Spring Recipe and Grilling Ideas

For us, winter isn’t all bad, especially amid the chilly air in December. The change of season feels fun and comfy as we don our cozy scarfs and other early winter wears.

However, as we push through the first and second months of the year, things get nasty with the random snowstorms and the freezing temperatures. All you wish is for the shorter days and the weather they bring with them to be all gone.

All you can think about is an outdoor weekend behind the grill when spring kicks in. In this write-up, we’ve rounded up some of the best spring recipes and grilling ideas that will keep you outdoors and on a budget.

Fresh Grilled Corn on the Cob

For those who are yet to know the hallmarks of the spring and summer seasons, grilled corn on the cob is one of them. You can pair grilled corn with grilled vegetables, or if you want to take the budget a little higher occasionally, you can have smoked pork or grilled hamburgers.

You can pull back the husks to form a handle that you can hold while grilling or use it to hang the corn on the grill. Add on to the smoky flavor using flavor twists or pepper to take the sweetness to the next level.

Spring Onion Risotto and Fresh Peas

Frozen peas are an excellent recipe for any season, but the sweetness and firm tenderness that comes with fresh peas make them the best specialty for spring, and there is no better way than to accompany them with risotto.

Risotto can come with Parmesan cheese and Arborio rice, but you can add any other gems from the farm just to have a more comprehensive capture of the season on a plate. Substitutions can also be made based on what your local market offers.

Asparagus and Pizza

Asparagus is a perfect guest at your grill all spring long if you love veggies. It’s a quintessential vegetable for the spring, and welcoming pizza on the ingredients makes it a great spring recipe combination for the grill.

You can add to the spring pizza and fresh grilled asparagus’ crispness and sweetness with a mix of chives, garlic, and savory cheese.

Rigatoni with Grilled Veggies and Mozzarella

This vegetarian dish is among the summertime pasta dishes that are sure to keep you on your toes in the spring. You can use veggies like tomatoes or eggplant to bring the smoky note or even grilled herbs and cheese.

It is excellent for any time in spring and still feels perfect even when served cold.

Spring Salad and Potatoes

With so many delicacies ready for harvesting in spring, it’s always easy to create an entire green market-rich salad at the lowest budget. For this recipe, you can use the seasonal fresh potatoes for the better part then supplement them with aromatic ingredients like peas, onions, and radishes.

You can always substitute the veggies for anything your local market offers, including asparagus.

Sweet Potatoes with Chimichurri

If your pantry has some sweet potatoes left by spring, the grilled sweet potatoes with chimichurri recipe will provide you with a simple way to waste away a weekend behind the grill.

All you need is to wrap the sweet potatoes in packets of foil, and you can even grill them alongside the main dish. You will love how quickly and tender they cook up and will not even mess up your grill or dishes.

Curry Roasted Carrots

If you are more concerned about enjoying an outdoor grilling inexpensively, there is no better way to go than opt for roasted carrots. The little finessing you need is coating your carrots with a blend of spices and roasting them just enough to bring out the natural flavor.

Grilled Mushroom Skewers

Try grilled mushrooms on skewers, and you will deal with the cravings for the rest of the grilling season. You can serve them with grilled fish or meat for the main dish or an appetizer with grilled bread.

To add to the smoked mushroom flavor, you can add three cloves of chopped garlic for two pounds of mushroom and a little thyme, parsley, and red chili pepper flakes.

Grilled Brussels Sprouts

Bacon and Brussels form a great combination that you can always take to the next level by grilling. The mixture on the grill introduces an added savory feel to the sprouts and a whole new smoky flavor to the dish.

Pkhali

Pkhali is walnut and Georgian spinach dip that provides you with a pretty unique and cheap grilling recipe when you have plenty of spinach. However, you may not find it cheap considering the pricey walnuts, which is why sunflower or pumpkin seeds are still great options.

The fresh spinach pulls an excellent smoky aromatic, and you can still add some supporting spices like parsley, coriander, and garlic just for the flavor and aroma.

Grilled Shrimp Lettuce Wraps

You don’t have to spend an entire weekend afternoon behind the grill to enjoy this sophisticated grill recipe.  You can typically have it ready in a flash after tucking shrimp, veggies, and cilantro into lettuce leaves. However, it requires several ingredients, including shrimp, lettuce leaves, soy sauce, garlic, ginger, rice vinegar marinade, sugar, salt, radishes, and carrots.

Once everything gets set, it can take as little as 20 minutes, and you can have it as an appetizer or light lunch. The carrots and radishes may feel a little crunchy, but this adds to the charred flavor of the shrimp from the grill.

Lemon Pasta with Arugula

Lemon pasta is an excellent idea to lighten and brighten your spring on the grill. The pasta will get a fresh spicing kick from arugula. The larger the arugula leaf, the spicier your pasta feels. Most stores pack up arugula all year round, so you can still smoke some even beyond spring.

Grilling is always fun when you have your favorite ingredients and the time to do it all spring long. However, it’s easy to go out of options if not your pantry stock, and that’s why we prepared the above spring recipe and grilling ideas. They will help you try something different next spring and keep your grilling budget low. 

Winter Recipes

Cold winter nights make everyone want to feel cozy with full tummies. Far too often, our favorite winter recipes are time-consuming, and it can feel impossible to muster up the energy to make our go-to comfort foods. Luckily, we’re here to help! Keep reading to find your new staples for winter—without the hours spent laboring over the stove or oven.

Super Easy Meatloaf

This meatloaf will make everyone want the recipe.

Ingredients

  • 2 Pounds Ground Beef
  • 1 Egg
  • 1 Onion, Chopped
  • 1 c. Milk
  • 1 c. Crackers, Smashed
  • 2 Tbsp. Brown Sugar
  • 2 Tbsp. Dijon Mustard
  • 1/3 c. Ketchup
  • Salt and Pepper to Taste

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Lightly grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan.
  2. Combine beef, egg, onion, milk, cracker crumbs, salt and pepper into a bowl. Mix until just combined. Place in loaf pan.
  3. Combine brown sugar, mustard and ketchup in a small bowl. Mix well and pour over meatloaf.
  4. Bake for one hour. Let rest for 20 minutes once done.

Weeknight Meatball Soup

No one will know you made this soup in 30 minutes!

Ingredients

  • 3 c. Water
  • 2 (14 oz) Cans Diced Tomatoes
  • 5 Garlic Cloves, Minced
  • 1 Onion, Finely Chopped
  • 2 (14 oz) Cans Beef Broth
  • 1 Tbsp. Italian Seasoning
  • 1 lb. Frozen Mini-Meatballs (Italian-Style Preferred)
  • 1 lb. Frozen Italian-Blend Vegetables
  • 1 c. Elbow Pasta
  • ½ c. Parmesan Cheese, Grated

Directions

  1. Lightly saute onions and garlic in a large pot until onions are transparent.
  2. Stir in water, tomatoes, beef broth and Italian seasoning; bring to a boil.
  3. Add meatballs, vegetables and pasta; return to boil.
  4. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook for ten minutes or until pasts is tender.
  5. Garnish each serving with Parmesan cheese.

Quick and Easy Pumpkin Soup

Leftover pumpkin? Think outside pies and try this soup.

Ingredients

  • 2 Tbsp. Olive Oil
  • 1 Medium Onion, finely chopped
  • 3 Garlic Cloves, Minced
  • 1 Can Pumpkin Puree (15 oz.)
  • 2 Tbsp. Fresh Thyme
  • 1 tsp. Kosher Salt
  • ½ tsp. Ground Cumin
  • ½ tsp. Black Pepper
  • 1/8 tsp. Ground Ginger
  • 1/8 tsp. Cayenne Pepper
  • 2 c. Chicken or Vegetable Broth
  • 4 tbsp. Heavy Cream
  • Toasted Pumpkin Seeds for Garnish

Directions

  1. Heat olive oil in a dutch oven. Add onion and garlic, sauteing about 4 minutes or until fragrant.
  2. Add pumpkin, thyme, salt, cumin, black pepper, ginger, and cayenne pepper. Cook for about 5 minutes or until steaming and fragrant.
  3. Add chicken or vegetable broth, cooking for 3-4 minutes, continuously stirring.
  4. Remove soup from heat, add cream.
  5. Garnish with pumpkin seeds and serve.

Irish Coddle

This traditional Irish dish is perfect for cold winter nights.

Ingredients

  • ½ lb. Thick Cut Bacon
  • 1 lb. Sausage (use a high-quality sausage, preferably bangers)
  • 2 Large Onions
  • 2 Garlic Cloves
  • 2 lbs. Potatoes (Yukon Gold or Red)
  • 1 (32 oz) Carton Chicken Stock
  • 1 Bunch Parsley, Chopped
  • Salt and Pepper to Taste

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 300 F.
  2. In a dutch oven, cook bacon until crispy and golden brown. Remove and place on paper towel.
  3. Brown sausage on all sides. Remove.
  4. Saute onions until carmelized. Add garlic and saute until fragrant (about 2 minutes). Remove.
  5. Remove pot. Add half of the potatoes to bottom of pot. Season with salt, pepper and ¼ parsley.
  6. Add half of onion/garlic mixture and bacon.
  7. Repeat layers.
  8. Place whole sausages on top.
  9. Add chicken broth. Place pot back on stove and bring to a boil.
  10. Cover pot; place in oven and cook for 2-4 hours. Check every hour to ensure an inch of liquid is at the bottom of the pot while cooking. Add more liquid if necessary.
  11. Remove from heat; season with salt and pepper to taste; add remaining parsley for garnish.

Chicken Pot Pie Casserole

Don’t worry about slaving over the perfect pie crust for this one! Instead, the flaky crescent roll dough creates a melt-in-your-mouth crust everyone will love.

Ingredients

  • ½ c. Mayonnaise
  • 2 Tbsp. All-Purpose Flour
  • 1 Chicken Bouillon Cube
  • 1 tsp. Pepper
  • ¾ c. Milk
  • 10 oz. Mixed Vegetables, Thawed
  • 1 ½ c. Cooked Chicken (Cubed or Shredded)
  • 8 oz. Crescent Roll Dough

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 375 F. Grease 8×8 baking dish.
  2. In a large saucepan, whisk mayo, flour, bouillon and pepper together until smooth. Slowly pour in milk. Bring mixture to a boil. Cook and stir until thickened.
  3. Add vegetables and chicken to mixture; cook and stir until heated. Transfer to baking dish.
  4. Unroll crescent dough; separate triangles; arrange dough over chicken mixture.
  5. Bake until topping is golden brown (15-20 minutes).

Easy, Peasy Shepherd’s Pie

You’ll fall in love with this pie made with instant mashed potatoes.

Ingredients

  • 2 tbsp. Olive Oil
  • 1 Yellow Onion, Chopped
  • 1 lb. Ground Beef or Lamb
  • 2 tsp. Dried Parsley
  • 1 tsp. Dried Rosemary
  • 1 tsp. Dried Thyme
  • 1 Tbsp. Worcestershire Sauce
  • 2 Garlic Cloves, Minced
  • 2 tbsp. All-Purpose Flour
  • 2 tbsp. Tomato Paste
  • 1 c. Beef Broth
  • 1 c. Frozen Peas and Carrots
  • ½ c. Frozen Corn Kernels
  • 5 c. Mashed Potatoes (made from instant boxed potatoes)
  • ½ c. Parmesan Cheese
  • Salt and Pepper to Taste

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 400 F.
  2. Add oil to a skillet and heat on high for 2 minutes. Add onions and saute for 5 minutes.
  3. Add ground meat to skillet, breaking apart with spoon; add parsley, thyme, rosemary, salt and pepper. Stir well. Cook meat until browned.
  4. Add Worcestershire and garlic. Cook for 1 minute.
  5. Add flour and tomato paste. Stir until fully incorporated.
  6. Add broth and frozen vegetables. Bring mixture to a boil and reduce heat. Simmer for 5 minutes.
  7. Place meat mixture into 9×9 inch baking dish, spreading evenly.
  8. Add parmesan cheese to mashed potatoes.
  9. Placed mashed potatoes on top of meat mixture, spreading evenly.
  10. Bake uncovered for 25-30 minutes.
  11. Let cool for 15 minutes before serving.

These quick and easy recipes are sure to keep you feeling warm and fuzzy all winter long. Which one is your favorite? What’s your winter recipe staple? Let us know below!

The Most Common and Do-Able New Year’s Resolutions

As you write out your New Year’s resolutions, you know you’re going to complete every single item on this year’s list. Unfortunately, most people tend to write the same things every single year, hoping that this year will be the one. Luckily, we’re here to help. Keep reading to learn how to complete people’s most common New Year’s resolutions and make 2022 your year.

What Do You Want to Do This Year?

Before we begin, let’s take a look at the ten most common New Year’s resolutions:

  1. Lose Weight/Get Fit/Diet
  2. Quit Smoking/Drinking
  3. Eliminate Debt
  4. Get Organized
  5. Learn a New Language/Skill/Hobby
  6. Spend Time with Family
  7. Travel
  8. Read More
  9. Reduce Stress
  10. Volunteer

Most likely, you’re looking to accomplish at least one thing on this list. Take the time to narrow what you want to do into a couple of goals. For example, a lot of people will create ungodly long lists in the hopes of living up to the “New Year, New Me” motto. When they do this, they’re setting themselves up for failure, creating a list of goals they’ll quickly feel overwhelmed by. By selecting 2-3, you’re more likely to accomplish what you want and won’t feel like you’ve “failed” within a few weeks.

Set S.M.A.R.T. Goals

If you work in the business world, you’ve probably heard of S.M.A.R.T. goals. S.M.A.R.T. goals are specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, and occur within a specific timeframe. So, what does this look like in action? Let’s say your goal is to “lose weight.” This is vague and can mean 100 different things to 100 different people. When we set a S.M.A.R.T. weight loss goal, it becomes something like, “I want to lose 50 pounds over the next year by working out three times a week, making healthier eating decisions and aiming to lose 5 pounds a month.”

Make Sure Goals Motivate

Another problem we frequently see with New Year’s resolutions are goals that really don’t motivate. Non-motivational goals fall into two camps: too hard and too easy. If your goal is to travel more, you’re probably not going to hit all seven continents in seven weeks (if you can, seriously, please take us with you). On the flip side, you’re likely not going to find a lot of satisfaction traveling to the same vacation spot you’ve had for seven years. Look for something in-between. So, if your goal is to travel to a foreign country, look to include a couple of different cities/states/countries while you’re there. For example, if you want to go to Spain, why not include a few days in Portugal or France as well? By including a few bonus stops that won’t break the bank, you’ve created a more motivating goal.

Write Your Goals Down

Break Down Goals

Your New Year’s resolutions are likely pretty big goals, and this can quickly overwhelm just about anyone. Instead of putting something monumental and getting lost in the process of completing it, break your goal down into measurable steps. How does this work in action? Let’s say you want to quit smoking, and right now you smoke a pack a day. In the first month, aim to get your smoking down to about 10-15 cigarettes a day by the end of the month. You’re already halfway there! The following month, look to cut your smoking down by a third to a half again. By the end of the year, you’ll have quit smoking entirely, and you’ll have been able to do it by slowly weaning yourself off through small stepping stone goals.

Write Goals Down

Writing down your goals may seem passe, but there are plenty of reasons to bring out the pen and paper, including:

  • You’re more likely to remember things you write versus typing them out.
  • Your goals will be clearer and more concise.
  • You can easily post them anywhere. A lot of people find putting their goals someplace they see every day, whether on their bathroom mirror or on the fridge, keeps them on track and make better decisions every day.
  • If you regularly review them, they can become a great motivating tool to see how far you’ve come on your journey.

While it’s perfectly fine to put your goals on your phone, most people find writing them down gives them regular motivation; however, typing them out and making them your lock screen or wallpaper is also perfectly fine as well.

Tell Your Friends Your Resolutions

Your friends likely have a lot of the same goals as you, so now is the perfect time to connect with them. When you tell others your goals, you’re more likely to complete them due to the instant accountability telling someone about the goal establishes. If you find someone who has the same goal, look to partner up with them. For example, if you want to read more, the two (or more) of you can start a book club, meeting once a month to discuss your latest book.

Don’t Beat Yourself Up

 Look, making a major life change is difficult, and you will slip up. Whether it’s a piece of cake on your diet or splurging on something for yourself, you’re going to have hiccups as you work to meet your goal. If an oopsie happens, make sure you:

  • Take a breath. There’s nothing stopping you from working towards your goal for the rest of the day.
  • Don’t beat yourself up. Far too often, people put themselves through a guilt trip that actually dissuades them from pursuing their goal.
  • Reevaluate your goals. Sometimes we set ourselves for failure by making huge goals no one can complete. Look to see if your goals are achievable and make adjustments as needed.

Setting New Year’s resolutions can be fun, and reaching your goals will feel rewarding once you’re done. Take the time to create S.M.A.R.T. resolutions, regularly reevaluate as necessary, enlist a friend and don’t beat yourself up when you have a setback. By following the above tips, you’ll reach your goals in no time.

Fun and Exciting Winter Treats

Winter is the perfect time to get cozy in your bed and devour scrumptious desserts and treats.

From delicious apple pies to mouth-watering cinnamon rolls, what are some other winter treats to enjoy with a good mug of coffee? You can read here to learn how to make some of the best winter treats.

Cinnamon Rolls

Nothing feels better than latching your hand around freshly brewed coffee and gulping it down with sweet cinnamon rolls. This irresistible sweet treat is made from warm dough, cinnamon, and cream cheese.

You can easily make cinnamon rolls at home by using our simple recipe. Plus, you only need a few of the following ingredients.

Ingredients

DOUGH

  • 2 cups whole milk (warm)
  • ½ cup sugar
  • 8 tablespoons unsalted butter (melted)
  • 2 ¼ teaspoons dry yeast
  • 5 cups all-purpose flour (600g)
  • 1-2 teaspoons kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder

FILLING

  • 12 tablespoon softened unsalted butter
  • 2 tablespoons cinnamon (ground)
  • ¾ cup brown sugar (160g)

FROSTING

  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter (melted)
  • 4 tablespoons milk
  • 4 oz cream cheese (120 g)
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 cup powdered sugar

Recipe

  1. To prepare the dough, warm the milk and mix all the ingredients in a large bowl. This should prepare a warm mixture. The temperature should register around 37-43˚C. If it is warmer than this, allow it to cool down.
  2. Sprinkle the yeast over the milk mixture. Stir it and keep it in a warm place for ten minutes until the yeast blooms.
  3. Add four cups of flour to your milk mixture. Stir well until all it combines well.
  4. Cover the bowl with the plastic wrap. Let the dough rise in a warm place for about one hour. The dough should rise nearly double in size.
  5. To prepare the filling, mix brown sugar, ground, cinnamon, and butter. Mix well and set aside.
  6. Remove the plastic wrap from the dough to add the remaining flour. Add baking powder and salt. Mix well to set aside.
  7. Place the dough on a neat surface to knead it for ten minutes. Add flour if needed. When the dough loses its stickiness, roll it into a large rectangle with 1 cm thickness.
  8. Spread the filling evenly over the dough. Roll the dough into a log.
  9. Pinch the seam to close it. Trim the ends to make it even.
  10. Use a thread to cut the log into pieces. You can cut it about 7-8 cm thick.
  11. Butter a baking tray. Place the cinnamon rolls in the glazed tray.
  12. Cover the tray with a towel for 45 minutes to let it rise.
  13. Preheat your oven to 180˚C
  14. Bake the rolls for about 30 minutes until they become golden brown.
  15. In a separate bowl, whisk the cream cheese, milk, vanilla extract with melted butter, gradually add baking sugar to form a homogenous mixture.
  16. When the cinnamon rolls are baked, drizzle the frosting over them.

Enjoy it with hot coffee.

Eggnog Doughnuts

The eggnog glazed doughnuts are ideal for winters. You can serve them as a dessert with coffee or tea.

This easy-to-make winter treat requires eggnog, nutmeg, and vanilla extract.

Ingredients

DOUGH

  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • ¾ teaspoon baking powder
  • ¼ teaspoon nutmeg (ground)
  • ⅔ cup eggnog
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 1 egg
  • ⅓ cup sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 3 tablespoons vegetable oil

GLAZE

  • 2 tablespoons eggnog
  • Ground nutmeg
  • 1 cup confectioners sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

RECIPE

  1. Combine the flour, ¼ teaspoon nutmeg, salt, and baking powder. Whisk the mixture to blend well.
  2. In another bowl, whisk ⅔ cup eggnog with egg, granulated sugar, and vegetable oil. Add 1 teaspoon vanilla extract. Add the flour mixture and stir well.
  3. Grease a doughnut pan with cooking spray or melted butter.
  4. Take a doughnut pan and spoon the batter into it, filling about two-thirds full. You can also use a plastic storage bag to pipe out the batter into the doughnut pan.
  5. Preheat the oven to 190˚C
  6. Bake the doughnuts for ten minutes.
  7. Insert a toothpick into the doughnut to check if it is well-baked. The toothpick should come out clean.
  8. Let the doughnuts cool for ten minutes.
  9. Add powdered sugar, 2 tablespoons eggnog, ½ teaspoon of vanilla extract, and nutmeg in a separate bowl. Mix well.
  10. Dunk the top of the doughnuts into the glaze and enjoy!

Apple Crisp

Apple crisp is a quick-to-make winter treat. An apple cinnamon pie is something that sticks with us every winter.

But sometimes, we don’t have the time to prepare a whole pie. Well, here is a quick recipe to help you enjoy the perfect combination of apples and cinnamon!

Ingredients

  • 2-3 whole apples
  • 60 grams sugar
  • Cinnamon powder
  • Lemon juice

TOPPING

  • 3-4 tablespoons of unsalted butter
  • Flour 2 tablespoons
  • Oats for topping
  • Brown sugar to sprinkle

Recipe

  1. To prepare the warm and fruity apple crisp, slice up the apples. Keep them in a small bowl. Add the sugar, lemon juice, and cinnamon to the sliced apples.
  2. Heat the oven to 190˚C.
  3. Grease a baking pan with butter or cooking spray.
  4. Spread the apple mixture into the pan.
  5. Bake for 20 minutes or until golden brown.
  6. Whisk flour, brown sugar, and unsalted butter. Top it over the cooked apple crisp. Add oats and bake for five minutes.

You can leave out the oats, but they add a good texture to the apple crisp. This delicious and quick apple crisp gets ready in no time!

We hope that you like our winter treat ideas that are sure to cheer you up on a dull winter day.