Hawaiian Toast with a REAL Cheese Twist!

November 8, 2016 by Jenni 37 Comments

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Sargento® Cheese. All opinions are 100% mine.

Hawaiian Toast

You know the old “Farmer in the Dell” song?! The cheese stands alone?! Well, that’s fine by me. I can eat cheese — all by itself. And I do, often. Cheese is a major staple in our kitchen. I’m not talking about the cheese singles, either. I like the real deal.

Did you know that…

Pasteurized Process Cheese Food, sometimes known as American singles, is only required to contain 51% real cheese?!?!?!

Our fave REAL cheese brand is Sargento® Sliced Cheese. They only make 100% natural, REAL cheese. They’re the Real Cheese People! They want to rally consumers to create a community of cheese lovers to declare their passion and love for the real deal.

A German friend of mine named Dieter, told me about a treat that his family always had back home in Germany. It’s called Hawaiian Toast, or more formally – Toast Hawaii. It’s a delicious recipe – but it was always made with cheese singles, he said. I wanted to change this recipe up by using REAL cheese – and on whole grain bagels vs. white bread. Here’s how it went…

Hawaiian Toast Ingredients:

whole grain bagels (or you can use any bread you like)
Sargento® sliced cheese (any variety, we used swiss and sharp cheddar)
pineapple slices, drained really well
sliced or shaved ham

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Warm ham through in a skillet on medium heat.
Toast bagels or toast in toaster.
Pile ham onto bagel, or toast. Place a drained pineapple ring on top. Place a slice of cheese (or two!) on the top.
Place in the oven and bake just until the cheese starts to melt and bubble up.
Enjoy!

Just look how yummy these turned out! They were DELICIOUS!!!!!

You can (and should!) replace all of your cheesy recipes and favorite snacks/treats with Sargento® cheese! There’s nothing like the taste of REAL cheese!! It’s perfect for your burgers, sandwiches, wraps, etc! Visit them on Instagram and Facebook to find awesome and EASY recipes and snack ideas!

Peanut Butter and Chocolate Milkshake (Plus Dairy Free Milkshake Alternatives)

May 12, 2016 by Jenni 134 Comments

Hey there & Welcome!!

I’ve just gotta ask…

Ever had a homemade milkshake?

A creamy, dreamy, heaven in your mouth homemade milkshake?

Guys. If you answered no, then you’re missing out and I feel so so soooo sorry for you and I’m giving you a virtual hug, right now. Bless your heart.

If you have encountered this bliss, then you KNOW just how easy they are to make…

…and how DELICIOUS they are…

…and how DECADENT they are.

Since PB and Chocolate is a favorite flavor combo among many, I wanted to share my homemade peanut butter and chocolate milkshake recipe.

What’s the most awesome thing about making homemade milkshakes?

Everyone loves stopping at the local ice cream shop for a milkshake, but

cue Rolling Stones music…

you can’t…

always get…

what ya wa-aant.

NO.

You can’t…

always get…

what ya wa-aant!

Okay – for real. You can’t always get what you want when you buy from the ice cream parlor or restaurant. However, with homemade milkshakes, YOU control

what goes in it
how much sugar is used (or use sugar free products)
fun flavor combos
or make a dairy free milkshake (what??!!) That’s a REAL thing! And they’re JUST as good!!

Homemade milkshakes are the perfect option for families who deal with a lot of allergies or intolerances.

It’s also a fun way to get the kids engaged with you IN the kitchen! Have a weekly “make your own milkshake” night. Let the kids be creative!

Here are a few fun milkshake ideas that you could throw together…

Peanut Butter and Banana
Peanut Butter and Jelly (oooohh)
Fudge Brownie and Ice Cream
Strawberry and Chocolate
Rocky Road
S’Mores

Or you could let them make a cool gross one like,

Potato chips and pickles (ewww!)

Either way, you’ve got to TRY our homemade peanut butter and chocolate milkshake! If you love Reese’s Cups, you’re gonna LOVE LOVE LOVE this one!

Click NEXT below to get our recipe RIGHT NOW!

Pages: 1 2 3

Tagalongs Peanut Butter S’Mores

January 29, 2016 by Jenni 244 Comments

Did you catch our Thin Mint Ice Cream Sandwiches post from yesterday? Yep! It’s Girl Scout Cookie time, and I wanted to re-share these ideas. I mean, Girl Scout Cookies are delicious on their own, right outta the package. But smushing things between 2 cookies. Well. Do I even have to explain how good that is?!

This post is an older one, but I wanted to update it and share it again because every home in America is being hit by the Girl Scout Cookie plague. You don’t wanna miss these……………….

DUN, DUN, DUUUUNNNNN.

Tagalongs Peanut Butter S’Mores.

Ohhhh, yes I did. Boy Howdy! I love smushing things between cookies. So – I hope you enjoy these.

IF you don’t have any Tagalongs, you can actually make Homemade Tagalong Girl Scout Cookies. My friend Andrea at Savings Lifestyle shows you how! Here’s a photo below of her yummy creation and the recipe is so super duper easy!!

Homemade Tagalong Girl Scout Cookie Recipe by Andrea at Savings Lifestyle

Whoops. Let’s try taking this photo again…

Little Man totally got away with that cookie!

You’ll need:

Girl Scout Tagalongs (or the Homemade Tagalongs recipe link above)
Regular size marshmallows
Baking Sheet (unless you’re roasting marshmallows outside)

How to Assemble:

Either roast your marshmallows outside (if it’s warmer weather) or you can roast them in your oven. Simply place enough marshmallows on an aluminum foil lined baking sheet, to make however many s’mores you want.
Turn the oven on broil (apprx. 500 degrees).
Put the pan with marshmallows in the oven and roast until just browned on top. Then pull them out and assemble your Tagalongs or other peanut butter cookie S’Mores.

*I kept my oven door cracked just a bit to keep a very close eye on them. They were ready in just a minute or 2.

**Don’t overbrown the marshmallows. I actually got mine a little bit TOO brown the first time around, but they were still sooooo good and gooey!

Enjoy!

Tagalongs Peanut Butter S’Mores

Author: Jenni

Ingredients

Tagalongs Girl Scout Cookies (or similar cookie)
Regular Marshmallows
Baking Sheet or Roasting Sticks (if roasting outside)

Instructions

Place marshmallows on aluminum lined baking sheet and place the sheet in oven on broil.
Take out just when they’re starting to lightly brown.
Assemble S’Mores.

What are your favorite Girl Scout Cookies? Leave us a comment!! It’s always fun to hear from you!!

If you liked this post, here are some other ideas you might enjoy…

Thin Mint Ice Cream Sandwiches

January 28, 2016 by Jenni 357 Comments

Thin Mint Ice Cream Sandwiches

It’s that time of year! Girl Scout Cookie time has arrived and I wanted to send out this awesome post again, so that all of YOU can put these Thin Mint Ice Cream Sandwiches together!

These were so good and I couldn’t stop eating them. They’re pretty dang addicting. Are you ready for this super difficult Thin Mint Ice Cream Sandwiches recipe? Get ready, and take lots of notes. Juuuuuuust kidding. It’s really easier than peasy!

What You’ll Need:

Thin Mints Cookies (or any of these mint cookies will work if you don’t have Girl Scout Cookies on hand.)
Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream
Cookie or Ice Cream Scoop

(The ice cream started to get soft, so I ended up sticking it back in the freezer before finishing the rest.)

Instructions:

Use a scoop to plop one dollop of ice cream on top of one cookie. Smush ice cream down with another cookie.
Eat.
Repeat steps 1 and 2.

See how simple that is? Plop, smush, eat, repeat! Plop, smush, eat, repeat!

Okay, now in all honesty…there are a few things I want to mention. Just to save you some time.

Before you begin to assemble these Thin Mint ice cream sandwiches, let the ice cream thaw JUST a little bit. Not too much. You want it thawed just enough that you can easily scoop it out. You still want the ice cream a bit firm, but easy to scoop.

When you smush the second cookie on top of the ice cream, just smush it till the ice cream starts to barely seep out the side and then stop! You don’t want to squeeze it so much that the ice cream starts coming out all the way. If it IS doing that too easily, you may need to stick your ice cream back in the freezer for a bit to stiffen back up.

After assembling them, place back in the freezer on a wax paper lined baking sheet, tray, or plate until it’s time to serve them. They’re actually too hard to eat if the ice cream is soft so you want them nice and frozen!

Thin Mints Ice Cream Sandwiches

Author: Jenni

Ingredients

Thin Mints (or any Mint cookies would work)
Mint Ice Cream
Scoop

Instructions

Place one scoop of ice cream on a cookie.
Lay another cookie on top and smush down to form a sandwich.
Place on wax paper and then refreeze them until ready to serve.

Don’t miss out on these!!! If you’ve got a box of Tagalong Girl Scout Cookies, then you’ve got to check out our Tagalongs Peanut Butter S’Mores post! These are just as easy to put together…and they’re JUST as addicting!

What Girl Scout Cookies are your favorite?

Pineapple and Brown Sugar Glazed Pork Tenderloin

December 4, 2015 by Jenni 4 Comments

This is a sponsored post for SheSpeaks/Smithfield at Walmart. All juicy opinions, are my own!

Pineapple and Brown Sugar Glazed Pork Tenderloin

A delish glazed ham is usually always on our menu each Christmas. It’s just a family favorite, but I just made this pineapple and brown sugar glazed pork tenderloin, and man……oh man. We always have so much leftover ham – so I think it’s super smart and easier on the wallet – to prepare this dish instead!

I grabbed this Smithfield All Natural Pork Tenderloin at Walmart the other day, fully intending on doing a pork BBQ recipe. Then I strolled upon a can of pineapple rings in my cabinet and thought, hmmm….that would be SO good on that pork tenderloin — and that’s exactly what I did!

Ingredients:

2 lb. pork tenderloin (we use Smithfield All Natural)
1 can of pineapple rings, in juice
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup honey
1 tablespoon spicy brown mustard
3-4 tablespoons pineapple juice (reserved from can)
salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 375

Salt and pepper the entire pork tenderloin

In an oven proof skillet, sear pork tenderloin in oil, on all sides till browned. (On med. high heat)

Transfer skillet with pork tenderloin to the oven and continue to cook an additional 30-40 minutes or until meat thermometer reads 150 degrees when inserted into the fattest part of the meat.

After tenderloin is in the oven, mix brown sugar, honey, mustard and pineapple juice in a small bowl, and set aside.

When the tenderloin has just 2-5 minutes left of cook time, take it out of oven and brush on some of the glaze. (Be sure to reserve some glaze for the pineapples). Turn on the broiler, and bake an additional 2-5 minutes or until the glaze starts to bubble and carmelize.

Remove from the oven, and cover lightly with aluminum foil. Let rest for 10-15 minutes before carving.

While that’s resting, drain pineapple rings and place on a cookie sheet. Brush on some glaze and pop into the oven while the broiler is still on. Let broil for 2-5 minutes or until the glaze begins to bubble and/or brown. Remove from oven. Watch closely – so they don’t burn!

We placed a pineapple ring in between each slice, and then drizzled on a little more glaze to the top. So sooo yummy!! We had some leftovers, and the next day we stuck these little slices of heaven into some soft slider buns and had the perfect lunch!

The Smithfield commitment:

The biggest reasons that I love Smithfield All Natural pork products is because of their commitment to their customers AND their employees.

Offering all natural products.
Proudly raising their animals in the USA.
Meeting the USDA Process Verified standard.
Never adding steroids or hormones to their products.
Never adding artificial ingredients to their products.

Smithfield demonstrates compassion for their community by:

Providing local jobs to community members.
Supporting both national and local causes.
Partnering and supporting regional farm families across the country.

Do you have a favorite pork tenderloin recipe? Let us know…we’d LOVE to hear!

Creamy Chicken and Broccoli Pasta Bake

November 4, 2015 by Jenni

Creamy Chicken and Broccoli Pasta Bake
#SimmeredInTradition

When cooler weather sets in, aren’t you tempted to pull out your favorite casserole recipes? If you’re needing some new ones – you’ve GOT to try this one! It’s gotten so chilly outside, I’m ready for some goody hearty eatin’!

I can throw this creamy chicken and broccoli pasta bake together, and sling in the oven for about 30 minutes. Just long enough to finally get to that load of laundry that’s been in the dryer for 2 days. Gahhh. You feelin’ me mommas?! Dinner is quality family time – so I like to get everything done while dinner is cooking so I can actually SIT and enjoy dinner with my family.

Creamy Chicken and Broccoli Pasta Bake Ingredients:

2-3 thin boneless, skinless chicken breasts
8 oz. rotini pasta
4 cups broccoli florets
1 cup cauliflower florets
(2) 16 oz. jars of Ragu Roasted Garlic Parmesan Cheese Creations Sauce
salt and pepper, to taste
1/2 cup italian breadcrumbs
crumbled feta cheese

Instructions:

Boil pasta according to package directions.

In a separate pot, blanche the broccoli and cauliflower florets.

TIP:
An easy method that I use, is placing the florets in a colander and setting in the sink. Boil a medium pot of water, and pour boiling water over the florets in the colander. Either way you do it, this is an important step. If you don’t blanche them, they’re going to be crunchy inside your finished recipe and you don’t want that.

Drizzle and heat olive oil in a skillet, on medium high heat. Season chicken breasts with salt and pepper. Place in skillet and cook till done. About 3 or 4 minutes per side. Take chicken out of skillet, and set to the side.

Drain pasta once done.

Cut chicken breasts into bite sized pieces.

In a large mixing bowl, combine: pasta, chicken, broccoli and cauliflower and (2) jars of Ragu Roasted Garlic Parmesan sauce.

Pour into a greased 2 qt. casserole dish and sprinkle the top with breadcrumbs.

Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

To brown the breadcrumbs on top, turn the broiler on for 1-2 minutes at the end of the baking time.

Sprinkle the top with crumbled feta cheese or goat cheese. Serve with garlic toast and enjoy!

Creamy Chicken and Broccoli Pasta Bake #SimmeredInTradition

Author: Jenni

Ingredients

Creamy Chicken and Broccoli Pasta Bake Ingredients:
2-3 thin boneless, skinless chicken breasts
8 oz. rotini pasta
4 cups broccoli florets
1 cup cauliflower florets
(2) 16 oz. jars of Ragu Roasted Garlic Parmesan Cheese Creations Sauce
salt and pepper, to taste
1/2 cup italian breadcrumbs
crumbled feta cheese

Instructions

Boil pasta according to package directions.
In a separate pot, blanche the broccoli and cauliflower florets.
TIP:
An easy method that I use, is placing the florets in a colander and setting in the sink. Boil a medium pot of water, and pour boiling water over the florets in the colander. Either way you do it, this is an important step. If you don’t blanche them, they’re going to be crunchy inside your finished recipe and you don’t want that.
Drizzle and heat olive oil in a skillet, on medium high heat. Season chicken breasts with salt and pepper. Place in skillet and cook till done. About 3 or 4 minutes per side. Take chicken out of skillet, and set to the side.
Drain pasta once done.
Cut chicken breasts into bite sized pieces.
In a large mixing bowl, combine: pasta, chicken, broccoli and cauliflower and (2) jars of Ragu Roasted Garlic Parmesan sauce.
Pour into a greased 2 qt. casserole dish and sprinkle the top with breadcrumbs.
Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.
To brown the breadcrumbs on top, turn the broiler on for 1-2 minutes at the end of the baking time.
Sprinkle the top with crumbled feta cheese or goat cheese. Serve with garlic toast and enjoy!

Nothing is more of a crowd pleaser than a delicious pasta dish. A great pasta dish has to start with a really great sauce and Ragu is an authentic Italian sauce. They still use Assunta’s secret family recipe (since 1937!) so the taste, aroma and the texture are authentic. Set by traditional standards! Made with slow-simmering vine-ripened tomatoes, garlic, and fragrant herbs. No artificial flavors, colors or high fructose corn syrup.

Ready. Set. Cook!

Are you up for a challenge? Ready. Set. Cook! is challenging home cooks from all over to create new and unique recipes featuring a sponsored ingredient, plus a set list of other ingredients!

Recipe Contest Elements:

Entry phase – 4 weeks from 11/2-11/30 (you can enter on Food.com/Rage page. Live on 11/2)
Rate and review phase – 2 weeks
Judging phase – 2 weeks
People’s Choice Award

Ready. Set. Cook! Prizing

Grand Prize $3,000
Runner-up $1,250
People’s Choice $750

Now, are you up for the challenge?! What fun recipe would you create?

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Ragu. The opinions and text are all mine.

Pepperoni Pizza Grilled Cheese Sandwiches

October 21, 2015 by Jenni

Pepperoni Pizza Grilled Cheese Sandwiches

Folks, I am faaaa-reeezing!! Seriously. It’s not even the end of October and we already have freezing temps. What. In. This. World?!

As I sit here and type, I’ve got layers of clothes on and a never-ending cup of hot coffee by my side. Yes. Filled to the brim with pumpkin spice creamer…and I’m STILL freezing!

Today, I’m sharing a fun combination. Well….what I’m actually doing is combining 2 of my favorite foods into ONE. My love for pepperoni pizza – YES! – has spilled over into my love for grilled cheese sandwiches!

It’s a busy time for us with lots of events going on lately. Birthdays, my cousin’s bridal shower and 2 family weddings coming up. The holidays are coming too, and that means longer work hours. Just all around busy, busy, busy. Since I don’t always have the time I want or need in the kitchen, I really take advantage of throw together meals that take no time at all to make.

These pepperoni pizza grilled cheese sandwiches were part of my quick and easy menu-plan for this past week. I knew what kind of craziness was on the schedule, so with a grocery list in hand, I flew into Walmart to pick up everything I needed, including my pasta sauce.

I figured the Bertolli® 5 Cheese pastsa sauce would be the perfect sauce for this recipe – and I was right! I really wanted it to have tons of cheesy flavor and I love the real authentic Tuscan taste of Bertolli® Pasta Sauce. You can spot it, straight away! Did you know that they’re celebrating their 150th anniversary – Yep! 150 years of family tradition and values! Check out the Bertolli® Pinterest page for more delicious and easy recipe ideas!

Pepperoni Pizza Grilled Cheese Ingredients:

Texas Toast sliced bread
Bertolli® 5 Cheese Pasta Sauce
Sliced pepperoni
Butter, softened
Mozzarella cheese

Instructions:

Butter one side of texas toast sliced bread and place in skillet on medium to med. high heat with buttered side down. Just as you would when making grilled cheese.

Quickly, spoon on about 1-2 tablespoons of Bertolli® pasta sauce.

Then layer on sliced pepperoni. I used about 16 slices of pepperoni per sandwich. (Yeah, I know that’s alot. NO JUDGING!)

Next, pile on a handful of mozzarella cheese.

Spoon on another tablespoon or 2 of pasta sauce.

Butter another piece of texas toast and lay on top…buttered side facing up.

After the bottom side is browned, carefully flip over with a spatula to brown the other side.

NOTE: You have to build quickly because the bottom piece of bread will brown fast. If yours are browning before you can get the sandwich built, you can always pre-build before adding to the skillet. Just butter the bread and lay down on wax or parchment paper, build it and then carefully move to the skillet to toast.

Cut in half, and dip in warmed Bertolli® pasta sauce! Enjoy!

Pepperoni Pizza Grilled Cheese Sandwiches #BertolliTuscanTour

Author: Jenni

Ingredients

Butter, softened
Texas Toast sliced bread
Bertolli® 5 Cheese Pasta Sauce
Sliced pepperoni
Mozzarella cheese

Instructions

Butter one side of texas toast sliced bread and place in skillet on medium to med. high heat with buttered side down.
Spoon on about 1-2 tablespoons of Bertolli® pasta sauce.
Then layer on sliced pepperoni. I used about 16 slices of pepperoni per sandwich.
Next, pile on a handful of mozzarella cheese.
Spoon on another tablespoon or 2 of pasta sauce.
Butter another piece of texas toast and lay on top…buttered side facing up.
After the bottom side is browned, carefully flip over with a spatula to brown the other side.
NOTE: You have to build quickly because the bottom bread will brown fast. If yours are browing before you can get the sandwich built, you can always pre-build before adding to the skillet. Just butter the bread and lay down on wax or parchment paper, build it and then carefully move to the skillet to toast.
Cut in half, and dip in warmed Bertolli® pasta sauce! Enjoy!

Do you think your family would enjoy these pepperoni pizza grilled cheese sandwiches?!

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Bertolli®. The opinions and text are all mine.

Mummy Oreos – Simple and Spooky Halloween Treats

October 8, 2015 by Jenni 63 Comments

Mummy Oreos Halloween Treats

We’re seriously getting into like, the most dangerous time of the year for me. As soon as fall comes around – so comes my love for cute treat makin’. Like — how stinkin’ cute are these mummy oreos?! It’s seriously just a downhill spiral for me, till after New Years, anyway. You feelin’ me? I mean guys, I get out. of. control.

{{{Cookies. Candy. Brownies. More cookies. Pie. Cake. Truffles. More cookies. Sigh.}}}

Fun Halloween treats always remind me of my grandma. She loved passing out popcorn balls to the trick-or-treaters every year. I have to admit that I love the memory more than the actual popcorn balls. I was never a fan of the annual popcorn ball.

Follow Sweet Pennies from Heaven’s board Fall Favorites on Pinterest.

Soooo, I was on Pinterest lastnight, and you should totally check out my Fall Favorites board above….BUT!

Oh. My. Word.

Holy pumpkin overload, Batman!

My feed was slap full of pumpkin recipes. I mean, I love pumpkin spice anything just as much as the next guy – but it was caaa-rayyyy-zeeee. Kinda makes me feel guilty that I just added this pumpkin pie baked oatmeal recipe to the world of everything pumpkin – but, oh well.

I’m sure that you guys that saw it already were thinking, “Great….more pumpkin. Ugh.”

Sorry!!!

So, now THIS mummy oreos recipe is so stinking fun for Halloween and couldn’t be any easier. Let the kiddos muck & gom in the kitchen with ya! They’re fun to make and I know that your kids, their friends and everyone else will “Ooohhh and ahhhhhh” over them! Cause they’re just SO dang cute!

Here’s what you need:

Ingredients & Supplies

White Candy Melts
Oreos
Candy Eyes
Parchment paper
White Frosting (I used Betty Crocker white frosting that came with the different decorating tips)*
Drawing tip*
Icing Bag*

*If you do not get the frosting that comes with the attached tips, you will need to have a drawing tip and icing bag.

Instructions:

In a bowl, melt the white candy melts according to the package instructions.
Lay out a piece of parchment paper on your counter. Parchment paper is an important supply! Once the Oreos are covered with the white candy coating, they will not stick to the parchment paper.
Once the candy is melted, dip an Oreo and cover completely. Use a spoon or knife to help even out that coating.
Add two candy eyes before the coating hardens.
Using the drawing tip on your icing, create icing lines across the Oreo.
Continue until your mummy has the desired effect.
Let sit until slightly hardened. Use a knife to trace around the cookie to trim off any excess icing. Continue to let harden or place in the freezer for a few minutes until frosting is completely set.

Mummy Oreos – Simple and Spooky Halloween Treats

Author: Jenni

Ingredients

White Candy Melts
Oreos
Candy Eyes
Parchment paper
White Frosting (I used Betty Crocker white frosting that came with the different decorating tips)*
Drawing tip*
Icing Bag*

Instructions

In a bowl, melt the white candy melts according to the package’s instructions.
Lay out a piece of parchment paper on your counter. Parchment paper is an important supply! Once the Oreos are covered with the white candy coating, they will not stick to the parchment paper.
Once the candy is melted, dip an Oreo and cover completely. Use a spoon or knife to help even out that coating.
Add two candy eyes before the coating hardens.
Using the drawing tip on your icing, create icing lines across the Oreo.
Continue until your mummy has the desired effect.
Let sit until slightly hardened. Use a knife to trace around the cookie to trim off any excess icing. Continue to let harden or place in the freezer for a few minutes until frosting is completely set.

Make sure to come back and let us know how your Mummy Oreos turned out!

Pumpkin Pie Puppy Chow Recipe

DIY Halloween Wreath

Pumpkin Pie Baked Oatmeal – Easy Make Ahead Breakfast Idea

October 5, 2015 by Jenni 88 Comments

Pumpkin Pie Baked Oatmeal

I struggle with breakfast on most days, and folks…the struggle is real. I have to keep my fridge stocked with easy – yet HEALTHY options or else I reach for that snack cake in the cabinet. Yes. A snack cake at 7:30 am. Making things like this yummy make ahead pumpkin pie baked oatmeal, on a weekend, allows me to have a delish breakfast every day through the week. Sometimes I double the recipe, in case I have to share with these pesky people that live in my house. Sigh.

I am a creature of habit. I actually enjoy having the same things for breakfast every day. This pumpkin pie baked oatmeal is FULL of healthy goodness. Lots of fiber, protein and vitamins. Anytime that I can take a recipe and make it healthier by swapping ingredients with something like Yoplait yogurt, I’ll do it. Usually, that recipe turns out better!!

This isn’t only the perfect fall breakfast idea….but it’s the perfect mid-afternoon snack for me too. Something that gets me through, till dinner time.

Pumpkin Pie Baked Oatmeal ingredients:

1 cup canned pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling!)
1 1/2 cups Yoplait Greek 100 Vanilla yogurt
1 egg
1/3 cup maple syrup
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
1/4 cup melted butter
2 cups old fashioned rolled oats
1/2 cup crushed pecans, walnuts or hazelnuts (your favorite)
3 tsp. Pumpkin Pie spice
1/2 tsp. salt

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a large mixing bowl, combine pumpkin, yogurt, egg, syrup, brown sugar, vanilla and melted butter.
After that is combined, stir in the oats, nuts, pumpkin pie spice and salt. Mix till well combined.
Pour into a greased 8×8 pan, and bake for 25-35 minutes or until the top is browned and the oatmeal is set.
Allow to cool – then cut and serve warm with maple syrup and a dollup of whipped topping.

Pumpkin Pie Baked Oatmeal

Author: Jenni

Ingredients

1 cup canned pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling!)
1 1/2 cups Yoplait Greek 100 Vanilla yogurt
1 egg
1/3 cup maple syrup
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
1/4 cup melted butter
2 cups old fashioned rolled oats
1/2 cup crushed pecans, walnuts or hazelnuts (your favorite)
3 tsp. Pumpkin Pie spice
1/2 tsp. salt

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a large mixing bowl, combine pumpkin, yogurt, egg, syrup, brown sugar, vanilla and melted butter.
After that is combined, stir in the oats, nuts, pumpkin pie spice and salt. Mix till well combined.
Pour into a greased 8×8 pan, and bake for 25-35 minutes or until the top is browned and the oatmeal is set.
Allow to cool – then cut and serve warm with maple syrup and a dollup of whipped topping.

On days that I don’t have something like oatmeal, I usually reach for a yogurt and a handful of granola or fruit, like pineapple and strawberries. My faves! Yoplait has a lot of varieties that we really like. The husband likes the regular, while I’m a big fan of the Greek yogurts. As for the kiddo, Gogurt is perfect for lunchbags or as an after school snack. He gets off the school but STARVING and wants to eat as soon as he walks through the door. We always stock up on our Yoplait at Walmart.

What is your favorite way to snack with Yoplait?

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of General Mills. The opinions and text are all mine.

4 Tips to the Perfect Homemade Mashed Potatoes

September 28, 2015 by Jenni 32 Comments

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Campbell’s Soup Company . All opinions are 100% mine.

Homemade mashed potatoes. Sigh.

They’re buttery and creamy, dreamy and delish. Probably the most popular comfort food of all time. We eat them when we’re sick, sad, happy, or mad. When we celebrate holidays, there’s usually a ginormous bowl of mashed potatoes on the dinner table.

Whoever came up with the idea of mashing them and filling them full of butter, should receive some kind of award. For real. I usually make regular ol’ homestyle mashed potatoes but sometimes. Ohhhhhhhhhh. Sometimes, life just calls for something extra. Like roasted garlic mashed potatoes.

If you’ve always been a fan of instant (((GASPPP))) then there’s a reason. Probably because you’ve never perfected the art of homemade mashed potatoes. Well, come on now. Find that potato masher. I don’t care if it’s a hundred years old and covered in rust or dust. Wash it off and let’s get “bizayyyy”.

There are some tips to making the perfect homemade mashed potatoes though. If you’re not careful, sometimes they’ll get gluey and pasty and that’s just gross. These roasted garlic mashed potatoes are the BOMB (dot) com! Plus, they make your house smell AH-mazing! If you’re not a fan of garlic, then regular old buttered mashed potatoes are heavenly too!

Tips to making the perfect homemade mashed potatoes:

Boil potatoes in Swanson® Chicken Broth. Gives the potatoes SO much crazy flavor!
Use a potato masher, not an electric mixer. Mixers make them gluey and gummy.
Plenty of salt. Who likes salt-less potatoes. Gross.
Use half and half, evaporated milk or heavy cream instead of milk. Soooo much creamier!

After you’ve fine-tuned and perfected your mashed potatoes – you’ll confidently be adding them to your menu plan often! We have mashed potatoes on our menu plan, weekly!!

Do you need a Weekly Menu Planner for your fridge? These save SO much time, and takes the guess out of “What’s for Dinner?”

We’ve got one you can have! Just click below to get yours now!

Okay…so those are my tips. Our roasted garlic mashed potatoes recipe is up next! Just leave out the garlic if you’re not a fan and prefer just butter, salt and pepper. Ba-da-bing!

Ingredients:

5 lb. bag of potatoes (any kind you like)
32 oz. Swanson® Chicken Broth
1 stick of softened butter
3 heads of garlic, roasted (or 2-3 teaspoons of garlic powder)
1/4 – 1/2 cup of evaporated milk, half and half or heavy cream (milk will work too, just won’t be as creamy and dreamy)
Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:

Peel, rinse and quarter or dice up the 5 lbs of potatoes. I like a little potato peel in my mashed potatoes so I leave a little bit on the potato. Fill a medium to large pot with the Swanson® Broth. You want enough to cover the potatoes, so fill the rest of the way with water, to cover them. Boil for 15-20 minutes or until you can easily pierce them with a fork. Drain the potatoes and then put back in the same pot to keep them warm.

Mash potatoes with a potato masher until they’re all pretty smashed up. Cut in the stick of softened butter, and continue to mash. Add the roasted garlic (or garlic powder), salt and pepper. Continue to mash, and taste test…and mash, and taste test some more. Add a little more cream, butter, salt/pepper or garlic to taste as needed.

Top with a couple pats of butter – cause you know….there’s no such thing as TOO much butter! Serve hot — and watch your family and friends devour it!

4 Tips to Perfect Homemade Mashed Potatoes (With or Without Roasted Garlic)

Author: Jenni

Ingredients

5 lb. bag of potatoes (any kind you like)
32 oz. Swanson® Chicken Broth
1 stick of softened butter
3 heads of garlic, roasted (or 2-3 teaspoons of garlic powder)
1/4 – 1/2 cup of evaporated milk, half and half, heavy cream or milk
Salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions

Peel and rinse the 5 lbs of potatoes. Quarter or dice potatoes up.
In a medium to large pot, cover the potatoes with Swanson® Chicken Broth. Add water if needed, to make sure the potatoes are covered.
Boil for 15-20 minutes or until you can easily pierce them with a fork.
Drain the potatoes and then put back in the same pot to keep them warm.
Mash potatoes with a potato masher until they’re smashed up.
Cut in the stick of softened butter, and continue to mash.
Add the roasted garlic (or garlic powder), salt and pepper. Continue to mash, and taste test. Add more cream, butter, salt/pepper or garlic to taste, as needed.
Top with a couple pats of butter and serve hot — and watch your family and friends devour it!

I keep Campbell’s NEW Swanson® Broth stocked for several of our fave recipes. It just adds so much flavor when you use it vs. water. The new packaging has an awesome measuring strip which is super handy for eye-balling your recipes. I also really like the new screw cap lid! It makes storing and re-using a little easier.

Campbell’s has some more really new and innovative products out that I’ll be sharing soon. They get it. They know that most moms and dads are just ready to drop into bed at the end of a busy day. We want something yummy for dinner, but we don’t want to spend forever in the kitchen making it.

Laundry, homework, ball practice – it all keeps us overwhelmed since we don’t have enough hours in the day. These new products from Campbell’s help us get a quick and delicious dinner on the table, stress-free! Visit @Swansonbroths on Facebook and the Campbell’s Kitchen website for these delicious Campbell’s recipes! I’ve got the Taco Pizza recipe from there on our menu plan for this week! Woot!!!

**What favorite recipe of yours could you swap out water for Swanson® Broth?**

Hawaiian Toast

Hey there & Welcome!!

I’ve just gotta ask…

What’s the most awesome thing about making homemade milkshakes?

Here are a few fun milkshake ideas that you could throw together…

Tagalongs Peanut Butter S’Mores.

Ohhhh, yes I did. Boy Howdy! I love smushing things between cookies. So – I hope you enjoy these.

You’ll need:

How to Assemble:

Thin Mint Ice Cream Sandwiches

Okay, now in all honesty…there are a few things I want to mention. Just to save you some time.

What Girl Scout Cookies are your favorite?

Pineapple and Brown Sugar Glazed Pork Tenderloin

The Smithfield commitment:

Do you have a favorite pork tenderloin recipe? Let us know…we’d LOVE to hear!

Creamy Chicken and Broccoli Pasta Bake #SimmeredInTradition

Ready. Set. Cook!

Now, are you up for the challenge?! What fun recipe would you create?

Pepperoni Pizza Grilled Cheese Sandwiches

Pepperoni Pizza Grilled Cheese Ingredients:

Instructions:

Do you think your family would enjoy these pepperoni pizza grilled cheese sandwiches?!

Mummy Oreos Halloween Treats

More fun posts for Fall/Halloween below:

Pumpkin Pie Baked Oatmeal

What is your favorite way to snack with Yoplait?

Homemade mashed potatoes. Sigh.

Tips to making the perfect homemade mashed potatoes:

Ingredients:

Directions:

What favorite recipe of yours could you swap out water for Swanson® Broth?

Quick Links

Creamy Chicken and Broccoli Pasta Bake
#SimmeredInTradition

**What favorite recipe of yours could you swap out water for Swanson® Broth?**