Hey All! I’ve just returned from a fantastic week in coastal Rhode Island with my family. We were blessed to spend a few years living in Boston before we had children and I will always love this time of year on the East Coast. Our time away was filled with lots of hours at the beach (yay for a warm early September and non-crowded beaches!) and plenty of good, fresh seafood. I may or may not have eaten my weight in lobster rolls! Now that I’m back to the Midwest and finally unpacked – let’s not mention the laundry – I’m also getting back into my kitchen. One of my favorite travel tricks is to order groceries to be delivered on the day we return from a trip and we supplemented that this time by also having Blue Apron deliver a few days after we returned! I love not having to stress out about getting to the grocery store for essentials and not having to think about meals (even for someone like me who generally finds cooking relaxin) was great. That being said, I’m really ready to get back into it and so for this week’s Good Food Reads, I’m sharing my list of what I’m hoping to make in the next week or so! I’m back in the proverbial saddle and so excited for a good ride. I hope you join us and share some of your recipe favorites from your kitchens or around the internet!…
Good Food Reads: Back to School
It’s back to school week here in Minnesota and I know for many busy families, it also means back to crazy nights of post-school activities, sports practices, and arts lessons. Trying to get a family fed in the midst of all that activity can be a challenge for even the most prepared and experienced home cooks. This week’s Good Food Reads is a collection of easy, hearty meals perfect for these busy back to school weeks. Most of the recipes are designed for slow cookers or the Instant Pot (or another electric pressure cooker) in an effort to make these hectic days a little less crazy.
50 Tastiest Meal Prep Recipes for Fall from Fit Foodie Finds. I’m especially excited to try some of the breakfast prep recipes, like the Paleo Pumpkin Pancakes or the Vegetarian Black Bean Burritos.
30 Minute Instant Pot Creamy Chicken Pasta from The Butterhalf. Perfect one pot meal for those crazy busy back to school/activities nights!
I love curry and can’t wait to try this Slow Cooker Coconut Curry Chicken from Fit Foodie Finds. It would be great with some fresh green beans and rice!
This Honey Mustard Slow Cooker Pork Loin and Rice from Food, Faith, Fitness is gluten free and adds fresh spinach at the end of cooking!
Instant Pot Chicken Cacciatore (Lexi’s Clean Kitchen) is packed with veggies and can easily be served over rice or cauliflower rice for a complete meal.
A fun twist on slow cooker soups: Slow Cooker Thai Chicken Soup (Foodie Crush).
Slow Cooker Mexican Chicken (Two Peas and Their Pod) is an easy slow cooker classic and can be used for tacos, burritos, or quinoa bowls. Such a great recipe for meal prep, too!
And if you’re looking to keep things on the lighter side, check out these recipes from the always genius SkinnyTaste: Unstuffed Cabbage Bowls and One Pot Spaghetti Squash and Meat Sauce (Pressure Cooker or Slow Cooker).
Here’s hoping your back to school weeks are great ones! Let us know when you’re cooking and as always, we’d love to hear from you with your Good Food Reads.
Instant Pot Korean Inspired Pulled Pork
I know you’ve already heard about my great love affair with the Instant Pot. I’ve gone and on about the magic of this kitchen appliance and as summer is coming I’m even more excited to have a great way to cook without having to turn the oven on and heat up my house. But so many people are asking me-what are you actually making in it? Certainly a good (and easy) way to start is my Instant Pot Chipotle Black Bean Soup (it’s even vegan), but if that isn’t your jam-then may I recommend what we’ve been eating on repeat? Instant Pot Korean Inspired Pulled Pork. (I DID include instructions to make this in the Slow Cooker/Crock Pot as well-just scroll all the way to the bottom.)…
Slow Cooker Beef Barbacoa
I have a confession to make. I have never tried Chipotle’s Beef Barbacoa. Oh sure, I’ve been to Chipotle a million times. But I’m a more of a carnitas kind of a girl. So my family all thought it was a little odd when I came home with a chuck roast and announced I was going to make Slow Cooker Beef Barbacoa. Oh ye of little faith! All three of them actually got off of the couch to come and check it out as I pulled it out of the crock pot…the house smelled delicious!…
Thai Meatballs
New Year’s Eve is tomorrow can you believe it? I think we would all agree that 2016 has done it’s damage (spectacularly I would add) and it is time for it to go. I personally, am quite excited for 2017 for a whole host of reasons, but especially because I have a lot of ideas for things to bring you on the blog. But before we get too far ahead of ourselves, let’s start with these Thai Meatballs, the perfect appetizer to help ring in the New Year!…
Good Food Reads | 12.21.16
The countdown is ON. With only a few days until Christmas (and Hanukkah, too!), my kitchen is a busy place. With a newborn at home, I’m leaving most of the holiday baking to my amazing mother and focusing on simple dinners for my family – hearty, comforting foods that warm up the cold Decmeber days. We’ve been eating a lot of soups and slow cooker dishes, but also experimenting with roasted fish and comforting curries. This week’s Good Food Reads are basically what I’ll be making this week in my home. What are you cooking these days?…
Slow Cooker African Peanut Stew
It is officially winter here in Minneapolis. It was well below zero when I drove home from work last night and it has just warmed up to zero as I am writing this now! We have entered the deep freeze and as the temperatures drop, we are all looking for warmth. This Slow Cooker African Peanut Stew will warm you from the inside out! Easily made vegetarian and even vegan, this is hearty soup everyone will love!…
Good Food Reads
Hey friends! Welcome to Good Food Reads for this last day of November. It seems no matter my intentions and planning, the holiday season is inevitably one of the busiest times of the year. I mean, I feel like I was just writing about surviving the Thanksgiving craziness and now we are about to pull out the advent calendars, hang the stockings, and trim those trees. …
Slow Cooker Maple Chicken Chili
Some days are tough. Schedules that defy comprehension. Days where you feel like cloning yourself is the only way you’re going to get through. One child is supposed to be at soccer, one is supposed to by at Tae Kwon Do, and both you and your significant other need to be at work. You’re wondering how you are going to be in three places at one time. Days like these call for life hacks (and a village full of carpools!). Days like these call for Slow Cooker Maple Chicken Chili….
Balsamic Pork with Gnocchi
I won’t lie, it’s been a tough few weeks. I’ve been down and out sick and just getting out of bed in the morning has been a real challenge (and we’re talking getting out of bed to go lie on the couch). My poor husband has been keeping things rolling and picking up the slack with the kids and around the house. I haven’t been able to visit Holly and our newest addition to the With Two Spoons team (born October 6th!). I even spent Halloween holed up in bed while my dad handed out candy so my husband could take my little out. We’ve eaten pizza for 4 of the last 5 meals. But today, today I finally felt like maybe I could tackle dinner. And whenever you are struggling, go back to the beginning. Back to Balsamic Pork with Gnocchi….