With a rich ham flavor and a balanced combination of potatoes, leeks, and split peas, this slow cooker split pea soup is a very pleasant surprise.

Ham and Split Pea Soup with Potatoes

My husband loves split pea soup. I tried making it for him several times when we were newly married and every time prior to this, I was unimpressed. Even as a child, split pea soup was my least favorite soup.

Finally, as an adult, I’ve found a split pea soup I don’t just like or tolerate but really truly love. This slow cooker split pea soup is made with leeks, ham, and potatoes and it just might be the best split pea soup you’ll ever taste.

Slow Cooker Split Pea Soup

When I stumbled on this rainy day split pea soup several years ago, I decided to give split pea soup another chance.

Lucky for us, I had a ham bone in the freezer already (leftover from Christmas dinner) so I made this split pea soup with that ham bone in the crock pot that same day, making this a super easy meal to make with what I had on hand.

I could tell even before I ladled the split pea soup into bowls that this recipe was a winner. The fragrant garlic and simmering split peas filled my kitchen with the most delicious smell as the soup cooked.

Then, I took a bite and discovered just how delicious split pea soup with ham and potatoes can be. Chunks of tender baby red potatoes, onions, and leeks swim in creamy split peas that are cooked in a garlicky broth that is richly flavored with ham.

Each and every spoonful of this crockpot split pea soup was more delicious than the last and it’s become one of our favorite soups over the past ten years. A few years ago I never would have guessed that I’d become such a fan of split pea

Taco Stew

This taco stew is the recipe most requested by anyone who knows my mom and now you can try it too! It’s like taco soup but thicker like a chili.

Taco stew is an easy weeknight dinner recipe that the whole family loves. We love to top it with our favorite taco toppings and everyone can totally customize their own bowl. 

So I call this a stew because I add potatoes, carrots and peas to it. That totally qualifies as stew, right?! It’s a little more hearty and chunky than our Instant Pot taco soup or even our taco ground beef chili.

Ok, back to the toppings…there’s something about the Fritos and the soup. I’m serious. I never, and I mean never, think to buy Fritos, but they are a total necessity for topping off the taco stew. I think it’s that crunchy corn taste that works so well with everything.

Ingredients for Taco Stew

I love that this recipe is mostly a pantry meal. It is so nice when you’re on a tight budget or just don’t have time to get to the store. It also cannot be easier! Here is what you will need:

• Yukon Gold Potatoes: yukons have the best flavor and keep the best texture when added to a soup or stew – you could also use red potatoes as a substitute
• Carrots: peeled and cut into bite size pieces
• Onion: just a yellow onion works great
• Hamburger: 80/20 or 85/15 works great – if you want to go a little healthier, try ground turkey or chicken
• Frozen Peas: just toss them in frozen, and they’ll be heated through in no time
• Diced Tomatoes: you can use any brand you want
• Tomato Sauce: any brand works great
• Taco Seasoning: you can use a store bought packet or make your own
• Corn: just open a can of corn and toss it in, no need to drain
• Chili Beans: pinto beans or black beans also will work great, undrained
• Kidney Beans: no need to drain these either

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

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Oh, my sweet HEAVEN. Cornbread waffles piled high with BBQ pulled pork and tangy coleslaw have been some of my favorite bites this year.

Cornbread Waffles

The waffles stay incredibly crispy on the outside while fluffy inside. I’ve made these cornmeal waffles more than a few times now and no matter how you serve them, they’re a winner.

My family really loves waffles and over the years, I’ve picked up a few tips that make them easy to make and serve.

Waffles are like a bread or a biscuit in our household. My kids top them with everything from savory to sweet. A fried egg or sausage gravy is delicious on a cornbread waffle. Slather your waffles with honey butter for a sweet snack.

If you are planning to freeze extra corn bread waffles, take 30 seconds to a minute off of the cooking time, or if you have the option set your waffle iron to a “lighter” setting. This gives you the option of popping them in the toaster to reheat and not get overly crispy.

Cornmeal Waffles

You’ll need just a handful of basic pantry ingredients to make corn meal waffles.

• all-purpose flour
• cornmeal
• kosher salt
• baking powder
• sugar
• milk
• eggs
• melted butter

It’s easy to swap out the ingredients here to make these waffles gluten and/or dairy free. Brown rice flour, tapioca starch, and potato starch substitute nicely for the all-purpose flour in this cornmeal waffle recipe.

To make dairy-free waffles exchange the milk for almond milk. Rice milk is a good choice too, as it is mild in flavor and it’s unlikely anyone will notice the swap.

Cornbread Waffles Recipe

Make your next waffle recipe with cornmeal and you’ll be thanking me soon for a whole new way to

Green Chile Carnitas are the perfect combination of two of my favorite savory things. It’s tough to find a combo that beats pork and green chile in my mind.

Carnitas are cooked until melt in your mouth tender; then roasted at high temperature until the edges caramelize.

Green Chile Carnitas

Deliciously seasoned pork carnitas are something we make as often as possible. Carnitas are delicious on their own but they become the star of so many dishes from salads to tacos, enchiladas, burritos, and countless other meals.

The crispy chopped bits of pork make the most delicious tacos. The meat is already full of flavor and perfect when topped with cilantro, onion, cheese, lime, and pico de gallo.

The beauty of this recipe is you can use the pork shoulder or a pork butt. I love finding them on sale at the grocery store and turning them into carnitas of all kinds.

My usual go-to recipe for carnitas is unique as it does not use traditional Mexican spices, but is deliciously flavored with citrus, onions, and salt and pepper.

Green Chile Pork

You’ll need these ingredients to make this recipe:

• boneless pork shoulder or butt roast 
• onion 
• ground cumin
• granulated garlic or garlic powder
• kosher salt
• freshly ground black pepper
• chopped green ch

Tangy, sweet Honey Lime Jalapeno Vinaigrette delivers a hint of lingering heat that few can resist. It’s perfect on salads or drizzled over street tacos or burrito bowls.

Jalapeno Vinaigrette

My husband was working out of town a while back and he texted me one night to tell me about the fantastic honey-lime jalapeño vinaigrette from one of the restaurants he visited. His only dinner request that week was that I try to figure out how to make it.

Consider it done. He was a very happy camper with the version I created! This spicy, citrus dressing sweetened with a touch of honey was just the right combination.

I served this jalapeno lime dressing for dinner the first time I made it with a huge chopped vegetable salad loaded with chicken, cheese, hard-boiled eggs, and just about anything else I could think of adding to it. It was so good!

I offered my boys ranch dressing for their salads, thinking that they might not want to try this one. However, two of them surprised me by liking the jalapeno dressing every bit as much as the adults did.

While to some people, salads may seem boring, I just can’t relate to that sentiment. Between changing up the toppings to different homemade dressings. I can eat them every day. In fact, I do. Check out my best tips for eating salad every day and loving it!

Want a few more awesome dressings to try that are a bit off the beaten path? Chipotle, garlic, and lime are combined to create a crazy flavorful Chipotle Vinaigrette that you are going to love.

This Pepperoncini Lime Vinaigrette is perfect for light salads or heartier ones, like this southwestern steak salad. The finely diced pepperoncini give a slight bite and the dill complements it nicely.

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