recipes – Page 2 – Remaking Homemaking

Homemade Fresh Pineapple Salsa (Gluten Free)

November 5, 2019November 22, 2019 by krichards2012, posted in recipes

For football and holiday parties season, I am always looking for delicious recipes that are easy to make, loving to my budget, and most importantly, DELICIOUS. I finally found my perfect fresh salsa that is a game changer!

One thing you will learn about me is I love sweet and spicy foods! I stumbled upon this recipe from a usual happenstance; a family party, needing to bring a food item, struggling in the bank, and going to my kitchen to piece together something that’s cheap, easy, and most importantly, delicious!

This fresh pineapple salsa recipe is now a staple in my kitchen, my family parties, and my life! I no longer even can tolerate the thought of buying store bought salsa when I have this recipe at my fingertips!

My husband is obsessed, my sister steals the leftovers, and I can’t get enough! What’s also great about this salsa recipe is that like so many other fine things in life, it gets better with age! I love to have this salsa as a healthy snack (with some delicious tortilla chips), paired alongside some homemade quesadillas, or with my easy burrito casserole (which I will be posting soon so stay posted!)

Enough talk about this salsa, it’s time to hurry and try it so you can truly begin living!

Fresh Pineapple Salsa Recipe

What you will need:

20 oz can of pineapples (chunk or whole it doesn’t matter)
4 oz can of diced green chilis
14.5 oz can of diced tomatoes
1 tbsp minced garlic
1 tbsp diced pickled jalapenos
1 tbsp red chili paste
1/2 orange bell peppers
1/2 red onion
1/4 cup cilantro (fresh)

Dry Seasonings for salsa:

3/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp cumin (dried)

Directions for Salsa Recipe:

For this recipe I use my countertop sized food processor that makes cooking so much easier! It’s quickly put together, you just press the lid to pulse, and it’s easy cleanup!

Drain the can of pineapples and tomatoes and pulse together in the food processor. When desired consistency is met (I like my salsa very smooth), then remove mixture and place in a bowl and set aside.

Roughly chop bell peppers, onion, and cilantro and place in food processor. Add minced garlic, red chili paste, jalapenos, and green chilis. Pulse together until smooth and then add to tomato and pineapple mixture!

Stir well, add in all of the dry seasonings, and serve!

You can eat right away (if you can’t wait) or it tastes best when refridgerated for about 24 hours! The longer it sits, the more delicious it gets!

I hope you find this fresh pineapple salsa recipe easy, delicious, and a new staple in your homes as well! Let me know what you think, and as usual, Happy Homemaking!!!

Stylish and Eye Catching Pioneer Woman 3 Cup Stack & Press Glass Bowl Chopper Fiona Floral,Speeds up Food Prep by Taking Care of the Chopping,Mincing and Mixing for You

Crockpot vs Instant Pot: What’s the Deal?

November 3, 2019November 22, 2019 by krichards2012, posted in life, recipes

Definitely a question I have been asked before: what’s better? The crockpot or the instant pot? Let’s talk about pros, cons, and truths!

Okay, so the picture may be having you question some things about me. But to help clear up any confusion, I have posed with my crockpot and instant pot for one reason: THEY ARE MY LIFE.

To compare the two would be akin to comparing your children: you love them both equally, for different reasons! So this post is not so much why you should purchase or own a crock pot versus an instant pot, but really my argument as to why BOTH are necessary for the modern homemaking mama!

Crock pot

Let’s start with O’ Faithful, the crock pot. So surely you have one of these in your home (whether it gets used or not). They are often a staple for the bridal shower or home warming part because so many have seen the benefits of having one. They are pretty affordable, even for the budgeter, which makes it definitely a must have kitchen tool. If you don’t have one, I am holding my Pioneer Woman crock pot which I LOVE because they have so many different prints to choose from. But all crockpots are awesome and totally worth investing in.

But let’s talk about practicality. The crockpot opens soooo many doors for your home-cooking and is perfect for the busy stay-at-home mama or working mama. Whether you stay home or are working, finding the time to get dinner planned and cooked is always tough on these hectic days of doing every day tasks and taking care of your family. With the crock pot you can make so many delicious recipes, from overnight breakfast oats, slow-cooked pot roasts, and even decadent deserts! The crockpot is ideal for the working mama who can put the meal in during the morning rush and come home to a hot, finished meal!

Some of my favorite crock pot meals are classic pot roast, chili, vegetable soup, and French dip sandwiches! I don’t know what it is, but there is just something so satisfying about a crock pot meal; they are so warm and cozy, it just makes you feel at home and comforted!

So, all of this to say. Get a crockpot or start putting the one hiding in your cabinet in the box to use! They make your life so much easier.

Hamilton Beach 8-Quart Programmable Slow Cooker With Digital Timer, Dishwasher-Safe Crock & Lid, Silver (33480)

Instant pot

Here’s the thing. When I first heard of the instant pot, I rolled my eyes thinking, oh great another fad to spend money on that I will use once and then it will collect dust in the cabinet (like the air fryer for me). Everyone at my job was raving about it and honestly I was too timid to try it.

However, Pioneer Woman came out with an instant pot which peaked my curiosity (because I want to own everything she makes; I know I have a problem, pray for my husband). So I asked for one for Christmas and thus, my cooking truly life began.

After being afraid of using the instant pot (due to scary stories posted on social media) I finally took the step to try my first intant pot recipe! I tried an Instant Pot Cubed Steak recipe that was so quick and delicious it blew my mind and changed my life forever!

So the instant pot is pretty much a pressure cooking tool that also has soooo many different uses! There is actually a slow cooking mode on it that allows it to act like a crock pot if you need it to! But what would take the crock pot 8 hours to make, your instant pot can cook in 1 hour (yes you read that correctly).

It makes your meal taste as though it has been cooking all day, and yet some recipes take only around 10 minutes (like my gluten free tomato soup you can find in my recipes). Not only can it cook meals quickly, but you can make hard boiled eggs in 5 minutes, cook baked potatoes in 10 minutes, and even fully cook chicken and pork in 12 minutes!

I mean, it is definitely worth investing in (even though it can seem pricey to some). It made my life so much easier as a wife, mama, and full-time student when I was getting my master’s degree.

Get you an instant pot, I promise it is worth it!

Instant Pot DUO60 6 Qt 7-in-1 Multi-Use Programmable Pressure Cooker, Slow Cooker, Rice Cooker, Steamer, Sauté, Yogurt Maker and Warmer

crock pot vs. instant pot

My final statement is that there is no versus between the two there is only that the crock pot and the instant pot are necessary for the modern day homemaking mama.

I use my crockpot when I have a busy afternoon planned (because you still have kitchen prep with the instant pot) and I use my instant pot when I want a delicious meal cooked in such a little time (or I forgot to plan or start a dinner that takes too long to cook).

Stop letting busy days and no time lead you to fast food meals and spending way too much money on eating out (this was our life before), and start using tools that make your life easier and also makes your home feel a little more like home with delicious home-cooked meals and dinners around the table.

Let me know what you think, some of your favorite crock pot and instant pot meals, and most of all: Happy homemaking!

Egg Roll in a Bowl (Gluten Free)

November 2, 2019November 22, 2019 by krichards2012, posted in recipes

Y’ALL. This recipe is a game changer for me! I love Asian food; Chinese, Japanese, you name it, it’s my favorite food. However, when I went gluten free I felt like I lost the opportunity to just go to the Chinese restaurant and get what I want. So I had to learn how to make it at home (which those recipes will come soon). However, I have yet to attempt a gluten free egg roll because… how? So! This recipe is perfect for a gluten free, low carb lunch that reminds you of those delicious egg rolls (that sometimes are just a tad too greasy)! It’s also super easy and customizable to whatever your taste is! I found this recipe and made it my own and I’m so excited to share it with you. Let’s get to it!

Egg Roll in a Bowl

What you will need:

1 lbs ground meat (beef, pork, or chicken) (my favorite is chicken)
1 package of slaw mix
2 stalks of celery (diced)
5 stalks of green onion (3 diced for mixture, 2 for topping)
1 tbsp minced garlic
2 tbsp soy sauce (Gluten Free)
1 tbsp red chili paste or siracha (add more or less depending on your spice level)
1 tbsp honey
1 tsp sesame oil
1 tsp vegetable oil
1 tbsp rice wine vinegar
sesame seeds (for topping, optional)

Dry Seasonings:

1 tsp ground black pepper
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp ginger (dried or sub 1 tbsp fresh ginger)
1/4 tsp allspice (optional but super delicious)
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp onion powder

Directions:

In a soup pan or deep sauté pan, heat sesame and vegetable oil to medium-high heat. Toss in diced celery, green onion, and minced garlic and stir. Then toss in minced meat of choice, chopping up finely with spatula to make it very fine. Once the meat is mostly cooked, add in slaw mix and stir. Then add the following: soy sauce, red chili paste, honey, rice wine vinegar, and all dry seasonings. Stir well and cook until the cabbage in the slaw mix is cooked down and softened! When done, put in a bowl and top with dice green onions and sesame seeds!

Total cook time takes about 25 minutes of prep and cooking! It’s so fast and easy, and most importantly super delicious.

I hope you enjoy this recipe! Comment with your thoughts and pictures and let me know how it went! Love you guys and happy homemaking!

Homemade Tomato Soup (GF)

November 2, 2019November 22, 2019 by krichards2012, posted in recipes

Finally! It is fall time and we can stuff ourselves with all of the soups. All of them. If you’re gluten free, it is hard to find affordable soups that don’t have gluten in them! And if you can, a lot of the time they are so bland and tasteless! If you’re not gluten free, you probably don’t want all those soups that are high on sodium and preservatives. And let’s be real, organic food is soooo expensive.

I am gung-ho on yummy food that is also easy AND most importantly, affordable! So this recipe is one for you! It’s delicious, warm, filling, delicious, easy, and did I mention delicious? Now, I made this soup in my instant-pot (Pioneer woman because I’m obsessed), so if you do not have one I seriously urge you to invest in one! It is worth every dime! But if you still want to make this recipe just do it on the stove top in a deep pot! I will attach a link to the instant-pot I have, it’s so amazing. I’m just saying.

Instant Pot DUO60 6 Qt 7-in-1 Multi-Use Programmable Pressure Cooker, Slow Cooker, Rice Cooker, Steamer, Sauté, Yogurt Maker and Warmer

So here it goes!

Homemade Tomato Soup

What you will need:

3 cans of diced tomatoes
2 roma tomatoes (diced)
1/2 onion (diced) (Vidalia is my favorite but you can use any kind)
2 stalks of celery (diced)
1/2 roasted red pepper (diced) (I use canned, it’s delicious)
1 tbsp pesto (trust me, it adds THE best flavor)
2 cups of chicken broth (if GF, make sure you get GF broth)
1/2 cup milk
1 tbsp kethup (again, trust me)
1 tbsp butter

Dry Seasonings:

1.5 tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper (I use restaurant grind)
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp celery salt
2 tsp basil (dried)
1 tbsp granulated sugar or honey

Directions:

Set your instant pot to sauté mode and add 1 tbsp of butter (I prefer to use butter over oil in soup so that it isn’t oily in your mouth!). Add in diced onion, celery, canned tomatoes, roma tomatoes, roasted red peppers and minced garlic. Stir around and let the veg get soft! Then add in 1 tbsp of pesto (if wanted) and stir around in softening vegetables. Add in chicken broth and all dry seasonings above.

Put on the instant pot lid and MAKE SURE YOU TURN IT TO SEALING! If you do not seal then you won’t build pressure and the whole point is to get a soup that tastes like you’ve cooked it for hours when it’s only in the pot for 10 MINUTES… that’s right. 10 Minutes! Turn off the sauté mode and hit “Manual” for 10 minutes. It will take some time and make some noise as it builds pressure, and all you have to do is chill!

When it’s done, do a quick release (be careful) and let all of the steam stop before attempting to open. Now for this next part you can either use an immersion blender or a counter top blender! But it is necessary for the best texture to blend the soup! When you open the instant pot, you will notice there are still chunks of veggies and it doesn’t quite look like tomato soup! Take the immersion blender and blend until desired texture is found! If you are using a countertop blender, you can ladle in portions of the soup until it is all blended and return to pot. Once blended, you will want to add milk and ketchup, stirring well! At this point it is your turn to taste and adjust according to your family’s taste buds (if you like more salt, add it here!).

The best way to serve is with a grilled cheese with some sour cream and basil on top! If there is any left over, it is good for up to about 3 days!

I hope you enjoy and let me know what you think! (Post pics too!)

Welcome Home!

Featured by krichards2012, posted in life

Hello and welcome home! My name is Katie and I am happily married to the man of my dreams, Tyler, we have one son, John, and I am beginning my journey as a homemaker! From working full time and being a full time student to now being a full time stay at home mama, life’s seasons definitely test us and show us what we are made of! However, during this new journey I have found a revamped passion for cooking and creating recipes, crafting, and homemaking in a way I had never got to fully enjoy before! My passion is to make homemaking “cool” again, in that the negative label that has been pushed on it vanishes and it can be seen for what it truly is, which is literally making your home! Whether you work full time or stay at home, everyday we are making our home into something! My goal is to make my home a place where God dwells, love covers sins, peace is the normal, bellies are full, and laughter is the language.

You’re probably thinking, “Oh great, another one of ‘those’ women who act like they have it all together and makes me feel less than for buying stuff she home makes”. Trust me, that is not me at all! That is why I want to start this blog, because although I would love to say homemaking is this wonderful serene task, it is the hardest thing I have done to date (and I finished a Master’s degree with a newborn). The purpose of this page is not to ever make you feel less than as a mama or wife, but to know that you have a fellow woman out there in the battle field with you, doing whatever we can to make a home worth living in for our families!

So I a making you a promise, to post real life here; to post the yummy recipes, and the disasters (so you can learn from my mistakes), to post the funny stories and the struggles, and to walk alongside you as you learn to make your homes too. So I pray that you can find encouragement, laughter, and also really yummy recipes here! Strength for your tough days, tips when you need them, and scripture at those perfect times where we need an on time Word from God! Everyone is welcome at my kitchen table, some come on home to Katie’s house and let’s start remaking homemaking as we journey together!