Ground beef is seasoned generously with Mexican spices and tossed with black beans and corn to create what we at our house consider “The Best Taco Meat”. It’s perfect for tacos, salads, burritos, quesadillas, nachos, you name it. Or, just served hot from the pan with plenty of shredded cheese (if you’re my nieces).

This recipe is so simple that I initially almost didn’t post it. But, I’ve come to realize that simple recipes are what most of us need as we try to balance all of our responsibilities while feeding our families. What could be better than the super easy recipes I turn to on my busiest days? Plus, if you keep some homemade taco seasoning on hand, this meal can literally be on the table in minutes.

Taco Meat

This taco meat recipe was my saving grace year after year when we got back into the routine of school and other activities. My boys declared that it was “The Best Taco Meat, Ever!” and so it was likely to be our lunch and/or part of our dinner at least once a week.

There are so many ways to serve it that my family never gets bored of having the same core ingredients over and over again. It’s an easy recipe that you can enjoy in tons of different ways. And, it portions and freezes beautifully, making it even easier for the kids to grab and go now that they’re older.

This easy zucchini casserole is a hearty, cheesy, and comforting family dinner made with fresh zucchini, a bread crumb topping and plenty of gooey cheese. A quick and easy zucchini casserole recipe that’s perfect for using up fresh summer zucchini!

Garden zucchini coming out your ears? This zucchini casserole turns a whopping 9 cups of shredded zucchini into one seriously delicious side dish. Garlic, herbs and 3 different cheeses bring the flavor, while a buttery panko topping adds that golden CRUNCH we all know is the best part.

And don’t worry—we’ve got a simple trick for getting rid of all that extra zucchini moisture so you don’t end up with a puddle at the bottom of your casserole.

I planted ONE zucchini plant this year. One. I thought I was being smart because zucchini plants are notorious for producing more squash than any human could possibly eat. Well, I picked 10 zucchini and there were still 21—yes, TWENTY-ONE—on the dang plant! What?!

Clearly, I needed a recipe that could put a serious dent in my zucchini situation, and this casserole was the winner!

It’s an easy vegetable side dish for Sunday dinner, summer BBQs or potlucks—and apparently the answer to one wildly overachieving zucchini plant.

Ingredients You’ll Need

• Shredded Zucchini: You’ll need about 2 ½ pounds, or 9 cups once shredded. Don’t peel it! The skin is tender and adds color.
• Onion + Garlic: Sautéing them first takes away the raw bite and adds so much more flavor to the casserole.
• Eggs + Sour Cream: These bind everything together and give the filling its creamy texture.
• Dijon Mustard: Just a teaspoon adds a little tang and depth without mak

The birthday treat your kids are going to ask you to make again and again.

Birthday Cake Muddy Buddies are a fun twist on classic puppy chow made with Funfetti cake mix, white chocolate peanut butter, and Rice Chex. The perfect no-bake party snack!

Made with Rice Chex, white chocolate peanut butter, and cake mix, they’re the perfect snack for birthday parties, movie nights, baby showers, or whenever you’re craving a fun and festive treat.

Listen, I know, I KNOW I’m going to be eaten alive for this but it’s the truth and I cannot lie… I ate cake mix powder as a kid. And it was wonderful. Yes, I’m talking the actual powder. I’d dump it into the bowl and if there was a clump I’d carefully, oh so delicately lift it up and eat it! It was so good! lol! How could I not make something cake mix flavor as an adult? So, a sweet Chex mix was the best perfect way to combine two favs!

Ingredients You’ll Need

These Birthday Cake Muddy Buddies use just a handful of ingredients to create a sweet and crunchy snack that tastes just like Funfetti cake batter. Every ingredient plays a role in creating the perfect balance of flavor and texture.

• Funfetti Cake Mix: Adds sweet birthday cake flavor and colorful sprinkles that make this snack extra festive.
• White Chocolate Peanut Butter: Creates a creamy coating with sweet peanut butter flavor throughout every bite.
• Butter: Helps create a smooth, rich coating for the cereal.
• White Chocolate Chips: Add sweetness and help the coating set perfectly.
• Rice Chex: The classic crunchy base that holds all the delicious cake batter flavor.

How to Make Cake Batter Muddy Buddies

1. Heat-treat the cake mix: Spread the cake mix on a baking sheet and bake at 350°F for 5-10 minutes. Let it cool completely.
2. Make the coating: Melt the white chocolate peanut butter, butter, and white chocolate chips together in a large saucepan over medium heat or in the microwave, stirring until smooth.
3. Coat the cereal: Place the Rice Chex in a large bowl. Pour the melted mixture over the cereal and gently stir until evenly coated.
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Crisp tortillas and melting cheese collide with spicy elote corn dip in this hearty, flavorful Corn Quesadilla. And the best part? From start to finish, these come together in just 10 minutes.

This corn quesadilla recipe was heavily inspired by our beloved elote dip, a dish made with roasted corn in a creamy sauce of spicy mayonnaise, lime, and cotija cheese. Whether we eat it with a spoon or dip into it with tortilla chips, it’s been a long-time favorite snack in our house. Given our love of elote and quesadillas, it was only a matter of time until I tried combining the two.

Corn Quesadilla

My boys and I are long-time fans of all things quesadilla. In fact, quesadillas were one of the first meals I taught my boys how to cook. They’re simple, easy to make, and provide a great way to use up leftovers.

Unsurprisingly, my boys loved this recipe from the first bite. At this point, I know that I need to multiply this recipe every time I make it. Who knew that adding crispy, golden tortillas and gooey melted cheese to our beloved elote dip would make it even better? I suppose it was a safe bet. These corn quesadillas are a great way to use up any leftover dip (when and if we’re lucky enough to have leftovers).

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Rich, creamy Kielbasa Pasta with broccoli has been one of the highlights at our dinner table lately. With such a simple list of ingredients and incredible flavors that come together in no time at all, it’s sure to make multiple appearances at your table, too.

I love to fill out our pasta dishes with plenty of vegetables (see our one-pot jambalaya pasta as an example), so there is almost as much broccoli on display here as there is pasta. Add some hearty sausage and sharp, crumbly cheese on top, and you’ve got a weeknight meal with something for everyone.

Kielbasa Pasta

Many years ago, we had a dinner tradition called “not-eat foods”. Each of my boys was allowed to choose one food which they could skip tasting, if it was part of dinner that night. For several years, my eldest son chose broccoli as his not-eat food.

So when this pasta was a huge hit with ALL of my family, I knew I’d found a new dinner staple. My eldest went back for seconds, and even thirds! It makes me grin to watch my son who normally dislikes broccoli eat every single saucy broccoli bite.

Ingredients and Substitutions

The Pasta –