These are easily just as good as what you'd find in any Mexican restaurant but you get to enjoy them at a fraction of the price in the comfort of your own home.

What are Carnitas Anyway?

If you haven't had Carnitas you are probably trying to figure out exactly what "Carnitas" means. It's a spanish word meaning "little meats."  It's a Mexican dish and generally it's made by braising or roasting pork then shredding it and simmering in lard or vegetable oil until crispy.

But here we switch that up and use the slow cooker and cook for 8 hours or use a pressure cooker and cook for 1 hour. And the pork carnitas are broiled it instead of sautéing it in oil to get that same crispy effect. Broiling it takes less time, creates less mess, and requires less oil.

And I go for semi-crispy. I like the ends of the meat to be nice and crispy but I recommend that you don't overdue it. You don't want to dry the meat.

With this simple recipe you end with tempting, crispy little pieces of pork that you won't be able to stop "taste testing."

Throw the finished carnitas into warmed corn or flour tortillas, add some cilantro and diced onion and voila. Such a simple, satisfying dinner that everyone will love!

Looking for a tomato-y meatball soup? Try my comforting homemade Meatball Soup recipe, likely to be another family fav!

A Dependable Italian Wedding Soup Recipe

I used to be intimidated to make Italian Wedding Soup. I have no Italian lineage and my mom never made it growing up, so for whatever reason it seemed easy to mess up.

But I’m here to tell you it is so easy to make, and following this simple recipe and this foolproof step by step guide people may likely think it was passed down from an Italian Grandmother.

Everyone will be thoroughly impressed and completely satisfied with this homestyle soup! And people will be raving about those homemade, herb flecked, bite size meatballs. They may be a bit of rolling to get so many, but so worth it.

This quickly became a reader favorite recipe, try for yourself and see why!

It's delicious filling for sandwiches or doubles as a topping over potatoes, rice or pasta.

Homestyle Sausage with Peppers and Onions

Sausage and peppers is a simple Italian style dish that's packed with bright fresh ingredients an abundance of comforting, satisfying flavor. It's an enjoyable lunch or dinner entree that is easy to make and it's fun to serve a variety of ways.

It begins with rich sausages that are beautifully browned, then they simmer briefly nestled with the sautéed peppers and onions, while the sauce simmers down and lightly thickens for a nice base. To finish the sausages are sliced into bite size coins and it's all coated with a fair sprinkle of parmesan, because why not? It adds that last touch of perfectly enhancing flavor.

There's so much crave-able goodness in every bite. Truly you'll want to use bakery fresh hoagies only (no stale hoagies buns from the shelf) for something this delicious!

Watch the Video!

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Easy Zucchini Pizzas!

These are one of the tastiest things you can make with fresh zucchini! Plus in the summer aren't we always looking for more ways to cook with zucchini?

They come together quickly, they taste so similar to the real thing, and it's a great way to boost your veggie intake for the day.

You'll actually find these to be quite hearty and filling thanks to all that cheese, and they are a good option if you are trying to cut some carbs.

You can switch them up and try other toppings, make them spicy by finishing with a fair dose of red pepper flakes, and keep them simple by using shortcuts like a store-bought sauce.

Simply put these are such fun summery take on traditional pizza and I'm nearly certain you'll love them!

Fast and Easy Blackened Chicken

Smoky, spicy, highly flavorful seasoned chicken kissed with a blackened exterior that envelops a juicy tender interior. It's a tastebud tantalizing recipe to make any day of the year!

It's so simple to make and cooks quickly. It's just a brisk mixing of spices, then generously seasoning the chicken and from there cooking in a super hot skillet for that beautiful finish.

There's a plethora of delicious sides to pair with it (lots of ideas below), and there's also so much you can do with this chicken. My personal favorites for serving are pairing with coconut rice, corn, and mango avocado salsa (for a bit of that sweet + heat) but there's endless options.

And it doesn't just need to be served solo. Try it in tacos, add it to pasta (like creamy alfredo), or toss into a salad.

Summery Grilled Chicken Salad

This ultimate grilled chicken salad is piled high with all the best ingredients, each one adding to it's well balanced fusion of flavors and satisfying variety of textures.

And I think you'll appreciate that the dressing also doubles as a chicken marinade so you won't need to make a separate seasoning for the grilled chicken.

This salad is a perfectly filling, ideal entree for a lunch get together but it also makes for an exceptional dinner salad as well.

You can also easily adjust it to use up what you have by substituting different vegetables or create a new flavor profile by using different fresh herbs in the dressing (basil or cilantro would be welcomed options).

If you are looking for a salad people will remember this is it! It includes that trio people just can't get enough of - chicken, bacon and avocado.

And here everything is highlighted by an unapologetically lemony dressing to really make it sing. It will get compliments all around!

A Vibrant Grilled Breast Chicken Recipe

Here you get lightly charred chicken breasts with gorgeous grill marks blanketed with melty mozzarella, vibrantly green basil pesto, and it's highlighted with glistening crowning finish of fresh tomatoes atop. This Italian style recipe is the ultimate upgrade to plain chicken!

Inspired by margherita pizza, chicken margherita is made including those same flavors while being more heavy with the fresh basil (thanks to the plentitude of homemade pesto).

This is a summery chicken dish with gourmet flavor that will undoubtedly impress, yet it doesn't require a whole lot of effort. And if you don't own a grill or if it's too chilly out you can also pan sear the chicken (see note below).

It's fair to say this is most definitely a chicken recipe you don't want to pass by, especially with grilling season upon us. What better way to welcome the warm weather than celebrating it with this flawless chicken margherita?

Greek Lemon Chicken Soup

Avgolemono soup is one of the quickest, easiest and freshest tasting soups you can make! It's a humble soup made with basic ingredients yet it packs so much bright flavor thanks to all the fresh lemon in it.

It has a nice light herbiness to it and it gets it's creaminess from the starches of the rice and the use of eggs blended into the broth.

We love it paired with a side salad and fresh made pita bread, but fresh rustic bread drizzled with good olive oil is also another tasty pairing option for a basic yet delicious, hearty and carby, get feeling better meal.

Looking for more ways to make meatballs? Also, try my super popular Italian Meatballs and the healthier Turkey Meatballs.

Greek Keftedes

Keftedes are a popular Greek dish made with ground meat like beef, lamb or pork, bread crumbs (dried panko breadcrumbs or fresh) with a liquid to soak, egg to bind, and to flavor they include onion and fresh herbs such as mint and parsley. Traditionally they are pan-fried in oil but for a healthier alternative, they can be oven-baked (I've included both methods in the recipe).

They have a delicious rich meaty flavor paired with fresh herby notes, they are beautifully browned, and you'll find them to be incredibly hearty and filling (5 meatballs may not seem like much but it's quite a generous serving).

These can be served bowl style as a main dish combined with other sides, or stuffed in a sandwich, or you can opt to serve them as an appetizer on a mezze platter or tray. See serving suggestions below.

Greek Chicken Bowl

I've shared Greek chicken bowls before but they called for marinated and grilled chicken. I wanted a simpler weeknight and winter friendly version that was just as delicious, so created this stovetop variation.

They are still brimming with flavor, abundant in fresh goodness, and it's all about those sauces (they include both tzatziki and hummus and it makes all the difference).

It's a one bowl meal you can feel great about serving as it includes a whole grain, a complete protein, healthy fats (olive oil and avocado), and a tons of vegetables. And of course we throw some cheese in there because feta adds so much flavor.

Also try the other variations I've shared below (you can swap out things like quinoa for rice, avocado for olives, and parsley for mint). It's a versatile Greek bowl that's sure to satisfy without leaving you feeling weighed down.