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!
Spring Orange Marshmallow Fluff Salad
Orange Marshmallow Fluff Salad
One of our kids is obsessed with cottage cheese. Cottage cheese and fruit. Cottage cheese and pretzels. Some days he even puts cheese on his cottage cheese. I can make a big dinner that I’m insanely proud of myself for and without a doubt, he will say “Can I just have cottage cheese instead?” So awhile back, I was looking for some cottage cheese mixes that he hasn’t tried yet. That’s when I found Fluff Salad.
Now, not only is he obsessed with cottage cheese, but he’s obsessed with Fluff Salad as well. It’s the perfect mix of cottage cheese, tons of fruit and whip cream. Oh and marshmallows. Because who doesn’t love mini marshmallows?
This recipe is perfect for taking to pitch-ins, picnics, reunions, or events. People like it. (A lot.) And it makes a lot. A lot. A lot. (Trust me when I say get a big bowl!)
16 oz
Cool Whip Frozen
2 20 oz
Pineapple Tidbits Well Drained
3 11 oz
Mandarin Oranges Well Drained
1 3 oz
Orange Jell-o
2 1/2 24 oz
Cottage Cheese
2 cups
mini marshmallows
Servings:
- In a really large bowl (trust me, you want a large one!) mix the cottage cheese and the pack of Jell-o.
- Fold in the Cool Whip. You will want to make sure that it is frozen or semi-thawed. If you let it fully thaw, then it won’t set up correctly.
- Add your oranges and pineapple. Gently mix. You want to be careful with the oranges!
- Last thing to add – the marshmallows. Mix one last time!
- Transfer your fluff from the bowl to a large baking dish. Smooth out the top and cover. Put in the refrigerator and chill for 4+ hours.
- This is perfect for taking to picnics or pitch ins! Nothing goes better with cottage cheese than fruit….except for fruit, whip cream and marshmallows. 🙂
Don’t forget to pin our Orange Marshmallow Fluff Salad!
Homemade Kale Chips with Sea Salt (Green BEAN Delivery Review and Coupon Code!)
I was so excited when Green BEAN Delivery emailed me a few weeks ago to see if I would be interested in reviewing their service. Organic produce? Delivered right to my door? YES, PLEASE!
The process is so simple. Simply go to Green Bean Delivery’s website and check to see if they service your area. Then, choose the size bin you would like to have delivered and how often you would like a delivery. In a few days you will get an email telling you to customize your bin. <— Awesome right? I love how you can choose what products you want to go in!
For us, this was perfect. It happened to be a summer camp week so I needed lots of fruits to pack for snacks! I chose the $35 bin (and yes, that price includes delivery! In fact there are NO membership fees! Plus you can use the code 15IAFLml for $15 off your first order! $20 for $35 worth of produce DELIVERED! Get it here!)
It was delivered on time and packed SO well. I was a little worried because well, it’s summer and hot! The order comes in a big plastic tote. Inside is a styrofoam cooler and ice pack. Perfect for keeping your produce nice and safe.
The produce quality was amazing! I was so impressed with it!
For fruit we got:
– Strawberries
– Blackberries
– Bananas
– Peaches
– Plums
– Nectarines
– Lemons (THESE are HUGE! Around here they are like gold!) 🙂
– Kiwis
– Apricots
– Pineapple
And for veggies:
-Broccoli
-Corn
-Kale
– Romaine Lettuce
I also loved how I could see what farms some of my produce came from! Pretty cool!
Green BEAN Delivery has more than just fruits and veggies! You can also have meat, cheese, eggs and other groceries delivered too!
Remember use the code 15IAFLml to get $15 off your first order! (Sign up for Green BEAN Delivery HERE!)
So the fruit got packed up in lunches for summer camp. But with the kale I made the most delicious homemade Kale Chips! If you have never had Kale Chips you are missing out! These have disappeared pretty quickly, but I was able to save a few to top on my Caesar salad at lunch and it was amazing!
This is SUCH an easy thing to make too! Seriously, one of the easiest recipes ever!
Ingredients
- 1 Bunch Kale
- 1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
- 1 Teaspoon Sea Salt
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350 F.
- Cut your Kale into bite size pieces.
- Rinse it and run it through your salad spinner.
- Coat the Kale in olive oil.
- Spread a piece of parchment paper on a baking sheet. If you have a baking mat to put on the baking sheet those work perfectly too!
- Sprinkle with Sea Salt.
- Bake for 6 minutes and flip them over. Bake for an additional 5-6 minutes. Keep an eye on them, you don’t want them to burn!
- Let cool completely and enjoy!
https://itsafabulouslife.com/homemade-kale-chips-sea-salt-green-bean-delivery-review-coupon-code/
I did receive a complimentary Green BEAN Delivery box for compensation for this post. But please know, I really loved them! In fact, we plan to use them in the future!
Avocados – Everything You Need To Know
Avocados are one of those things that used to intimidate me. How do you tell when avocados are ripe? How do you cut avocados? Heck, is an avocado a fruit or a vegetable? Avocados were just not something I was familiar with. Except for the fact that guacamole is delicious.
So for all of you who stand in the produce aisle confused this is for you! Avocados and everything you need to know!
First of all. Is an avocado a fruit or a vegetable?
Avocados are fruits! (Random fact: They are also called an alligator pear.)
How can you tell when an avocado is ripe?
Hold the avocado in the palm of your hand. Gently squeeze. If it is ripe it will be firm but also yield to gentle pressure.
Make sure you avoid fruit with dark blemishes on the skin or over soft fruit.
How do you ripen avocados?
Avocados don’t take long to ripen. Simply place the avocado in a plain brown bag and store at room temperature. It will be ripe in a few days (2-5).
I don’t have 2-5 days!
Put an apple or banana in the bag with the avocado to speed up the process!
Do NOT use the microwave to speed up the process!
Alright. It’s ripe. How do I cut an avocado?
Cutting an avocado is pretty easy! Cut in half lengthwise around the seed. The turn it a quarter, and cut in half again. Remove the seed, but don’t throw it away! Then, starting at one end peel of the skin.
Why don’t I throw the seed away?
Because you can use it to regrow an avocado plant! Pretty awesome huh? Find out how here.
What do I do with my leftover avocado?
If you have any avocado leftover it is really easy to store. If it is uncut, store them in the refrigerator. If you have already cut it, sprinkle it with lemon, lime or white vinegar. Wrap it in plastic wrap or place it in an air tight container.
And just for any of you trivia people out there…
Did you know that California produces 90% of the nation’s avocados and 40% of all of those are grown in San Diego County.
43% of all US households buy avocados.
So there you go! Next time you are at the store craving some guacamole there is no need to be intimidated! Go ahead and pick up a few!
10 Amazing & Delicious Quinoa Recipes
Quinoa has been declared as one of the healthiest foods. It provides all 9 amino acids making it a complete protein. It’s a gluten free and cholesterol free whole grain. It’s also a great anti-inflammatory! If you’ve seen Quinoa, but you weren’t sure what to do with it then here is a list of Quinoa recipes to get you started! Even if you have had Quinoa in the past then these are some fun, new ways to eat this super healthy food!
Quinoa Chocolate Cake from Barefeet In The Kitchen
Sesame Chicken with Quinoa from Gimme Some Oven
Quinoa Coconut Chocolate Chunk Cookies from I Heart Eating
Cheesy Broccoli and Quinoa Patties from Shopgirl
Easy Fried Rice with Quinoa from Feed Me Phoebe
Microwave Cinnamon Maple Breakfast Quinoa from Lauren’s Latest
Warm Black Bean and Corn Quinoa Salad from Cherished Bliss
Quinoa Stuffed Bell Peppers from Damn Delicious
Quinoa Pizza Bites from Jessiker Bakes
Quinoa Gluten Free Brownies from Chris Freytag
Want more recipes? Check out our recipes here.
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