Ohhhhhhh my gosh. Today is the day when the cheeseburger meets the CrockPot. Today, my fellow foodie friends, is the day that we clamber into our kitchens, reach for our slow cookers and dine in cheesy, tasty delight — all without the headache!

This make-ahead-meal is perfect for late Sunday afternoon, after you’ve had your fill of fun and are gearing up for another week. All you have to do is brown the cheeseburger meat before tossing it into the CrockPot. Seriously, it doesn’t get any easier than this. You can even ask dad to get the ingredients ready (!!!!).

Cheeseburger bites are everything to love about a juicy burger without all the cutting, slicing, flipping and grilling. You cook the meat sloppy-joe style in the CrockPot and spoon out the filling onto mini bun’s when you’re ready to eat. Pick your favorite toppings, your favorite condiments, and serve up a delicious side salad or some miniature tater tots (to keep with the mini theme!) and you’re good to go. Dads will love it, kids will ask for seconds and there’s relatively no cleanup. The only thing left to ask is how to make it.

So, how do you make it? Head on over to The Nest for the Cheeseburger Bites recipe. Just stick the ingredients in the Slow Cooker before you trek out on a Sunday adventure and get ready to dig in when you get home!

Plus, more from The Bump:

Easy Comfort Food Recipes from SkinnyTaste

Healthy Dinner Recipe: Whole Wheat Linguine With Arugula and Edamame

Easy (and Kid-Friendly!), Chicken Weeknight Meals

This Whole Wheat Linguine with Arugula and Edamame recipe (from 12 Best Foods Cookbook) is the perfect easy weeknight meal. Bonus: it’s vegetarian and inexpensive to whip up.

>> Get the recipe on The Nest

Plus, more from The Bump:

Easy, No-Cook Meal Ideas

Nutritious Dinner Ideas for Pregnant Women

Amazing Fall Recipes from Skinnytaste

If you’re craving comfort food, it doesn’t get any better than Baked Tortellini. Cheese tortellini, breadcrumbs and Parmesan. Need we say more?

>> Get the recipe on The Nest

Plus, more from The Bump:

10 Pregnancy Superfoods

4 Simple Steps to a Greener Pantry

Quick, Easy New Mom Dinner Ideas

As the primary meal-maker in my family, I love meals that are easy to prepare. Meals that are time-consuming to prepare usually only get made on the weekends. Weeknights are for easy meals! Today, I’ll share some of my go-to favorites. Maybe they’ll suit your family as well!

The big thing that I like about many of these meals is that they have plenty of vegetables in them, so it cuts down on the number of side dishes I’ll make!

Meal Idea #1: Chicken Tacos (from Budget Savvy Diva)

Serves: 4-6

Tip: Since this recipe doesn’t take all day to cook, it’s a good one to make on a Sunday afternoon, pack away in the refrigerator and just reheat the meat for a quick weeknight meal.

Ingredients:
1.5 – 2 pounds of skinless chicken breast – frozen or thawed
1 packet of taco seasoning (or you can make your own)
1 can (10) ounces of Rotel
Taco stuff — tortillas, lettuce, cheese, sour cream, whatever your family likes.

Directions:
1. Set your crock pot to low and place taco seasoning, chicken and Rotel together. Mix.
2. If chicken is frozen, it will take about six hours. If it was already thawed, it will be done in 3-4.
3. Take two forks and pull apart the chicken and mix it into the awesome juices.
4. If there’s not enough liquid, add a little chicken stock.
5. Serve on tortillas and add the toppings of your choice.

Meal Idea #2: Chicken Alfredo Bake

Serves: 4

Tip: The hardest part of this meal is the prep work — you have 3 pots going with pasta, veggies and chicken. If you had time the night before, you could steam the veggies, cook the chicken and boil the pasta and assemble it together. The day you want to serve it, just pop it in the oven when you come home from work. 30 minutes later, you’ll have a great meal!

Ingredients:
1/2 pound chicken, cooked, cut into bite-sized pieces
1 bag California mix frozen veggies (broccoli, cauliflower, carrots)
1 jar Alfredo sauce
8 ounces mozzerella cheese
8 ounces bow tie pasta
Garlic powder

Directions:
1. Boil pasta noodles until al dente.  Steam veggies according to the package.
2. Cut chicken into bite-size pieces and brown chicken with some garlic powder.
3. Once pasta is done, drain.
4. In an 8×8 or 9×9 inch dish, combine chicken, alfredo, veggies together.
5. Top with mozzarella cheese.
6. Bake at 350 until cheese is brown for about 30 minutes.

Meal Idea #3: Jambalaya (from Pennies On A Platter)

Serves: 4 (easily)

Tip: To make this easier, when I’m preparing one of them, I really prepare two or three of them. While I have the rice and spices out, it’s easy to measure them one or two more times and store them in a baggie until next time. Also, if you brown chicken for another recipe, just brown a little more and store in the frig until you’re ready to make this. Brown once — make two meals!

If you’re making this for little ones and are afraid it will be too spicy, just omit the cayenne pepper — this dish can pack a punch!

Ingredients:
1 cup long-grain white rice
3 Tablespoons dried minced onion
1 Tablespoon dried parsley flakes
1 Tablespoon beef bouillon granules
1/2 teaspoon each of dried thyme, garlic powder, black pepper
1/4 teaspoon each of cayenne pepper and salt
1 bay leaf
2 1/2 cups water
1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes
1 can (8 oz) tomato sauce
1/2 pound fully cooked smoked sausage, such as andouille, cut into 1/4-inch slices
1/2 pound chicken

Directions:
1. In a medium bowl or canister, combine the rice, onion, parsley, bouillon, thyme, garlic powder, black pepper, cayenne pepper, salt and bay leaf. Stir to fully mix. (This mixture can be stored in an airtight container for up to 6 months.)

2. In a Dutch oven or a large heavy-bottom saucepan, combine the rice mixture with the rest of the ingredients. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce to a simmer. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the rice is tender, about 20 to 25 minutes.

3. Discard the bay leaf and serve while hot.

Meal Idea #4: Saucy Chicken Broccoli Bake (from Tammy’s Recipes)

Serves: 8

Tip: If you make any other dishes that use rice during the week, make twice the amount and just reheat the rice for this meal. This actually makes quite a bit, so I’ll often half the recipe, but this also makes wonderful leftovers!

Ingredients:
16 ounces frozen broccoli florets (or about 3 cups fresh broccoli florets)
3 cups cooked cubed chicken
pepper
2 cans cream of chicken soup
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 teaspoon curry powder
1/2 cup chicken broth
paprika, optional
2 cups (8 ounces) shredded cheddar cheese
1 1/2 cups rice (uncooked measurement), cooked according to package instructions (should make 4 1/5 cups of cooked rice)

Instructions:
1. In covered saucepan, cook broccoli in water just until tender, about 5 minutes.

2. In greased 9 x 13 baking dish, spread broccoli across bottom and sprinkle chicken evenly on top. Generously sprinkle black pepper over chicken.

3. In mixing bowl, combine cream soups, mayonnaise, curry powder, and chicken broth, whisking until smooth. Pour over chicken. Sprinkle paprika on top if desired.

4. Bake uncovered at 375 degrees for 20-30 minutes or until hot and bubbly. Spread cheese on top and bake 5-10 minutes longer, until melted and slightly browned.

5. While casserole is baking, cook rice. Serve the chicken and broccoli mixture over hot rice.

Meal Idea #5: Creamy Chicken Pockets (from Pennies on A Platter)

Tip: This is another one that you can make most of it the night before. Just brown the chicken (or use some that you had leftover from some other meals!) and combine the ingredients to make the insides of the pockets. When you’re ready to make the meal, spread out the crescent rolls, stuff them, and bake them! I leave the breadcrumbs off the top of them just to make it even easier.

Ingredients:

2 tbsp olive oil
2-3 small chicken breasts, diced
1/2 cup minced onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 tablespoon butter, softened
3 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/4 teaspoon seasoned salt
2 tablespoons milk
1 (8 ounce) package refrigerated crescent rolls
1 tablespoon butter, melted
1/4 cup Italian seasoned bread crumbs, optional

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375˚F.

2. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook the chicken with the onions and garlic.

3. Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, beat the cream cheese and 1 tablespoon softened butter until smooth. Stir in the cooked chicken, onions and garlic. Add the salts, pepper and milk. Mix well.

4. Separate the crescent roll dough into the eight triangles. Dollop a tablespoon of filling into the center of each triangle and fold the corners up to seal. Press and seal firmly. Place on ungreased baking sheet or stone and repeat with the remaining dough and filling.

5. (optional) Brush the tops with the melted butter and sprinkle with the bread crumbs.

6. Bake for 11 – 13 minutes, or until golden brown.

To heat up leftovers, bake in a preheated 350˚F oven for 10 minutes.

What are your favorite, easy weeknight meals?

Quick – what’s your favorite food of all time? I’m willing to bet many of you (and your kids) would answer like me, macaroni and cheese. When I was a kid, I was all about the basic boxed Kraft version.  In junior high in fact, my friend and I would make a box and then share it right out of the pan with wooden spoons (hmm, the start of my food issues?)

When I went on the hunt for a great recipe to share with you this week, my first thought was to find this all-time favorite!   This recipe on our sister site, The Nest, has everything I’m looking for – tons of creamy cheese (really, that’s all I need in any recipe), less than 20 ingredients, takes 30 minutes to make, and bonus: a crunchy top.  Plus, I can modify it to make it lower in fat (subbing 1% milk and light cheese) and easily add things (like ham cubes) to it. Enjoy this comfort food at its finest!

Baked Macaroni and Cheese

Ingredients

1 lb macaroni
2 lb sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
1/2 stick butter
1/2 cup flour
3 cups whole milk
1 1/2 cup heavy cream
2 bay leaves
1 Tbsp mustard powder
1 1/2 tsp paprika
2 Tbsp butter
2 Tbsp olive oil
2 cups panko breadcrumbs

Directions

Preheat oven to 350.

Shred cheese.

Cook macaroni to package directions, stopping 2-3 minutes before they’re fully done (al-dente) Set cooked pasta aside in a casserole dish.

Heat a low pot over medium. Once hot, melt butter. Once butter is melted, whisk in flour. Continue to whisk butter and flour together for another minute then gradually add milk and cream. Add bay leaves, dry mustard and paprika. Increase heat and bring the sauce to a boil. Once boiling, reduce heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes.

While sauce is simmering, prepare breadcrumbs: heat butter and olive oil in a pan over medium-high heat. Once butter is melted, add breadcrumbs and toast until they’re brown, about 5 minutes. Set aside.

After 10 minutes of simmering, pull bay leaves out of sauce, then fold in shredded cheese. Stir until cheese is fully incorporated. Add salt to taste.

Pour cheese over macaroni in the casserole dish. Top with breadcrumbs and bake for 30 minutes.

Check out the video on how to make it and see more tasty recipes on The Nest.