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Instant Pot Chili Con Queso
Disclosure: This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and The Coca-Cola Company. All opinions are mine alone. #KickoffWithGreatTaste #CollectiveBias
Football at our house is a BIG deal. Every week, Dustin and I sit down and draft our fantasy team, not so much to compete in a contest, but really just to compete against each other. The kids will even get into it picking their favorites! Then, we all sit around during the day watching football, cheering on our teams (and players!), and munching.
Really do Sundays get better than that? (The answer is no. No, they don’t.)
Recently we have been homegating more. Even better, we have this projector that can put the games on the side of the house. It’s SUPER cool. Not only is it like watching the games on the big screen, but even better, for the evening games it means football and bonfires!!
I don’t know about you, but bonfires, football, queso and Coca-Cola? That’s pretty much a night made!
We can just set up the coolers, bring out the food and let the night begin!
But whether we are watching at home or if we are heading out to tailgate, one of our favorite things to make, hands down, is chili con queso. Dustin has been a bit obsessed with his Instant Pot lately, so that’s what he has been whipping it up in. It’s cheesy goodness y’all.
I swear, we make it every single week. The kids love it. We love it. Our tailgating friends love it. And it is super versatile! We of course dip our chips in it. But we’ve also topped it on baked potatoes, added to hot dogs, smothered on our burgers, and loaded it on our french fries. I always say to make a bigger batch so we can use the leftovers in a taco the next day, but every time we make a bigger batch – it seems to just get eaten.
Everything is super easy to make and shopping at Walmart makes it even easier! Have you used their online grocery pick-up before? It’s so simple to use and saves me a TON of time! Walmart is definitely the party central for our homegates and tailgates! While you are picking up the ingredients for this Instant Pot Chili Con Queso, you can also pick up all of your other tailgate needs (and groceries for the week!) all in one trip.
We never have a tailgate without our Instant Pot Chili Con Queso, but also not without Coke® and/or Coca-Cola® Zero Sugar. It pairs with everything! It’s a total winning combination!
1
block melting cheese
2
cans chili we use the no bean, but pick your preference
2
cans diced tomatoes with jalapenos
3/4 cup
milk
1 tbsp
seasoned salt equal parts salt, pepper, onion powder and garlic powder-
extra jalapenos optional
Servings:
-
Open your package of cheese and dice into cubes to make melting easy and even.
-
Toss the cheese into the bottom of your Instant Pot.
-
Open the cans of tomatoes and pour over the cheese.
-
Empty the cans of chili into the slow cooker.
-
Pour in 3/4 cup milk and sprinkle with seasoned salt. Stir.
-
Seal and lock the lid. Set to the chili setting and allow to cook.
-
When it is finished, vent to allow the steam to release. Stir and serve!
For more tailgating and homegating inspiration, recipes and decorating ideas check these out!
Don’t forget to pin our Instant Pot Chili Con Queso!
Game Day Guacamole
Are you ready for some football?! I am!!! I know that there are three kinds of people in this world.
One, people who love football.
Two, people who are only there for the food.
And three, the ones that I find questionable, Patriots fans.
We won’t get into the third group of people, but if you are in the first two…then you are always welcome to our football tailgates! (Just kidding. If you are a Patriots fan….I do let a select few in after thorough screening and interviews.) Haha!
This guacamole dip is perfect for serving on it’s own or in a recipe (hello, shrimp bites!) And with the adorable game day twist, it will be talk of the party. It’s like the two point conversion of appetizers. Delicious and cute. A total win.
(PS. Before you get started, this avocado slicer is AMAZING! First of all, it’s cheap. Second of all it splits, pits and slices. It has 4.5 stars from over 2,500 reviews…because as silly as it sounds…it’s almost life changing!)
4
avocadoes
1 cup
tomatoes
1/4 cup
red onion diced
1/4 cup
white onion diced
1/2 cup
jalapeno diced
2 tbsp
lime juice
2 tbsp
cilantro-
salt and pepper to taste
1 cup
refried beans
1/2 cup
sour cream
Servings:
-
Cut avocados in half, remove the seed and use a spoon to scoop it out. (Or use an avocado slicer!)
-
Mash avocados with a whisk (thickness is your preference)
-
Rough dice the tomato and onion. Add them to the avocado mix.
-
Cut the jalapeno in half and remove the seeds. Finely dice and add to the guacamole mix. (This recipe can be made with more or less jalapeno to your liking!)
-
Add salt, freshly squeezed lime juice and cilantro.
-
Mix well.
-
Place sour cream in a ziploc baggie and cut a very small hole in the corner. Squirt over the guacamole to make football field lines. Save a bit of sour cream for the final step.
-
Put the beans into a second ziploc bag cutting the corner again. Squirt over guacamole in the shape of football. Fill in the football shape.
-
To make smooth, use the back of a spoon to smooth over.
-
Using the remaining sour cream, draw the lines of the football.
Don’t forget to pin our Game Day guacamole recipe!
18 Chinese Recipes: Take Out Favorites You Can Make At Home
I absolutely love Chinese food! Unfortunately for us, since we’ve moved, I haven’t found a really good Chinese take out place that is close by. So we’ve been cooking it at home! If you want to know the truth, I like this even better! Not only does our house smell amazing, but there are plenty of leftovers. To be honest, sometimes next day Chinese food is even better! 🙂
Here are 18 Chinese recipes for your favorite take out dishes that you can make at home! I’ll have to make a batch of our baked egg rolls and add them to the list! They are a family favorite!
I found Rasa Malaysia a while ago while looking for recipes. Her food is fantastic and her photos are droll worthy! I haven’t made her Sesame Chicken recipe yet (it’s on our menu though for January!), but I have never tried a recipe from this website that wasn’t amazing!
Potstickers are one of our favorites! I haven’t made them at home yet, but I’m excited to try! They are one of the things we’ve been missing and the frozen ones just aren’t the same. Find this potstickers recipe from another favorite blog: Damn Delicious!
One of Josh’s favorite dishes to order is Crispy Beef. Luckily we found a great crispy beef recipe here!
Hot and Sour Soup your thing? This recipe from Closet Cooking is an easy one to make! And yummy!
Remember when I said I’m a bit obsessed with Rasa Malaysia? Here is another recipe from her: Crab Ragoon! Simply perfect!!
When I was little, my dad would take us to the most wonderful Chinese restaurant on the weekends. When we would leave, they would always give me a big bag of almond cookies to take home. I don’t know why, but I have never thought about making a batch at home! Well, until now!
In college I was a waitress at PF Chang’s. I ate Chinese food everyday for two years. Even now, some days, I’m just craving some Chang’s. 🙂 This PF Chang’s Honey Chicken copy cat recipe will be made…ASAP!
We love to make shrimp at home. They are so quick to cook which makes them perfect for a weeknight dinner! This Chinese Garlic Shrimp recipe sounds fantastic!
You know we have a slow cooker website right? 🙂 I made this slow cooker Asian Beef recipe a while ago, but it’s still a favorite in our house!
This General Tso’s Chicken has gotten a little bit of a makeover here! It’s baked and there is a special ingredient that gets it nice and crispy! Actually, I’ve made ‘fried’ baked chicken and crispy shrimp with this same ingredient and it is so good!!
If you are looking for a perfect side dish for your Chinese meal – these Garlic Chinese Style Green Beans are a MUST!!
Did someone say doughnuts? I will become a Mom Of The Year for sure if I make this Chinese Doughnut recipe!
If I were sent to an island and could only have one food there it might be chicken fried rice. So.GOOD. This chicken fried rice recipe is from Life in the Lofthouse and we’ve made it several times!
Ok, so maybe I would bring egg rolls to that island with me too! 🙂 This is a classic egg roll recipe you will have to try!
Don’t these chow mein noodles look so good? Like you can taste them through the screen!
Sweet and Sour Chicken is a classic that you can’t go wrong with! Doesn’t this recipe look yummy?
There you go! 18 Chinese recipes that you can make at home instead of ordering for take out! Which one will you try first?
Don’t forget to pin our 18 Chinese Recipes: Take Out Favorites You Can Make At Home!
Halloween Dinner Idea: Mummy Meatballs
Halloween is one of my favorite holidays. We love coming up with fun costumes and dressing up. We take our pumpkin carving very seriously. And the whole house is decorated. So why would we not have a fun themed dinner? These mummy meatballs completely made my son’s night when I served them up. In fact, he’s requested them several times since! I’m more than happy to oblige since they are SO simple. This Halloween dinner idea is a winner!
Because these are so simple and you can make a big batch at a time, they also make the perfect party food. Not to mention, they are so fun!
Dunk your mummy in a side of marinara sauce (or brains as my son so elegantly put it!) and dinner is served. Yum, yum, yum!
Supplies & Ingredients:
½ lb ground Italian sausage
½ lb ground beef, turkey or chicken
1 egg
¼ cup Italian bread crumbs
¼ cup Parmesan cheese
Salt and Pepper to taste
1 tbsp Italian Seasoning
1 tsp onion powder
½ tsp garlic powder
Olive oil
1 package crescent dough (find it in your refrigerated section of the grocery store)
Candy Eyes
Black decorating gel
Instructions:
- Preheat your oven to the crescent dough’s instructions. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Pour a bit of olive oil in a skillet and heat on medium heat.
- In a mixing bowl, add your meat, egg, bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese, and seasoning.
- Using your hands, gently mix everything together. One of the secrets to making great meatballs is to not over mix your ingredients.
- Form your meatballs and place in skillet.
- Brown your meatballs, cooking them almost all the way through.
- While the meatballs are cooking, unroll the crescent dough.
- Cut the dough into long strips.
- When your meatballs are done, pat dry and wrap one of the crescent roll strips.
- Place on your greased baking sheet.
- Bake according to the crescent dough’s instructions.
- Once baked, use a small drop of decorating gel on the back of a candy eye and attach to the mummy meatball.
- Serve with a cup of marinara sauce (or brains as my son put it) to dunk into.
Don’t forget to pin!
This post contains affiliate links.
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Healthy Homemade Mozzarella Sticks Recipe
I’m just going to put it out there. I’m no good at diets. I can eat my veggies (I love veggies.) I can eat my fruit (I love fruit.) I can give up red meat.
But if you put some pasta, some comfort food, something sweet or well, let’s be honest, anything else in front of me and I’m going to want some of that too!
I just love food. So the only solution that I’ve been able to think of is to make my favorite foods myself. That way I can control what goes in and I can make healthier swaps. That way I can eat what I want and feel good about it!
These Mozzarella Sticks are a perfect example! These are baked and not fried making them healthier than your traditional appetizers you may get. Not to mention – they are super easy. Make a large batch and put them in your freezer. Then you are able to grab as many as you need, when you need them.
- 12 sticks of string cheese in your choice of cheese – I used mozzarella
- 1 egg
- 2 tbsp of flour
- 5 tbsp of bread crumbs
- 2 tbsp of Parmesan cheese
- A tad of olive oil, or cooking spray
- Cut the cheese sticks in half, making 24 slices, then freeze the slices in the freezer until completely frozen.
- Beat the egg in a small bowl. Use a separate bowl to combine the bread crumbs and Parmesan cheese.
- To bread the cheese sticks: First dip the frozen cheese stick into the flour, then into the egg, then into the bread crumb mixture.
- Once all of the cheese sticks are coated, place them on a baking sheet covered with aluminum foil coated with a few drops of olive oil or sprayed with cooking spray (this helps keep them from sticking)
- Bake in the oven at 400 degrees for about 4 minutes, or until crisp. Watch them closely so they don’t melt completely!
Don’t forget to pin!
Over 40 of the Best Summer Recipes
Summer time is HERE! We have been counting down the days until summer vacation for a while around here and now that it is…..we plan on fully enjoying it! Trips to the pool, farmer’s markets, summer vacations, and lazy days are all in our summer forecast. We want to enjoy these few months and make sure that each day feels like summer.
Right down to the food we are eating.
Luckily, there are so many recipes that taste like summer. Here are over 40 of our favorite summertime recipes.
Appetizers:
- Slow Cooker Grape Jelly & BBQ Sauce Meatballs
- Pecan Bacon and Ranch Cheeseball
- Mini Caprese Bites
- Bacon Wrapped Parmesan Crackers
- Slow Cooker Grape Jelly & BBQ Sauce Little Smokies
Lunch or Dinner:
- Grilled Onion Bombs
- Copycat Starbucks Egg Salad Sandwiches
- 17 Incredible and Fun Hot Dog Recipes You Have to Try
- Crispy Onion Ring Topped Garden Salad
- Slow Cooker Nacho Bake
- Slow Cooker Chicken Cordon Bleu
- Slow Cooker Chicken Cheese and Bacon Tater Tot Casserole
- Sweet Spinach, Fruit and Chicken Salad
- Crockpot BBQ Ribs
- Tons of Summer BBQ Ideas
- 10 New Recipes for the Grill
- 10 Labor Day Barbecue Recipes
- The Perfect Summer Sandwich
- Asian Grilled Burger
- 3 Easy Summer Recipes (sweet chili brie, grilled mushrooms and banana icecream)
Dessert:
- Peanut Butter Cup Cheesecake Bites
- Fudge Brownie Ice Cream Sandwiches
- Cake Mix Sugar Cookies (cheat recipe)
- Coffee & Cream Freezer Pops
- Frozen Hot Chocolate
- Easy Cookies n’ Cream Fudge
- Slow Cooker Lava Cake
- Mile High Strawberry Pie
- Homemade Fudgesicles
- Luscious Lemon Bars
- Salted Caramel Rice Krispies Treats
- Grilled Pineapple S’Mores
- 7 Frozen Treats for Summer
- 11 Fun Watermelon Recipes
- 11 Strawberry Summer Desserts
- 20 Summer Frozen Treats
- Strawberry Sundae for Adults
Drinks
Looking for more fun summer recipes?
Here are some of my favorite summer cookbooks!
- The Summer Table
- Endless Summer
- Summer Food: New Summer Classics
- Home Made Summer
- Summer in the Country
What we love about summer cooking:
“We LOVE summertime at our house. We do a lot of outdoor entertaining in our backyard which means grilling, cool treats and lots of laughter with friends. Both Mike and I love to experiment with new recipes and flavor combinations, especially during the warm summer months.”
Stephanie is the mom to Sam and the author of Spaceships and Laser Beams. If you ever need party ideas her site is the place to visit! Specializing in all things boy, it’s full of inspiration! Follow her on Twitter here!
“We have a pretty big extended family and we have a ton of get togethers in the summertime. Lots of birthdays, and then of course there’s Father’s Day and the 4th of July. Always entertaining, playing games, swimming and eating good food! Summertime food for me means quick and easy (usually involving the grill!)”
Jenni is the mom of one and the author of Sweet Pennies From Heaven. A hearth and home website, Sweet Pennies From Heaven focuses on recipes, crafts and creating a comfortable home. Follow her on Twitter here!
“Summer for me is all about easy and fresh food. And also, if we can keep the oven turned off that’s an added bonus! So our slow cooker goes into overdrive. A typical summer meal might be some BBQ, corn on the cob (I do live in Indiana after all), fruit salad and some ice cream!”
Amanda is the mom to Joshua and owns It’s a Fabulous Life. If you are looking for a one stop place for all things mom, It’s a Fabulous Life is it! Full of recipes, fashion, DIY projects, recipes and parenting articles it’s the place for all of Mom’s favorites to come together! Follow her on Twitter here!
What about you?
What does summer taste like for you? Let us know and be sure to use #MomsCheckIn on social media with your answers!
This post may contain affiliate links.
Easy Cheesy Chili Dip
One thing you need to know about Hoosiers is that we love sports. We are obsessed with our beloved Colts, adore the Indianapolis Indians, love our Pacers, have serious crushes on college basketball teams and we are home to the fantastic Indy 500.
Want to know what we love just as much as sports? Getting together for a party. Seriously. ANY REASON. And if there is not a reason…we generally make one up.
This Super Easy, Cheesy Chili Dip is a quick recipe made with just 3 ingredients that is always a popular one! And when I say that it is super easy, I mean this couldn’t get easier. Seriously!
- 1 loaf of bread
- 1 block of Velveeta Cheese
- 1 can Hormel Chili
- Using a knife, hollow out the middle of the loaf of bread.
- Add your cheese inside. Pile on your can of Hormel Chili. (You can use with or without beans, whatever is your preference.)
- Add the top of the bread back on top. Cover with aluminum foil and bake at 375 until cheese has melted.
- Enjoy!
So the next time you are going all Hoosier and having a get together…you really need to make this Easy Cheesy Chili Dip! I promise, you won’t ever need another recipe!
HORMEL® Chili is America’s #1 chili. With so many varieties, Hormel Foods has a chili for everyone. Whether it’s a chili dog, chili cheese dip or your traditional chili in the bowl, HORMEL® Chili can be enjoyed year-round. HORMEL® Chili helps chili lovers savor traditions – all seasons, all occasions – by bringing together good foods and good times.
HORMEL® Chili shared over 50 regional ways to enjoy chili on their website and Facebook page to show fans Chili Nation, a nation that has declared their love for all things chili! Visit the HORMEL® Chili website for a sampling of recipes and chili pairings from every state, it also features videos, quizzes, and a coupon offering.
Get your coupon here!
Apple Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls With Caramel Frosting Recipe
Confession. Fall is my favorite time of year. Hands down. I love the weather changing into nice in the day and perfect for hoodies in the evening. I love the bonfires (and s’mores!) that happen. Here in Indiana, fall is easily the prettiest season. The trees turn gorgeous shades of orange, red and yellow.
But it’s also time for apples. And pumpkin. And man do I love those! So consider this your warning. Expect lots of apple and pumpkin recipes to come! 🙂
Last year, I found a recipe that I really wanted to try out from Crazy For Crust. Of course, I had to put my own spin on it. I added one ESSENTIAL ingredient – pumpkin! And the result is pure amazing-ness. These are so good. I don’t dare have them for breakfast! This is for sure a delicious dessert! (Ok. Maybe I had a small leftover one for breakfast this morning…)
And the caramel frosting? YUM.
The best part? These are SO simple to make and they don’t take much time! You won’t ever want a regular cinnamon roll again!
Now you could stop with just the cinnamon rolls. Maybe add a dollop of vanilla ice cream? And you will be happy. It will be delicious. BUT. Take the 5 minutes and make the frosting. It will blow your mind! You can do it! Go for the full experience! 🙂
Ingredients
- For the Filling:
- 2 tabelspoons butter
- 2 cups diced Granny Smith Apples (about 1 1/2 medium apples, diced)
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/3 cup canned pumpkin
- For the rolls:
- 1 tube crescent rolls (I used the large ones)
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 3 tablespoons canned pumpkin
- For the frosting:
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 2-3 tablespoons heavy whipping cream, divided
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 F.
- In a skillet, melt 2 tbsp butter. Once it is melted add your diced apples, sugar and cinnamon. Mix and let cook for about 5 minutes.
- Add the pumpkin to the apple mixture and combine well. Let cook for about 10 minutes stirring occasionally.
- Take off the heat and let cool. Letting the mix cool is important! If you try adding the filling while it is hot, it will be harder to roll.
- Open the tube of crescent rolls and try to keep the rolls in one large rectangular piece. Once it is unrolled, press together any seams that have come apart.
- Spread a thin layer of pumpkin (you may not need all 3 tbsp) on the dough.
- Then, spread the cooled apple pumpkin mixture evenly on the dough.
- Start at one end and roll as tightly as you can.
- Once they are rolled, use a knife (serrated knife is the easiest) to cut into about 8 pieces.
- Place on a lined cookie sheet. (I lined mine with wax paper.) Bake for 11-14 minutes or until they start to get a golden brown color on the crust.
- While the cinnamon rolls are baking make your frosting! I just used the same skillet that the apple and pumpkin mixture was in.
- Add your butter and brown sugar to the skillet and let it melt. You will want to be stirring it constantly for about 2 minutes.
- Add 1 tbsp cream and stir for 30 seconds or so.
- Remove from heat and add 1 tbsp cream, vanilla and the powdered sugar. Whisk together. If needed, add the last tablespoon of cream.
- Add frosting to cinnamon rolls and enjoy!
http://itsafabulouslife.com/apple-pumpkin-cinnamon-rolls-caramel-frosting-recipe/
Cinnamon Sugar Chips and Apple Nacho Recipe!
School is back in swing here. Josh is now in middle school which means at lunch he can choose what he wants (regular lunch or a la cart). I’ve realized that lunch is getting expensive and that healthy choices aren’t really a priority for 11 year olds. In fact the other day he got 2 PB&J’s, chicken nuggets, french fries and a cookie. Although he did say “But Mom, I only got one milk.”
So I’ve managed to talk him into bringing his lunch to school. He wasn’t too happy with that idea at first. But all it took was me telling him I would make a batch of Cinnamon Sugar Chips for him to change his mind. Seriously, these things are SO good. And they are a cinch to make!
In fact, these are so simple, they only require 4 ingredients!
I like to use Azteca’s new preservative free flour free tortillas! You can find them at Kroger in the refrigerated section! (Ours is near the cheese!) They come in different sizes too – burrito, fajita, taco and new mini size too! There is no high fructose corn syrup, no artificial colors, or flavors. Which means, I am a happy mom! 🙂
Ingredients
- 1 package Azteca Flour Tortillas
- Butter, melted
- Cinnamon
- Sugar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 F
- Melt your butter in the microwave. I used about 3 tbsp.
- Cut your tortillas into wedges and place on a greased baking sheet. You can also line it with parchment or wax paper if you wish.
- Mix together the cinnamon and sugar. I use 2 parts sugar to 1 part cinnamon for our mixtures.
- Brush the tortilla wedge with butter and sprinkle cinnamon sugar on them.
- Place in oven and bake until lightly browned.
- THESE WILL NOT TAKE LONG TO BAKE! You will want to keep an eye on them so they don’t burn!
http://itsafabulouslife.com/cinnamon-sugar-chips-apple-nacho-recipe/
Now, while these cinnamon sugar chips are fantastic on their own, our favorite way to eat them is Apple Nacho style!
I used Granny Smith apples for our nachos! The tart of the apple with the sweetness of the chips is the perfect mix!
You can eat this dish warmed up or cold – either way is good! Which is awesome because that means you can pack some apple mix in the kiddo’s lunch box!
To make the apple mix simply chop up an apple (approximately 2 cups) and put in a heat resistant bowl. Add 1 tbsp lemon juice and 3 tbsp brown sugar. Heat on high until the apples are boiling. Add 1 tsp cornstarch to thicken and allow to cool completely. That’s it! EASY PEASY.
And guess what? Not only did you stumble on these delicious recipes, but it’s an AWESOME giveaway as well!!
One of you will win:
· $50 Kroger Gift Card
· Azteca Free Product Coupon
· Meal Planning Notepad
· Tupperware Containers
· Dry Erase Wall Decal Calendar
I absolutely LOVE everything in this package!! 🙂 Good luck!!
10 Winning Dip Recipes For Your March Madness Party
Do you host a party each year for March Madness? At our house one thing that is always on the menu is dips! Here is a list of 10 dip recipes that are sure to be a hit at your next party!
Bacon Cheeseburger Crock Pot Dip from Recipes That Crock!
Neiman Marcus Dip from Love of Family and Home
Loaded Baked Potato Dip from The Kitchen Life of A Navy Wife
Creamy Hot Reuben Sandwich Party Dip from I wash You Dry
Greek Layered Dip from Kim’s Healthy Eats
Creamy BLT Dip from The Recipe Critic
7 Layer Mexican Dip from Chew Out Loud
Best Queso Dip from Big Red Clifford
Hot Bacon Swiss Dip from Six Sister’s Stuff
Sante Fe Chicken Dip from Diddles and Dumplings
Dips are an easy addition to ANY party menu!! These 10 dip recipes will be perfect for a March Madness Party, pitch in, family get together or holiday party!
Be sure to check out Amazon for fun and pretty dishes to serve your dip in! They also have some really neat ones to show off your team’s pride! 🙂
