Instant Pot

Hello!

Hard to believe this is our last week of summer...next Monday we head back to school!

So I had mentioned last week that we finally got an Instant Pot, and though I was a bit intimidated when I first got it, we have used it a few times and so far we are LOVING it!

We got the 8qt Instant Pot, the exact one we got can be found here.  I got ours from Kohls, and between Kohls cash, 10$ off home purchase, and an extra 30% off using our Kohls charge we definitely got a GOOD deal on it!  

I am a huge crock pot lover...it is my best friend, and I wondered if I really "needed" this Instant Pot too....but after just using it a few times I can 100% justify the purchase.  I am sure I will still use my crock pot, but I am thinking it'll be much less now that I have this!  And the crock pot is great, but if you don't have your s*%t together and don't get it going in the morning...well you won't have dinner come 6:00!

I love the whole concept of one pot...I mean lets face it, I don't know anyone who loves doing dishes after cooking dinner, so I really appreciate I can make the entire meal in just one pot...just one pot to clean....YES PLEASE!

I love how quick I can get dinner on the table, some days I have lots of time to spend in the kitchen and cook all day, and some days its a freaking miracle my family even gets fed...so this is a huge help on those days.  So many days 4 o'clock rolls around and I realize I didn't get anything prepared for dinner, and so many times I would say screw it and we would just get takeout.  We are really trying to cut back on what we spend on eating out, so I am thankful that I can still whip up a meal at the last minute.  

I was definitely skeptical of it cooking so fast and still being delicious...the first thing we made in it was pulled pork.  This is definitely one of my family's favorite things to eat...my boys DEVOUR it.  Normally I would make it in the crock pot...the recipe I used the meat had to cook 14 hours, so I would throw it in the crock pot before I went to bed, and then by afternoon I was able to shred it, add the sauce and let it simmer another 2 hours.  Now...it was delicious, but definitely a lengthy process.  So we decided to try it in the Instant Pot...I found a recipe and my boys were definitely not too sure, but we tried it and about an hour later we all agreed it was the best pulled pork we ever ate!!!!!!  The recipe was super simple and it really was delicious!

A few days later we tried spaghetti and meat sauce...I was definitely not sure about this one, but I figured I would give it a try....I wouldn't say it saved any time, but again I loved that I could cook the meat, and do it all in one pot.  It was actually pretty darn good, though some of the pasta did clump a little, so I know how to tweak it for next time.

It was yummy, and I only had that one pot to clean, so it was definitely a win in my book!

We also make Korean beef and served it over rice and it was DELICIOUS!  

I am definitely going to share the recipes later this week, because those 3 dishes really were good and we all loved it!  Not one complaint during dinner...any mom will consider that a huge win!

Now......where I am struggling is with the chicken in the Instant Pot.  I tried two different recipes and both were NOT good....so if y'all have any tips for chicken in the Instant Pot or a good, no fail chicken recipe PLEASE share it with me!

I am definitely going to compile some of my favorite recipes and start to share them over the next few weeks, and please if you guys have a MUST MAKE Instant Pot recipe please leave a comment and share it with me!

Thanks for stopping by today!  

xoxo,

kimmo

Trader Joe's Favorites

Hello Ladies!

Hope you all had a great weekend, and your week is off to a fantastic start!

Today I am sharing with you guys some of our favorites from....

Trader Joe's is one of my favorite places to shop!  When we lived in N.C., it was about a 5 minute drive from my house...and I sure miss that!  We are a good hour away from one now, but I go once or twice a month, because it is just worth it!  Below are some of our favorites from Trader Joe's...be sure to leave in the comments your favorites and what we need to try!

MOSCATO

Our favorite wine to drink is Moscato...I grabbed this one to try the last time I was there and we LOVED it!  We just picked up a few more bottles this weekend....and it is only $7.99!  For all you Moscato drinkers out there....give this a try!

ORGANIC TORTILLA CHIPS & PINEAPPLE SALSA

We love chips and salsa...it is one of Jack's favorite things to eat!  These tortilla chips are good, and I really like this salsa...a little heat, but enough sweetness to balance it out!

PIRATE BOOTY

My kids have been loving this snack for YEARS...it is a BIG bag and for only $1.99 you just can't go wrong!

VEGGIE STICKS

This is another one of Jack's favorites!  These are delicious!  

CINNAMON APPLE STICKS

I just tried these for the first time this past weekend, and I really like them!  As soon as I opened the bag it smelled just like apple pie!  These are "airy" and have just the right amount of apple and cinnamon flavor!  I had a hard time closing the bag and not eating the whole thing in one sitting!

HONEY WHEAT PRETZEL STICKS

AJ could eat these all day, everyday!  I prefer these over regular pretzels!  So good.

COWBOY BARK

I saw Andrea post about this little snack on IG a few weeks ago and decided to grab a couple bags!  I am not a huge fan of dark chocolate, but this was pretty good!  I found it to be pretty rich, but having just a small piece after dinner definitely satisfies my sweet tooth at night!

ROASTED PLANTAIN CHIPS

I tried these also for the first time, and I love them!  These will definitely be on my "regular" list!

BRUSCHETTA SAUCE & BRIOCHE TOASTS

You guys...this Bruschetta was AMAZING...and served on these little toasts...HEAVENLY!!!!  

FIG & OLIVE CRISPS

Mark was not a fan of these crackers...but they are my FAVE!  I picked up some Brie and it was delicious !

EVERYTHING CRACKERS

Another favorite of mine and Jack's!  We are big fans of everything bagels, so these crackers fit the bill perfectly for us!

CHOCOLATE CHIPS

If you guys read here or follow me on IG, then you know we go through A LOT of chocolate chip cookies over here!  I probably make them 2-3 times a week and my family (mainly my boys) gobble them up faster than I can make them!  These chips are great, awesome price, and I keep BAGS of them in my pantry at all times!  

CORNBREAD MIX

Me and the boys love cornbread...and this is the best I have tried!!

BANANA BREAD MIX

Banana bread is a favorite of everyone's here!  This mix doesn't disappoint!

CHOCOLATE CHIP DUNKERS

These are hands down my favorite cookie to eat!  I love having one with my cup of coffee each day!  So good!

PIZZA DOUGH & SAUCE

Trader Joe's has the BEST pizza dough...the BEST!  We love making homemade pizza and their dough and pizza sauce is our FAVORITE!   the dough is only $1.99 a bag and it freezes GREAT!

CHICKEN SALAD

This is DELICIOUS!!!!  I toast up some bread, and this makes the most delicious sandwich I have ever had!  It has pecans and cranberries in it and it is DIVINE!

BALSAMIC GLAZE

Because everyone loves a good Balsamic glaze, and this one for the price is AMAZING!

FRENCH ONION SOUP

This soup is good!  I'm a fan of soup year round..even in the dead heat of summer!  This is super easy...just place the frozen soup in a crock, and cook it in the oven!  

MAC & CHEESE

If you have not tried this Mac & Cheese, you need to...it is the best I have ever had!  Do yourself a favor and just got some!

SHITAKE MUSHROOM CHICKEN

We love this with TJ fried rice!

MANDARIN ORANGE CHICKEN

You guys...this stuff is AMAZING.  My family prefers this over Chinese take out any day!  This has been a staple for us for YEARS...it is so good!  We also love the Teriyaki Chicken!  Serve it with some TJ fried rice and you have a great meal...and it is just $4.99 a bag.  We are a family of 7 and I usually make two bags and it is plenty for us!

VEGETABLE FRIED RICE

We love this!  Super quick and easy to make and the rice comes out perfect every single time!

COCONUT SHRIMP

Mark LOVES coconut shrimp.  I think this was like $4.99 a box and it is pretty good.  He just cooks it up in the deep fryer and its a yummy little snack!

HASHBROWNS

My boys love has browns and these are great to keep in our freezer and just heat them up for the kiddos for breakfast!

MUSHROOM MEDLEY

Mark and I love mushrooms.  This little bag is great to heat up and serve as a side with steak!  So good.

MUSHROOM RAVIOLI

If it has mushrooms 9 times out of 10 we are going to love it...and we love this ravioli.

MINI TACOS

Jack and Mark really like these...Jack peters the beef an Mark prefers the chicken.  They are inexpensive, and great to have on hand for an after school snack or for lunches in the summer!  This has become a freezer staple for us!

MOZZARELLA STICKS

Olivia is a a big fan of a cheese stick....she loves this.  I just throw them in the deep fryer and she will eat these for lunch or a snack!  

BURRATO, PROSCIUTTO & ARUGULA FLATBREAD

DELICIOUS!  I love this for lunch...and I use some of the balsamic glaze drizzled on top and it is amazing!

EVERYTHING BUT THE BAGEL SEASONING& PINK SALT

This everything bagel seasoning is freaking awesome!  I have been using it pretty much every day...I will use it on toast with butter, or sometimes cream cheese, and just sprinkle this on it and it just like an everything bagel...it is so good!  And the pink salt...another one of our staples!

HONEY MANGO SHAVE CREAM

I had heard good things about this shave cream, so I decided to grab some when we were there over the weekend...this will be on my "regular" list!  It smells great and leaves my skin so soft!  I definitely recommend this!

So there are SOME of our favorites from Trader Joe's...if you guys shop there and love something...be sure and let me know!

Thanks for stopping by today...see you guys back here soon!

xoxo,

Kimm

Favorite Football Foods...Mac & Cheese

Hello Ladies!

Hope you all had a GREAT weekend and are ready for a GREAT week!

Over here, we are super excited for the Super Bowl this weekend.  We are a HUGE football family, and even though none of our teams are in the big game this year, we are still excited for the big game.  Football season is pretty much my favorite, and I love that it is something we all love watching together as a family.  On Sundays during football season I don't make a real dinner, we usually just kind of snack all day while watching the games, and football food, as we like to call it, is definitely our favorite!  

So with the big game coming up this weekend, I thought each day this week I would share with you some of our favorite things to eat as we watch the games!

Some people love going out to a big super bowl party, or hosting one, but for us, we really like keeping it low key, just staying home watching it with the boys.  A few years back we went to a super bowl party, and though it was fun, it wasn't my cup of tea:). A strong love of football is something I share with my boys, and I just love being home watching it with them. 

I find that for the most part, each year we tend to eat the same things...my kids really look forward to "this meal" and there are certain things they just expect each year on Super Bowl Sunday!

Homemade Mac & Cheese is a staple on the table for Super Bowl Sunday.  I have been making this same recipe since I was 21 years old, and it is hands down my FAVORITE!  I always double the recipe, because my kids love it, and we love having it for leftovers during the week!  

The last time I made this was when Kenny was in town visiting, it's his favorite and he always asks me to make it when he comes to visit...#awesomeexwife :). I totally forgot to take pics, but trust me it is delicious, and not too difficult to make!

MACARONI & CHEESE

INGREDIENTS

2 cups uncooked elbow macaroni

1/4 cup butter or stick margarine

1/4 cup all purpose flour

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

1/4 tsp ground mustard

1/4 tsp Worcestershire sauce

2 cups milk

2 cups shredded start cheddar cheese

Handful of breadcrumbs (optional)

DIRECTIONS

1.  Heat oven to 350.

2.  Cook macaroni as directed on package.

3.  While macaroni is cooking, melt butter in 3-quart saucepan over low heat.  Stir in flour, salt, pepper, mustard and Worcestershire sauce.  Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until mixture is smooth and bubbly; remove from heat.  Stir in milk.  Heat to boiling, stirring constantly.  Boil and stir 1 minute; remove from heat.  Stir in cheese until melted.

4.  Drain macaroni.  Gently stir macaroni into cheese sauce.  Pour into uncreased 2-quart casserole.  Bake uncovered 20-25 minutes or until bubbly.

(Ligther Macaroni & Cheese: For 10 grams of fat and 375 calories per serving, decrease butter to 2 tablespoons.  Use fat-free (skim) milk and substitute 1 1/2 cups reduced fat Cheddar cheese for the 2 cups regular sharp Cheddar cheese)

Once I pour it into the dish, I always sprinkle some breadcrumbs over the top...that is our favorite part!!

I always double this recipe, so mine does need to cook a bit longer.  I have never tried it with any other type of cheese other than the cheddar, but in my cookbook, it does say it is also great with Vermont white cheddar, or half cheddar and half Monterey Jack.  

And another tip....when the recipe says to stir constantly...do it...I have tried walking away for a minute or not stirring constantly and it either burns or just gets all stuck to the bottom of the saucepan.

Let me know if you guys decide to make this and let me know what you think!  I know we will be enjoy it this Sunday!

*recipe is from Betty Crocker's Cookbook

xoxo,

Kimm

Easy Overnight French Toast Casserole

Happy Hump Day Friends!

We are still on Christmas break over here...my kids don't go back until Monday January 9...but I am still looking forward to the weekend!  

I love to cook, I love making something and watching my family enjoy it.  I have had many epic recipe fails, you know when you spend hours cooking, super excited to serve it, and it tastes like crap and you find yourself ordering pizza...but this recipe I am going to share with you guys is a WINNER!

This is a picture of it right before I put it in the oven.  I meant to take a picture of it when it was done, but they all dug in as soon as it came out of the oven!  

EASY FRENCH TOAST CASSEROLE

1 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup butter

1 loaf crusty French bread, cut into bite size pieces

2 cups milk

6 eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 pinch ground cinnamon, or to taste

1.  Grease 9x12 baking dish

2.  Stir 1 cup brown sugar and butter together in a saucepan over medium-low heat until butter melts and sugar dissolves into butter, about 2-4 minutes.  Pour into prepared baking dish and spread 1 1/2-2 inch layer of bread pieces over the top.

3.  Beat milk, eggs, and vanilla extract together in a bowl; pour milk mixture over bread and move bread as necessary to ensure all bread is absorbing liquid.  Sprinkle cinnamon over the top.  cover the dish with plastic wrap and refrigerate 8 hours or overnight.

4.  Preheat oven to 450.  Remove and discard plastic wrap and sprinkle a little more cinnamon over the top.

5.  Bake in preheated oven until browned and bubbling, about 30 minutes.

You guys, this is so yummy!  I love that I can throw it all together the night before, and then just pop it in the oven for a super yummy breakfast in the morning.  We had this Thanksgiving morning while watching the parade, we had it Christmas morning, and we had it again this past weekend while my mom was here.  We will be having it again this weekend when Kenny is town visiting with the kids!

Let me know if you guys try this and what you think!

Hope you guys have a great day, thanks so much for stopping by today!

Polynesian Pork

Happy Thursday Ladies!  Hope you are all having a great week so far! 

 

Today I am sharing one of my husband's favorite recipes!  I am so fortunate that not only does my hubby LOVE to cook...he is also a FANTASTIC cook! 

 

I am not a huge fan of pork, honestly I could eat spaghetti every single day and never get tired of it and be completely satisfied!  However...this is pork that I will eat...it is delicious...and my kiddos eat it up.  We never ever have a drop left when he cooks it!

 

This recipe is so super easy!

 

 

 

 

Here is the recipe:

1 pork loin (we use two because we are a family of 7 that loves to eat)

1 bottle of Log Cabin Maple Syrup (make sure you use the Log Cabin brand)

About 3/4 small bottle of soy sauce

 

Slice the pork into pieces about an inch or so thick

Put it in a freezer bag with the syrup and soy sauce, put in refrigerator and let marinate at least 24 hours (we usually let it sit for 2 days)

When you are ready to cook it, just throw it on the grill until the meat is cooked!

 

I mean it is that simple, and trust me it is just fabulous!  We usually have some cheesy scalloped potatoes with it!

 

The finished product...and I assure you it is amazing!!!!

 

If you try it, be sure to let me know what you think!  Be sure to check back tomorrow for Friday Favorites!