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How to Make the Best Affordable and Simple Crock Pot Meals for the Whole Family

How to Make the Best Affordable and Simple Crock Pot Meals for the Whole Family

by | Recipes

Simple crock pot meals can be easy and affordable, not to mention healthy and tasty! Find our favorite budget friendly, simple crock pot meals here to save time this school year! Bonus: they are great for the whole family!

Meal planning in the summer months just seems more challenging.  But then, when the start of school rolls around, a whole new crazy hits too!  Am I the only one?  Simple crock pot meals to the rescue!!!

I like to have a lot of flexibility so we can have some spontaneity.  And if possible, time for some extra fun and relaxation too!  Easy and simple crock pot meals are this mom’s best friend!

 

Who’s ready for some easy slow cooker ideas?!

While I could enjoy a delicious summer salad (find some of my favorites HERE) for my dinner, my kiddos are always famished after a day at the beach or swimming in the pool and playing outside.  And if it happens to be a rainy summer day, like we get here in Florida, they are ready for a hearty, hot meal.

Mom, over here, is ready for a simple recipe that I can get started in the morning…so it’s ready no matter what we end up doing for the day!  Simple crock pot meals for the win!

steamy carrots with seasoning on top of chicken inside the crock pot, ready to start cooking

Simple Crock Pot Meals to the RESCUE!!!

I don’t even have a fancy, pretty crockpot to show you in this post.  I am still using the one we received for a wedding gift…20 years ago now, believe it or not!

Good news?  These simple recipe meals taste amazing in our 20-year-old crockpot and are family favorites for all 5 of us!

 

Simple crock pot meals are perfect for just tossing everything in!

Before sharing these super simple crockpot recipes with you, I should add a disclaimer.  I don’t like recipes where I have to measure or be too precise.  Also, I just use what I have on hand!  I consider myself more of a cook than a baker, which means I like to experiment, toss in a little of this and that, and see what happens!

This is especially true with easy slow cooker recipes.  It makes for some really simple crock pot meals when you can just toss in some favorites and know they will be great together!

However, after experimenting with these easy slow cooker recipes over the years, plus knowing they are sure to be loved by our whole family, I do keep certain ingredients on hand!

What cooks well in a slow cooker?

That being said, feel free to use what you have on hand, add and take away flavorings that you know your family loves.  Most of all, just get some inspiration to grab your crockpot and enjoy a simple dinner! Use that extra time to do something fun instead!

Meat, vegetables, potatoes, and beans are my staples to mix and match.  At the same time, you can just toss them in with some seasoning for a guaranteed win!

With school starting soon, it is so helpful to toss the ingredients into my crockpot in the morning and have dinner ready to put on the table when we get home!

How to Make the Best Affordable and Simple Crock Pot Meals for the Whole Family

Simple Crock Pot Meals with Chicken: Easy Slow Cooker Taco Chicken

Ingredients:

  • Chicken breasts
  • Black beans
  • Taco seasoning
  • Garlic powder
  • Garlic salt
  • Minced onion
  • Tortilla chips or flour tortilla shells
  • Shredded cheese
  • Optional: Rotel
Ingredients for a delicious crock pot meal including black beans, rotel, and different seasonings

Crockpot Tip:

I always spray my crockpot with a little bit of cooking spray before adding all of my ingredients.  It helps with the clean up and I don’t worry about stirring throughout the day to keep things from sticking on the sides!  Time saving elements like this are key to simple and easy meals, both the cooking AND the clean up!

Seasoning:

I add two packets of the mild taco seasoning.  You can add more or less for the amount of chicken and beans you are cooking.  I generously cover the chicken with garlic powder and garlic salt.

If I have minced onion, I usually add a little of that for flavoring.  We also like the Rotel sauce.  My kids prefer the mild so that it isn’t too hot for anyone, however, if you don’t mind a little kick, I personally love the medium!  One can is great for some extra flavor.

I let the chicken taco dinner slow cook through the day.  Eight hours is my preferred time for any crockpot recipe, whenever possible.  At the same time, I often use the four or six hour time and it always turns out great!

Delicious chicken with seasoning simmering in the crock pot
A plate of a tasty Mexican meal including tortilla chips and black and refried beans

The chicken will really fall apart, which I love.  Typically, we shred it and layer it with the rest of our meal.  We enjoy the chicken served over the beans, with a side of tortilla chips or flour shells.  You can add a variety of toppings.  My kiddos like it more simple, so I sprinkle the top with shredded cheese and if I have tomatoes, add a few of those.

It is a reasonably healthy, low-calorie, easy crockpot meal that tastes wonderful!  I also love that it uses simple ingredients that are easy to keep on hand.  It warms up really well for leftovers, so I love that too.  Time saving elements, remember?!

Easy Slow Cooker Taco Chicken

An easy, healthy Mexican meal favorite!

  • Crockpot
  • Chicken Breasts
  • 3 Cans Black Beans
  • 2 Packs Mild Taco Seasoning
  • Garlic Powder
  • Garlic Salt
  • Minced Onion
  • Shredded Cheese
  • Tortilla Chips/Soft Shells
  • 1 Can Rotel (Optional)

  1. Spray crock pot with cooking spray

  2. Cover chicken with water

  3. Add two packets of Mild Taco Seasoning

  4. Sprinkle generous amounts of garlic powder, garlic salt & minced onion (to taste)

  5. Add rotel, cover, and let cook for 8 hours

  6. Once plated, add shredded cheese, and tortilla chips/shells as desired.

Main Course
Mexican
Crockpot, Healthy, Mexican

Yummy crock pot dinner dished up and ready to be served!

Simple Crock Pot Meals: Zesty Italian Chicken

 

Ingredients:

  • Chicken breasts or tenderloins
  • Baby carrots
  • Zesty Italian dressing
  • Garlic powder
  • Minced onion
  • Lemon pepper
  • Salt
  • Pepper
Carrots, seasonings, and other ingredients ready to be put in the crock pot

As with all of my crockpot recipes, I start by spraying the crockpot with cooking spray.  For this recipe, I fill my crockpot about 1/5 of the way with water and then add my chicken.  This recipe works great with chicken breasts and sometimes I like to use the chicken tenderloins as well.  They are a nice size for our kids, especially.  I always make extra of this because it is so delicious and makes great leftovers too!

Seasoning:

I season the chicken before adding the carrots, as I want the seasonings to really soak in on the chicken!  That technique works great no matter what meat you are using for your easy slow cooker recipe.  Then, I use one bottle of zesty Italian dressing over the chicken, followed by generous amounts of the garlic powder and lemon pepper.  Next, I add a little bit of minced onion.

Seasoned carrots simmering in the crock pot

Lastly, I add the baby carrots and sprinkle them with regular salt and pepper.  All the flavorings really soak in, but I do like to give those a dash as they begin cooking.

If possible, I let this slow cook for 8 hours.  Our whole home smells AMAZING within a few hours.  It’s a great way to get everyone excited for family dinner!

Zesty Italian chicken, carrots, and pasta dished onto a plate

Leftovers?

We really love this simple crock pot meal served with some rice or pasta, though sometimes we just add a second vegetable (which is a lot healthier anyway!). 

Any chicken that is left, I like to shred and refrigerate.  It is great to add to some chicken pasta for lunches or even a refreshing dinner!  You can find my favorite chicken pasta recipe HERE.  It is SO yummy and makes great lunches for the rest of the week!

Zesty Italian Chicken

  • Crockpot
  • Chicken Breasts
  • 1 Lg Bag Baby Carrots
  • 1 Zesty Italian Dressing
  • Garlic Powder
  • Minced Onion
  • Lemon Pepper
  • Salt & Pepper

  1. Spray crockpot with cooking spray, add chicken and cover chicken with water

  2. Pour one bottle of zesty Italian dressing over chicken

  3. Season chicken with garlic powder, lemon pepper, and minced onion

  4. Add carrots and sprinkle salt & pepper over all

  5. Let cook for 8 hrs, and serve with past of your choosing

Main Course

Zesty Italian chicken meal in a table setting

Simple Crock Pot Meals: Easy Slow Cooker BBQ Chicken

 

Clearly, we eat a lot of chicken around here!  But, it’s relatively inexpensive, healthy, and easy to keep on hand!  These days, I’m all about finding affordable, filling, and healthy meal ideas that our whole family will enjoy!  Can I get an amen?!

Ingredients:

  • Chicken breasts or tenderloins
  • Baked beans
  • BBQ sauce (we like the honey BBQ, but you can substitute this with your favorite BBQ flavoring)
  • Garlic powder
  • Lemon pepper
  • Minced onion (or finely chop up a fresh onion if you have one on hand)
Barbecue chicken ingredients including barbecue sauce, chicken, and seasonings

First thing I do?  You got it!

After spraying my crockpot with cooking spray, I add the baked beans.  I prefer the Bush’s brand, but that is just personal preference.  Really, there are enough seasonings in this easy slow cooker meal to make the inexpensive store brand taste just as great!  Next, I add the chicken breasts or tenderloins and BBQ sauce.  Usually, I use a whole bottle for the amount of chicken and beans I am cooking.

Add the finishing touch to this easy slow cooker meal!

I generously top it all with garlic powder, a little lemon pepper, and a bit of minced onion.  After a couple of hours, your whole family will be asking “How long until dinner?!”  It literally smells sooooo good and fills our home with an inviting smell.  These days, however, I can’t seem to get food on the table fast enough for our kids!

Or if we are gone for the day, I always look forward to being greeted with that welcoming aroma of dinner cooking!

Barbecue chicken, corn, and baked beans served on plate

We enjoy this dinner served with steam fresh sweet corn or fresh corn on the cob.

Again, a healthy meal choice that is filling!  Shredding the leftover chicken and using it for BBQ chicken sandwiches for lunches or a second dinner is another win for a busy day!

Barbecue chicken, corn, and baked beans, ready for a delicious dinner

I know these are all extremely simple and you’ll notice repeated ingredients.  This is actually super intentional in my meal planning because it saves me time, effort, and money.  My preference is  to not keep a huge stock of food and ingredients.  In addition, since I know these are my go-to flavorings, it keeps me from having a lot of stuff that gets wasted! 

You won’t find gourmet cooking going on around here, but at the end of the day, a simple recipe that our whole family enjoys is always a win!. I’d rather spend that time around the table or playing a game after dinner than working quite so hard in the kitchen.  Who’s with me on that?!

 

Easy Slow Cooker BBQ Chicken

  • Crockpot
  • Chicken Breasts or Tenderloins
  • 2 Cans Baked Beans
  • BBQ Sauce
  • Garlic Powder
  • Lemon Pepper
  • Minced Onion

  1. Spray crockpot with cooking spray and add baked beans

  2. Add chicken breasts or tenderloins

  3. Pour bottle of BBQ sauce over chicken

  4. Sprinkle generously with garlic powder, followed by a bit of lemon pepper & minced onion

  5. Cook for 8 hours & serve with fresh corn or other vegetable of your choosing

Main Course
American
BBQ, Crockpot

 

Looking for more delicious crock pot recipes?

I’m linking up some more crock pot inspiration from some of my blogging friends!  There are so many mouth-watering, easy, slow cooker recipes here.  You’ll definitely get some great ideas here for a huge variety of simple crock pot meals.  It can save you a lot of time and effort.  With school starting soon, I’m all about any time-saving things I can do to help not only myself, but my family too!

I am really excited to keep this list close at hand and try a few new ones each month during this school year!  All the work of figuring out what to fix for dinner is done for you!

What to cook for dinner when you have no idea what to make?

These simple crockpot meals are winners!

Well, hopefully this post helps!  Be sure to save it and then enjoy!

I hope these ideas will be helpful to you as you serve your family in the coming months.  I love that you can create the portions you need, easily plan your meals, and save a lot of time and even money with some simple crock pot meals.  And most of all, I hope by falling back on an easy crockpot recipe, you’ll have a little extra time to spend with the people you love the most!

That is definitely the best part of all to me!

What is the best crockpot for simple crock pot meals?

There are so many great options out there.  However, as I mentioned, my crockpot is 20 years old and going strong!  I think I can safely say that even with frequent use, it is a super high quality that will last you for many years.  You can find the updated version of my crockpot HERE!

Over on my storefront, I have a whole list of my favorite kitchen items, tableware, decor, and organization.  You can conveniently browse for your own kitchen HERE!

You may also enjoy these popular posts:

I’d love for you to follow me on social media!  You can find my home decor inspiration on Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook!  

Blessings,

 

 

 

 

 

(As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.  Posts on Robyn’s French Nest may contain affiliate links. You can see our full disclosure details here.)

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Taco chicken recipe ingredients
The Best Family Christmas Dinner Recipe Ideas 2022

The Best Family Christmas Dinner Recipe Ideas 2022

by | Holidays, Recipes

Looking for the best Christmas dinner recipe ideas? Make sure to check out our family favorites! Amazing recipes from my own mom and approved by my kids too!

Oh…and they are the son-in-law’s favorites too!

You clicked over to this blog post to look for Christmas dinner recipe ideas.  Right?  Well, I have to be brutally honest.

When people ask me for ideas about recipes, I text my mom.  Then, if I need a baking idea, well, I ask my almost-15-year-old daughter.  It’s true.  Setting the table was my childhood chore and many, MANY years later, it’s still what my family expects me to do!  (The great thing is that I love setting a pretty table, so we are all happy!)

I also have to be honest that I grew up in the beautiful midwest, in the middle of fields and real farmhouses, and our family favorites very much reflect where we were born and raised.  (Long story short, almost all of our favorites require bacon!)  All in all, we are very traditional when it comes to our Christmas dinner recipe ideas and we love it that way!  In fact, it’s entirely possible that there would be an uprising from some members (including my husband) if our Christmas dinner menu were changed up.

Do you have any special menu items like that?  Or family members who would have a similar reaction?  You will have to let me know in the comments!

Today, you are in a for a real treat.  My mom was gracious to share our special Christmas dinner recipes with all of you.  I 100% guarantee that you’re going to love these delicious, mouth-watering dishes.  Why?  Because we look forward to this meal all year long!

As I said, I have to text my mom for the recipes though.  Give her a big thanks in the comments and let me know which dish you plan to try first!  Hint: they actually all pair perfectly together so I recommend making all three!

Here are my three must-have dishes for our Traditional Christmas Dinner:

The Best Family Christmas Dinner Recipe Ideas

The Best Beef Tenderloin Christmas Dinner Recipe Ideas

What should be the menu for Christmas dinner?

“And he, he himself…the Grinch…carved the roast-beast!”  ― Dr. Seuss, How the Grinch Stole Christmas!

This recipe is so good that it literally could be the real, the one, the only beef recipe for all of Whoville!  At least, it’s the only Christmas dinner recipe idea for the main course that our family wants now!  I will be so bold as to say that I know you’d love it on your Christmas menu too!

As I said, I grew up in the Midwest and we always had a lot of beef.  However, the way my mom makes this beef tenderloin recipe truly makes it the most tender and flavorful way I’ve ever had beef.  She will be the first to say that it is a recipe that takes some effort but we are all thankful that she does!  For our family, it is a favorite, from youngest to oldest!

Even if you have a main course dish that is already the tradition for your family, make sure to pin this recipe and save it for later.  I promise you it will become a new favorite for you too!

The Best Traditional Christmas Beef Tenderloin

 
  • 1 Whole Beef Tenderloin (I plan on 1 lb per adult becaus there will be some shrinkage & I like to have plenty!)
  • 2 Cloves Minced Garlic
  • 1/2 Cup Soy Sauce
  • 1/4 Cup Olive Oil
  • Sea Salt
  • Cracked Pepper
  1. Place the tenderloin in a baking dish & sprinkle liberally with sea salt & cracked pepper
  2. Mix the minced garlic, soy sauce, & olive oil and pour over the meat.
  3. Let the tenderloin marinate overnight.
  4. The next day, preheat oven to 425 degrees & bake 10-15 minutes, covered with tin foil.
  5. Then reduce the temperature to 350 degrees & bake for 15-20 minutes per pound.
  6. Once complete, let rest for 30 minutes before serving.

This has been a family Christmas tradition from the first time we tried it years ago.  It comes highly recommended from every single person in our family!!

Main Course

The Best Vegetable Christmas Dinner Recipe Idea

What to serve with Christmas dinner?

Admittedly, our favorite Christmas dinner recipe ideas aren’t the lowest in calorie count or the most heart-healthy.  However, we eat pretty healthy for the rest of the year so our Christmas dinner is a delicious time to indulge!

While we all love vegetables and enjoy many different kinds of vegetable recipes, this Christmas dinner recipe idea is one that I always really look forward to.  I definitely eat more than my share of bacon-wrapped green beans at Christmas dinner!

At least the green bean part is really healthy?  That has to count for something, right?

 

Bacon-Wrapped Green Bean Bundles

 
  • 1 Cup Butter
  • 1 Cup Brown Sugar
  • 1/2 Tsp Garlice Salt
  • 1 Tsp Soy Sauce
  • 8-10 Green beans per bundle
  • 1 Slice Bacon (per bundle)
  1. Prepare 8-10 long-string green beans per bundle (thin ones work best.)
  2. Wrap each bundle of green geans with bacon & secure with a toothpick or lay on the pan with seam side down.
  3. Prepare you pan, sprayed well with cooking spray. I usually line the pan with foil & then spray the foil.
  4. Combine the melted butter, brown sugar, garlic salt & Soy sauce, and pour over beans.
  5. Bake at 375 degrees for 45 minutes – 1 hr, or until the bacon is cooked.
 
Side Dish
American

The Best Side Dish Christmas Dinner Recipe Idea

What is the best holiday food?

You can have all of your traditional dishes, desserts, and all the fixings.  For my Christmas dinner, though, I look forward to a good helping of my mom’s bacon-wrapped chestnuts!  It is definitely my favorite side dish for Thanksgiving and Christmas.

Once again, this isn’t the quickest recipe.  However, they are not hard to do and I have spent my own fair share of time standing in the kitchen wrapping bacon around water chestnuts to help out!  I literally remember year after year of standing on a stool in the kitchen until I was tall enough to reach on my own, rolling up those chestnuts in bacon for our family holiday dinner.  It is especially fun now to see my own kids helping create this delicious side dish for Thanksgiving and Christmas!

They are incredibly delicious, though, and worth a little extra effort!

Surprisingly, I am not a person who would say that I actually just love chestnuts.  However, this recipe is one of my all-time favorite holiday foods and I highly recommend giving it a try along with your Christmas dinner recipe ideas!

 

 

Bacon-Wrapped Chestnut Side Dish

A Family Favorite!

 
  • 1/3 Cup Catsup
  • 1 Tbsp Worcestershire Sauce
  • 1/2 Cup Brown Sugar
  • 1-2 Cans Whole Chestnuts
  • Bacon (cut each slice in thirds)
  1. Wrap each chestnut with 1/3 slice of bacon & place in baking dish. Spray the baking dish really well first!
  2. Mix sauce ingredietns & pour over the bacon-wrapped chestnuts. This amount of sauce should easily cover 1 can of whole chestnuts.
  3. Bake at 375 for 50-60 minutes until the bacon is well-done.

Everything goes good with bacon!

Side Dish
American

As promised, there is a lot of bacon involved!  What’s not to love?!

I expect that this year’s Christmas dinner prep will be about the same as most years.  Once again, I’ll try really hard to be helpful, probably wrapping the green beans or chestnuts in bacon.

Then, as usual, I’ll end up setting the table!  I went ahead and prepared our Christmas Dinner table with some of my favorites.

How to set a beautiful tablescape to go with your Christmas Dinner Recipe Ideas :

  • Determine a theme (I went with music ideas since our family is really musical.)
  • Create a centerpiece that can be left even after the dishes are cleared (so your table looks pretty all day long)
  • Set simple place settings that are easy for everyone in the family to use, youngest to oldest

For my centerpiece, I used my vintage French grain bin and filled it with a faux pine tree, fresh evergreen clippings, and a tall nutcracker.  One each side, I used a vintage piano roll and purposely let it fold and curl around more evergreen clippings and brass candlesticks.

To go with my theme for our Christmas table, I used these vintage brass angel candlesticks that I picked up at a vintage antiques shop.  I shop for these kinds of vintage elements all year long and it’s so fun to pull them out for special occasions and holidays!  The vintage brass angels are one of my favorite table decor items to use during the Christmas season!

Here are some similar pieces:

Even though most of the items on my tablescape are vintage or thrifted, I’ve rounded up some similar items to help you create this look.

How to create simple Christmas dinner place settings

For my place settings, I used simple, white ironstone dishes and alternated green and white napkins.  Then, I added a little faux cedar wreath and a simple angel ornaments.  I got these last year from @thegatheringcompanymarket and was so excited to pull them out again!

You can find 5 different really easy DIY Christmas place setting ideas over on THIS POST.

Here are some other elements you could use on your Christmas dinner table:

Are you ready to create Christmas dinner?

“Gathered around the table, stories are told, memories are created, and love is abundantly grown.”  -The Heaping Harvest

Remember…something will go wrong.  Creating Christmas dinner is more about creating amazing memories than it is the perfect meal or magazine-worthy place settings.

I have to admit, I am frequently guilty of forgetting this myself.  As a person with perfectionist tendencies (okay, a certified perfectionist!), it is easy to get caught up in the details.  At the same time, feeling responsible for creating the perfect memories.  I totally get it; your heart is in the right place and your head is overthinking, as usual!

May I offer a challenge as we head into this season?  Let’s plan ahead, make our lists, check them twice, get organized, and be prepared.  Then, take our finger off of the details and make the most of each imperfect moment as it comes!  Everything will not go perfectly,  They won’t even all go as planned.  That is perfectly okay!

However, I hope these Christmas dinner recipe ideas and favorite tablescape elements can help you as you prepare your own Christmas dinner memories this year!

Remember to pin these recipes to your holiday boards so that you can find them when the big cooking days roll around!

I hope you enjoy the plans for our 2022 Christmas Dinner!  Most of all, it is a blessing to gather around the table and celebrate the most wonderful time of the year.  Whether you are working tirelessly in the kitchen or setting the table (or both!), I wish you a blessed and Merry Christmas from our family to yours!

 

Blessings,

Robyn

I’d love for you to follow me on social media!  You can find my home decor inspiration on Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook!  

Blessings,

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.  Posts on Robyn’s French Nest may contain affiliate links. You can see our full disclosure details here.)

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How to Make the Best and Simple Mexican Crock Pot Meal for Your Family

How to Make the Best and Simple Mexican Crock Pot Meal for Your Family

by | Recipes

(As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.  Posts on Robyn’s French Nest may contain affiliate links. You can see our full disclosure details here.)

An easy crock pot recipe is always a favorite! Check out this quick and simple Mexican taco slow cooker meal idea that your family will love!​  Keep reading for even more summer recipe ideas from some blogging friends!

I don’t know about you, but summer F L E W by!  School starts this week and along with it, the regular routines.  That definitely isn’t all bad, though, and one thing I look forward to are more consistent family dinners.

Except the cooking part. ????

Insert: easy crock pot recipe.

I LOVE my crock pot (if you don’t have one, you can find some great options HERE, HERE, and HERE!) and I use it all the time.  I tried a new recipe last week that my family absolutely loved.  In fact, they get excited when I pull out the crock pot because we have several favorites and they know something good is coming!

What is good to cook in a crock pot?

Well, if you know me, you know I cook everything that I can in a crock pot!  An easy crock pot recipe is always a win in my book.  I have several staple slow cooker recipes over on THIS POST that I make often.

I recently tried out a new recipe and it was a big hit with my family.  Of course, I can’t wait to share it with you too!  Anything that helps us save time, effort, and even money with our meals are a big help, right?!

Is a crock pot healthy?

Of course, it depends on what you put in it, but using my crock pot is really helpful to me as I try to make healthy, filling, delicious meals for my family!

My latest experiment was very healthy, actually, and we all loved it!

We all love any kind of taco recipe so this one worked perfectly and I think it will be one of my staple crock pot recipes from now on!

Before I go any further, if you’ve hopped over from Pasha is Home, welcome!  There are so many tasty recipes in this blog hop and I’m adding some great ideas to my meal planning calendar!

Now, let’s get to cooking…easy, healthy, slow cooker recipe style!

How to Make an Easy Crock Pot Recipe for Beef Taco Bowls

What can I make for dinner in a crock pot?

If this is your question, I have the answer!  We are loving this recipe and it was so simple.  Plus, a couple of the ingredients were on sale at my grocery store last week!  Simple and affordable recipe?  Yes please!

If you’re wondering what to make for dinner this week, try this!

Ingredients for an easy slow cooker meal (Printable recipe below):

  • Angus beef tips for stew
  • Black beans
  • Red enchilada sauce
  • 2 packages of Ortega street taco carnitas crockpot seasoning mix. (by the way, I know that carnitas is for pork, but my store had beef tips on sale so I went with that.  It tasted great and I’ll do it another time with the pork!)
  • Garlic powder
  • Lemon pepper
  • Minced onion

Instructions:

First, I always spray my crock pot with a bit of cooking spray.  Since the idea is to save some time, I like to make sure I’m making the clean up part of cooking as easy and quick as possible too!

Next, I fill my crock pot with about 1/5 water.  Then, I add the meat and generously season it with all of the seasonings plus one packet of the Ortega street taco carnitas crockpot seasoning mix.  Save the second packet of seasoning mix for the end!

I like to add the seasonings directly to the meat rather than adding them at the end with everything in it.  I feel like the meat absorbs the flavor a little better that way!

I  then add the black beans.  For my family, I added three cans of black beans, one strained and one unstrained.  The black beans are healthy and help the recipe to be more filling too!

Next, I added a can of red enchilada sauce.  I used the mild sauce since that is preferred by my children. However, if you like a kick to your meal, I recommend the medium sauce!

Finally, I added some salt and pepper and one packet of the Ortega street taco carnitas crockpot mix on top.

Let it cook and simmer for 8 hours if possible.  Otherwise 6 hours will be sufficient!

Tips for Serving This Easy Crock Pot Meal

Our family loves any kind of beans and rice or taco-style meal.  How about you?  I mean, is there anything better than a meal that goes with chips and salsa?!

To add a more healthy balance, I serve the beef and beans over steamed cauliflower rice.  It tastes so good and even though not all of my kiddos love cauliflower, they do like the steamed cauliflower rice.  Healthy slow cooker recipe for the win!

Another yummy option is to add some freshly chopped lettuce and tomatoes and a dollop of sour cream, guacamole, and salsa!  In other words, whatever you would normally add to your taco or burrito bowls will taste great with this crock pot recipe too!

Of course, I have to add a few tortilla chips too.  Then again, I could have chips and salsa for supper every night.  NOT the healthiest choice, so I’d better stick with my simple crock pot recipes, right?! 

Simple Mexican Crockpot Recipe

An easy, healthy supper!

  • 1 Angus Beef Tips
  • 1 Can Black Beans
  • 1 Red Enchilada Sauce
  • 2 Packs Ortega Street Taco Carnitas Crockpot Seasoning Mix
  • 1 Garlic Powder
  • 1 Lemon Pepper
  • 1 Minced Onion

  1. Spray crock pot with cooking spray

  2. Fill crockpot with about 1/5th water.

  3. Add meat & generously season with garlic powder, lemon pepper, minced onion and ONE pack of seasoning mix.

  4. Note: I add seasonings directly to the meat, not at the end. I think the meat absorbs the flavor better that way.

  5. Finally, add the second packet of seasoning mix at the end.

Main Course
American, Mexican
Crockpot, Healthy, Mexican

Who’s ready to pull out your crock pot and start some easy cooking?

If you’re looking for simple and quick recipes to use during the school year, don’t forget about THIS POST!  This includes our other 3 favorite slow cooker recipes!

And if you’re looking for more great recipe ideas, hop over to Cottage In the Mitten next!  This looks like such a delicious recipe for these summer days.  

There are so many tasty looking meal ideas in this blog hop, so make sure to save them to your Pinterest so you can easily find them later!

I’d love for you to follow me on social media!  You can find my home decor inspiration on Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook!  

Blessings,

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.  Posts on Robyn’s French Nest may contain affiliate links. You can see our full disclosure details here.)

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Stirring the beef tips & black beans in the crockpot with hot steam coming off.
Our easy mexican crockpot recipe on a table setting ready to eat.
All ingredients in the crockpot, ready for a day of simmering flavor
Seasoned beef tips & black beans over a bed of cauliflower rice, plated with a tortilla
Sprinkling in taco seasoing into the crockpot full of other ingredients.
All the crockpot ingredients set together on our kitchen cabinet

Easy and Tasty Summer Recipes for Your July 4th Celebrations

by | Recipes

(As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.  Posts on Robyn’s French Nest may contain affiliate links. You can see our full disclosure details here.)

Easy and Tasty Summer Recipes for Your July 4th Celebrations

I’d love for you to follow me on social media!  You can find my home decor inspiration on Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook!  

Blessings,

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.  Posts on Robyn’s French Nest may contain affiliate links. You can see our full disclosure details here.)

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How to Make an Easy and Tasty July 4th Salad

How to Make an Easy and Tasty July 4th Salad

by | Holidays, Recipes

(As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.  Posts on Robyn’s French Nest may contain affiliate links. You can see our full disclosure details here.)

Looking for a refreshing July 4th recipe that is super simple and super delicious?!  Check out my favorite!  Only 4 ingredients for extra ease!​

The Fourth of July is one of my favorite holidays of the year…and not just because it’s two days after my birthday and one day before my anniversary!  I love festive gatherings, time with friends, and always…the amazing July 4th recipe ideas!

Today, I’m joining up with some friends to share our favorite July 4th recipe ideas with you, too!  If you’ve joined me fromTater Tots and Jello, thanks for clicking over.  I’m so glad you’re here!  I loved her July 4th recipe and am putting that on my list to try!

Summertime and watermelon just go hand in hand!  The only part I don’t love is the messy process of cutting up the watermelon.  So sometimes I cheat and buy the pre-cut bowls from the deli.  Most of the time, I just get my hubby to do it for me!  Haha!

It is literally one of the most refreshing, summer treats and super healthy too!

My very favorite way to eat watermelon is as a salad.  Bonus?

You only need four ingredients for this festive, red, white, and blue July 4th recipe!

How to Make an Easy and Tasty July 4th Salad

Ingredients:

  • Watermelon, cut into bite-size chunks
  • Crumbled gorgonzola or feta cheese
  • Blueberries
  • Fresh mint leaves

Favorite July 4th Recipe:

Combine all three ingredients into a bowl and serve chilled!  Add some mint leaves for garnish.  (It tastes even better the second day with a hint of mint flavor that marinates through!)

How easy is that for a July 4th recipe?!

I’ll be the first to admit, if you aren’t a cheese-lover, this probably won’t be your favorite recipe.  But I don’t think I’ve ever tried a kind of cheese that I didn’t love (except for a random, really runny one in France; I don’t remember what it was called!).

Gorgonzola cheese has that extra zing to it that I really love and the mix of salty and sweet makes this a favorite for me!  

I like to buy the fat-free gorgonzola crumbled cheese in an effort to make this a little more healthy!

Blueberries are the perfect addition to this July 4th recipe. Plus, there is the benefit of the red, white, and blue!

It makes a festive salad for your Fourth of July picnic!

I keep the leftovers around for an extra day or so and this July 4th recipe makes a great lunch for the next day too.  Win win!  I leave some watermelon plain because my kiddos haven’t yet discovered a love for gorgonzola cheese (haha!) but it does make a nice treat for the whole family!

Next time you pass a roadside produce stand, grab yourself a big watermelon and enjoy!

So refreshing and extra easy too!  There are some great July 4th recipe ideas from some of my friends today too.  Next, I hope you’ll hop over to Most Lovely Things.  It looks SO delicious and I’m adding this one to my list to try too!

Don’t forget to pin the image below to find all of these recipes later!

  1. Patriotic Fruit Pizza Dessert from Tatertots & Jello
  2. Homemade Strawberry Shortcake Ice Cream Bars from Pass the Butter
  3. 4th of July Fruit Tart from Happy Happy Nester
  4. American Flag Sheet Cake from Modern Glam
  5. Individual Skillet Strawberry Shortcake from Most Lovely Things
  6. Festive 4th of July Gluten Free Muffins from My 100 Year Old Home
  7. Easy Fourth of July Watermelon Salad from Robyn’s French Nest
  8. Red Velvet Brownies from Paint Me Pink
  9. Marshmallow and Chocolate Dipped Ice Cream Cones from My Sweet Savannah
  10. 4th of July Donuts from Inspiration for Moms
  11. No Bake Strawberry Cheesecake Bites from Twelve on Main

I’d love for you to follow me on social media!  You can find my home decor inspiration on Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook!  

Blessings,

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.  Posts on Robyn’s French Nest may contain affiliate links. You can see our full disclosure details here.)

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5 Minute Easy and Tasty Easter Dessert You’ll Love

5 Minute Easy and Tasty Easter Dessert You’ll Love

by | Recipes

(As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.  Posts on Robyn’s French Nest may contain affiliate links. You can see our full disclosure details here.)

Ready for the easiest Easter dessert ever? You need 5 minutes and just a few ingredients to make this fun, fancy, and tasty treat! Keep reading  to see how!

Easter is right around the corner and if your home is anything like ours, there is a long list of things I want to do.  However, it seems there is never enough time for all the fun stuff!

Whether you are responsible for the Easter desserts and short on time or energy, or, maybe you just want a fun treat for the kids, this dessert post is for you!!!

It’s not that I don’t like to cook and bake, but honestly, the quick and simple recipes are my favorite!  It’s a bonus when they look cute!

If you have 5 minutes, you can pull this off for your whole family!  Here we go!

5 Minute Easy and Tasty Easter Dessert You’ll Love

Ingredients:

How to Assemble Your Shortcake Desserts

Step 1:

After gathering your ingredients, choose whatever individual dish you’ll be using to assemble the dessert on.  I love these individual cupcake stands because I use them all the time and they are so cute!

You won’t want to try to move the desserts after assembling them, so it’s best to build it right on the cupcake stand!

Step 2:

Next, add your fruit.  We loved the blueberries, but it would also be delicious with strawberries.  Since the cakes are small, make sure to cut thin slices with your strawberries.

For an easy embellishment, I added blueberries around the edge of the cake.  Strawberries would be a little easier for this part, as the blueberries love to roll. ????. If you use blueberries for this Easter dessert, I recommend adding them around the edge once the dessert is set in place at the table!  (speaking from experience here!  haha!)

Step 3: 

Especially if you’re using real whip cream, this step needs to come immediately before serving.  Add a dollop of cream over the top of your fruit.  If you’re really artistic and great with this kind of thing, you can even make it fancy!  I just did a big swirl to prepare for the grand finale…step 4!

Step 4: 

The last thing to do is add your Cadbury egg or chocolate bunny to the top! If you are serving this dessert for a time other than Easter, just add a seasonally appropriate treat.  The chocolate, whip cream, and blueberries are delicious together!

Now, serve and enjoy!!!

Create a Pretty Centerpiece for Your Easter Dessert

I added my desserts to a quick and simple centerpiece.  No matter what dessert you have on hand, dressing up the table with a cute dessert-scape is always fun and makes everything feel even more special!

Get the Look:

I hope this quick and easy little Easter dessert idea helps you have some extra time for other things you want to do or maybe just takes a little stress off of the season for you.  At the very least, a tasty treat to let your family know you love them and think they are special!

Enjoy!

I’d love for you to follow me on social media!  You can find my home decor inspiration on Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook!  

Blessings,

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.  Posts on Robyn’s French Nest may contain affiliate links. You can see our full disclosure details here.)

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Festive Christmas Recipe Ideas You Need to Try

Festive Christmas Recipe Ideas You Need to Try

by | Holidays, Recipes

Planning your Christmas entertaining? Check out this round up of Christmas recipe ideas to enjoy with family and friends during this upcoming season!  Keep reading for lots of Christmas dinner inspiration!

Want to know a secret?

Well, if you’ve been following me for awhile, you might already know.

The kitchen is not my favorite place to be.

In fact, I’d just assume be responsible for decorating the tables and let all the talented ladies in my family take care of the food! ????

And that is usually exactly what happens.  (My husband says I’m a good cook, so I guess that counts for something, but it’s not my favorite thing to do!)

Today, you get the treat of enjoying some of our family’s favorites from my mom’s recipes.  Every Christmas, we always request the same things and she does them perfectly every time!

I am also sharing some Christmas recipes from some of my blogging friends!  Each recipe looks so delicious and may just make me get in the kitchen and try a few this season!

You can find my family’s Christmas dinner recipe list here:

  • The best beef tenderloin EVER
  • Bacon wrapped green bean bundles (because everything is better with bacon!)
  • Chestnuts-n-Bacon

Keep reading for a round up of amazing Christmas recipe ideas that you’ll want to try this season too!

A Quick, Easy, and Tasty Fudge Recipe | Pasha is Home

This recipe is one of the creamiest, melt in your mouth, can’t have just one piece fudge recipes you will find on the internet! Oh – and it’s pretty dang easy to make too!! ~ Pasha
A Quick Easy and Tasty Fudge Recipe- Awesome Holiday Recipes to Make This Season! #holidaybaking #baking #christmasrecipes

Easy Cranberry Apple Bake Recipe | The Pond’s Farmhouse

This is our family’s favorite Holiday Recipe. It’s one of my “it’s so easy even I’ll make it” recipes and it’s so delicious!  It’s sweet and tangy with a perfect crunch. ~ Rachel
Easy Cranberry Apple Bake Recipe -Awesome Holiday Recipes to Make This Season! #holidaybaking #baking #christmasrecipes

Creating Christmas Dinner | Robyn’s French Nest

To get the recipes for our Christmas favorites, I called my mom!  I’m sharing three of my “must-have” recipes…you know, the ones you ask your mom to make each year?  Now you can enjoy them too! ~ Robyn
Creating Christmas Dinner - Awesome Holiday Recipes to Make This Season! #holidaybaking #baking #christmasrecipes

Easy Christmas Morning Quiche | Midwest Life and Style

Loaded with bacon, swiss cheese, spinach, and topped with Roma tomatoes, this easy quiche is perfect for a Christmas morning brunch. ~ Jen
Easy Christmas Morning Quiche -Awesome Holiday Recipes to Make This Season! #holidaybaking #baking #christmasrecipes

Cranberry Orange Bliss Cake | The Old Barn

If you’ve ever had a Cranberry Bliss Bar, then you know. The combination of orange and cranberry is a match made in heaven. Pair those with cake and white chocolate…BLISS! ~ Jessica
Cranberry Orange Bliss Cake -Nine Awesome Holiday Recipes to Make This Season! #holidaybaking #baking #christmasrecipes

Delicious Chocolate Chip Cookies | Open Doors Open Hearts

There is truly nothing more warm and cozy than fresh-baked chocolate chip cookies on a cold winter day. The way the oven warms the house and the smell that lingers long after the cookies are finished baking adds to the magic of the Holiday season in our house. These are our favorite chocolate chip cookies and we love eating them and giving them away each Christmas. ~ Aliya
Delicious Chocolate Chip Cookies -Nine Awesome Holiday Recipes to Make This Season! #holidaybaking #baking #christmasrecipes

Brown Butter Sugar Cookies with Chocolate Ganache | Happy Happy Nester

This Brown Butter Sugar Cookies with Chocolate Ganache is an irresistible recipe. With their chocolate center, these cookies add a wonderful touch of brown butter that sets them apart from all the rest. The combination is delicious. ~ Janine
Brown Butter Sugar Cookies with Chocolate Ganache -Nine Awesome Holiday Recipes to Make This Season! #holidaybaking #baking #christmasrecipes

Candy Cane Frosted Swirl Cookies | Tater Tots and Jello

Take the classic candy cane cookie and give it a modern update by rolling it and frosting it with crushed candy canes! They’re perfect to make this holiday season with your kids! ~ Jen
Candy Cane Frosted Swirl Cookies -Nine Awesome Holiday Recipes to Make This Season! #holidaybaking #baking #christmasrecipes

Six Minute Sea Salted Caramels | Handmade Farmhouse

In this post, you’ll learn to make one of my favorite recipes, delicious 6-minute sea salt caramels! With this fast and easy technique, you can cut out all of the fears and worries that come with stovetop candy making. These are one of our very favorite holiday treats to share and enjoy! ~ Emily
Six Minute Sea Salted Caramels -Nine Awesome Holiday Recipes to Make This Season! #holidaybaking #baking #christmasrecipes

I’d love for you to follow me on social media!  You can find my home decor inspiration on Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook!  

Blessings,

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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The Best Pumpkin Soup Recipe for Your Crockpot

The Best Pumpkin Soup Recipe for Your Crockpot

by | Recipes

It is officially cozy season! This delicious pumpkin soup recipe is perfect for Thanksgiving or just to bring a cozy taste and scent to your kitchen!

November 1st!!!!  It is officially cozy season and after some gorgeous fall temperatures this weekend (well, Florida fall, that is!), I am pulling out all the cozy textures to place throughout our home.  The beautiful weather makes me want to light my favorite fall candle and curl up with a cozy blanket!

Then, there are those little things like remembering that I need to feed my family.  Haha!

Time to pull out the slow cooker and let it do the work for me!

I recently tried a new recipe that is SO GOOD!  It’s my new favorite soup and perfect for the cozy season!

The problem with me sharing recipes is that I’m not a super-duper recipe person.  I kind of just toss it all in and hope it works.  So you’ll have to consider this a “loose recipe”!

I got this loose recipe from the cafeteria cook (who is AMAZING) at our school.  I followed her loose recipe even more loosely.  But it totally worked and tasted so good!

Ready for an easy recipe to bring in all the good fall feels?

The Best Pumpkin Soup Recipe

Ingredients:

  • (1) can of pumpkin
  • (1) package of fresh mushrooms
  • (1) can of evaporated milk (I substituted 2% milk since I didn’t have evaporated milk on hand.  You could also use coconut or almond milk for a healthier option.)
  • Minced onion (my kids aren’t big fans of onion, so I used minced onion.  It would be even better with fresh sliced onion!)
  • (2) tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • (2) tablespoons butter
  • (1) teaspoon curry powder
  • (1) 16 ounce Dr. KellyAnn Bone Broth from Whole Foods (love this because it has protein, collagen, and vitamins!)
  • Sprinkled in a little nutmeg
  • Sprinkled in a little salt
  • Sprinkled in a little pepper
  • Minced chives

I let everything simmer and cook in my crock pot!  Since we are gone all day, I let it cook on low for 10 hours.  The four hour setting would also work just fine.

When I dished it up, I sprinkled a little more of the minced chives on top!

You can find some of our other family favorite crockpot recipes HERE!

 

I’d love to hear if you try it and what you think!  It is definitely a new favorite for me.

I think it would be such a great side dish for Thanksgiving or serve for a Friendsgiving for a casual, fall-themed soup supper!

Here’s to all the cozy things, including what we eat (and keeping it healthy too!)

 

I’d love for you to follow me on social media!  You can find my home decor inspiration on Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook!  

Blessings,

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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The Best, Extra Delicious, and Simple Fall Pasta Salad

The Best, Extra Delicious, and Simple Fall Pasta Salad

by | Home, Recipes

Looking for a unique, fall side dish? Check out this simple and super yummy fall pasta salad, with cranberries, turkey, and harvest favorites!

If you’re hopping over from Michele at Vintage Home Designs, welcome!  That side dish looked so good and by the end of the blog hop today, you’ll have everything you need for a delicious harvest dinner!

Today, I’m sharing another side dish that will complement your harvest dinner…and use for the next day’s lunch as well!

I have to be super honest.

See that clean kitchen?  That’s how I love it.  It’s not that I just hate cooking, but it definitely isn’t my favorite thing!  I’d much rather get creative with my tablescape and then sit and enjoy someone else’s gift of yummy food.

Want to know something else about me?

I almost never use a recipe.  My daughter loves them, which is probably why she is such a great baker…and I am not!  Ha!

I would much rather just toss a few things together and experiment.  And most of the time, it turns out okay.

Once in awhile, it turns out GREAT!

The “once in a while’s” deserve to be celebrated and shared, right?

So today, let me introduce to you a super simple (I even cheated on some ingredients) fall pasta salad, featuring fall harvest favorites like cranberries, turkey, and apples!

What is a fall pasta salad?

I just made that up.

 

It is really just a fancy way of saying “here’s how you can use some Thanksgiving dinner leftovers and turn them into yummy lunches!”  Or use up some of the apples from the weekend apple picking trip.  Or just treat yourself to a little different flavor, all mixed into one delicious, fall pasta salad!

Fall Pasta Salad Ingredients:

and you can get creative with these too!

  • Favorite pasta (I love using the larger noodles, such as penne or bowtie pasta for a side dish.)
  • Turkey (I cheated and used good deli meat, but you could also use some baked turkey and just cut it into chunks)
  • Dried cranberries
  • Chopped apples (I cheated here too, and bought a bag of the pre-peeled ones!)
  • Crumbled feta cheese
  • Bleu cheese yogurt dressing (I love the Boathouse brand for the low calories and flavorful consistency.)
  • Almond slices (I bought a bag of salad topper almonds for this.)

Recipe for Fall Pasta Salad

Time: 15 prep (+ time for pasta to cook and completely cool)

The most time consuming part is waiting for the pasta to cook and then cooling it completely.  If you planned ahead, this would be great to do the night before.  After cooking and draining the bowtie pasta, I allowed it to cool in the refrigerator for about two hours (it may not take that long, that was just the time between picking up the kids from school and finishing after school activities and homework!)

 

Once the pasta is cooked, simply add your ingredients.  I used good turkey from the deli section of my grocery store.  You could also set aside some pieces of turkey (even freeze them!) when you bake it the next time.  That would be delicious also.

To save time, I also used the pre-peeled apples from my produce section.  If you peel and slice the apples yourself, make sure to add those right before serving so they don’t turn brown.  I cut the apples into 1/4″ chunks and mixed in with the turkey and pasta.

 

I added dried cranberries and sliced almonds from the salad toppings section and mixed those in with my pasta.  I love how the almonds and crisp apples add some texture and a little crunch to the salad!  The last thing I added, before the dressing, was crumbled feta cheese.  You could also substitute this with gorgonzola or goat cheese.  Either would be delicious!

Lastly, I mixed in my dressing.  I used the low-calorie Boathouse brand yogurt dressing.  My store has several choices and I went with the bleu cheese since it is my favorite.  The creamy mixture is perfect for a pasta salad!

 

Bleu cheese is a stronger flavor, so that would be one thing to definitely tweak based on your preferred taste.

You could also create your own dressing mixture with mayo and plain Greek yogurt.  I don’t typically keep the plain Greek yogurt on hand, so it actually saved me time and money to just use the pre-made yogurt dressing.  Again, that is just up to your personal taste!

 

I mix the dressing in last.  Then, I cover it and let it chill in the refrigerator or serve immediately!

It’s a quick and easy way to add a side dish, while still incorporating some of those fun fall flavors!

 

Pasta salads are filling but they can also be reasonably healthy depending on how you dress them up!  By using mostly low-calorie additions, particularly a low-calorie dressing, you can have a great side dish that doesn’t use up the entire calorie bank!  Save some of those for dessert!!!

I also love that a pasta salad allows you to be creative with healthy, gluten-free options and also with fun flavors!

To create your own pasta salad, simple add the following:

  • Choice of pasta
  • Choice of protein, vegetable, and other complementary flavors
  • Choice of dressing: A yogurt or mayo base is good for a creamy consistency or use a vinaigrette for a lighter base)
  • Enjoy!

Next, I invite you to hop over to my friend Rachel from Rachel Pond’s Farmhouse.  Rachel’s dessert is going to have you ready for some fall baking!  

And, you’re in for a treat today, with a lot more fall recipe inspiration from some amazing friends.  You’ll have everything you need to create a delicious harvest-themed dinner!  I love each of these ladies so much and am always inspired by them!  You won’t want to miss their fall recipes today!

Mama’s Persimmon Pudding Recipe from The Ponds Farmhouse 

 

Spicy Hot Corn Dip from Simply 2 Moms

 

Turkey Apple and Cheddar Panini from Midwest Life and Style

 

The Best Pumpkin Spice Drink from Bricks and Blooms

 

The Best Fall Harvest Salad from Vintage Home Designs

 

I’d love for you to follow me on social media!  You can find my home decor inspiration on Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook!  

Blessings,

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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The Best Summer Salad Recipes for an Easy and Tasty Meal

The Best Summer Salad Recipes for an Easy and Tasty Meal

by | Home, Recipes

Check out these simple and delicious summer salad recipes! I share some of my favorite (easy!) recipes full of blueberries, watermelon & cheese!

I’ll be super honest…cooking just isn’t my favorite thing.  I’d much rather set the table than prepare the meal!  Being a teacher, though, I do enjoy meal prep a lot more during the summer months when I have time to actually be more thoughtful and intentional about recipes!  BUT, it just gets so hot here in the summer!  And after an afternoon by the pool or day at the beach, I’m not usually in the mood for a big, heavy dinner.

Plus, summer salads are a great way to try and shed a few pounds from the school year too!  (Though, I’m not claiming that these are necessarily the most calorie-friendly salads out there either!)

I should also mention that my favorite recipes are ALWAYS ones that don’t take a whole lot of time.  And if I can save some for lunch the next day, even better!

In case you’re looking for some refreshing dinners during these summer months, I thought I would share a few of my favorites with you.  I don’t even know where I came up with these, but they are just ones that I tend to only make during the summer and really enjoy!

Watermelon Summer Salad

 

Summertime and watermelon just go hand in hand!  The only part I don’t love is the messy process of cutting up the watermelon.  So sometimes I cheat and buy the pre-cut bowls from the deli.  Most of the time, I just get my hubby to do it for me!

It is literally one of the most refreshing, summer treats and super healthy too!  My very favorite way to eat watermelon is as a salad.  Bonus?  You only need three ingredients for this recipe!

Ingredients:

  • Watermelon, cut into bite-size chunks
  • Crumbled gorgonzola cheese
  • Blueberries

Recipe:

Combine all three ingredients into a bowl and serve chilled! 

How easy is that?!

I’ll be the first to admit, if you aren’t a cheese-lover, this probably won’t be your favorite recipe.  But I don’t think I’ve ever tried a kind of cheese that I didn’t love (except for a random, really runny one in France; I don’t remember what it was called!).  Gorgonzola cheese has that extra zing to it that I really love and the mix of salty and sweet makes this a favorite for me!  I like to buy the fat-free gorgonzola crumbled cheese in an effort to make this a little more healthy!

Blueberries are the perfect addition to this watermelon salad. Plus, there is the benefit of the red, white, and blue!  It makes a festive salad for your Fourth of July picnic!

I keep the leftovers around for an extra day or so and they make a great lunch for the next day.  Win win!  I leave some watermelon plain because my kiddos haven’t yet discovered a love for gorgonzola cheese (haha!) but it does make a nice treat for the whole family!

Next time you pass a roadside produce stand, grab yourself a big watermelon and enjoy!

Italian Chicken Pasta Summer Salad

 

There are so many versions of pasta salad out there, so I’m sure this isn’t a new one to any of you!  But it is one that I really enjoy and I love that I can just use what I have on hand.  It’s a great way to use up the last of some of the veggies or leftover grilled chicken too!  We do a lot of grilling in the summer and I love having a good recipe to use the last couple pieces of chicken!

​

 

Here is my favorite way to grill chicken:

  • Cut chicken breasts in half lengthwise so they are thinner cuts
  • Marinate for 30 minutes in a mixture of balsamic vinegar, lemon pepper, and a little garlic powder
  • Grill!
  • Always make a few extra pieces because they are great to cut up and use on salads!

I’m listing the ingredients that I used here to create a Fourth of July pasta salad, but you can really use any pasta, veggie, meat, or cheese that you have on hand!

​

 

 

Ingredients:

  • Rotini pasta
  • Pepperoni slices
  • Fresh tomatoes
  • Red pepper
  • Grilled chicken
  • Mozzarella cheese
  • Shredded or shaved parmesan cheese
  • Zesty Italian dressing

​

 

Recipe:

  • Cook pasta, drain, and add a tiny bit of olive oil.  Refrigerate and allow to chill completely.  I usually do this either day before or the morning of.
  • Chop all veggies and meat into small pieces. I cut the pepperoni slices into halves.
  • Depending on what cheese you use, cut into cubes or mix in the shredded cheese with the veggies and meat. I cut some of the mozzarella slices into stars to be decorative for the holiday.  You can also buy the cute cheese stars in the dairy section or used cubed cheese!

​

 

[easy-image-collage id=4342]

 

  • Mix veggies, cheese, meat, and pasta into a large bowl. I usually save a few of the tomatoes and pepperonis to sprinkle around the top at the end.
  • Mix Zesty Italian dressing into the pasta salad. You can use regular Italian dressing, but I particularly like the extra flavoring of the zesty for this salad.
  • Top with a sprinkling of red tomatoes, pepperoni slices, and cheese stars.
  • Serve chilled and enjoy!

 

Strawberry Summer Salad

 

There are lots of versions of this salad out here but I just do a simple version with things I have on hand that I know my family will enjoy.  This recipe also works great for the Fourth of July and if you want to add some blue to the red (strawberries) and white (cheese), grab a package of fresh blueberries and sprinkle them in!  We love blueberries and mix them into a lot of salads for the summer!

​

 

Ingredients:

  • Fresh spinach leaves
  • Fresh strawberries
  • Crumbled blue cheese
  • Poppyseed dressing
  • Optional: blueberries, onions, candied pecans

​

I lay out my spinach leaves, then top them with quartered strawberries (You can cut them however, quartering them seems to be the easiest for everyone to eat and looks pretty too!).  I love cheese, so I add plenty of blue cheese crumbles to the top.  Right before serving, I add poppyseed dressing.

Other variations of this strawberry salad recipe include candied pecans and onions.  My family doesn’t prefer those ingredients, but they do add great flavor!

​

Other Summer Salad Recipes

 

I’m linking up some summer salad favorites from some of my blogging friends below!  Check these out for more delicious and refreshing options this summer!

Quick and Easy Spinach Salad Recipe from Bricks and Blooms

Summer Corn Salad from 2 Bees in a Pod 

Roasted Golden Beet and Goat Cheese Salad from My Home and Travels 

Red, White, and Blue Layered Jello Salad from From Farmhouse to Florida 

Layered Farmer’s Market Salad: Lemon Basil Dressing from Blue Ribbon Kitchen

Red Skinned Potato Salad with Bacon from Zucchini Sisters 

Orzo Salad with Feta, Olives, and Peppers from Sweet Pea

Creamy Lemon Garlic Dressing from Bloom in the Black

 Ladies Lunch Bow Tie Pasta Spinach Salad from Karin’s Kottage

Easy Pasta Salad from Down Sprigg Lane

The Best Potato Salad from Grandmother’s Table from Feet Under My Table

Easy Summer Tomato Pasta from Living Large in a Small House

Awesome Jalapeno Cornbread Salad for Summer from Blue Sky at Home

The Best Keto Vietnamese Cucumber Salad from Simply 2 Moms

The Best Caribbean Black Bean Salad from Simply 2 Moms

Kale Salad with Grilled Chicken – THM from Simply 2 Moms

 

Blessings,

Robyn

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