Since the “Month of Maying” is almost upon us, I thought it would be fun to celebrate with a little fiesta!  Today I’ve got 5 mouthwatering recipes for Cinco de Mayo!  We’ve got entrees and of course, dessert!  I also found a super cute Cinco de Mayo party pack that is printable and free!  So pour yourself a margarita and feast your eyes upon these fiesta worthy selections!

Shrimp Tacos from A Spicy Perspective

Fiesta Enchilada Casserole from Peas and Crayons

Fiesta Lime Chicken from Tone and Tighten

Sopapilla Cheesecake from Love of Family and Home

Margarita Cupcakes from Freutcake

Cinco de Mayo Printable Party Pack from The 36th Avenue

The post 5 Cinco De Mayo Recipes and a Free Printable appeared first on Simply Sweet Home.

Disclosure: This post was written by me in partnership with Walmart and Coca-Cola. The opinions are my own.

There’s almost nothing I love more than sitting down for a great meal!  I generally think there’s nothing better than a home cooked meal (especially when someone else has cooked!), but sometimes work and school schedules make it difficult to bring something homemade to the table.  The folks at Walmart and Coca-Cola know all about this, and that’s why they have teamed up this fall to bring us Effortless Meals.

You can find Walmart Effortless Meals right in the Deli section.  They have a great variety of food from cooked chicken to freshly sliced deli meat!  With food from the Walmart Deli, you can have the best of both worlds:  You can serve up delicious food to your family.  And you don’t have to work or spend a lot!

And that’s not all!  Right now Walmart and Coca-Cola are giving you the chance to earn My Coke Rewards points just for buying Walmart Effortless meals.

Just pick up one of the following:

• Marketside Pizza
• A Marketside Sandwich & Chips,
• Marketside Rotisserie Chicken & Side

And pick up a 16 oz. Coca Cola Product to drink with your meal.  (They have a Coke cooler conveniently located right in the deli!)

From there, visit the Effortless Meals site and enter the UPC code from your Walmart meal deal, followed by your Coca-Cola My Coke Rewards code, and you’ll receive 10 bonus points!

In the past, I’ve used My Coke Rewards to get great apparel and other items!  So if you’re not signed up for those rewards, this is a great time to get started, while the Effortless Meals promotion is going on.

 I’ve really enjoyed all the Marketside food that I’ve tried.  And the Rotisserie Chicken is no exception!  A couple of weeks ago we visited our local Walmart and picked up a chicken, along with baked beans, and 2 Coca-Colas.

The food was made fresh that day (as noted on the label), and it was very delicious!

Incidentally, my mother-in-law buys a couple of these chickens just about every week!  It’s certainly easier and quicker than cooking it yourself.  And you can get your chicken, side item, and two 16 oz. drinks for $10-$12, which is a great deal!

And with all the time we save having dinner with Walmart Effortless Meals, I get can all my blogging and other projects done, not to mention housework, and just enjoying time with the family.

This fall, in particular, we are spending a little extra time at the football stadium watching Noah play in the band.  I don’t have a good video of the full show yet.  Hopefully I’ll get that this weekend, as they are playing in an exhibition show on Saturday.   But here’s a video I made at his “preview show.”  ( I miss seeing their nice uniforms and pretty flags here, but the music sounds nice!)

I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments:  Which of the three Effortless Meal Deals would you rather try?

And what would you do with the time you save when your serve Effortless Meals?

The post My Effortless Meal with Walmart and Coca-Cola appeared first on Simply Sweet Home.

Are you ready to party for the holidays? If you’re the party hostess, this might be harder to question to answer. Personally I love hosting an appetizer party. Appetizers are generally easy to make, and you can time them so that you don’t have to do all your prep work right before the party, which takes a lot of stress off you, the hostess. Today I’m sharing a delicious party food recipe that I love, and I have some party food tips to get you through the holiday season.

The key ingredient in today’s recipe is Tabasco.  We use Tabasco sauce nearly every day at my house.   My husband and son both enjoy adding it to sandwich meat, along with cheese and crackers.   But it’s not just a condiment! A little Tabasco also adds flavor to your party dishes.  I purchased all three varieties, Original Red, Jalepeno, and Chipotle, at Walmart.  They are located in the condiment aisle.

These Spicy Chicken Cups are perfect for parties.  Made with only 5 ingredients, they are an inexpensive recipe to make, as well as an easy and quick fix, at 10 minutes to prep and 20 minutes to bake.  It’s also a finger food that can be enjoyed by your guests without the mess.

We actually had a last minute, “mini party” last  weekend, and I decided to throw these together for that, and I’m happy to report that everyone enjoyed them.

Here’s a picture of the cooking process:

What else can you do to throw a successful appetizer party?  Here are just a few of my tips:

1.   Make a menu plan.  This will help you to be organized and come up with strategies to make sure everything gets done on time.

2.  Have as many “make ahead” recipes and “ready to eat” foods on your menu as possible.

3.  Have at least one slow cooker food to serve.  Slow cooker recipes require very little prep work.  You just throw your ingredients in and let it do the work.  Some of my favorite things to make in the slow cooker include meatballs, cocktail weenies, dips, chili, and soups.  I have a large slow cooker and a small quart size cooker, and for parties, I always like to use both of these.

4.  Always have breads and crackers for your appetizer buffet.  Although I love servings things like the Spicy Chicken Cups or finger sandwiches, I find that people always want bread or crackers to go with other foods (like the meatballs and cold cuts I’m serving).

5.  Be sure that you have a good variety of items so that there is something for everyone, as well as a good mix of hot and cold items.

6. Always have at least one dessert choice and kid-friendly foods, if kids will be attending your party.

7. While we love homemade, don’t be afraid to serve “store-bought” food.  The bakery in our grocery store has a whole host of cookies and cakes that are just delicious!  And we often do take out for our chicken fingers and hot wings.

8. Think simplicity.  A meat & cheese tray requires very little time and effort to make. It requires no cooking, and it can be made ahead of time (even the the night before the party).  Other items you can serve, which require little to no prep work include: fruit and veggie trays, chips & dip, nuts, and mints.

9. Condiments, dips, and dressings are a MUST.  You should always have a few condiments on your buffet to compliment the foods that you are serving but also have other choices in your fridge.

 10. Last but certainly not least, as the party hostess, don’t forget to slow down, take a seat and actually enjoy some of the party food you made for yourself!

 Do you like playing party hostess?  Do you have a tip to add to the list? Tell us in the comments!

The post Spicy Chicken Cups Recipe and 10 Party Food Tips for the Holidays appeared first on Simply Sweet Home.

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #PotPiesPlease #CollectiveBias

The holidays are a busy time!  I have our usual family schedule to consider, as well as holiday blogging, and Christmas orders to fill in my Etsy shop…BUT at the end of the day, I still have to put dinner on the table, regardless of whatever else is going on.  Marie Callender’s Pot Pies are a great dinner option for my family and me.  Marie Callender’s tastes like homemade, and they have wholesome pot pies, which now come in a Family Size.  And since all we have to do is pop them in the oven and for them to cook, it saves me a TON of time,  allowing me to do other work and spend time with the family!

You can find Marie Callender’s pot pies and dessert pies in the freezer section at Walmart.  At my store, the family sized pies are on a different aisle from the individual pies, so if you’re shopping and find the smaller ones but do not see the family sized, keep looking.

What do I love about the pies, you ask?

-Marie Callender’s Pot Pie is a delicious and savory comfort food, which is perfect for warming up on a cold winter’s day.

-The pies feature big chunks of all white meat chicken and vegetables in a homemade gravy.

-The filling is surrounded by a golden, flaky crust, that is just as good as your favorite homemade recipe.

-The pies taste so fresh and yummy, just like homemade!

The only thing better than a delicious dinner, is a dinner followed by dessert.  While I was shopping for my Marie Callender’s Chicken Pot Pie, I also decided to grab Marie Callender’s Chocolate Satin Pie for dessert.  I’ve bought this pie many times, and it never fails to please!

With no prep work and very little clean up for me, serving Marie Callender’s Pot Pies gives me more time to work in the house or work on a blog project, and it also frees up some of my time after dinner, to spend with the family!

My husband and I watch a lot of great television shows together like Shark Tank, The Voice, American Idol, Game of Thrones, Big Bang Theory, and football.

And we also love to play games like Yahtzee, Battleship, and Logo.

And then we also love to have “music nights”  where we listen to a lot of music on our playlists, and my husband will sometimes get out his guitar and play.

I really enjoy doing all these activities, but often I find myself saying, “I don’t have time! I have too much work to do.”  Having convenient meals on hand like Marie Callender’s Pie, definitely help to buy me some time, so I can have fun with the ones I love.

Visit Marie Callender’s Meals to learn more about their delicious pies, and check out Pot Pies Please for more great recipes.

For more product information and updates, please follow Marie Callender’s on Facebook.

The post Staying Warm and Finding Time with Marie Callender’s Pot Pie appeared first on Simply Sweet Home.

Disclosure: This post is part of the blogger program by Naturally Fresh® and The Motherhood, who compensated me for my time and the development of this recipe. Opinions, experiences and photos shared here are my own, and I hope you enjoy them.

Super Bowl Sunday is almost here! Who will you be rooting for?  Regardless of who is playing, I’m always cheering for good food!  One item that will definitely be on my football party supply list is  Naturally Fresh Salad Dressing.  Naturally Fresh offers a variety of salad dressings, dips, and other products.  A couple of my favorites include their Classic Ranch and Bleu Cheese (also available in Lite versions).  Naturally Fresh puts real, wholesome ingredients in their products; for instance, their Bleu Cheese dressing includes real chunks of aged bleu cheese and buttermilk, along with real herbs and spices.  And you’ll definitely taste the difference!

Apart from using natural and fresh ingredients, the brand sets themselves about from others by not using artificial flavors, flavor enhancers, colors, thickeners, preservatives, or MSG.  As such, you’ll find their product not with other dressings and condiments, but in the refrigerated section, alongside the produce.

 Naturally Fresh salad dressings are awesome on top of your favorite salad, but today we’re thinking outside the salad bowl.  The Naturally Fresh website has a lot of great  recipes on their website, including salads and main dishes, and they also have an app, which you can reference with your smart phone while you’re in the grocery store.

 Personally I love using their ranch and bleu cheese dressings for dipping wings, chicken fingers, and other appetizers.  And I also LOVE using them for sandwiches!  A couple of weeks ago we made some Chicken Bacon Bleu Cheese Subs, which were a huge hit for football night.  Check out this easy-peasy, but oh-so-tasty recipe below!

Naturally Fresh Salad Dressings are available at Kroger, Publix, and other retailers.  Check their website to find a store carrying the product.

Giveaway! I’ve got coupons for FREE Naturally Fresh salad dressing to give away to 5 Simply Sweet Home readers.

To enter to win, please use the Rafflecopter form below.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

The post Chicken Bacon Bleu Cheese Subs with Naturally Fresh Dressing + Giveaway appeared first on Simply Sweet Home.

Lately I’ve been in a mood to branch out and try new recipes.  I haven’t really made anything new in a while because Noah isn’t a “try new things” kind of kid, so making something new often means making the new recipe, plus making something else for him. (And who has the time for that?) But now that school is out, that gives me a little more time to cook….in the past week I’ve had a chance to make 3 new things!  One thing I made this week was Chicken Cordon Bleu Pasta.  I basically used my very popular Alfredo Recipe and added a few key ingredients like Swiss cheese, ham, and Progresso Panko Crispy Bread Crumbs.

Noah heard the name of the recipe and basically refused to try it.  (I’ve never made my Chicken Cordon Bleu for him.)  But we convinced him to try a bite, and he actually liked it.  Yay!

Right now you can Save $1 on Progress bread crumbs and panko crumbs, when you buy two!  Just use this printable coupon.

Giveaway! One Simply Sweet Home reader will win $15 Paypal cash. To enter, use the form below.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

The post Chicken Cordon Bleu Pasta appeared first on Simply Sweet Home.

Happy June! And thanks for stopping by for this week’s linky party!  Today I’m featuring one of my all time favorite foods…chicken!  Chicken is such a staple in our household.  I have a few go-to recipes that I love to make, but I’m always excited to try something new.  Today’s 3 features definitely prove how versatile chicken is.  I, for one, can’t wait to give these a try! Take a look!

Hosted by:

Simply Sweet Home
Twitter | Facebook | Google + | Pinterest | Instagram

MustLoveHome

Twitter | Facebook | Google + | Pinterest | Instagram

The Chunky Chef

Twitter | Facebook | Google + | Pinterest 

Bacon Wrapped Cream Cheese Stuffed Chicken from Homemade Hooplah

Buttermilk Fried Chicken from The Seaman Mom

Tuscan Garlic Chicken from Frugal in Florida

Please join the party! Link up below!

The post Friday Favorites – Week 271 – With Chicken Recipes appeared first on Simply Sweet Home.

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #KingOfFlavor #CollectiveBias

With the hot summer weather, comes summer grilling!  Like many households, here at Simply Sweet Home, my husband is the Grill King!  Not only does he do a great job of cooking up meats to perfection, but he is also a master when it comes to creating custom sauces and marinades.

Just like our Southern summers, when it comes to sauces, we like it hot!  Over the weekend my hubby grilled up some delicious chicken, featuring a hot, bold, and savory sauce that doubles as both a marinade and a dipping sauce for entrees and appetizers!

Because my husband is such a fan of cooking and a fan of hot sauce, in general, for part of his Father’s Day present, I got him an El Yucateco Hot Sauce Six-Pack.  The sauces are available now at Lowes Foods, and they come in several hot varieties, including  Chipotle Hot Sauce, Green Hot Sauce, and Red Hot Sauce.

El Yucateco is not your average hot sauce!  It’s made with natural, fresh ingredients.  It also has a saucy texture and thickness that most other name brand hot sauces lack.

Made with a smoked chipotle peppers, El Yucateco Chipotle Hot Sauce has a sweet smoky flavor, making it perfect to use with any meat, whether you’re cooking or grilling.

El Yucateco Green Habanero Sauce is made with fresh green habanero peppers, garlic, select spices and seasonings and goes great with lighter foods like chicken, fish, and veggies.

El Yucateco Red Habanero Sauce is made with fresh red habanero peppers, tomato, and select spices and seasonings. As an “all-purpose” sauce, it goes great with everything from Bloody Mary to Shrimp Cocktail and Wings.

For grilling, I like to use boneless, skinless chicken breasts or tenderloins.  Personally, I like using these because it’s easy to eat when you don’t have to pull it a part from the bone, and my husband loves it because they are very easy and fast to cook.

For last weeknd’s chicken, we used the El Yucateco Chipotle Hot Sauce.

Another great thing about grilling chicken like this, is that it doesn’t really need to marinade (although you can marinade it).  If you do choose to marinade the chicken, the sauce will cook off during the grilling process, and you may want to add more sauce before serving or serve a little sauce on the side if you like your chicken saucy.

Since my hubby likes HIS chicken sauces, he prefers to skip the marinading process completely.  All he has to do is make his sauce, place the chicken on the grill, and then brush a little sauce on, toward the end of the cooking process.  Or grill the chicken plain and then use the sauce for dipping.  It is so fast and SO easy!

Giveaway!  Today on behalf of El Yucateco, I’m excited to offer you the chance to enter a giveaway for a $1000 Deluxe Grill Package!

It includes:

• A Weber® Genesis E-310 Outdoor Grill
• A Weber® 7107 Grill Cover
• A Weber® 6630 3 Piece Stainless Steel Tool Set

Use the form below to enter.

El Yucateco Grilling

If someone in your family likes it hot, check out El Yucateco and all the products they have to offer!

The post Grilled Barbecue Chicken and $1000 Deluxe Grilling Giveaway from El Yucateco appeared first on Simply Sweet Home.

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #EverydayEffortless #CollectiveBias

“I’m hungry!”  This phrase is uttered so many times a day in my house by everyone, including me!  I thought that I’d have more time for cooking with school out, but boy, was I wrong!  The last few weeks I’ve been dealing with a pretty big work load, and on top of this, we’ve been doing improvements around the house: painting, de-cluttering and organizing, rearranging furniture. Ah!

By the time I get done with everything else I have to do, the last thing I want to do is cook.  And yet, “I’m hungry!” continues to echo through the hall (and in my own mind and stomach).

Ordering out is an option, but we can’t do that every day, so having easy and convenient food options is a MUST.  For that, I often go to the freezer!

A few days ago when my hubby and I got hungry, I pulled out just a couple of key ingredients:  Tyson Grilled & Ready Chicken Breast Fillets and Birds Eye Steamfresh® Protein Blends.

I’ve been purchasing Tyson and Birds Eye products for years.  I first bought Tyson’s Grilled & Ready Chicken Breast Fillets a couple of months ago.  My husband had just gotten out of the hospital, and I thought the chicken would be good to serve on a salad or sandwich, or with a side of Birds Eye vegetables.  Now the chicken is actually one of my favorite Tyson products!  It’s so delicious, and I’ve been able to use it for a variety of recipes that go WAY BEYOND a simple salad or chicken breast with a side of veggies!

You can find Tyson Grilled & Ready Chicken Breast Fillets at Walmart in the frozen meats and appetizers aisle.  (Look for it alongside other great Tyson products!)

And you’ll find Birds Eye Protein Blends in the frozen vegetables aisle.  (Birds Eye products are easy to find.  Just look for freezers with the very recognizable blue bags.  If you don’t find the Protein Blends immediately, keep looking; my store has Birds Eye products in 3 different places on the aisle.)

The Protein Blends line contains vegetables, whole grains, and protein, and they come in 4 varieties:  Southwest Style, California Style, and Asian Style, Italian Style.

I just tried the Southwest style the other day, and it was great!

So what did I make with the Tyson chicken and Birds Eye Protein Blends?  I’m glad you asked!  

I made some VERY EASY Southwestern Chicken Wraps!  If you’re looking for a meal time solution that is practically effortless, you will LOVE these!

Here’s the “wrap construction” in photos:

See what I mean?  How easy is that?  And despite the easy and quick presentation, the meal is still a great source of proteins and vegetables that are good for us!  It’s a win-win!

What’s your idea of a delicious, yet effortless meal?  How would YOU pair up Tyson Grilled & Ready Chicken with Birds Eye Protein Blends?

The post Southwestern Chicken Wraps appeared first on Simply Sweet Home.

You must know by now that I love all things spicy, and especially all things buffalo!  The other day I made these delicious Buffalo Pepper Jack Nachos.  They were awesome, of course, so much so that I’ve already made a second version of the buffalo nachos (to be posted later….stay tuned!)

Anyway, these are great for a fast snack, a full meal, or a party platter.  I’ll definitely be making it a lot during the football season!  And since our teen son loves it, I plan on making it a regular menu item for after school snacks and fast weeknight dinners!

If you have a favorite buffalo recipe, I’d LOVE to see it.  Please mention it in the comments or even leave a link, so I can go check it out!

The post Buffalo Pepper Jack Nachos appeared first on Simply Sweet Home.

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #CampbellSavings #CollectiveBias

School is almost back is session!  Already?  Yes!  As I sit at my computer, our son is actually standing out in the heat at marching band camp, and he’ll be starting school in just 2 weeks!  For me, that means it is time to stock up on plenty of back to school groceries and come up with some easy meal ideas.  The other day I talked about a few of my go-to breakfast options, and today we’re talking dinners!  Since Noah has brand practice right after school, this means I need meal ideas I can whip up rather quickly after he gets home from band practice.

When it comes to easy meals, I often rely on Campbell’s products as starters and bases for my casseroles, soups, and other favorite recipes.  During this back to school season, Campbell’s is also helping me to save money by offering some coupon deals on a few of my favorite  products.

• Pace® Picante Sauce – Save $1 on any Two (2) jars of Pace® Picante Sauce or Salsa.
• Swanson® Chicken Broth – Save $0.50 on any TWO (2) cartons of Swanson® broth (26oz. or larger).
• Prego® Italian Sauces – Save $1 on any TWO (2) Prego® Italian sauces.
• SpaghettiOs® – Save $0.40 on any THREE (3) Campbell’s® SpaghettiOs® pastas.

Just visit the Walmart coupon page to download your Printable Coupons.

I recently took advantage of these coupon deals.  In particular, I got a jar of Pace Picante Sauce and a box of Swanson Broth.  I found both products in the same aisle at Walmart.  The aisle features a variety of condiments as well as Latino, Italian, and Asian cuisine products.

Select Walmart stores also have special end camp displays for all of the featured Campbell’s products.

Need more easy meal ideas? Visit the Campbell’s Back to School Recipe page to discover some great ideas and tips!

I’d also love for you to comment on this post telling me your favorite Campbell’s product or an easy meal idea!

The post Mexican Chicken Casserole + Savings on Select Campbell’s Products appeared first on Simply Sweet Home.

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #BackYourSnack #CollectiveBias

The summer grilling season is dwindling down, which means it’s time to think about after school snacks (and football food).  For both of these, I often run to my freezer for solutions!  Farm Rich has several options that we LOVE!  When I was a kid, I ate their cheese sticks all the time, and nowadays I also enjoy their Crispy Dill Pickles, Boneless BBQ Chicken Bites, Boneless Buffalo Chicken Bites, and Chicken Wings!

These appetizers are so delicious, and since they cook up in about 15 minutes or less, they are perfect to serve for parties and last minute snacks and dinners.  (When we’re short on time, our son loves nothing bette than a box of boneless chicken bites for dinner!)

And if you like to think outside the box, you can also use Farm Rich Snacks as the base for a creative, new snack.

Farm Rich products are located in the Frozen Appetizer aisle of your local.  (At our store it’s the first freezer we see.)

The other day I purchased a few different Farm Rich products, and I decided to transform the Boneless BBQ chicken Bites in to some delicious BBQ Chicken Sliders.  This is such a fun idea!  Using one or two boneless wings per slider, makes one box of these Chicken Bites go from enough food for a dinner for one, or appetizer for two, to an instant sandwich platter for the family!

 These little babies are also simple enough to serve on school nights (particularly when our son has to stay after school for marching band practice), and yet they are delicious enough to serve any time for anybody.  I definitely wouldn’t hesitate to serve them up for a party, and they will be perfect to to serve up on Football Saturdays!

And they are so easy to make and versatile.  Just add your favorite toppings!  A few things I like are found in the recipe below.

Are you an expert snack creator?  If you, you should enter the Farm Rich Back Your Snack Contest.  Read the contest rules for full details.

And look for demos of the finalists in select Walmart stores September 19-20 and October 10-11. Check here to see if your store is on the demo location list.

What’s your favorite Farm Rich product?  Do you have a favorite snack hack or a fun way to transform frozen appetizers. Please comment on this post!

The post BBQ Chicken Sliders appeared first on Simply Sweet Home.

This week is our first Football Saturday of the season!  And you know what that means!  It’s time for me to decide what sort of foods we’ll be indulging in as we watch the games!  A while back, I FINALLY got around to trying this recipe for Copy Cat Chick-Fil-A Nuggets!  These things are amazingly good, and are definitely a great choice for your football party menu, whether it’s just you & your family or a whole army of football junkies!

I have to tell you, when I first told my husband I was making this recipe, he swore there was no way they would taste like Chick-Fil-A.  (He can be quite the skeptic at times!)  But when I made them, he and Noah both completely approved! (Yes! Victory!)

Gary was very impressed with the taste, and very surprised by how much they tasted like Chick-Fil-A.  I think the secret is the powdered sugar inside.  And then the second secret is the use of peanut oil for cooking.  Before this I’d never cooked with it, but it definitely turned out great for this.  The second time I made them, however, I bought canola oil instead, because it is WAY cheaper (like $3 vs $10).

I would say that the peanut oil definitely gives the nuggets a more authentic Chick-Fil-A appeal, but the nuggets were just as delicious with the canola oil.  My husband basically said he couldn’t really tell the difference at all, and he’d rather just have the more budget friendly oil.  To quote him, “It if doesn’t save us money, I’d rather just go to Chick-Fil-A, and then we don’t have to cook!”  (Good point!)

Anyway…I recommend trying the peanut oil at least once, and then you can make up your mind!

Got any favorite copy cat recipes?  If some, I’d love to hear about them in the comments!

Disclaimer: I’m not affiliated with Chick-Fil-A. This post is not sponsored, and the opinions are completely my own.

The post Copycat Chick-Fil-A Nuggets appeared first on Simply Sweet Home.

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #justaddrice #CollectiveBias

It’s Monday again! Do you ever struggle to come with delicious and easy weeknight meals that are easy and quick to make but still taste delicious?  Then read on!

Today I’ve got a delicious Chicken & Shrimp Stir Fry recipe that goes great with Uncle Ben’s® Rice and cooks up in about 30 minutes.  It is a fantastic restaurant quality recipe, featuring lean protein and vegetables, and it packs a flavor punch!  In short, it’s something the whole family can enjoy and Mom will approve!

I absolutely love Uncle Ben’s® Long Grain & Wild Rice!  This comes in an original or fast cook variety to fit your scheduling needs, and it goes with everything from Asian style cooking to grilled steaks!  Other Uncle Ben’s® Rice varieties include:

• Uncle Ben’s® 5 Grain Medley, Quinoa Pilaf
• Uncle Ben’s® Brown Rice Medley Roasted Garlic & Herb
• Uncle Ben’s® Brown Rice & Quinoa, Roasted Red Pepper
• Uncle Ben’s® Basmati Medley, Savory Herb

I purchased Uncle Ben’s® Long Grain & Wild Rice, Original Recipe at Kroger!  You can find it aisle where rice, pasta, and bean products are located.

My husband Gary and I love eating at Chinese and Asian restaurants.  We enjoy everything from take out and buffet eating, to sitting down and ordering off the menu.  Recently we’ve tried our hands at making some of our favorite recipes from these establishments.

Gary actually developed today’s recipe for you.  He’s such a great cook!  He originally made this as a Chicken  Stir Fry, and then I just suggested that we add the shrimp, water chestnuts, and rice.  These ingredients add so much to this dish! (It’s so great when you have 2 people who can bounce ideas off of each other, especially in the kitchen!)

Here’s a nice photo of the cooking process:

And here’s the final product!  Just add rice!

Be sure to check out other great Uncle Ben’s® flavor options for great recipe ideas. Also, leave a comment on this post tell us a a rice flavor or recipe that you love!

The post Chicken & Shrimp Stir Fry with Uncle Ben’s® Long Grain & Wild Rice appeared first on Simply Sweet Home.

At the end of each year I like to look back and revisit some of my old posts, and one thing I always like to do is share a round up of some of my favorite food posts from the year.  Everything looks delicious, if I do say so myself, so I had to hard time picking these out, but finally I came up with 16 goodies!  I have everything from breakfast to dinner, snacks, appetizers, and of course, dessert.  Hope you find something here that you’d like to try for yourself in 2016!  Cheers!

Gingerbread Cookie Milkshake

Copycat Chick-Fil-A Nuggets

Buffalo Pepper Jack Nachos

Red Velvet Angel Food Mug Cake

Honey Garlic Chicken

Orange Julius Smoothies

Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal Pancakes

Ice Cream Sandwich Cake

Rocky Road S’mores Cheesecake

Coca-Cola Pulled Pork Nachos

Candy Apple Bites

Caramel Pecan Tassies

Chicken & Shrimp Stir Fry

Peanut Butter Pie

Cake Mix Milkshake

Oatmeal Cake

See anything you like?  

I’d love for you to leave a comment letting me know which recipe you’d most like to make, and if you’ve done a similar round up post on your blog or you have a favorite recipe of the year, please leave the link here…or better yet, link it up at our Friday Favorites linky party!

The post 16 Favorite Foods of 2015 appeared first on Simply Sweet Home.

Hello all! Welcome to this week’s Friday Favorites. This week I’m celebrating one of my favorite flavors of the season: LEMON!

I hope you enjoy these lemony recipes from our friends!  And as always, I invite you to share your recipes, crafts, tips, and more at this week’s linky party!

Hosted by:

Simply Sweet Home
Twitter | Facebook | Google + | Pinterest | Instagram

MustLoveHome

Twitter | Facebook | Google + | Pinterest | Instagram

A Heart Full of Love

Twitter | Google + | Pinterest

Our Secondhand House
Twitter | Facebook | Google + | Pinterest | Instagram

Homemade & Yummy
Twitter | Facebook | Google + | Pinterest | Instagram

LeroyLime
Twitter | Facebook | Google + | Pinterest | Instagram | BlogLovin

Dandelion and Lemon Biscuits from Craft Invaders

Easy Lemon Chicken Kebobs from All She Cooks

Lemon Herb Chicken Fettuccini from Simply Stacie

Thanks for joining us this week. Please link up your recipes and projects below!

The post Friday Favorites – Week 317 – With Lemon Recipes appeared first on Simply Sweet Home.

I absolutely LOVE crockpot meals.  In most cases, you just throw your ingredients in to the crockpot and wait for everything to cook up!  It’s easy, and it’s such a time saver!  It’s also great, because I can throw everything together early in the day when I’m less busy, and I can be at ease, knowing that dinner will be on the table, without me having to scramble around in the evening.

And most crockpot meals go a long way.  I can cook and have a couple of days of leftovers, or I can freeze the leftovers to use for another day.  Today I’m sharing a recipe for Crockpot Ranch Chicken!  I love anything flavored with ranch, and this particular recipe also uses my favorite vegetables: carrots and potatoes.  

Like a lot of recipes, this one is also very versatile.  You can switch up your protein.  (Boneless porkchops are delicious with ranch sauce!)  And you can also change up or add other vegetables.  Green beans, cauliflower, or broccoli would be great with this sauce!

This meal is definitely a favorite of mine, so I hope you will give it a try.  I’d also love to hear from you!  I’m currently on the lookout for some new crockpot recipes to try.  If you have something you’d like to pass on to me, please leave a comment with your recipe link, or share it on social media and tag me!

The post Crockpot Ranch Chicken appeared first on Simply Sweet Home.

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #GrillGatingHero #GrillGating

It’s that time of year again! Time to break out your favorite fan gear, whip up your favorite recipes, and get ready for fun-filled football Saturdays!  Every fall I enjoy sitting in front of the television with my husband on Saturdays and watching our favorite college football team (and any other college team who’s playing).   Whether we have a house full of people or it’s just our family at home, we always have a good time, and we always enjoy our share of delicious homegating and grill-gating food!  Today I’m going to share a recipe for grilled chicken.  It features a Tangy Dr Pepper® marinade, and can be used for your chicken fingers, boneless and bone-in wings, or any other meat of your choice!

For most football Saturdays, we have one or two main entrees and a few finger foods to complement them.  For these days, there are a few products I always like to have on hand.  They include RITZ Original Crackers, Hidden Valley® Ranch Salad Dressing, Dr Pepper, and Glad® Press’n Seal.

And when we are taking the party outside, we always have Kingsford® Charcoal to throw on the grill.

You can shop for all your grill-gating and tailgating supplies at your local Walmart.  They have all our favorite brands at unbeatable prices.

While shopping, be sure to look for Dr Pepper’s college football packaging.

During football season, you can also find special displays of RITZ, featuring their Family size package.

Recently we enjoyed some grilled chicken fingers and wings.  For this recipe, we created a marinade, featuring Dr Pepper.  This is an easy marinade to make, and it’s also very versatile.  You could use it on pork chops, steak, ribs, and even fish!

The Dr Pepper is the secret ingredient to a marinade that ensures tender meats.  It also adds a hint of sweetness, that complements the other sauces and spices used in this marinade.

After placing your marinade and meat in a bowl or dish, Glad Press’n Seal helps to create a leak-proof and airtight seal for a perfect marinade process.  Here’s the recipe!

Find these great products and more grill-gating inspiration here.

The post Tangy Dr Pepper® Chicken and Grill-gating Fun appeared first on Simply Sweet Home.

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #MakeYourSummer #MADEFORDOERS #CollectiveBias

Summer time is party time!  My husband and I love to have cookouts during the summer, and we are sort of famous for our last minute impromptu get-togethers, featuring my husband’s grilled masterpieces, and my amazing sides and desserts.  Today I’m excited to offer you an easy but unique recipe for your next cookout, plus tips to make your summer cookout a success from prep to clean up.

Party Time Clean Up Essentials

When it comes to parties, most people focus on the food first and then the decorations, but you must not forget other essentials like plates, cups, eating utensils, and of course, something to help guests to clean their hands.  VIVA® Vantage® Big Roll Paper Towels come in a convenient 6 pack that is perfect for your party.  I love putting out a roll of paper towels, because it is easy, convenient, and cost effective.  Also, in the event of a spill, you just grab a roll and get to cleaning!

Paper towels can also be a big help for cleaning as you go before your party begins.  Just wipe down tables and counter tops as you work, so the messes don’t add up!  Then after the party is over, I like to grab my favorite spray cleaner and a roll of paper towels for quick clean up!

New Kleenex® Wet Wipes Gentle Clean are also a convenient product to have on hand.  These are safe to use on hands and your face.

Summer parties are often outdoors, which means no sink is immediately available, and so it’s great to offer guests some wipes for personal clean up (especially if you are serving a messy food like ribs, wings, or ice cream).

I recommend placing a package of Kleenex® Wet Wipes at the center of each of the tables where people will be eating, as well as an additional package next to your messiest foods, which may require the use of the wipes (ie – right next to your tray of hot wings).

You can find both of these products in the bath tissue, facial tissue and paper towel aisle at your local Kroger.  I used my Kroger Plus card and was able to save $5 on the VIVA® Vantage® Big Roll Paper Towels 6 pack!

The Kleenex® wipes found on the facial tissue aisle.  I actually found them on the same aisle as the paper towels.  I found them at the opposite end of the aisle, in between bath tissue and facial tissue.

Place Non-Food Essentials in One Place

I have been to so many parties and get-togethers where everyone appears lost!  Where are the plates?  I can’t find the cups!  I forgot to get a paper towel. Where are the forks?  The confusion can be solved rather easily, by placing all of these essential items at the end of your buffet, all together in one place.

Fun Theme

Even the smallest party can be made more fun with a few decorations.  My stepson recently graduated high school and will be leaving in August to join the army, so for his upcoming party, I would use some simple red, white, and blue decorations.  I LOVE patriotic decorations to begin with, so this is an especially fun theme for me.  Plus, with Memorial Day and the 4th of July being summer time holidays it is very easy to find paper plates, balloons, tablecloths, and other fun decorations and party favors to go with this theme.

Make Ahead Menu Items

To shorten prep time and make less mess on the day of your party, choose a few make ahead menu items.

• Casseroles that can be mixed up the night before and simply warmed in the oven the next day are great.
• You can also make salads the night before. (We always make our potato salad a day ahead!)
• No bake desserts are also great for this, as well most other desserts from homemade cookies to pies and cupcakes.

Unique Menu

Think outside the box when planning your menu; just a few unique menu items can take your menu from bland and basic to original and full of flavor.

Right now we are brainstorming party ideas for Noah. My husband and I LOVE to do cookouts, and we also love doing appetizer parties, so my idea is to do a combination of the two.  I’d like to serve hamburgers and hot dogs (because it is easy and everyone loves it), but I also want to throw in some of our favorite appetizers like hot wings, sausage balls, and buffalo chicken dip.

You could also add a few appetizers to your menu if your are having a fish fry.  Or offer up veggie kebobs alongside your grilled steaks or barbecue chicken.

Fresh fruits and salads are also great additions to your backyard barbecue, and of course, you never want to forget the dessert!

Fire Up That Grill!

If you’re serving appetizers at your next cookout, I have a simple, yet unique recipe.  Where I live hot wings are not typically served at a barbecue.  They are usually reserved for tailgating parties and holiday parties, so just having them at a summer party is an interesting menu twist for us.  And if that’s not enough, these wings are GRILLED!  Usually when people think of wings, they think of wings fried in a fryer.

Grilling your wings will add extra flavor that frying just won’t do, and because you aren’t using any oil, and the fat from the wings drips down into your grill, your wings will actually be a lot more healthy!

 Sweepstakes!

Enter the #MakeYourSummer Sweepstakes for a chance to win a Kroger gift card or a NASCAR experience!

• No Purchase Necessary. The #MakeYourSummer #Sweepstakes begins on June 11, 2018 at 12:00:00 AM ET and ends on July 23, 2018 at 11:59:59 PM ET.
• There are multiple Entry Periods during the Sweepstakes. Legal residents of the 50 US/DC only, 18+.
• Void where prohibited. By participating, you agree to the Official Rules at https://makeyoursummerrules.pgtb.me/MRsDsl.
• All shared entries should include: #MakeYourSummer #Sweepstakes. Ends 7/23/18. See rules at https://makeyoursummerrules.pgtb.me/MRsDsl.

Do you love cookouts and summer parties? Visit the Make Your Summer Social Hub for more unique grilling inspiration.  And as always, I invite you to join the conversation by commenting on today’s post!

The post Grilled Hot Wings + 6 Tips to Make Your Summer Cookout a Success appeared first on Simply Sweet Home.

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. The opinions are my own.

About a year ago I discovered the Instant Pot, and I was intrigued by all the recipes and blog posts I found online.  After a couple of months of browsing I decided I would buy an Instant Pot when they went on sale for Black Friday.  And I got one!  My husband was a little skeptical at first.  He wondered why we needed an Instant Pot. (After all, we already have a Crock Pot!)  But I promised him, it would be worth it!

Thanksgiving night I was looking online at the Instant Pot and getting ready to place some Christmas orders, when my husband walked in the door with an Instant Pot in hand! (While running out the store, he decided this would be a nice surprise for my upcoming birthday.)  Now I have to admit, at first I got a little intimidated by this contraption, but luckily my husband loves to cook too, and he was happy to help me with the first recipe I decided to cook.  (Since then, he’s been more than happy to experiment with his own Instant Pot recipes!)  And like a lot of things, once I got to working with the Instant Pot, I found it very easy to use!

Today I am sharing the very first Instant Pot recipe I decided to make.  It is Crack Chicken Pasta, or if you prefer Chicken Bacon Ranch Pasta.

Why I Love This Recipe

This pasta turned out so great!  Personally I love anything that has Chicken Bacon Ranch in the name, so I was very excited to make this!

And I was impressed with just how easy it is to make this one-pot meal (pictures of the process are below).

I was also happy to serve this to our baby.  He’s eating more table foods now, and he loved it.  I just chopped up some of the chicken and noodles for his portion and then served him some veggies on the side.

Tips and Recommendations

If you wanted to make the whole dish healthier, you could add any vegetables you like; I’d recommend broccoli or perhaps a medley of broccoli, carrots, and cauliflower.

I should also mention that Instant Pot Recipes like this one make a LOT of food, and they are very easy to freeze for later.  (I have a a goal for 2019 to do a lot more freezer cooking!)

If you’ve been thinking about buying an Instant Pot and just haven’t gotten around to it, I completely recommend it.  I have the Instant Pot 7-in-1 DUO60. I have the 6 quart, but this same model comes in 3 and 8 quart.  The 6 quart is a good size for our family, and it allows me to make enough food for freezing or to giveaway, and it has all the functions and features we need.

And if you already have an Instant Pot, then I’d love to have your recipe recommendations! Leave a comment here or share with me on social media.  (You can also link up your recipes at our latest Friday Favorites linky party!)

The post Instant Pot Crack Chicken Pasta – Chicken Bacon Ranch Pasta appeared first on Simply Sweet Home.