What a Box of Carrot Cake Mix can Do!

I simply can't help myself when things go on sale especially yummy stuff like cake mix! I found this recipe for Carrot Spice Cookies and realized that I had all the ingredients already so I definitely wanted to make it. The only thing I changed was using White Chocolate Chips instead of the Cream Cheese Glaze. Why? Because I'm impatient and it was a faster way of getting the same sweet creamy addition! The verdict? Super yum and definitely a creative way of using Carrot Cake Mix!

No Time to Grocery Shop!

Now that I'm back to work, some weeks I just have NO time for grocery shopping. What do I do? I turn to my well-stocked pantry, of course! I always keep a few cans of salmon and boxes of different pastas around and my fridge is never without butter and heavy cream. So tonight, we enjoyed a yummy salmon pasta dinner without a trip to the store!

Ingredients:

1 Tbsp butter
1/2 c green onions, chopped
1/4 c seafood stock
1/4 c heavy cream
1 (5 oz) can salmon
Pasta, cooked

Prep:

1. Melt butter in a pan over medium-high heat. Add onions and cook until tender, 5 minutes.

2. Add stock and deglaze. Stir in cream and simmer until thickened, 2 minutes.

3. Add salmon and pasta and toss to combine. Serve warm.

Taco-Twist on Sloppy Joes!

My hubby LOVES Sloppy Joes but I don't make them very often because...well...they're SLOPPY (aka MESSY!) but tonight, he made a special request and I gave in. These are not just regular old Sloppy Joes though, they're Texas Taco Joes! I substituted TJ's Corn Salsa for the frozen corn and the flavors could NOT be beat! YUM YUM YUM on a Saturday Night!

Beef and Macaroni ALL in 1 Skillet

You can't go wrong with a Skillet Macaroni recipe especially when it involves ground beef and Picante Sauce! A while back I ordered some Cream of Mushroom in bulk so I'm constantly looking for ways to use them. This recipe did NOT disappoint! The combination of the spicy sauce paired really well with the creamy soup. A perfectly comforting yet effortless meal!

EXTRA Chipotle Braised Chicken

I've been saving this Chipotle Braised Chickenrecipe for a while now and finally made it tonight. Am I glad I did! I threw in some extra Chipotle powder, of course, since we like things spicy and it was amazing! The lime juice worked really well with the heat and I served the chicken thighs over Mexican Rice to go with the Chipotle theme.

Back with More Coconut Milk!

We order Coconut Milk by the dozen since we love it so much and when we ran out last week, I was in a panic! Not to worry though, Amazon Prime to the rescue! (Seriously, I'm not paid for writing this but it's a LIFE SAVER sometimes!) Anyway, so tonight, I had to make some Coconut Curry Chicken. It's been adapted from many different recipes and I added a few personal touches of my own.

Ingredients:

2 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
Salt and pepper
1 Tbsp oil
1/4 c onions, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tsp ginger, minced
1 can unsweetened coconut milk
Rice, for serving
Parsley, for garnish

Prep:

1. Season chicken with salt and pepper. Heat oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add chicken, skin-side down and brown 5 minutes on each side. Remove and keep warm.

2. Add onion, garlic and ginger and cook until softened, 5 minutes. Stir in coconut milk and bring to a boil.

3. Add chicken back and turn heat down to medium-low. Cover and simmer until chicken is cooked through, 20 minutes.

4. Serve over rice and garnish with parsley.

Ooey Gooey Baked Pasta with Sausage!

For a quick and comforting weeknight meal, there's nothing better than Baked Pasta with Sausage and Fire-Roasted Tomatoes! Baked with ooey gooey cheese on top! YUM!