Are you ready for this buttery, cheesy, broccoli goodness? This Lemon Garlic Ravioli and Broccoli Bake is really something. I mean REALLY something. It has just about everything you could ever want in a meal - pasta, cheese, a delicious sauce, a vegetable and a crunchy topping. Well crap, people probably want meat in there meal. Shoot...well you could totally add Italian sausage or grilled chicken. YES, so this is really the foundation for the best meal ever. Whew. That was a close … [Read more...]
Mac n Cheese Muffins – Produce For Kids Power Your Lunchbox Pledge
I am back with another healthy recipe! Except this one is for the kiddos! I am so excited to be partnering with Produce For Kids again today! I love partnering with this organization because they're mission is incredibly important - educating families on the benefits of healthy eating and providing simple and healthy recipes for kids! It doesn't get any better than that. PFK does such a wonderful job of creating recipes that look appetizing and taste even better. These Mac n Cheese … [Read more...]
Festive Fall Farro Salad with Kale, Cranberries, Pecans & Goat Cheese
Do you need to take a break? The day after Thanksgiving can be quite overwhelming sometimes. We typically stuff our faces until we are uncomfortable. I think Vin said "I need to stop" 48 times yesterday. I however, felt perfectly full. I have no idea how that happened - perhaps the 16 month old toddler running around helped. There are usually leftovers and we typically eat them around noon the next day and do the same thing over again leaving us grouchy full, but totally satisfied. … [Read more...]
Spinach Dip
Are you ready for the best dip ever? It's none other than SPINACH DIP. How is spinach dip even good? Sweet Onion Dip with Crunchy Bacon Bits or Zesty Refried Bean Cheese Dip definitely sound better than spinach dip, but I promise you...it is equally as delicious. You will never ever ever ever ever ever believe that this dip has only FOUR ingredients. Just four, I promise. Those four ingredients are mayonaisse, sour cream, package of leek soup and frozen spinach. Somehow, someway, when … [Read more...]
Tomato Soup & Pesto Grilled Cheese
Why doesn't this ever get old? Ya know...the whole tomato soup and grilled cheese thing? It just seriously NEVER gets old. I've eaten this meal since I was three years old and I'm still eating it at 30. There's just something about it that lifts you up, ya know? Having a bad day? Make grilled cheese and tomato soup. If it's crappy weather, make grilled cheese and tomato soup. Not feeling well? Make a grilled cheese and tomato soup - it's the cure for everything! Although the tomato soup … [Read more...]
Homemade Applesauce (chunky style) & a Giveaway!
Just like Grandma used to make. Who's grandma makes or made homemade applesauce? Mine did! Mine did! Mine did! Let's be honest...she made everything homemade. That's just how they do it up in Sibley Iowa. My grandma grew up on a farm and raised her family on a farm so she KNOWS how to cook. Like really knows. So I have two things to talk about today. 1.) Homemade applesauce 2.) World Vision Please stick around to hear about both of them because they deserve your undivided … [Read more...]
Green Bean Casserole
With Thanksgiving coming up, I'm thinking you may need some side dish ideas. Am I right? I know I know. It's not even Halloween yet but the holiday talk is already happening in our family. We go back to Iowa to visit my parents for Thanksgiving and now that we are older, we try to all help in the kitchen instead of leaving the daunting cooking task on just my mom. It only makes sense for me to help cook and bake, right? I love to cook in my parent's kitchen because it was the first … [Read more...]
Salmon Caesar Salad
This is not your typical caesar salad. I hope that's okay with ya! Caesar salads are one on my very favorite salads - I crave them often. I like how simple and crunchy they are and I can't get enough caesar dressing. But sometimes it's nice to switch things up, ya know? Spice things up a bit like roasting chickpeas and capers and adding them to your salad. Yes...you need to roast capers...it's the most amazing thing ever. Roasting chickpeas is not unheard of - very healthy and a great … [Read more...]
Tilapia Puttanesca
It's getting fancy over here! I am seriously dying over this dish. You guys...have you ever had chicken puttanesca? It's a popular Italian dish that's salty, tangy garlicky and so delicious. Well...Vin and I are on a fish kick, by fish I mean salmon. Salmon, salmon, SALMON. Don't get me wrong, I heart salmon, so much, but I needed to switch it up. Tilapia is nothing like salmon...it's cheap, white, not fatty and is similar to chicken in that it needs flavor to make it taste good, which is … [Read more...]
Grilled Summer Vegetable Pasta
So do you also grill every night in the Summer? I might be fibbing just a tad...we don't grill EVERY night but several nights of the week our grill gets a total workout. Ya know how you're supposed to work out 3-5 days a week? Well...our grill doesn't miss a beat when it comes to that. Why can't I be more like my grill? If you don't work out 3-5 days a week like me (this has been a new year's resolution of mine for the past 10 years) then at least you can eat the rainbow! This Grilled … [Read more...]
Cheesy Italian Stuffed Shells
I could seriously eat all the shells. Cheesy Italian Stuffed Shells is one of my FAVORITE Italian dishes to make...and eat. A cheesy filling of ricotta and parmesan is stuffed into adorable pasta shells then topped with homemade sauce and mozzarella cheese. Bake until bubbly and dinner is served! Ugh give me all the Italian food! It's my favorite. I will be honest...I haven't had stuffed shells in like a bazillion years and it's one of my favorite dishes ever. I can't explain why. I just … [Read more...]
Stonyfield’s New Grassfed and Whole Milk Yogurt
As part of the Stonyfield Clean Plate Club, I am excited to share my opinions on their new Grassfed and Whole Milk Yogurts! They're darn good...I can tell you that! But even more than being creamy and delicious they are 100% USDA organic and non GMO. As a first time mom, organic and non GMO products are important to me. I want to make sure my child gets the best of the best as she grows. In general, I try to encourage my family to not only eat a well-balanced diet but to also purchase good … [Read more...]