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Cranberry Chocolate Energy Bars

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 These delicious no-bake Cranberry Chocolate Energy Bars will have you feeling satisfied and ready to go when you are on the move this year!

Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Amazing Grass® Green Superfood® Original at Sam’s Club.  Thoughts and opinions are 100% my own.

Spring is here and the weather is finally seeming to catch up to that memo. The weather has been gorgeous here this week (even with a few rain showers thrown in). This can only mean one thing: we will be out and about very quickly.  Sometimes it feels like as soon as spring weather finally hits, we are out and about often. The girls love being outside. Playing with friends and exploring new places we’ve never been. It also means that I need to be more aware of the food choices we have in our home.

Typically, when we are home often, we eat leftovers for lunch, or things like soup, mac n cheese, etc. However, when we are on the go I need quick meals and snacks that don’t need to be heated up. We love to do salads and sandwiches and for snacks, we love to do fruit and bars. When I was pregnant and then had a new baby, I love our lactation protein bars; however, now, I am loving these Cranberry Chocolate Energy Bars.

Getting more nutrients into your kids

I know with our kids, that if you give them something handheld, made from what appears to be chocolate and tastes even remotely decent, then will devour it. Well, these cranberry chocolate energy bars taste better than decent! They are great! They are packed full of great ingredients like nuts, flaxseed, and Amazing Grass® Green Superfood® Original.

Amazing Grass is a simple way to add greens and get quality nutrients into both your own body and that of your children. With just one scoop, you get to Feel Amazing Everyday™. Amazing Grass is packed with organic greens, fruit, and vegetables. What this does is provide you with natural energy, help your immunity and digestion system, and promote detox to maintain your best health.

You can find Amazing Grass at your local Sam’s Club. And between May 10 – June 4, Sam’s Club is offering a $4.00 savings on every tub of Amazing Grass Green Superfood purchases either in-store or online. There’s also an in-club demo May 19, 2018 at Sam’s Club, so make sure you head out there and taste it for yourself.

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Author: Larisha Campbell
Ingredients
  • 1.5 cups rolled oats
  • 1 cup cashew butter (other nut butters would also work)
  • 3/4 cup unsalted almonds, roughly chopped
  • 1 cup walnuts, roughly chopped
  • 1 cup cashews, roughly chopped
  • 1/3 cup raw honey
  • 1/3 cup unsweetened applesauce
  • 1/3 cup ground flaxseed
  • 1/3 cup dried cranberries
  • 1/3 cup unsweetened cacao powder
  • 4 scoops Amazing Grass® Green Superfood®
Instructions

  1. In a large bowl, mix all the ingredients together until very well combined. 

  2. Line a 13x9 pan with wax paper.

  3. Spread the mixture across the pan and press down ensuring one even layer. 


  4. Freeze for 3 hours or overnight. 

  5. Cut into desired size bars (we do 12). 

  6. Leave in freezer until ready to eat. When ready, remove one at least 30 minutes before wanting to eat. 

PIN THESE CRANBERRY CHOCOLATE ENERGY BARS FOR LATER!

 

 This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Amazing Grass® Green Superfood® Original.

Ultimate Pulled Pork Grilled Cheese

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This Ultimate Pulled Pork Grilled Cheese sandwich recipe is the perfect lunch or dinner sandwich for the whole family! Stack it super high or make a smaller version for the best grilled cheese recipe!

I can’t really pinpoint an exact time that I fell in love with pulled pork, but as a mom, it’s one of my favorite meals.  We alternate between pulled pork and pulled chicken, so feel free to substitute either of these meats in this recipe. We make a slow cooker pulled pork recipe with our homemade BBQ sauce which is one reason I love it so much.

My time as a mom, is limited. Even as a stay-at-home mom, I work from home and I homeschool, so we have a lot going on every day.  I’m constantly on the go and making lists and being able to throw dinner in the crockpot in the morning in under 10 minutes and have it ready at dinner, is a HUGE win for me.

Making a Gourmet Pulled Pork Grilled Cheese

Our gourmet pulled pork grilled cheese sandwich has a large combination of toppings. Think of this as a recipe that you would see served at a fun restaurant. Together, this sandwich works magically together. However, we understand that this may be unrealistic or to large for most people (especially littles).  Feel free to alter it however you need.

What toppings go on an ultimate pulled pork grilled cheese: 

  • pulled pork
  • mac and cheese
  • onion rings
  • bacon
  • ham
  • pineapple
  • lettuce
  • smoked gouda slices
  • cream cheese

Clearly, once you start piling these toppings on, you have a giant sandwich. It’s fun to eat though! You can make homemade pulled pork by following our homemade pulled chicken recipe and just sub the chicken for the same amount of pork tenderloin. Use your favorite mac and cheese recipe and then layer everything else between two slices of cooked, garlic texas toast. After that, throw in a skillet with a pat of melted butter and grilled until golden brown on both sides! Voila! Perfect pulled pork grilled cheese sandwich!

Best Side Dishes for Pulled Pork

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Pulled Pork Grilled Cheese
Prep Time
5 mins
Cook Time
5 mins
Total Time
10 mins
 

This Ultimate Pulled Pork Grilled Cheese sandwich recipe is the perfect lunch or dinner sandwich for the whole family! Stack it super high or make a smaller version for the best grilled cheese recipe!

Course: Lunch, Main Course
Cuisine: American
Servings: 4 sandwiches
Calories: 1162 kcal
Author: Larisha Campbell
Ingredients
  • 8 slices texas toast, cooked
  • 2 cups pulled pork, cooked
  • 8 onion rings, cooked
  • 1 cup mac and cheese, cooked
  • 4 slices bacon, cooked
  • 8 slices ham, thinly sliced
  • 4 slices fresh pineapple
  • 1/4 cup spring mix lettuce
  • 8 slices smoked gouda cheese
  • 2 oz cream cheese
  • 2 tbsp unsalted butter
  • Homemade BBQ Sauce, optional
Instructions

  1. On one slice of texas toast layer 1/2 cup pulled pork, 2 onion rings, 1/4 cup mac and cheese, 1 slice bacon, broken in half, 2 slices ham, 1 slice pineapple, 1/4 of the lettuce, 2 slices of smoked gouda, 1/4 oz of cream cheese. Top with another slice of texas toast. 

  2. In a skillet, over medium heat, melt 1/2 tbsp of butter. 

  3. Place sandwich in melted butter for 1-2 minutes or until golden brown. 

  4. Carefully flip and cook for another 1-2 minutes. 

  5. Remove from heat and repeat with remaining sandwiches.

Recipe Notes

**Nutritional facts are just estimates. Please utilize your own brand nutritional values to double check against our estimates. 

Nutrition Facts
Pulled Pork Grilled Cheese
Amount Per Serving (1 sandwich)
Calories 1162 Calories from Fat 630
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 70g 108%
Saturated Fat 29g 145%
Cholesterol 201mg 67%
Sodium 2218mg 92%
Potassium 808mg 23%
Total Carbohydrates 71g 24%
Dietary Fiber 3g 12%
Sugars 14g
Protein 63g 126%
Vitamin A 15.1%
Vitamin C 48.7%
Calcium 53.1%
Iron 81.8%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Pin this Pulled Pork Grilled Cheese for Later!   

Boba X Carrier

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The Boba X carrier is here and ready to carrier your infant through to toddler years. Check out the brand new Boba X soft-structured carrier now available. 

Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Boba.  Thoughts and opinions are 100% my own. 

Our journey into babywearing

I was still pregnant with our first when I learned about babywearing. I had no idea what to expect, but all my new found mom friends were boasting about the benefits. Most importantly, that you can be hands-free and still get things done. SOLD! I told myself. I had to figure this out because I needed to be hands-free.

It wasn’t until we found our Boba 3g baby carrier and then Boba 4g carrier that we really fell head over heels with babywearing.  Soft-structured baby carriers like these were much easier for us and as we’ve grown as parents, so have our children, and these carriers just make the most since.

We now have a preschooler and a toddler, so we know our time babywearing is closer to being finished than when we started.

The Boba X Carrier

We’ve been long time fans of Boba baby carriers, even wearing our toddler for an extended time. However, the new Boba X carrier is the best yet! It’s an infant, baby, and toddler carrier all in one. The comfort in wearing our toddler in the standard Boba carrier vs the Boba X was immediately seen.

Biggest Advantages of the Boba X Carrier

  • The seat adjust via velcro tabs and zippered toddler seat extenders
  • Fits 7-45lbs
  • The seat can adjust from 8-21 inches in width and 12-16 inches in height
  • The straps are adjustable for petite to plus-sized babywearers
  • The shoulder straps are crossable
  • Comes with a hood that is stored in a pocket
  • The toddler seat extenders are padded to help with your growing littles comfort
  • Comes with a 24 month warranty

Our favorite selling points of the Boba X would be the microadjusting and the zippered toddler seat extenders.  Whether you have a small newborn or a toddler, you can adjust the sizing of the carrier via the velcro tabs to get the perfect fit, ensuring an optimal “M” seat.

The zippered toddler seat extenders zip in smoothly and allow for a much more comfortable fit for a larger child. We were even able to comfortably carrier our not quite 45lb 5-year old perfectly.

What colors does the Boba X come in?

Currently the Boba X is only available in Gray. However, there are plans to releases prints in the upcoming months.

Where do you buy a Boba X?

You can buy a Boba X directly at Boba.com. The price for a Boba X carrier is $150.

PS – It came with sleepy baby dust! WINNING!

Monte Cristo Grilled Cheese Sandwich

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Our Monte Cristo Grilled Cheese Sandwich is a fun play on a traditional french Monte Cristo recipe. Try this delicious monte cristo sandwich and tell us if it’s not one of the best grilled cheese sandwiches you’ve had.  

The first time I ever saw a Monte Cristo sandwich, I was with my sister. We were at a restaurant together when she ordered one and when it came out, I was confused. There was meat and cheese on her sandwich but it was topped with powdered sugar and she told me the sauce was raspberry. After the disgusted look on my face, she made me try it anyway. It was in that moment that I learned the amazingness that is a monte cristo sandwich.

I knew when we were creating our grilled cheese sandwich series that a monte cristo grilled cheese sandwich had to be one of them. It’s such a fun recipe for the entire family. The kids think it’s amazing that we give them powdered sugar on a sandwich. I think the first time we made them, the girls lost we had gone off our rockers.

What is a Monte Cristo Sandwich?

Before we get into our monte cristo grilled cheese sandwich, let’s first discuss what is a monte cristo sandwich. A classic Monte cristo recipe is a fried ham and cheese sandwich.  It was a play on the French croque-monsieur which is a baked ham and cheese sandwich. Some people now use other meats in addition to the ham and it may or may not be fried.  It’s topped with powdered sugar and served with a raspberry sauce.

What sides do you serve with a Monte Cristo Grilled Cheese sandwich?

How to make a Monte Cristo Grilled Cheese sandwich?

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Monte Cristo Grilled Cheese Sandwich
Prep Time
5 mins
Cook Time
7 mins
Total Time
12 mins
 

Our Monte Cristo Grilled Cheese Sandwich is a fun play on a traditional french Monte Cristo recipe. Try this delicious monte cristo sandwich and tell us if it's not one of the best grilled cheese sandwiches you've had.  

Course: Lunch, Main Course
Cuisine: American, French
Servings: 4 sandwiches
Calories: 901 kcal
Author: Larisha Campbell
Ingredients
  • 2 tbsp unsalted butter, softened
  • 8 slices french toast brioche bread
  • 8 slices Smoked Gouda Cheese
  • 4 slices Swiss Cheese
  • 1 lb smoked ham slices (deli meat)
  • 1/2 lb smoked turkey slices (deli meat)
  • 1 pint fresh raspberries, optional
  • raspberry sauce, optional
  • powdered sugar, optional
Instructions

  1. Using previously cooked french toast bread, butter one side of each of the pieces. 

  2. Heat skillet to medium low. 

  3. Place one slice of bread, butter side down into the pan. 

  4. Layer 2 slices of gouda, 1 slice of Swiss, 1/4 lb of ham and 1/8 lb of turkey slices between two pieces of bread.  Add optional fresh raspberries in layers if desired. 

  5. Place another slice of bread on the top, butter side up. 

  6. Cook for 2 minutes or until golden brown. Flip. 

  7. Cook for another 1-2 minutes or until that side is also golden brown. 

  8. Remove and repeat with remaining sandwiches. 

  9. Top with powdered sugar and serve with raspberry sauce if desired. 

Recipe Notes

**Nutritional facts are just estimates. Please utilize your own brand nutritional values to double check against our estimates. 

Nutrition Facts
Monte Cristo Grilled Cheese Sandwich
Amount Per Serving (1 sandwich)
Calories 901 Calories from Fat 477
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 53g 82%
Saturated Fat 30g 150%
Cholesterol 312mg 104%
Sodium 2288mg 95%
Potassium 666mg 19%
Total Carbohydrates 49g 16%
Dietary Fiber 7g 28%
Sugars 7g
Protein 59g 118%
Vitamin A 28.2%
Vitamin C 37.6%
Calcium 72.7%
Iron 19.6%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

PIN THIS MONTE CRISTO GRILLED CHEESE SANDWICH FOR LATER!

 

Philly Cheesesteak Grilled Cheese Sandwich

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Combine the best of Philly into one ultimate sandwich! A Philly Cheesesteak and a Philly Soft Pretzel collide to create the best Philly cheesesteak recipe – the Philly Cheesesteak Grilled Cheese Sandwich!

Growing up, we had cheesesteaks occasionally.  My dad would pull out these frozen sheets of meats and quickly whip them up until something delicious came of it. Or so I thought at the time. I always thought they were yummy, but I never got the hype of “The Philly Cheesesteak”. I mean…Don’t get me wrong, they’re good, but not something that you have to be known for if you’re one of the biggest cities in the country.

Then…I  moved…

A few years ago, Andrew and I moved to New Jersey. Well, he moved back, I moved here for the first time. One of the first places we explored together was South Street in Philly. He took me to Jim’s and it wasn’t until that moment that I got the hype. What I had grown up used to as a Philly Cheesesteak was NOTHING in comparison to the real thing.

Philly Cheesesteak sandwiches are now a favorite in our home, not only for Andrew and I, but for our children as well. We knew when we were discussing our grilled cheese sandwich series that we had to do a spin on a Philly Cheesesteak. In our opinion, this may be the best Philly cheesesteak recipe that you can make at home. It’s such a fun spin on a family favorite! The entire family will love this Philly Cheesesteak Grilled Cheese sandwich.

What are the ingredients on a Philly Cheesesteak Grilled Cheese?

We wanted to combine two Philly favorites – the Philly Cheesesteak and the Philly Pretzel to create this insanely delicious Philly Cheesesteak Grilled Cheese sandwich. We use a pretzel hot dog bun that we found at our local Amish market for the bun. It resembles a traditional cheesesteak bun, with the same delicious taste of a Philly pretzel. If you can’t find buns locally to you, then you can create your own pretzel buns at home or slice a soft pretzel in half for a close alternative.

Then, we seared up onions and ribeye steak in the traditional Philly way, added grilled red, green, and yellow peppers, and finally used both provolone and American cheese.  We skipped the whiz, but if you are a whiz traditionalist, feel free to add it to your Philly Cheesesteak Grilled Cheese sandwich!

What are good sides dishes for Philly Cheesesteaks?

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Philly Cheesesteak Grilled Cheese Sandwich
Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
25 mins
Total Time
35 mins
 

Combine the best of Philly into one ultimate sandwich! A Philly Cheesesteak and a Philly Soft Pretzel collide to create the best Philly cheesesteak recipe - the Philly Cheesesteak Grilled Cheese Sandwich!

Course: Lunch, Main Course, Snack
Cuisine: American
Servings: 4 people
Calories: 650 kcal
Author: Larisha Campbell
Ingredients
  • 1 lb ribeye steak, thinly sliced
  • 2 tbsp olive oil, divided
  • 1 medium onion, thinly sliced
  • 1/2 green pepper, thinly sliced
  • 1/2 red pepper, thinly sliced
  • 1/2 yellow pepper, thinly sliced
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper
  • 1/4 tsp smoked paprika
  • 8 slices sharp cheddar cheese
  • 4 slices Provolone cheese
  • 4 tbsp unsalted butter, softened
  • 4 pretzel buns (or other bun)
Instructions

  1. Season thinly slice ribeye with garlic powder, black pepper, and smoked paprika. 

  2. Heat 1 tbsp oil in a large skillet. 

  3. Add onions and peppers and saute for 3-5 minutes of until onions are translucent. 

  4. Remove from skillet and place on a plate. Set aside. 

  5. In the same skillet, head remaining oil. 

  6. Add the seasoned ribeye.

  7. Cook for 2-3 minutes, chopping up along the way. 

  8. Season with salt if desired. 

  9. Flip and Cook another 2-3 minutes or until steak is cooked through. 

  10. Add the onions and peppers back to the skillet and combine well. 

  11. Remove from heat. 

  12. Spread butter on inside of both sides of buns. 

  13. Place face down in skillet for approximately two minutes or until golden brown.

  14. Layer each sandwich with two slices of cheddar and one slice of Provolone, along with 1/4 of the meat mixture. 

  15. Repeat with remaining sandwiches. 

  16. Preheat oven to 300 degrees and bake sandwiches for 7-10 minutes or until cheese is melted. 

  17. Serve!

Recipe Notes

**Nutritional facts are just estimates. Please utilize your own brand nutritional values to double check against our estimates. 

*Top round steaks can be used in place of ribeye. Or if necessary you can use the frozen steak sheets in your grocery freezer section as a last resort. 

*Ask butcher to thinly slice your meat. 

Nutrition Facts
Philly Cheesesteak Grilled Cheese Sandwich
Amount Per Serving (1 sandwich)
Calories 650 Calories from Fat 441
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 49g 75%
Saturated Fat 24g 120%
Cholesterol 147mg 49%
Sodium 674mg 28%
Potassium 535mg 15%
Total Carbohydrates 7g 2%
Dietary Fiber 1g 4%
Sugars 2g
Protein 44g 88%
Vitamin A 28.7%
Vitamin C 73.1%
Calcium 63%
Iron 16.1%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Pin this Philly Cheesesteak Grilled Cheese Recipe for later!

Chicken and Waffles Grilled Cheese Sandwich

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This chicken and waffles grilled cheese sandwich is the ultimate chicken and waffles sandwich. No matter, if you’ve had the infamous chicken and waffles (with hot sauce or gravy depending on your location), you’ll want to dive into this grilled cheese sandwich immediately! 

It’s Gourmet Grilled Cheese Week here on our site and we know you are ready for more deliciousness.  We are so excited to jump right into giving you another mouthwatering grilled cheese recipe too.  Today, we present the chicken and waffles grilled cheese recipe.

Now, depending on where you live, you may have chicken and waffles served with hot sauce, or a spicy syrup, or you may have it served with mashed potatoes and gravy. Either way you prefer it, it’s all delicious.  And, if you’re on the fence about trying it, just stop.

Chicken and Waffles may sound like an odd combination, but really it’s not. Sweet bread and deliciously fried chicken go hand in hand. Even syrup drizzled across the chicken is a delicious idea…I PROMISE…I would never lie to you guys.

HOW TO MAKE A CHICKEN AND WAFFLES GRILLED CHEESE SANDWICH RECIPE

This chicken and waffles grilled cheese recipe takes two Belgian waffles (we use this waffle maker) and cooks them in a skillet with butter for a few minutes. Then, in between them layers a copious amount of mozzarella cheese, fried chicken tenders, crispy bacon, lettuce, and our own honey mustard BBQ sauce. Once layered, we put this grilled cheese in the oven and bake until it’s all warm and has melty, gooey, cheese. After that, you want to cut it in half down the middle, making two sandwiches. Serve alongside maple syrup for dipping. It was so delicious and a must try for everyone.

What is a good side dish for chicken and waffles?

While we believe that this grilled cheese sandwich could be served entirely on it’s own, we know some may want some ideas for sides that would be great on this!

No matter what you decide to serve alongside it, this is one of the best grilled cheese recipes that you are going to find around.

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Chicken and Waffles Grilled Cheese Sandwich
Prep Time
5 mins
Cook Time
15 mins
Total Time
20 mins
 

This chicken and waffles grilled cheese sandwich is the ultimate chicken and waffles sandwich. No matter, if you've had the infamous chicken and waffles (with hot sauce or gravy depending on your location), you'll want to dive into this grilled cheese sandwich immediately! 

Course: Lunch, Main Course
Cuisine: American
Servings: 2 sandwiches
Calories: 1099 kcal
Author: Larisha Campbell
Ingredients
  • 2 tbsp unsalted butter
  • 2 Belgian waffles
  • 4-5 chicken fingers, cooked
  • 1/2 cup shredded lettuce (or one large iceberg lettuce)
  • 4 slices bacon, cooked
  • 6 slices Mozzarella cheese
  • 1/8 cup Honey Mustard BBQ Sauce
  • syrup (optional)
Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees. 

  2. Spread butter across one side of both of the waffles. Cook in a skillet over medium heat until that side is golden brown (2-3 minutes)

  3. Remove from heat and layer 3 slices of cheese, remaining ingredients, and remaining cheese. 

  4. Place sandwich on a baking sheet and place in oven for 7-10 minutes or until warmed and cheese is melted. 

  5. Remove from oven and slice in half to make 2 sandwiches. 

  6. Serve.

Recipe Notes

*Nutritional facts are only estimates.  Please use your own ingredients to get a more definite amount. Syrup not included in estimates. 

Nutrition Facts
Chicken and Waffles Grilled Cheese Sandwich
Amount Per Serving (1 half)
Calories 1099 Calories from Fat 567
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 63g 97%
Saturated Fat 27g 135%
Polyunsaturated Fat 2g
Monounsaturated Fat 6g
Cholesterol 209mg 70%
Sodium 1577mg 66%
Potassium 682mg 19%
Total Carbohydrates 74g 25%
Dietary Fiber 3g 12%
Sugars 13g
Protein 55g 110%
Vitamin A 21.8%
Vitamin C 2.1%
Calcium 43.5%
Iron 5.8%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Pin this Chicken and Waffles Grilled Cheese Sandwich for later! 

Supreme Pizza Grilled Cheese Sandwich

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This Supreme Pizza Grilled Cheese Sandwich is everything that you want on a pizza in grilled cheese form! It’s the ultimate pizza sandwich recipe! 

Growing up we had a bowl of soup and a grilled cheese sandwich at least once a week. As a mom now, I get that it was a cheap meal. Because of the frequency of this meal, it became something I have fond memories of now. I love making grilled cheese sandwiches for my girls, even though we don’t have them as often as I did growing up.

After we created a peanut butter and jelly grilled cheese, Andrew and I had an idea to create a series about gourmet grilled cheese sandwiches. This pizza grilled cheese is the first in a series of gourmet grilled cheese sandwiches we’ll be doing and we guarantee that by the end of the week, you’ll discover one of the best grilled cheese sandwiches you’ve ever had.

How to Make a Supreme Pizza Grilled Cheese

This pizza grilled cheese sandwich has all of your favorite supreme pizza toppings. There’s sausage, pepperoni, and ham for meats. Then, for toppings, we included red onions, 5 types of peppers, spinach and mushrooms. Of course, there’s cheddar and mozzarella cheese, as well as marinara sauce.

We start by buttering up two skinny sandwich rounds and browning them in a skillet. Next, we layer all our ingredients and then put the grilled cheese in the oven until the cheese is melted. It cooks up beautifully and is so much fun.

The reason we cook the pizza grilled cheese in the oven versus all on the stove is because of the amount of ingredients.  It would be hard to get them all warm in a skillet before the bread burns, even when cooking on a low setting, so grilled cheese in the oven is the best option.

What sides to serve with a pizza grilled cheese sandwich?

This is a large sandwich by itself, but we know you’d love some side dish ideas for this grilled cheese recipe.

Any of these will pair perfectly with this pizza grilled cheese sandwich!

Pizza Grilled Cheese Recipe

5 from 2 votes
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Supreme Pizza Grilled Cheese
Prep Time
5 mins
Cook Time
30 mins
Total Time
35 mins
 

This Supreme Pizza Grilled Cheese Sandwich is everything that you want on a pizza in grilled cheese form! It's the ultimate pizza sandwich recipe! 

Course: Lunch, Main Course
Cuisine: American, Italian
Servings: 2 sandwiches
Calories: 805 kcal
Author: Larisha Campbell
Ingredients
  • 1 tbsp unsalted butter
  • 4 skinny sandwhich rounds
  • 1 italian sausage, cooked
  • 2 oz pepperoni, sliced thick or thin
  • 1/8 cup spinach
  • 1/8 cup mushroom slices
  • 1/4 red pepper, sliced into two rounds
  • 1/4 green pepper, sliced into two rounds
  • 1/4 yellow pepper, sliced into two rounds
  • 1/4 orange pepper, sliced into two rounds
  • 1/8 cup banana peppers
  • 4 slices Mozzarella cheese
  • 4 slices Cheddar cheese
Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 250 degrees

  2. Cut cooked sausage in half lengthwise and then in half again. Set aside. 

  3. Spread butter on one side of each of the skinny sandwich rounds.

  4. Heat a skillet over medium and brown the sandwich rounds butter side down until a golden brown is reached (2-3 minutes). Remove from here

  5. On the none buttered side, layer all your ingredients. 

  6. Repeat with remaining sandwich. 

  7. Place both sandwiches on an oven safe baking sheet and cook for 7-10 minutes or until cheese has completely melted and ingredients are warmed. 

  8. Remove and serve. 

Recipe Notes

*This recipe uses raw peppers and mushrooms for the sandwich, feel free to cook before hand if desired. 

*Nutritional values are estimates. Please double check your own products before using. 

Nutrition Facts
Supreme Pizza Grilled Cheese
Amount Per Serving (1 sandwich)
Calories 805 Calories from Fat 603
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 67g 103%
Saturated Fat 33g 165%
Cholesterol 191mg 64%
Sodium 1625mg 68%
Potassium 477mg 14%
Total Carbohydrates 7g 2%
Dietary Fiber 1g 4%
Sugars 2g
Protein 42g 84%
Vitamin A 46.8%
Vitamin C 103.4%
Calcium 70.6%
Iron 9.7%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Pin this Supreme Pizza Grilled Cheese for later! 

Woodloch Pines Resort – Poconos Family Resorts

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Our family stayed at the Woodloch Pines Resort! Learn more about our family fun time at one of the best all-inclusive Poconos Family Resorts.

Disclosure: This post is in partnership with Woodloch Resort and the Poconos Tourism Board. 

We first got a taste of all-inclusive resorts when we took a Disney Cruise last year.  It was wonderful.  We didn’t have to worry about anything and that in and of itself was amazing. We personally believe it’s our preferred way of travel.  So when we were invited to check out the Poconos Resorts all-inclusive Woodloch Pines Resort, we couldn’t wait. We were so excited a great family-friendly resort was essentially right in our backyard.

We arrived at Woodloch Resort and immediately noticed how large it is. We learned that the entire property over 1,000 acres. We found the entrance to Woodloch Pines resort, the part that we would be staying at and checked in and got our room information.  They handed us a large paper with all the days activities and let us know a new sheet would be available every morning. There were endless activities to do, but first we wanted to check into our room.

Inside Our Room at Woodloch Pines Resort

We were graciously staying in a one-bedroom Edgewater Suites room in their Mount Laurel building. Each room has a kitchenette, a bathroom with double sinks, a living room with pullout sofa bed, and a bedroom with 2 queen beds.  Each suite also has a private balcony and washer and dryer in the unit.

The kitchen contained silverware and dishes, as well as a microwave, stove, pots and pans, a large refrigerator, dish washer, and coffeemaker. There is also a table and chairs, as well as bar stools.  This particular building also connects to the indoor pool area, so there’s no having to walk outdoors to get to the pool (which is awesome in winter).

Check out our Woodloch Pines Suite room tour video!

Food at Woodloch Resort

Okay, I’ll fully admit one of our favorite things about all inclusive resorts is the food.  You can (within limitations) get almost anything and the Woodloch resort did not disappoint.  The kids thought it was amazing they could get hot chocolate at every breakfast and the options for all three meals didn’t disappoint.

For lunch and dinner, a small menu was available on the tables that listen the options and then the sides were automatic. Everything was delicious. From fish to prime rib, nachos to a full buffet on Sunday lunch, there was something for everyone. They did have traditional options for kid’s like chicken tenders, but we opted to get them regular meals to split like we do at a normal restaurant. Dinners started with soup or salad and a bread plate also.

And we can’t forget dessert!  The girls loved ordering from about a dozen ice cream options every evening of our stay and Andrew and I enjoyed brownies, pies, and more.

As far as breakfast, there was a variety of options every morning. They started you off with an insanely delicious crumb cake (which you can order to take home!) and fresh fruit. Next, they have a special of the day – one day was scandinavian pancakes and yum! You also could order any variety of eggs and meats like bacon and sausage. They truly had something for everyone.

Family-friendly Activities at Woodloch Resort

If you’re coming to have a getaway, you can certainly do that at Woodloch, as they have a top notch spa; however, we were here as a family. Often, we are nervous about places that claim family friendly, because our youngest is in a stage where she’s too little for some things, but she’s realizing that her big sister is doing more and she wants involved too. Luckily, Woodloch Resort DID NOT disappoint. The shear amount of activities there are for families is bananas. There is something there for the smallest of small to well into teenage years and beyond. They really have taken the all-inclusive thing very seriously.

Some of our favorite things for our family were:

  • Indoor Pool and Slides
  • Indoor Playground
  • Snowtubing

  • Arts and Crafts Room
  • Nature Trail
  • Magician Show (there are a variety of nightly shows)

  • Go Carts
  • Petting Zoo
  • Character encounters (before every meal)
  • and so much more!

There are literally dozens of activities for everyone and there’s so many that we didn’t even get to do half of the things that we circled that we wanted to do while there.  That just means we have to come back! 

Woodloch Resort, and specifically Woodloch Pines Resort, friendlessness and welcoming atmosphere had completely in love at first visit.  There are a variety of rooms and meal plans available to fit into everyone’s budget and even homes to rent out if you want to bring the extended family for a reunion. We definitely thinks it’s a top notch all-inclusive resort that everyone would feel right at home when visiting!

Postpartum Almost Ended Our Family

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Postpartum Almost Ended Our Family is a truth in parenting post about the struggles of dealing with postpartum anxiety, depression, and birth control. 

Someone was going to sneak into our house and harm us all.  I knew it.  I had a feeling in my gut it was going to happen. If I didn’t stand at the door and watch the garage door completely shut, someone was going to slip under it, hide out in our garage, and wait until I opened the door again to harm us. 

The first time I had this thought, I shut the door to our garage and chuckled to myself. “Larisha, you are crazy.” I brushed it off, and went about the day. Our second baby was roughly three weeks on when this happened. I didn’t give it much thought. It was just me being a little paranoid with a new baby in the house.

I frantically woke up. The baby wasn’t breathing. 

I screamed at my toddler because she spilt her cup. 

I frantically woke up. The baby wasn’t next to me. Someone must have taken her. 

The garage incident happened again. 

My chest would feel like my heart was going to pound out of chest and my throat would feel like someone was strangling me. 

The garage incident happened again. 

6 Week Postpartum Visit

This and multiple other events happened before I even reached my 6 week postpartum appointment with my OBGYN. When the day of the appointment arrived, I burst out into tears.  I knew that something was wrong, but I was terrified.  How much did I disclose?  If I said too much, I felt like they were going to admit me and take my children away.

Looking back on it now, I feel like this is likely the #1 reason most moms don’t speak up more. We are terrified that someone is going to take our children away. Women would much rather suffer than have it happen. We will bear the weight of the entire world on our shoulders if that means that our children stay with us.

I gave enough information that they agreed it was beyond “baby blues”. It was at that appointment that I was diagnosed with postpartum anxiety and depression. I was put on Zoloft and also started the mini pill because it was the safest form of birth control for breastfeeding (so I was told).

It got worse before it got better.

While I could tell the Zoloft was helping, my burst of anger towards everyone, including my new baby, and extreme mood swings almost left my relationship with Andrew in shambles. I would go back and forth feeling helpless that I was this horrible mother only for the next day to burst out again. Every time, almost immediately I felt guilt. I was a monster. My children and Andrew didn’t deserve this and I knew that, but I couldn’t control it. I would go days without be upset and then go days of constantly being on edge.

There were certain things – like taking a shower alone or being outdoors that helped, but we don’t have the support to have help often, so many times because of that and Andrew’s long work hours I was left alone with both kids.  All the while, I tried to act to the outside world that everything was really okay when it wasn’t. The combination of everything was almost unbearable for Andrew and I to continue being happy together and because of that our relationship almost ended on more than one occasion through our trials with how I was feeling.

The Mini Pill

A few months went by and I learned through an outside source that the mini pill side effects could be depression and mood swings. I immediately stopped taking the pill and within a week noticed a huge difference in my mood. As someone who reads so much about what medicines I’m giving to my children, I couldn’t believe I didn’t do this for myself.

Where We Are Now

Around the time I stopped taking it, I had already scheduled my appointment to have my tubes removed. Looking back on it now, I’ll admit, I wonder if I made the right decision.  We always wanted more than two children, but with the anxiety and depression, I knew if I had another child it would likely be the end of our relationship for good. It wasn’t a risk I was willing to take.

I’m in a much better place, but we still have moments of craziness. With a 5 and almost 3 year old, I chalk that up to being parenting. Andrew and I are in a better place now but it doesn’t go without the fear that we could have lost it all.

Pin this Postpartum Almost Ended Our Family post for later

Spring Cleaning List

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We all know how to spring clean, but don’t forget these pesky places that you’ll likely been holding off on in our spring cleaning list. 

Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Bounty. Thoughts and opinions are my own.

Most people look forward to spring.  The weather starts to warm up and the sun starts shining again. Part of me loves when spring happens, but the other part of me is insanely sad because things means snowboarding season is over.  It also means that I’m about to be forced…I mean asked…to clean.

Every year we go through spring cleaning our house.  I say we, but Larisha does a majority of it.  I get a list though of things to do on my days off.  Usually, it’s part of our house where she can’t reach, or maybe things like she has just deemed my job. Even though slightly begrudgingly, I still don’t mind helping her.

This year, we have a little help with those extra dirty places and that’s thanks to our friends at Bounty. We definitely prefer to be eco-friendly and reuse towels as often as we can, but during spring cleaning, tough, durable paper towels like Bounty really help us with the grit and grime. We also love cleaning with safe cleaning products like vinegar and baking soda, because that means we can toss our used paper towels right into the compost.

Right in time for spring cleaning season, Bounty is offering a great Amazon deal ($7 off) on their Quick-Size Paper Towel Family 16ct Pack. This huge pack has enough for stocking up and tackling any job. To get in on this deal, use the promo code 5QUICKBOUNTY and apply the additional $2 off coupon at checkout for a total savings of $7!

Use Code “5QuickBounty” for $5 off the Family 16ct Pack

There’s also an additional $2 off coupon that can be applied at checkout for a total savings of $7 off the Amazon listed price. The 16 Family Rolls are equivalent to 40 regular rolls of Bounty.

The Bounty Family 16ct package also contains 80 more sheets per pack which is an estimated 10 extra day’s of paper towels versus the Select-A-Size 12 Huge Roll pack.

Hidden Spring Cleaning Checklist

Now that you have your Bounty Quick=Size Paper Towels, you’re ready to get cleaning all those pesky places. While some of these places may be common sense or a no-brainer for you, we hope that something on this list reminds you to clean somewhere (likely very dirty) that you may have forgotten.

  • Inside of the window ledges
    • Somehow this gets ridiculously gross over winter and as soon as we open the windows in spring our kids love touching all the dirty. Grab a toothbrush and then use your Bounty Quick-Size Paper Towels to help clean this out.
  • Air Vents
    • You want to breathe well, but so much dust gets trapped in your air vents. Unscrew them, soak in the sink or tub, and wipe out any dust behind the air vent.
  • TVs

  • Inside of your oven
    • Using water and baking soda make a paste and let it sit on your oven window overnight. Then scrub off and use a Bounty Quick-Size Paper Towel to wipe up the excess.
  • Above your stove
    • This is one place that grosses us out every time. Thankfully Bounty is 2x durable than the leading competitor and it helps get all the grease off the hood of the stove. For best results clean the outside and inside of the hood
  • Inside your kitchen cabinets and drawers
    • You only put clean dishes in the cabinets, how could they be dirty, right? Wrong. So much dust gets trapped inside your cabinets, making that clean bowl not so clean anymore.

  • Ceiling fans and light fixtures
  • Dishwasher
    • So much grime can build up along the edges. We recommended wiping them down, as well as running the cleaning cycle or cleaning with a cycle of vinegar
  • Dryer Vent
    • Have you ever looked inside your dryer vent? Pull it out and look inside the flap. It’s gross. Clean that out to help prevent fires.
  • Refrigerator
    • Don’t just pull out the shelves, we all know to do that. Pull out everything and check the rubber sealants and ledges for any signs of mold growth.

We hope that these 10 tips (or reminders) helped! Happy Spring Cleaning!

Grab Your Bounty Quick-Size Paper Towels Today and Use Code “5QuickBounty” for $5 off the Family 16ct Pack (don’t forget to apply the extra $2 off coupon at checkout too!)

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Bounty. The opinions and text are all mine.

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