Attempting to be a Super Mom

I found this recipe at Simply Happy Foodie . There are several variations of recipes much like this one in most cookbooks, and recipe websites. It’s a favorite in my house. Especially since the ingredients in this soup are mostly things that we keep on hand all the time and they usually keep for a long time. Instant Pot Sausage and White Bean Soup 2 tsp olive oil 1 1/2 lbs Smoked Kielbasa Sausage (I use apple Gouda chicken sausages) sliced in 1” thick rounds 1 large yellow onion, chopped 1 large bay leaf 4 carrots, chopped 3 select stalks, chopped 4 sprigs fresh thyme (or 1/2 tsp dried) 1 4” long sprig of fresh rosemary 1/4 tsp Oregano, dried 4 cloves garlic, pressed or minced 1/2 tsp pepper 5 cups chicken stock 2 cans white beans 3 cups fresh baby spinach or chopped kale Salt to taste (add after cooking as it may not need it) Turn the pot to sauté. Let the oil heat up and add the sausage. Let it sit and brown for a few minutes to brown and then stir. Lightly brown on all sides. Add th

 Ok, when my husband sent me this recipe, the name threw me off a little. I thought how on earth can this be everything I want it to be? Well, I paired it with a salad and some fruit and we had maybe a small bowl of leftovers. I think every kid got seconds. My husband and son might have even gotten 3rds. This recipe came from  365 Days of Crockpot  and is not one to be looked over. Here’s how I adjusted it for our family. Instant Pot Creamy Potato Hamburger Soup 1 1/4 lb ground beef 1 onion, diced 1 tsp garlic 3/4 tsp salt 6 cups chicken stock 8ish yellow potatoes, peeled and cubed 4 carrots, sliced 4 celery ribs, sliced 1 tbsp dried basil 2 tsp dried parsley 1 1/2 (8 ounce) bricks of cream cheese 1 1/2 cups warmed milk 3 tbsp cornstarch Salt and pepper to taste Turn your instant pot to sauté and brown the ground beef and onion with the garlic and salt. Once cooked, drain off any extra grease. Add the chicken stock and scrape the bottom of the pot. Add the potatoes, carrots, celery, ba

I was struck with a crazy craving for a Greek cucumber salad. When I found this recipe at  The Salty Marshmallow  I was excited. The best part though, is that my kids actually got excited by it too and my daughters found out that they actually love cucumbers now.  Greek Cucumber Salad For the salad 2 large cucumbers, sliced (we usually cut them in half as well) A package of cherry tomatoes, halved 1/2 red onion, halved and sliced 1/4 cup kalamata olives, pitted and sliced 1/4 - 1/3 cup feta cheese For the dressing 1/4 cup olive oil Juice of one lemon 1/2 tsp garlic powder 1/2 tsp dried oregano  1/2 tsp dried basil Salt and Pepper to taste Place the cucumber, tomatoes, onion, and olives in a large bowl and set aside. In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, garlic powder, oregano, basil, salt and pepper. Pour the dressing over the salad, then toss, and put in the fridge for 30 minutes. Top with feta before serving.

I’ve gotten so bad at many things as life has gotten more busy. Throw in a pandemic and 4 kids remote schooling and everything I really enjoy doing has going to the wayside. My reading was a struggle, crocheting hasn’t happened in months. I did a little embroidery for a week or two, but quickly ran out of time for that. Blogging, vlogging, photography, etc has been non existent. Cooking, which I usually love, has really become a major chore. When I do cook something that we love, I usually lose the recipe in my long open list of tabs on my phone, iPad, or computer. I was a hot mess before the pandemic, but now, I’m a hot mess unable to get off of the struggle bus that has become life.  Ok, well I have decided that I don’t know how much life posts I will have here, but I do know that I need a place to put our loved recipes. So, I’m going start that now. Sharing my family’s favorite recipes we’ve found all over the internet with everyone else, in one place so I can find it again and agai