Pasta + Alfredo + Bacon. This combo makes for a magical dinner! Throw in some chicken and peas and you've got yourself an amazing meal for the family. When people ask me how I'm going to afford feeding 4 teenage boys, I immediately think of meals like this that are hearty, filling and loaded with both carbs and protein. If I were ever to release a cookbook about feeding … [Read more...]
Minestrone Soup
Today is a soup day. Yes...in San Antonio...in the middle of August. Some kind of freak weather pattern and it's been low of 72 all week. I know...not really that cold, but cold enough for fleeces and soup ;) We'll be back to tank tops and flipflops next week! (Not really...but I'm sharing this now because it's freezer friendly, delicious and needs to be on your menu … [Read more...]
Twirly Taco Pasta Skillet
My boys love "tacaroni." They have for years. And this is my skillet hack version of the "tacaroni" that they love! This is very much a "homemade hamburger helper" kind of meal. And it's amazing! If you've never cooked a skillet meal from scratch like this, please let me teach you. I survive the busy-madness with these kinds of quick and easy meals. Let me describe it, … [Read more...]
Bacon Alfredo Pasta
I've been crushing hard on the pasta - cheese - bacon combo lately. Because YUM!!!!!! Here's another delicious recipe using all 3 - and yes, it's less than 5 ingredients! This is a simple homemade Alfredo sauce with half and half (you could use cream), garlic and Parm. Sometimes simpler is just tastier. And this meal is exactly that. Simple & tasty! ENJOY!!! {And … [Read more...]
5-Ingredient Cajun Sausage Alfredo Dinner
I want you to not be spooked by the word Cajun. Or to think that it might be too spicy for any little mouths you might be feeding. While the Cajun sausage does have a bit of a kick to it, the creaminess from the Alfredo sauce really softens it nicely. And at the same time, the spice from the sausage brings out a touch of sweetness in the Alfredo sauce. (Did you know that … [Read more...]
Spicy Asian Chicken Noodles
If you have not ever taken time to stop and take a gander through all the amazing sauces and marinades that live in the Asian aisle of your grocery store, I'd encourage you to stop sometime. Take a look at the sauces. And grab one or two to try. For this one, I used a Thai orange simmer sauce. It's not too sweet...has a great kick to it...just enough spice in the after bite. … [Read more...]
Copycat Panera Mac ‘n Cheese
It's the white cheddar. WHITE CHEDDAR. And if you can splurge on some white cheddar from Vermont...DO IT. Because, it's so so so so so so good! And the cracked pepper. There's just something about cracked pepper on homemade macaroni and cheese. This Copycat Panera Mac 'n Cheese is outstanding! Copycat Panera Mac 'n Cheese Totally … [Read more...]
Buffalo Chicken Pasta Casserole
Pardon me while I hog this baking dish. No need to stare while I lick my plate AND the baking dish clean. Really, don't mind me. I fall hard for anything Buffalo Chicken - the spices, the creaminess, the delicious. And you're gonna fall in love with this amazing pasta casserole with all the great flavors of Buffalo Chicken! Get this one added to your next meal plan … [Read more...]
Cheesy Broccoli & Ham Pasta
Comfort food. (Yes, even in the summer.) While I don't love baking in the summer, there are some afternoons/early evenings when we get home from the pool and I actually crave warm comfort food like this. I think it's the 'been outside in the hot sun, then come home to really cold A/C with a wet bathing suit on' thing - it really throws your body temperature off. So I end up … [Read more...]
Slow Cooker Veggie Lasagna
To.Die.For. This has got to be the easiest lasagna I've ever made. Like ever. Why? Because there is no pre-cooking anything. No pre-boiling noodles. No browning ground beef or sausage. Just a little mixing of the homemade sauce (yes, you could use pre-made marinara instead) and mixing up of the cheese layers. Layer it all into your slow cooker, like you would into a … [Read more...]