June 22, 2017

Classic Macaroni Salad Recipe

Classic macaroni salad recipe, just like you’d get from your grocer’s deli, only better! Loaded with celery, carrots, peppers, and eggs, and topped with a homemade creamy dressing.

Raise your hand if you love a super simple classic macaroni salad! You’ll be amazed at how easy it is to make your own at home in just the time it takes for the macaroni to cook. This recipe is really as simple as boiling the macaroni, chopping a few vegetables and boiled eggs, and stirring together a super simple creamy dressing to go with it. You stir everything together and you are done! You really can’t get any easier than that.

I love to take this recipe to any kind of party/picnic/cookout/potluck during the summer because it just goes with everything. You can serve it alongside burgers, roasted hot dogs, grilled chicken, brats, ribs, heck, you could serve it alongside my easy Grilled Sausage and Vegetable Foil Packets and it would go great.

Tips and Tricks for making a Classic Macaroni Salad Recipe at Home:

Chop the veggies just about as small as you can if you are after a true “deli-style” macaroni salad. The deli salad has consistently small pieces of vegetable in it. I don’t mind a little variation (though my grated carrot was too big in this batch), but note that it is a key element to mimicking your favorite store-bought version of this pasta salad.
The type of mustard you use will change the flavor. If you like mustard, use the yellow mustard; its flavor is more pronounced. If you want the tang with a less distinct mustard flavor, use the Dijon.
Sugar is not necessary for this recipe though I think it makes the flavor more classic. I used mayo in this recipe (because what else is there?!), but I know a few folks who swear by Miracle Whip. Miracle Whip is a lot sweeter than mayo, so you’ll probably want to omit the sugar if using it. That being said, if you are new to making macaroni salad, I’d try it without the sugar, as you can always stir in a tablespoon after you have the chance to taste it.
There’s some debate on how classic the addition of boiled eggs is, and I’m on team “you have to add the eggs.” It totally changes the texture and flavor if you ask me. If you prefer, you can omit the boiled eggs. Do you have one of these egg slicer thingies? I kind of want one.

Craving more? Subscribe to Bless this Mess to get new recipes, meal plans, and a newsletter delivered straight to your inbox! If you try this recipe, let me know what you think! Leave a comment, pin it, and don’t forget to tag a picture #blessthismesseats on Instagram. I love to see your kitchen skills in action!

Classic Macaroni Salad Recipe

★★★★★

5 from 1 reviews

Classic macaroni salad recipe, just like you’d get from your grocer’s deli, only better! Loaded with celery, carrots, peppers, and eggs and topped with a homemade creamy dressing.

Author: Melissa
Prep Time: 10
Cook Time: 12
Total Time: 22 minutes
Yield: Serves 8-10

Ingredients

2 cups macaroni pasta (about 8 ounces)
1 cup chopped boiled eggs (about 4 eggs)
½ cup finely chopped red bell pepper
½ cup finely grated carrot
½ cup finely chopped celery
1/4 cup finely chopped red onion
1/3 cup mayonnaise
1/3 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon Dijon or yellow mustard
1 tablespoon white vinegar
1 tablespoon sugar (optional)
Salt, to taste
Pepper, to taste

Instructions

Cook the pasta according to package directions until it is cooked al dente. Drain and rinse in cold water.
While the pasta cooks, in a small bowl combine the mayonnaise, sour cream, mustard, vinegar, and sugar and stir to combine.
Add the pasta to a medium mixing bowl. Add the eggs, bell pepper, carrot, celery, and red onion to the pasta. Add the mayonnaise mixture.
Stir everything together until it is all well-coated. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve right away.

How simple is that? If you liked this Classic Macaroni Salad, stay tuned – I have a big collection of pasta salads coming your way. Welcome, Summer!

June 20, 2017

Creamy Taco Pasta Salad

Creamy taco pasta salad made with pasta, hamburger, chopped vegetables, and a creamy taco-inspired dressing to bring it all together. Bonus: It’s done in about 20 minutes!

You all know my love of all things taco/Mexican, and this pasta salad is right up my alley. I love this stuff and could eat it over and over again. I love this taco pasta salad recipe because it’s hearty enough to serve as a main dish and simple enough to make as a side for a picnic or cookout too. Who doesn’t love a side that you can also use as a main dish? You know what that means? You are going to make this recipe over and over again this summer. Serve it up with some homemade lemonade, and you’ll have yourself one delicious summer meal!

I added a half of a pound of ground beef to this recipe (though it’s super easy to make it meatless too, just see my notes below), and that makes this a very economical main dish. You can get away with serving just that half a pound of meat to a family of four for dinner; I love light-on-meat meals as much as I love meatless meals! I think my favorite part of this dish is the super simple creamy dressing that you mix together to bring this all together. It’s mayo and sour cream mixed with all kinds of spices. Have you tried smoked paprika yet? It’s so good! You could coat just about anything with that dressing, and it would taste great. I can’t wait for you to make it.

Tips and Tricks for Making Taco Pasta Salad:

Want to make this meatless? Omit the hamburger and add a can of black, small red, or pinto beans instead (or add those in addition to the hamburger to add another serving or two on the cheap).
My auntie makes a taco salad super similar to this but she adds a few cups of chopped lettuce and some crushed Doritos or tortilla chips just before serving. Delicious!
Feel free to serve this with some sliced avocado and hot sauce on the side.
Plan on this feeding 4 adults as a main dish (or 2 adults and some kids), or 8-10 as a side.
If you are making this ahead of time, keep the dressing separate and add it right before serving. Planning on taking this to a party? I love this set of 4 bowls with lids from Costco (which you can purchase on Amazon).

Taco Pasta Salad

Creamy taco pasta salad made with pasta, hamburger, chopped vegetables, and a creamy, taco-inspired dressing to bring it all together. Bonus: It’s done in about 20 minutes!

Author: Melissa
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes
Yield: Serves 4-12

Ingredients

2 cups small dry pasta (about 8 ounces)
½ pound hamburger
½ cup finely chopped bell pepper
½ cup sliced black olives
½ cup chopped tomato
1/4 cup finely chopped red onion
1 cup cubed cheddar cheese
1/3 cup mayonnaise
1/3 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon chili powder
½ teaspoon cumin
½ teaspoon smoked paprika
½ teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon salt
salt, to taste
pepper, to taste

Instructions

Cook the pasta according to package directions until it is cooked al dente. Drain and rinse in cold water.
While the pasta cooks, in a small skillet cook the hamburger over medium-high heat until the meat is cooked through and no longer pink. Drain extra grease and set aside.
In a small bowl combine the mayonnaise, sour cream, chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, garlic powder, and salt. Stir to combine.
Add the pasta to a medium mixing bowl. Add the cooked hamburger, bell pepper, olives, tomato, red onion, and the cheddar cheese. Add the mayonnaise mixture.
Stir everything together until it is all well-coated. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve right away.

Notes

To make this meatless sub the hamburger for a drained and rinsed can of black or pinto beans.

If you loved this Taco Pasta Salad recipe as much as I did, then you are going to love all of the other pasta salad recipes that I have coming!

June 18, 2017

Quick and Easy Pesto Pasta Salad

The easiest Pesto Pasta Salad ever! This recipe only calls for a few simple ingredients, and it tastes like summer.

Looking for a super simple side dish to make all summer long? Well I have just the recipe for you today! This super easy Pesto Pasta Salad is one of my all-time favorite quick and easy side dishes that I serve all summer long. This is the perfect addition to any meal (it’s great with a bit of grilled fish, some seasonal fruit, and a loaf of crusty bread), it travels well so it’s great to take to a party, and the leftovers are one of our favorite simple summertime lunches. You just can’t beat simple seasonal ingredients that come together with very little effort or fuss.

I have a cousin who lives a few hours away who has started a summer side business of making the most delicious pesto I’ve ever eaten. Lucky for me, her mother-in-law lives just down the road from me. When she’s coming to town she always asks if I’d like her to bring over a batch of her fresh homemade pesto. It’s thick, it’s creamy, and it tastes like summer. I can’t wait for her to start making it again this year. If you can use fresh pesto for this recipe, I’d recommend it. You can make it, get it from your cousin, or pick some up at the farmer’s market. If you don’t have any fresh pesto, the shelf-stable jarred kind from the store works well, too. I’ve used both with great success.

When it comes to the mozzarella, the fresher the better. I’ve seen people use cute mini mozzarella balls in recipes and though I couldn’t find any close to me I think they would look and taste great in this recipe. And like all of the other ingredients, the closer to garden fresh the tomatoes can be, the better. When you only have a handful of ingredients in the recipe, it’s important they they are all as good of quality as you can get.

Tips for making the best Easy Pesto Pasta Salad

The fresher the ingredients the better.
This travels well when kept cool.
The pesto absorbs into the pasta when it sits so either plan on adding half the dressing when you make it and half the dressing when you serve it or simply add another spoonful of pesto and a drizzle of olive oil before eating the leftovers.
This is delicious served with a berry loaded side salad and a loaf of no-knead crusty bread.

Easy Pesto Pasta Salad

The easiest Pesto Pasta Salad ever! This recipe only calls for a few simple ingredients and it tastes like summer.

Author: Melissa
Prep Time: 10
Cook Time: 10
Total Time: 20 minutes
Yield: Serves 8-10

Ingredients

2 cups small dry pasta (about 8 ounces)
1 cup fresh mozzarella, in bite-sized pieces
2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh basil
3 tablespoons pesto
3 tablespoons olive oil
Salt, to taste
pepper, to taste

Instructions

Cook the pasta according to package directions until it is cooked al dente. Drain and rinse in cold water.
Add the pasta to a medium mixing bowl. Add mozzarella, cherry tomatoes, and basil.
In a small bowl, whisk together the pesto and olive oil.
Add the pesto dressing to the pasta.
Stir everything together until it is all well-coated. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve right away.

Notes

Add a little more pesto and olive oil to this salad on the second day to refresh the leftovers before serving.

So many pasta salad recipes coming your way! Be sure to be on the lookout for all of them!

June 15, 2017

The Best Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe Ever

The best chocolate chip cookie recipe EVER! The secret is in melting the butter (no more waiting for it to soften!).

Chocolate chip cookies are little morsels of memories. I’m sure you, too, have more than one memory that has a chocolate chip cookie wrapped up in it.

Chocolate chip cookies remind me of my sister. We call her Tia at our house. Tia has perfected her chocolate chip cookie. They are divine. Instead of asking her to whip up a batch of chocolate chip cookies, we simple ask her to make “Tia Cookies”; she knows exactly what we mean. “I could go for some Tia Cookies right about now” is a phrase uttered nearly every Sunday night.

Tia no longer lives 7 blocks from me; since Tia isn’t around to make me cookies anymore, I’ve had to find a recipe that would rival hers in greatness. Well folks, after years of making this recipe, it’s time declare a new winner. This is literally the best chocolate chip cookie recipe ever; it is even better than a Tia Cookie!

If you’ve been on the hunt, look no more. This is the last chocolate chip cookie recipe you will ever try. If you don’t love them the first time, make them again; you made a mistake somewhere 🙂

Here’s what I love about the best chocolate chip cookie recipe:

It is made with 100% butter – no margarine here.
Not only is it all butter, but it’s all melted butter. No waiting for a stick to soften or trying to “soften” via the microwave.
The melted butter gives it a yummy almost caramelish undertone. You’ll understand when you get there.
I always double this recipe, bake a couple dozen, then form and freeze the rest. Just bake the frozen dough for a few minutes longer at 350 degrees (instead of 325). They turn out perfect every time. Now I always have cookies in the freezer ready to pop in the oven on a whim. I haven’t said no to a request for cookies in months!
I love having the cookie dough in the freezer, too, for unexpected guests or when I want to take some dinner over to a friend. Hot cookies are always welcome with a meal!
Have you invested in a cookie scoop and baking mats yet? They are game changers and everyone needs both in their kitchen.

Here’s a little tip for the butter and sugar mixture. This is what it looks like after about a minute of mixing – dark and caramely. Delicious, but not what you are after. We want it “creamed” which means light and fluffy.

Here’s what the butter and sugar should look like before you add anything else. It will be light and fluffy, and this will take a full 5-8 minutes of mixing. Don’t skip this step!

Craving more? Subscribe to Bless this Mess to get new recipes, meal plans, and a newsletter delivered straight to your inbox! If you try this recipe, let me know what you think! Leave a comment, pin it, and don’t forget to tag a picture #blessthismesseat on Instagram. I love to see your kitchen skills in action!

The Best Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe Ever

Literally the best chocolate chip cookie recipe ever. The secret is using melted butter!

Prep Time: 15 mins
Cook Time: 10 mins
Total Time: 25 minutes
Yield: 3 dozen

Ingredients

2 cups plus 2 tablespoons flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) butter, melted and cooled for 5 minutes
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
1 egg yolk (when I double the recipe I do 3 eggs instead of 2 eggs and 2 yolks… it’s up to you)
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

Instructions

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. In a large bowl, beat the melted butter and sugars together with an electric mixer (or stand mixer) on medium speed until smooth and light and fluffy in color, around 5 minutes. Beat in the egg, yolk, and vanilla until combined.
Reduce the speed to low and slowly add half the flour, the salt and baking soda, and then the second half of the flour. Mix in the chips until incorporated. Working with 1 large tablespoons of dough at a time, roll them into balls and place them on a cookie sheet (lined with parchment paper or a baking mat) about 2 inches apart.
Bake the cookies until the edges are set and beginning to brown but the middles are still soft and puffy, around 10 minutes.
Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes and then transfer to a wire rack to let cool completely.
Repeat with remaining dough.

Notes

To freeze this cookie dough, simple form it into balls and stick them in a single layer in a zipper-topped bag or an airtight freezer-safe container and freeze. Place the frozen cookie dough balls on your baking-mat-lined baking sheet and bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes. Hot cookies on demand will change your life!

Recipe from America’s Test Kitchen Family Baking Book

I literally cannot wait for you to make these. They are going to change your chocolate chip cookie life because I promise you that this truly is the best chocolate chip cookie recipe out there! Did you know I’m a little cookie obsessed? I make this recipe multiple times a month, but I also have whole lot of other cookie recipes hanging around the archives too if you feel like looking around.

The recipe was originally published in February 2012. It was rephotographed, rewritten, and republished for your enjoyment in June 2017.

June 13, 2017

The BEST Chicken Bacon Ranch Salad of Summer

This post is brought to you by a Bless This Mess brand Partner

The BEST Chicken Bacon Ranch Salad of summer is a main dish green salad topped with all of your favorite things, such as pan-seared chicken, bacon, tomatoes, cucumber, and plenty of ranch dressing!

Today I’m working with Litehouse Dressing and I have created an amazing, simple, quick meal your whole family is going to go crazy for. Are you making main dish salads for your people yet? I was so sure for a few years that they wouldn’t eat a salad for dinner, so I didn’t make them. Now I’m regretting taking so long to try because my family loves hearty main dish salads. I love them too. They are easy to make (this recipes comes together in about 30 minutes, but if you were to prep most of it on a meal prep day then it would literally take 5 minutes to get on the table). This Chicken Bacon Ranch Salad was a huge hit because of those three main words: chicken, bacon, and ranch. My kids can totally eat the mixed-in vegetable when those three other things are involved. Their only request for this salad – add croutons next time (and I want to add some avocado!).

Litehouse Homestyle Ranch Dressing is one of our all-time favorite dressings. We eat it on pizza, salads, and everything in our veggie box. My baby even likes to dip pickles in it! When you shop for produce, you don’t shop in the condiment or baking aisle. You head to the refrigerated section – where mouth-watering fresh veggies are brimming with color and flavor. That’s where you’ll find Litehouse – fresh, refrigerated, and delicious dressings.

Tips and Tricks for making Chicken Bacon Ranch Salad:

You can prep everything ahead of time. Chop all of those veggies and cook that chicken on your prep day and then just assemble and eat!
I love using chicken thighs for this recipe; they stay so moist and are full of flavor. You can definitely use another cut of chicken if you’d like; just don’t over cook.
This recipe is great with a side of seasonal produce (watermelon, cantaloupe, peaches, berries…) and some kind of starch/carb like corn on the cob, bread sticks, or a loaf of that super easy no-knead bread that we love.
Litehouse Homestyle Ranch Dressing is a must. Find it in the refrigerated section (near the produce).

The BEST Chicken Bacon Ranch Salad of Summer

The BEST Chicken Bacon Ranch Salad of summer is a main dish salad topped with all of your favorite things, such as pan-seared chicken, bacon, tomatoes, cucumber, and plenty of ranch dressing!

Author: Melissa
Prep Time: 5
Cook Time: 12
Total Time: 17 minutes
Yield: Serves 4-6

Ingredients

For the Chicken

1 pound boneless skinless chicken thighs
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon Kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons red wine or apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon olive oil

For the Salad

6 cups salad greens such as butter or Romaine lettuce
1 cup halved cherry tomatoes
1 cup thinly sliced red or orange bell pepper
4-6 strips bacon, cooked and crumbled
1 cup sliced cucumber
1/2 cup thinly sliced red onion
Litehouse Homestyle Ranch Dressing

Instructions

In a large zipper-topped plastic baggie or a shallow dish, add the chicken, all of the spices, lime juice, and oil. Close the bag and use your hands to mix everything together. If you are using a shallow dish, use tongs to work the spices evenly into the chicken. You can let this rest for up to a half hour or work with it right away. I like to let it rest a minute to increase the flavor.
Heat a large skillet over medium to medium-high heat. When the skillet is hot, add the chicken. Cook for 13-15 minutes, turning once, until the chicken is cooked through. Remove the chicken from the pan and let it rest for 10 minutes.
While the chicken cooks, add your salad greens to a shallow serving bowl. Top with tomatoes, bell pepper, bacon, cucumber, and red onion. When the chicken is cool, slice it into thin strips and add it to the salad.
You can dress the salad with Litehouse Homestyle Ranch Dressing before serving or have everyone serve themselves and then dress as they like – it’s up to you.

Notes

This is a great meal to prep ahead of time on your meal prep day! Then when it’s time to eat, you are literally going to put everything together and serve. So easy! Even if you aren’t prepping this ahead of time, it should only take about 30 minutes to get on the table. You’ve got to love that!

Enjoy this delicious, fresh, simple meal from my kitchen to yours! Long live all the chicken, bacon, ranch things!

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Litehouse Dressing. Thank you for supporting the brands that help make Bless this Mess possible.

June 10, 2017

Chicken Bacon Ranch Pasta Salad

Chicken Bacon Ranch Pasta Salad is our favorite pasta salad recipe that comes together in about 20 minutes, and the whole family loves it.

Long live super easy, quick, and tasty dinners all summer long. Let’s be honest, summering is fun but it’s tiring (I know I’m not the only mama who’s exhausted by dinnertime). This Chicken Bacon Pasta Salad is our favorite pasta salad recipe that comes together in about 20 minutes and the whole family loves it. It’s kind of a one pot meal because it has your pasta, some veggies, and a little protein all in one bowl, which means that you only need to slice a little watermelon to go on the side and dinner is done. Bonus points if you grill up some zucchini to go with it.

Let’s give three cheers for pasta, peas, bacon, chicken, fresh tomatoes, and just the right amount of creamy sauce that all come together to make the most delicious creamy pasta salad that is just perfect for a simple summer dinner. We love eating outside while the weather is so warm and nice, and I can’t wait until our house is done so that we can sit on our back deck and enjoy our view.

Here are a few tips and tricks for making Chicken Bacon Ranch Pasta Salad:

Use whatever chicken you like/have. I cooked up some crispy chicken strips for this batch of pasta salad and it was so good (and so easy!). You can use leftover rotisserie chicken, grilled chicken, or just about any other kind that you like or have. To save time, prep your chicken ahead of time on your meal prep day.
This dish will serve 4 as a main dish or 6-8 as a side. This makes a great side to take to any party, picnic, or cookout! It’s great with steak, grilled corn and avocado salad, and just about any other summer food you’d like.
If you are making this ahead of time, save half of the dressing and stir it in right before serving.
Are you in love with my enamelware bowl? I just got a few new ones too (the vintage ones are hard to find here).

Chicken Bacon Ranch Pasta Salad

Chicken Bacon Pasta Salad is our favorite pasta salad recipe that comes together in about 20 minutes, and the whole family loves it.

Author: Melissa
Prep Time: 15 min
Cook Time: 10 min
Total Time: 25 minutes
Yield: Serves 4-8

Ingredients

2 cups small dry pasta (about 8 ounces)
1 cup frozen peas, rinsed in warm water
1 cup tomato pieces
1/4 cup chopped green onion
2 cups cooked chicken, about 8 ounces
4 ounces cooked crumbled bacon
1/3 cup mayonnaise
1/3 cup sour cream
2 tablespoons ranch seasoning
Salt, to taste
Pepper, to taste

Instructions

Cook the pasta according to package directions until it is cooked al dente. Drain and rinse in cold water.
Add the peas, cooked chicken, bacon, tomato and onion to the pasta.
In a small bowl, combine the mayonnaise, sour cream, and ranch seasoning and stir to combine. Add to the pasta.
Stir everything together until it is all well-coated. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve right away.

Notes

Use whatever type of chicken you have. Grilled chicken breast, rotisserie chicken, or even crispy chicken strips from the freezer section will work here.

Chicken Bacon Ranch Pasta Salad is one of my all-time favorite dinners to serve all summer long because my family loves it, it’s super easy to make, and it comes together quickly. I know you are going to love this one as much as we do.

Be on the lookout for a whole lotta pasta salad recipes coming your way. Enjoy from my home to yours!

June 8, 2017

Easy Spanish Rice in the Rice Cooker

Easy Spanish Rice recipe made in the rice cooker with a few simple ingredients (including a can of tomatoes), just dump, mix, set it, and forget it!

Mexican food is in my favorites category. I love everything from tostadas and steak carnitas to simple bean burritos and salsa. Easy Spanish rice is the perfect side for all that Mexican food and this recipe is so easy because the rice cooker makes it for you. Just dump it all in and go. I like to make this rice when company is coming over, and I have enchiladas planned because it makes the main dish stretch and the leftovers are great inside bean burritos for lunch.

Why the rice cooker when you can make it on the stove-top? Well, unbeknownst to you, there is a rice-curse that has been placed on my head. I cannot, for the life of me, make non-crunchy rice outside of the rice cooker. Ever. If you don’t have a rice cooker, I’m sure this could be done on the stove-top in a similar way, just don’t ask me how. We all can’t be good at cooking everything, right?!

One more thought for you. There are lots of types of Spanish or Mexican rice and this one is very similar to the Rice-a-Roni type that comes in a box that you make on the stove-top with a can of tomatoes. I grew up with that kind and like it, so expect something close to that in flavor.

Tips and Tricks for Making Easy Spanish Rice in the Rice Cooker:

You can use just about any kind of rice that you like. A long grain rice general lends to a rice that has more individual pieces of rice and a short grain will lend to a stickier Spanish Rice. You can also use brown rice, just increase the liquid by one cup (or add the amount called for on the bag).
I have this rice cooker and love it (it makes 20 cups of cooked rice, perfect for a party/crowd!). I know that the Instant Pot has a rice cooker function and I assume that this would work great it in though I haven’t tried it myself (I need to get one…).
You can serve this as a side to tacos (like our favorite Best Chicken Tacos Ever) and it’s also great tucked inside Smothered Burritos.
This easy Spanish rice recipe makes a fair amount. If you don’t use it all, it freezes really well. Once it’s cooled, place extras in a zipper-topped freezer bag, label, and freeze. It should keep in the freezer for up to 2 months. I just let mine thaw in the fridge overnight or in a small bowl of warm water and then heat through before serving.

Easy Spanish Rice in the Rice Cooker

Easy Spanish Rice recipe made in the rice cooker with a few simple ingredients (including a can of tomatoes), just dump, mix, set it, and forget it!

Author: Melissa Griffiths
Prep Time: 5
Cook Time: 30
Total Time: 35 minutes
Yield: Makes 5 cups of cooked rice

Ingredients

2 cups rice
1 14-ounce can diced tomatoes, with juice
3 1/2 cups water
1 small onion, diced
3 bouillon cubes or 3 teaspoons Better than Bouillon
1-3 tablespoons chili powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cumin or smoked cumin
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

Instructions

Place the rice in the bottom of the rice cooker and then add the diced tomatoes and water. Add the onion and spices and stir a little on the top to dissolve the spices in the water. Cook according to manufacturer’s instructions. When the rice is cooked, test for salt and add more if needed. Serve as a side dish or inside your favorite burritos and tacos.

Notes

Notes:
I use brown rice and increase my water by one cup. The Spanish rice in the pictures was made with brown rice and I bet you didn’t even notice. Your family won’t either. You can use chicken or vegetable stock in place of the bouillon and water. The amount of chili powder you use is going to depend on how much you like. I’d try it with 2 tablespoons first and then you can go up or down from there depending on your preferences.

The recipe was originally published in February 2013. It was retested with reader feedback, rephotographed, rewritten, and republished for your enjoyment in June 2017.

June 6, 2017

Simple Italian Pasta Salad

Simple Italian Pasta Salad made with pasta, olives, artichoke hearts, tomatoes, and a simple balsamic vinegar and olive oil dressing.

I have been loving these simple Italian (or Mediterranean) flavors for a while now so it made sense to add them to a quick and easy pasta salad to serve all summer long. Cold pasta salads have a special place in my heart and this simple Italian Pasta Salad is forever a favorite of mine. You just can’t go wrong with delicious kalamata olives, marinated artichoke hearts, fresh bright tomatoes, and herbs all served with carb-y pasta and a simple balsamic vinegar and olive oil dressing. This salad stores and travels well, tastes great for a few days, and you can mix and match what you throw in to what you like or have on hand.

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June 1, 2017

The Best Strawberry Pancakes (allergy-friendly)

Soft, fluffy strawberry pancakes studded with fresh strawberries and a touch of lemon, drizzled with homemade strawberry syrup are the BEST way to start off your summer morning. Plus, these can feed just about anybody as they’re free of gluten, dairy, egg, soy, peanut, and tree nuts. They’re vegan and top-8-free too – though you’d never know it!

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May 24, 2017

Grilled Sausage and Vegetable Foil Packets

Quick and easy Grilled Sausage and Vegetable Foil Packets take about 10 minutes to put together and can be grilled, baked, or cooked on an open fire.

Raise your hand if you love simple, easy, filling dinners all summer long! I know that I sure do. You are going to love making these super easy, quick, and simple grilled sausage foil packets because they have a little bit of everything in them and can be cooked on the grill, in the oven, or even over hot campfire coals.

I typically like to grill these because then my oven isn’t heating up the house, but I love that you can cook them a few different ways depending on your needs. You can use just about any kind of sausage links that you like. I have used smoked beef sausage, turkey sausage, hot Italian pork and everything in between. You can get spicy sausage, traditional, apple, or whatever flavor you think sounds good. This recipe is very flexible, so use what you like and what you have on hand.

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