Tag: recipes

5 COZY FALL MEALS (QUICK & EASY!)

If you need some meal inspiration this fall that check the boxes for being quick, easy and yummy, you’ve come to the right place. As a busy mom of 4 I wanted to share 5 cozy fall meals that are quick and easy, that everyone (including my picky kiddos) enjoy.

  1. Instapot Chicken & Rice Soup
  2. Instapot Mississippi Pot Roast
  3. Sheet Pan Honey Mustard Chicken and Roasted Vegetables
  4. Tortellini with a Fall Salad (SOOO good)
  5. Beef Stroganoff over Rice

To see these recipes in the making, you can watch this video.

Instapot Chicken & Rice Soup

Dice vegetables below and saute in butter in instapot

  • 2 carrots
  • 2 celery stalks
  • 1 onion

Add in the below ingredients to the instapot veggies

  • 3 cans chicken breast
  • 6 cups chicken stock
  • 1 cup rice medely (white, brown, wild) – can just use one if it’s all you have on hand
  • salt, pepper, thyme to taste + a bay leaf

Then pressure cook for 5 minutes. Meanwhile, make a roux (2Tbsp butter & 2Tbsp flour) in a skillet on the stove that you will mix in with the soup when it is done cooking in the instapot.

Instapot Mississippi Pot Roast

I used this recipe, and just adjusted to instapot by cooking 20min per pound of meat, and adding in a cup of beef broth.

Sheet Pan Honey Mustard Chicken and Roasted Vegetables

  • 2 lbs of chicken thighs – marinated in salt, pepper, garlic powder, honey & mustard (just eyeball it!)
  • 2 onions – chopped
  • 1lb brussels sprouts – marinated in oil, salt & pepper
  • 1 butternut squash – halved and brushed with oil, salt & pepper (cook this face down on the baking sheet)

Place ingredients on sheet pan and bake for ~40 mins at 400 degrees. After done, drizzle balsamic glaze on the brussels sprouts and serve.

Tortellini with a Fall Salad

The tortellini is easy. Just follow the directions on the package, mine was boil for 7 mins. Then I just added a red sauce.

For the salad, you’re going to make the dressing in a jar and shake to mix. Then pour 3/4 the dressing over the kale and massage it in. After that, add all of the other salad ingredients. If eating right away (or within the hour) add the rest of the dressing and toss the salad to combine. If eating later, hold off adding the rest of the ingredients and tossing the salad until ready to serve.

Dressing:

  • 1/3 cup olive oil
  • 3T apple cider vinegar
  • 1T dijon
  • 1 minced clove garlic
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/8 tsp pepper

Salad:

  • 10 c (about 1 big bunch/ 2 small bunches) chopped kale
  • 1 1/2 lb roasted sweet potato or butternut squash
  • 1 diced apple
  • 1/2 cup roasted pecans
  • 1/2 cup dried cranberries (you could also use pomegranate!)
  • 1/2 cup (2oz) feta cheese (goat also works really well)

Beef Stroganoff over Rice

I use this recipe and serve it over rice instead of with noodles. You could do noodles or potatoes though if you wish!

That’s it for today, I hope you enjoy these recipes this fall (or winter)! Let me know what you think.

Weekly Meal Plan

Here are the recipes for the meal plan that I shared in the YT video!

Sunday: Mississippi Pot Roast

Monday: Chicken Cordon Bleu

Tuesday: Sausage & Gnocchi Soup – from this cookbook – worth getting!

Wednesday: Taquitos w/ Rice & Beans

Thursday: *LEFTOVERS*

Saturday: Bacon Wrapped Pork Tenderloin (w/ baked potatoes & a vegetable) – from this cookbook too.. lot’s of good recipes in it!

Friday: Quinoa ‘enchiladas’ w/ cornbread – see below – comes out more like a chili

Instructions: Add all ingredients below into a crockpot and cook on low for 3 hours. Then serve with avocado, lime, cilantro, tortilla chips, etc… Can also add shredded chicken if you wish.

1 3/4 cups chicken broth

1 cup uncooked quinoa

10 oz enchilada sauce

4.5 oz can chopped green chilis

14.5 oz can black beans

1/2 tsp cumin

1/2 tsp chili powder

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp black pepper

2 Tbsp fresh cilantro

Chicken Cordon Bleu Slow Cooker Recipe

I first tried this meal when getting prepped for Rosemary to be born. I wanted to have lots of dinners freezer ready so that I didn’t have to make dinner for awhile after she was born. It was sooo good and such a comfort meal that I knew I wanted to make it again when we started getting into colder weather. Below is my adaptation of this recipe – I just tweaked a couple things to my preference. Mainly, I didn’t think it needed as much ham or cheese as the original recipe called for. This really does make a great freezer meal and the directions are pretty much to layer the ingredients in a bag instead of the slow cooker and freeze, but you can get more in depth directions on her site.

This recipe makes enough for about 6 people.

Ingredients for Chicken Cordon Bleu Casserole

  • 1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breast, cubed
  • 8 oz. deli ham
  • 10.75 oz. can cream of chicken soup
  • 1 box of instant stuffing
  • ¼ cup butter
  • 1 cup milk
  • 1 cups shredded Swiss cheese

Instructions for Chicken Cordon Bleu Casserole

You can see me make this recipe in this video

  1. Melt the butter and combine it with the cream of chicken soup and milk to make a ‘soup’
  2. Cut the chicken into cubes and place it at the bottom of the slow cooker.
  3. Pour half of the soup mixture over the chicken.
  4. Cut the ham into bite sized pieces and spread half of it over the chicken.
  5. Sprinkle half the cheese on top.
  6. Add half of the stuffing on top.
  7. Layer the remaining ham, cheese, and stuffing on top.
  8. Cook on low for 4 hours.

It’s that easy!! And it’s super delicious too. I have paired this with asparagus, broccoli, and most recently carrots & snap peas. I would say any vegetable would make a great side dish to this.

Hope you enjoy!

Addie’s Yummy & Healthy Granola Recipe

I happened to come up with this recipe because my store bought granola habit was getting expensive and out of hand. I couldn’t find a recipe online that spoke to me so I came up with this. Man, am I glad I did!! This recipe is not only healthy, but also so delicious and sooo easy to make (I skip the multiple steps that most recipes have). And one of the best parts about this recipe is that it’s completely customizable to whatever your preferences are. I hope you enjoy!

Healthy Granola Ingredients

6 cups oats

2 cups nuts

2 cups dried fruit or other favorite mix in

1/3 c – 1/2 c almond butter**

½ c coconut oil

½ c maple syrup

2t cinnamon**

1 1/2 t vanilla

2t salt

**For a fall version I like to substitute the almond butter for pumpkin puree & the cinnamon for pumpkin pie spice.

My favorite nut combo is 3/4c pecans, 3/4c cashews, 1/2c pepitas (I like walnuts too) and my favorite other mix-ins are 1c dried cranberries and 1c shredded coconut (sometimes I’ll do cocoa nibs as well).

The best part about this recipe is that it doesn’t matter what you use in which combination as long as the nut ratio is about 2 cups and the other stuff is about 2 cups.

Healthy Granola Directions

Preheat oven to 350

Mix all ingredients dry ingredients together in a stand mixer. Then add wet ingredients and mix well.

Bake for 15-20 minutes until the oats are nicely toasted.

Let completely cool before transferring to a storage jar.

NOTE: If you are using chocolate in your granola you can choose to add it to the granola with everything else prior to baking OR mix it in after baking when the granola cools. Personally I think it is easier to do it all at the same time and I don’t mind the chocolate a little schmelty, but it is up to you!

My Strawberry Cream Cheese Breakfast Plait Recipe

On Saturday mornings, Isabel and I like to get the mixer out and bake away. This recipe is so simple, so quick, so easy AND great for doing with kids. It is a definite crowd pleaser and delicious with some warm coffee. I hope you enjoy!

I have a video here if you are more of a visual learner.

Ingredients

  • 1 puff pastry
  • 4 oz cream cheese, softened
  • 1/4 C powdered sugar
  • 1 t vanilla
  • 2 T strawberry preserves
  • 1 egg

Directions

  • Let frozen puff pastry thaw
  • Preheat to 400
  • Line baking tray with parchment paper
  • Lightly flour or spray the parchment paper then unfold breakfast pastry on the baking tray.
  • In a mixer blend cream cheese, powdered sugar and vanilla
  • Spread the mixture in the middle of the puff pastry
  • Spoon preserves over the cheese mixture and spread on top in the middle of the puff pastry
  • Use a knife to cut 1″ strips on the outer 3rds of the dough
  • “Braid” the dough by pulling in a 1″ section from the right and then the left alternating until the end.
  • Give the braid an egg wash
  • Bake for 20 minutes
https://youtu.be/52hXU88RvkU