Seafood Salad

Disclosure: Some links in this post may be affiliate links, meaning that at no additional cost to you I will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase.

As summer wears on and the days get hotter, we were looking for more ways to keep full without having to heat too many things up in the kitchen. Not to mention for the latest family party the theme my mother-in-law picked salads. So we found this delicious pasta salad chock full of savory silky sauce, krab, and shrimp!

This is a great salad to keep on hand. You can keep it in the fridge and eat it as a side or on its own. You only need to boil pasta – the rest is just mixing! Easy and you don’t have to heat up the house!

Seafood Salad

Comfort, Dinner, Meals for a Crowd, Pasta, Salad, Seafood, Sides, Southern, Splurge, Summer

Seafood Salad

Ingredients

1 lb shell pasta
3 stalks celery
1 lb imitation crab (krab) meat
1/4 lb shrimp meat
1 1/2 cups mayonnaise
2 TBS white sugar
2 TBS white vinegar
1 TBS lemon juice
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp onion powder
1 tsp Old Bay Seasoning
1 TBS creole seasoning

Instructions

In a large pot, boil shell pasta until thoroughly cooked. Drain.
Place pasta in a large mixing bowl. Finely chop celery and add to bowl along with the crab and shrimp meat.
Mix in mayonnaise, sugar, vinegar, and lemon juice. Follow with salt, pepper, onion powder, Old Bay seasoning, and creole.
Mix well and cover bowl. Chill for at least 2 hours. Serve cold.

Tried this recipe? Let us know in the comments!

Join 11 other subscribers

July 8, 2019

Barbecue Pork Chops

Disclosure: Some links in this post may be affiliate links, meaning that at no additional cost to you I will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase.

Summer is in full swing, and barbecues are being pulled out every day by families all over the country.

If you don’t feel like the classics like ribs, burgers, or chicken, you can always grill up these juicy pork chops! They’re healthier than beef, not to mention a whole lot cheaper, but heartier than chicken.

We use mesquite barbecue sauce for ours, but you could slather yours in whatever you’d like!

Grilled Mesquite Pork Chops

Barbecue, Comfort, Comfort Foods, Dinner, Meals for a Crowd, Meat, Pork, Spicy

Grilled Mesquite Pork Chops

Ingredients

1 package of bone in pork chops
1 TBS onion powder
1 TBS black pepper
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp curry powder
1 bottle mesquite barbecue sauce

Instructions

Place pork chops on a baking sheet to prepare.
In a medium bowl, combine onion powder, black pepper, paprika, and curry powder.
Sprinkle half of the seasonings over the pork chops. Flip and repeat on the other side. Rub seasonings in to adhere to meat.
Heat grill to 500 degrees Fahrenheit.
Place chops on grill for 5 minutes, then lower heat to 425 degrees. Cook for 10 minutes.
Flip pork chops and spread sauce on up side. Cook for 5 minutes, then flip again, covering the other side with sauce.
Cook for an additional 5 minutes before flipping and covering in sauce again.
Remove from grill and allow to rest for 10 minutes.

Pair these with a salad and maybe a side of corn or potatoes for the ultimate summer meal!

Getting bored with all this barbecue talk? Let us know what you want to see next!

June 24, 2019June 24, 2019

Grilled Corn on the Cob

Disclosure: Some links in this post may be affiliate links, meaning that at no additional cost to you I will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase.

Corn during the summer is a great go to when you’re grilling! Its cheap and easy – exactly what you need when you’re taking the time to grill up some amazing ribs (like these ones.)

Grilled Corn on the Cob

Barbecue, Comfort, Comfort Foods, Dinner, Meals for a Crowd, Sides, Summer, Vegetarian

Grilled Corn on the Cob

Ingredients

Whole corn cobs
Tinfoil
Butter and salt to taste

Instructions

Husk corn cobs and cut in half.
Preheat barbecue to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.
Wrap corn halves individually in a single layer of tinfoil, shiny side in.
Place wrapped corn on grill. Cook for 10 minutes, then roll to another side.
Cook for an additional 10 minutes and roll again. Cook for the last ten minutes and remove from grill.
Allow corn to cool to handling temperature. Unwrap, and add butter and salt to taste.

May 16, 2019

Oven Baked Chicken

Disclosure: Some links in this post may be affiliate links, meaning that at no additional cost to you I will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase.

Nothing is better than getting home after a long day of work than the smell of baked chicken and mashed potatoes! Pair it with a salad and you’ve got a healthy and hearty meat that will keep you feeling satisfied!

We personally like getting chicken quarters and separate them ourselves. For one, its typically cheaper that way. Two, the pieces are usually larger.

We always wait for them to go on sale at our favorite local discount grocery store. The last time we found them for $0.25 per pound! So we grabbed a ton and put them in our freezer. We’ve slowly been working through them, drastically lowering how much meat we’ve had to buy lately.

You’ll need a baking sheet and rack to keep the chicken out of its own grease as it cooks. That keeps it healthier and makes the skin extra crispy!

Oven Baked Chicken

Chicken, Comfort, Comfort Foods, Dinner, Meals for a Crowd, Meat

Oven Baked Chicken

Ingredients

6 chicken quarters, separated (or 6 thighs and 6 drumsticks)
1 TBS black pepper
1 TBS onion powder
1 tsp sea salt
1 tsp thyme
1 tsp Kamodo Joe Poultry seasoning
2 tsp smoked paprika

Instructions

In a small bowl, combine all seasonings. Mix thoroughly.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
Sprinkle seasoning on one side of chicken and rub in. Flip chicken and repeat for the other side.
Place chicken on a baking rack on a baking sheet, skin side down.
Bake 50 – 60 minutes, flipping halfway through. Chicken is done when the largest thigh reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit.

Craving barbecue instead? Check out this recipe!

April 18, 2019April 15, 2019

Slow Cooker Loaded Baked Potato Soup

Disclosure: Some links in this post may be affiliate links, meaning that at no additional cost to you I will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase.

We are potato lovers in this house! When my wife was pregnant that is all she craved (then she ironically developed gestational diabetes, so no more for her!)

Nothing is better on a cool almost spring day than a hearty bowl of potato soup! This classic recipe brings everything you love about a baked potato into a bowl with creamy texture you will love to scarf down!

To make this the ultimate soup, you could really use an immersion blender. It makes is so easy, and saves you the hassle of having to blend it in batches in your standard stand blender. (Though if you love a classic blender, might we recommend Ninja?)

Slow Cooker Loaded Baked Potato Soup

Cheese, Comfort, Comfort Foods, Dinner, Meals for a Crowd, Potatoes, Soup

Slow Cooker Loaded Baked Potato Soup

Ingredients

8 cups of water
4 TBS chicken base
4 lbs red potatoes, chopped into 1″ pieces
1/2 sweet onion, chopped
1 lb bacon, chopped, cooked, divided – reserve grease
1 1/2 cups of sour cream, plus more for garnish
1 lb cheddar cheese, shredded for garnish
1 bunch of green onion, chopped for garnish

Instructions

Mix water, chicken base, potatoes, onion, 1/2 of cooked bacon, and reserved bacon grease in a 6 QT slow cooker.
Cook for 3 hours on high, then 3 hours on low for a total cook time of 6 hours, stirring occasionally.
Using an immersion blender, blend soup until slightly chunkier than desired texture (we like it a little chunky).
Add in 1 1/2 cups of sour cream and blend to desired texture.
Garnish with remaining bacon, green onion, cheddar cheese, and sour cream.

Want to elevate this soup? We love this “Deluxe” version filled with Parmesan!

April 18, 2019April 15, 2019

Slow Cooker Deluxe Potato Soup

Disclosure: Some links in this post may be affiliate links, meaning that at no additional cost to you I will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase.

As spring gets closer, some of those blustery in between days can get pretty chilly. We’ve had such whiplash between sunny weather and rain/snow that we aren’t ever sure what to prepare.

A good fall back is some soup to warm the soul in the slow cooker so you don’t warm up the house! The ultimate comfort food is the potato, and this soup celebrates it in an elevated way!

We have loved our immersion blender, and jump at any opportunity to use it! I couldn’t find ours available anymore, but this one on Amazon is a great price!

Slow Cooker Deluxe Potato Soup

Cheese, Comfort, Comfort Foods, Dinner, Meals for a Crowd, Potatoes, Soup

Slow Cooker Deluxe Potato Soup

Ingredients

8 cups of water
4 TBS chicken base
4 lbs red potatoes, chopped into 1″ pieces
1/2 sweet onion, chopped
1 lb bacon, chopped, cooked, divided – reserve grease
1 lb Parmesan cheese, shredded, divided
1 bunch of green onion, chopped

Instructions

Mix water, chicken base, potatoes, onion, 1/2 of cooked bacon, and reserved bacon grease in a 6 QT slow cooker.
Cook for 3 hours on high, then 3 hours on low for a total cook time of 6 hours, stirring occasionally.
Using an immersion blender, blend soup until slightly chunkier than desired texture (we like it a little chunky).
Add in 1 1/2 cups of shredded Parmesan and blend to desired texture.
Garnish with remaining bacon, green onion, and more Parmesan.

Notes

Make this Vegetarian friendly by not adding bacon and using Vegetable Bouillon instead of chicken base.

A little to indulgent? Check out our classic Loaded Baked Potato Soup for a simpler take!

April 15, 2019April 12, 2019

Slow Cooker Taco Soup

Disclosure: Some links in this post may be affiliate links, meaning that at no additional cost to you I will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase.

Spring is in the air – but if you live anywhere like we do, April still has a chill in the air. Around here that means soup time!

One of our heartiest and budget friendly soups is our Taco Soup! Filled with lots of protein and brimming with flavor, we can never have enough!

You can make this recipe even simpler if you want to use canned beans instead of soaking your own. Or make it faster by using a pressure cooker to cook up your beans!

Garnished with tortilla chips, sour cream, and green onions for a fiesta in a bowl!

Slow Cooker Taco Soup

Comfort, Comfort Foods, Dinner, Meals for a Crowd, Meat, Mexican, Pork, Soup

Slow Cooker Taco Soup

Ingredients

3 lbs pork shoulder, cut into bite sized chunks
1 1/2 cups dried pinto beans
1 1/2 cups dried black beans
1 1/2 cups dried kidney beans
5 TBS Taco Seasoning
2 cans of diced tomatoes
1 can of corn
7 cups of water
2 TBS of chicken base powder
2 medium Anaheim peppers, finely chopped and separated
1 bunch of green onion, chopped
1 lb of cheddar cheese, shredded
Sour cream
Tortilla chips

Instructions

Mix dried beans in a large bowl or pot. Fill bowl with enough water to cover the beans. Soak overnight. Drain beans.
Mix beans, pork, 4 TBS of the taco seasoning, diced tomatoes, 3 cups of water, 1 TBS chicken base and corn in a 6 QT slow cooker. Cook on high for 2 hours.
Add 1/2 of a medium Anaheim pepper. Cook for another 5 hours on high.
Add remaining water, chicken base, and taco seasoning. Cook for an additional 2 hours, bringing the total cook time to 9 hours.
Garnish soup with tortilla chips, remaining Anaheim peppers, green onions, cheese, and sour cream.

Notes

If using canned beans use 3 15oz cans of beans, drained, for each variety. They will not need to be soaked. Reduce cook time by 1 hour and cook on low instead of high.

March 9, 2019August 5, 2019

Pressure Cooker Mashed Potatoes

Disclosure: Some links in this post may be affiliate links, meaning that at no additional cost to you I will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase.

When my wife was pregnant, all she craved was carbs (she felt it was unfair later that she got gestational diabetes and had to limit them). Popcorn, sugary drinks – her biggest craving, though, was for mashed potatoes. She prepared and ate instant potato flakes by the bagful, and I had to buy her some pounds and pounds of red potatoes – her favorite!

I wish back when she was having these cravings we had an electric pressure cooker! We got our Instant Pot from her parents for Christmas a couple of years ago, and we’ve used it enough that we’ve thought about getting a second one! From beans to meat to easy side dishes, we use our Instant Pot once a week at least!

These potatoes are super easy, and so much faster than the traditionally boiled method. And they are so creamy they can be eaten on their own. Our favorite thing to pair them with is our chicken fried steaks and white gravy!

Obviously you’ll need a 6QT pressure cooker. We absolutely love our Instant Pot!

Pressure Cooker Mashed Potatoes

Comfort, Comfort Foods, Dinner, Meals for a Crowd, Potatoes, Pressure Cooker, Sides

Pressure Cooker Mashed Potatoes

Ingredients

5lbs russet potatoes
1 cup water
1 1/2 – 2 cups of milk
1/2 – 1 stick of butter
2TBS garlic powder
2TBS salt
2TBS pepper

Instructions

Wash potatoes and chop into 1” pieces (we leave the peels on, but you can peel the potatoes if you prefer).
Put water into pressure cooker, followed by the potatoes.
Seal pressure cooker, making sure vent is sealed as well. Set to Manual-High for 6 minutes. Quick release the pressure when cook time ends.
Using a hand mixer or a potato masher, lightly break up the potatoes. Then blend in milk and butter gradually until desired consistency. Blend in spices to taste. Serve hot.