4 Quick & Easy Foods to Make for a Party

As enjoyable as a party is, it’s something the person throwing it has to put a lot of time and effort into. If you’re in this position, you’ll need to worry about entertainment, inviting guests, and even making sure the house itself is set up right.




And then there’s food, which can be one of the more complicated aspects. The foods to make for a party can depend on multiple factors, which could make the situation stressful. It doesn’t need to be, however. Instead, a few particular options can make sure everyone has something they’ll enjoy.

Certain options shouldn’t take much time and leaves you with a little more time to relax before the party.

Foods To Make for a Party: 4 Quick & Easy Options

The Flavorful Taste of Pork Pulled Carnitas

Craving for something new and delicious? This kind of food may be unfamiliar to you. Then let me introduce you to the one that surely you will get addicted to. It is the best of the rest of the Mexican food that you can prepare. It is the Mexican version of pork pulled. When you want to go to Mexico, you must try this famous carnitas before going back to your hometown.



Sausage and Shrimp Veggie Skillet

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Southside Market. All opinions are my own.

This Sausage and Shrimp Veggie Skillet is made with Southside Original Fresh Beef Rope Sausage and is a great high protein, low carb recipe. The sausage gives it a little bit of spice.





I was sent some packages of Southside Market Fresh Original Beef Rope Sausage to share this original recipe, all opinions are my own. I shared about Southside Market's Smoked Turkey Breast back in November as the perfect main dish at your holiday gatherings, but today I am sharing a quick recipe that's high protein, low carb and easy to make. Perfect for the bust back-to-school season. Southside Market has other flavors to choose from including Garlic Smoked Sausage, Jalapeno Cheddar Smoked Sausage, and Summer Sausage.

Southside Market fresh original beef rope sausage is known by locals and old-timers as "Elgin Hot Sausage" or simply "Hot Guts", this is the sausage that put Southside on the map. Now available to order in rope form exactly as they sell it fresh in their meat markets. Unlike the shorter links, each fresh (raw) rope measures approximately 44-48 inches long and weighs 2 lbs. Seasoned with cracked black pepper, it is all beef, coarsely ground in a natural pork casing. This is their signature item, made fresh in-house daily for a level of quality, taste, and enjoyment you can’t find anywhere else. Since 1882.

Sausage and Shrimp Veggie Skillet Recipe

Crockpot Italian Chicken Recipe {Wildgrain Subscription Review}

Crockpot Italian Chicken is delicious and hearty. Easy to make and a family favorite. Top on pasta, rice, cauliflower rice, mashed potatoes, quinoa, or even by itself. Save $30 off your first box of Wildgrain and get FREE croissants for life when you use code Affiliate30.





I recently was sent an awesome box from Wildgrain that was full of artisanal breads, pastas, and pastries. I decided to make this crockpot Italian chicken recipe. It is so easy to make, you just throw everything in the crockpot! My family absolutely loved it!

Egg Roll in a Bowl {Easy Low-Fat Recipe}

 I have been told that I need to get my gallbladder removed so I have been researching low fat dinner ideas and testing them out with the family to see what we all will enjoy before the big day. This is a low carb recipe as well, so if you are still doing keto then this is a great lunch or dinner option. I didn't care for keto and my gastroenterologist said it is one of the worst diets out there. I have known people to lose a large amount of weight with it but do what you will with that knowledge.


egg roll in a bowl


This recipe uses liquid aminos instead on soy sauce. While both liquid aminos and soy sauce contain sodium, added salt makes soy sauce's sodium content higher. As far as taste goes, they're pretty similar. Liquid aminos are less salty, milder, and slightly sweeter. Some people say liquid aminos taste closer to tamari (a sauce made from fermented soybeans) than soy sauce. There are some great benefits to using liquid aminos instead, but soy sauce is still the more budget friendly option. This is packed with protein and a one pan meal that is so fun to make.


Homemade Fruity Pebble Marshmallow Treats

I can't believe back-to-school season time is already here again. I have been racking my brain and trying to compile lists of all the things that I use to make for my kids for their lunches. Our district had free lunch and breakfast for the last two years, but now I am back to making them again. My kid's do not like school lunches, and I know I can make a better-quality lunch for less at home. But sometimes I do like to throw little treats in their lunch boxes for them.




My friend made these fruity pebble marshmallow treats or rice Krispie treats with fruity pebbles at a party she hosted a few weeks back and they were so good. PLUS, they are only three ingredients and so easy to make that I decided to re-create them. I will say that FRESH marshmallows are the way to go.

Homemade Fruity Pebble Marshmallow Treats Recipe


Zero Waste Air Fryer French Toast

I absolutely hate food waste. I have invested in multiple freezers and am a big fan of freezing any leftovers that I know we won't get to. I even have shared other zero waste recipes like our homemade cake pops and fruit bar popsicles. Today, I'm giving breakfast for dinner a shot with this air fryer French toast.


Zero Waste Air Fryer French Toast


So, what is zero waste cooking? Zero-waste cooking means to have no waste left behind while cooking a meal. This includes parts of the ingredients you're using and packaging from the ingredients. When practicing zero-waste cooking, you will use every single part of vegetables, fruits, meat, and whatever else may be required for your dish.

I believe not only is this a great way to live more sustainably to help our environment, but also saves you money. So why do I consider this recipe zero waste? We froze the end parts of the loaves of bread. We also froze the uneven amounts of leftover hotdog and hamburger buns because the manufacturers got together got together and sold them in the right amount. But c'est la vie. This recipe for Air Fryer French Toast is super easy and was a definite crowd pleaser plus it made dinner super quick, but also a comfort food, hearty breakfast as well.

Air Fryer French Toast  

Patriotic Yogurt Dipped Strawberries

Eating healthy doesn't mean that you have to give up the things you love. But making and bringing your healthier alternatives to festivities is what has helped me stay on track to lose and keep off 70 pounds. So, with summer in full gear and fourth of July (Independence Day) right around the corner, I thought I would share something I'm adding to my charcuterie board, and they are these patriotic yogurt dipped strawberries.


Patriotic Yogurt Dipped Strawberries

Delicious Bites to Kick Off Any Party

Delicious Bites to Kick Off Any Party


Feeding everyone at a party is essential if you want to keep everyone happy. It doesn't have to be a dinner party or even a party centered around food to make it a good idea to put food out. If you want your party to start off on the right foot, offering some light nibbles and mini snacks is the best way to do it. You don't have to put out posh hors d'oeuvres to make everyone happy, especially if it's not a formal event. There are lots of great appetizers and finger foods that are sure to be crowd-pleasers as your party gets going.

Homemade Fruit Bar Popsicles

Summer is in full swing in our house. The kids are on summer break, and we are enjoying many pool days. Homemade fruit bar popsicles make a great cool down summer treat while making sure you have zero food waste.


Homemade Fruit Bar Popsicles


 We had some leftover fruit that I was going to use to make a Memorial Day charcuterie board, but I was too tired that weekend. We simply just did too much and overextended ourselves. So, I brought just the fruit to the pool with family, but not everyone was a fan of the blueberries and raspberries. I do not like food waste and did not want it to go to waste. So, I decided to create these fruit bar popsicles. I searched that internet for fruit smoothie recipes and then altered the recipe to fit my needs. 

Quick Chicken Family Dinner Recipes

 I have been working on making sure my recipes are in video form for you all to more easily enjoy and gradually uploading them on my Instagram and YouTube. Our go to dinner recipes usually includes chicken. These aren't necessarily recipes on how to cook chicken or different ways to cook chicken, but recipes that include chicken as an ingredient.

Quick Chicken Family Dinner Recipes

When I was going through my chicken recipes, I realized that there were a few that I hadn't made in a while. So, recreating them for videos was super fun because we got to eat the results! What are your go to dinner recipes? What are your favorite recipes that you like to make with chicken? Please tell me in the comments below and don't forget to follow me on social media for more.


Turkey Zucchini Boats {Low Calorie & Low Carb Recipe}

I have been sharing my weightloss journey randomly over on Instagram. I have lost 70 pounds through calorie deficit and a regular exercise routine. But I get bored with my recipes and want to try different things. I am always on the hunt for low carb, low calorie, high protein recipes that are easy to make. What's crazy about this recipe is that I made a similar version before but didn't care for it. This time, I have made the right adjustments because it was so delicious. The kiddos weren't fans, but they liked the filling, so I paired it with some protein pasta, and they were big fans.


Turkey Zucchini Boats {Low Calorie & Low Carb Recipe}


How to Make Turkey Zucchini Boats:

Easy Air Fryer Donuts

I love baking with my kids. I know I have mentioned how much I love cooking with my kids more than a time or two, but it can be such a fun activity to do together for them to learn not only a helpful life skill, but it can be a fun science project as well to learn about changing properties. But sometimes I want to just create something easy with them. And these Easy Air Fryer Donuts are only two ingredients, but a huge hit the whole house enjoyed.

Easy Air Fryer Donuts


Southwest Chicken Salad Recipe

This post was originally written 5/8/2015.

Diabetes is part of my family history. My dad had it and my mom recently was diagnosed. If you have been following me, then you know I have been trying to work on my eating habits and then work in exercise. We have been meal planning which has been a huge help. I know what we are making every night, I get to try different recipes, and it has been cheaper on our wallets. My aunt was diagnosed with diabetes a few years ago and shared this "Southwest Chicken Salad Recipe" with me. We didn't know what to call it, so I named it. She said she found it on a diabetes forum where recipes were shared, but that she has since tweaked it. She said she makes it in large batches for her family and they have it to munch on all week.


Chicken Salad Recipe

Turkey Pinwheels {Easy Crowd-Pleasing Appetizer}

The first time I made these turkey pinwheels or easy sandwich roll ups was at my son's birthday party right before everything shut down. Looking back, I was so glad we had that party even though I was starting to get burned out from get togethers because it was the last event we hosted for a LONG time. Now we are back hosting events again and so I decided to make these refreshing appetizers for our Easter get together. These are so easy to make and were devoured.


Turkey Pinwheels {Easy Crowd-Pleasing Appetizer}


There are multiple to ways to make the filling. I think the next time I make it, I am going to add a Ranch dressing mix, but this time I kept it simple with mayo and cream cheese.

Easy Strawberry Brownies Recipe

Have you taken the family strawberry picking yet? We love to go to our local agrotourism farm and pick some fresh strawberries. It was makes for some super cute pictures and fun memories. Did you know May 20 is National Pick Strawberries Day

Easy Strawberry Brownies Recipe


And I am so excited to share this super easy and very yummy recipe that I have decided to call Strawberry Brownies. They taste and have a texture like brownies, but I put them in cupcake liners to make them easier to serve when I made them for Easter. I saw a version of this recipe floating around for Valetine's Day and I thought I would take a shot at recreating them for a family get together. They were a definite crowd pleaser!

Easy Strawberry Brownies Recipe


Creamy Pasta Salad with Southside Market & Barbeque Sausage

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Southside Market. All opinions are my own.

This Creamy Pasta Salad made with Southside Original Beef Sausage is the perfect recipe for summer and so easy to make. The combined flavors make it a delicious refreshing dish and that gives comfort food vibes all at once.


Creamy Pasta Salad with Southside Market & Barbeque Sausage Perfect Easy Recipe for Summer



I was sent some packages of Southside Market Original Beef Sausage to share this original recipe, all opinions are my own. I shared about Southside Market's Smoked Turkey Breast back in November as the perfect main dish at your holiday gatherings, but today I am sharing a summer recipe for your pool or lake side get-togethers. Southside Market has other flavors to choose from including Garlic Smoked Sausage, Jalapeno Cheddar Smoked Sausage, and Summer Sausage.

Mini Meatball Subs {Quick Dinner Idea or Fun Party Appetizer}

I worked at Subway back in the day and fell in love with their meatball subs, but they were so large and too filling that even a 6-inch sub was too much. But on the hunt for more recipes, I thought I could make something that fit the craving without overindulging. Insert these Mini Meatball Subs that make a great quick dinner idea or even a fun party appetizer. 


Mini Meatball Subs {Quick Dinner Idea or Fun Party Appetizer}


 I used Hawaiian rolls for the base, but you could also use Aunt Millie's Carb Smart rolls, place in baking sheet. Tear an opening in each roll. Spray with butter or pour melted butter over the top. Sprinkle with Italian seasoning and put a tablespoon of marinara in each hole. I use pre-made meatballs (I cook them first), then put one in each slot. Top with a little more marinara and some parmesan cheese. Heat in the oven at 300 degrees Fahrenheit for about 10 minutes.

Easy Egg Muffins {Meal Prep Breakfast On-The-Go Idea}

I wrote a post back in 2019 about Homemade Meal Prepping Breakfast Ideas for Kids. With everything becoming more go, go, go again and our calendars filling up so quickly, I thought I would share this recipe for my easy egg cups. They are my husband's and kiddo's favorite protein packed breakfast for those super busy mornings. I have seen these called egg muffins as well.


Easy Egg Muffins {Meal Prep Breakfast On-The-Go Idea}


So, here's how to make Easy Egg Muffins:

2-Ingredient Pizza Dough {Healthy, Low Calorie Pizza Hack}

If you have been following me for the past few years, then you know that I have lost 70 pounds through diet changes and exercise. The number one diet change that I made was taking food that I loved and making a healthier version. Family Night Pizza night is a tradition in our home, and we love a make your own pizza bar style that has actually encouraged my kiddos to eat more of their veggies. We love pizza because there is so much you can do. But the crust is where I had some issues. Toppings I could control, but I wanted a low-calorie option for my crust so I could still enjoy pizza night with the family and stay within my weight loss goals.


2-Ingredient Pizza Dough {Healthy, Low Calorie Pizza Hack}