30 Minute Taco Soup

I’ve been on a taco kick lately. We eat tacos A LOT at our house so when I saw this Taco Soup recipe, it seemed like something I just HAD to try. I’m sure glad I did…it was delicious!

I really liked the soup with a little plain greek yogurt mixed in…gave it a nice creamy flavor. The kids liked it loaded with cheddar cheese 🙂 I didn’t add any cheese on my soup and didn’t feel like it was missing anything.

Avocado Salmon Salad

This Avocado Salmon Salad is light and fresh and full of flavor. It would be a lovely salad to serve in the summer when fresh dill can be added to the top. I am typically not a huge lemon fan but this salad was a definite keeper for our family.

To slice the veggies, I used my mandoline for a quick and uniform slice in no time at all. I have the older model of this de Buyer mandoline which I love. The blades are SUPER sharp so beware. It comes with interchangeable blades to slice, crinkle, julienne 4mm and 10mm, and waffle cut. It also has an integrated cube system. One side of the blade is serrated for waffle cuts; the other side has a micro-serrated edge for cutting fruits and vegetables. The newer model pusher is a nice upgrade to protect your fingers.

Just be careful when washing it! I’ve had other mandolines in the past that I always had to replace because they didn’t work well. This mandoline does everything you need and more!

Substitutions/Additions made by Cooking After Class for Avocado Salmon Salad:

• used dried dill instead of fresh
• used a regular cucumber instead of an English cucumber

Tips from Cooking After Class for making Avocado Salmon Salad:

• bake salmon in an air fryer instead of pan frying to avoid the extra oil
• be sure to slice the radishes as thin as possible so they do not overpower the salad

RECIPE: Avocado Salmon Salad Recipe

⭐⭐⭐⭐

Rating: 4 out of 5

Effort: Quick & Easy

Time: 30 minutes

Kids Comments: Surprisingly good 🙂

Make it Again: Yes…nice fresh, salad…salmon is a great addition

all ingredients ready to go

salmon is seasoned

baked in air fryer

veggies are all chopped

Kenxie was excited for the avocado

Spicy Shrimp Tacos

These Spicy Shrimp Tacos have a little kick to them with a bit of lime to balance the flavor nicely. They are easy to throw together with just a few ingredients. They were tasty in a corn tortilla but just as yummy in a lettuce wrap.

Mexican Meatball Soup

This Mexican Meatball Soup recipe is better known as “Grandma’s Special Soup” by Rafael, one of my third grade students. He asked if I liked soup and when I told him YES, he brought in Grandma’s Special Soup recipe so that I could try to make it myself.

This soup was AMAZING! I loved how all the flavors came together. Rafael’s family sent in some dried spearmint leaves for me to use when making the meatball. So glad they had some extra to share as it really added to the mix of flavors in the meatballs (and also gave me ideas for drying some of my herbs this summer/fall…definitely something I need to explore further).

Spicy Turkey Stir Fry

I find myself making stir fry frequently. There are so many variations that you can make that are all full of new flavors. Most are also fairly healthy which make them a go to for me. This Spicy Turkey Stir Fry does not disappoint.

I have made this recipe several times in the past. I have used ground turkey, as the recipe calls for, but this time, I used ground venison instead. The flavors are wonderful with both meat choices.

Bacon and Egg Spaghetti

In our house, this Bacon and Egg Spaghetti is also known as Magazine Pasta. This meal was pictured on the cover of a Food Network magazine I received. Kenxie saw the picture and begged me to make it. Since then, it has been a regularly requested meal in our house. Easy and delicious…can’t beat that!

Crock Pot Italian Sausage Dinner

My kids are not crazy about crock pot meals but let’s face it, sometimes they are a necessity. This Italian Sausage dinner is an easy option because not only can it be prepared in a matter of minutes in the morning, there is nothing that has to be done in the evening to get it ready to serve. As soon as you’re ready to eat, you spoon out some green beans, grab a sausage link or two, and add a few potatoes to your plate and dinner is served.

Old Fashioned Beef Stew

This recipe was the first soup I made that my kids would actually eat. I kept telling them that it wasn’t soup, it was Beef Stew. They finally gave it a try and LOVED it. For years following that day, whenever I made soup, I referred to it as a stew so they would eat it 🙂 I always serve this Beef Stew with homemade bread. Delicious!

This recipe is one of Kenxie’s favorites so I made it the week of her birthday. I got home later than anticipated the night it was on the menu so I had to figure out how to get this on the table as quickly as possible.

Easy Lasagna Soup

This recipe was recommended by a friend (thanks for sharing Megan). She has made this Easy Lasagna Soup for her family numerous times and always receives rave reviews. Since I’m a big soup lover and my kids love pasta, I thought this recipe would be a great compromise for us 🙂

When it was time to serve, they wondered whether they should eat it with a spoon or fork. They got an eye roll from me and a reminder that it was called lasagna SOUP. Needless to say, once they took their first bite using a SPOON, they were all pleasantly surprised. They really enjoyed this soup…and so did I. It’s a keeper for our family.

Roasted Brussels Sprouts

If you haven’t tried Roasted Brussels Sprouts, you are in for a treat! Gone are the days of mushy, smelly, overcooked brussel sprouts. You’ll love the subtle crunch and mild flavor of these veggies when roasted with just a few simple ingredients.

I’ve tried a few recipes where the brussels sprouts are roasted with bacon. I like bacon but love the brussels sprouts on their own so I actually prefer them without the added bacon. I do like to drizzle them with a little balsamic glaze right before I serve them. Not for everyone but I sure like it.

Creamy Italian Chicken

This quick and easy Creamy Italian Chicken Skillet is a great, healthy addition to a busy weeknight menu. It only takes about 20 minutes to make this tasty dish so if you have a half hour, you’ll have time to get this meal made and served with time to spare.

When selecting chicken for this dish, be sure to use cutlets (or trim a larger breast into smaller, thin pieces) so they cook evenly and quickly. Don’t worry about any brown scrapings left in the pan after you remove the chicken. Leave them there! As you add the ingredients for the sauce, the brown pieces will easily come off the pan and add even more flavor to your sauce.

Pesto Ravioli

This Pesto Ravioli is one of those super QUICK recipes that really can be made and served within 15 minutes. It’s a recipe that is easy enough for the kids to make (with a little supervision at the stove) so if you need a day off in the kitchen, add this Pesto Ravioli to your menu.

Cheeseburger Casserole

I was in need of a quick casserole that I could make in advance with zero prep on the day it would be served. This Cheeseburger Casserole fit the bill…the only thing I had to do after baking it was chop the pickles. Pretty easy…I’ll take that!

For how easy it was, this casserole is actually quite delicious. It was a crowd pleaser as well. My picky eater dove in and even went back for seconds…although she didn’t give the pickles a try.

Broccoli & Bean Soup

I’ve been enjoying soups for lunch and when I found this Broccoli & Bean Soup recipe, I wanted to give it a try. The combination sounded interesting…and healthy so I was ready to give it a go.

To make this soup, I used my Tramontina Dutch Oven. For this recipe, I used the smaller size in this set. It was the perfect size for this recipe.

Initially, the soup was really thick. I added quite a bit more water and broth as I blended it into a puree. In the end, it was still quite thick even with all the additional liquid. The taste itself was unique…a good unique. It wasn’t screaming delicious but it was savory and satisfying. It was growing on me.

Turkey Mini Loaves

I’ve been making these Turkey Mini Loaves since my kids were little. They’ve always enjoyed them…especially the cheese on the inside. I personally love swiss cheese so I tend to use that but I’ve made it with mozzarella too and they are delicious as well.

For a lighter meal, serve the turkey loaves with some steamed veggies. If you’re more of a meat and potato family, it pairs well with just about any potato (mashed, baked, scalloped…haven’t tried it with sweet but I’m sure it would be tasty 🙂)

Chicken & Quinoa Bake

I can say that this Chicken & Quinoa Bake recipe surprised me. It was not at all what I expected but the combination of ingredients really proved to be a tasty combo.

Once again I find myself thinking that I should have read through the whole recipe a little more thoroughly before making this “casserole.” I liked the list of ingredients but as began following the directions, I quickly realized that there was no way it would turn out as written.

Philly Cheesesteak Stuffed Portobello

I’m a big mushroom fan so when I found this Stuffed Portobello Mushroom recipe, it became a quick addition to our menu. It didn’t disappoint! This meal was filling but still light. While I could have eaten two mushroom caps, one was enough for me to feel satisfied…although Xander ate three!

This healthy meal really is a breeze to throw together. It doesn’t take much time at all to prep and then it bakes for about 20 minutes. You could easily have dinner served in 30 minutes. Great for a busy weeknight when time is a hot commodity.

Stuffed Spaghetti Squash

This Stuffed Spaghetti Squash is a veggie packed, filling meal with a Mexican twist. All the veggies are combined with chicken, enchilada sauce, and topped with pepper jack cheese.

To save time on chopping the zucchini, I used my veggie chopper. Such a handy tool for saving some serious time on food prep. This chopper comes with three different sized chopping plates so it can be used for prepping a variety of foods.

Spinach & Artichoke Soup

I ❤️ spinach and I ❤️ artichokes so this Spinach & Artichoke Soup sounded like it was made just for me. I have to say I was a little skeptical as I was making it but it all came together and tasted like the soup version of a very tasty spinach and artichoke dip…you know the kind that is loaded with cheese…a heart attack waiting to happen. Yep, that’s the one!

Shrimp and Black Bean Tacos

Have I mentioned that I LOVE tacos 🌮 I typically like shrimp tacos, but they are usually not my favorite. However, this recipe…THIS RECIPE has changed everything. I seriously inhaled these Shrimp and Black Bean Tacos.

These tacos were light, fresh, and filling all at the same time. The rice and beans gave them some serious substance but the shrimp, pico de gallo, and avocado lighten them up and made for a fresh pop of flavor with each bite.