Trader Joe’s Tacos

August 14, 2019

Picking up groceries at Trader Joe’s & need some dinner ideas? Try these ground beef Trader Joe’s Tacos! They’re inexpensive and easy to make in just 15 minutes!

I’m also sharing how to make the recipe gluten free and vegetarian with simple Trader Joe’s substitutions!

Ground beef tacos with avocado and tomatoes

Ground beef tacos were a staple in my house growing up. They were quick and easy and something the entire family loved. Luckily Kurt shares my families love of ground beef tacos. So they still make it in the regular menu rotation at our house.

When I’m in a pinch and need something quick and easy for dinner, I stop at Trader Joe’s and grab the ingredients for my favorite ground beef tacos. Crunchy lettuce, creamy avocado and Trader Joe’s Hatch Chili Salsa are key to the best ground beef tacos!

Before I started making my own Taco Seasoning at home, Trader Joe’s Taco Seasoning was my go-to. It contains no artificial ingredients or preservatives and it’s gluten free.

Trader Joe’s Taco Seasoning packets contain sea salt, cumin, cayenne pepper, cane sugar, paprika, onion, garlic, black pepper, red bell pepper, oregano, chili pepper and smoked paprika. Yay for ingredients we know and love!

Making these ground beef tacos from Trader Joe’s is also cost effective. Everything needed for these tacos can be purchased for $13.13. This recipe serves 4 so that comes out to $3.28 per person! Affordable, easy to make and delicious, a winning combo!

Read the full post here!

Buffalo Chicken Tacos

August 13, 2019

Shredded chicken tossed with tangy buffalo sauce, tucked inside warm tortillas, topped with a creamy cilantro lime sauce, life doesn’t get much better than these Buffalo Chicken Tacos!

This easy recipe is made in just 29 minutes, perfect for weeknight dinners! Take these tacos to an entire other level of buffalo sauciness by serving them with Buffalo Queso Dip!

Three buffalo chicken tacos on white plate with side small bowl of buffalo sauce

Over the years, I’ve been given the nickname “The Queen of Buffalo Sauce”. My love of the hot sauce has been apparent since day one on the blog. This recipe for Buffalo Chicken Cheesy Penne was one of the first recipes I ever posted on the blog. And it was the first of dozens of buffalo sauce recipes that I would share over the years.

Buffalo sauce is flavorful, tangy and low in calories, vegan and gluten free (most brands!) making it a healthy sauce choice. I generally use Frank’s Red Hot Buffalo Sauce. I love the flavor and it’s vegan, gluten free and contains ZERO calories!

In this recipe, I’m using buffalo sauce to make homemade Buffalo Chicken Tacos. What’s not to love? First and foremost, they’re tacos and I’ve yet to meet a taco I didn’t love! Second, they’re saucy, flavorful, quick and easy to make!

I served the tacos topped with pepper jack cheese, slaw and creamy cilantro lime sauce. But the great thing about tacos is that you can make them your own. Swap out the pepper jack cheese for blue cheese or the cilantro lime sauce for ranch dressing. Add some avocado or shredded lettuce instead of the slaw.

No matter how you top these tacos, I guarantee they’ll be a hit in your kitchen!

Read the full post here!

Creamy Avocado Salsa

August 8, 2019

This amazing Creamy Avocado Salsa recipe is easy to make in just 5 minutes! It’s vegan, gluten free & perfect for tacos, grilled chicken, nachos or a delicious dip for chips!

Try it on Chipotle Honey Pulled Pork Tacos, Veggie Fajita Rice Bowls or Low Carb Nachos!

Tortilla chip being dipped into a bowl of avocado salsa

I first made this salsa by accident in 2013. I literally added a bunch of stuff to a blender to make a quick salsa for tamales. This ended up being the best salsa ever!

This avocado salsa quickly became known by my friends as “awesome sauce”. I was constantly being asked if I had any “awesome sauce” when they would come to visit.

Needless to say, this awesome green sauce has been made dozens of times since 2013. And I’ve added it to all of my favorite Mexican food dishes! From tacos to nachos to enchiladas, this avocado dip is truly incredible on just about anything!

It is on the slightly spicy side, which I love! But if you don’t like spicy food, just take a look at the notes in the recipe card below. I’ll show you how to tone it down a bit… or a lot!

Think of it as creamy avocado salsa verde! Instead of tomatillos as the base, this salsa uses avocados as the base. But it still incorporates all of the delicious herbs and peppers, like in a salsa verde!

One of the best parts about this salsa, besides just how awesome it is, is that it’s made in just 5 minutes! Literally toss all of the ingredients in a blender and puree. Next thing you know, you have the best, most creamy avocado salsa EVER!

Read the full post here!

Three Cheese Manicotti with Italian Sausage Marinara

August 7, 2019

Three Cheese Manicotti with Italian Sausage Marinara is the BEST manicotti recipe out there! It’s saucy, cheesy and downright delicious! Manicotti shells are stuffed with ricotta, mozzarella and parmesan cheese, then covered in a delicious Italian sausage and red wine marinara sauce. 

Serve this baked manicotti recipe with Cheesy Garlic Bread Nachos and Crispy Eggplant Caprese Salad for one seriously scrumptious Italian feast! 

Baked manicotti in casserole dish topped with fresh basil leaves

I am TOTALLY obsessed with this manicotti recipe! It’s full of my favorite things, cheesy filled pasta, flavorful Italian sausage and rich, hearty marinara sauce. It was also the first dish I ever made Kurt and is still his most requested recipe on the blog!

In this dish, I combined tomatoes with Italian sausage and Italian seasoning to make a hearty, flavorful sauce for the manicotti. Speaking of the manicotti, it’s stuffed FULL of delicious cheeses! This dish is one cheesy, flavorful good time!

While it does take a little time to prep, you can easily double the recipe and freeze one dish for later. I always do this because it’s Kurt’s favorite recipe! And anytime that I can save time on a future dinner, I’m totally in!

Read the full post here!

Cilantro Pesto Risotto

August 6, 2019

Cilantro pesto adds a flavorful twist to this vegetarian & gluten free pesto risotto recipe! It’s easy to make on the stovetop or in an Instant Pot. This pesto risotto is great as a main dish with veggies mixed in and easily made vegan. It’s also the perfect side dish for chicken, shrimp or salmon!

Pesto risotto in bowl with lime wedges on the side

Creamy, flavorful risotto is one of my favorite dishes ever! Since the dish is traditionally Italian, I had never thought about giving risotto a Mexican twist. That is until I had Cilantro Pesto Risotto as a side dish at a Mexican restaurant.

While I love Restaurant Style Mexican Rice, it’s fun to switch things up. Especially when you eat as much Mexican food as I do!

This Cilantro Pesto Risotto goes with so many dishes. And it’s easy to make on the stovetop or in an Instant Pot. (Seriously Instant Pot Risotto changed my life!)

The first time I made this risotto, I served it topped with Chili Lime Garlic Shrimp. Since then, I’ve served it topped with Chipotle Lime Chicken Fajita Skewers and Beef Barbacoa. I’ve also served it as a side dish with tacos, enchiladas and fajitas.

It’s a versatile dish that’s delicious with any Mexican meal. You can even substitute the Cilantro Pesto for a more traditional Basil Pesto and serve it with your favorite Italian meal! The bottom line is, pesto + risotto = a match made in foodie heaven! If you love risotto, you’re going to love this fun spin on the dish!

Read the full post here!