Teriyaki Chicken and Veggie Rice Bowls

These quick rice bowls are a perfect throw together meal.  Practically any vegetable you have in your fridge will work well, and I always use leftover chicken.  The sauce is simple and delicious, and I love that it is sweetened with honey.  We go back to this quiet often at our house.

Teriyaki Chicken and Rice Bowls

Recipe modified from Eat Good 4 Life

2 Tbsp. olive oil

1 lb chicken breast, cooked and cubed

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 lb. broccoli

4 carrots, sliced

red pepper flakes, to taste

2 tsp. ground ginger

1/2 c. soy sauce

1/2 c. cold water

1/2 c. honey

1 Tbsp. cornstarch

In a small bowl mix the ground ginger, soy sauce, water, honey and cornstarch together.

In a large skillet, heat oil.

Cook carrots, about 5 minutes, and add in the garlic and the chicken.

Once chicken is heated through, add in the teriyaki sauce and stir.

Add broccoli on top, but do not stir.

Bring to a boil, cover, and steam the broccoli for about 4 minutes.

Remove lid, stir and season to taste with pepper flakes.

Serve over rice.

Loaded Cauliflower Casserole

Just as its name implies, this simple casserole is exactly what you would expect: Chicken, cauliflower, cheese, green onions and bacon bits.

It is incredibly easy and a great tasting weeknight dinner.  

Loaded Cauliflower Casserole

Recipe from Rachel Schultz

2 c. cooked, cubed chipcken

1 large head cauliflower

1 c. cheddar, shredded

1 c. pepperjack, shredded

2-3 green onions, sliced

1/4 c. bacon, cooked and crumbled

1 clove garlic, minced

salt and pepper

Cut cauliflower into bite sized pieces (I left mine fairly large)

Steam cauliflower until tender (or roast at 400 for 30 minutes)

Combine cheeses and set aside 1/4 of the mixture.

Stir chicken, green onions and garlic into cheese bowl.

Stir cooked cauliflower into cheese mixture and season with salt and pepper.

Pour into a greased 9x13" baking dish, and top with reserved cheese.

Cover with foil and bake at 350 for 25 minutes.

Remove foil, sprinkle with bacon, and bake for an additional 5 minutes.

Biscuit Breakfast Casserole

More often than not, breakfasts that contain meat, like this one, are usually served for dinner as our main dish rather than in the morning.  This is a great casserole for either, in my opinion.  Fast and delicious.

Biscuit Breakfast Casserole

Recipe modified from Culinary.net

1 tub refrigerated Pillsbury biscuits (8 count)

1 lb. sausage, cooked and crumbled

2 c. shredded cheese (cheddar/pepperjack/mozzarella)

6 eggs, beaten 

3/4 c. milk

salt and pepper to taste

Arrange biscuits on bottom of a greased 9x13" baking dish.

Press down to seal any gaps and layer evenly.

Top evenly with sausage.

Sprinkle with cheese.

Combine eggs, milk, salt and pepper and whisk.

Pour egg mixture over everything.

Bake at 425 degrees for 15 minutes or until set.

Let stand 5 minutes before cutting into squares.

Mandarin Lemon Cake with Pineapple Pudding Whipped Topping

This is the perfect recipe for taking a collection of pre-made packages and creating something that tastes homemade.  Not only does it take a regular boxed cake mix to the next level, it comes together quickly and definitely makes an impression.

Mandarin Lemon Cake with Pineapple Pudding Whipped Topping

1 boxed Lemon cake mix

Ingredients required on cake box

1 can mandarin oranges, drained

20oz. can crushed pineapple, undrained

6oz. package vanilla pudding

8oz. cool whip

1/2 c. coconut

chopped pecans

Prepare cake batter according to package directions.

Gently fold in drained mandarin oranges.

Bake according to package directions.

Mix vanilla pudding with crushed pineapple until blended.

Fold in whipped topping and coconut.

Frost cake and top with chopped pecans.

Keep refrigerated.

Oats and Apples

This recipe was originally meant for the crockpot, but there is just no way I am going to remember breakfast at bedtime - it wont even hit my radar.

This is basically your regular oatmeal breakfast, but with added apples, cinnamon and sugar.  Comes together quickly and I love the flavor from the spices and the crunch from the apples.

Oats and Apples

Recipe from Fabulous Food Blog

2 slices apples

1/3 c. brown sugar

1 tsp. cinnamon

2 c. regular oats

4 c. water

Layer apples, sugar, cinnamon, oats and water (in that order) in a medium saucepan.

Do not stir.

Bring to a boil.

Reduce heat and simmer for 5-7 minutes, or until oats are cooked.

Stir everything together and serve warm.

Taco Pizza

My sister served up this pizza at our last family vacation.  It is delicious and it feeds a crowd!  Mix up the toppings however you would like, this is a winner!

Taco Pizza

Recipe modified from Life as a Lofthouse

1 pizza dough recipe

1/2 lb. ground beef

2 Tbsp. taco seasoning

1 16oz can refried beans

3 c. shredded cheese

1/2 c. chopped tomatoes
1/4 c. sliced black olives
4 green onions, chopped
1 c. corn, optional - I liked it better without

Prepare pizza dough and spread out on large baking sheet.
Bake at 375 for 8-10 minutes, or until lightly golden.

Meanwhile, brown beef in a large skillet until no longer pink; drain.
Add taco seasoning to cooked beef.
Heat up refried beans, stir, and spread evenly over the top of the warm pizza.
Top with cooked ground beef.
Sprinkle with cheese, tomatoes olives, green onions and corn.

Return to oven and bake an additional 5-7 minutes, or until cheese is melted.
Serve immediately with salsa and sour cream if desired.

Honey Citrus Cold/Flu Fighter - Plus a Giveaway!

I love autumn.  The cooler weather, the colors, and the beginning of soup season.

I don't so much love the cold and flu season that inevitably follows though.

This is a simple home remedy to combat the onset of sickness.  It is incredibly easy, delicious, and safe for kids.  It is all natural, and a great alternative to medicine.

Honey Citrus Cold/Flu Fighter

1 tsp. honey

1 drop lemon essential oil

1 drop On Guard essential oil

Scoop or pour honey onto a spoon and drop the oils onto the honey.

Suck mixture off of spoon.

Repeat a few times throughout the day to combat a cold or flu, or at the onset of sickness.

**Essential Oils are very potent, and OnGuard is spicy!  If you are afraid that this will be too much for you or your kids, try mixing this concoction in water and drinking it instead.  Especially do this if you accidentally drop more than 1 drop of oil on your spoon! 

Laundry Stain Remover

My husband gets bloody noses at night.  In his sleep.  Its weird.

Usually he wakes enough to clean up his pillowcase, but the other morning I woke up to him saying "uh-oh".

I love Zout.  It is by far my favorite stain remover, and I never thought I would find an equal replacement.  Now was the time to test the strength of this home made version.

 Even more so disgusting than the nose bled stained pillowcase was what I discovered after it was washed.  As you can see, not only did it completely remove the stain, but you can clearly see the lines where the stain remover had run vs. where it hadn't.  Yeah, I know, gross.  The pillowcase was that dirty.  Even after being washed.  I ended up soaking the whole thing in hot water with some of this stain remover to get the entire thing clean again.

I have one of these bottles in my bedroom to spot clean before I put clothes into the hamper, and one in the laundry room.  I also use it to pre-treat the collars of button up shirts, as well as the armpits of white shirts before they are washed.  It is a great, inexpensive version that works wonders!

Laundry Stain Remover

Recipe from One Good Thing

1/3 c. dishwashing liquid detergent (dawn/palmolive)

1/3 c. ammonia

3 Tbsp. baking soda

1 c. warm water

In a spray bottle, dissolve baking soda in warm water.

Add remaining ingredients.

Shake before each use.