Let’s start with the obvious, if you don’t already have an instapot you need one asap. If your anything like me, not just a mom, but want more time to finish that never ending to-do list then you don’t want to spend your whole day stuck making meals in the kitchen. Thankfully, the instapot is super easy to use and makes cooking a breeze just like this recipe. The honey garlic chicken is savory, tender and just so damn good!
Prep Time: 5 mins | Cook Time: 12 mins | Total Time: 17 mins
INGREDIENTS
1 1/2 -2 lbs. chicken thighs (4 chicken thighs)
Salt ( I use Pink Himalayan Salt)
Ground black pepper
1 tablespoons cooking oil
4 cloves garlic minced (1 tablespoon pre-minced)
HONEY GARLIC SAUCE:
3 tablespoons honey
1 teaspoon brown sugar
2 tablespoons soy sauce
3 tablespoons water or chicken broth
3 dashes cayenne pepper
2 tablespoons corn starch
INSTRUCTIONS
Season your chicken thighs with salt and pepper on both sides. Set aside.
Mix all the ingredients in the Honey Garlic Sauce together, stir to mix well. Make sure the honey and sugar are completely dissolved. Set aside.
Turn on the Saute mode on your Instant Pot. As soon as the pot is heated, add 1 tablespoon of the cooking oil. Pan sear the chicken thighs (I remove the skin but if you prefer it then sear the skin side down first) until both sides turn a golden brown.
Leave the chicken thighs in the Instant Pot, add the garlic. Saute the garlic a little bit. Pour in the sauce and cover with the lid. Select Manual and set to High pressure for 10 minutes. Place valve in “Sealing” position.
Once done cooking and it beeps, turn to Quick Release. When the valve drops, remove the lid and carefully place chicken onto a serving plate.
To thicken honey garlic sauce, in a separate bowl combine corn starch and cold water. Add corn starch liquid to honey garlic sauce. Select Saute mode and let boil for 2 minutes. Stir occasionally. Sauce will thicken further as it cools.
Pour honey garlic sauce onto chicken thighs. Serve immediately.
If you tried out this recipe, let me know! Also if you have an instapot recipe that you swear by send it my way.
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Every year, I head out to my favorite stores looking to snag the best deals of the year, but this year is looking a little different. I won’t head out early, grab my Starbucks and hit all the aisle end caps in search of the best sales and clearance. Instead, this year everything is virtual and I’m here for it! I get to stay in bed while still get the best deals, and I’m sharing them with you. Here are my top home decor picks that are all 50% off- psst! there is even some Holiday items already!
Although 2020 has been difficult and weird, one thing I know won’t stop… the holidays. So take advantage of all the deals and stock up on Christmas presents ’cause the pandemic stopped alot of things, but never the joy of Christmas.
In other words, everyone (especially the kids) are still expecting presents lol.
Good luck and Stay Safe!
Disclaimer: All links, as well as links through out the Blog , are affiliate links. Products purchased through these links give me a small commission that helps me create content for the blog and income for my family. All Amazon deals are for a limited time and while quantities last as well as subject to changed.
I hate the empty feeling my house has once all the festive holiday decor has been put away. Thankfully here in California we don’t actually have a “winter”, so we can easily start transitioning our home decor to spring as soon as . . . now!
I rounded up the few home decor items that I’ve thrifted in the past 2 weeks to show you what I’m looking for and how I’m incorporating them into my home.
Crate & Barrel Vase
For some time now I was stuck on what decor piece to put on my bedside table. I wanted something that would look substantial but not crowd my small table, so I knew it had to be some kind of glass piece. When I spotted this Crate & Barrel vase amongst the other glass pieces in the home decor area of my local Salvation Army, I quickly made my way through a pair of comadres and snatched it up before anyone else could.
I plan on filling the vase, with a few branches of either eucalyptus or silver dollar greenery, to close the gap between the side table and the picture frame. Below is some inspo.
Striped Feather Filled Pillow
There are some things I am very weary of thrifting for sanitary reasons, or maybe its just me. Pillows always gross me out at the thrift stores, they’re usually hella dirty and I don’t know where they have been, which basically is a big NO NO and EWWW for me. However, I will make the exception when the pillow is a good quality and has a removable cover that I can wash and deep clean.
As was the case when I found a striped linen pillow. It was in good condition, removable cover, and was feather filled. That for me is the Holy Trinity of thrift store pillows, plus it has a neutral color scheme that I always go for so that I can use it year round with any decor.
Lavender Wreath
Last week, as I prepared for my baby shower I was at Michael’s getting last minute items when I noticed they had put out their spring line. One of the items I was contemplating buying was a floral wreath for my front door, however they were way too expensive for my budget. Which is why I’m so glad I didn’t cave and luck was on my side when I found this beautiful wreath.
How cute is this lavender wreath?! I was making my last round before I left the thrift store right as the store manager put out this amazing wreath. Of course, I hauled ass to get to it and I couldn’t be happier.
Clear Glass Vases
I always have plants in my home, however I have down sized my collection since I finally have a back yard/patio to fill up. So I decided to refill my home with greenery starting with some pothos cuttings. Its an economic way to fill your space with plants without breaking the bank and it looks great on shelves.
What are some of your must have spring decor items? Maybe I’ll get lucky and thrift a few.
The holiday season is in full effect, even though we still haven’t celebrated Thanksgiving, Christmas is on everyone mind or at least mine. This year is our first in our new home and I have sooooooo many ideas to decorate, however my ideas definitely out weight my budget lol. So I went over to my beloved thrift store and found a wreath that was in desperate need of an upgrade. I’m not to sure what the vibe for the wreath was supposed to be, but I knew what I wanted to transform it into.
I wanted to go for a slightly rustic, but not too farmhouse vibe, which is what my Christmas theme is for this year. I want natural elements but also a little bit of glam with tones of white and pale silver. Again, taking into consideration my budget I took a stroll down to The 99 Cent Store, which has up-ed its game and has some very cute decor pieces specifically Christmas ornaments. Not all the ornaments are a hit, but most of them are great for DIYing since their trendy and cheap.
I found a really cute sign that would be the center of the wreath, which is different from your usual traditional big bows. I choose glittery ornaments to give that subtle glam and played with the rustic features of the white jingle bells and pine cones. I found picks that helped fill in the wreath and give alot of dimension, which is the trick to any Christmas wreath or tree.
6 Christmas Picks
2 sets of pine cone ornaments
1 pack of white glitter ornaments
1 pack of white jingle bells
1 “Farm Fresh” Sign
I could tell you what I did exactly and pretend its the only and right way of making a DIY wreath, however DIYing is all about what you feel looks best. I did what I thought looked great and hot glued it onto the wreath and BOOM! Done. But there are so many ways the same accessories could of been arranged creating a completely different look that would of been just as amazing.
I’m very happy with how the wreath turned out, but I’m even happier with the price! I spent a total of $11.00 at The 99 Cent Store and paid $5.99 for the wreath, for a total of $16.99. I didn’t use all of the jingle bells or glitter ornaments so technically the wreath was cheaper. Over all, I saved so much money DIYing this wreath then buying one at Target, Home Goods, Hobby Lobby Etc which are averaging over $45.00 for the same size wreath I made.
But what I really want to know is what you thought. Should I have added more accessories to the wreath, liked how it turned out or just should of bought one at the store? Let me know, I would love to hear from you guys.
In most American homes during the holidays you would find your “traditional” meals for Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years being Turkey, Ham, Mashed Potatoes, etc. However, if your anything like my Mexican family you bust out the big ol’ Princess House Olla from the garage and get the posole going. The infamous “Tamalera” pot is essential for not only making tamales but also for the posole. Not one major holiday has gone by in my family without posole, however over the years the traditional Posole Rojo has been replaced with Posole Verde. Posole Verde has all the essentials of regular posole, but is made with chicken instead of pork and is obviously green and not red. Both Posoles are delicious in their own right, however posole verde is absolutely my favorite and I can eat it for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Which most likely will happen because left overs for the recalentada are for sure to happen.
As I mentioned posole is made for major holidays or events in my family so this recipe is not for those of you who are looking to feed 4 people. This recipe is for a HUGE pot of posole that will feed you, your family, your suegros, your friends, and the whole damn neighborhood. The quantities for the recipe are to fill a 30 Quart stock pot, specifically the one I used is a Princess House Stainless Steel Classic 30-QT Stockpot. Although the quantity sounds intimating, I promise this recipe is very easy and worth it.
Ingredients
30 Quart stock pot
Blender
3 lbs of Green Tomatillos
2 bundles of Spinach
2 bundles of Cilantro
2 White Onions
1 bottle of 35 oz Knorr Chicken flavor Bouillon – Consome de Pollo (Optional)
2 Heads of Garlic
2 Big Cans of Juanita’s Maiz
10 Lbs. of Skinless Chicken Breast (Bone-in)
1/2 Lbs. of Anaheim Peppers
4 Pasilla Peppers
4 Jalapeno Peppers
2 Green Bell Peppers
4 Serrano Peppers
Step 1
Fill your pot half way with water. Add the whole head of garlic as well as chop one whole onion in half and add it to the pot, keep the garlic head in one piece since it will be taken out later along with the onion. Lastly, add your chicken breasts. Cook your chicken until tender- falls off the bone. This can take up to 2-2.5 hours but varies due to the size of the pot. Its very important to cook your chicken thoroughly as it should shred easily.
Step 2
As the chicken cooks, its time to work on your salsa verde. Shell and wash your tomatillos and place them in a pot with water until covered, bring to a boil. The Tomatillos are ready when they have changed color and have softened.
Step 3
As your tomatillos cook, take the opportunity to wash and de-vain your peppers. Posole is not meant to be a spicy soup, which is why you take out all the seeds and vines so you get all the flavor but not the spice of the peppers. However, if you would like to add some spice keep some of the seeds from your choice of peppers to add later in step 4.
Step 4
Once the tomatillos have cooked, add them to your blender along with all your peppers, 4 cloves of garlic, the bunches of cilantro and spinach, and half an onion. Blend until smooth and no chunks are visible. Due to the quantity of it all your going to want to have a big bowl on the side to dump the liquid into, you will need to do a few batches to complete all the veggies. A quick tip, keep the water from when your boiled the tomatillos, the veggies will blend easier by adding the tomatillo water as well as give it more flavor.
Step 5
Once the chicken breasts have cooked thoroughly and they are very tender take them out and shred them, as well as take out the bones. Taking out the bones is optional, however I find that its best especially for the kids. Once the chicken is shredded place it back into the pot and take out the head of garlic and onion we put in the beginning and throw it away.
Step 6
Add the liquified veggies aka your salsa into the stockpot along with the two cans of Maiz. Drain your maiz, only adding the maiz and not the water it comes in. Stir all the chicken, salsa verde and maiz together.
Optional: The soup will have great taste all on its own , however I usually add consome de pollo (Chicken Flavor Bouillon) for that extra taste of chicken. Since this is optional you can add as much as you like, I usually add 1/3 of the bottle.
Bring your posole to a boil and it is ready to serve.
Toppings
Posole all on its own is AMAZING, however the toppings you put on are just as important.
Chopped Toppings
Onion
Cabbage
lettuce
Radishes
Cucumber
Other Toppings/Sides
Lemon
Tapatio
Tostadas
Posole is very personal to some people. For me when I eat posole I reminiscence of the happy holiday moments I’ve had with family and friends. Its like a blanket of flavor that warms your heart and soul.
This year show off to everyone that your that bitch and make the posole, prove to your mom, tias, or suegra que ya te puedes casar haha. I can’t wait to hear back from everyone who tries to make this recipe, enjoy!
It wasn’t until I got married almost two years ago, that I really realized how expensive it is to decorate a home. Eduardo, my now husband, was living in a house that was the epitome of a bachelor pad, however knowing that he (my then boyfriend) was going to make the best decision of his life aka marry ME one day. I offered to decorate his place with the grand scheme that when we get married, I’ll move in and have something to work with instead of starting from scratch. I know, I have some nerve to even think like that, much less to put it into play but no shame in my game lol.
As I started to shop around I went to the usual “Budget friendly” stores like Ikea, however even a relatively “Cheap” home decor store like that can be out of someones budget like it was for us as we were dating as well as newly weds. I personally pride myself in finding a great deal or maybe I’m just too frugal for my own good lol, because alot of the time I would shop around typical stores like Target, Home Goods, Ikea, etc and think to myself “ No Mames, $$$ for this? I can find this at the thrift store for way cheaper“! Which of course, after digging through a lot of shit, testing my patience and a few iced coffees to help keep my eyes sharp, I have found many items that have turned our house into our home.
Ikea Silver Circle Mirror
Purchased for $9.99
When I found this Ikea circle mirror I couldn’t believe my luck! I had been looking for a mirror to go over my dresser and I had seen plenty of the traditional square mirrors crowding the thrift stores, however I really wanted a circle one, which is much more modern. When thrifting at times you need to compromise a little to make things work such as for this mirror. I would of preferred this mirror to be a bit bigger since my dresser is quite large, however this was the style and color I wanted. For me, thrifting isn’t always finding the perfect piece but the piece that would work out best according to my budget, style and needs.
Z Gallerie White Round Large Vase
Purchased for $9.99
The hallway in my house is a space that needed to be functional and clutter free because its the access point for all the rooms and the main bathroom. Although I wanted a clutter free hallway I didn’t want it to look so blahhhhhh, and so I thought I could take advantage of the little nooks and corners by adding a plant or in this case a vase. I found this vase at the Value Village in Bellflower, CA on their half off days. This vase was just stitting in the middle of the furniture area and everyone kept passing it by! One tip is you need a bit of imagination when your in a thrift store or else you’ll miss out on an opportunity. Now this piece is BIG and I wasn’t sure it would fit in the corner I wanted to fill, thankfully it fit perfectly and I accessorized it with huge palm leaves (Hobby Lobby 50% off, each leaf was $5.00 WOO HOO!) to balance out the size of the vase and add height to the space. That’s the key to thrifting, being open minded and get creative.
Antique Grandpa Painting
Purchased for $1.99
When I found this piece I was a junior or sophomore in high school rummaging through thrift stores with my friends in search of high waisted shorts. Yup, that was the only way back then to find anything high waisted lol. This painting was on the floor leaning against the wall and caught my attention immediately. I’m not sure if its the old mans memorizing stare or the resemblance to my own grandpa but I knew right away I wanted to take it home. For $1.99 I took home what I claim as my favorite piece of art and what I jokingly say is a portrait of my “Grandpa”. Thrift stores are filled with commercial pieces of wall art but its when you find those pieces that really speak to you and seem one of a kind that truly creates a style that is all your own.
Ethan Allen Black Leather Armchair
Purchased for $10.00
You wanna know what’s a hot deal? THIS RIGHT HERE! I purchased this arm chair a few weeks before we got married because we needed more seating in our living room. When I saw it at the thrift store I immediately knew my husband would love it, it has a traditional silhouette and looks, in my opinion, masculine. However, when I bought the arm chair I honestly didn’t love it but liked it enough to compromise for the sake of our budget and since it looked brand new. Little did I know at the time that the same arm chair was still selling online on the Ethan Allen website for the full price of $2,000! After I found out that fun fact I then REALLY liked it, a good deal will always make something look cuter in my eyes lol.
Thrifting is not for everyone but I strongly suggest giving it a try, you never know what you’ll find and for a great price. Let me know what is one of your best thrifted pieces (Furniture, Clothing, etc) I would love to know.
A life style blog about a first time mom trying to do it all.
Maitte Eugenia 