Bringing Café Quality Coffee to Your Kitchen: 6 Quick Tips

There is something magical about sipping a well-prepared cup of coffee. Whether taking the beverage during the day's break or the evening after a busy day, it brings excellent stimulation to the body, making you feel re-energized. Perfecting your brewing to enjoy a velvety texture and rich sip is all that matters. With the right tips, you can up your coffee game and be a new rival to your favorite coffee shop. Here are six practical tricks to prepare café quality coffee with ease.

Bringing Café Quality Coffee to Your Kitchen: 6 Quick Tips

10 Porkalicious Recipes You Should Definitely Try

Pork, with its rich flavors and versatile nature, has been a beloved ingredient in kitchens worldwide. Whether it's a family dinner or a special occasion, pork dishes have a way of bringing warmth and satisfaction to the table. In this culinary journey, we dive into ten porkalicious recipes that are not just mouth-watering but also showcase the incredible versatility of pork. From traditional roasts to innovative fusion dishes, these recipes are sure to tantalize your taste buds and add some excitement to your cooking repertoire. Let’s embark on this flavorful adventure!

10 Porkalicious Recipes You Should Definitely Try

2024, Less Alcohol & More Wellness Mocktails

Let 2024 be the year that you get control of your drinking. Doing research on my mother and her alcoholism, lead me down a rabbit hole of realizing that I didn't really have control over my own drinking. Did you know if you consume more than 10 drinks for men or 7 for women in a week then you are classified as an alcoholic in the medical community? It is really a low bar for some, but is it? Some say they like to have a glass of wine to wind down at night. But is it actually a glass? Because a glass of wine is only 5 ounces. My sober life all started with my journey through Dry January. And what helped me was finding alternatives. These wellness mocktails I found will really help you on your sobriety journey.

2024, Less Alcohol & More Wellness Mocktails to try this Dry January

Homemade Grinch Bites


Happy holidays! Have you checked out our non-alcoholic holiday drinks or where you can stream your favorite Christmas movies? How about the GRINCH? WHich version is your favorite? Personally my favorite is the new Dreamsworks version, I love that Pentatonix is the carolers that chase the Grinch through Who-ville. Hilarious! I fell in love with Pentatonix back when they were solely on YouTube.

I have shared this recipe before, but it is so easy and so much fun!
 

Homemade Grinch Bites


Homemade Grinch Bites: Cake Pop


Chewy Fudge Brownie Recipe Tips From the Experts

Chewy brownies with way more chocolate flavor than boxed brownies. It takes less than an hour to make this one-bowl recipe! Fudge brownies seem simple enough to mix, measure, and bake, but getting the exact results can be tricky. To ensure the best results, it is important to measure the ingredients accurately and to heat the oven properly. Another important step is to keep your brownies cool completely before slicing them.

Chewy Fudge Brownie Recipe Tips From the Experts


The ingredients in most brownie recipes are some basic ingredients, including chocolate, flour, sugar, oil, eggs, or butter. However, the results can be thin and bendy, tall and light, gooey, chewy, or cakey; it all depends on how you bake them.

But the most thoughtful question of all bakers came up with - why do these results differ so much? So, first, let’s check out how to take care of the three basic ingredients.

Best Air Fryer for Feeding Large Groups | SURPRISED ME

Air fryers have taken the culinary world by storm and for a good reason. The biggest advantage of an air fryer is its compact size, fast cooking speed, and relative healthiness.

There are times when its usefulness diminishes significantly when you're hosting a party, family gathering, or simply have a large group of hungry guests to feed, a standard-sized air fryer may not cut it. That's where a large air fryer shines.

My New XL Air Fryer Stands Out!

Recently I purchased a new fancy and large air fryer to help me out, it is called Typhur Dome Air Fryer, which can handle more food in a single layer (e.g. 32 chicken wings, 12-inch pizza), saving my time and ensuring everyone gets their crispy favorites without delay.


Pineapple Chicken {Easy Crock Pot Dump Meal}

With my daughter practicing almost every day after school for her play, my son in sports, between my husband's chaotic work schedule, nannying for my niece and nephew a few days a week, and church activities...some days I just don't have time to cook! We are working off paying off debt this year which means less traveling than I would like and more cooking at home than I want. But jokes aside, cooking at home is really so much cheaper than going out these days especially with rising inflation prices. 


ingredients for crockpot pineapple chicken in ziploc bags ready for freezer


My husband randomly bought a few pineapples because it was on sale, thus why I usually do the grocery shopping. He kept saying he would cut it so we could have fresh fruit available, but of course he never got around to it. But I absolutely despise food waste. So, I decided to take my hand at pineapple chicken. And because there were two pineapples, I made one for now and one for later in an easy freezer-friendly safe bag.

Crockpot Pineapple Chicken

A Family Picnic Guide: Recipes and Tips for an Outdoor Feast

When the weather starts to get nice, there's nothing better than packing up a picnic and enjoying a meal outside. If you're looking for some new ideas for your next picnic, you've come to the right place. This blog post will provide you with recipes and tips for the perfect outdoor feast!

outdoor picnic display with sunshining through trees

Easiest Spinach Dip Ever Made Fancy with Wildgrain

I received complimentary products to provide this post. All opinions are my own.

I know you have heard me talk about Wildgrain before, like when I made my Italian Crockpot Chicken. This time I am bringing you the easiest spinach dip recipe ever but making it fancy thanks to Wildgrain Subscription Boxes. Save $10 off your first box of Wildgrain and get FREE croissants for life when you use code DIANA10.



 

I recently was sent an awesome box from Wildgrain that was full of artisanal breads, pastas, and pastries. I decided to make this spinach dip recipe because I received the Rosemary-Garlic sourdough bread from their mixed box, and I had a holiday party to attend. Everyone absolutely loved it! Definitely was a crowd pleaser. We brought none home, which is a win in my book. My mother-in-law also asked me to make it for our annual Christmas Eve get-together. Personally, I think it would be great at a New Year's Eve Party as well.

Easy Spinach Dip Recipe

3 Pumpkin Spice Protein-Packed Recipes Perfect for Fall

If you are like me, then you are finally fully getting to the fall season. I have lost sixty pounds and since I don't want to back track my progress, but still want to enjoy all things autumn, I am sharing three pumpkin spiced protein-packed recipes that are perfect for you to continue enjoying fall.



3 Never-Fail Desserts That Your Family Will Enjoy



Nothing is more enticing than enjoying a decadent dessert after a meal. According to statistics, 32 percent of people eat dessert after a meal at least twice a week. Family desserts are a great way to spend quality time together while giving your taste buds a memorable treat. You can get creative by trying various dessert recipes rather than buying them regularly. Doing this also helps you better control what you and your family eat, keeping issues like allergies in mind during ingredient selection and preparation. Are you wondering which desserts you and your family can enjoy? Here are some tasty treats worth considering.

Breakfast Tater Tot Casserole with Southside Market Sausage

We are back-to-school in our house. I have been trying to come up with not only breakfast recipes that I can make easily on weekend mornings, but also meal prep breakfast ideas as well as breakfast for dinner. Yes, I have been looking for all the breakfast ideas. And that is when I saw Breakfast Casserole and Tater Tot Casserole. Then I thought I could make a mash up of this. So here we have Breakfast Tater Tot Casserole with Sausage and of course I used our Southside Market Original Fresh Rope Sausage because it has great spicy flavor, and it is so easy to work with.



Crock Pot Tenderloin Recipe {Easy Family Dinner Idea}


We used venison for this recipe because my husband goes hunting for a hobby, but you could even use pork or other types of tenderloin. I prefer deer meat because this recipe cuts out the "gamey" taste if there is any. Plus, with inflation at an all-time high and my husband having all the necessary stuff for hunting, using deer meat just makes financial sense for us. But I realize it isn't for everyone.

Crockpot Tenderloin Recipe

Crockpot Chop Steak {Easy Family Dinner Idea}

 


My husband is a hunter so we used deer chop steak for this recipe, but you could use any chop steak. I love a good crockpot, slow cooker recipe during the cooler fall months. And this one is so super easy and such a crowd pleaser. I have added some links to the seasoning packets I use, if you want to skip the preservatives and make your own.


Crockpot Chop Steak Recipe

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