Shelly's Easy And Moist Meatloaf

Do you ever crave a hearty home cooked meatloaf dinner? I never used to be a huge fan of meatloaf, because it always seemed to come out too dry or rubbery in texture. That has changed since I have played around with recipes over the years and finally perfected it. My recipe is easy since you will probably have most of the ingredients on hand.

Shelly’s Easy and Moist Meatloaf

• 2- 2 ½ pounds ground beef (chuck)
• 1 medium onion finely diced
• 4 cloves of garlic minced finely
• Fresh herbs (I use basil, parsley, thyme, and rosemary. You don’t need a lot, like a sprig of each, and use what you prefer) 
• Finely diced jalapeno to taste (like half of a small one with seeds removed)
• 2 slices of white bread (torn into tiny bits)
• ½ cup milk
• Dry seasonings of your choice (Cajun seasoning, salt, pepper, garlic powder, etc) Here are my favorites
• A few dashes of steak sauce (optional)
• A few dashes of hot sauce (optional)
• ½ cup Ketchup

Heat oven to 350 degrees. I like to lightly saute the onion and garlic in a tiny bit of olive oil first, then add jalapeno and herbs. Empty on to small plate and set aside to cool down for 5 minutes. In large bowl, add ground beef, seasonings, sauteed veggies, bread crumbs, and milk. Mix everything together by hand and form into loaf shape, and place into loaf pan. Cover the top with ketchup. Bake uncovered for 50 minutes. Remove from oven and let sit about 15 minutes before slicing.

Tips: You can line loaf pan with parchment paper for easier removal and cleanup.
Be sure you do not overcook or you will not have a juicy meatloaf.

This delicious meatloaf goes nicely with traditional mashed potatoes, or mashed cinnamon brown sugar sweet potatoes, and fresh green beans or asparagus. Oh, and the leftovers make the most scrumptious sandwich the next day!

Check out these other delicious recipes:

• Small Batch Homemade Mac & Cheese
• Perfect Potato Salad
• Southern Caviar

Enjoy, and thank you for stopping by.

All About Butter

If you are going to be cooking and baking this holidays season using real butter, you should take a look at this helpful infographic. You can also read more here regarding butter grades and standards. 

How To Prevent Your Turkey From Looking Pale Without Overcooking It

We've all seen it all over social media. The curse of the pale turkey. It's not pretty at all. I admit that I panic every year when it comes to roasting a turkey. I have finally gotten a good handle on how to bake it to the perfect crisp, golden brown while making sure it's super juicy, and fully cooked.

This post contains affiliate links. We will receive a small commission off of any sales made.

My first bit of advice it to ditch the baking bags or aluminum foil to cover the entire bird. Using either of those steams your turkey, and sometimes makes for a chewy, rubbery texture. The entire process really comes down to using the correct oven temperature, as well as baking your turkey with an oven-safe meat thermometer.

Here is the simple breakdown of what I do 

Start with a fresh or fully thawed turkey. Remove the giblets and neck, and discard. Next,  wash the turkey with citrus juice (usually lemon or lime) inside and out. Rinse it well, and dry with paper towels. I use a heavy turkey roasting pan with a rack so that the turkey sits up higher, and the underside gets brown as well. Heat your oven to 325 degrees.

I blend together a small bowl of dry seasonings such as salt, garlic powder, Cajun seasoning, Complete seasoning, black pepper, cayenne, and a variety of dried herbs. I sprinkle the seasoning blend all over the outside of the turkey, as well as the cavity, and under the skin of the breast. I also rub some room temperature butter under the skin of the breast, and all over the bird. Next, you tuck your wings under the back, and insert your meat thermometer in the deepest part of the breast. Place your turkey on the rack breast side up, and pour one can of chicken or vegetable stock in the bottom of roasting pan. I also add some rough chopped onion and celery on bottom of roaster, and inside the cavity for extra flavor.

Now you place turkey in preheated oven and leave it for the first hour. Baste with the drippings from the bottom of pan every 30 minutes until your thermometer reaches the correct temperature for turkey which is 190 degrees. I tend to loosely cover the breast area and wings with foil to prevent over browning. For a turkey between 15-18 pounds, it should take around 3 and 3/4 to 4 hours to fully cook. When you remove your turkey from oven, cover completely with foil and let it rest for a good 15-20 minutes before carving. I use the drippings to make homemade gravy.

If you are planning to roast a turkey this holiday season, follow these directions. You will have a perfectly juicy, golden-brown masterpiece you will feel proud to serve your family and guests. I freeze the drumsticks, and wings for later use to make soup. I hope you and your family have a great holiday season! Thanks for stopping by.

Low-Carb Italian Zucchini Boats

If you are like me, you probably have about 50 links on Facebook you saved of recipe or exercise videos that caught your eye. You tell yourself you will try that amazing ab and butt workout or will bake that triple chocolate ganache brownie cake. Am I right? Of course I am! I think Facebook sends me bi-weekly reminders that tell me I have saved links to look at. 

Recently I saw a recipe floating around Facebook for Italian Stuffed Zucchini Boats and it really caught my attention. This time it was only saved for one week instead of 6 months. Today was finally the day I would try it. I followed the recipe for the most part, but tweaked it to my taste. First, here is the original recipe from Valerie's Kitchen. 

I omitted the extra flesh that was scraped out of the zucchini as well as the panko bread crumbs at the end. Also, I used a 4-cheese pasta sauce instead of marinara like the recipe stated. I put my own favorite seasonings including some extra hot pepper and let me tell you, this one is a winner! It was so full of flavor and good texture. I like the fact that you top it with the cheeses at the end so that it doesn't get too gooey or lose it's cheesiness (if that makes sense).

My husband does not like zucchini at all. He will tolerate trying one or two slices in a stir-fry, but still never actually liked it. He is currently practicing a lower carb lifestyle and I begged him to try it. He started with half of one "boat" and soon went back to the kitchen for the other half. He was so shocked that he really liked it. I was super shocked myself! I think it was because the zucchini was still pretty firm that he enjoyed it. If it was squooshy, he would not touch it. 

I did notice that if you reheat any of the leftovers that they become a whole lot softer. I think I will bake for 5-8 minutes less next time. One of my blog friends mentioned that her mother makes these with eggplant. I will definitely have to try that in the future. If you are looking for a delicious dinner idea (especially if you are doing LCHF), you must try this one!

Thanks for stopping by 💓

Easy Chicken Broccoli Casserole Recipe

If you are stuck on what to make for dinner, I have a great idea for you. I make a chicken broccoli casserole that is not only delicious, but it is super easy. My daughters love having leftovers to take to lunch the next day. This is one dish that never gets wasted, and is a great option to make for a friend or family member who could use a home-cooked meal that will last a few days.

Before I share the recipe, I wanted to mention that you can substitute some ingredients for fat-free or low-fat if you are cutting calories. It will still be just as delicious.

Easy Chicken Broccoli Casserole

Ingredients:

3 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 small can condensed cream of chicken soup
1 8-ounce container sour cream
1/2 cup mayonnaise
8 ounces shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1 tbsp lemon juice
16 ounce bag of frozen broccoli florets
3-4 cups of cooked rice
2-3 thinly sliced green onions
salt, pepper, red pepper flakes, Cajun seasoning, garlic powder, and paprika
cooking spray or butter for baking dish

Directions:

1. Place chicken breasts in pot of water with desired seasonings. Bring to a boil and cook about 25 minutes. Drain water and chop chicken in small pieces (or shred). Set aside in fridge to cool.
2. Mix soup, sour cream, mayonnaise, lemon juice, half the green onions, and half the shredded cheese. Add in chopped chicken and season to taste. Garlic powder and red pepper flakes add a nice kick. 
3. Quickly boil broccoli in salted water for 1-2 minutes and drain. 
4. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Spray or coat casserole dish with butter. Layer rice on bottom of pan evenly, then layer broccoli on top of rice. Next, layer with the creamy chicken mixture on top of broccoli layer. Top with remaining cheese, green onions, and a sprinkling of paprika. 
5. Bake uncovered for 40-45 minutes. Let it sit for about 10 minutes before serving. Enjoy! 

Tips:

• You can substitute chicken breast with chicken tenders. I find that tenders are less "stringy" and are well, more tender. 
• You can omit the green onion if you are not a fan of onions, but I like the flavor and color that it adds to the dish. 
• You do not have to use frozen broccoli. It just makes it so much easier, and is a time saver.
• The paprika is optional, but it really adds nice color and minimal flavor.
• If you want to make a casserole to share, just separate into two smaller baking dishes.  

I hope you make this recipe for your family. Let me know if you do. Thanks for stopping by.

Holiday Season Prep And Saving Money On Gifts

This is a sponsored post in partnership with CouponDash.com. All opinions are my own. 

It's so crazy to think that in a couple months, the holiday season will begin. We have a tradition every year where we go and hang out on Halloween with close family-friends and we call it our 'kick-off to the holidays'. After that it seems like we all get into go-mode and the holiday hustle and bustle gets real. There is usually so much going on for all families with school events, football season, and family gatherings.

I find myself cooking and baking a whole lot once the weather gets cooler. There is something about that autumn air that gets me in the mood to be in the kitchen even more. Last year I bought an electric pressure cooker from Amazon and it has been my go-to appliance. I have been strongly considering getting a second one since I cook multiple foods for one meal most times. This would be extremely helpful during the holiday entertaining season as well since I can only cook so many dishes at one time on a four-burner stove. I am pretty sure I will be hosting Thanksgiving, so I will have to throw around a little *hint, hint* to my husband to get me another one of these beauties. 😍

I am so happy that I have Amazon Prime so I don't worry about paying for shipping. If you don't have it, be sure to take advantage of this free 30-day trial of Prime. Aside from cooking and baking during the holidays, I stock up on off-season goods. It's amazing how much marked-down merchandise is available in stores, especially one of my favorite places, Kohl's. I love using their shopping passes and getting Kohl's cash throughout the year. I get a thrill out of buying $800 worth of merchandise for as little as $200 and sometimes, even less! Also if you don't feel like weeding through the clearance racks, you can shop online and even get free shipping. This has become my new favorite way to shop! 

The great part about clearance shopping is that some of the items can be given as gifts for the holidays. I am always down for saving money and spending as little as I can for gifts. I also like giving home baked goodies to friends and neighbors each year. They always look forward to what I send over every year. You can say that it has become a tradition! I am already looking at decorative mini loaf pans for some sort of pound cake. I know it seems so early to be thinking about all of this, but it's best to prepare early so you can fit some relaxation time in. After all, you don't want to miss out on quality time with your family and friends because you are making the mad dash at the last minute. Speaking of dash, be sure to stop by CouponDash.com for savings from tons of well-known retailers like K-Mart, Best Buy, Michaels and more. You can find pretty much any brand you are looking for and they have the coupons savings already set up for you.

Do you get ready for the holidays early? Do you have any good shopping techniques that are helpful? Please share below in the comments. Thanks for stopping by today.

Perfect Turkey Meatball Recipe

I was talking with a good blog friend of mine the other day and she was telling me how she drools when she looks at my Insta feed. I am always in the kitchen baking or cooking up something. Today I made some super simple turkey meatballs and they came out perfectly seasoned and not dry like turkey tends to get. Since I get asked for recipes all the time, I decided I better get busy and throw them on the blog as often as I can. Check out the recipe below.

Ingredients:

• One pound of ground turkey (I use the less lean variety since I don't want dry meatballs)
• finely minced onion, garlic, herbs (I use thyme, rosemary, and parsley), and jalapenos 
• 1/4 grated Parmesan cheese
• assorted dry seasonings (here are my staples) 
• Olive oil
• Cookware: a cast iron skillet or heavy skillet, tongs, spatula, flat tray lined with parchment paper

What to do:

Simply add all of the fresh ingredients into a bowl with the ground turkey. Add desired seasonings. I like to add a few shakes of red pepper flakes for added spice. Throw in the Parmesan and mix everything together with a fork. Use a spoon to help scoop even amounts of turkey and roll into balls. Place them on parchment lined tray as you roll. Place tray in freezer for about 5-10 minutes so they can firm up a bit. Heat skillet on medium-high and add a few tablespoons of olive oil. Gently, but quickly place meatballs in hot skillet and let them start browning without moving them for a few minutes. Carefully use tongs to flip them. If they start to fall apart, you can use a spatula to help keep them together. Let them get brown and crispy all over. That's it! 

I like to serve these meatballs with sides like smashed sweet potatoes, regular mashed potatoes, asparagus, broccoli, or any vegetable my family likes. You can also add them in your favorite pasta sauce for spaghetti and meatballs, or eat them as is. They are the perfect protein-packed snack! 

I hope you will try this recipe soon. Thanks for stopping by xo 

$20 Little Big Meals From The Fresh Market

Cook up convenience with The Fresh Market’s grab-and-go “Little Big Meal” program. The specialty grocer makes dining at home delicious and affordable with inspiring meal solutions each week.

The Fresh Market is a specialty grocer focused on providing fresh, delicious food with friendly service in a warm and inviting atmosphere. From seasonally fresh produce to exceptional quality meat and seafood, signature baked goods and thousands of organic options; The Fresh Market is dedicated to offering guests the most delicious ingredients and inspiring meal solutions.

WHAT/WHEN: The Fresh Market is taking the guesswork out of preparing a deliciously different meal each week with its “Little Big Meal” program.  Available at all of the grocer’s 174 stores nationwide, the grab-and-go meals offer satisfying solutions to the perennial “What’s for dinner?” question.  Guests may simply stop by the “Little Big Meal” display every day of the week to choose from a variety of fresh ingredient options to help make every day eating nothing short of extraordinary.

Each “Little Big Meal” recipe is tastefully curated with the finest quality, hand-picked ingredients of the season and offers a quick and easy wholesome meal for four – available throughout the month for $20 or less!  Guests can visit The Fresh Market any day of the week in May to pick up the below simple and delicious meals:

Now through May 9 – Fajitas ($20)
Add some sizzle to dinner time with The Fresh Market’s Fajita Little Big Meal! Choose from fresh, seasonal ingredients to tastefully master steak or veggie fajitas. Also included in the meal, guests can choose from a side of refried, Cuban or chipotle beans! For an extra twist on this foodie favorite, The Fresh Market suggests whipping up its avocado crema recipe to dollop on top (not included in the Little Big Meal; recipe available at thefreshmarket.com).

May 10-16 – Salads ($20)
Toss the traditional salad recipe out the window, and explore the fresh and delicious Little Big Meal Salads from The Fresh Market! Choose from premium ingredients to make sirloin steak salad with blue cheese and balsamic vinaigrette; shrimp and feta salad with mango coconut dressing or grilled chicken and vegetable salad with parmesan and Meyer lemon poppy seed dressing. Guests will also receive a side of sourdough rolls to top off the meal!

May 17-23 – Grilling Meal ($20)
It’s time to fire up the grill! The Fresh Market’s Grilling Little Big Meal will help guests gear up their palates for the summer season ahead with hand-picked, fresh ingredients to grill pork and chicken skewers and vegetables. To sweeten up the deal, guests can also choose between a cherry, apple, peach or blueberry pie for dessert.

May 24-30 – Burgers ($20)
The Fresh Market’s Burger Little Big Meal is packed with the fresh ingredients necessary to craft four, juicy patties on gourmet brioche buns! Choose from high-quality ingredients to make a classic burger, or a portabella burger with roasted red peppers and pesto mayo. Complete the meal with crisp corn and either macaroni or potato salad – all included for only $20!
                             
WHERE: The Fresh Market’s 174 store locations nationwide

For local store information, please visit thefreshmarket.com/your-market/store-locator.

MORE INFO: For more information on the “Little Big Meals” program, ingredients and recipe ideas, please visit thefreshmarket.com/specials/little-big-meal and follow along on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest.

Choose the Best Rice Cooker in the Modern Technology Era

Thanks to modern technology, cooking has become easier and easier, even for people who don’t actually love to cook, but want to eat healthy. One great appliance for cooking nutritious meals is the rice cooker, appreciated by many for the fact that it’s easy to use. There are a couple of requirements every buyer wants to have in its cooking appliance: simplicity, efficiency, quality materials, safety and keeping the nutritional value of their food. You can always find useful recipes on several websites, such as http://ottawamommyclub.ca/, for example. However, is rice in a Rice Cooker is the best for you?

Zojirushi NS-LAC05XT Micom 3-Cup Rice Cooker and Warmer

Among the advantages you can find on this Zojirushi appliance you can count the reasonable price, the trendy and stylish design, the multiple functions and the sturdy construction. All together make up an excellent appliance which is particularly useful if you want to cook in a modern and healthy way. You can cook enough rice for one meal, which is 3 cups full of rice.

The machine only weighs 7 pounds, so it’s quite lightweight, but it compensates through a sturdy stainless steel body. Besides the preset menu programs, you can also customize your own program depending on what you want. For example, you can use the quick cooking option if you need to cook something urgently, such as brown rice, porridge, white sushi etc.

All in all, it’s a great rice cooker, durable and portable, suitable for all kinds of needs.

Zojirushi NS-ZCC10 5-1/2-Cup (Uncooked) Neuro Fuzzy Rice Cooker and Warmer

This model is more suitable for whoever has a large family and needs to cook a lot of rice at once. In this case, a 3-cup rice cooker would prove insufficient, so you should step up the game and head over to a 5 and a half cup one. This is the case with the Zojirushi NS-ZCC10 model. Even though it looks round and quite delicate, it is in fact a very powerful machine that works as a computerized device.

There are multiple menu settings available, for example quick cooking, porridge, mixed or white sushi or browning. Moreover, you enjoy an easy to use interface that comes together with an LCD display, digital controls and a panel you can program. There is even a delay timer setting, all for your convenience. The pot holds 1 liter of water, and it measures 14x8x10 inches in size. It weighs 8.5 pounds, so it’s quite manageable.

Aroma Housewares ARC-914SBD Cooked 8-Cup Digital Rice Cooker

Perhaps the most attractive thing about this Aroma appliance is the fact that it has a competitive price. It’s a lot cheaper than many other rivals on the market, plus it offers an amazing, versatile and durable experience. Many people are also delighted by the fact that it has a one-year warranty. It is quite a massive monster, holding 8 cups of cooked rice at once. The dimensions are 8.5x9.3x8.7 inches.

It weighs 4.2 pounds, so you can say it’s portable and easily manageable. You can cook for the entire family, or approximately 4 persons in one go, so it’s a time saver. Naturally, you have digital control and you can program it for browning, steaming or other basic options for white rice. It has an automatic keep-warm function and a delay timer that works for maximum 15 hours. This is helpful if you want to cook the rice in the morning, but serve it in the evening.

Aroma Housewares Stainless Steel 6-Cup Cooked Rice Cooker

We have to admit that Aroma is one of the best competitors on the market, and it’s hard to beat with the price and capacity it offers. The best thing about the Aroma Housewares Stainless Steel 6-Cup Cooked Rice Cooker is the fact that it has a surgical-grade cooking pot. It’s not just an ordinary pot, but it’s made of surgical-grade stainless steel 304.
It’s kind of lightweight, with only 4 pounds, which is awesome for its capacity. Though it has a traditional design, it compensates for the one-touch features that simplifies everything. It also brings the automatic keep-warm function that preserves the nutritional value of rice for hours in a row. All in all, this is a must have in every kitchen!

Zojirushi NS-TSC10 5-1/2-Cup (Uncooked) Micom Rice Cooker and Warmer

The NS-TSC10 model includes Fuzzy Logic technology. It is quite versatile, having a LCD display and digital controls. The best part about it is that it’s customizable, so you can program it as you wish. Of course, it has a stainless steel exterior and a 2 delay time settings, together with the automatic keep warm feature.

My Kitchen Cleaning Must Have Item- Chore Boy Golden Fleece Cloths

Do you have a specific thing you use every day that you can't live without? That is how I feel about my Chore Boy Golden Fleece Scrubbing Cloths . These scrubbing cloths are unlike any scrubber I have ever used. I cook in stainless steel pots and pans as well as cast iron. The golden fleece cloths work so well to get my cookware super clean. I will put it like this: my cookware sets are 24 and 18 years old, and you would never know it! I cook every day of the week so my pots and pans get a lot of abuse use. The golden fleece cloths are what has kept them in such good shape. I also love using them on my cast iron pans because it cleans the stuck on food without damaging them. I give my worn out scrubbing cloths to my husband so he can use them for his outdoor cleaning projects. These babies get so much use!

I have been using them for over 20 years! Sadly, I have been experiencing issues finding them in my local stores. It seems like no one carries them any more. Last year I found them on Walmart.com, but when I went to place an order last week, they no longer carried them. I looked around on Amazon and found them. I can't even begin to tell you how relieved I was. Yes, it's that serious to me! When the USPS truck pulled up this morning to drop off my Amazon Prime package, I was internally screaming with joy! I have tried almost every scrubber around and this one can't be beat. I have no idea why they are so hard to find, but glad I can order them on Amazon. I plan to buy up a bulk so I don't run out. I really hope they don't get discontinued, because that would break my homemaking heart.

Have you ever heard of or used these scrubbing cloths before?

This post contains affiliate links which means if you purchase anything, I will get a teeny tiny commission. 

Get Spicy This Holiday Season With RawSpice Bar

If you are looking for an affordable and unique gift option this holiday season, consider a RawSpice Bar monthly subscription. They start at $8 a month and if you get a full year, it works out to only $6 a month. So what do you get? 

You will receive 3 pouches of high quality spice blends that are recipe ready. A recipe card is included for each packet of spices so you don't have to try to figure out what to do with them. Genius! 

I have tried these spices before and was blown away by how potent they were. It's a great way to try something new without the commitment of having an entire bottle of spices that can potentially go to waste. I am looking forward to making the German Chicken Schnitzel recipe. It doesn't require a lot of ingredients and I am happy to try Schnitzel for the first time. 

To get the details, visit RawSpiceBar.com. I think this would make a unique holiday gift for friends, family, neighbors, or coworkers. 

I received product samples in exchange for a review. All opinions are my own as always. 

Give The Gift Of Home Chef For The Holidays ($50 Giveaway)

CLOSED- Winner is Ms. K 

One thing I feel we can all agree on is that we know that one person who seems to have everything. When it comes to buying a gift for them you are left with a huge burden of giving something meaningful that they will actually like or have use for. I have the ideal solution for that-- A Home Chef gift certificate. I did a full review last month in case you missed it. I think that anyone would love the gift of high quality ingredients that are pre-measured and ready to go to cook up your own gourmet meal at home.

You can personalize your tastes according to dietary needs or allergies to assure you get exactly what you want. This is such a great way to be able to experience new dishes you might not otherwise think to try. I absolutely loved the dishes I 'cheffed' up!

Parisian Bistro Steak with dauphinoise potatoes and green beans

Thai Red Curry Shrimp with jasmine rice and snow peas

Giving a Home Chef gift certificate makes the perfect gift for the holidays. I'm sure the recipient would be delighted. Who wouldn't want the gift of good food?
How would you like to try out Home Chef for yourself? I am thrilled to be able offer my wonderful readers the chance to win a Home Chef gift certificate valued at $50. This will cover the cost of 2 gourmet meals for 2 people. You can keep it for yourself or give it as a gift. Enter below:
a Rafflecopter giveaway
This giveaway is open to U.S. Residents only and will end on Nov 7, 2016. Follow Rafflecopter rules for entries to count. One winner will be selected and contacted via email to be awarded prize. Good luck!

Gift code for winner is provided by Home Chef. All opinions are my own as always.

I Finally Got Over My Biggest Cooking Fear

I have been cooking since I was about 10 years old. I had a natural passion for it and have not been afraid to experiment or try new things. The one thing I was not able to do was cook in a traditional stove top pressure cooker. The anxiety and fear was too much, so I avoided it at all cost. I wrote a post about it a couple years back and I cringe looking at it.

Fast forward to now. I have seen the whole Instant Pot pressure cooker craze circulating around social media, so I took a look and did some research. I added like 8 different ones from different brands to my wishlist. Honestly, I didn't think I would ever buy one. The fear was too real and I had no idea what an electric pressure cooker would do. Would it be noisy? Will it explode? I had a few blog friends buy one during one of those big Amazon one-day sales and they swore it was the greatest thing ever. One day I was looking on Amazon and decided to jump on the bandwagon take the plunge. After hours of comparing and researching, I settled on the Cuisinart brand. It was on sale for under $70 and roughly $20-30 less than the comparable Instant Pot. I added it to my cart and patiently waited for the delivery. When it arrived, pure joy and fear washed over me at the same time. I did not know what to expect.

I happened to have a chuck roast in the fridge to cook that day so I figured I would try my new pressure cooker out. I watched a couple YouTube videos so I could get a good idea of what to do. I managed to get the roast cooked and something really surprised me. Although I was scared to death the entire time, it turns out that the cooker doesn't make that evil hissing noise while on high pressure. I couldn't believe it! I managed to cooked a perfectly tender pot roast in half the time it would have taken on the stove top and learned I have nothing to fear. I have been missing out on this fabulous kitchen appliance all of this time! As a matter of fact, I've been cooking curry twice a week and it comes out perfect each time!

I have had my pressure cooker for a few months now and use it 3-5 times per week. It quickly became my absolute favorite appliance in the kitchen. Below are the reasons I love my Cuisinart pressure cooker:

• You can brown, saute, and simmer. 
• It can be used as a rice cooker and takes only 3 minutes too cook for white/basmati/Jasmine rice. 
• It has high and low pressure settings with timer.
• Keep warm feature is perfect for keeping food hot if you're not eating right away
• I use it even when not using the pressure option
• Even, fast cooking 
• You can make soups, stews, curry, chili and more. 
• Perfect size, not too big or too small
• Easy to clean with a non-stick pot. Didn't think I'd care for the non-stick surface, but it's really great.
• Self-locking lid prevents accidents. This helped with my fear
• The pressure knob can't pop off while cooking. You have to manually jiggle it and pull to get it off. 
• The texture of food doesn't change like it would using a slow cooker
• It is SO EASY to use
• Pretty stainless steel finish that shockingly stays clean 
• I AM NO LONGER AFRAID! YAY!! 

If you have been thinking about buying an electric pressure cooker or if you are scared to death of them, I highly recommend the Cuisinart CPC-600 6 Quart 1000 Watt Electric Pressure Cooker (Stainless Steel). I am going to purchase a second one so I can use them both at the same time. I know for a fact that this will be the most used appliance in my kitchen. I need to donate my old dinosaur pot now that I think about it.

This cooker would make a great gift for yourself, a wedding, house warming or for the holidays. Trust me, anyone would be thrilled to unwrap this from under the tree! If you are on the fence, you should try this one out. If you decide to purchase one, please let me know. 

**This post contains affiliate links.

Struggling For Recipe Ideas? Here Are 5 Places To Get Inspiration!

It’s that time of week again parents - time to decide what the family will be eating this week. It’s time to draw up a shopping list, ingredients list and recipe list - even if you’re lacking inspiration.

image credit

So instead of resorting to pizza and chips for the hundredth time, take a look down this list. From eBook downloads to YouTube videos, we’ve gathered all the best places for you to research and read recipes. It’s time for some fresh ideas!

1. Cooking eBooks

The reason I say ‘eBooks’ over regular books is that eBooks can store a lot more data. That means more recipes for you, and more ideas for you! Plus, with an eBook reader, you can store hundreds of individual books. Theoretically, this means you will never run out of ideas.

But firstly; where do you get these eBooks? Most eBook readers have a built in store, so try there. The selection may be limited, though. Alternatively, a site like Tradebit offers users the ability to download dozens and dozens of cookbooks at the click of a button. No more will you be out of ideas!

2. Recipe creation tools

One of the hard parts about coming up with recipe ideas is deciding what ingredients to use. There are hundreds to choose from, but which works best? Which will taste best?

Fortunately, the web is here to help. The advanced search tool on sites like AllRecipes lets you search for recipes by ingredients. So, for example, you could enter ‘buffalo chicken’ and ‘rice’ and be greeted with dishes containing those too. Or, you can choose to exclude ingredients from your search.

3. YouTube

photo credit

A lot of recipes are too long, too drawn out and not very engaging. That’s often what leads us to not cooking something very creative, or just whacking something in the oven.

But what if it wasn’t this way? What if recipes were engaging and made you want to eat that food? The advent of social media has seen the rise of many bitesize recipe videos which are plastered across YouTube. These are made with the intent to be shared, and as such are as short as you’re going to get.

4. Family recipes

Our families are full of hidden secrets. Did you know that your Uncle John is a two-time Olympic gold medalist? Or how about your Auntie Susan, whose claim to fame was appearing as an extra in Titanic?

Well, those probably aren’t true - but if they are, what an incredible guess! What’s more likely is that your family has that one special recipe, that secret that’s passed down from generation to generation. If you haven’t heard yours yet, now’s the time to ask - it could give you that inspiration boost that you need.

5. Try alternate cooking methods

photo credit

Perhaps you’re a bare-bones type of cooker. You like to stick with a familiar set of ingredients and don’t like to venture outside your comfort zone. And that’s fine! You don’t have to.

But there is a way to do this and still get great new ideas - try cooking the food differently. Instead of making chips, make those potatoes into a delicious sauteed dish. Braised meat tastes like an entirely different creation to roasted meat. Instead of frying those eggs, why not poach them?

The point here is that perhaps your cooking habits have grown a little stale. You’re using the same ingredients in the same cooking methods for weeks and weeks. By changing your cooking methods, you’re still in your comfort zone but are making things more exciting.

And that’s what cooking is all about.

Now Available at Publix Stores- Tabanero Hot Sauces #TabLife

If you like hot and spicy, I have something you are sure to like. Introducing Tabanero Hot Sauces, now available at your local Publix Supermarket. Tabanero sauces come in 3 varieties- Original Hot, Extra Hot, and Agave Sweet & Spicy. The Original Hot variety is actually more of a medium heat to me, so if you can't handle too much heat, this is a good one to try. It goes well with chili, soups or most savory dishes that need a little kick. 

I personally love the Agave Sweet & Spicy. It has a good balance of sweet and heat. It works well to add a kick to your chicken or meat marinade. The thing that makes Tabanero unique is that it's all-natural and not vinegar based like most hot sauces. Also, its unique flavor comes from the combination of carrots, onions, garlic, Key Lime juice, red habanero peppers and Agave nectar; which balances out the heat of the habaneros and adds a hint of sweetness. The perfect balance of flavor and heat to spice up any dish with a flavorful zest. They refer to their sauces as "Healthy Heat". 

Tasting is believing! You can incorporate Tabanero sauces into so many savory dishes and surprisingly, even a couple of sweets. Check out some of the recipe ideas on their website. Tabanero products are available in many restaurants across the country and can be purchased online as well as in Publix Supermarkets. Be sure to follow Tabanero on Twitter and Facebook for their zesty updates. 

I received product samples to review in exchange for my honest feedback. All opinions are my own as always. 

How to Make Anything Taste Better With Finlandia Butter and Cheese

June is a special month.  It marks graduation, the start of summer, weddings, vacation season. But did you know that June is also National Dairy Month? Finlandia is a brand that has been crafting some of the highest quality cheese and butter for over a century. Their butter and cheese products are all-natural and do not contain additives such as growth hormones, preservatives, and dyes. All you get is pure deliciousness that you can feel good giving your family. 

Many of my family and friends refer to me as a food snob. I'm okay with that label and I think more people should be food snobs as well. Caring about the quality of your food and eating real food is important.  Finlandia Butter is made from pure, hormone-free milk, which comes from happy cows that live on family-owned farms in Finland—the greenest country on Earth.  No hidden chemicals, no factory farms—just pure, creamy goodness. Let me tell you something, Finlandia butter is perfection times 20! It's so creamy and delicious and perfect as a spread on your toast or incorporated in both sweet and savory dishes. 

I love a good omelet (or scramble as mine tends to turn into) and the addition of Finlandia butter and cheese make it extra tasty. Oh and you can't forget the crunchy buttered toast. 

When you put quality ingredients into your dishes, you will be able to taste the difference. I am currently obsessed with Finlandia's perfectly salted butter. I'm waiting on some bananas to get overripe so that I can bake up a loaf of banana bread. Oh, and I'm thinking about a nice pound cake too! 

Be sure to check out the Finlandia website and follow on Facebook for recipes and promotions. 

I received product samples in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own and I absolutely love this brand!