Welcome to the weekend, my friends! This was a week filled with sunshine (YAY for spring weather!), plenty of great food, a whole lot of work, and an abundance of coffee. I’m ready to relax as much as possible this weekend!

ON THE BLOGS THIS WEEK: You can make this creamy, rich, and extra saucy Broccoli Mac and Cheese – completely from scratch – in the same amount of time it takes to cook a box of mac and cheese.

These Zucchini Taco Boats are full of flavor and cheesy goodness. Let’s face it – tacos make everything better, especially zucchini.

Pasta and sausage in a rich tomato pasta sauce is topped with an abundance of cheese to create this Cheesy Sausage Pasta. Everything bakes and melts together to create an irresistible dinner for any cheese or pasta lover.

Creamy, tangy, and very lightly sweetened, this Blueberry Cream Cheese is exactly what your morning is missing. Make some now and you can thank me later.

With crisp edges and soft, chewy centers, these White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies make me grin with every bite. If you aren’t a fan of white chocolate, feel free to use your favorite chocolate instead. However, if you like white chocolate, the combination of macadamia nuts and sweet vanilla chips can’t be beat.

Homemade Strawberry Ice Cream is an old-fashioned favorite made simply with strawberries, sugar, cream, and milk. Just a few ingredients add up to a summer ice cream treat that everyone loves.

Last but not least, here are 20+ easy, inexpensive, naturally gluten free desserts that require no special ingredients! These are my go-to desserts anytime I need an allergy-friendly option at the last moment. They are also the recipes I share with anyone who asks for a simple and uncomplicated gluten free dessert recipe.

What I’m CRAVING: This Muffuletta Cheese Ball caught my eye this week and it needs to happen very soon. Filled with spicy Capicola, salami, and provolone cheese, I already know my guys will go crazy over it. 

My FAVORITE THINGS this week are my pens. It’s been a little over a year since I first told you about these pens and I’m even more obsessed after using them daily for the past year. At barely a dollar each, they’re not only the b

The Most Delicious Mexican Black Beans Ever

Black beans taken to the next level with bold Mexican flavors all from ingredients you have around the house! Sometimes black beans become a forgettable side dish, but not these! They will be the highlight of your meal!

Easy Black Bean Side Dish

We just barely survived an extremely stressful summer. Before I get into the details, let me just say that these Mexican black beans from scratch came from some friends who had us over for dinner one tonight. They were the best black beans we have ever had!

All you need are a few simple ingredients and you’ll be in the middle of a Mexican black bean fiesta! Ole! Serve these alongside our pork carnitas or either one of our chicken or beef fajitas!

Okay, so this summer we made a major mistake. Well, not a mistake, but we went through an incredibly stressful summer and it was all at our own doing. We chose to completely gut our kitchen and three of our bathrooms.

You guys, I know that seems like it’s not that big of a deal, but have children, have your job be completely centered around cooking, and then take away the sinks, anything with cooking, showers and toilets and then fill the whole house with endless people, dust, dirt, and chaos.

That is stress.

One thing after another fell apart, the kitchen backsplash tile was accidentally installed in the shower, the cabinets were late, and then late again, and then wrong. The floors were ruined, which we hadn’t planned to replace.

WE FOUND MOLD.

I mean, the list literally goes on for another mile and we were stretched beyond our own capacity. It was so hard living off of protein bars and cereal in plastic bowls and I’m not kidding, that’s what we ate. We aren’t the type to say, hey folks, we could use a dinner or heck a plate of cookies because we are drowning!!!!! But we have two friends who reached out and cooked us a meal at one point.

One of those meals involved these easy black beans and although they filled our spirits and we knew, we knew it was such a crazy tender mercy that day, they also happened to be the best, the most delicious Mexican Black Beans Ever!

What’s Needed for Mexican Black Beans?

To make this simple black bean side dish, you need just a handful of mostly pantry ingredients. Here’s what goes into this easy recipe:

• Olive oil
• Garlic
• Cumin
• Canned black beans
• Tomato sauce
• Fresh cilantro

The measurements of each ingredient can be found in the recipe card at the end of the post.

How to Make Mex

Weekly Menu Plan – May 6 to May 12

This week ends with Mother’s Day and I just have to take this moment to wish all you hardworking, exhausted, tirelessly devoted mommas out there a Happy Mother’s Day! Here’s a menu plan for the week to lighten your load!

Monday: Healthier Chicken Parmesan

Tuesday: Teriyaki Salmon & Rice Bowls

Wednesday: Ranch Melt in Your Mouth Chicken

Thursday: Thai Peanut Noodles & Sauce

Friday: Date Night

Saturday: Harvest Cobb Salad

Sunday (Mother’s Day): Smoked Ribs

READ: Weekly Menu Plan – May 6 to May 12

Spanish Rice

Spanish rice is exactly the side dish you need with your next Mexican meal! This is a classic with all the flavors you want in a Spanish rice recipe and it’s perfectly moist every single time!

We’ve all been there…your meal arrives at your table, you take a bite of your main course and then tear into the rice and beans. The rice is dry and pasty and you can barely choke it down. Say goodbye to that scenario with this Mexican rice recipe!

This Spanish rice is so dang delicious. It makes a lot, but don’t you worry, we will be using the leftovers for pork tostadas later. The leftovers also freeze well (details below), so it’s actually awesome to have loads of leftover rice!

Make some steak fajitas, smothered chicken burritos, or the best pork carnitas with this Spanish rice for a side and prepare for a fiesta in your mouth! Ole! Cinco de Mayo anyone?!

Oh and don’t forget the refried beans to go with it!

What Ingredients Do I Need to Make Spanish Rice?

All the ingredients are exactly what you would expect in this dish. No surprises here!

• White Onion
• Tomatoes (Roma or Vine)
• Jalapeños
• Rice
• Cumin
• Canola Oil – olive oil can also be used
• Garlic
• Chicken Broth (or Vegetable)
• Tomato Paste
• Salt
• Cilantro
• Limes

How to Make Spanish Rice

Here are all the steps and tips we have for making this delicious rice recipe. For full details, see the recipe card below.

• Preheat the oven.
• Puree the tomatoes and onions in a food processor.

• Measure out 2 cups of the tomato/onion mixture and discard the excess.

• Mince the jalapeños leaving the ribs and seeds in one of the jalapeños.
• Rinse the rice through a fine-mesh strainer and shake to remove excess water.
  • Pro Tip: Rinsing the rice removes all the starch on the surface of the rice which can cause the rice to clump and get gummy when cooked.
• Saute the rice and cumin in a large skillet.
  • Pro Tip: This step is crucial. It adds a boost of flavor that takes this rice to the next level.

• Add garlic and seeded jalapeño.
• Add pureed tomato/onion mixture, broth, tomato paste and salt.
• Bring to boil then cover and place in oven to bake.
  • Pro Tip: You can also cook it on the stove top. We just prefer the taste and tex

Today I’m sharing 20+ easy, inexpensive, naturally gluten free desserts that require no special ingredients at all!

These are my go-to desserts anytime I need an allergy-friendly option at the last moment. They are also the recipes I share with anyone who asks for a simple and uncomplicated gluten free dessert recipe.

Naturally Gluten Free Desserts

All of the desserts I’m sharing today are naturally gluten free, meaning that they require no special flour or starches and can be made with ingredients typically found in the average kitchen.

Years before I started blogging, when I first started baking gluten free treats for a friend of mine, the recipes I found were completely overwhelming.

Special flours, starches, and gums, careful treatment of the doughs, delicate baking instructions, and confusing instructions, all combined to make me toss more than a few cookies into the trash.

I promise you that NONE of these recipes are like that. These are some of the easiest gluten-free desserts we make and every last one of them can be made with ingredients that are likely already in your pantry. No specialty flours, tools, or skills are required.

I love baking gluten free (and often dairy free) treats to bring to gatherings and events knowing that everyone will be able to enjoy them. Whether you’ve been baking without gluten for a while or you’re new to the whole thing, I hope that you enjoy these easy gluten free desserts.

Creamy, rich homemade fudge is the easiest gluten-free holiday treat to give as gifts or serve on a dessert tray. Unlike traditional fudge recipes that boil on the stove and must be stirred constantly, each of these Fudge Recipes can be made in 10 minutes or less!

You can imagine my delight when I realized that these copycat Cosmic Brownies are a naturally gluten free treat! Made without any flour at all they are perfectly chewy, ultra fudgy brownies, topped with a layer of fudge frosting.

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