Ginger Casa

Tyler, TX blogger - parenting, cooking, DIY-ing, crafting, sports, and life with three boys!

13 Mouthwatering BBQ Recipes for Grilling Season

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BBQ Recipes for Grilling Season

13 mouthwatering bbq recipes for grilling season

We live in Texas and that means that there are very few days that we absolutely cannot bbq on the grill.  We love to grill and experiment with different foods, flavors, and recipes!  I wanted to be prepared for the peak grilling season, which starts in May and runs through the summer.  

I've made a mouthwatering collection of bbq recipes to get you started.  Don't stick with the plain old burgers and hot dogs on the grill.  Think outside of the box with grilled vegetables, cinnamon rolls and even pizza!  The possibilities are endless and usually, anything you can cook inside, you can cook on the grill.  
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All About Disney World! 50+ Tips, Tricks, Recipes and More From The Happiest Place On Earth

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All About Disney World!  50+ Tips, Tricks, Recipes, and More From The Happiest Place on Earth

All About Disney World!

It has been almost a year since our first trip to Walt Disney World.  We still talk about it all of the time and cannot wait until we can go again.  

I have turned to some of my favorite bloggers and compiled an extensive list of everything about the happiest place on earth!  I even included some fun recipes and crafts that you can create at home to make it feel more like the happiest place on earth at your house!  

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The ULTIMATE Valentine’s Day Roundup!

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The ULTIMATE Valentine's Day Roundup

Ultimate Valentine's Day Roundup

One of my favorite blogging communities has done what true communities do best….teamed up and formed the ULTIMATE Valentine's Day Roundup!  The Social Fabric community is full of fantastic bloggers with amazing DIYs, crafts, tutorials, recipes, printables, activities, and more.  This is the best of the best when it comes to Valentine's Day!  Take a look and you are sure to find something that you truly love!

 

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21 Fun, Festive, Flavorful Appetizers – Perfect for Holiday Parties!

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This appetizers post has been brought to you by Foodie.  All opinions are mine.

Check out 21 Fun, Festive, Flavorful Appetizers

by Gena at Foodie.com

Fun, Festive, Flavorful Appetizers

The holidays are officially here!  It seems unreal that next week is Thanksgiving, but it's true!  It is definitely one of my favorite holidays because well….the food is delicious!  I am looking forward to the turkey, dressing, cranberry sauce, and all the other delicious sides, but also the yummy appetizers to eat before the big meal.

 I have collected 21 fun, festive, flavorful appetizers on Foodie and all would be perfect for snacking while the turkey cooks or those Christmas parties that will be happening soon.  Take a look and pick a few favorites before you head to the grocery store.  These recipes are sure to wow your crowd!

What are you serving this year?

27+ Satisfying, Creative Skillet Recipes – Start to Finish in One Skillet!

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27+ Satisfying, Creative Skillet Recipes – Start to Finish in One Skillet!

I recently wrote about my new found love for iron skillets.  They're easy to use, clean, and are healthy to cook in, too.  My iron skillets stay on the stove because I use them all of the time.  Keep them seasoned and they'll be non-stick and ready to use.  My favorite brand of cast iron is Lodge.  (Check out how to season your cast iron and take care of it so it serves you well.)

I have collected 27 great skillet recipes that require only one cast iron skillet to cook.  You can obviously use another type of pan for these recipes, but cast iron is my favorite.  There are breakfast, lunch, and dinner recipes…and even one for dessert!  Check them out and let me know what you think!  Enjoy!

 

One Skillet Pork Chops and Orange Vegetables (pictured)

Bacon Feta Sweet Potato Ribbons

Pepperoni, Avocado, & Sun-Dried Tomato Stovetop Frittata – The West Coast Mommy (pictured)

Skillet Ratatouille – An Ordinary Housewife

Tasty Ham Frittata with Asparagus, Grape Tomatoes, Chives, & Brie – lo-wren (pictured)

Salsa Mac & Cheese – Our Piece of Earth

Homemade Skillet Cheeseburger Macaroni – This Simple Home

Garden Vegetable Beef Skillet – Simply Stacie

Weight Watchers Lime Cilantro Chicken – Penny Pincher Jenny

Easy Gluten Free Paella – Fearless Dining (pictured)

Pizza Pork Chops – A Tipical Day

Cowboy Food – Become A Coupon Queen

Shepherd's Pie – Butter, Basil and Breadcrumbs

Rotini Beef Skillet – Thrifty Jinxy

Chicken Pasta Florentine – Thrifty Jinxy

Red Cabbage, Leek, Brat and Beet Skillet Supper – Farm Fresh Feasts

Tamale Pie with Hatch Chiles – Farm Fresh Feasts

Deep Dish Green Tomato & Goat Cheese Pizza – Farm Fresh Feasts

Roasted Garlic & Fennel Focaccia – Farm Fresh Feasts (pictured)

Roast Potatoes in a Cast Iron Skillet – Amanda's Cookin' (pictured)

Udon Noodle Stir Fry – Slap Dash Mom

Skillet Chicken Alfredo Lasagna Toss – Table For Seven

Creamy Tortellini Skillet – Table For Seven (pictured)

Easy One Skillet Nachos – Stockpiling Moms (pictured)

Mexican Pie – A Virtuous Woman

Farmer's Skillet Hash – The Gracious Wife

One Skillet Breakfast – The Thrifty Couple

Homemade Nectarine Cobbler

Brownies In A Cast Iron Skillet – Amanda's Cookin' (pictured)

 

35 Seafood Recipes For All Ages

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seafood recipes

 

Check out Seafood Recipes For All Ages

by Gena at Foodie.com

Seafood is a healthy way to get lots of vitamins and nutrients and still eat light.  Daddy loves shrimp, the boys live tuna, and I prefer salmon.  It is important to space out your seafood consumption and pay attention to mercury levels.  (I have read that kids shouldn't eat tuna more than once a month because of the mercury.) 

Another important thing to remember is that in any high demand industry, there is going to be fraud.  We should be asking questions like "where was this caught?" "How was it caught?" and "has this seafood been frozen?" Read labels or better yet, but the whole fish and have it cut at meat counter.  Fish is oftentimes switched and sold as a more expensive type of fish and that can be very dangerous. Try to but fish from larger supermarkets, rather than smaller grocery stores. Buying fresh, never frozen, minimally processed seafood helps ensure that what you're getting is what you want.  Expect to pay more because if you want high quality seafood.  Look for responsibly caught fish, like Ocean Naturals, which has a code so you can tell exactly where your tuna was caught.  I think we should be striving to get this kind of honesty about all of the food we buy!
 
What is your favorite seafood recipe?

Chocolate Cheesecake Fruit Dip and Garlic Chicken Fettuccine & Kefir Sauce

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Chocolate Cheesecake Fruit Dip and Garlic Chicken Fettuccine & Kefir Sauce

Chocolate Cheesecake Fruit Dip

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #CollectiveBias #KefirCreations 

If there is one thing our family loves, it is yogurt.  I remember shopping the yogurt section of the grocery store, looking for something new and delicious, when I saw a bottle of blueberry Lifeway Kefir.  I had never heard of kefir before, but I read all of the health benefits on the back of the bottle and decided to give it a try.  After I got home and unloaded the groceries, I gave it a try and it was oh so good.  That was almost two years ago, and I have been hooked on kefir ever since.  It has been especially great for me to get a quick, mess free, protein rich snack in a hurry….no spoon required!  You don't know how truly important that is until you have an infant demanding your time and energy.  We are expected to feed them and care for them at any moment of the day or night, but good luck finding enough time to feed yourself healthy food and get all of the protein and nutrients your body requires to feed them!  Kefir has been a great solution to this problem for me!

If you're not the adventurous food type and you want to know what kefir is before trying it…just think of it as a sweet and tangy yogurt drink, the "Champagne of Dairy."  Kefir originated in Eastern Europe over 2,000 years ago.  It contains 12 live and active probiotic cultures that help support the digestive and immune systems.  It is high in calcium and protein, as you would guess, and such a delicious way to keep your body healthy!

Hubby and I love to indulge in cheesecake, so I created a delicious Chocolate Cheesecake Fruit Dip, made with Lifeway Kefir.  So it has the satisfying cheescake flavor with all of the goodness that kefir provides!

Chocolate Cheesecake Fruit Dip

Ingredients:

  • 4 Tbsp Madagascar Vanilla Lifeway Kefir Cultured Milk Smoothie
  • 8 oz cream cheese, room temperature
  • 4 Tbsp coconut sugar (can be substituted with your favorite sugar)
  • 2 tsp cocoa powder

Directions:

  1. Mix kefir and cream cheese together in a mixer until smooth and creamy.
  2. Add in sugar and cocoa powder and mix well.
  3. Serve with your favorite fruit, graham crackers, etc.

Lifeway Kefir makes a great Chocolate Cheesecake Fruit Dip!

I have found that any recipe that calls for milk, buttermilk, or yogurt, kefir can be substituted instead.  Keep in mind that when you cook kefir, the probiotic benefits are lost, but Lifeway Kefir is still gluten and GMO free, 99% lactose free, and never contains artificial sweeteners, which makes it a healthier option for my family.  We have made banana muffins with kefir, and also this delicious Garlic Chicken with Fettuccine & Kefir Sauce:

Garlic Chicken With Fettuccine & Kefir Sauce

Ingredients for Garlic Chicken:

  • two chicken breasts
  • garlic powder
  • grapeseed oil
  • salt

Directions for Garlic Chicken:

  1. Set oven to 400º.
  2. Place chicken breasts in a glass dish.
  3. Drizzle grapeseed oil on chicken breasts.
  4. Sprinkle salt and garlic powder, as much or as little as you like, over the chicken breasts.
  5. Cook for about an hour, until the house is filled with the smell of yummy garlic and the center is no longer pink.

Ingredients for Fettuccine and Kefir Sauce:

  • one package of fettuccine
  • 2 Tbsp butter
  • 1/2 purple onion, diced
  • 1/2 tsp garlic
  • 1 cup of Plain Lifeway Kefir Cultured Lowfat Milk Smoothie
  • 1 cup of heavy cream
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/4 tsp pepper
  • 1 Tbsp corn starch (optional, for thickening)

Directions for Fettuccine and Kefir Sauce:

  1. Cook fettuccine according to package instructions.
  2. Sauté purple onions in butter until they are cooked and clear.
  3. Add in garlic and cook for an additional minute.
  4. Add plain kefir, cream, salt, and pepper.
  5. Stir continually on medium heat until sauce thickens.
  6. Sprinkle corn starch and stir in if your sauce is not thick enough for your liking.
  7. Serve sliced chicken and kefir sauce over fettuccine noodles and enjoy!

​If you'd like to try kefir or stock up for your favorite recipe, sign up for money saving coupons at the Lifeway Kefir website!  

How do you enjoy kefir?  If you have not tried it, do you have any delicious recipes in mind to try it in?

Yummy NO BAKE Snacks for Kids (and Adults!)

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recipes

It's hot (if you haven't noticed!)  Cookies and oven baked treats are yummy, but I want nothing to do with the oven this time of year.  Yet, somehow, the kids are still hungry, as am I.  So, I rounded up a few no bake snacks that are delicious and won't heat up your kitchen!  There are a lot of yummy treats to choose from, so enjoy! 

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Twenty Zucchini and Yellow Squash Recipes

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Twenty Zucchini and Yellow Squash Recipes

I'm thrilled because our garden is taking off!  We are harvesting about 3-6 zucchini and squash a day and while that may not sound like a lot, when it's really just 2 of us that eat a lot of it, it really is.  We have been giving some away, but I also have been looking for zucchini and yellow squash recipes that our family will actually eat, because steamed and stir fried gets really old, really quickly.  Here is a round up of some yummy recipes, just in time for the summer bounty!

Zucchini Lasagna – The Kid's Fun Review

Zucchini Lasagna

Blue Cheese Steak with Marinated Zucchini – Let's Go On A Picnic

Caro's Squash/Zucchini Casserole Recipe – Carolyn In Carolina

Lightened Up Zucchini Chips – About A Mom

Creamy Zucchini "Pasta" with Tomato – Simply Stacie

Turkey and Zucchini Lasagna – Simmworks Family Blog

Turkey Chili with Beans – Simmworks Family Blog

Tomato Zucchini Soup – Simmworks Family Blog

Baked Spaghetti with Hidden Veggies

Grilled Squash and Zucchini

Cinnamon Zucchini Waffles – The Bewitchin' Kitchen

Chocolate Zucchini Muffins – The Bewitchin' Kitchen

Wholesome Morning Glory Muffins – Mommy Snippets

Healthy Zucchini Oat Nut Cookies – Mommy Snippets

Zucchini Muffins – Texas Type A Mom

Easy Chocolate Zucchini Cake – Thrifty Recipes

Double Chocolate Zucchini Bread – Simmworks Family Blog

Chocolate Zucchini Bread – Canadian Moms Cook

Zucchini Bread – Celebrating Family

(all pictures used with permission)

Delicious Meals to Make with Beans

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I've been sitting here for awhile, trying to think of a great title for this post.  "Beans, Beans, The Magical Fruit"?  no…..  "Beans:  The Versatile Legumes"?  I know beans aren't the most mouth watering thing and they get a bad rap for digestional…."issues," but they really are versatile and can be used in many delicious recipes.  Black, kidney, pinto, and more….beans are good for you!

I like to grab a bag of black or pinto beans and cook them up to have on hand through the week and just store them in the fridge in glass jars. They're MUCH cheaper that way and you don't get all of the BPA from the inside of the cans.  You'll know exactly what you're eating and they freeze really well, too!  They're super simple to make and I don't even mess with all that soaking jazz…I just do the "quick soak" method, add some salt, and they're yummy.  Baby D LOVES freshly cooked beans, just as they are.  But, if you need a little more inspiration than just plain ol' beans…I've gathered a few recipes that you're sure to enjoy.  

**Note:  one regular sized can usually equals about 1 1/2 to 2 cups of cooked beans.**

recipes

  1. Spicy Casserole
  2. Three Bean Taco Soup
  3. Grace's Black Bean Pie Recipe – RuralMom.com
  4. Grilled Chicken With Black Beans – My Frugal Wife
  5. Best Black Bean Dip – Moms & Munchkins (scroll down for recipe)
  6. Tex Mex Lasagna – Close To Home
  7. Crock Pot Tortilla Soup – Close To Home
  8. Buildable Slow Cooker Chili – Saving More Than Me
  9. Taco Soup With Next-Day Soft Tacos by Wholly Guacamole – Savings in Seconds
  10. Refried Black Beans – Perfectly Imperfect Homemaking (she makes her beans in a pressure cooker!)

​Do you have a great bean recipe to share?  Link up in the comments!

beans

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