Weekly Meal Planning can be hard. What should we eat this week? What do I need to buy at the store? Let me answer both of those questions with my free weekly meal plan including a printable grocery list (and bonus leftover re-do ideas)!
Weekly Meal Planning can be hard. What should we eat this week? What do I need to buy at the store? Let me answer both of those questions with my free weekly meal plan including a printable grocery list!
Your family needs to eat, and the job of feeding them lands squarely on your shoulders.
The key to making this job easy is MEAL PLANNING!
Plan all your meals for the week, write out your grocery list, and then head to the store to buy the groceries. Sounds easy enough, but I think a lot of us just end up at the grocery store buying the same things week after week, and then we get home and say "I have nothing to cook for dinner!"
Prevent this from happening now! Sign up for the Mom's Dinner Newsletter and have my Weekly Menu Plan and Printable Grocery List delivered to your email every Friday morning. Cross off the groceries you already have in your kitchen and head to the store completely prepared!
[Read more…]Pizza Roll Ups are like a piece of pizza all rolled up in a delicious little bundle. They are full of tomato sauce, ooey-gooey cheese, and, in my recipe, turkey pepperoni. They are completely kid friendly, make an easy weeknight dinner, kids school lunch, or after school snack.
Aren’t we all in search of dinner ideas and sack lunch ideas that our kids won’t cry or complain about? This recipe for Pizza Roll Ups is going to be your new go-to kid friendly dinner (that you will want to eat too!). They taste like take-out pizza, but made at home. Pair these with a salad and you have a dinner that is done from start to finish in less than 30 minutes!
[Read more…]What should we eat this week? How do I make a family meal plan? Let me answer both of those questions with my free weekly meal plan including a printable grocery list!
Your family needs to eat, and the job of feeding them lands squarely on your shoulders.
The key to making this job easy is MEAL PLANNING!
Plan all your meals for the week, write out your grocery list, and then head to the store to buy the groceries. Sounds easy enough, but I think a lot of us just end up at the grocery store buying the same things week after week, and then we get home and say "I have nothing to cook for dinner!"
Prevent this from happening now! Sign up for the Mom's Dinner Newsletter and have my Weekly Menu Plan and Printable Grocery List delivered to your email every Friday morning. Cross off the groceries you already have in your kitchen and head to the store completely prepared!
I provide 4 delicious and easy dinners, with recipes, that you can make for your family this week. You simply add three more meals and your 7 day family meal plan is done. Here are three dinner categories I recommend adding to your plan :
I have other meal plans too, if this one isn't your jam!
I love Sloppy Joes! If you are from the Midwest then you might know them as a Maid-Rite. It is basically a ground beef sandwich, seasoned with onions and a sweet/savory sauce. You can buy sloppy joe sauce in a can, but I think it is super gross! So give this one a try… and try it with pickles, my favorite!
Serve this with some sweet potato chips or fries, and oven roasted or sauteed green beans.
Celebrate “Meatless Monday” this week with my awesome recipe for Lemon Penne with Oven Roasted Broccoli. This is a great dinner that you can cutomize for the picky eaters in your house. My daughter likes the pasta plain, no broccoli. My son likes the pasta plain, with broccoli on the side. And of course the adults eat it as is.
I wouldn’t plan a side dish for this one. It’s plenty filling as is.
This has been a crazy cold winter! Has it been cold where you are? Thankfully this weekend I’ll be in Florida soaking up some sunshine. But if you are still in the Northern states, keep warm with a delicious bowl of Cauliflower & Potato Chowder.
I would keep this simple and serve it with a warm baguette or ciabatta bread.
I cannot wait to try this recipe for Slow Cooker Italian Meatloaf from MamaGourmand . I have been meaning to try my Instant Pot as a slow cooker… did you know you could do that!? This will be the perfect recipe to try! Serve this delicious meatloaf just like you would a meatball, over a pile of spaghetti.
I would serve this with a Caesar Salad and garlic bread…. on a Sunday night!
Head to the store with confidence that you will end up with groceries to actually make dinner for your family!
Simply cross of the items that you already have in your kitchen, and then add the items you need for the rest of the week (lunches, breakfasts, pantry staples, etc…).
Click on the image below to print the grocery list
I hope this meal plan helps to make your week a little easier!
Love- Susie
What should we eat this week? How do I make a family meal plan? Let me answer both of those questions with my free weekly meal plan including a printable grocery list!
Your family needs to eat, and the job of feeding them lands squarely on your shoulders.
The key to making this job easy is MEAL PLANNING!
Plan all your meals for the week, write out your grocery list, and then head to the store to buy the groceries. Sounds easy enough, but I think a lot of us just end up at the grocery store buying the same things week after week, and then we get home and say "I have nothing to cook for dinner!"
Prevent this from happening now! Sign up for the Mom's Dinner Newsletter and have my Weekly Menu Plan and Printable Grocery List delivered to your email every Friday morning. Cross off the groceries you already have in your kitchen and head to the store completely prepared!
I provide 4 delicious and easy dinners, with recipes, that you can make for your family this week. You simply add three more meals and your 7 day family meal plan is done. Here are three dinner categories I recommend adding to your plan :
I have other meal plans too, if this one isn’t your jam!
So, this is menu plan runs right into Super Bowl Sunday. If you are planning a party (or even if you aren’t), this Classic Chili recipe is pretty hard to beat.
Russell up some cheese, sour cream, jalapenos, green onions, and fritos, and you have yourself a killer chili bar!
Don’t forget the cornbread muffins too. My recipe is super simple and uses a yellow cake mix for a little sweetness and moisture, mixed with a jiffy corn muffin mix.
Taco Tuesday, ya’ll! I love this recipe for Creamy Chicken Tacos. It is basically a “dump and bake” recipe. Use rotisserie chicken for even easier dinner prep. All the ingredients get mixed together and popped in the oven. Then stuff these tacos with all your favorite toppings and serve them with some chips, salsa, and guacamole.
I am always a sucker for a sheet pan dinner. It is just so easy, and LOOK at all those veggies! Healthy and delicious. This BBQ Chicken Sheet Pan Dinner is topped with an awesome BBQ vinaigrette for another layer of flavor!
Serve this with a warm baguette or ciabatta bread and a little butter or extra virgin olive oil for dipping.
I am always a sucker for a sheet pan dinner. It is just so easy, and LOOK at all those veggies! Healthy and delicious. This BBQ Chicken Sheet Pan Dinner is topped with an awesome BBQ vinaigrette for another layer of flavor!
Serve this with a warm baguette or ciabatta bread and a little butter or extra virgin olive oil for dipping.
Head to the store with confidence that you will end up with groceries to actually make dinner for your family!
Simply cross of the items that you already have in your kitchen, and then add the items you need for the rest of the week (lunches, breakfasts, pantry staples, etc…).
Click on the image below to print the grocery list
I hope this makes your dinner’s go a little easier this week.
Love, Susie
What should we eat this week? How do I make a family meal plan? Let me answer both of those questions with my free weekly meal plan including a printable grocery list!
Your family needs to eat, and the job of feeding them lands squarely on your shoulders.
The key to making this job easy is MEAL PLANNING!
Plan all your meals for the week, write out your grocery list, and then head to the store to buy the groceries. Sounds easy enough, but I think a lot of us just end up at the grocery store buying the same things week after week, and then we get home and say "I have nothing to cook for dinner!"
[Read more…]5-5-5 Instant Pot Hard Boiled Eggs is a foolproof way to make hard boiled eggs. You will have perfectly cooked eggs that slip out of the shell, every time! No more egg sticking to the shell when it’s time to peel. Hard Boiled Eggs are back on the menu, people!!
I always struggled to get the perfect hard boiled egg. It would either come out over-cooked or the shell wouldn’t peel off without taking part of the egg with it! Can you relate?
I tried all the hard boiled egg methods and none of them seemed to be fool-proof, at one point or another they would all fail. That is until I tried the 5-5-5 method of making hard boiled eggs in the Instant Pot! Perfection!
Yet another reason I SUPER LOVE MY INSTANT POT!
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“I will never boil eggs on the stove again. It was so painful to get the shells off. NO more, the shells slide off. It is awesome!!!!!!!” -Chris
“I had to boil & peel 5 dozen eggs for our church annual Chicken Salad sale. This is the easier way, the shells came off so easy, no problems at all! I will no boil on the stove any longer.” -Patrice
“OMG!! I have NEVER, EVER cooked eggs and had every single one peel without ripping at least a little of the skin! Amazing. Well worth dragging the pot out if this happens every time.” – Joanne
The key to getting the shell of your hard boiled egg to simply slide off, not kidding, is the Instant Pot 5-5-5 method:
I have made hard boiled eggs this way dozens of times and they come out perfect every time, cooked all the way thru with an easy to peel shell!
The 5-5-5 method is so easy that even my husband can do it! Which is saying a lot. He is definitely not a master in the kitchen.
If you passed the Instant Pot water test, then you can make hard boiled eggs. It is actually a great recipe to start with if you are an Instant Pot Beginner.
Set the trivet that came with your Instant Pot in the bottom of the inner pot. Carefully lay your eggs around the trivet, I usually cook a dozen eggs at a time.
Set the pot to cook on high pressure, normal heat for 5 minutes. Then do a 5 minute natural release. While they cook, make an ice bath.
Remove the eggs from the pot and set into the ice bath for 5 minutes.
The eggs will peel so easily now! Snack on them right away or keep them in the fridge for up to a week.
You can cook 6 eggs or up to 24 eggs using this 5-5-5 method. You do not need to increase the cooking time when you are increasing (or decreasing) the amount of eggs you are making.
You can also stick with the same amount of water, 1.5 cups works perfect whether you have 12 eggs or 24 eggs. The eggs do not need to be submerged in the water to cook with this method.
You just want to make sure you don’t go past the “fill line” marked on the inside of the Instant Pot stainless steel insert.
We love to snack on hard boiled eggs with just a little salt, or you can make these Classic Deviled Eggs. These are also perfect for dying eggs with the kids for Easter.
For a great summer or spring dinner these egg salad sandwiches can’t be beat. Or if you need a killer side dish try this Potato Salad Recipe!
I hope you give Hard Boiled Eggs a try in your Instant Pot.
Every once in a GREAT while I have had an egg or two crack while cooking in the instant pot. I do believe that some eggs have a thinner shell or weak spots in the shell and are more prone to cracking with the pressure.
If this happens to you possibly try the “low” pressure instead of high pressure. You may want to increase to 6-6-5 to make sure the eggs cook through.
You can store your hard boiled eggs peeled or unpeeled. They will keep in the fridge for a week. If you do store them peeled, keep them in an airtight container. Also keep a damp paper towel over top to maintain moisture.
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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
This recipe for Chicken Noodle Soup for Kids is the perfect kid-friendly soup. It is full of flavor but not full of ingredients that kids hate. No onion, no garlic, no celery, and no green stuff! It is a homemade chicken noodle soup, with a few adjustments that make it a kid friendly dinner, perfect for your picky eaters.
It will be the dinner your kids will ask for again and again, and eat without crying.
Isn’t that what we all want, no tears at dinner.
I have the most wonderful niece, Ashley. She is the kind of girl you want your younger girls to look up to.
She is 21, however she eats like she is 8, sorry Ash♥. She likes a strict diet of carbs with a little sugar mixed in. She loves being in the kitchen and learning how to cook, which you know I love and am more than willing to show her everything I know.
So, over the Holidays I had her make my Chicken Noodle Soup recipe. She made it perfectly! I thought it would be her most favorite soup recipe ever. However, when she sat down to eat, she picked around the celery, chicken, and onions. She only wanted to eat the thick egg noodles (which, btw, are awesome), the carrots, and broth.
That got me thinking…. most kids like a soup that only has the carrots, broth, noodles, and chicken. So why not create a kid-friendly chicken soup recipe that has a good amount of flavor, and that the kids don't have to pick around the things they hate.
And so my Chicken Noodle Soup for Kids recipe was born! I hope your kids love it.
Thanks for the recipe inspo, Ashley ♥
Above ALL: If you love a quiet night and a peaceful dinner, for the love of God use the noodles that your kids like to eat! I know that all pasta tastes the same, but I don't think my kids do. If I make angel hair pasta when they want penne you would think I was trying to poison them. The struggle is real.
Noodles: In this recipe I recommend using Kluski Noodles, which are very similar to the noodles in canned chicken noodle soup, or Spaetzle Swabian Egg Noodles (I get them at Aldi and they are the BEST).
You can also use Reames frozen egg noodles, if your kids love the thick noodle and the egg-y pasta flavor (It's what my niece prefers). If you use the Reames frozen noodles, just up your cooking time to 20 minutes.
Of course you can also use a tiny star shaped pasta, called Pastina, or wagon wheels, or ditalini, whatever your kids will like and eat.
Chicken: I always recommend buying a rotisserie chicken, cutting off the two breasts and dicing them up for your soup. The chicken has a lot of flavor and it is super easy. (Don't forget to save the carcass to make This Homemade Chicken Stock)
You can also use poached chicken, roasted shredded chicken, or this All Purpose Instant Pot Chicken recipe.
Whatever chicken you use, I recommend cutting it into a small dice so your kids won't complain about large chunks of chicken! So much work for such small human beings!
First, do not even think about grabbing an onion or garlic. We may want those flavors in the soup, but we do not want our kids to KNOW that flavor is in there. So, we will add the onion and garlic flavors by using powder instead of the real thing. Sneaky! I call them “invisible ingredients”.
I hope you give this recipe for Chicken Noodle Soup for Kids a try in your kitchen.
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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
What should we eat this week? How do I make a family meal plan? Let me answer both of those questions with my free weekly meal plan including a printable grocery list!
Your family needs to eat, and the job of feeding them lands squarely on your shoulders.
The key to making this job easy is MEAL PLANNING!
Plan all your meals for the week, write out your grocery list, and then head to the store to buy the groceries. Sounds easy enough, but I think a lot of us just end up at the grocery store buying the same things week after week, and then we get home and say “I have nothing to cook for dinner!”
Prevent this from happening now! Sign up for the Mom’s Dinner Newsletter and have my Weekly Menu Plan and Printable Grocery List delivered to your email every Friday morning. Cross off the groceries you already have in your kitchen and head to the store completely prepared!
Instant Pot Hamburger Soup is an easy and fast instant pot dinner recipe, that only cooks for 4 minutes! This is a healthy soup recipe that is full of veggies and protein and can be easily put together on a busy weeknight.
I can always use a few more veggies in my diet, especially in the winter when all I want to eat is carbs and cheese. Right!?
This is a healthier instant pot soup that you can add to your dinner rotation. It is full of veggies and protein, and if you use lean ground beef (90/10) it is even healthier.
Leftovers also make an amazing lunch.
This recipe is so easy that you really do not need to make it ahead. But, I will say that it gets even more flavorful with time, just like chili.
But, there are weeks where it’s hard to get an “easy” dinner on the table, I know from experience. So this is a great soup to throw together on the weekend and pop in the fridge for those crazy busy nights. It would also make a great lunch to take to work, or put in a thermos to send to school with your kids.
I love my Instant Pot and the pot I use and recommend is the Instant Pot Duo Plus 60 6 quart 9-in-1, the main reason I love this pot is because of the size, 6 quart. I don’t think I will ever get around to using all 9 features, but they are there if I need them.
For this reason I also recommend the Instant Pot 6 quart 7-in-1, it’s a little less expensive, and it still gives you the 6 quart size.
Are you ready for this…
You will only be setting the Instant Pot for 4 minutes, just like this Sweet Potato Quinoa Chili and Creamy Potato Soup. I love a fast and easy dinner recipe!
First, set your Instant Pot to sauté mode and soften the onions and garlic in the olive oil for about 3 minutes.
Now add the ground beef and slightly brown the beef for about 5 minutes. Drain as much of the fat and grease as you can from the pot before moving on.
Turn the sauté mode off and add the Worcestershire sauce, potatoes, salt, pepper, optional rosemary, beef base, tomato paste and beef broth. Give it a stir to “melt” the beef base and tomato paste into the broth.
Pop the lid on and make sure that the pressure valve is set to “seal”. Set the Instant Pot to manual pressure mode, on high, for 4 minutes. Only 4 minutes!!!
Do a quick release of the pressure.
Next, add the diced tomatoes and mixed frozen vegetables. Give the soup a few good stirs to combine everything.
The heat of the pot will thaw the frozen vegetables. I love adding the veggies last because they keep a little bit of their crunch, and cool the incredibly hot soup just a tad.
Since this soup already has a ton of veggies and protein we don’t always add a side dish. But some nice crusty ciabatta warmed in the oven would go great with this soup!
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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
If you love having soup for dinner, especially on cold fall and winter nights, check out the complete list of Mom’s Dinner Soup Recipes!
If you want the TRUE and CLASSIC recipe for Seasoned Oyster Crackers this is it. It is the same recipe you will find in your Mother's recipe book or that old tattered church cookbook. No need to update a classic like Ranch Oyster Crackers, they are perfect as is. Simply made with oyster crackers, ranch dressing packet, oil, seasonings and dried dill. They only take about 5 minutes to throw together, and 15 minutes to bake. They are tangy, herby, crunchy and addictive!
They are also known as Ranch Oyster Crackers, Garlic Oyster Crackers, or Dill Oyster Crackers.
Just like candy corn mix, this seasoned cracker recipe is a great homemade snack that your kids will love. Don’t all kids LOVE ranch dressing!?
Some compare these seasoned crackers to Gardetto’s or Chex Mix.
This is the CLASSIC recipe for Ranch Oyster Crackers – no tinkering with the recipe on this one.
They are an irresistible crunchy snack that is great to have around, especially at the Holidays.
The combo of Ranch flavor and extra dill is so delicious.
They are a pretty easy "homemade" snack to make.
The origin of the name Oyster Cracker is still unclear. But, it could be because they were used in oyster stew or clam chowder, or that they are a similar shape to an oyster or clam shell (kind of).
Traditionally Oyster Crackers are used as a soup cracker. We love to eat them in Chicken Noodle Soup or Chili.
You can find them near the saltine crackers in your local grocery store. They are usually sold in 9 oz. bags.
Oyster Crackers – little round shaped saltine crackers that are perfect for snacking. Read more about them in the above section. You can find them near the saltine crackers in the grocery store.
Oil – we use a vegetable oil, canola oil, or olive oil here. These are neutral oils that won’t change the flavor of your Ranch Oyster Crackers. I would avoid extra virgin olive oil as it has a little too strong of flavor for this recipe.
The oil also helps the seasoning stick to the crackers and encourages browning on the crackers, making them nice and crispy!
Ranch Seasonings Packet – You will want to buy the Seasonings packet… there may be a few options at the store. We have also found that Hidden Valley has the most preferred flavor.
Dried Dill, Garlic Powder, and Celery Salt – all herbs and seasonings you will find in your spice cabinet. These pack a punch of flavor for your Seasoned Oyster Crackers.
This is a super simple seasoned cracker recipe! These are just an overview of the steps, for further instruction head to the recipe card below.
In a large bowl combine the oil, Ranch seasoning and herbs/seasonings.
Pour in the oyster crackers and toss to coat with the seasoning mixture.
Pour the seasoned crackers onto a rimmed baking sheet. Bake the crackers at 250°F for 15 minutes, tossing half way through.
Remove from the oven and toss one more time. Let them cool for about 15 minutes. Time to snack!
Your Dill & Ranch Oyster Crackers should stay fresh for a week in an airtight container on the counter (room temp). However, they are best eaten fresh or within a day or two.
This recipe for Seasoned Oyster Crackers is intended as more of a snack or appetizer. It’s excellent to make around the holidays. Have bowls in the kitchen and living room or on the bar for people to snack on.
The are super tasty added to a bowl of soup… either IN the soup or on the side!
They are wonderful added to a meat and cheese appetizer tray (charcuterie board or kids charcuterie board), or set on a bar or kitchen table for a cocktail party.
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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
If you are looking for one of the BEST Instant Pot Potato Soup recipes, then keep reading (or jump to the recipe). This Instant Pot Soup is made in a flash in your pressure cooker (you will only be setting your IP for 4 minutes) and it is full of flavor. It has a thick and creamy broth combined with tender chunks of potatoes.
This potato soup recipe is made without using cream cheese. Instead, it is thickened with a combo of Greek yogurt and instant potato flakes. I know, I know… instant potato flakes, ewwww! But stick with me, I would never use them to make mashed potatoes, but they are a perfect thickener in potato soup!!
RELATED: You might also like this recipe for Red Potato Soup, Creamy Potato Leek Soup, or Instant Pot Zuppa Toscana.
I use the Instant Pot Duo 60 6 quart 9-in-1, it is big enough to make larger recipes, yet small enough to store. However, I don’t know that I will ever use all 9 functions, but they are there if I need them. I also recommend the Instant Pot Duo 6 quart 7-in-1.
Creamy recipes are kind of a no-no when it comes to your Instant Pot. The heating element and the pressure can creates a burn environment for anything creamy or cheesy.
However, in this recipe the main items that “cook” in the pressure cooker are just onions, potatoes, seasonings and broth. All the delicious creamy ingredients are added after the potatoes are cooked.
This recipe is full of simple ingredients, but combined they pack a punch of flavor!
Onion & Garlic – don’t all good dinner recipes start with onions and garlic?! These two ingredients start the flavor base for this potato soup.
Russet Potatoes – these are a good choice for potato soup (unless you are making red potato soup). They are starchy and hold up to the pressure of the Instant Pot. They make the creamiest potato soup.
Chicken Base – this is one of the secret ingredients of REALLY REALLY good soup (just like this Five Star Chicken Noodle Soup). It is like the grown up version of bouillon. You will find it in the soup aisle at the grocery store and it comes in a paste form, in a tub or jar.
Our preferred brand of chicken base is Better Than Bouillon brand.
Chicken Stock or Broth – this is the cooking liquid for your Instant Pot Potato Soup. Choosing a stock will be more flavorful than a broth. If you have a leftover chicken, you can make your own stock in the Instant Pot!
Potato Flakes (Instant Mashed Potatoes)- stay with me…don’t turn your nose up at the potato flakes!! Of course we are not making mashed potatoes with them. But I have found that they definitely have a place in my kitchen to thicken potato soup to perfection!
Potato Flakes Pro Tip: I do find there is a quality difference in Potato Flakes, so if you can, buy a better brand, like Idahoan. I like to buy the original or butter flavor potato flakes. You can experiment with fun flavors like garlic or applewood smoked bacon, but I have not tried those so I cannot give any advice on using them.
Seasonings – a mix of bay leaf, onion powder, garlic powder, Lawry’s and black pepper add to the layers of flavor.
Half & Half and Greek Yogurt- add this at the end to perfectly thicken your potato soup and make it nice and creamy.
This is a super easy Creamy Potato Soup recipe. It will be ready in a flash. Let’s get started:
Peel your russet potatoes and cut them into large chunks (about 1 ½ – 2 inch). Chop the onion into a small dice, and mince the garlic.
With your Instant Pot on sauté mode, soften the onions and garlic in the olive oil for about 5 minutes. Then stir in the spices, seasonings, chicken base, and broth. Now turn off the sauté mode.
Time to add the cubed potatoes. Give it a little stir.
Pop the lid on, and lock the pressure vent to the seal position. Set the pot to manual mode (pressure cooker), on high, for 4 minutes. I know, 4 minutes! It’s crazy!
Do a quick release of pressure. Remove the bay leaf so nobody has to crunch thru it (I’ve also heard they are poison if you actually eat the leaf, that can’t be true, can it???).
Using the back of a spoon (or an immersion blender) lightly break up some of the larger pieces of potato to give the soup good texture. Now, slowly stir in the potato flakes.
Finally, stir in the half & half and the Greek yogurt. Let the soup cool for about 5 minutes. This will give the potato flakes time to absorb the liquid and thicken slightly.
Taste the Instant Pot Potato Soup for additional seasoning, then serve!
This Creamy Instant Pot Potato Soup is amazing on it’s own, but I know everyone LOVES to load their potato soup with extra flavors and toppings.
Here are a few ideas on what toppings to serve with your potato soup:
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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
