not be pretty but it is genuine and it is me. I was struggling with the name 3boysunprocessed. Struggling for a very long time. In 2018 one of my goals was to make this blog a more comprehensive look at my life. To do that I desperately needed to change the name and break out of the box of unprocessed eating.

Four years ago, my life was completely different! When I started this blog, I was so passionate about cooking with the least processed ingredients. What you saw was what I was feeding my family. It was fun to me then, it was my own little project that I loved and babied. It grew my love for photography, it gave me a reason to talk about my children and document my life, and it was great. I was stunned when people actually cared. But then….

Life happened. My husband started a new career that took him on the road and away from home 5 days a week, we had another baby (and have another on the way now), I started a photography business, and my wee little babes who would eat anything suddenly didn’t want my whole wheat macaroni and honey sweetened delicious treats anymore. Things were different, my family was growing and changing, and my blog needed to reflect that.

Life can be extremely busy at times. Every time I thought to myself that I’d like to post a new recipe, I realized that it may not fit into the unprocessed box I had put myself into. I want to share my love for food here, and ultimately I have to be true and honest that this is not how I cook anymore. Of course, I am still cooking fresh, homemade meals for my family. However I’ve stopped stressing over certain ingredients such as white pasta and cane sugar. My sanity needed a break from hyper obsessing over my kids going to a birthday party and eating a hotdog bun. So I let go a little, and it feels great!

Looking into 2018, I’m really ready to share more stories about life, my family, my cooking, my Lipsense business, my love for photography, and so much more! I absolutely love looking back at all of my posts from when my boys were all super tiny, and I want to keep sharing the special little details without the stress of being in any kind of box. Cheers to 2018!

Sticky Honey Mustard Garlic Chicken

Now that the cat is out of the bag, shall we move on to this Sticky Honey Mustard Garlic Chicken? It is oozing with delicious Asian inspired flavors, simple ingredients, and my latest pregnancy craving… Jasmine Rice and soy sauce! It combines a few simple ingredients to check off every box on the BEST CHICKEN EVER list… sweet, salty, perfectly crunchy, and smothered in a delicious and easy to make sauce.

THIS IS CHICKEN HEAVEN.

Sticky Honey Mustard Garlic Chicken

The Recipe

One of my favorite way to make takeout inspired chicken is to dip it in egg, coat it with cornstarch, and then cook it on the stovetop. It gives a deep fried texture without actually deep frying or ordering takeout from a place that may or may not be using trans fats to fry their food. I love me some Panda Express, but I hate the way I feel after eating mystery ingredients. This is the perfect way to make it at home and know exactly what you are eating.

The most important step when cooking this Sticky Honey Mustard Garlic Chicken is to make sure your meat is properly seasoned. Don’t forget to season your chicken before you bread it. I always use coarse Kosher salt to season meats, it has never let me down! A sprinkle over all of your chicken chunks will work wonders.

Coating the chicken is easy, but can be messy! One thing I learned while working in restaurants and coating millions of pieces of chicken is to get everything where you need it before you start, and use one hand to dip and the other to coat. No matter how bad you want to just go right from the egg to the cornstarch with the same hand… DON’T DO IT or your hands will be a hot mess.

The sauce is super easy to put together! Cook the garlic, then add the rest of the ingredients and viola! It is super versatile, so if you like it a little more sweet, add more honey. If you like it a little more salty, add more soy sauce! If you don’t have whole grain mustard, use dijon! The sky is the limit here, this is really just a base recipe.

Also, apparently is is really easy to burn Jasmine rice. That is all I’m going to say about that. HAHA

Grilled Cilantro Lime Chicken & Guac

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Grab your tortilla chips and get prepared for some fresh guacamole and perfectly grilled chicken! This Grilled Cilantro Lime Chicken & Guac does not disappoint in the flavor department and takes only a few minutes to prepare. Weeknight grilling for the win!

Truth: I’m trying to fit more fruits, veggies, healthy fats, and lean protein into my diet. All winter I wasn’t taking into consideration what I was eating, and I found myself mostly snacking on carbs all day. In my Balsamic Glazed Grilled Chicken recipe, I discussed prepping meals ahead of time to try to balance my diet a bit more. So far it is working great, except when my husband comes home and eats all of the portions I made in advance. Meal prep fail! His job is super labor intensive, so I guess he gets a pass to go on this one. 🙂

Grilled Cilantro Lime Chicken

Cilantro is super popular, but I feel it is so underrated! Every time I purchase a bunch of cilantro at the grocery store I:

  1. Immediately smell it 1,000 times
  2. Make a gorgeous salad with a cilantro lime dressing
  3. Make fresh guac, of course
  4. Start putting it on everything until it goes bad

But for real, this Grilled Cilantro Lime Chicken & Guac is one of my favorite uses for it. You just can’t beat a perfectly grilled piece of chicken, seasoned to perfection, bursting with bold flavors, and perfect for leftovers! I mentioned meal prepping earlier and this chicken made awesome salads the rest of the week for me. I tossed it with some dark leafy greens, a few tortilla chips as croutons, fresh avocado, cherry tomatoes, cheddar cheese, and my favorite ranch dressing. Yum!

Grilling Tips

I have a few grilling tips I’ve repeated here about 1,000 times but here goes again! I suggest generously seasoning your meat with coarse kosher salt and black pepper beforehand. This is an important part of this recipe because bland chicken is no good! Next, I would suggest using thin cut chicken breasts, or filleting and pounding your chicken breasts flat with a meat tenderizer. This also makes a huge difference in how your chicken grills, and eliminates that super fat part that contributes to uneven grilling and a bland end product.

Grilled Cilantro Lime Chicken & Guac

 

Classic Beef Macaroni Soup

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Snow day food alert! This Classic Beef Macaroni Soup was the perfect pot of delicious last week when we had a snow storm in the middle of March. I was not ready for snow in March, but a big pot of soup can fix any problem, right?


This is such a standard, simple recipe. Sometimes I wonder, do people even want to see recipes THIS EASY. I always find myself saying, yes! Of course they do! Not every recipe has to be elaborate, or out of the box. Simple, classic comfort food is a thing because it is one of the best ways to eat. I’ve been making this soup for my kids for a number of years now, and I thought it was time to share it!

Not only does this Classic Beef Macaroni soup taste delicious, it is so quick to make. From start to finish I want to call it a 30 minute meal, but with the boiling time it may be a few more minutes. With the short cook time, I can make this any day of the week, then have the perfect leftovers for the rest of the week.

Classic Beef Macaroni Soup Recipe Tips

  • The most important thing to remember with this recipe is to stir the pot while your noodles are boiling. The macaroni noodles have a tendency to stick to the bottom of the pot, so I would not suggest just pouring in the macaroni and walking away.
  • After my soup was boiling I realized I had some excess grease pooling on the top of the pot. I just took my large metal spoon and removed it.
  • I topped my soup with a little bit of extra sharp cheddar cheese. This is optional but highly recommended by someone who thinks cheese is basically life.
  • This soup gets better and better in the refrigerator! After all of the flavors come together over night, you may notice you love it even more!
  • The tomato product I use are just plain strained tomatoes. I’ve been using this product for years, and it is one of my most loved pantry staples! You can use it in just about anything. This is a no salt added product so you don’t have to worry about your soup being super salty in the end. The product size is 24 ounces, so you will be using the whole jar.


Beef Macaroni Soup

Beef Macaroni Soup

 

 

Pepperoni Pizza Panko Chicken

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Pepperoni Pizza Panko Chicken

Pepperoni Pizza Panko Chicken. Say that a few times really fast! This is an easy, kid friendly recipe that screams weeknight meal to me! It combines panko and parmesan crusted chicken, pizza sauce,  Applegate Pepperoni, and melty mozzarella cheese to make a delicious main dish.


Truth…I am not a huge pepperoni person, and never have been. Growing up I was just an extra cheese kind of girl. I have ventured out a bit since those days, but my ideal slice of pizza is still extra cheese. Cheese = Life.

My children, on the other hand, love pepperoni. They have been known to completely abandon a slice of pizza after eating just the pepperoni off of the top.

WHO. DOES. THAT.

Despite not being a super duper pepperoni lover, I saw this Applegate Naturals pepperoni at the grocery store and thought it looked brilliant. It was huge. It was massive. It deserved to sit atop a chicken breast with melty mozzerella cheese and fresh basil on top. I needed this pepperoni in my life to show my children that I, in fact, can be a pepperoni person too.

Here is my husband pretending to be tall, dark, handsome, and mysterious while showing off this wonderful Applegate Naturals Pepperoni! He attempted to give me several pointers on how to get this shot. I didn’t listen to any of them! 

Pepperoni Pizza Panko Chicken

Ingredients and Tips

I have been mentioning this a lot here lately, and here I go again. Target is really killing it with their organic, non-GMO, and better ingredient oriented grocery selection lately! I am so impressed with their organic selection, sometimes I forget I’m even at Target. As I browsed the isles, or ran through them with a screaming baby, I picked up a jar of their Simply Balanced organic pizza sauce for $1.29!

$1.29!!!! I thought it was a steal. 🙂

I also used  Kikkoman panko bread crumbs, grated parmesan cheese, shredded mozzarella cheese, and thin cut chicken breasts. If your chicken breasts are thicker, I highly suggest filleting them first (cutting them in half length-wise), and pounding them thin with a meat tenderizer.

When I sauté chicken, temperature and enough olive oil is key to getting those perfectly crisp panko crumbs on the outside. I had my burner on a steady medium-low the whole time. I knew I did not want to crank it up too high, as to not burn the olive oil or the panko bread crumbs. I think the crucial part to getting perfectly crisp and browned breadcrumbs is 100% the amount of oil in your pan. So before you put each piece of chicken in your skillet, make sure there is a generous dash of oil waiting for those breadcrumbs!

Pepperoni Pizza Panko Chicken

Pepperoni Pizza Chicken