Macaroni and cheese is one of my favorite dishes.  Not the fake version that comes in the blue box, but the real deal.  My mother made it from scratch when I was a child, and now I do the same for my family.  Often times I’ll just make it with American cheese and a little bit of butter and milk, but lately I’ve been playing around with richer, creamier versions.  Multiple cheeses, heavy cream, and even a pinch of cayenne can take this simple comfort food to an entirely new level.  My newest recipe (which I’m sharing today) has quickly become a favorite in our home.  A layer of seasoned breadcrumbs and a few minutes in the broiler gives it a lightly crispy topping that is a perfect compliment to the delicious, creamy sauce.  The result is a delicious dish that is similar to one you would get at a restaurant!  (For more make-at-home restaurant style dishes, check out this post with 10 of my favorite copycat recipes!)

Restaurant Style Macaroni and Cheese

Ingredients:

6 cups water

2 cups elbow noodles

1 Tbs butter, unsalted

3/4 c milk

3/4 c shredded Colby and Monterey Jack cheese

3/4 c shredded Italian style cheese

1/4 tsp garlic powder

1/8 tsp pepper

1/2 tsp salt

Pinch of cayenne

1/2 c Parmesan herb panko bread crumbs (Private Selection from Kroger)

Directions:

1.  Bring water to a boil on high heat.

2.  Add in noodles and boil for 8-10 minutes.

3.  Remove from heat and drain in a colander. Set aside.

4.  Set oven to high broil.

5.  Melt butter in pot on medium heat.

6.  Add in milk, cheese, and spices.  Whisk until melted completely.

7.  Fold in elbow noodles, stirring gently to coat with sauce.

8.  Pour noodles into oven safe dish.

9.  Top with panko bread crumbs.

10.  Place in oven for 2 minutes until top is browned.

11.  Remove from oven and serve immediately.

Printer friendly recipe for Restaurant Style Macaroni and Cheese

Do you have a macaroni and cheese recipe that’s a family favorite?  I’d love to hear your version, please take a moment to share in the comments below!

One of my favorite dishes to make is chili.  It’s effortless, great for any season, and it freezes perfectly!  It’s also a great source of protein, and can be very good for you when it’s not coming from a can!  I’ve been making lots of chili over the last month because the hubs won’t stop eating all the frozen stock I put away.  He eats it on everything.  Fries, hot dogs, rice, nachos, potatoes….you name it, he’ll cover it with chili.  Luckily it’s made with ingredients that are simple to find at any grocery store, and I spend about 10 minutes physically preparing it, so it’s not too bad.  Don’t let the longer list of spice ingredients scare you off either.  I promise this spice mix is 1000x times better than what you get in the pack at the store, and it’s wheat and preservative free!

My favorite two ingredients in this chili are the sausage and the smoked paprika.  Something about chili with sausage is just SO much better to me than plain ol’ beef.  Of course, if you don’t eat pork, just switch it out for more beef.  If you aren’t familiar with smoked paprika, it is one of my most favorite spices of all time.  It’s subtle and smoky, and you don’t need too much, but it gives you a delicious finish that would make you swear that the meat in your chili had been cooked on a smoker.  Just don’t go nuts with it, too much smoky flavor can be a bad thing!

The Bizy Mommy’s Best Chili Recipe

Ingredients:

1 Tbs oil
1 onion, diced
1 green pepper, diced
1 lb beef
1 lb sausage (I use mild)
1 can light red kidney beans (drained)
1 can chili beans (I use mild)
1 can crushed tomatoes (28 oz)
2 can diced tomatoes (15 oz)
4 beef bouillion cubes
4 cups water
1.5 Tbs chili powder
1/4 Tbs red pepper flakes
1.5 Tbs onion powder
2 Tbs garlic powder
1 Tbs ground cumin
1 Tbs parsley
3/4 tsp smoked paprika
1/4 tsp pepper
1 Tbs salt

Directions:

1. Heat oil on medium high in a stock pot and add in pepper and onion.  Cook until the onions start to soften.
2. Add in beef and sausage and cook on medium high until browned throughout.
3. Add in all remaining ingredients and bring to a boil, stirring frequently to prevent burning to the bottom.
4. Once boiling, reduce heat to low/med and cover.  Let simmer for at least 2 hours, the longer the better.

(Click here for a printer friendly version of this recipe)

-It’s going to look *really* thin while it’s simmering.  Don’t worry, it thickens up as it cooks and then cools.

-The red pepper flakes give it a tiny bit of heat, but it’s not spicy.  If you don’t do heat, leave that out.  If you love heat, keep on pourin!

-You can sub out 4 c. beef broth for the bouillion cubes and water.

-Smoked paprika *really* gives this a nice finish.  If you can get it, I would really suggest using it!

-This makes about 16-18 cups of chili, so if you don’t need a ton, throw it in the freezer for lazy dinner nights!

-If your slow cooker is big enough, you could definitely simmer the chili in it all day.  I would still cook the peppers, onions, and meat in another pot first though, and then add in everything on medium heat for an hour, and then low heat for another 3-4.

Hope you enjoy our family’s favorite chili recipe!  Let me know what you think!

So I kinda threw my food budget out the window over the holidays, and now we’re playing catch up.  I actually find it rather entertaining, because being short on funds means I have to get really creative with healthy meals that don’t break the bank.  Earlier this week, Lori over at Vann Clan 5 shared a simple no peek beef tips recipe that got me thinking.

I headed out to Aldi to do my shopping and was stoked to find THREE marked down packs of eye of round steak for right at $3.00 each.  I LOVE picking up discounted packs of tough-as-leather-nobody-wants-to-buy-it meat at Walmart and Aldi, because once you slow cook it, it’s tender as can be!  I grabbed some carrots and onions and a few more ingredients and headed home to make some magic.  This is *such* an easy recipe for anyone to make, check out my $5.00 No Peek Pot Roast below!

$5.oo No Peek Pot Roast

Ingredients:

1 pound of cheap beef (cut into 1/2-1″ cubes) – $3.25

2 cups of chopped carrots (I used 5 medium carrots) – $0.40 [Read more…]

Today while doing last minute stocking stuffer shopping, I grabbed a bag of Kraft peppermint marshmallows.  My kids love marshmallows, and I thought the peppermint ones would be really tasty in their Christmas morning cocoa.  Once I got home, Angel saw there was a recipe on the back and asked if she could make it for everyone.  I love letting the kids cook and create in the kitchen, so of course I said sure!

Chocolate Peppermint Popcorn

Ingredients:

1/2 tsp salt

12 cups air-popped popcorn (6-8 Tbs kernels)

1/2 cup dark chocolate morsels

1 stick unsalted butter

40 mini peppermint marshmallows

Directions:

1.  Heat oven to 275.

2.  Add chocolate and butter into a microwaveable bowl and heat for 30 seconds at a time until melted completely.

3.  Stir in marshmallows and heat for 15 seconds at a time until melted.

4.  Stir in salt.

5.  Pour over popcorn and toss until coated.

6.  Spread out on a greased baking sheet.

7.  Bake for 10 minutes, stir and bake for another 10 minutes until crisp.

8.  Enjoy!

This would make a great treat for a party, or a gift for someone special on your list.  Adding in extra marshmallows after the mix cools can give it some extra color and texture.  The original recipe called for semi-sweet chocolate, but we are big dark chocolate fans over here, so we used that instead.  If I hadn’t used all of our mint flavoring on fudge this week, I would have added in a bit more to the chocolate mix, as it wasn’t *quite* as minty as we would have liked.  Still delicious overall though!

My friend Nancy (she’s an artist, check out her stuffs y’all!) sent me a link to a post about omelets in a bag recently.  I can’t believe I had never heard of them before!

Each weekend that I have a day off from events, I try to plan a hands on breakfast that I can make with my kids.  We love omelets, but it’s hard to make 8 of them at once and still manage to eat all together.  I always have two pans going, but even so, by the time I finish cooking, the first two batches have already been gobbled up.  This method allows the kids to customize their own breakfast, and everything can be cooked all at once.  (For another delicious breakfast recipe that’s easy to make with the kids, check out my Biscuit Breakfast Bake post!)

Omelets in a bag

Directions:

1. Set out your ingredients.

2. Write everyone’s name on a bag (permanent marker).

3. Let everyone pick out their own ingredients.

4. Add a ladle of egg to each bag.

5. Double check everyone’s bags to make sure they are sealed all the way. (watery eggs, yuck!)

This time, I chopped up a wide variety of ingredients.  The kids were able to choose from peppers, onions, olives, tomatoes, peppers, cheese, apples, bacon, and more.  For seasonings, I set out cinnamon, honey, garlic powder, onion powder, jelly, pepper, and salt.  Cracking eggs can get a little messy with kids, so I did that part for them before portioning the eggs into the bags.

6.   Put the bags into a large pot of water.  Bring to a boil.

7.  Cook for about 10 minutes, you’ll be able to see when the eggs are finished cooking.

8.  Open the bags and remove the omelets.  They should just slide right out. (No grease, oil, or butter needed!)

9.  Enjoy!

Not only is this a quick way to prepare omelets, but it takes the caked-on egg skillets out of the equation!  My kids loved that they could choose exactly what they wanted in their omelets.  Allowing children to make their own choices about small things helps to build their confidence, and teaches them about independence.  Plus, it’s a lesson in consequences as well.  If they refuse to listen to mom and instead put in 6 Tbs of jelly and 2 Tbs of salt into their eggs, they’ll learn really quick that maybe they should have paid attention, and you won’t even have to nag!

I may be busy a lot of the time with business, but weekend breakfast with my kids is a moment I treasure.  We get a chance to talk about school, friends, their activities, and more.  It’s such a great way to start the day!  And now with this easy bagged method, we can all eat at the same time on omelet day!

(BTW, if you are a camper, this is an excellent way to cook eggs at a campsite!)

Want to make this meal even easier?  Check out some of my favorite time saving kitchen tools below!

1.  Double balloon whisk – Mine is from when I was a Pampered Chef consultant, but any brand will do.  They work so much better than a traditional whisk, and really beat things up pretty quickly.  Twice the wires means half the work time! (Be sure to use the end of the whisk to “pop” the yolks first, they’ll mix up much faster that way.)

2.  Food chopper – Another thing I had from Pampered Chef days, a food chopper really saves times on chopping up ingredients, and you can get the exact type of chop you desire, from rough to extremely fine.

3. Mini ladles – My favorite is the one ounce size.  We have a variety of ladles, but this one is the most versatile.  Works great for ladling eggs in this case, but it’s also perfect for gravy, dessert sauces, and more.  Using those huge soup ladles just doesn’t cut it sometimes!

*This post includes affiliate links, and I earn a small commission from any items purchased. Maybe even enough to take my kids out for ice cream. Or buy myself a cheap bottle of wine!*

Have you ever tried to cook eggs in a bag?  What’s your favorite way to eat your omelet?  Share your favorite recipe in the comments below!

This dressing has become one of our favorites, and it’s so easy to make!  It’s much healthier than any of the store bought dressings available, and can be thrown together in a matter of seconds.  If you want to double or triple the recipe, it keeps just fine in the fridge.

Quick and Easy Salad Dressing

Ingredients:

Juice of one lemon

1/4 c. olive oil

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp kosher salt

1/4 tsp coarse ground black pepper

Whisk all ingredients together and serve immediately over mixed greens.

Variations:

-Add red pepper flakes for a little bit of spice

-Use half lemon and half orange juice

-Add minced red onion

-Mix in 1/2 tsp of Italian seasoning

Do you make your own salad dressing?  What’s your favorite recipe?

One of our biggest monthly expenses outside of regular household bills is eating out.  I vow every month not to spend so much on eating out at restaurants, but then I get tired, stressed, busy, etc. and always end up getting take out or running in for a “cheap” meal at a local restaurant.  With a family of 8, even eating “cheap” ends up being expensive!

Other than the convenience factor, the main reason we eat out is because we are wanting a particular dish that a restaurant offers.  I’m working on learning to prepare similar meals at home so that we can try to really start putting that money into savings.  Below are some of my favorite restaurant meals, with links to copycat recipes that can be prepared at home.

1.  Hibachi Style Fried Rice

I love me some fried rice.  I mean, LOVE it!  There is a Japanese place near my house that makes the best rice, and I’m pretty sure it’s because they add in bacon.  Bacon makes everything tasty!  Earlier this year, I decided to try and come up with my own version of their rice, and I came pretty darn close to it.  It can be a bit time consuming if you’re trying to prepare a really large amount, but it’s delicious and super cheap compared to eating out! Check out my recipe here —-> Homemade Fried Rice

2.  Chipotle.  Anything from Chipotle!

My husband and I love Chiptole’s burritos and salads, but my kids don’t really care for their food.  We usually stop in during the day when the kids are at school, but just lunch for the two of us can easily cost $20.  The website Chipotle Fan has some great Chipotle style recipes, although I have yet to try them out.  It’s on the list for this month, because those burritos sure are tasty!

3.  Whole Foods deli

I know Whole Foods isn’t a restaurant, but I love grabbing lunch from their deli counter.  Their caesar pasta salad is to die for, and they have a roasted corn salad that is amazing.  I played around with the corn salad for a few hours and came up with an inexpensive alternative that tastes almost exactly like it!  Find my recipe version here —-> Roasted Corn Salad (WF Copycat)

4.  Egg Drop Soup

Another Asian style dish, I know, but I am a big fan of Asian cuisine!  Not that yellow greasy egg drop soup, but the kind that’s made with chicken broth and is much healthier.  My favorite Chinese restaurant offers a delicious, healthier version, complete with peas, carrots, mushrooms, and mini tofu cubes.  This recipe from AllRecipes.com comes pretty close, although it doesn’t have the added veggies.  I like to add in a bit of white pepper as well, to give it a little bit of spice.

Photo credit: User ALFANN02 on Allrecipes

5.  Red Lobster Cheddar Bay Biscuits

Okay, I’ll admit, I’m not a huge fan of Red Lobster.  I find their food to be fairly bland, and way overpriced for the portions you receive. However, their biscuits are delicious!  This recipe from AllRecipes.com seems to be a pretty close copy, which means I can indulge at home without spending money on food that I really don’t care for!

Photo credit: User mominml on AllRecipes

6.  Fettuccine Alfredo

This cheesy pasta dish is delicious at almost every Italian restaurant, but the jarred sauce sold in stores just doesn’t even begin to compare.  This recipe is SO easy to make at home, with only a few ingredients to buy.  Keep in mind though, once you realize how fattening it is, you might not be so keen on eating it in the future!   Be sure to have a salad first, so that you can keep your portion sizes smaller.  I like to add in just a bit of fresh squeezed lemon juice and fresh ground black pepper, and top it off with diced roma tomatoes!

Photo credit: User Dianne of AllRecipes

7.  Loaded Baked Potato Soup from O’Charley’s

This soup is creamy and delicious, and Food.com has a great copycat recipe that you can make at home.  It’s not exactly the same, but it’s close enough!

Photo credit: User run for your life on Food.com

8. Cajun Jambalaya Pasta from Cheesecake Factory

This pasta dish is one of my husband’s favorite meals to eat out.  I found this recipe on Tastebook recently and can’t wait to share it with him.  It’s spicy and rich, with plenty of shrimp, chicken, and peppers to pair with the pasta.

Photo credit: User Rhonette on TasteBook.com

9.  Wing Stop Lemon Pepper Wings

When I was living in San Antonio, I fell in love with Wing Stop’s lemon pepper wings.  Alright, I was pregnant at the time, so everything tasted wonderful, but they really are delicious wings!  When we moved to our new house three years ago, I was delighted to see that there was a Wing Stop less than a mile away.  Unfortunately, taking a family of 8 to eat wings can quickly cost over $60, so we don’t go there too often.  I found this recipe from Uncommon Censor recently and can’t wait to try it out!

10. Chik-Fil-A Chicken Nuggets

I love Chik-Fil-A’s nuggets (and chicken minis!) but don’t eat there very often anymore, for several reasons which I won’t get into here. This recipe from Frieda Loves Bread comes pretty close, although I would definitely recommend using peanut oil instead of canola, as there is a big difference in taste.  That, and we all know that CFA uses peanut oil for their chicken. 🙂

I recently cooked up another delicious dish at home, be sure to check out my creamy restaurant style macaroni and cheese!

Does your family spend more than you would like on eating out?  Have you ever tried to make your favorite restaurant meals at home?

This week my younger sister came to visit with her 4 month old son.  We met up at my parent’s house right before noon, and my mother made mention of the fact that she forgot to go to the store to pick up something for lunch.  One of my favorite things to do is make meals from random pantry and fridge items.  So I quickly got to work.

First I checked out the fridge and pantry shelves.

There wasn’t much in the fridge other than drinks and condiments, but I did find a bag in the freezer with one large chicken breast.  The pantry had a decent amount of canned goods to work with, so I was confident I could pull something together.

Here’s what I ended up with:

I pulled out some diced tomatoes, white beans, corn and peppers, chicken broth, rice, lime juice, and tortillas.  All the fixings for a southwestern style chicken and bean chili!  In the spice cabinet, I found some cilantro, paprika, chili powder, garlic powder, and cumin.

Once I had everything together and a plan in mind, this recipe only took about 15 minutes to prepare.  Check out the recipe below!

Cilantro Lime Rice

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups rice

3 cups water

2 tsp lime juice

1/2 tsp cilantro

Directions:

1.  Add all ingredients to a large microwave safe bowl and cover.  Cook on high for 10 minutes.

2.  Stir and cook again for 5 for minutes.

3.  Remove from microwave and set aside.

White Bean and Chicken Chili

Ingredients:

1 large chicken breast

1 Tbs oil

If you are on Pinterest, you have most likely seen the lemon butter shrimp picture that’s been going around.  For lunch today, I made my own version, check out the recipe below!

Oven Baked Shrimp

Ingredients:
8-10 shrimp (I used jumbo deveined, shell on)
1/2 medium sweet onion, diced
1/2 c. cherry tomatoes
1/2 lemon, sliced into thin rounds
1/2 stick of butter (4 Tbs)
2-3 tsp Old Bay seasoning
1 Tbs minced garlic
3/4 tsp onion powder
3/4 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp dried parsley flakes

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350.
2.  Melt butter, pour into 9″ round cake pan.
3.  Add in diced onion, garlic, and tomatoes, stir to coat in butter.
4.  Spread lemon slices around the inside of the pan.
5.  Place shrimp in single layer in pan, flipping once to coat both sides.
6.  Sprinkle with Old Bay, garlic powder, onion powder, and parsley.
7.  Bake for 15 minutes, remove and toss with pasta to serve.

This makes an easy, delicious meal and can easily be split between two people.  You could also do an Italian style with capers, artichoke, and parmesan, or even Cajun with peppers and cayenne!  I’m going to play around with the recipe in the next few days and see how it comes out if you substitute broth for the butter, I’ll be sure to link up to that recipe as well.

Do you ever use Pinterest for dinner ideas?  What is your most recent Pinterest inspired dish?