Spicy Italian Style Jambalaya

This Spicy Italian Style Jambalaya is the perfect fusion of classic Italian flavors and the spiciness & kick that you expect from Cajun cuisine...

This post is sponsored by Ragu. All thoughts & opinions expressed below are 100% my own.

One thing that my family and I love is spicy... all the spicy foods. Even my almost 4 year old loves them. Whether it is chili or wings or jambalaya, I always find myself cranking up the heat level just a tad & the entire family loves it. So when Ragu contacted me about giving their new Spicy Italian Style sauce a spin in my kitchen, it was pretty much a no-brainer for me. Spicy and Italian? Sold! ;)

We have recently become obsessed with homemade jambalaya, so I thought why not a spicy Italian twist on this new family favorite? This Spicy Italian Style Jambalaya is the perfect fusion of classic Italian flavors and the spiciness & kick that you expect from Cajun cuisine. And the addition of Ragu's Spicy Italian Style sauce ensures that this jambalaya comes together quickly and easily making it perfect for busy weeknights...

Easy Cheesy Broccoli Chicken Soup

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Campbell Soup Company. 

All opinions are 100% mine.

Some of my favorite weeknight dinner recipes all have five things in common-

1. They are ready in 30 minutes or less, from start to finish.
2. They require 5 ingredients or less to make.
3. Need very little prep (if any at all) ahead of time. 
4. They are made in just one pot or dish (ahem- easy & quick clean-up!).
5. Everyone one in the family loves them.

Folks, this Easy Cheesy Broccoli Chicken Soup meets all five of those requirements. This has to be one of the easiest weeknight soups that I have ever served to my family, and it is all thanks to Campbell’s® Cheesy Broccoli Cheddar Oven Sauce. It just so happens to be the secret ingredient in this simple & satisfying soup recipe... ;)

Giovanni Burgers

Juicy burgers are topped with sauteed peppers in sauce & American cheese in these easy to make Tuscan inspired Giovanni Burgers...

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

Something that I have really come to appreciate about my blogging over the years is that it affords me the opportunity to share with you all some of my family's most cherished recipes and local favorites from my hometown and state. 

The North Central area of West Virginia has a rich & flavorful history of Italian immigrants, and the local food scene here definitely reflects that deep Italian influence. One item that you are sure to find on the menu of just about any local, family owned restaurant or eatery in this area is a Giovanni Burger. 

A Giovanni Burger is the perfect melding of Italian influence, American classics, and resourcefulness in producing a delicious sandwich that is also budget friendly. 

Traditionally a Giovanni is a grilled hamburger topped with American cheese & locally made peppers in sauce that is sandwiched between two slices of thickly sliced & toasted Italian bread or Texas toast. 

Since I know that the homemade sauce & peppers is something that is local to my area, I decided why not make a version of the Giovanni with my one of my favorite Tuscan Inspired Bertolli sauces that just about anyone could pick up at their local Kroger no matter which state that they happen to live in? ;) 

Chipotle Sausage Skillet Mac

This creamy, smoky and sweet, and healthier weeknight pasta dinner can be on your table in under 40 minutes...

Do you all ever get stuck in the weeknight dinner rut? You have some good ole stand-by dinner recipes that are perfect for busy weeknights, but you come home and even the usual favorites don't sound good. And then you start to reach for that phone or those car keys to order in or run out to pick up a pizza. Sound familiar? ;) 

If so, then you will love the recipe that I am sharing with you all today!  All you need is around 40 minutes to get this flavorful and creamy Chipotle Sausage Skillet Mac on your dinner table. And the best part? Since it is made with your favorite Hillshire Farms smoked sausage, there is no need to worry about making sure you have chicken defrosting for dinner before you leave the house in the morning.

This Chipotle Sausage Skillet Mac is creamy, hearty, smoky & sweet, and sure to please every member of your family...

Weeknight Meat Sauce with Rigatoni

This rich & hearty Weeknight Meat Sauce with Rigatoni simmers away all day in your slow cooker & is ready to serve when you get home...

A big thank you to America's Test Kitchen for partnering with me today to bring you all this recipe for a flavorful and hearty slow cooked Weeknight Meat Sauce with Rigatoni.

There are definitely evenings after a particularly busy or trying day that it is totally appropriate to pop open some of that jarred pasta sauce, boil some noodles, and call it a night. Trust me, you all... I have been there. 

Several times. 

But let's be real- nothing can really beat a good homemade pasta sauce. And this Weeknight Meat Sauce with Rigatoni courtesy of America's Test Kitchen's Healthy Slow Cooker Revolution cookbook is definitely no exception to that rule.

Now this one does require a little prep in the morning, but you can make quick work of this by prepping the chopped onion and minced garlic the night before.  Typically I am not a fan of slow cooker recipes that require a lot of cooking before actually slow cooking, but trust me on this- the little bit of pre-saute work this recipe requires is worth it, friends. 

It builds layers upon layers of flavor, from the golden onions and garlic to the deglazing from the wine to the browning of the meat. It gives this hearty sauce all the flavor of a traditional long-simmered meat sauce minus most of the fat and extra calories...

Black, Bleu, & Bacon Rice Casserole

I am partnering with Success® Rice today to bring you all this delicious family-pleasing Black, Bleu, & Bacon Casserole perfect for a busy weeknight...

If your family's weeknights are anything like the ones that we have in this house, then you are probably always on the lookout for weeknight friendly dinner ideas that go beyond the usual pizza, take-out, and quick frozen meals.  And let's face it- we are always searching for just about anything that can actually be claimed as homemade and can be on the dinner table in less than an hour.

And that is where Success® Rice can become your new weeknight dinner best friend. Their no-mess boil-in-bag rices can be ready in just 10 minutes- perfect for any quick weeknight dinner idea that you may have!  You can make their rices on the stove top or in your microwave. Plus, it is totally cool if they hang out up to 30 minutes in hot water while you prep the rest of your dinner.

And forget the standard chicken and rice casseroles! Not when you can have your favorite burger in a rice casserole form, like this simple yet flavorful Black, Bleu, & Bacon Rice Casserole... 

Cream Cheese Chicken Quesadillas

Even restaurant chicken quesadillas pale in comparison to this creamy, tasty make-at-home version...

Sometimes the most loved family dinners come about when you decide to tackle a new dinner recipe, get lazy, and then improvise.

Such was the case with these amazingly simple and delicious Cream Cheese Chicken Quesadillas.

I had made these Cream Cheese Chicken Taquitos from Dimples & Delights a couple of times before when I set out to make them for a third time one fall evening.  

But it had just been one of those days where baby girl insisted on doing the very opposite of just about everything that I had asked her to do, and this mama was running out of juice... and most importantly, patience. 

The thought of rolling taquitos and heating oil, and trying to prevent the frying taquitos from burning while a wild child toddler was on the loose just didn't appeal to me that evening.

The husband had just got home from work and unbeknownst to me, he happens to be a world class quesadilla flipper from his years of working the grill at a restaurant during his college years. ;)

I was more than happy to hand off dinner cooking duties to him that evening.  So instead of fried taquitos, the chicken mixture and flour tortillas became pan toasted quesadillas.

And the result was some of the best quesadillas that have ever landed on our dinner table... or any table for that matter!  

Yes, folks. Even restaurant chicken quesadillas pale in comparison to this creamy, tasty make-at-home version...

Secret Ingredient Slow Cooker Beef Stroganoff {A Recipe Makeover}

This creamy & comforting Secret Ingredient Slow Cooker Beef Stroganoff is sure to quickly become a family favorite...

It seems like us food bloggers are ever on a chase for the best natural light in our homes. And as the days grow shorter and the dark comes sooner each evening, it becomes more and more of a challenge to find the perfect lighting for shooting food.  

Sure, there are special light lamps and reflectors and light boxes and all that to help recreate the effects of natural light, but I have a preference for shooting my recipes in 100% natural, flattering light.