Spicy-As-Heck Sticky Ribs

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Do you like it hot? These spicy-as-heck sticky ribs are for you, then! A little bit sweet, a lot spicy, and oh-so-finger-licking delicious…. Use your favorite hot sauce to really kick up the heat level more, and more, and more for these spicy ribs you can make in your oven at home! Tone down the spice with a little sweet brown sugar, and you’ve got a meal that will stick to your own ribs, and your fingers, in the most delicious way. | oven-baked ribs | spicy ribs | sweet ribs | barbecue ribs | baby-back ribs |

Being from Kansas City, not much beats a good barbecue rib. Burnt ends, sure, but when it comes to ribs, around here, it’s usually barbecue. Now, I love barbecue ribs, don’t get me wrong. But sometimes I really want to take it up a few notches and to do that, I have to get spicy. That’s when these spicy-as-heck sticky ribs come in.

Why spicy-as-heck? Because you’re using a whole heck of a lot of hot sauce on them. And why sticky? Because to offset all of that spice, you have to have a little bit of sweet, and that comes in the form of brown sugar that caramelizes on the ribs and makes these stick to your fingers (in the best way… you’ll be licking them clean, trust me). You can bake these in your oven or toss them on the grill and have these spicy ribs practically falling off of the bone.

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Pasta e Fagioli Soup (Olive Garden Copycat!)

If you're totally obsessed with Olive Garden's Pasta e Fagioli soup, but can't make it to Olive Garden every day, you're going to LOVE this option-- homemade pasta e fagioli soup with all the flavor, with just a few minutes of prep time. Simmer and enjoy! Skip going out to eat and have dinner in with this yummy alternative.

I would eat at Olive Garden pretty much every day if I could… from the super soft, delicious warm breadsticks to the salad, to the pasta e Fagioli soup, I just want it non-stop. Downside? My budget kiiiind of laughs at me anytime I say I want to eat at a restaurant every day. The bright side is, pasta e Fagioli soup is so easy to make, and it’s affordable enough that you can feed your whole family for what it would cost to feed, well, pretty much just you at a restaurant.

Personally, I think it would be worth it to not cook and just feed me at a restaurant every day… but my hungry family disagrees, which is where this pasta e Fagioli copycat soup comes in. Luckily, it’s easy and delicious, so everyone’s happy!

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Loaded Cheeseburger Nachos for the Big Game

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #KetchupWithFrenchs #CollectiveBias

Loaded cheeseburger nachos are perfect for the Big Game. If you love cheeseburgers, you're going to love this yummy take on your favorite grilled dish, cooked right in your oven with french fries, beef, and bacon. #KetchupWithFrenchs [ad] | super bowl | game day recipe | big game recipe | appetizer | side dish | beef | bacon | bacon cheeseburger |

There’s something seriously divine about biting into a juicy, delicious cheeseburger. My family is pretty serious about our beef and our cheeseburgers– every year, we even buy an entire cow. That’s how much we really, really like burgers. But burgers are just a pain in the booty to make for tailgating and Big Game parties. Getting it just how everyone likes it, making the perfect patty, standing over the grill… that’s not how I want to spend my game time events. That’s why these loaded cheeseburger nachos are perfect. They totally keep the party going, and they have all of the best parts of a cheeseburger– beef, bacon, fries, and delicious ketchup. You can’t go wrong with them!

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Crock Pot Potato Soup

In the winter, I crave a nice, warm soup-- it is my favorite kind of comfort food. This crock pot potato soup is easy to make, and you can make it in your slow cooker! So simple! | crockpot | loaded baked potato |

In the winter, I’m usually craving a great, super warm, hearty comfort food, and I can’t seem to get warmed up unless I get it. For me, one of the best choices, when I’m a little chilly, is to make some soup, but I’m rarely in the mood to have to fuss with it if I don’t have to. I love this super simple (souper simple? Ha!) Crock Pot Potato Soup because it tastes amazing, but it also makes life so much easier because you just put it in the slow cooker and go!

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Strawberry + Yogurt Breakfast Muffins

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #SpoonfulsOfGoodness #CerealAnytime #CollectiveBias

Mornings can be hard, especially at the fast pace we're expected to live them in. But that doesn't mean you can't get a great breakfast-- these Strawberry Yogurt Muffins are a perfect breakfast on-the-go, giving new meaning to cereal and milk. #SpoonfulsOfGoodness #CerealAnytime [ad]

I was watching a lecture the other day about how getting older changes your perception on the length of a year. When you turn two, one year is literally half of your life, so it seems like it took a long time. At age 5, a year is 1/5th of your life, but when you’re in your late 20s like I am, one year is just 1/28th of your life, and it seems to really fly by. So when we set resolutions for the year, one of two things usually happens: we’re too busy to take them seriously and ditch them by March, or we realize the year flew by and we forgot to really give it a proper go. It got me thinking about the importance of setting smaller goals, perhaps even daily goals. Maybe this year, instead of saying “This year, I’ll accomplish something big,” I’ll start my day off saying “Today, I’m accomplishing this.” That isn’t to say I don’t have long term goals, but sometimes having a good year is as simple as saying “today, I’m going to start my day off right with breakfast before I dive into my extensive to-do list.” 

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Double-Dipped French Toast (IHOP Copycat!)

If you LOVE double dipped french toast from IHOP, you'll love this IHOP copycat recipe you can make at home! Their double dipped french toast is seasonal, but you can enjoy this all year round! Just coat your favorite bread in an extra crunchy topping, fry, and serve! Easy-peasy. | IHOP copycat | Breakfast Recipe |

It’s no secret that IHOP is one of our favorite restaurants. The kiddo and I usually end up stopping there after his Autism therapy, or going for a late breakfast once in awhile as a fun treat. We’re such big fans, we even asked for IHOP gift cards for Christmas to fuel our little IHOP addiction. It’s also no secret that I am a huuuuge fan of their double-dipped French toast! I love the extra crunch that it has, the taste that takes it one step higher than regular French toast for me. The only downside? Double Dipped French Toast is seasonal on their menu, and I’ve found myself craving it like nobody’s business. I’ve been determined to make it at home so I can eat it whenever I want, and I think I’ve finally got the recipe down, so I’m going to show you how to make it a big platter (and then tell you how to scale down the recipe if it’s only you eating breakfast).

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Mexican Cheese Ball

Can't decide between a cheese ball and bean dip at your next tailgating party? Now you don't have to choose-- this Mexican Cheese Ball has cream cheese, refried beans, cheese, tomatoes, and chilis to give you a yummy cheese ball that will be the highlight of your tailgating spread! | game day recipe | super bowl recipe | bean dip recipe | appetizer | cheese ball |

Playoff season is upon us, and honestly, I can make a mean barbecue, but when it comes to appetizers, I’m never really sure what to bring to playoff parties… chips and bean dip? A cheese ball? Maybe both? Well, here’s an option so you don’t have to decide– a Mexican Cheese Ball that combines all of your favorite aspects of a cheese ball with all of your favorite aspects of a bean dip, making one delicious, dippable cheese ball that will be the star of the big game party!

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Beefy Macaroni Soup

Cold weather calls for comfort food, and this beefy macaroni soup fits the bill! Beef, hearty macaroni noodles, and cheese make this a delightful soup the whole family will love!

Cold weather calls for comfort food, and this beefy macaroni soup fits the bill! For my family, cold weather is always soup weather, and I love a good soup recipe that basically contains the things I already keep in my pantry or freezer– who wants to get out if they don’t have to? Next weekend, we’re staring down a mini ice storm, and we’re prepared for soup weather. Beef, hearty macaroni noodles, and cheese make this a delightful soup the whole family will love, and it’s SO simple to make– you just need one pot!

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Cowboy Egg Rolls

Black beans, corn, tomatoes, cream cheese... these cowboy egg rolls are so easy to make, and make the perfect appetizer for tailgating parties and for the big game! | Super Bowl Appetizer | Easy Appetizer | Vegetarian Appetizer |

I am a sucker for a good egg roll. Snack, lunch, tailgating party, it doesn’t matter. I really, really love egg rolls. I’m also a big fan of cream cheese and black beans, which is why I just had to make my own twist on egg rolls for this year’s tailgating parties. That’s how cowboy egg rolls came to be… they’re filled with the tastiest ingredients, and they’re oh-so-simple to make.

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Turkey Vegetable Soup (Made with Thanksgiving Leftovers!)

If you have a fridge full of Thanksgiving or Christmas leftovers, this soup is a perfectly delicious, convenient option for using them up. Turkey Vegetable Soup is hearty and easily made with whatever vegetables and meat you have on hand, making it versatile and a perfect dinner option.

Thanksgiving this year is going to be a little bit weird for us. Usually, we go out of town to visit my grandmother, and it’s always an amazing time. But to be honest, things with Ketchup have been a little iffy around here– with new therapies starting and old ones ending, he’s in such a great period of transition that we don’t really want to rock the boat. It’s going to be our first Thanksgiving in years being home for the holiday instead of visiting family, and honestly? We’re going out to eat. But that doesn’t mean we didn’t buy one of those delicious turkeys on sale… a good Thanksgiving-in-January preparation, if you will. But one thing I really love about Thanksgiving, regardless of where I spend it, is the leftovers. Then again, after a day or two, you really get tired of Turkey Sandwiches… that’s where this yummy soup comes in. It’s easy to make, it’s delicious, and it uses stuff you probably have on hand after Thanksgiving dinner– you can swap out any vegetables or meat you’d like, meaning this turkey vegetable soup could just as easily become a ham and potato soup, or a vegetarian hearty vegetable soup… the possibilities are endless, so let’s get cooking.

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