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Simply Sweet Days

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Family Favorites

Black Bean and Chicken Burritos

It was 2 days after Christmas and I had never craved fruits and vegetables more in my life. I think I ate my weight in Christmas cookies this year! I totally got off track on my meal planning, due to so many holiday parties and family gatherings. It’s time to get back to healthy family dinners, starting with these black bean and chicken burritos.   black bean and chicken burritos recipe

But first, how about a little Christmas recap? 🙂

The kids couldn’t even open their stockings until Mommy took the “Stand in Front of the Tree” pic. I love how in the second one John is trying to nab Johnny’s pacifier, haha! He’s determined to potty train the little guy AND break him of the paci over winter break. I’m excited for when we get him out of diapers!

We were blessed with so many great gifts this year. Each of them was a winner. I was pretty stoked to come across this shirt for Logan. It’s from Etsy. Anyone get the reference? 😉   Logan and his Hamilton shirt from Etsy

The girls got tons of great gifts, all of which are their new favoritest thing ever. Oh, and Emily wore a party hat for most of the morning. Happy birthday, Jesus!

Johnny’s aunt gave him a Thomas the Train play set. He just turned two and it’s the perfect gift for him.   2-year-old Johnny and his Thomas the Train set at Christmas

John got me concert tickets (he’s so cool!) and a tripod for my camera. I can’t wait to break it in! I didn’t use it on this black bean and chicken burritos recipe, unfortunately. 

A quick and easy recipe for black bean and chicken burritos

Black Bean and Chicken Burritos  

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Black Bean and Chicken Burritos

Ingredients

  • 1 Tb. olive oil
  • 2 boneless chicken breasts, diced
  • 1 small red bell pepper, diced
  • 2 green onions, sliced
  • 1 tsp. cumin
  • 1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
  • 1 can whole tomatoes with juice
  • Flour tortillas
  • Avocado (optional)
  • Salsa (optional)

Instructions

  1. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
  2. Saute the chicken, bell pepper and green onions in oil until the chicken is cooked through.
  3. Stir in the cumin and cook for about 1 minute.
  4. Add the black beans and tomatoes. Using the back of a spoon or a spatula, break apart the tomatoes as you stir.
  5. Remove from the heat.
  6. Arrange about ¾ cup chicken mixture in the center of each tortilla and top with salsa and avocado. Roll the tortillas into burritos.
  7. Tip: Use a tortilla warmer to keep tortillas hot until ready to serve!
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This dinner was pretty quick and easy to put together. My little guys liked it, but they’re not very good at eating burritos so I cut their tortillas into pieces and made them burrito “bowls”. 😉

Next week I’m going to use up the leftover turkey in some enchiladas. Yum!

15 Sweet S’Mores Recipes You’ll Want to Try

Do you love warm, gooey marshmallows roasted over a hot summer bonfire? Then you’re in luck because today I’m bringing you 15 sweet s’mores recipes you’ll want to try. And the best part is that you can make them at home! These incredible little treats pack all the flavor of campfire s’mores, without having to wait for your next camping trip.

15 sweet s'mores recipes that are great for a party, and you can make them without a campfire! You'll find plenty of tasty treats here, from dip to pie to cupcakes to brownies. These ideas are great for an indoor or outdoor dessert bar.Most are gone in a few bites! My favorites are the pudding cups and the to-go party favors.

15 sweet s'mores recipes that are great for a party, and you can make them without a campfire! You'll find plenty of tasty treats here, from dip to pie to cupcakes to brownies. These ideas are great for an indoor or outdoor dessert bar.Most are gone in a few bites! My favorites are the pudding cups and the to-go party favors.

15 Sweet S’mores Recipes

  1. S’more Cupcakes from Dani at The AdventureBite. You had me at “cupcakes”.
  2. 5 Minute Pudding S’mores from Krissy at Self Proclaimed Foodie. Little Shot-glass sized desserts are my weakness 😉
  3. S’mores in a Jar from Olivia at Olivia’s Cuisine. Because don’t you need another reason to use mason jars? They make for such a handy little dish!
  4. S’mores to Go from Kelly at The Moon and Me. S’mores to go… My kind of dessert! Ready for the zoo, kids? Grab your bag of s’mores! Or use them for an indoor s’mores party like Kelly did.
  5. S’mores Dip with Raspberries from Christie at Raising Whasians. I love any time I can dunk something into dessert, although it’s harder to maintain portion control (or is that a bonus?).
  6. S’mores Magic Bars from Lisa at Wine and Glue. These can be gooey, but I think that makes them more scrumptious!
  7. Salted Caramel S’mores from Laura at Little House Big Alaska. Salted caramel and chocolate meets s’more. I’m in heaven!
  8. S’mores Whoopie Pies from Rachael at Eazy Peazy Mealz. Tasty and super easy to make!
  9. S’mores Chocolate Chip Cookie Cake from Sally at Sally’s Baking Addiction. This could be dangerous…
  10. No-Bake S’mores Cheesecake from Michelle at The Gracious Wife. It’s hot outside, the more I can “no-bake”, the better! Am I right?
  11. Caramel S’mores Fudge from Jocelyn at Inside BruCrew Life. This looks amazing.
  12. Frozen S’mores | Pudding and Marshmallow Sandwiches from Autumn at It’s Always Autumn. The perfect treat for a hot afternoon!
  13. S’mores Muddy Buddies from Natalie at Life Made Simple. A tasty treat, perfect for a family movie night!
  14. 10-Minute S’mores Nachos from Reesa at Momma Lew. Nachos count as dinner, right? 😉
  15. Toasted S’mores Brownie Cupcakes from Amy at House of Nash Eats.

That’s about all the s’mores I can handle for one post. After spending hours rounding up the best s’mores recipes I found myself dying to have one, or all of them!

We aren’t going to be able to take a camping trip this summer. The little guys just require so much extra help and attention. For example, Daddy took them to the park yesterday and they went straight for the cacti. *cue disapproving wife comment* So instead of taking my daring trio out into the wilderness, I’m hoping to bring the camping to me with a few nights of s’mores desserts.

Did any of these s’mores recipes speak to you? Or do you have a favorite variation of your own?

Do you love warm, gooey marshmallows and chocolate? Then you'll love these 15 sweet s’mores recipes. And the best part is you can make them at home!

Italian with a Twist | Gnocchi and Sausage is Tasty and Easy to Make!

I am a huge fan of Italian dinners. Anything I can that involves tomatoes and pasta is a win in my book. If it were up to me, we’d be eating Italian dinners every night in our house. This recipe uses gnocchi and sausage, with brightly-colored veggies thrown into the mix, to create a belly-filling dinner that is big on flavor and small on cook time.   One of my family's favorite easy Italian recipes that you can make for dinner tonight! This recipe combines classic gnocchi, sausage, and vegetables in a simple meal. A quick sprinkling of parmesan cheese gives it a taste of Italy! You could easily swap out the meat for chicken or meatballs, or leave it out entirely for a nice vegetarian dish.

One of my family's favorite easy Italian recipes that you can make for dinner tonight! This recipe combines classic gnocchi, sausage, and vegetables in a simple meal. A quick sprinkling of parmesan cheese gives it a taste of Italy! You could easily swap out the meat for chicken or meatballs, or leave it out entirely for a nice vegetarian dish.

Ingredients for Gnocchi and Sausage:

1 package (about 1 lb.) Gnocchi Italiani
2 tablespoons butter
1 package (about 12 oz.) Sweet Italian Sausage, sliced crosswise
2 medium zucchini, thinly sliced crosswise
2 cloves garlic
1 package (about 2 cups) of grape or cherry tomatoes
? cup grated parmesan cheese      One of my family's favorite easy Italian recipes that you can make for dinner tonight! This recipe combines classic gnocchi, sausage, and vegetables in a simple meal. A quick sprinkling of parmesan cheese gives it a taste of Italy! You could easily swap out the meat for chicken or meatballs, or leave it out entirely for a nice vegetarian dish.

Set a large pot of water to boil and cook gnocchi according to package directions (about 2-3 minutes at a rolling boil). Meanwhile, melt the butter in a large pan. Sauté the sausage in butter until it begins to brown on both sides. Add the sliced zucchini and garlic and cook, stirring frequently, for another 3 minutes or so.
Stir in the tomatoes and let them cook for a few minutes to heat through. It’s ok if they split open, this adds flavor to the dish. I used a package of “mixed medley cherry tomatoes” because it had a beautiful variety of color!
Add the cooked gnocchi to the pan and mix everything together well. Top with shredded parmesan cheese and step back to admire your pretty gnocchi and sausage dinner!

If you have small children, they may not love the gnocchi because its texture is a bit surprising. I think kids are expecting something sturdy because they look like little potatoes, but cooked gnocchi is really kind of squishy. I remember my oldest turning his nose up at it when he was little. At 13, however, he loved it and asked for seconds. The 3-year-old twins, who have to be eased into trying all new foods, were apprehensive and only ate what I told them to (“Ok, fine. Eat 2 pastas and then you can be done.”). The baby, who eats anything not nailed down, loved his gnocchi and sausage. So, in our house the gnocchi and sausage dinner went over about as well as anything else does: The boys loved it and the girls weren’t impressed. But what else is new? 😉

Italian Sausage and Vegetables

Creamy potatoes, flavorful Italian sausage and vegetables make this dish one of our family favorites. The ingredients are very versatile, and you can add more or less of them as you like. 

italian sausage, potatoes and vegetables bake recipe

To get the best flavor out of the sausage and potatoes, you really have to brown them first. Simply add a little olive oil to your pan to cook the Italian sausage in, then cook the potatoes in the sausage drippings for added flavor. 

IMG_5394

A word of caution, though: The ingredients call for a hefty amount of vegetables. I have a pretty large 12 inch skillet, and I had to cook the vegetables in two batches because there were too many to fit in the pan.

IMG_5395

I love the flavor of Italian ground sausage. It adds that Olive Garden garden-style taste to any meal. I only used one package of meat for this this recipe because I used a can of white beans as a cheap way to add in some extra protein. If you’re not sure about adding beans to a dinner, don’t worry! They’re very light in flavor and practically blend in with the rest of the ingredients. However, you could use a second package of ground sausage instead of beans.  italian sausage and vegetables bake recipe

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 (16 ounce) package ground Italian sausage
¼ cup olive oil
2 baking potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
2 yams, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
2 green bell peppers, chopped with ribs and seeds removed
2 green bell peppers, chopped with ribs and seeds removed
1 white onion, diced
1 cup chicken broth
1 (15-ounce) can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat the oven to 400°.
For the 2 tablespoons of olive oil into a large skillet over medium heat. Cook the sausage in oil until browned and cooked through, breaking it apart with a spatula. Transfer the sausage to a plate and keep warm. Add the 1/4 olive oil to the pan and cook the potatoes and yams in oil, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes or until they begin to brown. Remove the potatoes and yams and cover to keep warm. Add the bell peppers and onions to the pan and cook, stirring occasionally until they begin to soften (about five minutes). To avoid overcrowding the pan, I suggest cooking the vegetables in two batches. Mix together the potatoes, vegetables, sausage, beans, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper. (you actually don’t need very much salt unless you’re using low-sodium chicken broth). Dump the whole mixture into a 9” x 13″ baking dish. italian sausage and vegetables bake recipe Try using a foil-lined dish because the potatoes will stick. Pour the chicken broth over everything. Bake, uncovered, for 20 minutes. Serve and enjoy! 

italian sausage, potatoes and vegetables bake recipe

One-Pot Meal: Beef with Veggies and Wild Rice

This is a great one-pot meal for the whole family. When I serve this dish to our family of 5 (that have teeth, anyway), there are usually plenty of leftovers. You can use pre-cut stew meat to save on time, but I find that the pieces are too big and it makes for a more chewy texture. For my methods behind quick stew meat cooking, read this article on best, quick, browning techniques.  beef one pot recipe

Ingredients

2-3 lbs. roast beef or other beef portion
2 Tbsp flour
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 cup onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
12 mushrooms, quartered
2 cups uncooked wild rice
2 (10.5 oz.) cans lower sodium beef broth
2 cups frozen peas
3 carrots, peeled and cut into chunks
½ tsp. fresh ground pepper
1 bay leaf
2 cups water

Dust the beef with flour and sear in a Dutch oven in hot oil until browned on all sides, then remove from the heat (leave the oil in the pot) and allow to cool before cutting into bite-sized chunks. While the meat is cooking/cooling, prepare the veggies.   beef one pot recipe

Sauté the onions in the oil for 3 minutes or until they begin to soften, then add the garlic and cook for another minute. Add the beef and the rest of the ingredients and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat, cover, and simmer for 30 minutes or until the rice is cooked.

beef one pot recipe  Viola! Only one cooking pot gets dirtied and you get 3 food groups in one meal!

Crock Pot Pulled Pork Sandwiches

I’ve made this several times for my family or for work potlucks. It is one of those dump-it-and-go kinds of meals that are easy to prepare before work in the morning and are ready when you get home. I used pork shoulder roast for this crock pot pulled pork recipe, but you can use butt roast or tenderloin and still get great results. crock pot pulled pork sandwiches

Ingredients

3-4 pounds pork shoulder roast
2 small onions, sliced
1 12 oz. can ginger ale (about 1 ½ cups)
1 cup barbecue sauce, plus extra for serving
8 hamburger buns

Place 1 sliced onion in the bottom of the slow-cooker, and place the meat on top of the onion. Arrange the other sliced onion over the pork and pour in the ginger ale. Cook on low heat for 8 hours, then remove the meat and onions. Drain the liquid from the cooker and replace the pork and onions, pulling apart the pork with 2 forks. IMG_3214 Stir in the barbecue sauce. Continue to cook on high 1 hour. Serve on hamburger buns.

Chicken Divan

Growing up as the oldest of 6 kids, we used to joke about how every dinner was some variation of chicken, rice, and broccoli. Now that I’m a busy working mom of 4, I understand what my mom was up to way back then. It’s a challenge to find filling meals that work for everyone and are easy on the budget!  If you’ve just come home from work and decide to bake a chicken divan casserole, it’s going to take upwards of an hour and a half. Pre-baking the chicken is essential to getting dinner on the table in a timely manner. I do my pre-baking on the weekend or on a night when I don’t need the oven for the meal I’m serving.

Things go a lot faster for dinnertime prep when all you have to do is dice up the chicken that’s already cooked, but if you didn’t pre-bake your chicken simply stick it in the oven in a greased casserole dish at 350° for 25-30 minutes (or until the meat reaches 165° internal temperature). I usually get enough chicken for this meal from 2 chicken breasts.

Chicken divan is a very easy casserole to make. Once you have your ingredients assembled (defrosting broccoli ahead of time helps speed up the prep, too), it’s really just a matter of layering them. I bake all my casseroles in a dish like this one. I love that it’s pretty AND holds enough servings for our family of 6!

Chicken on the bottom  
Broccoli next  
Top that with sauce and cheese    This recipe is similar to the one my mom used when I was a child. My sisters and I have altered it to our tastes, but we all include these basic ingredients. My family likes to serve chicken divan over brown rice. It’s great comfort food that both my older kid and toddlers enjoy.

Oven Temp: 350°
Ingredients:
2 cooked, diced chicken breasts
1 10.75 oz. can cream of mushroom soup
1 10.75 oz. can cream of chicken soup
¼ cup lemon juice
16 oz. frozen broccoli florets, defrosted
1 ½ cups grated cheddar cheese

Spray a 13”x9” baking dish with nonstick spray. Spread chicken evenly in the dish and layer broccoli over the chicken. In a medium bowl, mix together the cans of cream of mushroom soup, cream of chicken soup, and the lemon juice. Spread the sauce mix over the chicken and broccoli in the dish. Top with shredded cheddar cheese and cover with foil. Cook at 350° for 25 minutes, then remove the foil and continue to cook for 5 minutes or until cheese is bubbly.

Pasta with Kale and Italian Sausage

If you’re looking for a quick, easy family-pleaser, I encourage you to give this pasta with kale and Italian sausage dish a try. Kids love the penne pasta and have no idea that you’ve snuck in nutrient-rich kale leaves! Bonus: It’s low-calorie and budget-friendly!

Ingredients
1 lb. penne pasta
2 Tbsp. olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 lb. mild, ground Italian sausage
1 can low-sodium chicken broth
1 bunch kale, chopped with tough center stalk cut away and removed (about 12 cups)
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese

Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain, reserving ½ cup of the cooking liquid.

Heat oil in a large skillet on medium-high heat. Add garlic sauté 1 minute, then add sausage. Break the sausage up as it cooks, and sauté it for 4-6 minutes or until browned. Transfer to a large bowl and set aside. pasta kale and sausage recipe

Add chicken broth to the skillet, set to high heat and bring to a boil. Add the kale, stirring until wilted. Boil for about 5 minutes or until kale is tender and stock is reduced to about ½ cup. pasta kale and sausage recipe

Combine pasta with kale and reduced stock and sausage mixture. Stir ingredients together and mix in Parmesan cheese. Add in about ¼ cup of reserved pasta water to loosen as needed. pasta with sausage and kale recipe

Crock Pot Chicken Wrap Recipe

Soccer practice, music lessons, orthodontist -Oh My!

When those busy afternoons take over, resist the urge to order takeout! With a little advanced planning, this easy crock pot chicken wrap recipe is sure to be a crowd-pleaser and comes together in a jiffy.  chicken wrap recipe

Crock Pot Ingredients:
4 (4-oz.) boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 can of low-sodium chicken broth
1 (1.5 oz.) package of taco seasoning mix

Wrap Ingredients:
4 large spinach wraps
4 Tbs. ranch dressing, divided
½ head iceberg lettuce, shredded
2 medium tomatoes, sliced
1 cup shredded Monterrey Jack cheese

Preparation:
In the crock pot, stir together chicken broth and taco seasoning. Add the chicken breasts and cook on low heat setting for 5-6 hours. Remove chicken from the crock pot and discard the liquid. Shred the chicken. To assemble the wraps, spread 1 Tbs. of ranch dressing along the center of a spinach wrap. Layer ¼ of the lettuce, chicken, cheese, and tomato over the dressing. Wrap up like a burrito, and serve!

Taco Salad Recipe

As the days grow longer and hotter, I find it to be more of a struggle to get a home-made meal on the table. Sometimes it’s just too hot to cook! As a child, my mom would make taco salad on these steamy summer evenings. It requires only about 15 minutes stovetop use, and it’s ready in a flash. While not the healthiest version of a salad*, this taco salad recipe is darn tasty and I know your family will gobble it up! ¡Olé! taco salad recipe

Ingredients:
½  lb. ground beef
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 (1-oz.) packet taco seasoning mix
1 head green leaf lettuce or Romaine lettuce, chopped
2 roma tomatoes, chopped
1 (6-oz.) can sliced black olives
1 (15-oz.) can red kidney beans
1 cup shredded Mexican blend cheese
Fritos chips, crushed
1 avocado, sliced (optional)
Ranch or Catalina dressing

Heat the oil in a 12-inch skillet. Brown the ground beef in oil, drain, and add taco seasoning, following the directions on the packet.

To assemble the salad:

Divide the lettuce between 4 salad plates. Top with ground beef, tomatoes, olives, ¼ of the red kidney beans, and ¼ cup cheese. Sprinkle with some crushed Fritos chips and serve with Ranch or Catalina dressing.

For a healthier version of taco salad, substitute

  • Ground turkey instead of ground beef
  • Bearitos Blue Corn Tortilla Chips (made with organic blue corn) for Fritos
  • A small amount of olive oil for salad dressing. There is a lot of flavor in the taco seasoning mix, dressing isn’t even all that necessary!
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Hi, I’m Nikki!

I'm Nikki, a lover of coffee, chef for 6, elementary teacher, and expert in the art of wrangling twins. I'm also a working mom with a passion for having fun and keeping a cozy home. Come along with me on the journey of a joyful mom! Learn More…

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