Sometimes you feel like a nut, sometimes you don’t. Almond Joy’s got nuts, Mounds don’t.
Anyone remember that jingle?!
For this recipe I felt like a nut, because I love that salty almond flavor in my No Bake Almond Joy Cookies!
[Read more…]This is a delicious and easy recipe for Instant Pot Chicken & Rice Soup. So simple that it makes a perfect weeknight dinner. This Instant Pot soup recipe has a flavorful broth with tender pieces of chicken and wild rice blend. Cream of mushroom soup and milk are added at the end to make it nice and creamy.
If you love a soup with wild rice blend also check out this Instant Pot Creamy Wild Rice Soup.
Just a few simple ingredients come together to make this delicious soup recipe. Here are some tips on a few ingredients:
Wild Rice Blend – You will want to use a wild rice blend, not true wild rice. The recipe is written to cook this type of rice. A true wild rice takes much longer to cook. We really like the Royal Blend Rice Blend – see the photo below.
Chicken – You will want to use boneless skinless chicken breasts for this Instant Pot Chicken and Wild Rice Soup recipe. As always I recommend using an air chilled chicken as it is really good quality and consistent texture.
The nice thing is you can use fresh or frozen chicken for this recipe!
Chicken Base – This ingredient makes all the difference. It adds amazing chicken flavor to the broth. You can find it in the soup aisle at the grocery store. It is a paste form and comes in a jar or tub. We prefer the “Better Than Bouillon” Brand.
Turmeric – This is an ingredient that is also added to this AMAZING Homestyle Chicken Noodle Soup (highly recommend you check it out!!!). The turmeric adds a nice earthy depth of flavor. It also is considered an anti-inflammatory, especially when eaten with black pepper.
This recipe is pretty simple to make thanks to the Instant Pot!
This is not an entertaining recipe, just a great weeknight family dinner recipe. But, it does make an excellent soup for a meal train!
Since this soup recipe already has your starch, protein, and veggies I would keep any side dishes simple.
A raw veggie tray with dip or green side salad and saltine crackers or warm ciabatta or sour dough complete this meal perfectly.
If you love making soup in your Instant Pot, save some of these recipes for dinner tomorrow night:
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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
Scotcheroos are a classic midwestern sweet treat made with a base of chewy peanut butter Rice Krispy treats that are topped with a creamy chocolate and butterscotch spread. If you need a no-bake dessert that EVERYONE will absolutely love, this Scotcheroo recipe is it!
If the classic peanut butter and chocolate combo is your fave you will definitely also want to check out these peanut butter cups, chocolate star peanut butter cookies, and buckeye balls.
If butterscotch is your jam, you will also want to check out this Warm Homemade Butterscotch Pudding. YUM!
Scotcheroos are a peanut butter Rice Krispy treat topped with a chocolate and butterscotch. It is a dessert or treat that you will commonly find in the Midwest.
The name Scotcheroo comes from one of the ingredients- butterscotch chips that are melted with chocolate chips and spread across the top. They were originally printed on the back of a box of Rice Krispies in the 1960’s.
They are made by mixing puffed rice cereal with a melted mixture of sugar, corn syrup, and peanut butter. It is then topped with a mix of melted chocolate chips and butterscotch chips. The bars are cut in squares and served as dessert.
You only need 6 ingredients to make these bars; 4 for the actual bars and 2 for the topping.
If you have a well stocked baking cabinet and pantry you may have everything you need to make Scotcheroos!
There are two options when making this recipe; having a lot of thinner bars using a 9×13 pan, or really thick and chewy bars using a 9×9 pan.
The Scotcheroos pictured in this post were made in a 9×13 pan.
These will be a SUPER sweet dessert, so you may want to cut them into much smaller squares than you would with traditional Rice Krispie Treats.
If you are not a master baker then this is a super easy dessert bar to make. They make a great dessert for pot lucks, holidays, or gift giving (everyone loves a Scotcheroo). It would also be a great dessert to take for a Meal Train.
To make Scotcheroos combine the light corn syrup and sugar together in a sauce pan over low- medium/low heat.
Pro Tip: DO NOT LET YOUR SUGAR MIXTURE BOIL OR YOUR BARS WILL BE HARD AS ROCKS!!
Let the sugar mixture warm on the stove top for a few minutes until the sugar dissolves. Off the heat stir in the peanut butter.
Slowly stir in the puffed rice cereal by stirring in a cup at a time.
Prepare a 9×13 pan by greasing with vegetable oil or non stick spray.
With clean hands press the rice puffed mixture evenly into the the prepared pan.
Pro Tip:ย wet yourย hands to press the mixture into the pan. By using wet hands the sticky cereal mixture will not stick to your hands.
While the cereal mixture cools, melt the chocolate chips and butterscotch chips together in a sauce pan over medium low heat, stirring constantly.
Spread the chocolate mixture over the bars.
If you wait an hour or two the chocolate will firm up.
Note: these are pretty rich, so I recommend cutting them in smaller squares than shown here. Cutting them into 20 squares makes a good size.
Store your Scotcheroos at room temp, covered for up to a week. But they will not last that long, promise!
You can freeze your Scotcheroos as a block or cut into squares. Wrap in plastic wrap and foil or place in a freezer safe container. Keep for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temp before eating.
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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
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Nope, you didn’t read that wrong…this is a recipe for Chicken & Stuffing with Gravy ALL made in the Instant Pot! Every bit of it!
And just because it is made in the Instant Pot does not mean that you are missing ANY flavor. In fact, this Instant Pot chicken gravy is some of the best gravy that I have ever had.
I wouldn’t joke about gravy, people!
You should also pop over and check out the rest of my Thanksgiving recipes!
[Read more…]Indulgent Marshmallow Cinnamon Buns are a sweet treat that is similar to a cinnamon roll but are extra indulgent. You may have also heard them called Empty Tomb Rolls for Easter.
A store bought crescent roll is wrapped around a cinnamon sugared marshmallow and when it bakes the marshmallow melts and leaves the cinnamon bun hallow with a sticky bottom. The inside is full of delicious cinnamon and sugar. Then you drizzle the outside with a powder sugar glaze that takes it right over the top!
This little treat would make a great addition to a breakfast or brunch buffet. Just add these Banana Bread Muffins and Morning Glory Muffins for a perfect assorted pastry basket.
They would also go GREAT with Classic Chili for a perfect fall or winter dinner!
If you have a well stocked spice and baking cabinet then you are half way to making this recipe!
This is a pretty easy recipe especially because you use store-bought crescent dough, which makes the recipe easy enough for the kids to help.
My daughter helped make this batch. Here are some tasks the kids can help with:
Preheat the oven to 375 and grab a count muffin tin.
In a small bowl melt the butter in the microwave. In a separate bowl combine the cinnamon and sugar.
Gently roll each marshmallow in the melted butter and then in the cinnamon sugar mixture.
Wrap the crescent roll around the marshmallow making sure to pinch all the seams closed. This does not have to look pretty… just make sure the seams are sealed or the marshmallow will seep out of the seams.
After the marshmallows are wrapped in the dough, drizzle the crescent with a little butter and then sprinkle with cinnamon sugar.
Place the buns in the greased muffin tin cups.
Bake for 10-13 minutes until they are golden brown.
While they cook make the Powder Sugar Glaze: Simply mix together a ยฝ cup of powder sugar and 1 tablespoon of milk or water.
Once the Cinnamon Buns come out the oven let them cool for about 5 minutes. Then remove them from the muffin tin. You may have to run a knife around the edge to get them out, especially if the marshmallows seeped out of the sides.
Place on a cooling rack or on parchment paper and drizzle with the Powder Sugar Glaze.
They are best eaten right away, or within a day or two.
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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
Another sheet pan dinner to keep your meal time easy! This delicious dinner comes together in 30 minutes and cooks up on one sheet pan.
Healthy boneless skinless chicken breasts, peppers, onion, tomatoes, and pinto beans are baked in the oven and then drizzled with a delicious cilantro lime vinaigrette.
This is a super versatile dinner. You can serve it as is with some chips and guacamole on the side, or scoop the chicken and veggies into flour tortillas and top with all your favorite burrito toppings: sour cream, avocado, salsa, hot sauce, or cheese.
[Read more…]You can turn canned refried beans into a great side dish perfect for any Mexican Dinner! This recipe is the perfect mixture of a can of refried beans combined with the texture of canned whole pinto beans, seasoned with garlic, onions, sour cream and Mexican spices. Top all that off with some gooey cheese and you have a perfect Mexican side dish.
The truly great thing is that once all the ingredients are mixed together it bakes up in just 15 minutes! Gives you more time to mix up Margaritas and relax!
This recipe for Mexican Refried Beans makes a great side dish for burritos, tacos, or enchiladas… all your favorite Mexican Dinners. You can also add some Mexican Rice to complete the dinner.
RELATED: Instant Pot Refried Beans
Just a few simple ingredients from your pantry and spice cabinet, plus some cheese and sour cream and you have an amazing refried bean side dish.
Onion- In most Mexican recipes we prefer to use white onion. Any onion will work, but the flavor of white onion is most traditional.
If you like a crunchier onion in your beans you can skip the sauteing.
Cheese – use any cheese you have on hand in this recipe. Fresh shredded cheese from a block will melt up creamier, but pre-shredded will still work. If you like a little spice you can choose to use pepper jack!
Pinto Beans – You will be using two kinds of pinot beans; refried beans and whole pinto beans. More on buying canned refried beans in the section below.
Refried beans are traditionally whole pinto beans that are cooked soft and then pureed or smashed into a creamy texture. They are a staple in Mexican and Tex-Mex Cooking. However, recipes vary quite a bit from home to home and by region.
In this recipe we are taking advantage of the canned refried beans at the grocery store.
PRO TIP: I do recommend that you DO buy the traditional refried beans, not the fat free refried beans. The traditional ones have a much creamier consistency! The fat free beans can tend to be dry.
This is a super simple recipe to put together. Buying canned refried beans and whole pinto beans cuts down on cooking time considerably!
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees, and grab a small baking dish, like an 8×8 or 9×9.
In a small frying pan sautรฉ the chopped onion and garlic in ยฝ tablespoon of oil, just until they are softened, about 4 minutes.
(If you like a crunchy onions in your beans you can skip the sautรฉing step)
Meanwhile, stir together the canned refried beans, the drained and rinsed whole pinto beans, sour cream, and all the seasonings.
When the onions and garlic are ready stir them in as well.
If you like a kick or heat or vinegar add a couple dashes of Tabasco or your favorite hot sauce. It gives it a little vinegar tang and great flavor! But, it’s totally optional. But also you should do it.
Pour the bean mixture into your baking dish.
Sprinkle the top with your preferred cheese (I like pepper jack or colby jack). Cover the pan with foil and pop it into the oven with the timer set for 10 minutes.
Pro Tip: Spray the underside of your foil with non-stick spray so the cheese doesn’t cook to the foil.
Then remove the foil and bake another 5 minutes.
Garnish with cilantro and diced tomatoes if you are feeling fancy.
They are ready to eat as soon as they come out of the oven!
Here are a few ideas on how you can change up this Canned Refried Bean recipe to suit your taste buds:
Refried Beans are a traditional side dish served to accompany a dinner. They are also traditionally served with a Mexican Rice on the side (or try this Instant Pot Mexican Rice). Here are some favorite Mexican Main Dishes to check out:
You can also serve this refried bean recipe as a dip with some tortilla chips along side some salsa and guacamole. I would recommend smashing some of the whole pinto beans with a potato masher to serve it as a dip.
Of course Refried Beans and Mexican Rice are traditional Mexican side dishes, here are some more to add to your dinner:
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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
Tequila is one of my go-to mixers when I want to have a cocktail. I like the salty flavor of tequila, I love a shot of tequila followed by salt and a lime, and I love a tequila mixed drink. However I don’t always love a super sweet drink, like a margarita.
That is one reason I really love this recipe for Rosemary Palomas. It has the salty tequila flavor that I love, mixed with a tart grapefruit juice and just a hint of sweetness from the rosemary infused Triple Sec.
The rosemary flavor in this cocktail is just a hint of piney earthiness. It has just the right amount of rosemary flavor to compliment the salty tequila and tart grapefruit.
[Read more…]Chicken Pot Roast?! What!? Yes! You are going to love it. This is a savory dish, just like Beef Pot Roast, but here you are using chicken thighs and slow braising them in a pot with carrots, potatoes, mushrooms and turnips, all in a savory creamy gravy that is seasoned perfectly with garlic, rosemary, and bay leaves. Then it is served in bowls topped with crispy French fried onions!
Chicken Pot Roast is the comfort food you want on a cold fall or winter night, at a Sunday family dinner, or when you are entertaining family and friends.
If you love a chicken dinner, definitely check out all the chicken recipes on Mom’s Dinner, there are over 50 amazing recipes.
The term “pot roast” actually means a piece of meat that is cooked slowly in a covered pot. So, yep, Chicken Pot Roast is a thing and it is delicious.
I have seen some recipes online that consider Roasted Whole Chicken the same thing as Chicken Pot Roast. Here at Mom’s Dinner these are two totally different things! See below:
Even though the ingredient list is a little long for this Chicken Pot Roast recipe, it is full of simple ingredients that are easy to find. You may even have quite a few of them in your kitchen already:
When you cut and process all your veggies, try to cut them all about the same size, around 1 ยฝ inches thick.
Start by preheating the oven to 300 degrees.
Pro Tip: you are processing a lot of veggies in this recipe, you can save scraps, peelings and stems in the freezer and use them for this Instant Pot Chicken Stock!
In a large Dutch Oven slightly brown the chicken thigh pieces in oil over medium heat, about 3-4 minutes. They do not need to be cooked thru just browned on the outside.
Remove the chicken from the pot and set aside.
Melt the butter in the pot and then sprinkle the flour into the butter, whisk or stir them together, creating a roux.
Roux (pronounced Roo): a mixture of fat, especially butter, and flour used in making thick sauces an thickening liquids.
Pour the chicken stock into the roux and whisk it together, making sure it is smooth. Let the broth simmer for about 5-10 minutes, until it starts to thicken a little. Turn the heat off and stir in the salt, pepper, dried basil, heavy cream, rosemary sprigs, and bay leaves.
Add all the cut veggies and the chicken back to the pot. Give it a good stir, pop the lid on, and put it in the oven for 90 minutes.
It will thicken as it cooks and the chicken and veggies become perfectly tender.
While the Chicken Pot Roast cools you can crisp up some French fried onions for garnish. You can find them in the grocery store, usually in the soup aisle. They are commonly used to top green beans casserole.
On a sheet pan scatter the store bought French fried onions and pop them in the 300 degree oven for 4-5 minutes until they are golden and crisp. Serve these in a bowl on the table so everyone can garnish their own Chicken Pot Roast.
If you are serving this on a weeknight I would honestly consider this a one pot meal and just serve it with warm bread or rolls, no side dishes. It has your protein, vegetable, and starch, and it is super filling!
If you are entertaining or having Chicken Pot Roast for Sunday dinner then this would be a great menu:
If you love a classic roast dinner you are in the right place! You will love any of these recipes:
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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
We all love an easy dinner and we all want healthy dinners that taste great. Right!?
I’ve got you covered with this one pan recipe, Healthy BBQ Chicken Sheet Pan Dinner. It has tender chicken thighs roasted together with sweet potatoes, onions, brussel sprouts, and carrots.
After the veggies and chicken are roasted in the oven you drizzle everything with a homemade BBQ Vinaigrette that is out of this world.
We’ve all been there. Your neighbor is sick. A mom friend just had a baby. A family just lost their Father. It’s in times like these that communities come together to take care of each other. Provide support, provide a meal, and simply be there to help.
I remember when I had just had my first baby I wanted to tell everyone, if you are coming over to see the baby please bring FOOD! It was one job that I just couldn’t wrap my mind around with a newborn.
The thought of cooking a meal for my family was just too overwhelming. But we all needed to eat, right!? Especially if you are caring and nursing a newborn around the clock.
A great way to provide support to our friends and neighbors in need, in an ongoing and organized way, is by setting up a meal train.
If you are not familiar with mealtrain.com it is a web site that allows you to create an online meal sign up for a family or person in need. You then email that sign up out to all the people that would like to help the family. Everyone signs up for a particular day to bring a dinner.
The family receiving the meals can even note on mealtrain.com if they have allergies, how many people you should plan on feeding, and if they have strong food aversions or picky eaters (for example that would be fish and seafood for me).
The other nice feature of using meatrain.com is that you can space it out so the family doesn’t have a fridge full of food one day and nothing the next week. You can also see what other people are bringing, so the family doesn’t end up with lasagna three nights in a row!
Let’s get one two things straight:
If you are taking a meal it is nice to attach a note letting them know that you are thinking of them. On this note card you can also date the meal, give them cooking instructions & temps, or reheating instructions.
If you are paralyzed by the idea of making a dinner for another family then you are in the right place. Here are 10 dinner ideas for that meal train you want to sign up for.
These are recipes that travel well, reheat perfectly, and will be enjoyed by the entire family:
If you know the family is not going to eat these chicken or beef tacos the night you are bringing it, no problem.
Simply mix all the ingredients in a disposable foil baking pan and cover, uncooked. Make sure to write out the baking instructions for them.
This is a super easy option if you are short on time!
This cheesy potato casserole makes quite a bit, so you could even make it in two smaller pans and have one for your family and one to take to the meal train family.
If the family is not going to eat this dinner right away, simply mix the cheesy potato casserole and place in a disposable foil pan, uncooked. Then write out the baking time and instructions.
Buy a Rotisserie Chicken and cut the two breasts into slices, and remove the legs. Place all the pieces in a pan for easier serving.
We all know Chili tastes better with time. So this is a great dinner for a meal train!
If the family doesn’t get to it right away, no problem!
This is comfort food at it’s finest. This is exactly what I would want if I had a meal train being delivered to my house. A carb-full casserole, with veggies and chicken!
Make sure you vent the pan when you take it to the family. You do not want the noodles to over cook during travel time! Or it can be prepped ahead and baked at their home.
Breakfast for dinner is always a winner at my house! These Make Ahead Egg Cups are great to take for a meal train because you can make them ahead, pop them in the fridge and then reheat them before you take them to the family, or send them refrigerated with reheating instructions (which are included in my recipe).
If you are taking these to a house with kids they are easily made kid-friendly. Simply pull some of the sausage out of the skillet before adding the spinach. I know my kids can be finicky about green stuff in their food. Then you can make a few cups that only have sausage, egg, and cheese in them.
This is a little more labor intensive meal. It is great to make if you have a little extra time or are taking dinner on the weekend.
You can take this hot and ready to eat, or prep the lasagna roll ups in the pan and cover with foil, uncooked, and send the dish with cooking instructions.
To make this option vegetarian simply replace the sausage with frozen spinach that has been thawed and completely pressed and drained of it’s liquid.
These truly are My Favorite Chicken Enchiladas. This is a great option for a meal train because I have yet to hear a bad review on this recipe!
Don’t most people love Mexican food!? Maybe it’s just the people I choose to surround myself with?
Chicken Noodle Soup always makes you feel better. It is what our Mom’s gave us when we were sick!
This is another recipe that gets better with time. However, it can also tend to thicken as it sits in the fridge. So, I would recommend sending reheating instructions, they may want to add ยฝ cup of water or chicken broth to the soup to reconstitute.
This is also a meal that I consider a one pot dinner. I wouldn’t send a lot of extra side dishes with this. It is pretty filling on it’s own. I will recommend some other items to send to fill the box.
This is a great freezer friendly option if you are taking dinner to a family that will not eat the food for a week or two. There are freezing tips as well as reheating tips in this post.
I think this is also a great option if there are kids in the family.
This Baked Penne with Sausage is also a great freezer friendly option!
Do not think that because you signed up for the meal train that it has to be some show stopping home-made-with-love type of meal. Most of the families that are receiving a meal train just need the FOOD!
So if you are short on time or feel completely out of place in the kitchen, just grab take out from your favorite restaurant or a gift card to a restaurant near the families house. They will feel your love no matter what you show up with… as long as they can easily eat.
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Skillet Dirty Rice & Beans is a super easy skillet dinner, made in one pan. The rice is cooked with warm aromatics like onions, garlic, Cajun seasoning, and smoked paprika. Then you add diced tomatoes, chicken broth, and smoked beef sausage. Finally the kidney beans get added and you are left with a delicious dinner that is cooks in under 30 minutes, without a watchful eye.
This is not a spicy dish, it is simply full of warm and comforting flavors. Of course, you can make it spicy by adding extra red pepper flakes or cayenne pepper.
[feast_advanced_jump_to]I love a one pan dinner. There is nothing better than finishing dinner and only having one pan to wash.
This one skillet dinner is great on a night when you are busy and just want to be able to throw dinner in a pot and get on with your night.
Some of our other favorite one pan dinners are:
I actually had to look this up when I thought about this recipe. So I thought I would provide the information right here on Mom’s Dinner.
What I found is that Dirty Rice is called dirty because when white rice is cooked with all the Cajun and Creole spices the rice takes on a dirty appearance. Makes sense!
I like to use Louisiana Fish Fry Cajun Seasoning in this recipe.. and all my Cajun style recipes. It has a great mix of spices and salt.
Now if you choose to use a different Cajun seasoning check and see if it contains salt. If it does not, add a little less than ยฝ teaspoon of salt when you add the other seasonings to the onion-sausage mixture. Then wait to taste for additional salt at the end.
This is a great set it and forget it recipe. Once all the ingredients are in the pot you have about 20-25 minutes to leave the kitchen and get other things done.
4. Pour the chicken broth and tomatoes into the skillet and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Now add the rice and bring the heat up to medium high and let the liquid come to a hard simmer.
5. Lower the heat to low and pop the lid on. Simmer on low for 18-20 minutes.
6. Remove the pot from the heat and let it sit, with the lid on for 5 minutes.
7. Stir in the kidney beans and it is time to eat!
Sautรฉ the onions first until they begin to soften, then wait to add the garlic so it has a more pronounced flavor.
Choose the sausage link flavor that you like – smoked beef sausage or Cajun style Andouille.
Use the Cajun seasoning that you love. If you use one that doesn't include salt, add a little to taste.
If you use a rice other than long grain white rice, use the rice cooking time on your packaging.
This Sausage Beans and Rice is a pretty complete meal on it's own, so don't feel bad if you serve it without sides! But if you want to add some dishes, here are some great ideas:
Leftover Cajun Beans and Rice store really well! It makes a great leftover lunch. Keep in the fridge in a covered container for up to 5 days. Reheat in the microwave or in a skillet with a little broth or water.
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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
