blog - Mom's Dinner

Instant Pot Creamy Tuscan Chicken Pasta

April 26, 2022 by Susie Weinrich 6 Comments

Instant Pot Creamy Tuscan Chicken Pasta is a great dinner that can be made right in your electric pressure cooker! Everything is cooked to perfection. The garlicky creamy sauce coats the pasta and chicken. The sun dried tomatoes add a nice bright tangy flavor. The best part is everything is done in under 30 minutes!

Instant Pot Tuscan Pasta in a bowl with wine and bread

Enjoy this easy Instant Pot pasta recipe with a side salad and some garlic bread.

Some other delicious Instant Pot recipes are this Instant Pot Chicken Alfredo Pasta or Instant Pot Spaghetti with Marinara Sauce.

Ingredients

To make this one-pot meal you need the ingredients pictured below. I have also included tips on a few ingredients:

Chicken Broth – the chicken broth cooks the pasta and adds a deeper flavor to the dish as a whole.

Heavy Cream – make sure to use heavy cream and not a lower fat dairy product. The fat content stabilizes the cream so it won’t curdle when it cooks.

Chicken – the recipe calls for boneless skinless chicken breasts. As always I recommend buying Air Chilled chicken if you can find it. If you want to use boneless skinless chicken thighs or chicken tenders, those will work too!

Sun Dried Tomatoes – for the best results use an oil packed sun dried tomato. They are juicer and more flavorful. Also if you can, buy julienned tomatoes, it cuts down on your dinner prep.

Step By Step Picture Instructions

Start by cutting your chicken breast into 1 inch pieces. Set aside.

In a small bowl stir together the kosher salt, onion powder and black pepper. Sprinkle HALF of this mixture over the chicken pieces and then set the rest aside for later.

chicken pieces with seasoning sprinkled on

Turn your Instant Pot on to the saute function. Add the butter and sauté the garlic for 1 minute. Then turn the sauté off.

It is important to add the ingredients in the order written. This will help prevent the burn notice and pasta sticking to the bottom of the pot.

Pour in the chicken stock or broth and heavy cream.
Add the penne pasta and then pour in the remaining salt/pepper mixture.
Sprinkle the sun dried tomatoes and cream cheese cubes on top of the pasta.
Place the seasoned chicken pieces on top.

pasta and liquid topped with sun dried tomatoes and cream cheese

chicken on top of liquid and cream cheese in the Instant Pot

DO NOT STIR AT THIS POINT! You want everything to cook in these layers.

Close the lid and set to cook on high pressure for 4 minutes. Then do a quick pressure release.

Give everything a stir.

Pro Tip: Don’t be concerned if it looks soupy, it will thicken as it cools and after you add the parmesan cheese!

Put the fresh spinach on top of the pasta and close the lid back up for 5 minutes. The heat of the pasta will wilt the spinach!

To finish open the pot back up, sprinkle in the parmesan and fresh basil.

Give it all a stir and it’s time to eat!

Serving

You can absolutely serve this Tuscan Chicken Pasta recipe on it’s own, no side dishes. Just sprinkle a little extra parmesan cheese over top.

If you want to make it a little heartier you can add some garlic bread and a side salad. This basil vinaigrette would make a great dressing for the salad.

Storing

Store any leftovers in the fridge in an airtight container. It will be good for up to 4 days.

Reheat portions in the microwave. You may need to add a little liquid to reconstitute.

a bowl of Tuscan Pasta with Chicken, made in the Instant Pot

Recipe Tips

Follow these final tips to make sure your Instant Pot Creamy Tuscan Chicken Pasta turns out perfect!

Use heavy cream to keep the dairy from curdling in the Instant Pot.
Buy julienned sun dried tomatoes packed in oil.
Layer the ingredients in the Instant Pot and then do not be tempted to stir!
Only cook for 4 minutes, it doesn’t seem like long but it is perfect for the chicken and the penne pasta.
Add the spinach after it cooks so the heat of the pot can wilt it perfectly.

More Delicious Chicken Recipes

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Asian Salmon Recipe

April 19, 2022 by Susie Weinrich 4 Comments

This Asian Glazed Salmon is such an easy sheet pan dinner, made with simple ingredients right in the oven. The salmon cooks up tender and the broccoli & peppers are roasted to perfection. This Asian inspired seafood dinner is delectable and healthy.

a plate with Asian glazed salmon with veggies and rice

If there's one salmon recipe I make on repeat, it's this Asian Glazed Salmon. It's the kind of easy dinner I can rely on-simple ingredients, big flavor, and minimal mess. If you peek in the door of my fridge, you'll see an entire lineup of Asian-style sauces and condiments. I bet yours looks similar!? This recipe puts those ingredients to work in the best way. The glaze hits that perfect balance of savory, sweet, and tangy, turning the salmon and veggies into something that tastes even better than your favorite takeout.

If you have seafood lovers in your house, this needs to be THE recipe you make when you have salmon on the menu. Your family will be asking for it again and again, promise! And you will love it because it is so easy to make, promise!

If you are a salmon lover, another great recipe to check out on Mom’s Dinner is this Cajun Salmon, totally different flavor profile and absolutely delicious.

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Why You’ll This Asian Salmon Recipe

a healthy salmon dinner the whole family will love.
a perfect Asian Salmon Recipe to make for dinner.
an easy dinner for busy weeknights.
super flavorful!
a perfect dinner for a seafood lover.

Ingredient details

Pictured are the ingredients that you need to make this Asian Glazed Salmon for dinner, plus some tips on a few ingredients:

ingredients to make Asian Marinated Salmon

veggie ingredients for Asian Glazed Salmon

Toasted Sesame Oil: This oil will be darker in color and have a nice toasted nutty flavor. It is great as a finishing oil or to use in marinades, like in this recipe. It has a much lower smoke point than standard sesame oil. If you are ever frying or sauteing with a sesame oil you will want to use standard sesame oil, not toasted.

Ginger: fresh ginger can be found in the produce section of your grocery store. It looks like a knobby brown root. To use it you will want to peel the skin off the yellow flesh. I like to use the edge of a spoon scraped across the skin, it peels off perfectly. Then you can grate or finely chop the fragrant flesh.

However, I really like to buy the Dorot Gardens frozen ginger cubes and keep in my freezer. It is a great way to keep this ingredient on hand!

Unseasoned Rice Vinegar: You can find this vinegar near the Asian section of your grocery store. Make sure you purchase unseasoned Rice Wine Vinegar. There is also a vinegar called Seasoned Rice Vinegar which will be stronger in flavor.

Buying Quality Salmon

If you can get close enough to give the salmon fillets a smell it should not smell overly fishy, it should have a pleasant ocean scent. Then look for salmon that appears moist and bright in color. Avoid salmon with any browned spots anywhere on the flesh or the skin is dried and starting to curl up.

You can buy salmon that is skinless or skin on, both will work. If you get skin-on salmon the flesh will flake off perfectly after it is roasted.

How To Toast Sesame Seeds

When you are buying sesame seeds in the spice aisle they generally are not toasted. Toasting these little seeds is crucial to releasing their natural oils and flavors.

To toast your sesame seeds place a dry pan (meaning no oil) over medium low heat. Pour in the sesame seeds and let them heat for about 1 minute. Give them a stir in the pan.

You will know they are toasted when they start to turn a light golden brown and smell nutty.

Keep a watchful eye on the seeds, they can go from toasted to burnt VERY QUICKLY!!

How to Make Asian Salmon Recipe

Alright, let’s get to making your Sheet Pan Asian Glazed Salmon!

Start by preheating the oven to 400 degrees F. Then prep a large rimmed sheet pan with parchment paper and coat with non stick spray, set that aside.

In a small bowl mix/whisk together the Salmon Marinade & Glaze –

soy sauce
honey
toasted sesame oil
garlic
ginger
unseasoned rice vinegar
red pepper flakes

Salmon fillets in a shallow dish with Asian marinade

Place the salmon filets in a shallow bowl or zip lock baggie, pour all the marinade over the salmon. Let it marinate at room temp for about 15-20 minutes.

Pro Tip: if you use a shallow bowl place the salmon skin side up so the flesh can soak up the marinade.

Meanwhile you can start to prep the veggies and get them roasting! Toss the broccoli and peppers with 1 T. sesame oil, 1 T olive oil, salt and pepper. Spread the veggies evenly onto the prepared sheet pan and roast for 8 minutes.

Take the veggies out of the oven and make room for the salmon on the same pan (DO NOT DISCARD THE REMAINING MARINADE!!).

Place the marinated salmon skin side down on the baking sheet. Roast an additional 12-15 minutes or until the salmon is just cooked through (it should register 145 degrees with an instant read thermometer - the cooking time will vary depending on the thickness of your filets).

Asian Glazed Salmon on a rimmed sheet pan with broccoli and peppers

While the salmon is cooking pour the remaining sauce (marinade) into a small saucepan and simmer over medium-low heat for about 2 minutes until it is thickened slightly.

a serving plate with Asian glazed salmon with veggies and rice

Serving Suggestions for Asian Salmon

Dinner is ready! Time to serve your Asian Glazed Salmon and Veggies!

Plate one salmon filet and some veggies, then spoon a little Asian flavored glaze over top. Garnish with toasted sesame seeds, cilantro and/or green onion. Then add some roasted broccoli and peppers.

Some nice side dishes to add to the plate are white or brown rice. We love to buy frozen rice at Trader Joe’s IT’S SO EASY! Or a nice veggie stir fried rice or Cilantro Rice would be great too (we also love the Trader Joe’s frozen version)!

Storing

You can store any leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days. It reheats perfectly in the microwave!

More One Pan Dinners To Love

All One Pan Dinner Recipes

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Five Star Instant Pot Swedish Meatballs

April 7, 2022 by Susie Weinrich 3 Comments

Instant Pot Swedish Meatballs are just as good as classic Swedish Meatballs, just made a little faster in your electric pressure cooker. The homemade meatballs are tender and full of flavor and they are coated in a rich and creamy sauce. Serve this Instant Pot Swedish Meatball recipe over mashed potatoes or cooked egg noodles. It will be one of your go-to comfort food recipes that the whole family will love.

a bowl of Instant Pot Swedish Meatballs and Mashed Potatoes

Now if you want to make this recipe on your stove top, pop over to this Traditional Swedish Meatballs Recipe.

This Recipe Is…

irresistible!! I could eat the rich sauce that coats the meatballs as a soup!
an easy recipe using the Instant Pot, no browning or sautéing required!
a great “make ahead” dinner, the meatballs store perfectly in the fridge and can be reheated easily in the microwave.

Ingredients

Pictured are the ingredients you need to make super flavorful meatballs and the creamy

Ground Beef – since the meatballs cook in the broth I recommend using a leaner ground beef, like 85/15 or 90/10. It will still have plenty of flavor but won’t make your sauce greasy.

Ground Pork – this is not ground sausage you want to purchase ground pork. It is extremely economical. It also makes amazing Italian Meatballs and Grilled Pork Burgers!

Ground All Spice and Nutmeg – don’t be tempted to skip these two spices. There isn’t enough to be detected in the meatballs, but just enough to enhance the flavors of this dish.

Panko Bread Crumbs – Panko and Traditional bread crumbs are two different things. Panko bread crumbs are a coarser larger crumb and are perfect for panade in meatballs. You can find them in any grocery store.

Softened Butter and All purpose flour – these two ingredients will be combined into a Beurre Manie. That is a fancy word for liquid thickener. Some recipes will call for a cornstarch slurry or arrowroot powder but I prefer the butter and flour method.

Step by Step Picture Instructions

One nice thing about this recipe is there is no need to brown the meatballs before you get started. That is a time saver for sure!

Start by making a panade for your meatballs; In a large bowl combine the panko bread crumbs, egg, and milk. Give it a good stir and set aside for 5 minutes.

A panade is a mixture of a starch and liquid to keep ground meat recipes nice and juicy. I use a panade in most of my burger recipes and meatball recipes.

panade for Instant Pot swedish meatballs

Now add all the seasonings, fresh parsley, fresh onion, and minced garlic and give it a stir. Finally add in the ground beef and ground pork and mix everything together with a fork or clean hands.

swedish meatball mixture with ground pork and ground beef

Form the meatballs, about the size of a golf ball or ping pong ball. You should have between 20-24 meatballs.

Pro Tip: A medium sized cookie scoop can help make your meatballs more uniform in size.

showing meatballs on a baking sheet to show the size, about like a ping pong ball

Spray the bottom of the Pot with non stick spray- this helps prevent the burn notice.

Now pour the beef broth and Worcestershire sauce into the Instant Pot.

Place the meatballs directly in the liquid.

swedish meatballs and liquid in the Instant Pot

Close the Pot and turn the pressure valve to seal. Set to cook on high pressure for 8 minutes.

While the meatballs cook go ahead and make the beurre manie by smashing the softened butter and flour together with a fork. Set aside until later use.

At the end of the cook time do a 5 minute natural release. With a slotted spoon remove the meatballs to a separate bowl or rimmed baking sheet.

It’s time to make that amazing rich Swedish meatball sauce. Turn on sauté mode. Whisk in the Dijon mustard, kosher salt and heavy cream. Let it warm through for about 2-3 minutes. Then whisk in the flour/butter mixture. Let the sauce simmer for a few minutes until it is the right consistency.

Turn the sauté mode off and add the meatballs and any collected liquid back into the sauce.

Time to eat!

Serving

For a delicious dinner these Swedish meatballs are great served over mashed potatoes or egg noodles. I have two great mashed potato recipes for you to check out:

Serve 3-4 meatballs per person along with extra gravy spooned over top.

A green veggie goes great on the side; like green beans, asparagus or peas.

mashed potatoes and Swedish Meatballs in a gray bowl

Storing

Store any leftover meatballs in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 4 days.

To reheat in the microwave I recommend slicing the meatballs in half so they heat through to the middle. Then microwave for about 1 min 30 seconds.

I do not recommend freezing leftover meatballs since there is a higher dairy content in the sauce.

Recipe Tips

For best results use a leaner ground beef so your gravy doesn’t get greasy.
Make sure your onion are finely diced so your meatballs will stick together.
Spray the bottom of your Instant Pot with non stick spray to prevent the burn notice.

More Meatball Recipes

We love Meatball Recipes here in the Mom’s Dinner kitchen, so check out any of these recipes for your next great dinner!

All Meatball Recipes

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Ultimate Guide to Beautifully Roasted Chicken

April 5, 2022 by Susie Weinrich 3 Comments

This is your absolute ultimate guide for making the most delicious Whole Roasted Chicken with super crispy skin. It includes everything you need to know from salting & refrigerating the bird, to trussing, roasting & carving, not a detail is missed. Your chicken will turn out juicy and flavorful with perfectly golden crispy skin.

A whole roast chicken in a Dutch oven with veggies

When you serve this Perfect Roasted Chicken for dinner don’t forget the mashed potatoes and gravy! Or stuffing goes great with chicken too!

For a smaller group of 2, pop over to this Roasted Half Chicken! Then save the other half in the freezer for another night.

And if you have leftovers head to this post for Leftover Chicken Recipes for extra dinners this week.

Buying a Quality Whole Chicken

I cannot stress this enough. If you are going to take the time to prep and roast a whole chicken definitely purchase the very best one you can. This is not the time to buy the best value brand or whatever is on sale.

One way to know you are buying quality chicken is looking for the label “Air Chilled”. This means that after slaughter instead of being held in baths of cold chlorinated water for hours, they are hung and “chilled” in cold air coolers. This process creates more flavorful & tender chicken instead of being diluted with chlorinated water solutions.

In the Midwest we have a brand called Smart Chicken. I do not deviate from this chicken. It is air chilled and always delicious.

For a good quality whole chicken you will probably be spending around $14-$18. It is worth it!

Now if you also want to look for organic chicken or free range that is up to you… In My Opinion it is the “air chilled” that has the biggest effect of flavor.

Some packaging verbiage that doesn’t mean anything is “all natural“. That just means that it isn’t made of plastic! Also “no hormones added” means nothing. It has been illegal to add hormones to chickens since the 50’s.

Salting & Refrigerating A Whole Chicken

Time to get started preparing your Ultimate Roasted Chicken! This process takes 1-2 days, so make sure you plan ahead!

Place the chicken on a rimmed baking sheet that is fitted with a raised cooling rack. This allows the air to circulating around the bird completely while in the fridge.

Chicken on a wire rack on a rimmed sheet pan

If it came trussed at all go ahead and remove that string. This is also a good time to double check if the gizzards and neck are in the cavity of the bird. If they are pull them out. You can save them to make gravy or stock if you like!

There is no need to wash your chicken, simply pat it dry with paper towels.

Generously salt the chicken on all sides with kosher salt (do not use iodized salt). Don’t forget to salt the inside cavity of the bird too! Use about 1 tablespoon kosher salt for this part.

Doing this “air dry bringing” will start to draw moisture out of the chicken, however once the moisture is flavored with the salt it sinks back into the bird creating a more flavorful and tender roasted chicken!

Refrigerate UNCOVERED for 24, up to 48 hours, letting the cold air circulate around the bird.

chicken that has been dry brined in the fridge for 24-48 hours — This is what the bird looks like after 24 hours in the fridge.

The skin will start to darken & dry in the fridge. Making for a really beautifully crisped skin when it is roasted!

Trussing (Tying The Chicken)

After the chicken has dry brined for 1-2 days you will prepare it for roasting. Trussing is the first step.

Trussing is another word for tying up the legs and wings of a chicken (or any bird) before cooking. There are many ways to truss a chicken, but this is the most basic method that ties the legs together and pulls the wings in tight to the bird.

Start by stuffing any fresh herbs, lemon, and garlic cloves into the chicken cavity.

herbs and aromatics to stuff in your chicken before roasting

Here is how to truss your chicken before roasting:

Trussing Step 1

Set the bird breast side up on a clean surface. Cut a very long piece of kitchen string (also called butchers twine or kitchen twine).

Trussing Step 2

Snuggle the middle point of the twine under the tail. Bring each end of the twine up and around the outside of the legs, then cross the twine and bring it under and around the legs. Pull tight brining the legs in close to the bird.

showing how to truss a chicken for roasting

Trussing Step 3

Now bring it up around to the top of the chicken in front of the breasts and tie.

trussing the chicken legs together before roasting

Pro Tip: I have had chickens with a very short tail area that the string won’t stay snuggled under. That is ok. If your string won’t stay under the tail just bring it on the outside of the leg to pull them together, then cross and continue with the trussing instructions.

Veggies

You can use whatever root style veggies that your family loves. I like to use a combo of carrots, onion, brussels sprouts, fennel, turnips, and red potatoes.

Whatever you choose make sure you have enough veggies for 4 people. Also, cut the vegetables roughly the same size so they roast evenly.

Place them in the Dutch Oven or roasting pan and toss with olive oil and salt/pepper. The chicken will cook right in the center of the veggies.

Any liquid/broth that runs off the chickens during cooking will flavor the veggies beautifully!

Cooking Time

Since whole chickens can weigh anywhere from 3-6 lbs. your cook time may vary drastically. The recipe guide written below is for a 4 lb. chicken.

Chicken is not like beef or pork, it needs to be cooked well done in order to be safe to eat. Chicken is considered safe and cooked at 165 degrees Fahrenheit.

At the end of the cooking time use an instant read thermometer inserted into the breast area and the thickest part of the thigh, it should register at 160-165 degrees. The juice at the thigh/leg area should run clear (not red or pink).

If your bird is not cooked through pop it back in the oven for 5 minute increments until it reaches 160-165 degrees Fahrenheit.

8 Pieces- Light & Dark Meat

There are 8 pieces of chicken on a whole chicken and two types of meat- light meat and dark meat.

Dark Meat- (my favorite) recognized by the darker, more pink color of the meat. This includes the thighs and legs of the bird. It will be more flavorful and juicier/fattier parts of the bird. Dark meat is fully cooked at 175 degrees Fahrenheit but is safe to eat at 165 degrees F.

White Meat- recognized by the true white color of the meat after cooking. This includes the breast and wings of the bird. It is considered the healthier portions of the bird. These pieces can tend to overcook and be drier if you don’t watch the cooking temperatures. White meat is fully cooked at 165 degrees Fahrenheit.

Popes Nose and The Oysters

It sounds like the name of a punk band – Pope’s Nose and They Oysters. But they are actually two tasty treats on a roasted chicken that are a perfect prize for the Chef!

Pope’s Nose -Also called a Parson’s Nose is the protuberance at the tail end of the bird. Some chef’s love the Pope’s Nose, some actually recommend to remove before roasting, and a lot of home cooks overlook this part of the bird completely. But it is edible and a tasty little treat for the Chef!

Oyster– there are two dark meat “oysters” on a chicken. They are basically little pockets of chicken meat, on either side of the backbone near the thighs that are constantly basted with the chicken juices during roasting and are tender and very flavorful. See the photo below to find the Oysters.

Carving & Serving Chicken

After roasting let the chicken rest for about 20 minutes to cool and let the juices redistribute.

Move the chicken to a cutting board surface. I like to use a rimmed sheet pan, it will catch any juices that spill out.

This is a great video showing how to break down a rotisserie chicken.

showing how to cut a whole chicken into 8 pieces

LEG THIGH: Remove the leg and thigh by cutting between the breast and the leg/thigh combo. Repeat on both sides. Optionally- separate the leg and thigh.
BREAST MEAT: The breast bone runs right in-between the two breasts and is about ½-1 inch wide. Cut on either side of the breast bone and down around the breasts. Each breast should pull away from the carcass easily.
OYSTERS: Turn the remaining carcass over. In the middle of the backbone on either side, near where the thighs were, there will be two little oval pockets of dark meat. They are not very big so these are well known “treats” for the chef! Enjoy!

Pro Tip: Save the remaining carcass and all your veggies scraps (even the neck and gizzards if you have them) in the freezer for up to 3 months and make Instant Pot Chicken Broth!!!

Making a Whole Roast Chicken Dinner

Nothing will fill up your house with a more comforting smell than a whole roasted chicken (ok, fresh baked bread is also the best smell ever).

It will call the whole family to the dinner table very easily!! Here are some great side dishes to make and serve with your Whole Roasted Chicken:

Mashed Potatoes (or Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes)
Stuffing or Sausage Stuffing
Gravy (or Instant Pot Gravy)
Raspberry Jell-O Fluff
Broccoli and Bacon Salad
Rolls & Butter

TL;DR – Final Pro Tips for Roasting A Whole Chicken

Too Long; Didn’t Read – Here are all my final takeaway “pro” tips for roasting a whole chicken:

Buy a quality chicken that is “air chilled”.
Plan a day or two ahead of time so you can properly salt and dry brine the chicken in the fridge.
Place a wire rack in a rimmed baking sheet so the air can circulate around the whole bird while in the fridge.
Use kosher salt NOT iodized table salt. Diamon Crystal or Real Salt have great kosher salts.
Stuff the cavity of the bird with your favorite aromatics – garlic, onion, lemon, rosemary, thyme, parsley, etc…
Let the bird sit at room temp for about 30 minutes before roasting. This is called tempering.
Truss the bird so it cooks evenly.
Generously brush the bird with olive oil or melted butter to get a golden crisp skin.
Start roasting at a higher temperature of 475, then finish at 400.
Make sure the thickest part of the breast and the thigh have reached at least 160 degrees F.
Let the roasted chicken sit for about 20 minutes before carving.

More Whole Chicken Recipes

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Easy Enchilada Suizas

March 29, 2022 by Susie Weinrich 27 Comments

This Chicken Enchilada Suiza recipe is an incredibly easy enchilada recipe. Which makes it weeknight friendly! The enchiladas are stuffed with chicken, green chilies, cilantro, cheese and verde sauce. Then they are topped with a creamy sauce that is a mix of sour cream, verde enchilada sauce and heavy cream.

enchilada suiza in a 9x13 pan garnished with cilantro

If you love enchiladas, you are IN THE RIGHT PLACE (I think there are currently about 12 enchilada variations on Mom's Dinner). This Enchilada Suiza recipe is no exception! In my 20's Enchilada Suiza was one of my very favorites, so I knew I had to recreate it for the site. We nailed it – corn tortillas are stuffed with chicken, green chilies, cilantro, cheese and verde sauce. Then they are topped with a creamy sauce that is a mix of sour cream, verde enchilada sauce and heavy cream.

I'm finally getting into cooking at 68 years old. Man, this [enchilada suiza] recipe rocks! My wife and I agreed it was the best Mexican food we've ever tasted! It's definitely going in the rotation and I'm looking forward to cooking it for neighbors. Thanks for sharing this one with the world.

– Erik

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This Enchiladas Suizas Recipe Is…

EASY to make! No sauteing or browning before getting started!
incredibly delicious with layers of flavors from the chili powder, cumin, cream, sour cream, and diced green chilies.
a great weeknight dinner.
a delicious twist on a traditional chicken enchilada.
full of tips and shortcuts to make delicious enchiladas that are easy to make.
a great way to use rotisserie chicken!

What Are Enchiladas Suizas?

You pronounce Suiza like “swee-zah”.

The word Suiza literally means Swiss. But when you pair the word Suiza with enchilada then we are talking about a Swiss-style Enchiladas…kind of. It means they take after Swiss cooking that has plenty of cream and cheese.

Enchiladas Suiza are typically stuffed with shredded chicken, cheese, green chilies and are coated in a creamy verde (green) enchilada sauce and cheese.

Ingredients

Pictured are the ingredients that you need to make Chicken Enchilada Suiza, plus some tips on a few ingredients:

Chicken Breast – You can use diced or shredded chicken, whatever you prefer. Also, poached, baked, grilled or rotisserie chicken will all work. Obviously a store bought rotisserie chicken will be the easiest. This is also a great recipe to use up leftover chicken.

Mom’s Tip

To easily shred your chicken while it is still warm, pop it in your stand mixer with the paddle attachment and mix on low for about 30 seconds.

Enchilada Sauce – Use store bought Verde Enchilada Sauce, it will be a green sauce, not red.

Corn Tortillas – use yellow or white corn tortillas, both will work. But I will say that yellow corn tortillas have a little more flavor! Just make sure you prep them before trying to roll with the chicken filling.

Sour Cream – use full fat sour cream in this recipe, a fat free sour cream is more susceptible to curdling in the oven.

Cilantro- you can absolutely use the leaves AND stems of cilantro!

Monterey Jack Cheese – Use the combo of cheese that you like. We like to use ½ Monterey jack and ½ pepper jack for a little spice. Or use all Monterey jack or Colby jack… all work! Just make sure you use an entire 8 oz block that is fresh shredded.

Prepping Corn Tortillas

It is crucial when working with corn tortillas that you prep them before rolling. They can be very delicate and will rip and tear if they are not prepared correctly.

All the options for preparing corn tortillas basically involve heating them. There are a few ways to do this:

(my preferred method, and the easiest method) Stack about 5-6 tortillas together, wrap them in a very damp paper towels covering them completely. Microwave for about 30-45 seconds. Then use right away.
(my second preferred method) place a cast iron skillet over medium heat and rub it with a little vegetable oil. Warm 1 tortilla at a time, about 30 seconds per side.
(a method I learned from Rick Bayless) Put a little water in the bottom of a pot and add a steamer basket. Stack your tortillas and place them on a steamer basket. Place over low heat and cover the pot. Steam while you prepare the enchilada filling.
(most labor intensive option) Add some vegetable oil to a skillet over medium heat. Fry each tortilla for about 15 seconds per side.

How to Make Enchiladas Suizas

It really only requires a couple steps to make these Suiza Enchiladas: mix the chicken filling, whisk the sauce, assemble and bake.

Start by preheating the oven to 350 degrees.

In a large bowl stir together the cooked chicken, 3 tablespoon verde enchilada sauce, 1 can of diced green chilies, cilantro, 1 teaspoon cumin and chili powder, ½ teaspoon kosher salt, onion powder and garlic powder, plus 1 cup shredded cheese. Set aside for assembly.

Then In another bowl whisk together the Suiza sauce- which will be the remaining enchilada sauce, 1 can diced green chilies, 1 teaspoon cumin, sour cream and heavy whipping cream .

Set up a prep station with your warmed tortillas, chicken filling, Suiza sauce and remaining shredded cheese.

Pour about 1 cup of the sauce across the bottom of a 9×13 casserole dish.

a 9x13 baking dish with some cream sauce poured across the bottom

an assembly station for making enchilada suiza

Add a generous ¼ cup of chicken filling to the center of each tortilla, then roll it up. Place seam side down in the pan. Continue with all the remaining tortillas. If you have extra chicken filling sprinkle it over the rolled enchiladas.

Pour all the sauce over the enchiladas and then top with all the cheese.

suiza sauce and cheese sprinkled over enchiladas

Bake for 30 minutes, then broil for another 2-3 minutes until the cheese is golden brown in spots and bubbling.

Recipe Tips

Here are a few tips to make sure your Easy Enchiladas Suizas turn out perfect!

Use block cheese that is freshly shredded, it will melt creamier!
Don’t skip preparing/steaming the corn tortillas before rolling the enchiladas.
If you have extra chicken filling, sprinkle it over the enchiladas before adding the sauce and cheese.
Like a good lasagna, you have to let the enchiladas rest for about 15 minutes before serving.

How to Serve Enchilada Suizas

Serve 2 enchiladas per person. If you have a couple really hungry people at the table, serve them 3.

Don’t forget to shake up some margaritas on the rocks (or search other flavors of margaritas).

For side dishes we like to add 15 minute refried beans, Mexican rice, and chips with salsa. It will become your favorite Mexican dinner!

Storing

This Enchiladas Suizas recipe makes amazing leftovers!

Keep them in the fridge, in an airtight container for up to 4 days. The corn tortillas may get a little soggy in the fridge but I promise they will still be delish!

I don’t recommend freezing this dish due to the high cream and cheese content.

More Enchilada Recipes

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Creamy Poblano Soup

March 24, 2022 by Susie Weinrich 8 Comments

When this Creamy Chicken Poblano Soup was developed we wanted to make sure it had layers and layers of flavors and great texture. We nailed it by adding roasted poblano peppers and pepper jack cheese, crisp corn and creamy Yukon gold potatoes… not to mention the heavy cream and plenty of spices. It is a chicken soup that turns out perfect every time!

two bowls of chicken poblano soup with tortilla strip garnishes

Serve this Chicken Poblano Soup up with all your favorite toppings like tortilla strips, cilantro and sour cream. It makes a delicious soup dinner and just like a classic chili, leftovers are even better the next day!!

This Poblano Soup is the Best Because…

Taking the time to roast the poblano peppers enhances the flavor and makes the perfect texture.
It is creamy without being too thick.
Pepper Jack cheese is the perfect compliment to the poblano peppers.
Yukon gold potatoes and corn make this a hearty soup perfect for the Fall and Winter (and the occasional cold Spring night).
The leftovers of this Chicken Poblano soup are AMAZING!

Made a few times now. Recipe as written. No alterations and most the toppings. Husband and I love this. Thanks a million. Will be using time and again! – Wendy

Chicken Poblano Soup Recipe Ingredients

Pictured are the ingredients that you need to grab to make Chicken Poblano Soup, plus some tips on a few ingredients:

Diced or Shredded Chicken – I love to use rotisserie chicken breasts for this recipe, it makes things a lot easier. But you can also roast chicken breasts at 350 for 25-30 minutes, or poach chicken breasts or make Instant Pot Rotisserie Chicken. As always, I recommend using air chilled chicken if you are not going with rotisserie!

Poblano Peppers – You can find fresh poblano peppers in the produce section at the grocery store. They are a dark green color and look like a long bell pepper or a huge jalapeno pepper. Read more about poblanos below.

Garnishes – the soup garnishes are not pictured and totally optional. But if you love to load your soup up with all the extras here are some ideas – sour cream, tortilla strips, green onions, cheese, jalapenos, cilantro, lime wedges, hot sauce… all work!

How To Roast Poblano Peppers in the Oven

To roast a poblano start by moving the oven rack to the top position and preheating the broiler. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil. Then add your peppers, no need to oil them!

poblano peppers on a sheet pan that have been roasted

Pop them in the oven on the top rack. Broil for about 4-5 minutes until the skin is bubbled and blackened. With a pair of tongs flip the peppers and then broil for another 4-5 minutes.

Remove the peppers and pop them into a large bowl. Cover with plastic wrap for about 15 minutes.

roasted poblano peppers in a bowl covered with plastic wrap

Steam will build up in the bowl and the skin will separate from the poblano flesh.

Now the skin should tear off the pepper very easily, also remove the seed pod and the stem. Discard the skin and seeds/stem.

removing the skin from the poblano peppers

Chop the remaining peppers for your soup!

roasted poblano peppers chopped on a cutting board

How To Roast Poblano Peppers on a Gas Stove

Now if you are lucky enough to have a gas stove top, you can use that instead of the oven. However it does take more of a watchful eye.

Turn a gas burner on medium/high. With metal tongs place the pepper directly over the flame and let it get charred and blistered. Turn the pepper occasionally so it chars on all sides.

Then place the poblano in a covered bowl. Repeat with all the peppers and hold in the covered bowl for about 10 minutes.

Then remove the skin and seeds/stem.

How to Make Poblano Soup

After you have roasted the poblanos the soup is pretty easy to put together.

In a large pot or Dutch oven heat the vegetable oil and butter over medium heat.
Sauté the onions until softened, about 5 minutes, then add the chopped garlic cloves.
Add the flour and cook while stirring for 1-2 minutes.

4. Whisk in the chicken stock and add the potatoes and kosher salt, bring to a boil.
5. Reduce heat to medium and cook the potatoes for 10-15 minutes until fork tender.
6. Stir in the roasted poblanos, cooked chicken, corn, heavy cream, cumin and chili powder.
7. Simmer the soup for a few minutes then stir in the cheese to melt.
8. Add the chopped fresh cilantro.
9. As always, taste for additional seasoning.

chicken poblano soup with cilantro added on top

How to Make Poblano Soup in Advance

Like I said before this Chicken Poblano Soup Recipe makes amazing leftovers. It thickens and increases in flavor, just like chili!

To make ahead simply prepare completely and then let cool. Refrigerate for up to 4 days and then reheat portions in the microwave or reheat the whole recipe on the stove top.

I would not recommend freezing this soup due to the dairy content.

Serving

Serve the Chicken Poblano Soup hot with garnishes available (sour cream, cheese, tortilla strips, cilantro, etc…). It is also great with some chips and guacamole on the side or cornbread or cornbread muffins with honey.

This soup makes AMAZING leftovers. Keep in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop.

two bowls of creamy chicken poblano soup with cheese and tortilla strips in the background

Chicken Poblano Soup Recipe Tips

Follow these final tips to make sure your Chicken Poblano Soup turns out perfect!

Make sure to fully roast your poblano peppers and remove all the skin.
Shred your own cheese instead of buying pre-shredded, it melts up creamier.
Taste the soup before serving to make sure the spices are just right.
Add the garnishes that your family will love.

More Amazing Soup Recipes

If you love this soup recipe you will also love any of these:

All Soup Recipes

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Best Baked BBQ Meatballs

March 23, 2022 by Susie Weinrich 4 Comments

Baked BBQ Meatballs make a great family friendly dinner, easy enough for a weeknight. We like to serve them up with mashed potatoes and sautéed green beans or peas. They can also be served as a party appetizer or game day snack. The simple oven baked meatballs are juicy and tender and coated in your favorite store bought barbecue sauce, or homemade BBQ sauce, sure to become a crowd favorite.

bbq meatballs on a plate with peas and mashed potatoes in the back

If you use an Instant Pot, pop over and check out the Instant Pot BBQ Meatball recipe.

I could eat homemade meatballs for just about every meal. I think that is why there are so many meatball recipes on Mom’s Dinner. Some favorites to check out are Baked Italian Meatballs, Ham Balls, and Next Level Swedish Meatballs.

They are the best because…

The meatballs are flavored on the inside and the outside with BBQ flavors.
The recipe gives you all the tips and tricks you need to make them perfect.
It is a very simple recipe made with easy to find ingredients.
no sautéing or browning before the meatballs bake.
Using your favorite BBQ sauce means the flavors will be suited to you!
They make an excellent dinner served with garlic mashed potatoes and a green veggie.

Ingredients

Pictured are the meatball ingredients you need, plus some pro tips on a few ingredients:

Ground Beef– since you are not sautéing and draining the beef I recommend that you use a leaner ground beef. An 85/15 or 90/10 works great. It will still have enough flavor but won’t be overly greasy.

Ground Pork– This is not ground sausage, you want to purchase ground pork. You will find that it is really economical! If you love it check out the recipe for Grilled Pork Burgers.

BBQ Sauce- Just use whatever BBQ sauce your family loves- spicy, sweet, or tangy. Just make sure it has enough body to stick to your meatballs. This is not the time for a vinegar based mop that is really thin. You can also make your own BBQ Sauce with this recipe.

Smoked Paprika– There are a few different types of paprika, you absolutely want to use smoked paprika. It has the most wonderful smoked flavor that adds a layer of BBQ flavor to your meatballs.

Bread– Just about any bread that is mild in flavor will work- French, Ciabatta, White bread, Sourdough. If your bread has a hard crust remove that and only use the soft insides.

Panade for Meatballs

A panade is a classic mixture of a starch and liquid that keeps ground meat recipes juicy. The starch is traditionally crackers, bread, or bread crumbs and the liquid is generally milk, water, or broth. I use panade in most of my meatballs, burgers, and meatloaf recipes.

For this bbq meatballs recipe you will be using bread torn into pieces and then mixed with milk.

Step by Step Picture Instructions

Start by preheating the oven to 400 degrees. Line a rimmed sheet pan with parchment paper, this will help prevent your meatballs from sticking to the pan.

Make a Panade

In a large bowl start your panade by mixing the torn bread pieces with milk. Either stir the mixture so it comes together or with clean hands squish the bread and milk together to break the larger bread pieces apart (this is my preferred method).

Let it sit for about 5 minutes so the bread absorbs the milk and softens completely.

Stir in Seasonings and Egg

Now add the lightly beaten egg, Worcestershire sauce, 1 ½ tablespoon BBQ sauce, the chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika and kosher salt. Stir everything together really well.

bread panade mixed with spices and seasonings

Add Pork and Beef

Now it’s time to add the ground meat- 1 lb. ground beef and 1 lb. ground pork. With clean hands lightly combine the flavorful panade and the ground meat.

ground beef and ground pork on top of a panade

Form Meatballs & Baste

Form the barbecue meatballs and place on the prepared baking sheet. The meatballs should be about the size of a ping pong ball. I like to use a medium sized cookie scoop to make sure the meatballs are somewhat uniform in size.

clean hands mixing meatball mixture in a bowl

Brush the tops and sides of each meatball with your favorite BBQ sauce.

Bake

Bake for 15 minutes, then brush with BBQ sauce again. Continue baking another 15 minutes until the internal temp of the meatballs are 165 F.

Serving & Storing

We like to serve these easy BBQ meatballs as a main dish for dinner. They are excellent served with garlic mashed potatoes (or Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes) and a green veggie like roasted asparagus, sauteed green beans or peas.

Corn on the cob would make a great side dish too, especially in the summer when sweet corn is available!

a dinner plate with bbq meatballs peas and mashed potatoes

They also make a great appetizer for the Holidays or game day!

Store your leftover meatballs in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. They reheat perfectly in the microwave or oven.

Freezing

You can absolutely freeze these meatballs baked or raw. They will be good for 3 months in the freezer.

Thaw in the fridge overnight before baking or reheating.

Instant Pot Version

For a similar BBQ meatball recipe that is made in your Instant Pot head over to this recipe for Instant Pot BBQ Meatballs.

Recipe Tips

Follow these tips to make sure your BBQ Meatballs turn out perfect.

Make a panade with bread and milk which will make sure your meatballs are juicy!
Use a leaner ground beef (85/15 or 90/10) so your meatballs are flavorful but not greasy.
Line the rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper so the meatballs don’t stick to your pan.
Use your favorite BBQ sauce so your family LOVES the flavors.

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Crazy Easy Tomato Basil Soup

March 11, 2022 by Susie Weinrich 6 Comments

Crazy Easy Tomato Basil Soup… no other way to say it. It literally takes 10 minutes to make this delicious tomato soup. The secret ingredient is Campbell’s canned Tomato Soup Concentrate! It adds the perfect creamy base.

Toast up some homemade croutons in the oven and grill up a grilled cheese and you have a crazy delicious dinner!

two bowls of tomato basil soup with croutons on the top

This Recipe Is…

Said it before and I’ll say it again…crazy easy!
deliciously creamy and full of basil flavor.
a perfect weeknight dinner.
a delicious compliment to a grilled cheese.
balanced in all flavors- sweet, tangy and savory.
a great way to “fancy up” a can of tomato soup.

Pantry Version!

There is a similar version of this Tomato Basil Soup recipe on Mom’s Dinner… however this one is made completely with shelf stable ingredients. Making it perfect for camping. It is called 5 minute Tomato Basil Pantry Soup.

Tomato Basil Soup Ingredients

Pictured below are the ingredients that you need to make this super simple Tomato Basil Soup, plus some tips on a few ingredients:

Dried Basil – make sure your dried basil is fresh and full of flavor (dried herbs have a shelf life of about 2 years). Rub the basil in the palm of your hand before adding it to the soup, it will release the oils and flavor.

Milk/Cream – I definitely recommend using whole milk or half and half, or a combo of the two, for your Tomato Basil Soup. It will make it creamy and rich.

Tomato Basil Marinara – Use a quality marinara sauce that has a pronounced basil flavor. We love Rao’s Tomato Basil Marinara.

Secret Soup Ingredient

The secret ingredient, making this such an EASY recipe, is the condensed tomato soup (just like in these Ham Balls!). It adds the perfect tomato base that is creamy, thick and a little sweet.

I prefer Campbell’s brand and have only tested this recipe with Campbell’s. Sometimes the store brand soup concentrates can be a little “off”.

Homemade Garlic Crouton Ingredients

Pictured are the ingredients you need to make Homemade Garlic Croutons. These do NOT need to be fancy croutons, they just need to be delicious to enhance your Tomato Basil soup eating experience.

homamde garlic crouton ingredients on a table

Bread – I have used everything from day old hoagie rolls to hamburger buns to ciabatta bread… they all work! Use whatever you have in your pantry.

Step by Step Picture Instructions

There are not a ton of instructions!

Simply place a pot over low heat. Add the tomato soup, milk/cream, dried basil, garlic powder, and onion powder. Give it a really good whisk to combine.

PRO TIP: lightly crush the dried basil in the palm of your hand before adding to the soup. It releases the oil and flavors! This goes for the soup and the croutons.

Let it heat through stirring occasionally.

Easy tomato basil soup in an all clad pot

While the soup cooks, make the croutons.

Heat the oven to 400. Cube the bread and place on a baking sheet.

Toss the bread cubes with olive oil and then sprinkle on the seasonings, making sure they stick to the bread.

bread cubes on a sheet pan tossed in olive oil and spices

Pop in the oven for 5 minutes, toss and bake for another 5 minutes, until they are golden and crispy, but not burnt.

Serving

Serve hot bowls of Tomato Basil Soup topped with garlic croutons. Optionally you can sprinkle on some grated parmesan cheese and dried basil or parsley.

Of course, any tomato soup goes great with a side of grilled cheese!

hands holding a small bowl of tomato basil soup

Storing

Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Keep the croutons in an airtight container for up to 5 days at room temp.

The soup reheats PERFECTLY in the microwave!

More Incredible Soup Recipes to Try

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Amazing Instant Pot Italian Meatballs

February 24, 2022 by Susie Weinrich 1 Comment

Yes, you can make Amazing Italian Style Meatballs right in your Instant Pot! It is a quick way to get perfectly cooked homemade meatballs in under 30 minutes. No browning or sautéing required! Just pop the uncooked meatballs right in the sauce and cook on high pressure for 8 minutes with a 5 minute natural release.

a bowl of Italian Meatballs with spaghetti and an Instant Pot in the background

Don’t worry all the flavors of Traditional Italian Meatballs are included. Just add some spaghetti or polenta and you have an amazing family dinner that everyone will love! It will surely become a heavy contender for your dinner rotation.

Some other Instant Pot Meatball recipes to love are Instant Pot BBQ Meatballs and the Instant Pot Turkey Meatballs! Now if you just want spaghetti without the meatballs we love this Instant Pot Spaghetti using your favorite Store Bought Jar Sauce!

Why These Are The Best Instant Pot Meatballs

No sautéing onions and garlic before you make the meatballs!
No browning the meatballs before they cook.
The panade of panko, extra virgin olive oil, and milk keep your meatballs tender and juicy.
The RIGHT amount of panade and egg in this meatball ensures they will not fall apart under the pressure of the Instant Pot.
Using coarse grated parmesan makes delicious little pockets of cheese.
Putting down a layer of oil or non stick spray on the bottom of the Instant Pot helps reduce the chance of getting the dreaded burn notice.

Ingredient Details

Pictured below are the ingredients you need to make this Instant Pot Meatballs recipe, plus some tips on a few crucial ingredients.

Ingredients for making Italian Meatballs in your Instant Pot with text labels

Ground Beef

Since the meatballs cook right in the sauce I recommend that you use a lean beef. Something like a 90/10 or 93/7 ratio ground beef will work great. You will still have a little grease in your sauce but it will add flavor without making it greasy.

Ground Pork

We are talking ground pork here, not sausage. Ground pork is a great combo with the ground beef. It is also incredibly inexpensive.

If you find you love it, definitely try these Pork Burgers with Garlic Cream Sauce next!

Parmesan Cheese

One of the Italian secrets to great meatballs is using a coarse grated parmesan. It should look like small pea gravel. See the photo below.

I like to achieve this by pulsing parmesan in a food processor or blender.

Panko

Panko bread crumbs are not the same as traditional or Italian breadcrumbs. They are pretty coarse and soak up the milk and olive oil like a torn bread would. It makes the perfect panade for these meatballs.

You should be able to find Panko in any grocery store (including Aldi), near the other traditional breadcrumbs.

Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Extra Virgin and Regular Olive Oil are not the same thing. Make sure you use “Extra Virgin Olive Oil”, the stronger the flavor the better! Regular Olive Oil generally does not have any flavor. Extra Virgin has a buttery, peppery flavor that adds a nice layer to your meatballs.

Garlic

I say 2-3 plump garlic cloves… but you measure that garlic with your heart! If you want 5 cloves, go for it!!

What is a Panade

Traditionally a panade is a combination of a starch and liquid, like bread or crackers mixed with milk or broth. It is used to keep ground meat recipes tender and juicy.

I use this panade method in a lot of my recipes, like these Chicken Meatballs, Next Level Swedish Meatballs, Italian Meatloaf, and Italian Meatballs.

Burn Warning

“In my own opinion” I truly think that some of the newer Instant Pots (2019 to present) have a more sensitive burn warning. My pot is a few years older (circa 2017) and I have yet to get a “burn warning”.

One feature of this recipe that will help reduce the chances of the burn notice is adding a layer of oil under the meatballs.

However if you have a very sensitive Instant Pot you might want to use the metal trivet that came with your Pot. See the notes section of the recipe below for details.

Step by Step Picture Instructions

This is a great Pro Tip for making meatballs of all kinds….

The order of things is very important when making meatballs. You will want to complete the panade and flavor base before adding the meat. That way you can do less mixing, which ensures a more tender meatball.

You can also watch me make these Instant Pot Meatballs on a 30 minute episode of Pinterest TV!

Follow these steps:

In a large bowl mix together the panko breadcrumbs, lightly beaten egg, milk, and extra virgin olive oil. This is your panade, let it rest and soak for about 5 minutes.

Add in the kosher salt, black pepper, onion powder, dried basil, minced garlic, and coarsely grated parmesan. Stir to combine.

Now add the ground pork and ground beef and lightly mix everything together, either with a fork or clean hands. (I always prefer using my hands)

**SMELL the meatballs mixture at this point…I know it’s raw meat but you can tell these are going to be delicious meatballs!

Time to form the meatballs. I will usually use a cookie scoop to make sure the meatballs are somewhat uniform size.

Prep the Instant Pot by spraying the bottom of the pot with nonstick spray or pouring in a little olive oil.

Pour in half a 24 oz jar of marinara sauce. Then layer in the meatballs. Finally pour the remaining marinara sauce over the meatballs.

Use your family’s favorite store bought marinara sauce… we love Rao’s Tomato Basil.

Close the lid and set to cook for 8 minutes on high pressure, then do a 5 minute natural release. Finish by releasing remaining pressure with a quick release.

When you open the pot I recommend using a spoon and lightly moving the meatballs around. If some are stuck together lightly separate them.

Pro Tip: For serving I personally like to remove all the meatballs to a separate plate. See if there is excess grease to skim off the top of the sauce. Then give the sauce a stir. Serve the sauce over spaghetti and then top with the meatballs.

meatballs cooked in the Instant Pot with a wooden spoon stirring

Serving

Hello spaghetti and meatballs! It’s a classic. Just sprinkle on some parmesan cheese!

Here are some other ideas on ways to eat your Instant Pot Meatballs:

Meatballs over creamy polenta with warm crusty bread or garlic bread.
Meatball Sub Sandwich
For a lower carb option serve them over zucchini noodles (or the hearts of palm noodles from Trader Joes!!)
Meatball Sliders, you can make them similar to these Meatloaf Sliders.
Roll the meatballs a little smaller and serve as an appetizer.

Meatballs in a bowl with parmesan sprinkled on top, Instant Pot and spaghetti in the back

Storing & Freezing

Store your leftover Meatballs in the fridge, in an airtight container, for up to 5 days.

You can absolutely pop your meatballs and sauce in the freezer too! They will keep for 3 months.

To serve the meatballs from the freezer let them thaw in the fridge overnight and then warm on the stovetop with extra sauce.

Pro Tip: Divide the meatballs and sauce out into smaller portions in freezer baggies. That way you can use them as you need, instead of using the whole recipe at once!

Other Delicious Italian Instant Pot Recipes To Try

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Marinated Rosemary Pork Tenderloin

February 3, 2022 by Susie Weinrich 4 Comments

Marinated Rosemary Pork Tenderloin is such a delicious dinner. Fancy enough for entertaining, but easy enough for a weeknight (plan ahead for marinating). Two Pork Tenderloins are marinated in a savory marinade and then coated in a glaze and fresh rosemary and baked to perfection. Pair it with mashed potatoes and a veggie for a spectacular dinner!

Tenderloin is not the same thing as Pork Loin, as you will read in the next section. If you purchased a pork loin pop over to this recipe for Rosemary Pork Loin. Or check out all the pork recipes on Mom’s Dinner!

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This Recipe is…

An easy recipe! The majority of the “work” is waiting for it marinate.
A fast cooking dinner that could be great for busy weeknights.
Made with simple ingredients that you probably have in your kitchen.
An excellent entertaining dinner recipe.
Full of flavor from the marinade and the glaze!

Pork Tenderloin vs. Pork Loin

A pork tenderloin and a pork loin are not the same cut of pork. They benefit from very different cooking methods and should not be substituted for each out in recipes. A loin is best cooked low and slow or braised. A tenderloin is better cooked fast with fairly high heat.

Visually a tenderloin is long and skinny and will weigh between 1-1.5 lbs. A loin looks more like a roast, about 4 inches in diameter and will have a fat cap on one side. They can come in a full loin which will be quite large around 8 lbs., or a half loin around 4 lbs..

The nice thing is that compared to cuts of beef, pork is a very economical choice of meat.

Temperatures for Pork

The days are past that you needed to cook your pork until it resembled shoe leather! The USDA has lowered it’s recommended cooking temp for whole cuts of pork to 145 degrees F.

I highly recommend using the Thermoworks ThermaPen or ThermoPop! It is the best meat thermometer for registering internal temp. It is an instant read thermometer that works quickly.

Ingredients

There are two sets of ingredients when making this Marinated Pork Tenderloin: the marinade and the glaze.

Pictured are the ingredients you will need. Besides the pork and rosemary you probably have most of these ingredients in your kitchen!

Ingredients for pork tenderloin marinade

ingredients for the glaze that goes on the pork tenderloin before baking

How To Make Marinated Pork Tenderloin

There isn’t a ton of work to be done for this recipe. Start by making the marinade.

two pork tenderloins in a marinade in a Ziploc baggie

Step 1

Place the pork tenderloins in a large Ziploc baggie, pour the marinade over the pork and pop in the fridge for 8 hours up to 24 hours.

Marinade PRO TIP: For the marinade just crush the fresh garlic cloves so the oils get into the marinade. If you mince the garlic it will stick to the pork and possibly burn in the oven

Step 2

In a small bowl make the glaze by combining the honey, molasses, olive oil, brown sugar, Dijon mustard, soy sauce, ground ginger and pepper.

sprinkling rosemary over two glazed pork tenderloins

Step 3

Pour the glaze over both pork tenderloins, then sprinkle on the chopped rosemary. Bake in a 375 degree oven for 30 minutes until the internal temperature is 145 degrees.

TENDERLOIN PRO TIP: pork tenderloin tends to have one very skinny end. When placing on the baking sheet tuck the skinny end under the roast so that it doesn’t overcook.

sliced pork tenderloin on a plate with herbs

Step 4

Remove from the oven and let it rest for 5 minutes before slicing.

MOM’S TIP: I highly recommend using a Thermoworks ThermaPen or ThermoPop to make sure all meat is at the correct temperature!

Serving For Dinner

After the pork tenderloin rests slice it into ½-1 inch pieces, like shown below. Serve 2-3 pieces per person.

This recipe goes perfectly with mashed potatoes and a veggie:

Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes
Yukon Gold Mashed Potatoes
Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes
Or instead of potatoes it would be great with Stuffing!!
Oven Roasted Asparagus
Roasted Fennel

More Pork Recipes

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Homemade Peppermint Hot Chocolate

January 19, 2022 by Susie Weinrich Leave a Comment

Homemade Peppermint Hot Chocolate is a delicious treat perfect for a cold winter day, a snow day or the Holidays. It is a rich and creamy homemade hot chocolate with peppermint extract added. Chocolate and peppermint could not be a more classic winter flavor pairing.

homemade peppermint hot chocolate with whipped cream and candy canes

Top it off with some whipped cream or a candy cane on the side. The whole family is going to love it.

…and if you have a lot of snow outside, have the kids make this snow ice cream!!!

This Recipe Is…

a super rich and creamy peppermint hot chocolate.
perfectly balanced with flavors of chocolate, cream and peppermint.
easy to put together with ingredients you probably already have on hand!

Ingredients

You will find most of the ingredients you need in your baking cabinet, plus some milk from the fridge.

Whole Milk – this results in the creamiest hot chocolate without being too thick. If you prefer a non dairy milk I would stick to oat milk or cashew milk since they tend to be creamier. A lower fat milk will work too, it just won’t be a creamy.
Powdered Milk – powdered milk mixed with the whole milk makes for an extra creamy and rich hot chocolate! You can find powdered milk in the baking aisle at your grocery store.
Peppermint Extract – can be a very assertive flavor so you will want to make sure that you only use ½ tsp, then taste and see if you want more. I have not tested this recipe with an edible peppermint oil.
Cocoa Powder – you want to make sure you use an UNSWEETENED Cocoa Powder. You just want the chocolate flavor, not the extra sugar.
Chocolate Chips – we recommend using a semi sweet chocolate chip, it is sweet enough when combined with the powdered sugar. If you like a more bitter chocolate, try using a dark chocolate chip.

Step by Step Picture Instructions

It is pretty easy to make homemade peppermint cocoa, follow these steps:

Place a small saucepan over medium low heat, warm the 3 cups of whole milk.

While that warms through, in a medium sized bowl whisk together the powdered milk, cocoa powder, and powdered sugar.

Slowly sprinkle the cocoa mixture into the warm milk, whisk until it is fully combined.

Stir in the ½ teaspoon peppermint extract.

Pour in the semi sweet chocolate chips (or dark chocolate chips) and stir until they are fully melted.

Remove from the heat give it a taste for more peppermint.

Serve in mugs or heat proof glasses.

Toppings

Peppermint Hot Chocolate is only made better with all the toppings. Here are some great options:

Whipped Cream
Candy Canes
Chocolate Syrup
Marshmallows
Marshmallow bits
Andes Peppermint Crunch Bits

a mug of peppermint hot chocolate spilling over the edges with a candy cane on the side and whipped cream on top

Adult Hot Chocolate

If some of the adults want a boozy version of peppermint hot cocoa add any of these liquors for a delicious twist:

Peppermint Schnapps
Kahlua
Peppermint Rumchata
Whipped Cream Vodka
Marshmallow Vodka
Chocolate Liqueur

If some adults want a warming cocktail that is not chocolate, or is dairy free, check out this Tequila Hot Toddy. It tastes like warm apple cider!

More Peppermint Recipes!

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Rate This Recipe→

Homemade Peppermint Hot Chocolate Recipe

Rich and creamy hot chocolate that is flavored with peppermint. Top with whipped cream or crushed candy canes for a delicious cold weather drink!

5 from 1 vote

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Prep Time: 5

Cook Time: 10

Total Time: 15

Servings: cups

Calories: 599kcal

Author: Susie Weinrich

Equipment

▢
Saucepan
▢
whisk

Ingredients

▢ 3 cups whole milk
▢ ¼ cup powdered milk
▢ ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
▢ 3 tablespoon powdered sugar
▢ ½ teaspoon peppermint extract
▢ 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Instructions

In a small saucepan over medium low heat, warm the 3 cups milk.
Meanwhile, whisk together the powdered milk, cocoa powder, and powdered sugar. Make sure all clumps are stirred out.
Slowly whisk the cocoa powder mixture into the warm milk until it is smooth and fully combined.
Stir in the ½ teaspoon peppermint extract.
Pour the chocolate chips in and stir until they are fully melted.
Remove from the heat and serve!
Top with all your favorite peppermint hot chocolate toppings: mini marshmallows, whipped cream, crushed candy canes, Andes Peppermint Crunch bits, mini candy canes…

Recipe Tips and Notes:

For the Adults: Add a little peppermint schnapps, peppermint Rumchata, or peppermint vodka for a boozy peppermint drink!

Traditional Hot Cocoa: to make hot chocolate without the peppermint, pop over to this recipe for Homemade Hot Chocolate.

Did you make this recipe?Connect with me and let me know by commenting below!

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The Best Margarita Mocktail

January 18, 2022 by Susie Weinrich 4 Comments

There are a few Margarita Mocktail recipes around, but let me tell you this will be the best one you will find! This virgin margarita tastes pretty darn close the real thing (and maybe even a little better). Whether you’re participating in Dry January, you are trying to cut back on the drinks, you’re pregnant, you’re not quite 21, or you just don’t drink, this is a mocktail recipe you can enjoy ANY time!

a clear glass with a mock margarita with a salt rim and lime wheel

This Virgin Margarita is perfectly balanced with fresh citrus flavors including lime and orange, a touch of sweetness from agave, and a pinch of kosher salt. That all gets topped with some tonic water, giving it the perfect margarita tang!

When you are ready for the real thing, check out this Classic Margarita on the Rocks or any of the tequila cocktails on Mom’s Dinner!

Ingredients

Grab these 5 ingredients and shake yourself up a delicious Non Alcoholic Margarita.

Fresh Juices – definitely squeeze fresh juice; lime and orange. It really makes a big difference, giving you a really fresh and tasty mocktail.

Kosher Salt – this is NOT the same as table salt or iodized salt. You will NOT want to rim your mock margarita with table salt. Kosher salt is a courser salt that has a MUCH milder and smoother saltiness.

We really recommend Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt… it is like salt snow! You will LOVE it!

Agave – adds a nice flavor that simple syrup won’t add. Some recipes call for maple syrup, but I really don’t want my margarita to taste like pancakes! Agave is the perfect option here.

I do like to use an agave that is lighter in color. It has a milder flavor.

Tonic Water – tonic water is a carbonated and lightly sweetened water that has quinine added, giving it a little bit of a bitter flavor. See the section below why this is an important addition to your Mocktail Margarita!

The Secret’s in the Tonic

A lot of nonalcoholic margaritas call for club soda. But I am telling you using Tonic Water in your Mock Margarita is the secret ingredient to getting it JUST RIGHT.

The quinine added to tonic water creates the perfect salty-bitterness that mimics a traditional margarita and tequila perfectly!

Even if you think you don’t like tonic, definitely use it in this cocktail. The bitterness of tonic is perfectly balanced by the agave and fresh juices.

How to Make a Virgin Margarita- Step by Step

Start by prepping your drinking glass with a salt rim;

Place kosher salt on a flat plate.
Run a wedge of lime around the edge of your glass.
Dip the rim of your glass in the salt, making sure it sticks.
Fill the glass with ice and set aside.

Make the Margarita Mocktail in a shaker;

Fill the cocktail shaker ⅓ full with ice. (you can also use a mason jar if you don’t have a shaker)
Measure in the lime juice, orange juice, agave syrup and pinch of kosher salt.
Shake vigorously for 20 seconds.

fresh lime juice being poured in a shaker

fresh orange juice being poured in a shaker

Assemble Your Drink;

Strain the Zero Proof Margarita into the prepared glass.
Top with 3 oz. of tonic water.
Garnish with a lime wheel or wedge.

straining a non alcoholic margarita into a glass

More Non Alcoholic Options

Margaritas (with alcohol this time)

When you are ready to have a Margarita with alcohol, here are some great recipes:

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Did you make this recipe?

I would love to hear your review, especially if you have tips and tricks to add! Pop down to the comment section and connect with me

Rate This Recipe→

mock margarita in a bodega glass with salt on the rim and a lime wheel

Margarita Mocktail Recipe + Video

A deliciously flavored and fresh Margarita Mocktail recipe made with fresh citrus juices, agave, kosher salt and tonic. It mimics a traditional margarita PERFECTLY!

5 from 6 votes

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Prep Time: 5

Cook Time: 0

Servings: drink

Calories: 63kcal

Author: Susie Weinrich