Easy Taco Pot Pie Recipe

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A slice of taco pot pie on a plate

Are you looking for a new easy, kid friendly supper idea? Check out this simple recipe for taco pot pie! That’s right, taco ingredients in a pie crust. Even my picky eater enjoyed this recipe.

You can switch up the ingredients with out any problem too! Not a beef fan, use shredded chicken. Swap the corn for green beans. You can make this your own which is always great for budget friendly cooking.

This recipe came to be because I had ample amounts of leftover taco meat to use! The perfect time to try something new and Tex Mex flavors are always a hit with the kids.

If you have ground beef in your freezer needing to be used, give this a try.

Taco Pot Pie Ingredients

  • Ground Beef
  • Taco Seasoning (make your own)
  • Onion
  • Bell Pepper
  • Frozen corn
  • Black or Pinto Beans (I cook my own)
  • Rotel (or canned tomatoes and canned green chilis)
  • Cheddar cheese
  • Double Pie Crust (make or buy)
  • Toppings of your choice (Salsa, avocado, sour cream, lettuce, tomatoes etc)

Taco pot pie ingredients in a pan

Taco Pot Pie Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Brown your ground beef. Drain and add taco seasoning. Add the onions and cook until almost tender.

Add the bell pepper, frozen corn, beans, and Rotel. Cook until everything is hot.

Taco pot pie ingredients in a skillet topped with cheese

Stir in the grated cheese.

Place one pie crust in a deep dish pie pan. Scoop in the filling and top with the second crust. Crimp the edges and make several slashes in the top of the pie.

Picture of assembled taco pot pie before cooking

Put pie on a baking sheet (in case anything leaks out) and bake for 40-45 minutes or until crust is golden brown. You may need to put foil around the edge of the crust if it gets too dark.

Remove from oven and let rest 15 minutes before cutting.

East Taco Pot Pie Recipe

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Easy Taco Pot Pie
Author: 
Recipe type: Main Dish
Cuisine: Tex Mex American
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Serves: 6-8
 
This taco pot pie is an easy, fun, kid friendly supper idea! All of your favorite taco ingredients put inside of a pie. Top with lettuce, sour cream, avocado or leave plain!
Ingredients
  • 2 pie crusts
  • 1 pound ground beef, turkey, or chicken (approximately ⅕ cups cooked)
  • ½ cup diced onion
  • 1½ cups frozen corn
  • 1½ cups black or pinto beans
  • 1 cup diced bell pepper
  • 1 cups shredded cheddar cheese
  • 2 tablespoons taco seasoning
  • 1 can mild rotel or 1 cup salsa
  • Toppings of your choice: sour cream, salsa, avocado, lettuce, olives, cilantro etc
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  2. Brown your ground beef. Drain and add taco seasoning. Add the onions and cook until almost tender.
  3. Add the bell pepper, frozen corn, beans, and Rotel. Cook until everything is hot.
  4. Stir in the grated cheese.
  5. Place one pie crust in a deep dish pie pan. Scoop in the filling and top with the second crust. Crimp the edges and make several slashes in the top of the pie.
  6. Put pie on a baking sheet (in case anything leaks out) and bake for 40-45 minutes or until crust is golden brown. You may need to put foil around the edge of the crust if it gets too dark.
  7. Remove from oven and let rest 15 minutes before cutting.
  8. Cut and and serve. Top with your favorite toppings.

 

Taco pot pie with a piece cut out

Fun Children’s Books About Dinosaurs

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a tall stack of kids books about dinosaurs

A few weeks ago I shared a list of great books for kids that love trains. Trains weren’t the only thing my son loved to read about. We also checked out mountains of books about dinosaurs and construction vehicles! Today’s post is a list of children’s books about dinosaurs.

Having fiction books organized alphabetically by author makes it easy to find books you know you want, but if your child just wants dinosaur books if takes some work to find them!

That’s where this compilation will come in handy.

If your toddler to first grader is as obsessed with dinos as my son was (and actually still is) hopefully this list will help you on your library runs and as you add to your home book collection. It might even save you from having to read the same 5 books over and over again.

I recommend checking books out from the library before buying them if possible- every kids seems to gravitate towards different favorites.

Don’t forget to check out the non-fiction dinosaur section. Even for little kids! From a young age my son would gravitate towards non-fiction books and just pour over the pictures. When he asked us to read them to him, we’d read an abbreviated version of each page according to his comprehension level and attention span.

If you are a young earth creationist, know that most of dinosaur themed books reference old earth in some way. If that bothers you, be sure to preview the books (or edit as your read them aloud) or just have a discussion with your child of the different viewpoints people have. (Keep reading to the end of the list for some books suggestions from a young earth, Christian perspective.)

Children’s Books About Dinosaurs

4 board books about dinosaurs

Dinosaur Board Books:

That’s Not My Dinosaur

Dinosaurs A-Z (Poke a Dot)

Dinosaurs Dinosaurs

My First Dinosaur Touch and Feel (This was my son’s favorite when he was little)

Roar! Roar! I’m a Dinosaur!

Rex Wrecks It

I Dreamt I Was a Dinosaur

Little Dinos Don’t Bite
Also in the series: Little Dinos Don’t Hit, Little Dinos Don’t Push, Little Dinos Don’t Yell

1-2-3 Dinosaurs Bite

Dinosnores

a pile of dinosaur easy pictures books

Dinosaur Easy Picture Story Books:

These children’s books about dinosaurs are all very fictional stories! Even though my dinosaur loving kids have non fiction books as their favorites, they still enjoyed many of these.

Dinos in the Snow

Stomp, Dinosaur, Stomp

Dinosaurumpus

The Dinosaur Who Lost His Roar

Dinosaur Farm

Bang! Boom! Roar!

The Itchy Book

Dino Pets

Dini Dinosaur

10 Little Dinosaurs

Ten Little Dinosaurs

The Lost Dinosaur Bone (Little Critter book)

Dino-Sports Series

Curious George’s Dinosaur Discovery

When Dinosaurs Came With Everything

Lizard from the Park

How do Dinosaurs series

A stack of dinosaur easy picture books

Dinosaur Easy Picture Books:

This group of children’s books about dinosaurs are still in the easy picture section at my library, but include some dino facts and aren’t exclusively stories!

I Am A Tyrannosaurus

Bones, Bones, Dinosaur Bones

The Field Mouse and the Dinosaur Name Sue

Dinosaur Bones

Roar: A Dinosaur Tour

Kids non fiction dinosaur books

Dinosaur Non Fiction Books:

My kids have loved reading these. Most we simply check out of the library (and have done so over and over). Some are quite easy and other a little longer. I’ll include a picture below of all the options in our library’s non-fiction section.

Digging Up Dinosaurs

My Visit to the Dinosaurs

Here We Go Digging For Dinosaur Bones

Dinosaur Lady

A Dinosaur Named Sue: The Find of the Century

Lizard Tooth

Double Bones

Long Arm

It’s Tyrannosaurus Rex!

Inside Out T-Rex

Dinosaurs at the End of the Earth

How Tall Was a T-Rex

What Has a Pointed Head and Eats Lizards?
What Has Armor and a Tail Club?

A-Z of Dinosaurs by Kieron Connolly

the non fiction book section at the library

This is a picture of the dinosaur books in the children’s non-fiction section. I think it’s safe to say, my kids have checked out all of them before!

If you believe in a literal 7 day creation, Answers in Genesis also has some kid themed dinosaur books from a Christian perspective you might want to check out:

Phew, that is quite the list of children’s books about dinosaurs! What have I missed? And I know I sound like a broken record, but check these out from your library (or at minimum look at the preview pages on Amazon) before you buy! With so many great dinosaur book options, you will want to only own your child’s very favorites!
a stack of dino books with a graphic overlay

The Best Mississippi Mud Pie Recipe

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Mississippi mud pie on a plate and in the pan

This Mississippi Mud Pie recipe was a family favorite when I was growing up. I’ve mentioned before that we were never fans of traditional birthday cakes, but Crazy Chocolate Cake and Mississippi Mud Pie frequently made an appearance.

We stumbled across this Mississippi Mud Pie recipe on a family vacation one year. We were staying at a ranch and one night this was served for dessert. After my entire family enjoyed it, the cook kindly gave my mom the recipe and it’s been a part of our family ever since.

Nope, it’s not “healthy” but we don’t make it often so I’m okay with that! A fun treat for a birthday celebration or company coming over for dinner.

What exactly is Mississippi Mud Pie? It’s an easy layered dessert that begins with a thin, shortbread crust and is topped with a layer of a cream cheese/whipped cream mixture followed by chocolate pudding and finished with whipped cream.

You may use nuts in the crust or leave them out.

The original recipe uses boxed pudding and Cool Whip. I will give the original recipe amounts, but also share how to do it with homemade whipped cream – my preferred method.

I have also made this with homemade pudding. You will need to use a recipe that call for 4 cups of milk and then decrease the milk to 3 cups. Do note that the homemade pudding won’t set up quite as nicely as the instant pudding but it does taste amazing.

Mississippi Mud Pie Ingredients

  • Flour
  • Granulated sugar
  • Butter, melted
  • Pecans, optional
  • 2 boxes instant chocolate pudding (3.4 ounces each) 
  • Milk
  • Heavy cream, powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and cornstarch OR Cool Whip
  • Cream Cheese at room temperature
  • Powdered sugar

Mississippi Mud Pie Recipe Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and stir the melted butter, sugar, and optional pecans in a small bowl. Press into the bottom of a 9×13 inch pan. It will be very thin.

unbaked shortbread crust

Bake for 10-14 minutes, until barely turning golden. Remove from oven to let cool.

Pan with the baked crust

Beat room temperature cream cheese and powdered sugar until smooth and creamy.

mixing bowl with the beaten cream cheese and powdered sugar

In a mixer, using the whisk attachment (or in a bowl with hand beaters) whip 1 cup of heavy cream until soft peaks are formed. Then drop the cream cheese mixture in several spoonsful over the whipped cream. Beat just until blended and spread over the cooled crust.
(If you use Cool Whip, simply combine 2 cups of cool whip with the cream cheese and powdered mixture until smooth)

Cream cheese mixture dropped on top of the whipped creamMixing bowl with the combined whipped cream and cream cheese

Make both boxes of instant pudding using only 3 cups of milk instead of 4. (If making homemade pudding, make sure it cools completely.) Spread over the cream cheese layer.

Chocolate pudding spread in the pan

Place 2 cups of heavy cream in the mixer (I used the same one that I used in the previous whipped cream step) and beat until soft peaks form. Add 2 teaspoons of cornstarch or arrowroot (this will help keep the cream stay set – if you are serving the same day, you can omit this), 2-4 tablespoons powdered sugar, and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract. Beat until heavy peaks form and plop spoonsful over the pudding layer and carefully spread. (It should be 4 cups of whipped cream.)
(If using Cool Whip, you can omit this step and simply spread the remainder or the 16 ounce container on top of the pudding layer – approximately 4 cups.)

Finished Mississippi Mud Pie in the pan

You can garnish with chopped nuts or chocolate pieces if desired.

Keep refrigerated until serving.

It is actually a really simple dessert and everyone loves it!

More Dessert Ideas:
Crazy Chocolate Cake
Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
Brownie Brittle

Picture of mississippi mud pie in a glass pan

Mississippi Mud Pie Recipe

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Mississippi Mud Pie
Author: 
Recipe type: Dessert
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Serves: 12
 
This Mississippi Mud Pie recipe is easy & so good! It has been a family favorite for the last 20 years. It's a delicious layered dessert everyone will love.
Ingredients
  • ½ cup butter, melted
  • 1 cup flour
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • 1 cup chopped pecans, optional
  • 1 cup powdered sugar
  • 8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
  • 3 cups heavy cream, divided
  • 2 packages instant chocolate pudding (3.4 ounces each)
  • 3 cups milk
  • 2-4 tablespoons powdered sugar
  • 2 teaspoons cornstarch or arrowroot powder, optional
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
  • (OR substitute the last three ingredients and the heavy cream with a 16 ounce carton of Cool Whip - see recipe notes for instructions)
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  2. Mix melted butter, flour, 1 tablespoon of sugar, & pecans (if using) in a small bowl. Press onto the bottom of a 9x13 inch pan. Bake for 10-14 minutes (until barely turning golden). Let cool.
  3. Beat room temperature cream cheese and 1 cup of powdered sugar until smooth. In another bowl, beat 1 cup of heavy cream until soft peaks form. Drop the cream cheese mixture over the whipped cream and beat just until combined. Spread on cooled crust.
  4. Mix both packages of pudding with 3 cups of milk. Spread over the cream cheese layer.
  5. Use the remaining heavy cream to make whipped cream: Beat 2 cups of heavy cream until soft peaks form. Add powdered sugar, cornstarch, and vanilla. Beat until stiff peaks form. Carefully spread over the pudding layer.
  6. Optionally, garnish with chopped pecans and chocolate pieces.
  7. Refrigerate until serving.
Notes
If using Cool Whip:
In step 2 beat softened cream cheese with powdered sugar until smooth. Stir in 2 cups off cool whip until combined and spread on the crust.
In step 4, simply spread the remainder of the Cool Whip (about 4 cups) over the top of the pudding layer.
See recipe post for more information and details about using homemade pudding.

A piece of Mississippi Mud pie on a glass plate

 

Easy May Day Basket Ideas

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A homemade pink paper May Day Basket

Spring is just around the corner and we all know that March winds and April showers bring forth May flowers. Once spring arrives, one of the fun things to look forward to with your kids is May Day and May Day baskets! Today, I have several great May Day basket ideas for you!

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What are May Day Baskets?

May Day baskets are small baskets (purchased or homemade) that you fill with flowers and even little treats or gifts! You can make them as simple or as elaborate as you want. If you are struggling with coming up with what to put in your May Day basket, I have some ideas coming up below.

Once you have your baskets compiled comes the fun part.

Make a list of people you want to deliver the baskets to, and then you go and hang them on doors or place them on the front porch ring the doorbell and run back to the car and go to your next stop.

Of course you could also ring the door bell and hand deliver the basket or leave it on the porch and send a text after you leave!

What kid wouldn’t love that? And as a parent it’s always great to find ways to have our kids think of others.

[Check out this post on other service project ideas you can do with your kids!]

A purple May Day basket

May Day Basket Ideas

Baskets:

If your kids like crafts like mine do, they will love the DIY baskets! I love that most of these options don’t take long to make. That’s especially important if you are planning on making a lot!

Paper Plate Basket
Construction Paper Woven Basket
Purchased Basket
Mason Jar (Add a wire handle or use a ribbon)
Flower Pot (You could even paint them like this)
Paper Cone
Paper Cup with pipe cleaner handle (something like this)

What to Put in May Day Baskets:

Now comes the fun part, figuring out what should go inside!

  • Fresh flowers
  • Plant
  • Homemade paper flowers. Here are some cute options.
  • Flower seeds and gardening gloves or tool.
  • Cupcakes
  • Cookies
  • Trail Mix
  • Candy
  • Other treat (Brownie Brittle would be yummy)
  • Tea bags or coffee
  • Pinwheels (Buy them or make them)
  • Bubbles or sidewalk chalk if there are kids

Pink paper May Day basket with tea, flowers and candy

As you can see from these May Day basket ideas, you can make your basket as elaborate or simple and has expensive or frugal as you’d like! Just pick something within your budget and go for it. Your friends will appreciate whatever you do.

Even the simplest option will bring smiles to their faces and make their day just a little brighter.

I promise that your kids will look forward to this each year. In fact, they probably won’t let you forget it. We dropped off cinnamon rolls at Christmas and heart sugar cookies at Valentine’s Day to a lot of friends and neighbors and the kids thought it was the greatest thing. It’s fun to see our kids get exciting about giving, even if it’s such a little thing.

For even more ways to celebrate May Day, keep on reading!

What is May Day?

It’s a celebration of spring and is always on May 1 which is about halfway between the spring equinox and the summer solstice. (Learning about the spring and autumn equinox and summer and winter solstice would make a great mini science lesson!)

This holiday is an ancient one and as such as pagan origins. When the Romans began celebrating it, it was for their goddess of flowers. In more modern times, it became a celebration of the return of spring!

May Day Traditions.

We already know about the tradition of May Day baskets, but there are even more things you can do to celebrate.

Other Ways to Celebrate May Day

I hope that you are inspired to start a fun tradition with your family this year! A great way to surprise and encourage those around you. May Day baskets are such a simple thing but will be so enjoyed.

Purple may Day Basket with bubbles and goodies

 

Easy Instant Pot Tomato Soup

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a white bowl filled with Instant Pot tomato soup

This Instant Pot tomato soup is easy and delicious! Definitely a recipe you need in your dinner rotation.

I love that it is dairy free and gluten free but still tastes amazing. Of course, if you want to jazz it up, feel free to finish it with a drizzle of cream or go all the way and grate some parmesan cheese over the top and serve with a grilled cheese sandwich.

Everyone in my family enjoys this soup – even my picky 7 year old. They 5 year old might make a mess while she’s eating it but if she actually likes it, that’s fine with me!

I love blended soups as an easy way to get in extra vegetables, so I always include carrots and celery in my tomato soup – extra flavor and nutrients!

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Instant Pot Tomato Soup Ingredients:

Ingredients for the Instant Pot tomato soup

  • 2 cans fire roasted tomatoes (14.5 ounces each)
  • 2 cans diced tomatoes (14.5 ounces each)
  • 1 onion, diced (red or yellow – whatever you have)
  • 4 cloves garlic
  • 1 cup chopped carrots
  • 1 cup chopped celery
  • Dried basil and oregano
  • Salt
  • Broth, chicken or vegetable
  • Oil

Instant Pot Tomato Soup Directions:

Raw vegetables added to the pan

  • Turn your Instant Pot to sauté and let heat a few minutes. Add 1 tablespoon of oil. Add the onions, carrots, and celery and sauté for 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook an additional 1 minute.
    the vegetables after cooking for 5 minutes
  • Add the remaining ingredients to the Instant Pot and set to high pressure for 10 minutes.
    Tomato Soup ingredients in the pot before being pressure cooked
  • When the 10 minutes are up, let natural release for 10-15 minutes and then turn the valve to quick release. (If you are in a hurry, you can skip the natural release and just do quick. You might want to set a wash cloth on top of the valve to catch the steam/liquid that splatters out.)
    Cooked tomato soup before blending
  • Using an immersion blender, puree the soup until smooth. Add more salt, pepper, basil and oregano to taste. If you do not have an immersion blender, you will want to let the soup cool slightly and transfer to a blender in batches to puree. I’ve probably had my immersion blender for just 5 years, and it has been so useful! Mine was a cheap one that isn’t made anymore, but there are tons of affordable options!

For another kid friendly soup recipe, check out Chicken and Veggie Noodle Soup!

Bowl of easy tomato soup

Instant Pot Tomato Soup

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Instant Pot Tomato Soup
Author: 
Recipe type: Soup
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Serves: 6-8 servings
 
This Instant Pot Tomato Soup is super simple, healthy, and so good! Love having this for an easy supper.
Ingredients
  • 2 cans fire roasted tomatoes (14.5 ounces each)
  • 2 cans diced tomatoes (14.5 ounces each)
  • 1 onion, diced
  • 4 cloves of garlic, minced
  • 1 cup chopped carrots
  • 1 cup chopped celery
  • 2 teaspoons dried basil
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 2 cup broth (chicken or vegetable)
  • Oil
Instructions
  1. Set your Instant Pot to sauté and let heat up for a couple minutes. Add 1 or 2 tablespoons of oil to the hot pan and put in the onions, carrots, and celery. Sauté for 5 minutes.
  2. Add the garlic. Sauté an addition 1 minute.
  3. Add the remaining ingredients. (Tomatoes, basil, oregano, broth, and salt.)
  4. Put the lid on the Instant Pot and set to high pressure for 10 minutes.
  5. After 10 minutes, let natural release for 10 minutes and finish with a quick release.
  6. Use an immersion blender to puree the soup until smooth.
  7. Adjust salt to taste. Add more basil or oregano if needed.
Notes
You may also make this on the stove. You will just have to simmer the soup longer, until all the vegetables are tender.
In the summer, I like to use fresh herbs but this still tastes amazing using the dried ones.
Number of servings will be determined by if you are serving something hearty along side the soup.