Month: March 2022

Set and Forget Slow Cooker Mississippi Pot Roast

Set and Forget Slow Cooker Mississippi Pot Roast

by Engineered Mama ♥ 1 Comment

We’ve all seen Mississippi pot roast recipes and they’re all amazingly full of flavor. After craving some and not finding any chuck roast on sale, I just gave in and bought a bottom round roast Sind they were buy one get one free. So, I took my roasts home disappointed, but still determined. Little did I know I was out of 2 of the 5 ingredients this recipe contains. Fail. Well, I made substitutions and to my surprise it turned out BETTER than recipe I usually use. So much better that our oldest son asked for multiple servings and my husband (without prompting) said, “This is the best roast you’ve ever made!”. Ok, new recipe unlocked!

Ingredients

  • 2+ lb bottom round roast
  • Ranch seasoning packet
  • Brown gravy packet
  • Banana peppers (to taste)
  • 1/4 cup butter, cut into 4 pads

Directions

  1. Place roast in slow cooker. Add ranch packet, gravy packet, bell peppers (10-15 rings of bell pepper seem to be a good amount for this recipe), and pads of butter to top of roast.
  2. Cook on low for 8 hours.
  3. Serve with your favorite sides and enjoy!
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Green Macaroni and Cheese

Green Macaroni and Cheese

by Engineered Mama ♥ 1 Comment

I was searching for some good St. Patrick’s Day foods to go with corned beef and cabbage and while this doesn’t exactly “go” with it, I thought the recipe was pretty interesting, so I decided to try it. The original recipe is from Food Dolls. While this recipe is delicious, it makes A LOT of mac and cheese. The recipe I’ll provide below is the full recipe, but I recommend halving this recipe if you’re not feeding many people. This makes a very large portion, but it’s absolutely delicious!

Ingredients

  • 4 cups fresh spinach, packed
  • 1/2 cup parsley
  • 2 cloves garlic (optional)
  • 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 3/4 cups whole milk, divided
  • 1 lb cooked macaroni pasta
  • 1/4 cup butter
  • 1/4 cup flour
  • 1 tsp sea salt
  • 1 tsp black pepper (more or less to taste)
  • 1/2 tsp onion powder
  • 1 tsp paprika
  • 1/2 cup cheddar cheese
  • 1/2 cup monterey jack cheese
  • 1/2 cup white cheddar cheese

Directions

  1. In a food processor or blender, add spinach, olive oil, parsley, garlic cloves, and 3/4 cup milk. Process until smooth.
  2. In a large pot, add butter and flour on medium-high heat, cook for about 1-2 minutes or until mixture is a golden color.
  1. Add WARM milk, and seasonings. Stir until it starts to thicken. Turn heat to low and add cheeses.
  1. Add “green” sauce and mix until it comes together. Add cooked pasta.
Ground Turkey Sweet Potato Skillet

Ground Turkey Sweet Potato Skillet

by Engineered Mama ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

This recipe checks all of the boxes: great, healthy ingredients, filling, and easy and quick to make. A friend gave me this recipe from Life Love Liz and it’s definitely one of our favorites. Now that warmer weather is headed our way, this is a great weeknight meal. We love our leftovers, so I sometimes double the amount of ground turkey in this recipe. Adjust the ingredients according to your family’s needs and tastes-it’s totally customizable!

Ingredients

  • 3 small or 2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and diced (about 3 cups)
  • 1 lb ground turkey
  • 1 yellow bell pepper (or whatever color you prefer)
  • 1 cup onion, diced
  • ½ cup mozzarella, shredded
  • ½ cup water
  • ¼ cup cilantro, chopped
  • 2 Tbsp olive oil
  • 1 ½ Tbsp ground cumin
  • 1 Tbsp garlic, minced
  • 1 tsp chili powder
  • ½ tsp salt
  • ¼ tsp pepper

Directions

  1. In a large cast iron skillet, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute and then add ground turkey. Use a wooden spoon to break apart meat and continue cooking approximately 8 minutes until browned.
  2. Add cumin, chili powder, salt and pepper. Stir well to incorporate.
  3. Add onion and bell pepper, and cook for 3-4 minutes.
  4. Add diced sweet potato and water. Stir and cover with a lid for approximately 6-8 minutes until the sweet potatoes soften. Add additional water during this process if needed to keep the meat from drying out.
  5. Remove lid and add additional salt and pepper if needed. Top with shredded mozzarella and allow it to melt. Remove skillet from heat and garnish with fresh cilantro before serving.
Easy Greek Pasta

Easy Greek Pasta

by Engineered Mama ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

Greek salad, Greek pizza, Greek pasta… I will take it in any form! Kalamata olives, capers, artichoke hearts, and feta make this dish one of my favorites. The best part? It’s sooooo easy! I adapted this recipe from the original recipe from The Salty Marshmallow. Enjoy!

Ingredients

  • 1 lb Fettuccine Pasta
  • ¼ cup olive oil
  • 3 Tbsp Butter
  • ¼ cup red onion, finely chopped
  • 5 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1-14 ounce can quartered artichoke hearts, drained
  • ½ cup kalamata olives, cut in half
  • 1-14.5 ounce can diced tomatoes, drained
  • 2 Tbsp capers
  • ½ tsp salt
  • ½ tsp pepper
  • 1 tsp oregano
  • 1 tsp basil
  • ½ tsp dried dill weed
  • ¼ tsp red pepper flakes
  • ½ cup feta cheese

Directions

  1. Cook the fettuccine according to package directions, drain and set aside.
  2. While the pasta is cooking, heat the olive oil and butter in a large skillet over medium heat.  Add the minced onion and cook, stirring occasionally for about 5 minutes, until the onion is soft.
  3. Add the garlic to the pan, cook stirring constantly for one minute.
  1. Add the artichoke hearts, olives, tomatoes, capers, and seasonings to the pan.  Stir for 2-3 minutes until warm, then add the sauce mixture to the cooked fettuccine noodles.
  2. Top with feta cheese as desired.  Serve immediately.
Ground Turkey Tacos Al Pastor

Ground Turkey Tacos Al Pastor

by Engineered Mama ♥ 1 Comment

Tacos al pastor are delicious, BUT… they’re hard work, y’all! I gathered all of the ingredients for what sounded like an awesome recipe (minus the spit it would take to slow roast the pork…) then realized the pork I had in the freezer was in fact a pork tenderloin, not a pork shoulder butt. Fail. So, I did what any person determined to use the ingredients they have would do in the middle of an all time high inflation… I asked the Google. I found what seemed to be a fairly easy recipe that might get a bit of the flavor of original tacos al pastor using ground turkey. I needed fast and easy, and to make use of the ingredients I currently had on hand. Unfortunately, my cilantro had wilted beyond repair, so I had to use dried cilantro, but I made it work. If you have fresh on hand, definitely use the fresh ingredients! This recipe uses 2 lbs of ground turkey because we love leftovers in this house, but it can easily be halved to use 1 lb of ground turkey. While this definitely isn’t true tacos al pastor, it’s a quick and easy alternative in a pinch. Enjoy!

Ingredients

  • 2 lb ground turkey
  • 3/4 cup diced pineapple
  • 2 chipotle peppers (I didn’t have any on hand, so I used 1 Tbsp of paprika, which is a similar flavor to chipotle peppers)
  • 3 cloves garlic
  • 1 onion, diced
  • 3 Tbsp cilantro, chopped
  • 1 Tbsp cajun seasoning
  • 1 Tbsp chili powder
  • 1/2 Tbsp black pepper
  • 1/2 Tbsp garlic powder
  • 1/2 Tbsp onion powder
  • 1/2 Tbsp oregano, crushed
  • 1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • corn or flour tortillas
  • Toppings: Monterey Jack cheese, salsa, diced pineapple, lettuce, sour cream, avocado

Directions

  1. In a small bowl, mix cajun seasoning, chili powder, black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and oregano to create a seasoning blend. Set aside.
  2. In a blender or food processor, add pineapple, chipotle peppers, and garlic. Blend until pureed and set aside.
  1. Add extra virgin olive oil to a pan heated to medium high heat. Add onion and saute about 5 minutes. Add 1 tsp of seasoning and blend and mix well.
  2. Add ground turkey to pan and mix well. Season with 2 tablespoons of season blend, reduce heat to medium, and cook for approximately 10 minutes, breaking up turkey with a spoon or spatula. Season with the remaining seasoning blend and mix well.
  3. Add chipotle, pineapple, and garlic puree. Mix well, reduce heat to low, and cook for approximately 10 more minutes, stirring occasionally. Add cilantro and mix well.
  1. Serve in soft or crispy taco shells with desired toppings.
Seagrass Basket Planters and Storage

Seagrass Basket Planters and Storage

by Engineered Mama ♥ 2 Comments

I’ve always loved seagrass baskets, but always thought they were so expensive. I decided to look around the interwebs one last time to see what deals I could find. I came across these seagrass baskets from Potey on Amazon for $30. What a deal, right?!

I was shocked by the quality of these baskets for the price. The one pictured in my house is the smallest size this set comes with (see the tiny 10 lb chiweenie for size reference below). This particular set also comes with several different color combinations, including all natural, natural and white (pictured here), and black and natural. Check them out and check out all of Potey’s planter options while you’re at it!

I’ll be sure to follow up with other places I’ll be using these baskets in our home for storage and of course, other plants because, let’s be honest… there are many more plants that need baskets around here!

Rainbow and Pot of Gold St. Patrick’s Day Waffles

Rainbow and Pot of Gold St. Patrick’s Day Waffles

by Engineered Mama ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

Target’s marketing department must love me… seriously, guys. So, I keep putting the Dash Mini Waffle Makers in my cart. At first I was like, “Why? Why am I doing this?”, but I have to tell you… I’m glad I did. I’ve realized how easy waffles are to make and how much the kids love them on holidays. I have officially cut myself off from buying more mini waffle makers, BUT… I’m continuing to look for new recipes. By recipes I mean thinking about what I can add to boxed waffle mix. Hey… the kids like them, they’re easy, and they’re fun!

Ingredients

  • Boxed waffle mix
  • Fruity Pebbles
  • Whipped cream
  • Chocolate coins

Directions

  1. While preheating the waffle iron, mix the waffle mix per box instructions. Add desired amount of Fruity Pebbles to the mix. Reserve some Fruity Pebbles in a small bowl for topping waffles.
  2. Pour waffle mix onto waffle iron. Sprinkle some Fruity Pebbles on top of the mix before closing the waffle iron.
  3. Add whipped cream to your waffles, sprinkle with Fruity Pebbles, and add chocolate coins on the side.
$75 Ninja Air Fryer Max XL Deal!

$75 Ninja Air Fryer Max XL Deal!

by Engineered Mama ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

I’ve waited this long to jump on the air fryer bandwagon and I’m just hoping I’m not disappointed! Kohl’s currently has a sale on Ninja Air Fryers, 15-30% off when you use your Kohl’s card (15% without a Kohl’s card), 5% back in Kohl’s rewards, $10 Kohl’s cash for every $50 spent, 1% cash back with RetailMeNot, and 3% cash back with Swagbucks.

Since I love making large quantities and having leftovers or feeding a crowd, I opted for the Ninja Air Fryer Max XL with 5 different settings. It had great reviews, holds a large quantity in its basket, is dishwasher safe, and one of the settings is a dehydrator (yes, I’ve always wanted a dehydrator, so I’m pumped!).

Here’s a breakdown of the cost after all of these discounts and rewards:

  • Sale Price: $149.99, Sale Price: $179.99
  • 30% Kohl’s Discount with Card: $104.99
  • Kohl’s Cash Earned: $20
  • 5% Kohl’s Rewards Earned: $5.25
  • 1% RetailMeNot Cash Back: $1.05
  • 3% Swagbucks Cash Back: $3.15
  • Total Savings: $104.45 (a savings of 58%!!!)
  • Total Purchase Price after Savings and Cash Back: $75.54

Let me know what your favorite air fryer recipes are and maybe they’ll make a feature here in the future!

Easy Oven Baked Spaghetti

Easy Oven Baked Spaghetti

by Engineered Mama ♥ 1 Comment

Pasta should be considered the 6th love language… at least for me. It would definitely come in a close second for my top love language. Well, maybe coffee would, but anyways… back to pasta. This recipe is from Food Dolls and has quickly become one of our favorites. It’s a great meal on its own or paired with a protein or salad. Once of our favorites is Italian sausage links, but chicken would also be a great addition to this meal.

Ingredients

  • 16 oz spaghetti, uncooked (I recommend pot-sized spaghetti-Target’s Good & Gather is excellent in this recipe!)
  • 16 oz jar pasta sauce
  • 3 cups water
  • 1 tsp oregano or Italian seasoning
  • 1 tsp salt, more or less to taste
  • 1 tsp black pepper, more or less to taste
  • 5 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 onion, sliced thin or diced
  • 1 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
  • 2 Tbsp olive oil

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
  2. Add all the ingredients except for the mozzarella cheese. Stir well.
  3. Cover and bake for 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and stir. Replace lid and bake covered an additional 25 minutes.
  4. Top with mozzarella cheese and bake uncovered for an additional 8-10 minutes or until cheese is bubbly.
Foil Baked Asparagus

Foil Baked Asparagus

by Engineered Mama ♥ 1 Comment

I always seem to prepare asparagus the same way: steamed. I have made sheet pan meals with asparagus that have turned out well, so I figured, why not try baked in foil? This method had zero cleanup, a lot of flavor, and perfectly cooked asparagus with practically no effort so I call this one a win!

Ingredients

  • asparagus
  • butter, to taste
  • salt, to taste
  • grated parmesan, to taste (optional)
  • herbs or seasonings, to taste (optional)

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 360 degrees F.
  2. Cut the ends off of the asparagus to remove the tougher portions. Place the asparagus on a piece of aluminum foil large enough to create a foil packet for the asparagus and place the foil and asparagus on a baking sheet for easy cleanup in case the foil packet leaks during baking.
  3. Place pads of butter, salt, grated parmesan, or other desired seasonings on the asparagus. Cold the foil over the asparagus and add an extra piece around the delicate tender ends of the asparagus to keep it from over cooking.
  4. Place the asparagus in the oven and bake for 30 minutes.
  5. Keep the asparagus in the foil packet until serving.