Summer is here folks and these spicy dill pickled green beans are the perfect summer recipe! If you’ve never preserved anything before and you’re nervous about it, don’t be!! This is a perfect recipe to start with and I promise you, it’s easier than it sounds. You can do this!

I am pretty excited to share these with you just because they taste SO GOOD. Also because these beans are super easy to make plus green beans and dill are literally the easiest thing to grow in your garden (besides mint) and so it makes it that much better when you can grow it AND preserve it all by yourself. I don’t know why but I get super excited about making something fresh with my own hands and putting it away for the winter. Maybe I am just a nerd but it brings me absolute PURE JOY! Marie Kondo would be so proud.

These Spicy Dill Pickled Green Beans are crunchy and dilly and have just a bit of a kick. They are the perfect snack or garnish and they go with just about anything. Trust me, you are going to love them!

Give the gift of Spicy Dill Pickled Green Beans

These beans make the perfect gift for any occasion but I LOVE giving them out at Christmas. If you’ve read any of my Christmas journals then you know that the last thing anyone needs is more junk. Seriously, we have stuff for our stuff and it’s actually overwhelming. Cue the spicy dill pickled beans now.

Depending on what I’ve grown that year I might add in some yellow wax beans as well. They look so cute with the little tags on them all tied  up with twine and I just love all the colors in the jar! The green and yellow beans paired with the red chilli flakes just look so yummy! For this recipe I did a mix of green beans and yellow wax beans but you can do just green beans or just yellow beans if you like.

One of my favorite things to do is put together gift baskets for friends and family. I love filling them with delicious home canned goods and treats and I can hardly wait to start planning next years as soon as this years are gone. I start planning them in early June and do all the canning when the ingredients are fresh during the summer. Plus that gives them plenty of time to rest and let all those wonderful flavours come together. Peaches, jam’s, and salsa’s are just a few ideas of things you can include. I love collecting things for them throughout the year and I’m pretty sure people love receiving them just as much!

Get your FREE Spicy Dill Pickled Green Beans tag here!

How to eat these beans

Not only are these spicy dill pickled green beans a yummy snack, but they taste even better in a caesar or a bloody mary! If you’re American and you’re not sure what a caesar is then stop what you’re doing right now and go make one. This is a great recipe.  I love throwing in a few of my pickled beans in with a pepperoni stick and some bocconcini cheese! YUM!!!

Speaking of Caesar- Check out my Ultimate Chicken Caesar Pasta Recipe Here!

Even if all I did was eat them in caesar’s I would be winning. But the fun doesn’t stop there. There are SO many more options. Throw them on a charcuterie board the next time your entertaining or serve them with some olives and crackers. Eat them on a hot dog at your next backyard BBQ (yes you read that right) or just serve them as a side for dinner and watch how fast they go.

How to make spicy dill pickled green beans

Before you start I am going to recommend a few items that I ACTUALLY use myself. It makes the process much easier and I really wouldn’t want to do it without these items. The good news is once you see how awesome it feels to preserve you’re going to want to preserve everything and you will already have all the tools you need to do so.

CANNING TOOLS

1. Mason Jars –  Obviously you can’t preserve anything without the jars and these ones are my favorite. They are great but they also look pretty if you want to give some out as a gift.
2. Canning Kit – This will come with everything else you need. The pot is a specific type of pot and the lifter is SO important! The jars will be extremely hot and difficult to remove from the water so I really suggest you get one. If the kit is out of your price range you can start by getting just the pot and the lifter. Don’t forget your pot will still need a wire rack!

In this recipe I will take you through sterilizing your jars. This is super important and you should take this step seriously. My mother put the fear of God in me when I was little,  and I don’t think I will ever be able to open a jar without thinking of botulism. Probably not healthy, but it’s true. Anyway, the moral of the story here is canning is safe and healthy if done correctly so don’t get lazy here. You can find out more information here.

Listen, I know this seems like a lot if you have never preserved anything before but DON”T BE INTIMIDATED! It’s actually pretty easy once you get the hang of it and spicy dill pickled green beans are a great recipe to start with. If you have any questions I am here for you and I respond pretty quickly so send me a note or drop a comment below!

Sterilizing your jars

Back in the day people used to spend lots of time sterilizing their jars before canning however now some things have changed. According to the National Center for Home Food Preservation canned goods that are being placed in a hot water bath for 10 minutes or more no longer require sterilization because the jars and food will be sterilized in the process. Makes sense, but I’m old school and I still do it. Because these green beans are only cooked for 10 minutes (you could do 12 to make you feel better) I still like to sterilize my jars. I guess the better safe than sorry rule applies here.

So here’s how I do it.

First preheat your oven to 225 degree F. Then wash your jars with warm soapy water and be sure to rinse them well. You don’t want any soap in those jars!! Place all your jars onto a baking sheet (no need to dry them). Place the sheet of mason jars in the oven for at least 10 minutes and voila, your jars are sterile! I actually just leave them in there until I’m ready to fill them. To sterilize your lids simply place them in a pot of almost boiling water and let them simmer.

Preparing your beans

Believe it or not, this is actually the most time consuming part of the recipe. BECAUSE you need to trim your beans to size.  Your beans can’t be bigger than the mouth of the jar or the lids wont seal (obviously) so have a jar handy to measure. You’ll want them to be about 1/4 inch shorter than your lids. Make sure to pre wash your beans as well.

Filling the jars

Okay, now that we have our jars sterilized and our beans trimmed we can start to pack our jars.

Place the following in each jar

• 6 sprigs of fresh dill
• 1 clove of garlic (peeled and cut in half)
• 1 tsp of mustard seeds
• 1 tsp of dry chili flakes (use more or less for desired heat)

Next pack your jar with beans. Then bring your water, vinegar, and salt to a boil and carefully ladle into each jar filling to about 1/4 inch to the top.  You’ll want to take a stir stick (or a chopstick) and slide it down the inside edges of the jar to get rid of little air bubbles. Check your brine level again (you may need to add a bit more).

Gently wipe the top of your jars to make sure no liquid will affect the seal. Then screw on your lids. You don’t want the rings to be to tight. Firm but not tight! Before you bathe your jars in hot water, make sure you have a space set up where you can leave them for 24 hours. You won’t be able to move them again so don’t put them somewhere they will be in the way.

Place your jars in your hot water bath (large canning pot of boiling water) for 10 minutes and then very carefully remove.  Let sit for 24 hours and dont touch them! You’re going to want to but don’t!! You should hear your jars begin to pop as well! Popping is a great sound. It means the jars are sealing.

Note: This method is for canning at an altitude of 1,000 feet or less. For altitudes up to 3,000 feet, add 5 minutes; 6,000 feet, add 10 minutes; 8,000 feet, add 15 minutes; 10,000 feet, add 20 minutes. See more here 

Checking your seal

After your spicy dill pickled green beans have set for 24 hours you can now check your seal.

Press your finger down on the middle of the lid. If the lid springs back up, the jar is not sealed. You may have gotten some food or liquid under the lid and this would prevent it from sealing properly. Yes you can still eat the beans, however I would keep them in the fridge and eat within a few weeks.

Another option out there is to tap the lid with the bottom of a teaspoon. If the lid makes a dull sound it’s not sealed. If it makes a high pitched sound it is. I generally don’t like this method because I’m not good with sounds and I always just wonder if i’m hearing the right sound so I prefer to just press down on the lid.

You can get some more information on sealing jars here.

Spicy Dill Pickled Green Beans Recipe

Alright, that was a LOT of information but it was necessary. Canning is something you will definitely fall in love with and once you get the hang of things it will be a breeze. Invite some friends over and make a day of it. Give yourself lots of time and have fun!

I hope you love this recipe as much as I do!

Love green beans? Check out this ULTIMATE GREEN BEAN CASSEROLE!

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Spicy Dill Pickled Beans

These preserved spicy dill pickled green beans are a delicious way to enjoy green beans. A perfect snack or go great on a charcuterie board or in a caesar or bloody mary. Enjoy these fresh crispy green beans all year round.

Course Appetizer, Side Dish, Snack

Cuisine American

Keyword canned, canning ], dill pickled beans, green beans, mason jar, preserving, spicy pickled, yellow wax beans

Prep Time 1 hour hour

Cook Time 10 minutes minutes

Servings 4 Jars

Ingredients

• 4 mason jars 500ml sterilized
• 1 lb green beans washed and trimmed
• 1 lb yellow beans washed and trimmed
• 1 bunch fresh dill
• 4 large cloves of garlic peeled
• 4 tsp mustard seeds
• 4 tsp red pepper chili flakes

BRINE

• 2 ½ cups water
• 2 ½ cups white vinegar %5 or pickling vinegar
• 2 tbsp pickling salt

Instructions

Sanitizing Your Jars

• Preheat your oven to 225 ° and line mason jars (lids removed) onto a cookie sheet.
• Place washed jars into the oven for at least 10 minutes. I leave mine in until I am ready to fill.
• Place lids and rings into a pot of hot water. Bring temperature up to almost boiling and then simmer.

Directions

• Pack each sterilized jar with 6 sprigs of fresh dill, 1 clove of garlic (peeled and cut in half), 1 teaspoon of mustard seeds, and 1 tsp of dry chili flakes (use less or more to control heat)
• Add your trimmed beans
• In a large saucepan bring the water, vinegar, and pickling salt to a boil.
• Carefully fill each jar with hot brine leaving about ¼ inch of space (try not to splash any on the rims as this can affect your seal and cause bacteria to grow, I always use my canning funnel)
• Gently wipe the ring of the jar with a clean cloth to ensure no droplets are on it. Cover with sterilized lids and screw bands on. You want them to be tight but don't over tighten.
• Bring your canning pot to a full boil and carefully place jars inside. Hot water bathe them for 10 minutes and carefully remove them. Find a spot for them to rest and do not touch for 24 hours! Seriously, don't do it. I know it's hard but don't do it. You should start to hear them popping!
• After 24 hours has passed you can check the seal by pressing the middle of the lid with a finger or thumb. If the lid springs up when  you release your finger, the lid is unsealed
• Label and date your jars and move beans to a storage cellar or a cool dark place. Let sit for a minimum of 2-3 weeks before eating. NOTE you can eat them right away but they won't taste as good! The longer these guys sit the better they taste so if you can hold off trying them for a little while it will be worth it.

I’ve connected with some amazing Bloggers to share some Summer themed blogs with you. Head to each of their blogs to check out what they are sharing!

Cheyenne
www.babybumpsandmombuns.com
Jessica
www.mamabearwooten.com
Ashley
www.fairleysimple.com
Laila
www.thegoodwivesblog.com
Kimmy
www.kimmymanzo.home.blog

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The Christmas season is finally here and we are already thinking of all things Christmas around here. Especially about Santa’s Favorite Cookies (soooo good!) If you’re American you may not be fully on board just yet, but us Canadians have Thanksgiving in our rear view mirrors (and our waistlines), and are already singing our hearts out to Mariah Carey’s O Holy Night like we’ve been in the church choir for years. I’m just going to go ahead and say that if your not jamming to Mariah’s Christmas album all season long then you seriously need to ask yourself what you’re doing with your life.

These Oatmeal Chocolate Cookies are the BEST!

I am fully aware that claiming these cookies are Santa’s favorite cookies is a bold statement but it’s true. I used to HATE Oatmeal cookies. What a rip I thought, who wants oatmeal in a cookie? But then I started adulting and all of a sudden Oatmeal in cookies was a win. Just like Sunday afternoon naps and decaf coffee. I think I feel less guilty eating multiple oatmeal cookies because let’s be honest, they are “healthier”.  Anyway I now have a love for oatmeal in my cookies. But let’s be clear, I will never give up the chocolate. Which brings me to my next point. The chocolate.

These cookies are made with dark chocolate callets, which is one of the reasons they are so great. What’s a callet you ask? Callets are chocolate morsels formulated for melting rather than baking. They are usually made from Belgian chocolate which is a VERY good chocolate. And I happen to be an expert at delicious chocolate. They melt perfectly in the cookies and stay soft which in my opinion is better. Not feeling adventurous? Substitute for chocolate chips but keep them dark. These are seriously the best oatmeal chocolate cookies you will ever eat!

You’re instincts are going to want to do a few things with this recipe and I’m here to say don’t!

At least give this way a try. If you hate it or need to make a modification I am open to your comments.

1. DON’T leave them in the oven any longer. Trust me, you will pull them out after 12 minutes and think to yourself, these need a few more minutes. They don’t. The cookies will continue to cook after you take them out. They just need to rest. As my Dad always says, “patience is a virtue”
2. DO use dark chocolate callets. I don’t know why they are better but they just are. Don’t fight it.
3. DON’T over mix. Just enough to blend the ingredients.

These cookies are not only Santa’s Favorite, but they will be your family and friends favorite too! Which is why they make the PERFECT GIFT. This year I did a lot of extra canning and I my goal is to make gift baskets filled with lots of homemade goodies. People have enough stuff and I wanted to be really intentional about my gifts this year. A basket full of my award winning (yeah I just dropped that there) preserved peaches, my strawberry jam, spicy dill pickled beans, homemade BBQ sauce and more. These cookies will definitely make it into the basket.

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Santa's Favourite Christmas Cookie

There's a reason these are Santa's favourite cookie! These oatmeal cookies are so soft and chewy. Made with loads of dark chocolate. They are the perfect holiday treat.

Course Dessert, Snack

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes minutes

Servings 24

Ingredients

• 1 cup butter softened
• 1 cup brown sugar packed
• ½ cup white sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2 tsp vanilla
• 1 ¼ cups all purpose flour
• ½ tsp baking soda
• ½ tsp salt
• 3 cups quick oatmeal
• 1 cup dark chocolate callets (or dark chocolate chips) generous

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 330 ° F-random I know but it works best.
• In a large bowl, cream together butter, brown sugar, and white sugar.
• Beat in eggs and vanilla.
• In a separate bowl combine flour, baking soda, and salt. I sift just a tiny bit! Stir into the creamed mixture until just blended.
• Mix in the quick oats and chocolate callets.
• Drop generous tablespoon sized balls onto a baking sheets lined with parchment paper. Bake for 12 minutes in the preheated oven. Don't be fooled. Not a minute longer! Let cookies cool on baking sheet for a few minutes before moving.

Enjoy,

Laila

TRY THESE DOUBLE CHOCOLATE CANDY CANE COOKIES!

TRY THESE TURKEY STUFFING MEATBALLS STUFFED WITH CHEESE!

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Fall is here and this Harvest Soup is going to be your new favorite thing. I don’t know why but lately I’ve been into soups. Which is actually crazy because growing up as a kid, I always felt that it was a great injustice to be served soup for supper. Soup? Really? Where’s the rest of my meal? She’s trying to starve me I would think to myself as I watched my mother serve it up. I couldn’t understand why adults would waste a ridiculously good opportunity to eat something great on soup.

Well I’m a big girl now, and just like I understand the need for a good Sunday afternoon nap, I have a also learned to appreciate a good bowl of soup.  I will say though,  that if your going to serve soup for supper, then you better have some real good bread to serve with it. I mean something fresh baked and cheesy maybe. I’m all about the cheese bread. In fact anything less would probably be unacceptable.

I actually made this soup by accident. I started off making another soup and realized I didn’t have half the ingredients I needed and ended up throwing this all together. The results were fabulous and I just had to blog it before I forget what I did. Forgive the picture as it really doesn’t do this soup justice. But again, I really wasn’t planning on blogging it!

I used my my absolute favorite dutch oven pot. I picked mine up a few years ago at the Care and Share thrift shop. It was $6 and I LOVE it, but you can use any large pot. Whenever I make soup, I make it in the morning so it has time to mesh and all that lovely stuff. I let it simmer for about an hour and turn it off for the day. You can thicken it up a bit when reheating it, just before serving. I find soup always tastes better after its sat on the stove for the day and don’t really trust those 2 hour soup recipes.

I served this Harvest Soup with mini B.L.T.S (bacon, lettuce, and tomato sandwiches) on fresh cheese bread and it was wonderful!

As always, enjoy!

Laila

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Taco Stuffed Bell Peppers are HEALTHY!

I once heard someone say that the more colorful your food, is the better it is for you. I always think of that when I making these stuffed peppers. They have so much color and they taste as good as they look! I always use green peppers in this recipe but you can use whatever peppers you like. I’d love to try it in a roasted poblano pepper one day and if I do I promise I’ll share.

CHEESE

Let’s talk cheese for a second. I LOVE cheese. It’s honestly one of my favorite foods and it’s definitely my guilty pleasure. You can pretty much top these taco stuffed peppers with whatever cheese you like. If it were just me eating them, I would top them with a spicy monterey jack but since i have 4 kids and they would not be happy, I use a pretty tame mexican blend from the shredded cheese section. I have been known to make a few of them spicy in the past though. Which is another great thing about these stuffed peppers. They are so customizable.

Alright that’s enough talk. Let me know how it goes!

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Taco Stuffed Peppers

A healthy and delicious twist on stuffed peppers. These Taco Stuffed Peppers are packed with goodness and flavor. Meaty bites of ground turkey in a delicious seasoning with black beans, corn, tomatoes, and shredded cheese.

Course Main Course

Cuisine American, Mexican

Keyword bell peppers, cumin, green peppers, ground turkey, jalapenos, mac and cheese, onion, stuffed peppers, taco stuffed peppers, Tacos

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 50 minutes minutes

Ingredients

FILLING

• 1 lb ground turkey
• 2 cloves garlic minced
• 1 small onion diced
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 package taco seasoning
• 2 tbsp chopped jalapenos I use the Old El Paso pickled ones in the jar. If using fresh make sure you remove all the seeds for less heat
• 1 tsp salt
• ½ tsp pepper
• 1 can black beans drained and rinsed
• 1 can diced tomatoes drained really well
• 1 cup corn drained if using canned

FOR THE PEPPERS

• 4 green bell peppers cut in half length wise
• ½ cup chicken broth
• shredded cheese for topping I use Cracker Barrel Tex Mex
• sour cream for garnish
• paprika for garnish

Instructions

FILLING

• In a large skillet (I use my wok pan) cook the ground turkey over medium heat. Breaking it apart and season it with salt and pepper.
• Add in your diced onion onion, garlic, cilantro, jalapeno, black beans, corn and tomatoes, taco seasoning and cumin.
• Mix well. Simmer on low for 20 minutes lid removed so that all the excess liquid evaporates

FOR THE PEPPERS

• Preheat oven to 400 °
• Cut the peppers lengthwise and remove the seeds and stems. Rinse them well and pat dry with paper towel.
• Place the peppers cut side up in an oven proof dish (I use a glass Pyrex dish).
• Fill each pepper with the turkey mixture trying to leave as much liquid in the pan as you can.
• Pour the chicken broth into the bottom of the pan and cover with aluminum foil.
• Bake covered for 30 minutes then remove peppers and top with cheese.
• Bake for an additional 2 minutes (uncovered) or until the cheese is melted and bubbly. I broil mine. Serve with a dollop of sour cream and top with cilantro and paprika for garnish

Enjoy!

Laila

If you love this you HAVE to try this Mexican Lasagna!

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Yes! I love this Mexican Lasagna with tortilla’s recipe and I am super excited to share it with you. It’s definitely going to become your new family favorite! My Aunt Julie brought me this dish after the birth of our third child Rivera (there’s that tribe I am always talking about), and it has stuck with us ever since! It’s so simple and easy to make that I just had to share it with you. This Mexican Lasagna made with tortilla’s is the perfect break from traditional noodles!

Our family loves Tacos. We eat them far more than we probably should but honestly I’m fine with that. Who doesn’t love tacos? That’s probably why I fell in love with this Mexican Lasagna recipe the first time we had it. It takes tacos to a whole new level. The fresh toppings with the cheesy taco meat and tortillas just make you wonder how something so simple could be so good. It’s perfection! Especially on a night when you have activities. Serve it up with a side of my Mexican Rice or on it’s own and I promise you that won’t be disappointed!

Another great thing about this Mexican Lasagna recipe is that you can EASILY double it. Mainly because we have an army to feed,  but if you don’t need that much don’t worry, it freezes really well. This is also my favorite meal to send to someone in need. If I have ever brought you a meal then there is a good chance you’ve already eaten this recipe. It’s my go to delivery meal and I have yet to meet someone who doesn’t love it! If you know someone who has just had a baby or could use a pick me up, this is the go to dish for you.

Making Mexican Lasagna with tortilla’s

The first thing you will want to do is prep your kitchen. Trust me, any recipe will go a lot smoother (especially if you have some kids running around) if you prep. So pull out the cutting board and let’s do this.  

I like to start by greasing a 9X13 casserole dish and then getting all my ingredients ready on the counter. Then I start chopping my onion and set it aside. Next I’ll grate all my cheese. I am not a fan of pre shredded cheese because I think the real stuff is always better. Plus the pre shredded stuff usually has a coating on it that makes it less likely to melt. BUT if you’re trying to keep it simple then by all means a bag of the pre shredded Tex-mex or Mexican cheese will work just fine!

You’ll also want to can open the beans and corn and rinse them, then set aside.

Lasagna Filling

Okay, now for the best part. The filling! This stuff is so good you’ll be tempted to eat it like a chili. If we’re being completely honest here I might even tell you that I sometimes set a bowl aside for myself when I’m making it!

Grab a big frying pan or pot. I  use my heritage rock pan for this recipe ( I LOVE it so much!!) but a large frying pan would work as well.  Fry your beef and onion until browned and then remove from heat and drain.

Once drained stir in your salsa (just use your favorite brand), black beans, corn, dressing, taco seasoning and cumin. Return to heat and simmer. It’s that easy!

I use a package of Old El Paso Taco seasoning when making this recipe but you can certainly use your own if you prefer.

Lasagna Layers

For the layers you will want to use the large flour tortillas. Some recipes use noodles but Mexican lasagna with tortilla’s is the only way to go. Preferably 10″ in size but if you only have the small ones those work too. You just want to cover the bottom of the pan.

Next add a generous layer of the filling and spread evenly across. Next spread a layer of sour cream across the top of the filling and then top evenly with cheese.

Then repeat the layers again, starting with the tortillas. So simple yet SO GOOD!

Try it with this easy MEXICAN RICE

I hope you love this Mexican Lasagna recipe as much as I do. As always I love to hear from you and I LOVE to see your creations. Upload your pictures on social media using #thegoodwivesblog and invite me into your kitchen  

YOU’LL LOVE

–Healthy Tex-Mex Stuffed Peppers

–Turkey Meatballs Stuffed With Cheese

–Chicken Bacon Caesar Pasta 

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Mexican Lasagna

This delicious twist on Mexican food takes taco night to a whole new level. Mexican Lasagna is full of deliciously seasoned taco meat with salsa, black beans, and corn layered between tortillas with sour cream and cheese and topped with all the fixings. This recipe is great for kids and is freezer friendly.

Course Main Course

Cuisine Mexican

Keyword black beans, casseroles, corn, dinner, easy, ground beef, Lasagna, mac and cheese, Mexican, salsa, Tacos, tortillas

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes minutes

Servings 6 people

Ingredients

• 6 flour tortillas
• 1lb lean ground beef or chicken
• 1 large onion chopped
• 2 cups salsa use your favorite brand
• 1 can black beans drained and rinsed
• 1 can corn drained and rinsed
• ¼ cup reduced fat italian dressing
• 1 package store bought taco seasoning or 2-3 tablespoons homemade (to taste)
• ¼ tsp cumin
• 1 cup sour cream
• 3 cups shredded cheese

Toppings

• 1 cup iceberg lettuce shredded
• 1 avocado diced
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes halved
• ¼ cilantro chopped
• salt & pepper to taste

Instructions

• In a large skillet, season ground beef with salt and pepper and then cook beef and onion until meat is no longer pink; drain. Stir in salsa, beans, corn, dressing, taco seasoning and cumin. Return to heat and simmer.
• Coat a a 9X13 baking dish with cooking spray and then place 2- 3 tortillas in (enough to cover the bottom) Layer half of the meat mixture over the tortillas then spread sour cream across, then top with cheese. Repeat layers. (Like a lasagna!)
• Cover and bake at 400° for 25 minutes. Uncover; bake for another 5 minutes longer or cheese is nice and bubbly. Let stand for 5 minutes before topping each piece cut, with lettuce, tomato, avocado & cilantro.

*Disclosure: I only recommend products I love and would use myself and all opinions expressed here are my own. This post may contain affiliate links that at no additional cost to you, I may earn a small commission. Read full privacy policy  policy.

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It’s Saturday (hurray!!) and that calls for an easy dinner like these Easy Crunchy Tortilla Pizzas. That also means that by some miracle I have managed to survive the March Break. I know I promised some easy March Break recipes but this week nearly broke me and this is the first chance I have had to sit down. Besides, technically it’s still the March Break right? I promise to fill you in on all the craziness soon but for now here’s an easy weeknight meal that your family will love to make and eat!

I LOVE these tortilla pizzas and have been making them since I was young. They were always my go to after school or after a night out with the girls. I don’t know if its the crunchy tortillas that makes them so good, or the fact that you can easily fold them in half for make shift panzerotti type thing. Whatever it is, I promise you will love them.

Another GREAT thing about these tortilla pizzas is that you can serve them up fancy with a side salad and a glass of wine or they can be casual for a quick and easy dinner before baseball, hockey, or whatever your thing is. Need something to do at your kids next birthday party? These are a cheap and fun option too (your welcome!)  You can make whatever variation you want and be as creative as you want, they never get old.

Tortilla Pizza toppings!

Tortilla pizza toppings are endless but here’s a few of my favorites.

I love chicken ceasar pizza. What is that you ask? Prepare to be mind blown.

The base is Renee’s Ceasar salad dressing (any ceasar dressing will do). 

Then top with a blend of mozzarrella and parmesan cheese, cooked bacon, rotissierie chicken and drizzle with a bit of melted garlic butter. (I didn’t say it would be healthy…)

After it’s cooked top with a handful of fresh arugula. IT’S SO GOOD!!!

Another one of our faves is the BBQ pulled pork. We make sure to make these whenever we have leftover pulled pork.

The base is bbq sauce (we use sweet baby rays) then top with mozzarrella cheese, pulled pork, sliced red onion and bake. After it’s cooked drizzle with a little more bbq sauce!

For this recpe we stuck with good old fashioned pepperoni  just to keep it simple, but the possibilities are endless! Feel free to share your variations in the comments below.

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Easy Crunchy Tortilla Pizzas

These easy pizzas are made on tortilla's and are thin, crispy and so good. Load them up with all your favorite toppings for a quick meal or after school snack!

Course After School Snack, back to school lunch, Dinner, Main Course

Cuisine American

Keyword after school snack, dinner, dinner recipes, pizza, tortilla pizza

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Ingredients

• 4 Tortilla's
• 1 cup Pizza sauce
• 3 cups grated mozzarella cheese
• Pepperoni, thinly sliced

Instructions

• Preheat your oven to 425°
• Line a baking sheet with parchment paper
• Place your tortillas on the baking sheet (two at a time)
• Spread a thin layer of sauce onto each tortilla
• Sprinkle with cheese
• Top with pepperoni
• Bake in the oven for about 10 minutes
• Broil for 1 minute to get the cheese nice and bubbly on the top!
• :et cool for 1 minute before serving!

March Break cooking ideas? TRY THESE M&M Cookies!Enjoy,

Laila

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These are seriously the best oatmeal chocolate cookies ever. Bold statement I know, but they really are. The secret? Dark chocolate callets.

I actually used to boycott oatmeal cookies. Seriously, who wants to eat oatmeal in their cookies? It’s like healthy! I don’t know if it’s because I hit my 30’s and my brain switched gears (one day you’re 16 wearing a size 0, eating Big Mac’s like they are going out of style and all of a sudden your 30 wearing t-shirts in the pool) or whatever the case, I now have a love for them!

I’ve said it before, I really hate LONG POSTS on recipes. So I will keep this short and sweet (no pun intended haha). I’ve played around with a bunch of recipes and I think I now have it down to a science. These Oatmeal Chocolate Cookies are soft and chewy and made with dark chocolate callets ins instead of the typical semi sweet chip.

What’s a callet you ask? Callets are chocolate morsels formulated for melting rather than baking. They melt perfectly in the cookies and stay soft which in my opinion is better. Not feeling adventurous? Substitute for chocolate chips but keep them dark! These are seriously the best oatmeal chocolate cookies ever!

You’re instincts are going to want to do a few things with this recipe and I say don’t! At least give this way a try. If you hate it or need to make a modification I am open to your comments!

1. DON’T leave them in the oven any longer. Trust me, you will pull them out after 12 minutes and think to yourself, these need a few more minutes. They don’t. They just need to rest. As my dad always says, “patience is a virtue”.
2. DO use dark chocolate callets. I don’t know why they are better but they just are. Don’t fight it.
3. DON’T over mix. Just enough to blend the ingredients.

Okay, so now that I have that out of the way here’s the recipe!

Print

Oatmeal Chocolate Cookies

These cookies are soft and chocolaty. Seriously the best cookies EVER.

Course Dessert, Snack

Cuisine American

Keyword chocolate, cookie, cookies, oatmeal

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Servings 24 cookies

Ingredients

• 1 cup butter softened
• 1 cup brown sugar packed
• ½ cup white sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2 tsp vanilla
• 1 ¼ cups flour all purpose
• ½ tsp baking soda
• ½ tsp salt
• 3 cups quick oats
• 1 cup dark chocolate callets

Instructions

• Preheat your oven to 330 °F
• In a large bowl, cream together butter, brown sugar, and white sugar
• Then beat in eggs and vanilla
• In a separate bowl combine flour, baking soda, and salt. I sift just a tiny bit!
• Stir into the creamed mixture until just blended. Mix in the quick oats and chocolate callets
• Drop generous tablespoon sized balls onto a baking sheets lined with parchment paper
• Bake for 12 minutes in the preheated oven. Don’t be fooled. Not a minute longer!
• Let cookies  cool on baking sheet for a few minutes before moving

Let me know how it goes in the comments below

Enjoy,

Laila

Need a little dinner inspiration?

TRY THESE

•  Smoky Meatballs
• Bacon and Chorizo Mac and Cheese 

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The post Oatmeal Chocolate Cookies appeared first on The Good Wives Blog.