foodiecrush

Easy Instant Pot Monkey Bread

January 2, 2019

This easy pull-apart bread starts with frozen dinner rolls that rise overnight and are then baked in the Instant Pot pressure cooker for a sweet and fast cinnamon sugared breakfast or brunch treat.

I’m not sure who made up the name for this sweet, sticky pull-apart bread, but whoever did nailed it on the head. Because just like monkeys who are known to pick, pick, pick at their favorite things, this cinnamon, brown sugar, and pecan-laced monkey bread is the perfect sweet breakfast or brunch finger food.

This overnight monkey bread is made with frozen yeast dinner rolls so be sure to plan ahead and allow time for the rolls to rise overnight.

The unique part of this recipe is that instead of being baked in the oven, this monkey bread is baked in the Instant Pot pressure cooker. Yes! You can bake in the Instant Pot, and successfully do so too.

The other part of this recipe I love so much is the “balls” of the monkey bread are cut in half before baking to make smaller bites, ensuring that every single nugget is lathered in that classic sticky, cinnamon and brown sugar goodness.

Half the size means you can enjoy them all year long, whether it’s Christmas breakfasst, or New Years brunch, or any time you’re craving that sweet treat any monkey would put his hat on and dance for.continue to the recipe… about Easy Instant Pot Monkey Bread

Friday Faves

December 28, 2018

Hello and happy final Friday of 2018.

Whoa. We say it every year but this year it’s totally true. This year went by SO DANG FAST. Did the year fly by for you? Because it sure did for me, and for nearly every person I talk to, too.

Remember how loooooong it took to finally get your braces off, or become 16 to get your first driver’s license, to go on your first date, and what about turning 18 and finally graduating from high school to become an adult? Each one seemed like a mother loving eternity. But each one was a first, a rite of passage, and marked something you’d never done before.

It’s a fact that time really does go by faster as we age. We get stuck in the routine. Things become mundane. Days turn into weeks and weeks into months and we feel like the year is one big replay of the movie Groundhog Day.

But this article says there’s a simple way to make the year go by slower, and it’s done by simply doing something different. By switching things up. Getting out of the same old routine. Adding some spice to life.

The key is to add a list of “firsts” to your year. So this year, instead of making resolutions, make it the year to try new things. Go someplace you’ve never been. Try something for the first time. Do it differently—whatever it is.

Create your list of intriguing but not totally out-of-the-realm things you’d like to try. And then simply do them.

Challenge yourself to bake a cake every week. Or make that road trip you’ve always daydreamed of taking. Learn how to stand-up paddle board, take a lettering class, or become a volunteer to inspire yourself thanks to giving to others.

Instead of middling in the middle, move to the front.

This year, choose to be extra.

Whatever you do, just choose to do something different. And watch time slow down as you savor every minute.

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Let’s make 2019 amazing together, and let’s dig into this week’s Friday Faves.continue to the recipe… about Friday Faves

Easy Shrimp Cocktail

December 27, 2018

This shrimp cocktail platter with my favorite 5-ingredient homemade cocktail sauce is one of my secrets for an quick and easy appetizer to throw together on the fly.

This recipe is brought to you by Kroger

One of my favorite memories of going to Las Vegas and hitting the casinos wasn’t gambling, showgirls, or watching the synchronized fountains become performers all upon themselves. Nope. My Las Vegas goal was always to find at least one old school casino $1 shrimp cocktail to snack and savor. Today’s Las Vegas makes them harder to find, but that doesn’t mean I am willing to go without.

Those vacation shrimp cocktails are the inspiration for one of my favorite easy appetizers that fits any season and every appetite. They also make a healthy, low-fat snack or paired with a simple salad they’re the perfect take-to-work lunch or fast supper.

But whether I’m making this shrimp cocktail as a before dinner bites from my list of favorite appetizer recipes or impressive addition to the potluck party, my platter presentation is simple but elegant, without all the fuss.continue to the recipe… about Easy Shrimp Cocktail

Friday Faves

December 21, 2018

Hello hello and a Ho to the Ho Ho Ho!

I’m feeling all nostalgic. Yesterday I updated and re-shared my mom’s famous fudge recipe, I found this pic on my phone from when Smudge and I baked my childhood Christmas sugar cookies before she grew into a too-busy-to-bake-with-her-mom teen, and today we are only four days away from that jolly old elf making his way to slay on his sleigh … and whaddya know? It’s another week of Friday Faves!

The more things change, the more I crave the familiar.

It’s so weird. These Friday Faves posts make me realize just how quickly time flies. Each week I sit at my computer to compile my list of weekly favorites and every time it feels like just a day ago I was doing the same exact thing, but it’s actually been a full week.

It’s one reason this weekly post—more than any of the recipes or round-ups—drives me to be more accountable with my time so I can be more adventuresome too. It’s why I try hard to be more efficient at work so I can get out and do the things I really love, read up and research random stuff I find interesting, and to really enjoy life, and actually create the moments to have something to share here :)

Life goes by even when you aren’t noticing. And nobody wants to look back on their memories and see themselves sitting at their computer all day.

Plus, it keeps me connected with you!

Last week I received an email that totally made my day, and it read:continue to the recipe… about Friday Faves

Mom’s Easy Fudge Recipe

December 19, 2018

I can’t imagine celebrating the Christmas holidays without one of my all-time favorite recipes: My mom’s homemade fudge that is basically the best fudge I’ve ever sunk my teeth into.

My mom makes this fudge every single Christmas—and only at Christmas—and while every year she makes it to give as neighbor gifts, she always keeps a stash for herself, usually eating it for breakfast with her coffee.

Yes, it’s THAT good and yes, she is THAT smart to eat chocolate for breakfast. Hey, you only live once.

This recipe is a family legend, and originally comes from my grandma. But to me it’s all my mom’s. It’s rich, fudgy, and delivers a solid bite your teeth will easily sink into.

I first shared this recipe way back in 2011, the first year I started blogging. But when my mom stopped by when I was making the fudge, I asked her to step in and really worked her for the details of her secret fudge-making ways, because she IS the master.

Let’s make fudge!continue to the recipe… about Mom’s Easy Fudge Recipe

Vegetable Lasagna with Butternut Squash and Shiitake Mushrooms

December 17, 2018

I’ve been making this easy vegetable lasagna for years. It’s layered with a smooth butternut squash puree, shiitake mushrooms, a creamy white sauce, and melty cheese to make an irresistible layered lasagna noodle you’ll love digging into.

This recipe is brought to you by DeLallo Foods

It’s not even Christmas yet and I’ve already been looking toward the new year and listing out a few of the goals I plan to hit next year.

One of the biggies in my new year goal making sessions is to eat more meatless meals. It’s easy for me to do for breakfast and lunch, but where I tend to run into a road block is when I make meatless dinners because that’s not exactly my husband’s idea of a meal. But I’ve found it’s a whole lot easier to convince the family to join me on my veggie train when I’m serving dishes like this vegetable-loaded lasagna where nobody ever misses the meat.

I used to make this vegetable lasagna every.single.year when I hosted the volunteer holiday party for my fave animal rescue, where everything had to be served vegetarian. We were an animal rescue, not an animal eatery.

So did anyone (aka my husband) miss the meat? Not a chance! Why not? Because this Italian dinner recipe is completely delicious! That, and the layers of cheese don’t hurt to convince any doubting Thomas too.continue to the recipe… about Vegetable Lasagna with Butternut Squash and Shiitake Mushrooms

Friday Faves

December 14, 2018

Ho Ho and Hello! And happy Friday Faves!

This post is brought to you by Pamela’s Products

Holiday entertaining is in full swing and this weekend our dance card is FULL. Between games for Ali Smudge’s high school basketball tournament we’re fitting in dinner at a friends house tonight and hosting friend’s for dinner tomorrow night, and then trying to fit in quick family Soup Sunday to finish out the weekend. ‘Tis the season to pack in the social obligations!

Entertaining can give me a case of the dreads if I let it. Only because I tend to overdo and make it harder on myself than it should be. Friday night will be easy since I’ll just be providing a bottle of wine and a simple hostess gift (this is always a fave).

On Saturday I’m thinking we will do either my favorite holiday lasagna (love that it can be made ahead) or a big seafood shebang with our easy king crab legs, the BEST steamed clams, plus oysters on the half shell and steamed shrimp. The only downside to this one is it requires some last-minute throwing together when I might rather be relaxing with my guests by the fire than stuck in the kitchen.

Either menu I choose, I’m making it easy on myself in the final act of dinner and picking up store-bought cookies to serve with lattes and whiskey drinks for dessert.

Smart eh? That’s my pro tip for you today.

One of my friends is gluten-free so I’m making sure she doesn’t feel left out and creating a gluten-free cookie platter for everyone to enjoy featuring Pamela’s limited edition Buttery Sugar Cookies and Pepperminty Chocolate Cookies.continue to the recipe… about Friday Faves

How to Make an Instagram-Worthy Charcuterie Board

December 11, 2018

Charcuterie boards loaded with all the antipasti snacks have taken over the internet. Here’s my tips for how to make your meat and cheese plates Instagram-worthy, along with a special treat for all to share.

This post is brought to you by DeLallo Foods

‘Tis the season for…charcuterie boards taking over the internet.

Whether it’s a spur of the moment gathering for cocktails and fellowship, or a full-blown party to deck the halls and the tree, a meat and cheese board is the easiest appetizer to pull together fast, and it’s always sure to please.

But how do you make your charcuterie board totally delicious, and at the same time a totally impressive image to show off to all your Instagram friends?

These are my tips for building the best charcuterie meat and cheese board platter that’s almost too good to eat. And I do mean, almost…

But first, I have a treat for you!continue to the recipe… about How to Make an Instagram-Worthy Charcuterie Board

Sesame Soba Noodles

December 10, 2018

This Japanese Sesame Soba Noodles recipe makes a simple Asian side dish or easy main meal that can be served hot or cold, and is on the table in 20 minutes or less.

This recipe is brought to you by Kroger

When we talk about where to go if we’re eating out, 8 out 10 of our favorite spots are going to be Asian. Funny enough, Chinese is probably the lowest on the list, with Thai, Vietnamese, Korean, and of course Japanese all vying for our taste buds top spot.

When we go out to eat, we don’t even think about how complicated a dish might be. But when we cook at home, you can bet your chopstick that simplicity is a big part of our dinner-making decisions.

New Years Day is one day we won’t be heading out anywhere to eat. For us it’s all about taking it easy and cooking at home. Asian noodles are a traditional New Years Day dish, with signifying longevity, good luck, and starting the year with a clean slate. Plus, these soba noodles are light yet savory, and filling enough to cure any of the aftereffects of New Year’s Eve’s shenanigans.

This Sesame Soba Noodle recipe ticks all of our favorite recipe-making boxes. It’s fast. It’s easy. It’s healthy. It’s totally flavorful. And it goes with so many of our favorite mains, and it even makes a main meal all in itself.

continue to the recipe… about Sesame Soba Noodles

Friday Faves Holiday Ed.2

December 7, 2018

Hello my friends, and happy Friday!

It’s been a week of comings and goings and while my Christmas tree went up the day after Thanksgiving, it still stands naked of any ornaments to adorn it. Sunday will be the day I’m taking care of getting on my ho-ho-ho and adorning some Christmas cheer.

But first, I need your help.

Tomorrow is the last day for raising money for my part of the Shred for Red leukemia fundraising drive and I’m short of my goal.

I’m happy to be raising money for blood cancer research in honor of two fellow food bloggers who have young children diagnosed with leukemia, @kadeemorrison of the blog Oh So Delicioso and Deborah Harroun of @tasteandtell.

For Kadee, on the eve of her son Graham’s 2 year anniversary of his leukemia diagnosis, they received the news that her toddler Ian also has leukemia. Ian is still in the hospital fighting his fight.

Deb’s young son was also diagnosed two years ago. Following chemo treatments, steroids and more, he is now thankfully in remission, but always with a watchful eye.

Families like theirs give their everything to fight cancer, will you help fight it too?

Donate to my fundraising campaign to fight Leukemia here.

Did You Enter this Week’s Giveaways?

This past week I shared two giveaways over on Instagram that if you haven’t entered you should:

Enter this cookbook giveaway here and this product giveaway here.

And now, let’s dig into this week’s Friday Faves.continue to the recipe… about Friday Faves Holiday Ed.2

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Easy Instant Pot Monkey Bread

Friday Faves

Do 2019 Different With 25% Off

Easy Shrimp Cocktail

Friday Faves

Mom’s Easy Fudge Recipe

Vegetable Lasagna with Butternut Squash and Shiitake Mushrooms

Friday Faves

How to Make an Instagram-Worthy Charcuterie Board

Sesame Soba Noodles

Friday Faves Holiday Ed.2

Did You Enter this Week’s Giveaways?

Follow @foodiecrush on Instagram

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