Hey, that’s me up there! You can make your own photo over on Orgullosa’s app on Facebook. It takes about 20 seconds, and you’ll have a super cool photo that’s perfect for a new FB profile pic/avatar to show off your culture and heritage during Hispanic Heritage month. :)

I’m so excited to be able to write about Hispanic Heritage month as part of a campaign with Orgullosa. I know I usually write about crafts and food and weight loss, but I wouldn’t be able to put my own spin on those things if it weren’t for my Latina roots. Last week I was part of a webinar with Adrienne Bailon, and it left me feeling so uplifted and inspired. Adrienne has been on the Disney channel, she’s a fashionista, and she definitely embodies what it means to be a “Nueva Latina”. Her personality was filled with happiness, and she seemed very authentic and genuine in all that she said that evening. I am definitely a huge fan of hers now. She is lovely.

During the webinar, we talked about what it meant to be a “Nueva Latina” in this day and age, and I found that I agreed with a lot of what Adrienne said. She emphasized how important language is in honoring your culture, and it sincerely made me wish that I would have kept up with my Spanish speaking after my granny passed away. Language is such a beautiful part of any culture, in my opinion. Spanish is particularly useful because it’s so common, and I think being bilingual is a great advantage when traveling or even applying for jobs.

Adrienne also emphasized food, and oh my gosh…food is definitely something I take pride in as a Latina. Nobody can mess with tortillas and frijoles and enchiladas. I could eat those foods every. single. day. So delicious. But most importantly, during the webinar, I learned that as a Latina, I have a duty and responsibility to help my fellow Latinas. Lift them up. Help them succeed. Be proud of where I come from. Adrienne’s parents played such an important role in the woman she has become. Her dad had HUGE aspirations of being a singer, so he gets to live his dreams through his daughter. It’s amazing to be able to honor, help, and support the sacrifices our ancestors and/or parents made in order for us “Nueva Latinas” to have opportunities.

I may not be a former Cheetah Girl like Adrienne, but I am a college educated woman with a great husband, dog, friends, and life thanks to my family and my heritage. I’m proud to be a Latina blogger, and I am so thankful to Orgullosa for bringing all of us together to celebrate our Hispanic Heritage, not only for Hispanic Heritage Month, but every day. Over on the Orgullosa Facebook page, they always post great tips and stories, and it’s a great way to connect with fellow Latinas. They even post about nail art. <3

To me, overall, it’s a tremendous privilege to get to be a Hispanic woman in America. I get to be part of 2 cultures that I love dearly, and I wouldn’t have it any other way.

What is your favorite part of your culture (Hispanic or otherwise)? Is it foods, traditions, or something else? Let’s talk about it in the comments. :)

This is part of a sponsored campaign with P&G and Latina Mom Bloggers. However, all opinions expressed are my own.

My husband and I are sort of thrilled I was chosen for this sponsored Collective Bias campaign with #KraftRecipeMakers because we are always so short on time and stressed from work to cook. Sometimes we come home to quickly eat dinner and then have to go back to work. I know…no fun!

We use that as a constant excuse to eat out, and it doesn’t do our waist lines and bank account any favors. The new Kraft Recipe Makers line (seen below) takes the guess work out of “What to make?” or “What’s a good, quick meal?” I loved how affordable the product was, and it’s definitely something I’ll be adding to my Walmart shopping list from now on. The meal starter kit was about $3, and there’s several recipes on the box to help you get inspired or creative. Overall, this recipe can feed a family of four for about $20. Try doing that at a restaurant!

Personally, I like using meal helpers like this because they take the fuss out of a home cooked meal. I love, love, love pot roast, but I hate all the prep and stuff that can go with it. These open faced pot roast sandwiches are super easy, there’s literally under 15 minutes of prep, and it is delicious. My house smelled like heaven while this roast was cooking. Pairing simple, fresh ingredients with the Kraft Recipe Makers can make any night, even a tiresome weeknight, a special occasion. Quick, easy family meals don’t have to be a chore.

I made this as a crockpot recipe, because it’s super quick to get this going in the morning as I head out, and when I come home after work dinner is literally ready to be served. It simply doesn’t get any easier than that, folks.

The recipe is at the end of this blog post, but I do want to highlight a few things I did to put this recipe over the top.  I whipped out my trusty cast iron skillet to give my chuck roast a crispy, peppery crust. Any pan can work; I just happen to be kind of obsessed with my cast iron skillet right now.

This herb sauce? Oh. Em. Gee. It’s so tasty, and it really brings out the savory, mouthwatering flavors of pot roast. Bravo, Kraft!

When picking out a bread for your sandwiches, try to pick something like a garlic herb loaf. It’ll make your entire recipe/dish a bit more flavorful, and who doesn’t love tasty, crusty bread? Yum.

And finally, it really is super simple to start with this…

And end up with this. Yes, those are homemade mashed potatoes, and no it didn’t take me more than 10 minutes. Pinky promise!

Open Faced Pot Roast Sandwiches
MonicaWantsIt.com
Servings: 4
Ingredients:

• 1 Kraft Recipe Makers Kit (New England Pot Roast Kit)
• 2.5 lbs. beef chuck roast
• 1 bag of baby carrots (1 lb.)
• 1 white onion, sliced
• 16 oz. bag of microwaveable baby reds (found in produce section)
• 1/2 stick of butter
• 1/2 cup of milk
• 2 oz. light cream cheese
• Salt & Pepper
• 1 loaf/8 slices of bread (I used garlic herb from Walmart)
• Cheddar cheese, shredded

Directions:

1. Sear your chuck roast in a cast iron skillet on both sides. Coat chuck roast with pepper before searing each side (no salt!).
2. Throw your baby carrots, sliced onion, and chuck roast into a slow cooker/crockpot. Pour the Kraft Recipe Makers Classic Herb Simmer Sauce all over the roast. Set your slow cooker to cook on high for about 7-8 hours. A slightly larger roast will yield a longer cooking time.
3. When there’s 15 minutes of cooking time left (or when you come home from work/shopping/etc.) pour the finishing sauce over the roast and allow to cook for 15 more minutes. In the meantime…
4. Warm-up or lightly toast your slices of bread with some butter. I threw my slices in a 350 degree oven for about 7 minutes while I made the mashed potatoes.
5. Throw your microwaveable baby reds in the microwave for 6-7 minutes. Once they’re cooked, toss in a bowl and mash with milk, cream cheese, butter, and salt/pepper to taste.
6. Grab a plate, arrange 2 slices of bread, top with about 1/2 cup of mashed potatoes, and a hearty serving of pot roast. A dash of cheddar cheese adds gooey awesomeness.

That’s it! Maybe 10 minutes of prep before tossing it into the slow cooker, and maybe another 15 minutes to prep to serve and you have a tasty, semi-homemade meal that your entire family can quickly enjoy. And if you want to be extra fabulous, you can arrange your bread so that you end up with a heart shaped sandwich.

Awww. :)

Every bite is better than the previous one. I love the buttery bread, the creamy mashed potatoes, and the salty, savory pot roast in each bite. These sorts of recipes make me want to eat at home rather than eat out. Am I right?! Daniel and I could eat this once a week and not get bored. No more stress eating out for us!

You can find out more about the awesome products by Kraft Foods over on their Facebook page.

What are your favorite pot roast recipes? Do you enjoy cooking with a slow cooker in your home? Let’s talk about it in the comments section (please!)

This post brought to you by ALPO® Brand Dog Food. All opinions are 100% mine.

Pee Wee love, love, loves ALPO's® Chop House Chunks food. We decided to feed him the T-Bone steak variety (you can view all the varities/flavors over on ALPO'S HOMEPAGE). Pee Wee loves steak. Whenever we grill steak, he is simply desperate to get a piece. 

So here's a pictorial guide to Pee Wee's adventure with ALPO® Chop House Chunks!

First, we have to get his attention.

Then, we open up the food. He's immediately like, "OH MY GOSH!! STEAK!!! YAY!!! BEST DAY EVER!!!"

He starts digging in:

He inhales the food; chewing is totally optional. Silly dog. I don't understand how he doesn't stop to take a breath while eating!

And when he's all done, he looks around for us to serve him some more. An empty bowl means an unhappy Pee Wee. He will lick that bowl clean, no joke. He can't bear to spare a single morsel of gravy. 

And this whole process only takes about 1 minute. Don't believe me? Here's a video showing Pee Wee totally enamored with the ALPO® Chop House Chunks. Afterwards, he took a nap on the couch as my husband yelled at the TV. Just a typical Sunday around here, folks.

I really love to see Pee Wee excited about having a special Sunday treat, and his fave is definitely ALPO's® Chop House Chunks. We have another can for him as a special treat during the work week, and Daniel and I love that ALPO® Chop House Chunks are affordable, easy to find in stores, and come in tasty gourmet flavors that are Pee Wee approved. If your dog loves gravy (and which dog doesn't), then you have to pick up a can or 2 of ALPO® wet food. 

I also wrote about ALPO® a few weeks ago, and I shared an adorable dog video that you MUST watch it you're an animal/dog lover. You can check that out right here. You can also find more dog lovers over on  ALPO’s Facebook Page. 

Does your pup/pooch love wet food as much as Pee Wee? I'd love to hear about it in the comments section!

Breakfast is my most favorite meal of the day, especially on weekends. As with all my cooking, I hate making anything that takes a long time and/or requires 5 different pots or pans.

No thank you.

This dish is the anti-thesis to all of that. It’s all made in one cast iron skillet…and a small saucepan if you opt for gravy. It’s simple, delicious, filling and QUICK. You can have this from kitchen to table in under half an hour. I made this for Sunday breakfast, and then we ate the leftovers for Sunday lunch. This dish is perfect for brunch or breakfast, or heck, why not dinner? You likely have most of the ingredients on hand.

I use a cast iron skillet for this recipe because I am obsessed with the great crust and flavors that develop when cooking with cast iron. If you don’t have one, and don’t want to buy one, a 9x13 Pyrex dish will work, too.

Rustic Cast Iron Breakfast
MonicaWantsIt.com
Servings: 4-6

Ingredients:

• 1 can of jumbo buttermilk biscuits (8 count)
• 4 large eggs
• 1/3 cup of milk
• Salt/Pepper
• 6 strips of cooked bacon
• 1 tsbp butter

Gravy Ingredients:

• 2 tbsp butter
• 2 tbsp flour
• 1 1/4 cup of milk
• 1/2 cup shredded gruyere cheese
• Salt/Pepper to taste

Pizza Directions:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Cook up 6 strips of bacon and drain excess fat onto paper towel. In a bowl, whisk together salt, pepper, milk and eggs until well mixed. Crumble the 6 strips of bacon into bite sized pieces and toss into egg mixture.

Open can of biscuits and form a crust on bottom of greased cast iron pan. Pour egg/bacon mixture over the biscuits and bake for about 15-17 minutes.

Cut into 4-6 servings using a pizza cutter and enjoy!

Gravy Directions:

Melt butter in small saucepan, add in flour to make a roux, then mix in milk. Bring up to a boil, whisking constantly. Reduce heat, add in cheese until melted, and add in salt and pepper to taste. I like my country gravy with a lot of pepper—I probably used 2 tbsp worth. The gruyere cheese adds a smoky flavor, but feel free to omit it or add in your fave cheese.

The gravy adds a salty, decadent touch. Plus, who doesn’t like biscuits and gravy…WITH BACON?!

It’s kind of funny how this totally does look like a pizza! The biscuits puff up and form a crust that is reminiscent of a pan pizza crust. Nom nom nom.

You can really get creative with this recipe and use turkey bacon, or use pepperoni, or add in veggies like spinach and tomatoes. The possibilities are endless. This recipe is sure to please even the pickiest eaters, and I think it’d be fun for kiddos to eat.

What are your favorite Sunday morning foods?

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Kraft. All opinions are 100% mine.

When I am counting calories, trying to save money, or a combination of both, I turn to sandwiches. Now sandwiches don't have to be boring or plain- they can be pretty darn tasty and gourmet. Some of my favorite products to get gourmet flavor without paying gourmet prices are Kraft® Singles and OSCAR MAYER® Premium Deli Meat. Plus, you can get great deals on both of those products at Sam's Club.

Here's my go to sandwich recipe that is tasty, comforting, and way less calories than eating a fast food burger. It's super quick to whip up, too!

Ingredients:

• Kraft® Singles (I love the sharp cheddar variety)
• OSCAR MAYER® Premium Deli Meat (My fave is the Shaved Smoked Turkey Breast)
• OSCAR MAYER® Fully Cooked Bacon
• Sliced/pickled jalapenos
• 2 slices of wheat bread
• Butter spray/butter

Step 1: Spray/spread butter onto both sides of the bread. Heat a pan/skillet to medium/high heat.

Step 2: Put a Kraft® Singles slice of cheese onto each slice of bread. Place turkey, bacon, and jalapenos between the 2 slices of bread. Place onto heated pan, and gently press down with a spatula. You should hear some light sizzling because of the butter.

Step 3: After about 1-2 minutes, or when golden brown, flip the sandwich over to cook the other side. Place sandwich on plate and cut in half with a knife.

I love to eat my grilled jalapeno turkey club with a side salad or chips. This is also a great sandwich to dip into some ranch-- it helps cool off your mouth due to the jalapenos. And oddly enough, the flavor profiles also work well with BBQ sauce. With sandwiches, I love to get super creative and try unexpected combinations.

What are your favorite quick, easy sandwich ideas using Kraft® Singles and OSCAR MAYER® Premium Deli Meat?

If you need ideas, make sure to visit the sandwich solutions website for simple recipes that can be made with items from your local Sam's Club.