DINNER

135 Back to School Recipes

45 Easy Dinner Ideas

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The Easy Dinner Recipes Meal Plan – Week 4

The Easy Dinner Recipes Meal Plan is here to take the guess work out of meal planning. I’m so thrilled to bring you this AWESOME list of recipes to you all in hopes of taking the guesswork out of your week.

I can’t even express just how stoked I am to be working with this incredible group of talented bloggers to bring you this weekly meal plan. I love ALL of these recipes & I know you will too! Check them out…

Here we go – we are sharing with you SEVEN meals along with a dessert this week! Take a look!

Summer Pasta with Shrimp from Just Us Four

Honey Asian Chicken from Eazy Peazy Mealz

Quinoa Fried Rice from Domestic Superhero

Quick and Easy Feijoada from Play. Party. Pin.

Monterey Chicken Sliders from This Silly Girl’s Life

BBQ Trip-Tip Roast from Kleinworth & Co.

Slow Cooker +Grill BBQ Pork Ribs from Eazy Peazy Mealz

M&M Pudding Cookies from Living Better Together

The Easy Dinner Recipes Meal Plan brought to you by: Domestic Superhero – Just Us Four – Living Better Together – Kleinworth & Co. – This Silly Girl’s Life – Eazy Peazy Mealz – Play.Party.Pin

There you go. I hope this gave you some great inspiration for this week ahead. I hope you stop by next week for some more meal plan ideas and inspiration!

Looking for more great dinner ideas?

Garlic BBQ Smokies

Beef Macaroni Soup

To see where I am linking today- visit HERE

The Easy Dinner Recipes Meal Plan- Week 3

The Easy Dinner Recipes Meal Plan is here to take the guess work out of meal planning. With all the chaos that comes around dinner prep, these easy dinner recipes are tried, tested & perfected by all these phenomenal bloggers for you. Here’s to a delicious meal.

I’m thrilled that we are in week 3 of our easy dinner recipes meal plan. I hope you have enjoyed all the awesome recipe ideas so far. I sure have & I can’t wait to get going this week on these picks we have for you. YUM-O! This Easy Dinner Recipes Meal Plan is something EVERYONE can use; from busy moms to newlyweds, there is something for everyone!

We are sharing with you SEVEN meals along with a dessert this week! Take a look!

Meatless Monday – One Pot Cheesy Cajun Pasta by Domestic Superhero

Grilled Eggplant Rolls by Play. Party. Pin

10 Minute Grilled Chicken Protein Pitas by Easy Peasy Mealz

Cheesy Baked Potato Chip Chicken Tenders by This Silly Girl’s Life

One Pot Chili Mac-n-Cheese by Living Better Together

Gourmet Hot Dogs by Kleinworth & Co.

Roasted Tomato Goat Cheese Pesto Pizza by Just Us Four

Sugar Cookie Strawberry Pies by Kleinworth & Co.

There you go. I hope this gave you some great inspiration for this week ahead. I hope you stop by next week for some more meal plan ideas and inspiration!

Looking for more great dinner ideas?

Deep Fried Tortellini

Easy Enchiladas

To see where I am linking today- visit HERE

Buttermilk Chicken Strips

By Kleinworth & Co 3 Comments

Need an easy chicken recipe for a great dinner? Crispy Buttermilk Chicken Strips are an easy family dinner idea that everyone loves. Simple, easy, delicious

One of my all time favorite dinner recipes is chicken strips. But I have found that not all chicken strips are created equal. For me, they MUST be super crispy & yet remain juicy on the inside. The only real way to do this is with the deep fryer. So once in a great while we pull it out & whip up some of these delicious buttermilk chicken strips & I swoon with every bite. I always vow to make them more often- then I wash & tuck the deep fryer away & forget what I said. Then when we start inching ever so close to fall & football – I remember & out it comes to make some more of these delicious strips.

I’m super excited too, because today I’m also sharing this recipe with my dear friend (& party co-host) Emily of Nap-Time Creations. This is the second or third year I have joined her for her Summer Fun Series. There are SO MANY fabulous ideas being shared – you have to check it out.

Tuna Noodle Casserole

Buttermilk Chicken Strips

Ingredients

6 boneless skinless chicken breasts - cut into strips
2 eggs beaten
2 cup buttermilk
1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup seasoned bread crumbs
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 quart oil for frying

Instructions

In a large bowl, mix the egg, buttermilk and garlic powder.
Place chicken strips into the bowl. Cover and refrigerate 2 to 4 hours.
In another large bowl mix together the flour, bread crumbs, salt and baking powder.
Remove chicken from refrigerator, and drain
Place chicken in flour mixture bowl & toss to coat.
Heat oil in deep fryer to 375 degrees
Carefully place coated chicken in hot oil.
Fry until golden brown and juices run clear (approx 6-7 min)
Drain on baking sheet lined with paper towels.

Be sure to check out all the great ideas shared in the series!!

Check out the other fun posts of the day before you go!

Country Fair Funnel Cakes from Love Bakes Good Cakes

Buttermilk Chicken Strips by Kleinworth and Co

Lemonade Cupcakes by The Creative Nest

Minecraft Water Bottle by DIY Crush on Nap-Time Creations

Want more Easy Family Dinner Ideas?

Salsa Pulled Pork Tacos

To see where I am linking today- visit HERE

THE EASY DINNER RECIPES MEAL PLAN – WEEK 2

Meatless Monday! Baked Caprese Pasta from Domestic Superhero

The Easy Dinner Recipes Meal Plan-week 2 was created to help take the guess work out of meal planning. With all the hustle that comes at dinner time, these easy dinner recipes are tried, tested & perfected by all these phenomenal bloggers for you. Jump on board & follow each week as we bring you one delicious meal plan after another – you will love these recipe ideas!

Did you love all the AWESOME recipes share last week? I know I did!! That was exactly why I am teamied up with SIX other awesome bloggers to bring it all together. This weekly meal plan will help you gather delicious recipes and major inspiration. Don’t forget – Meal planning is absolutely the key to saving money on groceries, and also eating healthier. There is something for everyone here this week!

Here we go – we are sharing with you SEVEN meals along with a dessert this week! Take a look!

Taco Tuesday!! Salsa Pulled Pork Tacos from Kleinworth & Co

Zuppa Toscana Soup from Play. Party. Pin.

Better Than Takeout Beef & Broccoli from This Silly Girl’s Life

Macaroni and BBQ Chicken Pizza from Just Us Four

Zucchini Noodle Shrimp Scampi from Eazy Peazy Mealz

Oven Burgers from Living Better Together

Individual Frozen Key Lime Pies from This Silly Girl’s Life

There you go. I hope this gave you some great inspiration for this week ahead. Be sure to check out by next week for some more meal plan ideas and inspiration!

Looking for more great dinner ideas?

The Easy Dinner Recipes Meal Plan – Week 1

Blue Cheese Breakfast Burger

Stuffed Chicken Breast

To see where I am linking today- visit HERE

BLT Dog

By Kleinworth & Co Leave a Comment

This is a sponsored conversation written by me of behalf of Ball Park® brand. The opinions and text are all mine.

Hog dogs can be so much more than ketchup & mustard. This BLT Dog that is a great way to serve a classic with a twist while enjoying your summer grilling.

Since it’s the perfect time to fire up that grill I have been talking with you all a lot lately about taking your summer meal prep outside. Since we moved from a warmer climate where we were able to grill year round, we haven’t really changed our habits. We just have winter grilling recipes & ones that are more geared towards the summer months. Even though we keep the grill going year round still, one thing we look forward to when it comes to grilling this time of year is that we can dine outside too. We have sure been doing a whole lot of that.

So as I have shared, we have been making all sorts of great recipes for enjoying al fresco. This time we decided to sort of host our own grillathon with family & enjoy the weekend. Coming up in August, Ball Park and a team of grill masters will attempt to break the world record for the longest running group BBQ at the Finest Grillathon using Ball Park Park’s Finest hot dogs. Doesn’t that sound like fun? We couldn’t wait to host our own mini-version here with our family.

We like to take our dogs outside the typical toppings & add-ons. The favorite dog of the day – this BLT dog. Yep, bacon, lettuce & tomatoes packed on there with a Ball Park Park’s Finest hot dog on a ciabatta bun.

We had a great time grilling a ton of dogs, adding some great sides & hanging out with good company.

You can visit Ball Park Park’s Finest hot dogs for more info!

Creative Hot Dog Recipes

BLT Dog

Ingredients

Any flavor Ball Park Park’s Finest hot dogs
lettuce
diced tomatoes
crisp cooked bacon
ciabatta bun

Instructions

Grill hot dogs on a 350 degree grill for approx 10 minutes
Add to bun with bacon, lettuce & tomatoes - you can also add mayo if desired.
Enjoy!

Here’s some more great easy family dinner ideas!

Gourmet Hot Dogs

Fried Hot Dog Sliders

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Ball Park. The opinions and text are all mine.

To see where I am linking today- visit HERE

The Easy Dinner Recipes Meal Plan – Week 1

For a long time I have been wanting to provide you all with a weekly meal plan. But I wasn’t feeling like I had enough of my own recipes here to sustain that for too terribly long. So…. Guess what? I’m so excited to tell you that I am teaming up with SIX other awesome bloggers to bring it all together. This weekly meal plan will help you gather delicious recipes and major inspiration. The weekend is the best time to put together your meal plan for the following week. It’s so important! Meal planning is absolutely the key to saving money on groceries, and also eating healthier. I know that when we make a plan & stick to our list we always come out ahead- both with time & money. This Easy Dinner Recipes Meal Plan is something EVERYONE can use; from busy moms to newlyweds, there is something for everyone!

To kick it off – we are sharing with you SEVEN meals along with a dessert this week! Take a look!

Meatless Monday – ‘Taco Bell’ Mexican Pizzas by Domestic Superhero

Chili’s Monterey Jack Chicken by This Silly Girl’s Life

Baby Back Ribs by Kleinworth & Co.

Easy Crock Pot Pulled Pork Tacos by Play.Party.Pin

Creamy Avocado Fettuccine by Eazy Peazy Mealz

Grilled Sticky Chicken by Just Us Four

Southwestern Flatbreads (grilling these!) by Domestic Superhero

Easy Peanut Butter Cheesecake by Living Better Together

There you go. I hope this gave you some great inspiration for this week ahead. I hope you stop by next week for some more meal plan ideas and inspiration!

Looking for more great dinner ideas?

40 Nights of Dinner Ideas

20 Easy Dinner Ideas

To see where I am linking today- visit HERE

Pasta Carbonara

Needing more Easy Family Dinner Ideas? Pasta Carbonara, a classic ‘bacon’ spaghetti dish is loaded with cheese which makes a creamy sauce that’s delicious.

I love easy family dinner ideas, which is why I post so many recipes on that topic. It seems that especially in the summer the last thing I want to do is be in the kitchen – but we all still have to eat (preferably together). So I am always working on new recipes to get me in & out of there quick so we can have as much family time as possible. Things like a hearty pasta dish like this pasta carbonara are great because it comes together fast & it fills all these hungry teens easily.

With the hectic schedules of everyday families it’s so important to still try to enjoy dinner together whenever possible. This is becoming less & less easy as my son’s work schedule has him missing so often at dinner time. So the quicker I can get dinner on the table, the easier it is for us all to find those openings in the schedules for that short amount of time & dine together as a family. I miss that time where we eat & laugh & enjoy. So these quick & easy family dinner ideas are what I seek all the time.

I like to pair this with some easy garlic toast to help sop up the remaining sauce on the plate.

The kids can’t get enough, which is great!

Crock Pot Chicken Tacos

Pasta Carbonara : Easy Family Dinner Ideas

Ingredients

8 oz spaghetti - uncooked
1 pkg bacon - cooked
1-1/2 tbsp minced garlic
3 cups milk
3 tbsp cornstarch
3/4 cup Parmesan cheese
salt pepper, granulated garlic & mined onions to taste
Grape tomatoes & parsley for garnish

Instructions

Start with preparing your bacon as you normally would- either bake or pan fry to crisp
Allow to cool slightly & then rough chop or crumble into large skillet
In a large pot bring water to boiling & cook spaghetti to package directions (usually around 11 minutes)
Add garlic & seasonings to skillet with bacon & heat over low about 2 minutes - stirring frequently
In a medium bowl combine milk & cornstarch - whisk
Add milk mixture to skillet with bacon & cook on medium until thickened
Add Parmesan & cook until melted
Add cooked pasta to skillet & toss to coat
Season with salt & pepper & garnish with tomatoes & parsley before serving

Looking for more of our favorite easy family dinner ideas?

General Tso’s Chicken Salad

Crockpot Chicken Florentine

To see where I am linking today- visit HERE

Blue Cheese Breakfast Burger

By Kleinworth & Co

Partnering with Castello for a Summer of Blue, this Blue Cheese Breakfast Burger is loaded with delicious blue cheese, layered with hash browns, a ground chuck patty, bacon & an egg – sunny side up!

It’s everything you love about breakfast, packed on your burger & complimented by the great taste of blue cheese. Heaven on a bun!

Have I mentioned before that I like my food hearty? I’m not a salad feign like my kids. Maybe you gathered that already by how few salads you find here on Kleinworth & Co. I will rarely turn down a good burger.

One of my ALL TIME favorite ways to eat a burger is with blue cheese. I swoon over it!! In fact – it’s also my favorite topping for steak. Can’t get enough of that great taste!

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Grilled Chicken Piccata : Easy Family Dinner Ideas

This is a Sponsored Post – Italian Summer Grilling with Colavita to bring you great Easy Family Dinner Ideas.

Grilled Chicken Piccata is just another one of my easy family dinner ideas that answers the question of what to make. I know you all face that question as often as I do. It’s my mission to help give you ideas & make dinner time enjoyable! This dish is an easy way to make a simple & delicious dinner tonight.

With an abundance of wonderful Colavita ingredients to choose from – it was fun to come up with a great dish for dinner. I started with these items below paired with my grilled chicken the hubs was working on in the back yard. I love it when he’s grilling & I can be inside working on the rest. Makes dinner come together quick.

Colavita was founded in the village of Sant’Elia a Pianisi, located in the Molise region of Italy, by the joining of two families. One family produced fine extra virgin olive oil from the local olives and the other milled durum wheat into semolina grain and to make fresh pasta for the village. As prominent producers in their area and with the same name, Colavita, the two became one company and today create a variety of gourmet ingredients for Italian cooking. A match made in heaven if you ask me!

A little grilled chicken with some pasta with a light sauce is my idea of a perfect summer dish. I love creating recipes to wow my guests. When they are asking for the details on how I whipped dinner together so easily I know I have a keeper.

Colavita is also offering a $1 off coupon and 15% off in their online store

Angel Hair Pasta in Burgundy Garlic Sauce

Grilled Chicken Piccata : Easy Family Dinner Ideas

Ingredients

2 lbs boneless skinless chicken tenders

Pasta

1 16 oz bag Colavita tri color fussilli
1 tbsp Colavita extra virgin olive oil

Sauce

1 tbsp Colavita extra virgin olive oil
1 tbsp minced garlic
1/2 cup white wine
1 tbsp Colavita fine Italian flour
1 cup chicken broth
1 tsp Colavita white balsamic vinegar
2 tbsp Colavita capers- drained
2 tbsp butter
3-4 leaves fresh basil for garnish

Instructions

Chicken

Preheat grill to 375 degrees
Grill chicken until fully cooked throughout & juices run clear

Pasta

Bring 2 qts of water & olive oil to a rolling boil in medium stockpot
Once boiling - add pasta & cook approx 9-11 minutes stirring occasionally
Remove & drain - set aside

Sauce

In a medium saucepan heat olive oil & garlic for approx 1 minute
Add wine - simmer 1 minute
Stir flour &1 cup broth together & slowly pour into saucepan
Cook & stir about 2 minutes or until thickened
Stir in white balsamic vinegar, capers & butter
To serve plate the chicken on top of a bed of cooked noodles & ladle sauce over the top
Add basil on the side

Want more Easy Family Dinner Ideas?

Caprese Pasta Salad

Chipotle Spinach Fettuccini

To see where I am linking today- visit HERE

Hearty Tomato Soup : Easy Family Dinner Ideas

By Kleinworth & Co 5 Comments

Hello my friends!! I know the weather is just starting to get nice. But you know what – that’s when I really start using my crock pot. Once I turn off the heater for the season it seems I’m using my oven less & less too. So I know that you all might be past the idea of cozy comfort food. But I’m going to tell ya – soups & Easy Family Dinner Ideas in the crock pot are my “go-to” in the warmer months. Having soup is just filling enough that I don’t feel all bogged down after a heavy meal. So what’s my favorite soup lately? This Hearty Tomato Soup of course.

Tomato based soups are one of my favorites to make. It’s rich, flavorful & packed full of nutrients. I definitely crave some sort of tomato based soup when I go longer than a couple weeks between making some. It’s SO GOOD!

I really like to make a double batch so we can have leftovers for the next night. Add a little slice of Easy Garlic Toast on the side – delicious.

Jalapeno Cheddar Chicken Soup – in the crock pot

Hearty Tomato Soup

Ingredients

1 pound ground sausage
1 28 ounce can crushed tomatoes
16 ounces chicken stock
1/2 qt half & half
1/2 cup evaporated milk
2 tbsp minced onion
1/4 tbsp garlic paste
2 tbsp stick butter
2 cups elbow macaroni
6 ounces shredded Parmesan cheese
Salt pepper, granulated garlic to taste

Instructions

Brown sausage in large skillet over med-high heat adding seasonings (onions, garlic, salt, pepper & granulated garlic) as you cook
Once brown -transfer to crock pot
Add crushed tomatoes, chicken stock
Add additional seasonings to taste.
Cook on low 3-4 hours
About 15 minutes before you are ready to enjoy this soup - In a stockpot cook your macaroni to package directions & drain
Slowly add in half & half & evaporated milk to soup - stir well
Add in Parmesan cheese & cooked macaroni
Stir until cheese has melted & blended into the soup.
Serve with a little more cheese on top

Want more great Easy Family Dinner Ideas?

Crock Pot Turkey & Rice Soup

Creamy Tomato Tortellini Soup

To see where I am linking today- visit HERE

Easy Kids Snacks : Mealtime Solutions

By Kleinworth & Co 4 Comments

Do you struggle to keep lunch time fun for the kiddos? We have done a sandwich & fruit for as long as I can remember. Sometimes if we have a little bit of leftovers from the previous night’s dinner they can have that. But most of the time it can get a little dull when it comes to the mid-day meal. For some mealtime solutions I decided I want to focus on making each lunch a little more interesting. I’ll start with one day per week & work on adding more days as we go on. Things like these Easy Kids Snacks are a great place to start. Adding one little something extra can really make the meal or snack more interesting & enjoyable.

You know I have been focused on cutting out things in our diet. Keeping the house packed full of organic products makes it so easy to have yummy goodness without compromise. Horizon is my “go-to” for this.

I mentioned before that the kids were shying away from milk & other products lately because they can taste the additives in them. So buying organic Horizon is a great way to keep them eating all their favorite foods.

I like to do a different sandwich each day & never forget some fruit on the side. They are so thrilled more fruit is becoming available with the warmer weather now. Then we added these Horizon cheddar sandwich crackers for a little fun with a glass of Horizon Organic milk.

To find out more about Horizon & all the wonderful organic products they offer – connect with them on Facebook & Twitter @Horizon_Organic

You can also find more mealtime solutions on Horizon’s Pinterest board.

Looking for more great lunch ideas?

Prosciutto & French Onion Tea Sandwiches

Pepperoncini Pork Tenderloin Sandwich

New England Dip Sandwich

To see where I am linking today- visit HERE

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Horizon Organics. The opinions and text are all mine.

Hearty Broccoli Cheddar Soup : Easy Family Dinner Ideas

Hello my friends!!!! I know it’s spring. I know we are nearing the end of comfort food season & I still have a pile of warm & hearty goodness to share with you all. Too many recipes- not enough days. But you all know how much I love a good soup recipe – especially if it involves the crock pot. I love coming up with Easy Family Dinner Ideas & hearty soups top my list. You know that if I can toss it in the slow cooker & it’s doing it’s thing while I work away – it’s a keeper in my book. So even though comfort foods are nearly out of season – easy recipes are not. So I had to share this one with you here.

This recipe came about because I was craving broccoli cheddar soup. However my family likes a good filling dish. If it’s not filling then I have to have something additional on the side like a sandwich. So I decided to add a little ground sausage to the soup during the last 30 minutes of cooking. It was a great decision. My family loved the change & they ate the whole pot.

Tuna Noodle Casserole

Hearty Broccoli Cheddar Soup : Easy Family Dinner Ideas

Ingredients

2 cups chicken broth
1/2 cup water
1/2 tsp minced garlic
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
8 oz bag frozen broccoli florets
1 tsp onion powder
2 tsp minced onions
1 lb ground sausage
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
6 oz evaporated milk

Instructions

Add all ingredients except sausage, cheese & evaporated milk to crock pot.
Cook on low 5-6 hours
About 35-40 minutes before you are ready to serve, use an immersion blender to break up your broccoli to your desired size
Brown your sausage & add to the soup
Stir in cheese & evaporated milk
Turn your crock pot up to high & cook an additional 30 minutes
Enjoy!

Looking for more Easy Family Dinner Ideas?

Stuffed Chicken Breast

Chicken Fajitas

To see where I am linking today- visit HERE

Creamy Celery Soup {Dairy Free} :Easy Family Dinner Ideas

Hi there all my dear friends! Are you looking for more Easy Family Dinner Ideas? You know how I love making a good homemade soup. So we had a ton of celery left over from a take-out order of buffalo wings. None of us in this house are wildly crazy for celery all by it’s lonesome – but being the “don’t be wasteful” sort of person I am – I saved it in the fridge knowing I would make this fabulous (Dairy Free) Creamy Celery Soup.

I absolutely love this recipe because not only can I make it for enjoying with a side of Cheddar & Chive Beer Bread, but it freezes well for use in casseroles or other dishes too. I’m all about versatile recipes.

I love making recipes in large batches so I have enough left over to use in other recipes later on. It takes the same amount of time to make a double batch of this as it does to make this version. So why not make a little more & have something on hand for another night when I’m short on time?

You can reasonably create this up in about 30-35 minutes. So if you are looking for a quick week night meal- this is the one for you. We are usually tight on time after getting home late from the gym & swimming. I’m rarely in the mood for cooking something time consuming – so soups like this are my “go-to” meal.

Salsa Pulled Pork Tacos

Creamy Celery Soup {Dairy Free}

Ingredients

1-2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tbsp minced onions
2 orange sweet peppers - chopped
2 tbsp minced garlic
1-1/2 lbs fresh celery chopped
1 qt chicken or vegetable stock
1 large russet potato - peeled & chopped
2 tbsp Wondra flour
sprinkle of fresh parsley for garnish
granulated garlic salt & Pepper, to taste

Instructions

Add chopped celery, peppers, potato, minced onions, minced garlic & olive oil to large stock pot
Saute until ingredients become slightly soft
Add stock & increase heat & bring to a boil
Cover and lower the heat- simmer for about 20 minutes or until the ingredients are soft
Remove from heat
Purée using immersion blender until the soup reaches the desired consistency
Add wondra & granulated garlic, salt & pepper
Return to heat & bring just to a boil so that the soup will thicken a bit more
Remove from heat - it's now ready to serve

Here are a few more of our Easy Family Dinner Recipes.

Bacon Mac and Cheese

Ditalini & Sausage Soup

To see where I am linking today- visit HERE

Stuffed Chicken Breast : Easy Family Dinner Ideas

By Kleinworth & Co

It’s no secret that I love easy family dinner ideas. I am on a mission to share with you all more of what we make for dinner – with easy being KING in our house. If you have ever watched a show like Chopped it’s pretty inspiring because it’s about taking just a few ingredients to start with as a base & creating something spectacular & unique with it all. So with this I started with a couple things, added a few more & created these Cheesy Red Pepper Stuffed Chicken Breast for dinner the other night. It was ONE FABULOUS DINNER.

Here is what I started out with – just boneless, skinless chicken breast, red bell pepper, Greek yogurt & Sargento® Chef Blends™ Shredded 6 Cheese Italian.

Sargento is excited to host a “Chopped at Home” contest, and they want to see how you take on the Chopped challenge with Sargento cheese! Showcase your style as an at-home cook using real ingredients and your culinary imagination. Get creative and come up with your best Chopped-inspired dish featuring Sargento Shredded Cheese. Enter the Chopped at Home contest & you could win $10,000!

I added a few other ingredients to make this into FABULOUS cheesy red pepper stuffed chicken breast that the whole family was swooning over.

Honestly – it looks so much harder than it is. Stuff, roll, top & bake – that’s it. Add a side of veggies & you have yourself a delish dish suitable for company.

I love changing the way we enjoy chicken. It can be so easy to get stuck in a rut. But with challenges that push you to find your creativity with a specific list of ingredients it makes boring turn exciting real quick.

Visit Sargento® & don’t forget to Enter the Chopped at Home contest

Macaroni & Sausage Soup

Cheesy Red Pepper Stuffed Chicken Breast

Tender and juicy Cheesy Red Pepper Stuffed Chicken Breast

Prep Time15

Cook Time25

Total Time40

Course: dinner

Cuisine: American

Keyword: bell pepper, cheese, chicken

Servings:

Ingredients

6-7 boneless skinless chicken breasts
8 ounces cream cheese - room temperature
1-2 cups Sargento Chef Blends Shredded 6 Cheese Italian divided
1 red pepper diced into small pieces
1 cup plain greek yogurt
½ cup parmesan cheese
1 cup bread crumbs
1 tsp garlic powder
½ tsp season salt
¼ tsp salt
¼ tsp pepper

Instructions

Spray a 9x13 glass baking dish with cooking spray - set aside.
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
In a mixer - combine the cream cheese, 1 cup of the shredded cheese & the bell pepper - beat until well blended and creamy.
In a small bowl combine greek yogurt & parmesan cheese - whip together until fully blended - set aside.
Pound chicken breast with a meat tenderizer until flat.
Take each chicken breast & spoon a little of the cheese/bell pepper mixture in the center - roll it up & place it in the prepared baking dish. Repeat with each breast.
Once all the chicken is stuffed - spread on your yogurt/cheese mixture.
Top with the bread crumbs and seasonings (garlic, seasoned salt, salt and pepper).
Bake for 25 minutes or until internal temp reaches 165 degrees.
When you have about 5 minutes left - remove & top with the remaining cheese & return to the oven to allow it to melt & brown.

Notes

To make in the air fryer - cut the recipe in half to accommodate the size of the air fryer.

Then reduce the size of the chicken breasts - pounding very thin to reduce the cooking time.

Cook at 360 degrees for 6-8 minutes. Add the cheese - then cook another 4-6 minutes - or until internal temp reaches 165 degrees and cheese is melted.

Want more Easy Family Dinner Ideas?

Angel Hair Pasta in Burgundy Garlic Sauce

Easy Enchiladas

Available in 30 versatile varieties, unique blends and distinct cuts, Sargento Shredded Cheese is always cut from blocks of 100% real, natural cheese. For more inspiration, check out the Sargento Pinterest page or visit Sargento.com for more information. The Chopped at Home Challenge gives viewers a chance to create their best recipe using the selected basket ingredients, including Sargento Shredded Cheese, for a chance to win $10,000!

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Sargento®. The opinions and text are all mine.

To see where I am linking today- visit HERE

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Crock Pot Chicken Enchilada Soup : Easy Family Dinner Ideas

It’s no secret, I absolutely love Easy Family Dinner Ideas. Anything to make the dinner prep go faster is great. This way I can get back to work, or even better- have some family time on those rare evenings when I can walk away from the office. I’m sure you love those easy recipes too. So when I create something that I can throw together in a few minutes & just let it do it’s thing all day, I know I have to share it with you. This Crock Pot Chicken Enchilada Soup is literally throw & go – you can’t beat it.

This made a huge amount. Like – filled my large cooker to the top. But I was happy it did because not only was there enough for seconds for the kids, but enough for leftovers the next night. That is always a plus for me because if I can take something so easy that already requires so little time to make & then cut that time in half – WIN! Easy in king in this house for dinners during the week & this enchilada soup definitely is easy.

Tuna Noodle Casserole

Crock Pot Chicken Enchilada Soup

Ingredients

6-7 pieces boneless skinless chicken breast (5-6 lbs)
4 cups chicken stock
2 10 oz cans enchilada sauce (I used green- but if you like it hotter - go with red)
2 14.5 oz cans diced tomatoes
2 4 oz cans diced green chilies
2 cups frozen whole kernel corn
2 14 oz cans black beans- drained (optional)
1 6 oz can pitted black olives- diced
3 cloves garlic- minced
1/2 white onion- peeled & diced
1 tsp gr. cumin
salt & pepper to taste

Instructions

Add all ingredients to slow cooker & cook on high 4-5 hours (on low 7-8 hours)
Stir occasionally
About 1 hour before serving - remove chicken into a large bowl & shred with 2 forks
Return chicken to crock pot & allow to continue cooking remaining hour
*Note - this FILLED my 4 qt. crock pot. If you have a smaller cooker- cut this recipe in half

Looking for more Easy Family Dinner Ideas?

Bacon Mac & Cheese

To see where I am linking today- visit HERE

Barbecue Tri-Tip Roast

Tender & juicy Barbecue Tri-Tip Roast – super easy, positively delicious – any time of year. Perfect for weeknight dinners, summer bbq’s & parties.

Do you grill in the winter? I grew up in the mild climate of So Cal – so I’m used to grilling year-round. So just because we now live in North Idaho there is snow on the ground that doesn’t mean that I pack my BBQ away.

Well- we do tuck it away in the garage for storage to protect it from the weather. However, nothing really stops us from shoveling the snow off the porch & moving the grill back out to make some amazing recipes.

One of our favorites – BBQ Tri-Tip Roast. It’s great right off the grill with a side of baked potatos. But my favorite is the leftovers that I can use for a delicious sandwich the next day.

Scroll to the bottom for the Printable Recipe

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Macaroni & Sausage Soup

You all know how much I love Easy Family Dinner Ideas like soup. Make it tomato based & I’m all over it. Even better, add some meat, a little pasta or maybe even some spinach or other veggie & I’m in heaven. I love, love, love tomato based soups any time of year. But these chilly months really give me the excuse I need to cave into those cravings & whip up a big ol’ stockpot of hearty goodness. Really – I crave it almost as much as I crave pulled pork. Even just telling you about this soup makes my mouth water & I have to really fight the urge to head to the kitchen & make some more. This particular Macaroni & Sausage Soup was one that made me truly sad when I tried to stick to my “no going back for seconds” rule. I so wanted another helping.

This was so hearty & filling. I really did want more – then I waited just a couple minutes & the fullness started settling in. Then I was happy I didn’t stuff myself. However I was quite excited knowing that we had plenty of leftovers for the next night. I literally looked forward to it all day long. Don’t you just love recipes like that?!

Jalapeno Cheddar Chicken Soup – in the crock pot

Macaroni & Sausage Soup

Ingredients

2 pounds ground sausage
2 28 ounce cans crushed tomatoes
1 (12 ounce can tomato paste
32 ounces chicken stock
1 qt half & half
1/2 pint heavy cream
1/2 tbsp minced onion
1/2 stick butter
2 cups elbow macaroni
6 ounces shredded Parmesan cheese
Salt pepper, granulated garlic to taste
Top with croutons to serve

Instructions

Brown sausage in large skillet over med-high heat adding all seasonings (onions, garlic, salt, pepper & granulated garlic) as you cook
Add crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, chicken stock, browned ground sausag to a large stock pot.
Bring to a boil- stirring frequently – Add additional seasonings to taste.
Continue to boil 5-10 minutes for flavors to marry
In another pot cook your macaroni to package directions & drain (usually 8-12 minutes)
Reduce heat on soup & slowly add in half & half & heavy cream – stir well
Bring soup to a simmer- Do Not Boil. Simmer about 5 minutes
Add in Parmesan cheese & cooked macaroni
Stir until cheese has melted & blended into the soup.
Serve with a little more cheese on top

Want more soup recipes?

Crock Pot Turkey & Rice Soup

Idaho Potato Soup

To see where I am linking today- visit HERE

Bacon Mac & Cheese

It’s COLD – which means I’m wanting comfort food. What says comfort food more than homemade mac & cheese??!! This Bacon Mac & Cheese is truly my favorite. It’s thick, creamy, super cheesy…..and has huge chunks of bacon in it. Really – you can’t go wrong here with Easy Family Dinner Ideas like this. It isn’t complicated either. We typically cook in tandem – it’s just easier that way for us. So I usually have the hubs working on minding the noodles while I make the roux. The longest part of the prep is cooking the bacon- which we do in the oven. So we do the bacon first so it has time to cool before we cut it. Then we make the other stuff & the hubs chops the bacon in the 8-10 minutes that it takes for the noodles to cook. It really comes together fast. If it’s were not so loaded with cheese – I would make this all the time for a quick & easy dinner. But we make this every couple months or so & it’s definitely a treat each & every time we do.

This batch feeds our family of 5 (with 3 teens) for 2 nights.

I actually make a half batch of roux the second night & add it to the leftovers to keep it super creamy.

All I can say is – INCREDIBLE!!!!

This makes quite a bit. We made double this amount (like a HUGE batch) for guests & it was completely GONE!

More Great Mac and Cheese Recipes

Slow Cooker Clam Chowder

Bacon Mac & Cheese

Ingredients

2 packs thick bacon- cooked & chopped
48 oz elbow macaroni
2 sticks butter
1 cup flour
3 tsp salt though I usually just sprinkle in the seasonings to taste
2 tsp pepper
1 tbsp minced onions
1 tbsp granulated garlic
4 cups low fat milk
2-1/2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
2 cups shredded Swiss cheese

Instructions

Cook your bacon- cut & set aside.
Prepare pasta noodles to package directions- cooking al dente so they hold up in the mixing process.
Drain & set aside in large covered pot.
Prepare your roux by melting your butter in a large pot over med/high heat.
Once it's almost melted quickly whisk in your flour & seasonings.
Keep it moving & wait for it to darken slightly & come to a thick creamy texture.
Whisk in your milk & increase your heat to high to get mixture to thicken- keep whisking.
Stir in your cheeses & heat until all cheese is melted & combined - at least 2-3 minutes.
Pour into your pot of noodles- add bacon-
Stir well to combine & coat everything with cheese.
ENJOY!!!

Looking for more comfort food?

Chicken Cordon Bleu Creamy Mac & Cheese

Beef Macaroni Soup

To see where I am linking today- visit HERE

Slow Cooker Clam Chowder

By Kleinworth & Co 9 Comments

The cold winter weather has arrived not only here in North Idaho- but in nearly every place in the country. So are you wanting to hunker down, pull out the slow cooker & make some comfort food?? Yeah – I thought so. I have the perfect Easy Family Dinner Ideas for you. I love utilizing my slow cooker on cold winter days because I can have dinner going & still have my stove top & oven free for all the other things I want to make. On the coldest days my favorite place to be is in the kitchen baking. The oven warms the room & it feels so cozy. But I still need dinner & that’s where this Slow Cooker Clam Chowder comes in.

This recipe proves that a good Clam chowder doesn’t have to be complicated.

The hubs was traveling when I made this. He sure missed out. The kids didn’t leave him even a taste.

Jalapeno Cheddar Chicken Soup

5 from 1 vote

Slow Cooker Clam Chowder

Ingredients

4 6.5 ounce cans minced clams with juice
1 pack bacon- cooked
1 medium onion
3/4 cup chopped celery
6 medium potatoes russet or red - peeled & chopped
1 cup clam juice from your cans
4 cups chicken broth
Salt & pepper to taste
1 tbsp dried dill
1 tsp fresh parsley
1 cup half & half
2 cups milk
4-6 tbsp corn starch
1/2-2 cups instant potato flakes

Instructions

Cook bacon until it's crispy.
While the bacon is cooking add onion, clams, celery, chopped potatoes, clam juice, broth, seasonings to crock pot & cook on high 3-4 hours or on low 6-7 hours
When bacon is done - chop & add to soup
During the last hour - add half & half.
In a separate bowl combine cornstarch & milk - add to soup & allow to continue to cook & to thicken
If it's not as thick as you like - add potato flakes 1/2 a cup at a time - waiting about 10 minutes before adding more until you reach the thickness you desire
Enjoy.

Looking for more hearty soups?

Crock Pot Chicken Tomato Soup

Idaho Potato Soup

To see where I am linking today- visit HERE

Vodka Sauce

Before the hubs had left on his trip I stopped at the store & picked up a huge bag of tomatoes. For some reason I had it in my head that I was going to make enchilada sauce. Well… those of you who already know that you don’t use tomatoes in enchilada sauce are laughing at me right now. I know – but at least I didn’t try to make it work using them. I ditched my not so great idea & went back to my Easy Family Dinner Ideas. One thing I have always wanted to do was make my own pasta sauce. I have seen many different marinara recipes floating around & I thought about trying one of those. But what I really love is Vodka Sauce. It’s so amazing & I love that you get the flavor enhancement from the vodka – but all the alcohol cooks out so everyone can enjoy it. So that’s what I set out to make.

So I just started pulling ingredients out that I thought would work well. I didn’t really have a plan – it was sort of throw this in & “oh, this would be great” sort of recipe day. I had the basics in my head & the rest was just R&D. Which I am happy to say, worked out great this time. While that isn’t always the case & there have been plenty of recipes as of late that didn’t make it here for one reason or another – this one I had to give you.

Something so satisfying about making your own sauce. I then used it with some ground beef & elbow macaroni & a few olives. YUM!

Chicken Vodka Tortellini

Vodka Sauce

Ingredients

1 green bell pepper
2 orange sweet peppers
1/2 purple onion
10 to matoes
1 can tomato paste
1/3 cup vodka
3 fresh basil leaves
1 cup Parmesan cheese
1/2 - 1 cup half & half
season salt
granulated garlic
salt & pepper

Instructions

Cut all peppers - removing seeds & chop
Chop onion
Place peppers & onion in food processor & pulse to thick but pureed consistency
Transfer to deep skillet
Cut tomatoes & place in food processor & pulse just a few times to bring them to the consistency of crushed tomatoes
Pour into skillet
Add seasonings, vodka & tomato paste
Bring to a boil for 5-7 minutes stirring frequently
Add basil
Cover & reduce heat to low & allow to simmer approx 30 minutes
After 20 minutes - slowly add cheese & half & half - stir
Allow to simmer remaining 10 minutes
At this point you can immediately add this to your browned meat & then to your pasta & serve
Or you can carefully transfer to jars & store in refrigerator for several days before using.
This filled 2- 32 ounce jars.

Looking for more great pasta ideas?

Tuscan Ravioli Soup

Chicken Cordon Bleu Creamy Mac & Cheese

To see where I am linking today- visit HERE

Chicken Fajitas

This post brought to you by The Frozen Food Foundation. The content and opinions expressed below are that of kleinworthco.

I love a hot, home cooked meal. Good Easy Family Dinner Ideas. But with heading to the gym & the kids swim team & rock climbing schedules – it’s hard to be here to prepare something for us all. I certainly don’t feel like making something time consuming after getting home late but I don’t want to head to the drive-thru either. It’s important to me to give the kids home cooked meals as often as possible – which is why I am so in love with these simple Chicken Fajitas. I was able to whip these together in less than 30 minutes & even the clean up was a breeze. Now that’s my kind of dinner.

The key here – frozen veggies. I love fresh veggies in my meals – but the prep time can be a bit much when it’s late at night. So grabbing these ready to cook frozen veggies is PERFECT. Nearly 80 percent of Americans fail to consume the recommended amounts of fruit, with nearly 90 percent failing to meet dietary recommendations for vegetables. That is a startling statistic. I am striving to change that for our family. A variety of factors may contribute to low consumption, including cost and convenience. A recent study revealed one easy solution: frozen.

I just skillet fried my chicken & shredded. Then I returned it back to the skillet – added the veggies & a little sauce & cooked until the veggies were hot & the flavors had blended. SIMPLE!

The best part – my kids LOVE these. After a hard workout – this was delicious.

Veggie Chicken Alfredo

Chicken Fajitas

Ingredients

3-4 pieces boneless skinless chicken breast
Frozen peppers & onions blend
Tortillas
Sauce of choice

Instructions

Saute your chicken breasts in large skillet until thoroughly cooked - adding your favorite seasonings
Once cooked - remove & shred into large chunks
Return to skillet & add frozen veggies & sauce of choice - I like a glaze
Saute until veggies are cooked & flavors are blended
Serve in small flour tortillas

Notes

Make this in the air fryer - cook at 360 degrees for 16-20 minutes, stirring about halfway through.

Why do I stock up on frozen foods??

The University of California, Davis, in partnership with the Frozen Food Foundation, conducted a study that revealed that frozen fruits and vegetables are most often (or generally) nutritionally equal to – and in some cases better than – their fresh counterparts. For the study each fruit and vegetable was analyzed under the following conditions: frozen (analyzed within 24 hours of harvest and after 10 and 90 days of storage in a freezer) and fresh-stored (analyzed within 24 hours of harvest and after three and 10 days of storage in a refrigerator).

I love that I can always have fruits & veggies on hand without the worry of then going bad too quickly. Freezing fruits and vegetables is nature’s pause button and an easy way to combat things like the cost of fresh produce, the cost of fresh ‘out of season’ produce and issues like fresh fruits and vegetables spoiling before you’re able to prepare and eat them. Results of the studies done reveal that frozen fruits and vegetables are most often (or generally) nutritionally equal to – and in some cases better than – their fresh counterparts. Which makes me confident when turning to them to make quick & easy meals for my family.

I love to incorporate fruits & veggies in my daily recipes but having a variety in the house at all times would be challenging if it were not for the convenience of freezing. I keep a nice stock in both my freezers to make meal prep quick & simple on busy nights.

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Want more quick & easy dinner ideas?

Angel Hair Pasta in Burgundy Garlic Sauce

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Veggie Chicken Alfredo

By Kleinworth & Co Leave a Comment

Are these weeknights getting more hectic than ever? I know! Seems like so much is happening right around dinner time all week long. But you don’t have to go through the drive through to get dinner quick. You can absolutely have a home cooked meal your kids will enjoy with just a few minutes of prep with Easy Family Dinner Ideas. The kids can even help you. I know my kids are more invested in what we are having for dinner when they get to help make it. Plus I’m teaching them valuable life skills for the future. Let me show you how easy it is to make this Veggie Chicken Alfredo. It comes together in less than 30 minutes – which is great for those busy nights.

Sometimes I will make this ahead of time & then we can reheat at dinner time.

When we are getting home late from the gym & swim team – I definitely want easy.

My son is great at helping with this dish. He gets the veggies in the microwave & keeps the noodles stirred while I tend to the chicken & sauce. While this dish comes together in about 30 minutes if you are preparing alone – it’s even quicker if you have a few extra hands helping out.

Ditalini & Sausage Soup

Veggie Chicken Alfredo

Ingredients

1-3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup 1 stick butter
1 cup half & half
1 bag Birds Eye Asian Medley veggies
4 pieces boneless skinless chicken breast
1 box fettuccine noodles

Instructions

Cut chicken into chunks & place in skillet
Drizzle a little olive oil over chicken & saute until full cooked. Add in desired spices about half way through cooking. Remove from heat & set side.
In a large stock pot- heat water to boiling - cook noodles to package directions (usually 8-11 minutes)
While noodles are cooking, place butter, cheese & half & half in small saucepan & heat over medium - stirring frequently
Place bag of steamable veggies in microwave & cook to package directions while you are working on the sauce & noodles
Continue to heat the sauce, stirring until all ingredients are melted & fully incorporated.
Remove from heat - set aside.
Once noodles are done cooking- drain & transfer back into stockpot.
Add in cooked chicken, sauce & veggies - stir well
Enjoy.

This year, Birds Eye has partnered with Melissa d’Arabian, celebrity chef, mom of four, and host of FoodNetwork.com’s web series The Picky Eaters Project, to make a difference and help moms with the dinnertime dilemma. Many moms think that preparing a nutritious meal is time consuming. So Birds Eye frozen vegetables is helping moms by providing nutritious, tasty veggies that kids will love. Together, Birds Eye and Melissa are combining their expertise in getting children to eat more veggies, one bite at a time.

I love that Birds Eye has partnered with Melissa d’Arabian. I have worked with her on another project a while back & I can say, she’s truly dedicated to giving families healthy & better for you alternatives.

Step Up To The Plate is Birds Eye’s long-term commitment to reshaping kids’ veggie perceptions and getting children to like veggies for life.

Today, 9 out of 10 people in the United States do not get the proper amount of vegetables, according to The State Of The Plate report.

Birds Eye continues to make eating more vegetables a reality by showing families how to fill half the plate with veggies in fun and simple ways moms and kids will both like. By providing moms with more than 40 unique vegetable blends year round at affordable prices, Birds Eye continues to be her ally in the dinnertime dilemma.

Check out this great video of Melissa d’Arabian giving her tips for getting more Veggies!

Connect with Birds Eye on Facebook & Twitter!

Want more quick dinner ideas?

Popcorn Pork & Rice Supreme

I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls Collective and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.

To see where I am linking today- visit HERE

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Crock Pot Chicken Tomato Soup

By Kleinworth & Co 5 Comments

Hello there all my dear friends! Looking for Easy Family Dinner Ideas? I’m so happy because my dear old Jeep will finally be here in North Idaho in the next couple months. You see – it’s been in my family since I was little. My brothers & I would pile in the back & we’d head out to the river with the boat for some of the best holiday weekends of my life. When the hubs & I were brand new, without a penny to our names – it was our only source of transportation. We brought our first born home from the NICU in it. Well, right now it doesn’t run & we plan on doing a complete restoration. When we made the move here from Vegas we already had 3 vehicles caravaning up here & had no way of towing the beast on up here with us. The rental we were going to at the time didn’t have the space for it. So we had to leave it there with a friend. Flash forward to now- nearly 2 years later & it’s still there. We were going to transport it here this weekend & get it going. But it didn’t make sense to spend money moving it & then money to get it running. So we are working on getting it going now so when I go home in the spring we can drive it back here. I will be happy to have it home with us & get started on getting it fully restored. So while the hubs is dealing with details on that – I’m here making easy crock pot dinners like this Crock Pot Chicken Tomato Soup. It’s simple & easy & yet packed full of hearty goodness. Perfect for these chilly days.

Remember those 15 minute drop biscuits? We had some of those with it. Definitely filling.

Can I just say that I love the slow cooker! It is such a wonderful tool in the kitchen. I often have 2 going at the same time – which is really handy btw. I’m actually considering picking up a third one.

Garlic & Herb Croutons

Crock Pot Chicken Tomato Soup

Course: dinner

Ingredients

6 boneless chicken breasts
1 tbsp minced garlic
32 ounce chicken broth
28 ounce can crushed tomatoes
15 ounce can tomato sauce
2 tbsp granulated garlic
2 tbsp season salt
2 tbsp dried chopped onions
salt & pepper to taste

Instructions

Combine all ingredients in crock pot
Cook on high 5-7 hours
When you have about 30 minutes left - remove chicken & shred
Return chicken to crock pot & continue cooking 30-40 minutes
garnish with croutons & Parmesan cheese when serving.

Here are the recipes I like to pair with this soup!

15 Minute Drop Biscuits

For dessert we had these….

PayDay Brownies

To see where I am linking today- visit HERE

Ditalini & Sausage Soup

By Kleinworth & Co 10 Comments

*For an easy week night dinner as part of a sponsored post for Hillshire Brands™ & Mom It Forward Blogger Network– I made this Ditalini & Sausage Soup using Jimmy Dean Sausage for my family.

I love Easy Family Dinner Ideas that comes together in less than 30 minutes. With all that is happening during the day, I don’t often get time to get to prepping dinner ahead of time. So on the weekends we pick up our essentials without a real plan in mind on what we will do with everything. We like to be creative & try not to make the same things all the time. Sometimes that makes it harder when we are throwing something together. Other times – like when I created this Ditalini & Sausage Soup it just comes together so perfectly & I vow to make it again & again.

I love that this can be made with things we always keep on hand. It takes less than 30 minutes too. That means that I can whip this up with little notice – which is great when we have unexpected dinner guests. Especially because this batch makes A LOT. So we typically have plenty of leftovers to have with some sandwiches the next day too.

This is the sausage I used. Jimmy Dean – Regular Sausage. It’s my “Go-to” source of protein for soup.

Since I was making a large batch – I picked up the 2 pounds. It also comes in 1 pound.

You can grab the coupon!

There are valuable savings on other Hillshire Brands products via J4U too!!!

Hillshire Brands™ provides Safeway shoppers with products that can add protein to your meal.

I like to use the Safeway J4U app to pick up all my coupons right on my phone while shopping. It makes saving on our weekly shopping so easy.

Pretzel Wrapped Lil’ Smokies

Ditalini & Sausage Soup

Ingredients

2 pounds ground sausage
2 28 ounce cans crushed tomatoes
32 ounces chicken stock
1 qt half & half or milk
12 ounces tomato paste
1/2 onion
2 tbsp minced garlic
9 ounces chopped spinach
1/2 stick butter
4 cups Ditalini noodles
Salt pepper, granulated garlic to taste
Top with croutons & cheese to serve

Instructions

Brown sausage, onions & garlic in large skillet over med-high heat.
In a large stock pot add butter, tomato paste, crushed tomatoes, chicken stock, browned ground sausage & spinach.
Bring to a boil- stirring frequently - Add seasonings to taste.
Continue to boil 5-10 minutes for flavors to marry
In another stockpot cook your ditalini to package directions & drain
Reduce heat on soup & slowly add in half & half - stir well
Bring soup to a simmer- Do Not Boil. Simmer about 5 minutes
Add in cooked ditalini
Serve with croutons & cheese for garnish

Be sure to check out some of these tasty dishes created by some fabulous bloggers!

Pesto Alfredo Tortellini Smoked Sausage

Fried Rice

Sausage Gravy & Biscuits

Chicken Sausage Skillet Veggies

Mummy Dogs

Chicago Style Hot Dogs

Smoked Sausage with Peppers

Want more great soups?

Jalapeno Cheddar Chicken Soup

Tuscan Ravioli Soup

Idaho Potato Soup

To see where I am linking today- visit HERE

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Jalapeno Cheddar Chicken Soup

Do you love easy crock pot meals? Yeah – me too. Easy Family Dinner Ideas are my favorite. I love those days when I can throw everything in there & let it go & dinner is done. As these days get shorter it seems like the hubs gets home & before I know it- it’s time for bed. So anything I can do to speed up the dinner process the better it is for my sanity. A long while ago I came up with this recipe for Jalapeno Cheddar Chicken Soup that has turned into a family favorite. I’m sure it will be for you too!!

It’s not completely homemade- there is a little canned soup & chicken stock involved. But that’s part of the ease of it all. All these ingredients I keep on hand at all times – so when I am in a pinch for dinner it’s really nice to throw this together & not worry about it.

These cooler temps definitely call for a warm & hearty soup.

I am seriously obsessed with this one. I have a hard time not going back for seconds.

When we have company & need to make a lot – this recipe doubles quite well. Sometimes I do that even when we are not having company & then we have leftovers for a couple days. So one easy meal turns into 2-3…maybe that’s why I love it so much.

Crock Pot Turkey & Rice Soup

Jalapeno Cheddar Chicken Soup

Ingredients

5 pieces boneless skinless chicken breast - cut into chunks
26 ounces cream of chicken soup 1 large can (just the soup- don't add water as this will be taken care of with the broth)
16 ounces chicken broth you can use water instead if needed
12 ounces salsa
3 sweet peppers - diced (we love using the mini sweet peppers like these https://www.walmart.com/ip/Fresh-Mini-Sweet-Peppers-16-oz-bag/10324377?athbdg=L1200 )
½ purple onion - diced
½ bell pepper - diced (whichever color you prefer)
2 jalapeno peppers - diced
1 tomato - diced
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Instructions

Combine the chicken, cream of chicken soup, chicken broth, salsa, sweet peppers, onion, bell pepper, jalapeno peppers, and tomato in the crock pot & cover.
Cook on high for 4-6 hours - stirring occasionally.
After about 4 hours - remove the chicken & pull it apart in a separate bowl to shred.
Return the now pulled chicken back to soup & cook another 1-2 hours on low.
In the final 30 minutes - add the cheese - stir.
Top with additional cheese when serving if desired.

Want more great soups?

Tuscan Ravioli Soup

Creamy Tomato Tortellini Soup

To see where I am linking today- visit HERE

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Popcorn Pork & Rice Supreme {Dinner in 30 minutes}

This blog has been compensated by it’s advertisers for this post- all opinions are my own.

Looking for Easy Family Dinner Ideas? This time in my life is quite bittersweet. My kids are getting older & I am really, truly loving who they are becoming. Spending time with my kids is a wonderful experience. They are not just my children but great people too. Now that my oldest is half way through his 16th year I am all too aware that my days of having them here with me are passing by way too quickly. I have always cherished my moments with them & tried to savor my days that I get. With my mom gone now- I have grown to appreciate just how special the everyday moments can be. So the hubs & I have been bringing the kids into the kitchen more & more to have them help with meal prep. The boy has become my right hand when the hubs is working late & I need help in the kitchen. This is what happened the other night. The hubs had a Board of Commissioners meeting late into the evening. Normally I would make a crock pot meal- but I had other things going in it that day & it wasn’t available. So since I like quick & easy dishes – I decided to take a tried & true UNCLE BEN’S® Crockpot Chicken & Rice Supreme recipe (from Mars Uncle Ben’s) & turn it into a 30 minute meal. Let me show you how easy it was to make this Popcorn Pork & Rice Supreme.

I started with these UNCLE BEN’S® ready rice packets. Cheesy & good!!

Here’s the boy stirring the rice – he’s such a great helper. Look how tall he is now!!

Look at that! Just place a few pieces of popcorn pork over the top of the rice.

The crunch of the pork with the great cheesy flavor – so good.

Have you heard about UNCLE BEN’S® Beginners™ Cooking Program?

Cook as a Family for a Chance to Win Big Prizes!

UNCLE BEN’S® is giving away $225,000 in prizes!

Entering is as easy as making a short cooking video with your child.

How AWESOME is that??!!

This is really a great recipe when cooking with your kids! Simple & quick & there is so much they can do to help in preparation.

Popcorn Pork & Rice Supreme {Dinner in 30 minutes}

Ingredients

1 lb pork stew meat
1 12oz can cream of chicken soup
1 12oz can cream of mushroom soup
2 tbsp water
1 diced sweet pepper
1 tbsp butter
salt pepper, season salt & granulated garlic to taste
1 bag UNCLE BEN’S® Ready Rice Creamy Four Cheese Flavor
1/2 cup flour
peanut oil

Instructions

In a large bowl combine pork, flour & seasonings - toss to coat all the pork
In a large deep skillet - add peanut oil just enough so that it covers the bottom of the pan
Heat oil to frying temperature (350-375 degrees)
Place your floured & season pork in the oil & cook a minimum of 5-7 minutes on each side or until golden brown & crispy on the outside.
Remove from oil & place in a large bowl lined with paper towels - sprinkle with salt while still moist from the oil
Place bowl in microwave (do not turn on) to help keep it warm while you prepare the rice.
In a stockpot - combine soups, water, butter, chopped pepper & UNCLE BEN’S® Ready Rice
Heat over medium until it is hot throughout & starts to bubble. This should take no more than 10 minutes. Stir frequently.
Once heated - serve & top with popcorn pork
Enjoy!

See- I told you it was simple!

I love that this comes together so quickly – no excuse to not have a home cooked meal that tastes great!

This Post Brought To You By The UNCLE BEN’S® Brand.

Want more 30 minutes or less dinner ideas?

Buffalo Loose Meat Melt

Gourmet Hot Dogs

To see where I am linking today- visit HERE

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General Tso’s Chicken Salad

Last week I shared with you this recipe for General Tso’s Chicken Salad as an easy homegating recipe along with a whole bunch of other info. Because we enjoy it so much & it’s sooo good, I really wanted to give it it’s own post. I think it really deserves that. Looking for Easy Family Dinner Ideas? Sometimes when I include recipes along with other content it tends to get overshadowed. That makes me sad, especially when it’s a recipe that we enjoy so much. It’s such an easy way to have a nutritious side dish or make it your main meal. The kids like to have leftovers for lunch too. Personally – I like my food to be visually interesting. So all these colors & then that pop of flavor make me happy.

Like most salads – just throw it all in there- give it a toss & it’s good to go.

I think that is why we are making this one so often – the ease & it’s soooo good

Black Bean & Corn Salad

General Tso’s Chicken Salad

Ingredients

3 cups fresh baby spinach
1 lb General Tso's chicken - cut to bite size
1 cup chow mein noodles
1/4 cup slivered almonds
2 small oranges

Instructions

Add spinach, noodles,almonds & oranges to large bowl - toss
Add chicken & sesame seeds - toss
Add additional sesame seeds when serving

Want more great salads?

Caprese Pasta Salad

Garlic Cabbage Slaw

To see where I am linking today- visit HERE

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French Onion Cheese Sauce

By Kleinworth & Co 11 Comments

Remember back in April when I attended the SNAP! Conference? Well – the first night of the conference they fed us this INCREDIBLE chicken smothered with this sauce. It was so good. It was all I could do to not ask for another plate of it…..or 4 or 5 more plates. I could have eaten it until I was sick. It was amazing. So literally ever since then I have been craving it. Clearly I didn’t get enough. So I started experimenting in the kitchen with different sauces for my chicken. I came up with this French Onion Cheese Sauce that is really quite tasty. It isn’t quite like the one I mentioned before- I’m still working on recreating that one. But this was still tasty & share worthy. Looking for Easy Family Dinner Ideas? Top it on your chicken, add it to some noodles- whatever. It’s YUM-O!

We just grilled some boneless, skinless chicken breasts on the BBQ with just seasonings.

Then added the sauce just as we plated it.

Add a little additional parsley to the top to make it look pretty!

Makes for a scrumptious dinner with a side of baby spinach.

Chipotle Spinach Fettuccini

French Onion Cheese Sauce

Ingredients

3 tbsp butter
3 tbsp all-purpose flour
1 cup milk
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup French Onion Recipe Mix
3/4 tsp teriyaki sauce
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
sprinkle of parsley

Instructions

Melt butter in medium saucepan over medium heat
Once melted- whisk in flour to make a roux - cook 1-2 minutes
Slowly add milk & water - whisking briskly to fully incorporate & keep milk from scalding
Keep whisking 5-8 minutes to thicken sauce
Remove from heat, add french onion mix, teriyaki, cheese & parsley - whisk in well
Serve warm
Ladle over your grilled chicken
garnish with additional parsley after plating.

Want more dinner ideas?

Chicken Cordon Bleu Creamy Mac & Cheese

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Crazy Taco Faces: A Toasted Tortilla Treat Kids Will Love

Hi everyone!!! Looking for Easy Family Dinner Ideas? I’m so thrilled to have Carrie back today. I am always so inspired by how fun she makes mealtime & this recipe is no exception. She has made these Crazy Taco Faces that are just so adorable. Check them out!! Thanks Carrie!!

Hello, Kleinworth & Co Readers! I’m Carrie, from Kenarry: Ideas for the Home back again to share another fun food idea you can make with your kids. At our house, Tuesday dinner is typically “Taco Tuesday”, but we like to mix it up by offering a wide variety of Mexican dishes in addition to traditional tacos. Some weeks we have enchiladas; some weeks we have fish tacos; and some weeks we have shredded beef tortilla wraps. Anything of that genre is fair game for “Taco Tuesday” at our house, so you can imagine how delighted my kids were when we decided to make Crazy Taco Faces one Tuesday for dinner.

Crazy Taco Faces are a creative twist on traditional soft tacos. You and your kids will have a blast using olives, grape tomatoes, shredded carrots and taco sauce to make silly faces. If your family prefers crispier tacos, I would suggest you spritz or lightly brush all of the corn tortillas with olive oil and bake at 375 degrees for 4-5 minutes before you begin assembling the Crazy Taco Faces. This will make the corn tortillas crispier from the beginning. Otherwise, they tend to get soft once you add the beans, meat and cheese.

How to Make Crazy Taco Faces
What You Need:

6-inch corn tortillas
1 pound of ground beef or turkey
1 chopped onion (optional)
1 packet of taco seasoning
Water
1 can of refried beans
2 cups of shredded mozzarella cheese
Black olives
Shredded carrots
Grape tomatoes
Shredded romaine lettuce
Taco sauce

Instructions:

1. Prepare the ground beef or turkey. In a large pan on the stove, brown the ground beef or turkey. Throw in a chopped onion if you choose. Once the meat is browned, add the packet of taco seasoning and water (per the instructions on the packet).

2. Create the first layer. Use cooking spray to lightly grease a large baking sheet. I also like to line the baking sheet with foil before I spray it to make clean-up after dinner a little easier. Place tortillas on the baking sheet for as many Crazy Taco Faces as you plan to make. Spread a thin layer of refried beans on each of the tortillas. You can skip the refried beans if you don’t care for them, but the refried beans really help the Crazy Taco Faces stick together.

3. Add ground meat. Spoon the seasoned taco meat on top of the refried beans for each of the Crazy Taco Faces.

4. Sprinkle with cheese. Shredded cheese also helps the Crazy Taco Faces to stick together, so liberally add cheese to each of the tortillas. We used mozzarella since that’s what we had on hand, but any shredded cheese will work for the inside of the Crazy Taco Faces.

5. Top with another tortilla and bake. Place a tortilla on top of each of the Crazy Taco Faces. Bake at 375 degrees for 5 minutes or until the cheese starts to melt inside the Crazy Taco Faces.

6. Add more cheese. Carefully remove the Crazy Taco Faces from the oven. The corn tortillas may have started to turn up at the edges, so gently push the edges back down. Sprinkle shredded mozzarella on top of each tortilla. Again, any cheese will work here as long as it’s the same color (e.g. I wouldn’t use a colby jack blend or something two-toned for this part). Return the Crazy Taco Faces to the oven and bake for another five minutes until the cheese starts to melt.

7. Add eyes and noses. Now is the fun part. Create faces by using black olives for eyes, half a grape tomato for a nose and shredded carrots for eyebrows. We returned ours to the oven for another 4 minutes but if they’re hot enough to you, you could move on to the next step.

8. Put on a happy face. Put taco sauce in a resealable bag, then cut off a small corner of the bag. Use the bag to creatively decorate your Crazy Taco Faces with smiles, frowns, or jagged monster grins.

9. Transfer the Crazy Taco Faces to plates and serve. Use a large spatula to move the Crazy Taco Faces from the baking sheet on to a plate. Top those silly guys and gals with shredded lettuce for hair before serving.

Crazy Taco Faces makes a fun family dinner or a heavier snack if you’ve got leftover taco meat in the fridge from another meal. They’d also work great with shredded chicken or fish. If you’re a vegetarian you can skip the meat altogether and just go with the refried beans. No matter how you change them up, one thing is for certain — when your kids see this meal, they’re going to smile as big as these Crazy Taco Faces!

Tropical Turtle Beach Jello Cups

Crazy Taco Faces: A Toasted Tortilla Treat Kids Will Love

Ingredients

6- inch corn tortillas
1 pound of ground beef or turkey
1 chopped onion optional
1 packet of taco seasoning
Water
1 can of refried beans
2 cups of shredded mozzarella cheese
Black olives
Shredded carrots
Grape tomatoes
Shredded romaine lettuce
Taco sauce

Instructions

Prepare the ground beef or turkey.

In a large pan on the stove, brown the ground beef or turkey.
Throw in a chopped onion if you choose.
Once the meat is browned, add the packet of taco seasoning and water (per the instructions on the packet).

Create the first layer.

Use cooking spray to lightly grease a large baking sheet. I also like to line the baking sheet with foil before I spray it to make clean-up after dinner a little easier.
Place tortillas on the baking sheet for as many Crazy Taco Faces as you plan to make. Spread a thin layer of refried beans on each of the tortillas.
Add ground meat.
Spoon the seasoned taco meat on top of the refried beans for each of the Crazy Taco Faces.
Sprinkle with cheese. Shredded cheese also helps the Crazy Taco Faces to stick together, so liberally add cheese to each of the tortillas.
We used mozzarella since that's what we had on hand, but any shredded cheese will work for the inside of the Crazy Taco Faces.
Top with another tortilla and bake.
Place a tortilla on top of each of the Crazy Taco Faces.
Bake at 375 degrees for 5 minutes or until the cheese starts to melt inside the Crazy Taco Faces.
Add more cheese.
Carefully remove the Crazy Taco Faces from the oven.
Sprinkle shredded mozzarella on top of each tortilla.
Return the Crazy Taco Faces to the oven and bake for another five minutes until the cheese starts to melt.
Add eyes and noses.
Create faces by using black olives for eyes, half a grape tomato for a nose and shredded carrots for eyebrows.
Return to the oven for another 4 minutes
Put on a happy face
Put taco sauce in a resealable bag, then cut off a small corner of the bag.
Use the bag to creatively decorate your Crazy Taco Faces with smiles, frowns, or jagged monster grins.
Transfer the Crazy Taco Faces to plates and serve.
Use a large spatula to move the Crazy Taco Faces from the baking sheet on to a plate.
Top those silly guys and gals with shredded lettuce for hair before serving.

You can connect with Carrie via Blog, Google+, Pinterest, Facebook & Twitter.

Be sure to check out these other fun foods from Kenarry: Ideas for the Home on Kleinworth & Co:

Personal Patriotic Pepperoni Pizzas

Thank you Carrie for sharing such a fun way to make dinner!!!

Want more fun recipes?

Blue Raspberry Jello Cups

Patriotic Pepperoni Pizza

Disneyland Copycat Churros

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Pepperoncini Pork Tenderloin Sandwich

By Kleinworth & Co

Looking for Easy Family Dinner Ideas? Do you like sandwiches? My son can’t seem to get enough – which means I’m coming up with all sorts of new & fun sandwich ideas all the time. One we recently made, Pepperoncini Pork Tenderloin Sandwich, he labeled “all-time favorite cold sandwich” which I was pretty happy with because there were many things on there that I added he had never had before. But he’s always up for trying new & fun ideas when it comes to food – which is why sandwiches are so great. There is always something new & exciting to create when assembling the perfect sandwich.

We started with pumpernickel bread, mayo, Mezzetta Savory Garlic Spread, lettuce, provolone cheese, bbq pork tenderloin- sliced & Mezzetta Pepperoncinis.

I sliced the loaf thin & spread on my mayo on one side & the Savory Garlic Spread on the other slice.

Added my lettuce & then cheese & pork.

Topped with a heaping pile of pepperoncinis & closed it up.

It was so good – his eyes were rolling in the back of his head! That’s when I know it’s AMAZING!

RIGHT NOW– You can enter the “Make That Sandwich” contest by sharing your original sandwich recipe and photos.

The “Make That Sandwich” grand prize winner receives $25,000, and two runner-up winners receive $1,000.

www.makethatsandwich.com

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Pepperoncini Pork Tenderloin Sandwich

Ingredients

pumpernickel bread
mayo
Mezzetta Savory Garlic Spread
lettuce
provolone cheese
bbq pork tenderloin- sliced
Mezzetta Pepperoncinis.

Instructions

Sliced the loaf thin
Spread on mayo on one side
Spread Savory Garlic Spread on the other slice
Added lettuce & then cheese & pork.
Top with a heaping pile of pepperoncinis & enjoy.

Want more ideas?

New England Dip Sandwich

Pilgrim Butty

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This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Mezzetta. The opinions and text are all mine.

Buffalo Loose Meat Melt

By Kleinworth & Co 4 Comments

Looking for Easy Family Dinner Ideas? Do you ever want to eat something that you have never had before? This happens to me all the time. I will try to explain to the hubs that I want something but it’s something that we have never made & I have never seen anywhere before. This is usually how my recipe creations go. Some turn out not so great – some (like this one) AMAZING! We spent most of Father’s Day weekend shopping for things for the house. But before we headed out to do that we had a brainstorming session over coffee to figure out exactly how to make what it was I was wanting. Meat – but something a little more interesting than beef. But I wanted it melty & cheesy & a little crunch & a buttery toasted roll. Sounds good huh?! All that ended up turning into this FABULOUS Buffalo Loose Meat Melt.

To add to the wonderful flavor of the ground buffalo we added CHEESE! Lot’s of cheese to this sandwich. Not only is there a little slice of provolone melted over the top – but there is a whole bag of Velveeta Shreds, 7-8 slices of Kraft Provolone & about 5-6 slices of Velveeta Slices melted into the meat.

All that cheese not only adds lots of flavor but also helps hold the meat together a bit more on the roll.

If you are looking for something to wow everyone at your next summer party – this is for you! Definitely more exciting than your average burger & SO INCREDIBLY GOOD!