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Chicken Enchilada Chili
Contains affiliate links Chili is one of my go-to’s whenever I am not entirely sure what to make for dinner. I always have canned beans and some sort of protein in my food storage. Last week, I was in a major meal planning rut. The average temperature here in Las Vegas has been over 110°F. I don’t know about you, but when temperatures reach an ungodly high, I have absolutely no desire to turn on my oven or stove. That’s when my instapot comes in handy. Like most of my other chili recipes, this one is made in the instapot, or pressure cooker; but can just as easily be created…
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Southern Biscuits and Gravy
Contains affiliate links Until Matthew joined the military, I had spent most of my life between the Northwest and the Midwest. While my family did a lot of traveling and road-tripping, we never made it to the south; which means, unfortunately, I had never experienced the pleasure of biscuits and gravy. In fact, I didn’t even know there was such thing as a breakfast-type gravy. The first time I tasted biscuits and gravy was in Alabama while I was visiting Matthew for his officer training graduation. I ended up eating them just about every morning for a week. When we moved to Mississippi, right after training, creating biscuits and gravy…
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First Grade Check List
You did it! You made it! You successful, maybe sort of successfully helped your kindergartner through their first official year of school. (Especially if your child’s kindergarten year was during the COVID-19 pandemic). Now you are facing first grade. Some of you may be thinking that you ‘totally got this’, while others of you may be feeling anxiety over first grade. Maybe your child went to half-day kindergarten and you are worried about your child attempting full-day first grade. Maybe you’ve heard about sight words and are already feeling overwhelmed. Whatever it may be, transitioning from kindergarten to first grade can cause anxiety and unrest. If you are anything like…
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Maple Glazed Rosemary Pork
I am back at you with another recipe using fresh herbs. This time rosemary is the star. Rosemary is very common here in southern Nevada, it is a popular plant to grow in your yard. Although that type of rosemary isn’t for consumption; the fragrance can be found all around. Rosemary is a hearty evergreen herb and comes from the mint family, oddly enough. It is a cousin to basil, lavender, thyme, and oregano. It is also a great source of calcium, iron, and vitamin B-6. Rosemary is also an herb that tends to not go bad in the refrigerator as quickly as other herbs such as chives and basil.…
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Lemon Strawberry Trifle
Contains affiliate links There are some flavors that are just meant for each other, lemon and strawberry are one such combination…especially during the hot months of the year. A tall glass of iced strawberry lemonade, mmmmmmmmmmm! I had decided that I needed to do something special for dessert on the 4th of July. When I saw the beautiful strawberries at the grocery store, I knew exactly what I wanted to do with them. Side note, if you want to make this dessert and have it look more patriotic, add in blueberries along with the strawberries. When it comes to a trifle, one major characteristic is the layering of the ingredients.…
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Creamy Sage Chicken
Contains affiliate links I absolutely love fresh herbs. I am constantly looking for ways to incorporate fresh herbs into recipes. I’m so obsessed with fresh herbs that I’m currently trying to convince Matthew to buy me an indoor hydroponic herb garden machine thingy. I’ve always had a dream of having a full, vibrant garden with a decent portion of it full of herbs. The best thing about fresh herbs is they add major flavor and dimension to food without adding extra fat, sugar, carbohydrates, or anything else not necessarily good for our bodies. Sage is an herb that pairs well with summer time foods, particularly chicken, pork, and salmon. Most…
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Summer Chicken Salad
I’m back with yet another salad favorite of mine. If you already don’t know, I live in Las Vegas, NV. Here in Vegas, the month of July goes one of two ways. The first is the rare early monsoon season where it dumps rain at random times, is super humid and occasionally hot. The second is the excruciating triple digit temperatures nonstop. This week it is suppose to get above 110°F for a majority of the week. So when it is SO hot you can fry an egg on the sidewalk, I loath turning on the stove or oven. Creating meals that require little to no cooking is my main…
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Best Potato Salad Ever
I LOVE potato salad! It is possibly my most favorite summer side dish. BUT…there are certain flavors that DO NOT belong in a potato salad. Raw onion flavor, tomatoes, sour cream…big fat NOPE. Potato salad has potatoes, eggs, pickles, and maybe a few extras. I knew when I began dating Matthew and tasted his mother’s potato salad, that I would have to marry him so I could have her potato salad til the day I died. Her potato salad is seriously the best. It is simple but full of flavor. I committed a cardinal sin and tweaked her recipe. Don’t get me wrong, her original recipe is still the best,…
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How To: Clean & Sanitize a Front Load Washer
Front loader washers, you either love them or you hate them. I’ve only used a front loader washer for the past 12 or so years. Because I am 5’5″ and my husband is 6′, front loaders work for us because when they are on a pedestal they are high enough for him to reach into, but not too high for me. Top loaders, especially the new versions, are so deep that I either need to practically climb inside to reach the clothes at the bottom or use this handy dandy tool. If you have a front loader, you probably already know that they can go south, in the way of…
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Mexican Haystacks
If you have ever consumed Hawaiian Haystacks, then you have definitely either lived/visited Utah, or have a friendship with someone who has ties to Utah. Hawaiian Haystacks, are indeed not Hawaiian. They are called such because typical toppings include pineapple and coconut. I have a child who is OBSESSED with Hawaiian Haystacks. Honestly though, I have never been fond of them. The flavors are either bland or too sweet to my taste buds. So, Mexican Haystacks were born. Ask anyone who has known me a long while, and they will tell you that I would eat chips and guacamole or queso over just about any other snack. I absolutely adore…
