• Loaded Broccoli, Potato and Cheese Soup

    Now I know that soup season is almost over, but I needed to sneak this one in before spring officially or unofficially comes. You can thank me later. This soup is full of vegetables and unlike a lot of broccoli and cheese soups that are smooth, there are actually chunks of vegetables in there. But what puts this soup over the edge is a delicious cheese sauce that is made with real cheddar cheese…no processed cheese in this soup! This soup cooks quickly and you can do most of the prep ahead of time, making it perfect for a busy weeknight dinner. I like to chop the vegetables (except for the potatoes), shred the cheese and…

  • Whole Wheat Pizza Crust

    For a couple years now, Friday night has been homemade pizza night at our house. After trying lots of recipes, some not so tasty, I finally found this one and we have been enjoying it for over a year now! This crust is chewy and light and has a great flavor.     I wanted a whole wheat crust that didn’t taste healthy. You know what I’m talking about, right? I wanted a nice chewy crust that didn’t suck all of the water out of your mouth or taste like sand! Combining whole wheat flour with all-purpose flour definitely helps to make the taste and texture of the crust not too “healthy”. In the directions it’s…

  • Healthy Banana Oatmeal Muffins

    We bake and consume a lot of muffins at our house and these healthy and delicious ones are a favorite. I hope you have over-ripe bananas in your kitchen because you need to make these right now.     Oatmeal replaces some of the flour in these muffins and gives them a great texture. The banana and sour cream keeps them moist and gives them extra flavor. While I’m sure they would still be delicious if you baked them without adding the mix-ins, I can’t say for sure because I always add the mix-ins!     There are several reasons why you need these muffins in your life… Healthy, yes! Moist, yes! Customizable,…

  • Stovetop Macaroni and Cheese

    There are lots of side dish options out there, but is there really a more classic or delicious one than macaroni and cheese? While baked macaroni and cheese is wonderful, it’s not always practical when you are trying to get dinner on the table asap.  This stovetop version goes from start to finish in less than 30 minutes.     This macaroni and cheese is oh.so.creamy. The recipe calls for shredded cheese and I am begging you, please shred your own. This is not the recipe to take a shortcut and use pre-shredded cheese. You want it to melt nice and smooth. Now lets talk about the types of cheese used in this recipe. Monterrey Jack…

  • Classic Chili with Beans

    A couple weeks ago when we were snowed in during snowstorm Jonas I decided that we needed chili. Now the hubby doesn’t love beans, so I was the only one who actually enjoyed the chili, but it was delicious.     There’s something about the freezing cold weather that makes me crave warm and comforting soups and chili. For most of you, there is still time to enjoy this recipe before spring comes!     This chili is great topped with shredded cheese or served over macaroni and cheese like my grandma did. My grandma didn’t enjoy cooking, but one of the meals she would make when we came to visit was chili over macaroni…