Cassie DeNisco

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My Chicken Roaster Recipe!

This is definitely a newer recipe for me! I love this chicken roaster recipe because it’s not only good the day of but I love the leftovers. Chicken is just about the only meat I’ll eat and making a roaster like this ensures I’ll have leftovers to use in so many ways!

I like to think of this recipe as my own at home rotisserie chicken. It’s essentially the same thing but I can season it how I want and it gets so fresh and delicious! You can serve with potatoes and gravy or really however you want to! It’s so easy it’s become a staple in my meal rotation!

chicken roaster recipe

Ingredients

Whole Chicken Roaster

1 tsp thyme

4 tbsp melted butter

2 tbsp minced garlic

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp rosemary

Directions

  1. Preheat your oven to 425 and decide what pan you’re going to use. Sometimes I use my dutch oven and others I’ll use a throw away aluminum foil.
  2. Prep your chicken by patting it dry from the extra liquids.
  3. Melt butter and then mix in minced garlic, garlic powder, thyme, and rosemary. Pour mixture over chicken in pan and make sure it coats completely. (sometimes I add more, sometimes I need less)
  4. Cooking time will depend on weight of your roaster.. typically it’s 2-3 hours for a young chicken and sometimes you can even get the one with the pop up timer!
  5. While it’s cooking, baste with the drippings occasionally to keep it moist!
  6. Carve & enjoy!

This is the easiest chicken roaster recipe to make for dinners! If you loved this recipe, be sure to check out more recipes like this here! You can follow me on Pinterest @cassiedenisco for even more content!

The Best Products from 2022!!

Buckle up because this post is a full list of the best products from 2022! These were featured on my monthly favorites but ended up making the cut for things I couldn’t live without this year! I absolutely loved doing my favorites as a bonus post. I figured they needed their own post before the end of the year!

These products all have affiliate links so you can shop right through this post! As always I make a small commission if you purchase but there’s no pressure at all to do so!! Hopefully these give you some ideas if you still need a last minute present too!!

Crop Tanks

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products from 2022

These crop tanks were feature in my Amazon Favorites post in January and let me tell you, I’m still obsessed! These are the perfect crops to wear when your teaching dance or just working out and want to be covered. They hit in the right spot and are so inexpensive and look great.

Five Minute Journal

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products from 2022

I seriously use my Five Minute Journal almost everyday! It’s really great if you’re just starting out to journal and need ideas about what to write. I also like it because if I want to write something quick it’s super easy to do. Read about all my wellness favorite here!

Lululemon Belt Bag

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If you have a pet you need this bag! It’s essential for treats and any other items you need on the go. It’s also perfect to just take out and about to run errands on your own. This was featured in my Pet favorites post but I’ve talked about it in many other posts since!

Our Place Always Pan

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If you’ve seen any of my cooking posts or videos, you know I always reach for this pan. It seriously does everything you need in a pan so that you don’t need many. I love to boil pasta, make veggies, and even breakfasts foods in here because the non toxic non stick coating is life changing. Read the full cooking favorites post here!

Amazon Sunglasses

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I shared these sunglasses in my May Accessories post and I still loveeeee them! I’ve actually got a second pair in case anything happens to the first. They look super luxe but are only like $15 bucks. I just never can justify designer sunglasses because I’m not gentle with them at all and I just know I’d lose them. These are the perfect dupe and so inexpensive. I would argue this is one of my best products from 2022.

Super Goop Unseen Sunscreen

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products from 2022

This year really became my SPF year. I found that I love the Super Goop Unseen Sunscreen and use it everyday. It’s nice and light but protects and doesn’t break you out. I wear it pretty much everyday and it gives me the piece of mind that my face skin is protected from the harmful effects of the sun. My summer skin essentials post shares more must haves!

Sculpting Bar

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I can tell you out of all the things on this list, you probably don’t need this but you’ll love it! I was inspired after watching a Hailey Bieber skin tutorial and this seriously is a treating. It vibrates and sculpts so it’s essentially a mini massage for your face! Read about all my beauty tool favorites here!

Low Dunks

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These were in my summer shoe favorites but I seriously wear my dunks all the time! My latest way to wear them is with a nice trouser and blazer! It gives such a fun look and I love these shoes. I am still an air force once girly but these are just a teeny bit comfier because sometimes air force 1s are too bulky.

Glow Recipe Niacinamide Drops

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These drops are essential to a glowy makeup look. Swap out your primer with this product and your life will literally be changed. I swear my makeup has never looked better and it’s absolutely this product. It leaves a tacky finish so the makeup just sticks to it and it gives you this gorgeous glow from within! Read more of my makeup favorites here!

Ugg Ultra Mini

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I love the Ugg Ultra minis that were featured in my fall favorites post! They are seriously something that I wear literally everyday! Now that they are cool again I even throw them on with jeans and I just look so perfectly put together. The mustard seed color is my new favorite because it’s a little more neutral and just looks amazing with everything! These are probably my top products from 2022.

Crimper

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products from 2022

This crimper was my top choice for my gift guide for her this year! I just seriously love how it makes my hair look. It’s a more natural wave/curl and it almost matches my natural hair. I love that it just spices up your hair and gives you another way to style it other than the usual curling iron or wand.

Stanley Water Bottle

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products from 2022

So this actually isn’t in any post but I’ve just been so obsessed with this cup this month! I was a little late on the train to purchase it but I seriously love it. It’s so big but not bulky and actually fits in the car cup holder. That’s a serious essential for me and I just know that I this is going to be a favorite for the new year too!!

These 12 products are best products from 2022 I can’t live without from this year! Ranging from pets to beauty, I literally mentioned it all and know that this products will be your favorites too! Be sure to subscribe to the blog so you don’t miss a post!

Insta Pot Curry Recipe!

This is one of my fall go to recipes that I am obsessed with! We’ve been making this insta pot curry recipe since last fall but really have the recipe perfectly nailed down. This is the easiest dinner recipe that tastes like you’ve been working all day on it!

I really fell in love with my insta pot during the pandemic because it cooks food so easily and quickly! This recipe wouldn’t be as easy if it weren’t for my insta pot so definitely think about investing in one if you don’t already have it!

insta pot curry recipe

Ingredients:

4-5 boneless skinless chicken thighs

1 yellow onion diced (keep pieces large)

olive oil

1 tablespoon minced garlic

1 tablespoon minced ginger

7-8 chopped baby carrots

1 tablespoon ketchup

3-4 potatoes peeled and cubed

2-3 cups chicken broth

block of Japanese curry roux

1 tablespoon soy sauce

White rice to serve it with!

Directions:

  1. In your insta pot turn on sauté feature and add olive oil, onions, garlic, and ginger. Cook until fragrant.
  2. Add in the chicken thighs and cook both sides until white. (I do this to make sure it get’s cooked all the way through)
  3. Add in potatoes, carrots, and pour chicken broth over everything until covered.
  4. Place curry roux on top but don’t mix it in just leave it there. Close the lid and then turn on stew setting for 15 minutes.
  5. After cooked, let steam for additional 15 minutes.
  6. Lift the lid and mix thoroulghy adding in ketchup & soy sauce.
  7. Enjoy!!

As you can see, this was the insta pot curry recipe easiest recipe to make! I love to serve this with white rice and will have leftovers for days! This is also a really easy meal prep meal for lunches for the week too!

I get the mild curry so this is definitely a family favorite and really has all the veggies and nutrients you need for a dinner! If you liked this recipe, check out more here on my blog or on my Pinterest for video content!

My Vegan Lasagna Recipe!!

As mentioned in my previous post, this November is dedicated to holiday meals! I wanted to share my vegan lasagna recipe because you absolutely still can enjoy lasagna even if you’re dairy free! This is the easiest recipe to make and tastes exactly like the real thing!

One thing I will say is it helps to find the pre made Vegan Ricotta because that seriously makes life easier! I love the Kite Hill brand because they have such a wide variety of vegan products. They’re tricky to find but oh so worth the hunt!

vegan lasagna recipe

Ingredients:

1/2 box of lasagna noodles

3 cups red sauce

2 cups vegan shredded mozzarella

1 cup vegan ricotta

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 350.
  2. Cook lasagna noodles according to package. Drain water once cooked and set aside.
  3. In medium baking dish, pour a little sauce on the bottom and coat evenly. Begin layering lasagna noodles, v ricotta, and finish off layer with v mozzarella & sauce.
  4. Repeat the process until you have about 3 layers done. On the top layer, pour a little red sauce then top with mozzarella shreds.
  5. Bake for 45-50 minutes or until cheese is melted and it looks delicious!!

If you can’t find the vegan ricotta, there are lots of recipes on how to make it yourself with cashews! I was so excited to find it in my local Greens Market so it saved me some time. This was such a nostalgic vegan lasagna recipe that I haven’t had since I’ve gone dairy free.

I’m so excited to be sharing with you these recipes this month! I think with the holidays dairy free and vegan people think they can’t enjoy the same meals but there are ways you absolutely can! If you want to check out more recipes, click here and be sure to follow me on Pinterest here for more video content!!

My Bruschetta Recipe!!

I am kicking off my November cooking series TODAY!! I’ll be sharing some great recipes for your to have on your Thanksgiving table and we’re starting with appetizers today! My Bruschetta recipe is so easy to make and will seriously make people think you spent forever on it!

I made this for the first time over the summer with my fresh garden tomatoes and have been craving it ever since! This seriously tastes delicious and has become one of my favorite appetizers. This is perfect for your Thanksgiving feast!

my bruschetta recipe

Ingredients:

3 Cups diced grape tomatoes

6 tablespoons minced garlic

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 Tablespoon balsmic vinegar

1/2 fresh basil leaves

3 tablespoons butter

1 French baguette

Directions:

  1. Preheat your oven to 400 and thinly slice your French Baguette. Melt 3 tablespoons butter and mix with 3 tablespoons minced garlic. Evenly coat both sides of baguette then bake for 20 minutes or until super crisp.
  2. Sauté 1 tablespoon of olive oil with the remaining 3 tablespoons of minced garlic. Cook until fragrant then set aside.
  3. Dice your grape tomatoes and combine balsamic, basil, salt and pepper together. Mix in your oil olive and garlic mixture.
  4. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes for it to marinate but the longer the better!

This bruschetta recipe is perfect year round! I actually never really liked it in the jars because it always was way too salty! It’s so easy to make so you might as well try it out and flavor it your way! If you loved this recipe you can view more here and be sure to follow me on Pinterest as I’ve been posting lots of video content there!!

Amazon Halloween Costume Ideas!

We are halfway through the month of October which means halfway to Halloween! Last year I prepped months in advance for my Halloween Costume post so that you had great ideas! This year, life was super busy so I thought I’d take a twist on Amazon Halloween costume ideas!

These ideas are all inexpensive and shop-able right through Amazon! This means 2 day shipping for those last minute Amazon Halloween costume ideas! Be sure to read to the bottom to see which costume I’m actually wearing this 31st!

Amazon Halloween Costume 1: Padme from Star Wars

amazon halloween costume

Shirt: Shop Here

Pants: Shop Here

Shoes: Shop Here

Belt: Shop Here

This look is a modern twist on the Star wars classic! I love this look but the actual costume sets just weren’t it! I love how comfy this will be and it’s so cute and wearable after the fact too!

Costume 2: Fairy

amazon halloween costume

Shirt: Shop Here

Skirt:Shop Here

Shoes:Shop Here

Wings:Shop Here

I firmly believe this is the costume of the year! So many people have been trying to style this top and I think everyone is obsessed with it! I wish I had somewhere to wear this look because I totally would wear it for a Halloween party!

Costume 3: Wednesday Addams

Dress: Shop here

Fake Collar: Shop Here

Socks: Shop Here

Shoes: Shop Here

Wednesday is just my favorite Halloween character of all time so I had to include her here! This is like the easiest look and you might even have these pieces in your closet already!

This year my whole family is dressing up as Star Wars characters! I’ll be dressing up as Padme and Sky is going as Yoda! Halloween truly is my favorite holiday so I hope you love these Amazon Halloween costume ideas as much as I do!

I wish I had other places to go because my other two costume ideas are seriously so cute! Be sure to follow me on Pinterest so you don’t miss anything! I am so excited to be rolling out my holiday content next month so stay tuned!

My Fall Harvest Bowl!

I am so excited to be sharing with you my viral fall harvest bowl! This was posted on Pinterest Here and it seriously blew up! I am so glad everyone is enjoying this bowl because I swear it is the perfect transition meal!

Whether you want a warm dinner or a chilled side, this bowl is great for meal prep! You can make it in advance and use it throughout the week for lunches or dinners! I love how filling it is alone and it’s vegan so you’re also doing good for the planet too!

fall harvest bowl

Ingredients:

  • 1 box of orzo
  • 1 can chickpeas
  • 2 medium sweet potatoes
  • 1/2 red onion
  • handful of grape tomatoes
  • handful of walnuts
  • olive oil
  • maple syrup
  • red wine vinegar
  • basil
  • oregano
  • red pepper flakes
  • salt & pepper

Directions:

  1. Start by preheating your oven to 425 and dicing up your sweet potatoes, onions, and tomatoes. Add to an oven safe pan, drizzle with olive oil, and bake until all are soft.
  2. Meanwhile drain chickpeas and add to a baking sheet with walnuts. Bake walnuts for 5 minutes until crisp and remove. Keep chickpeas in until they harden.
  3. Cook orzo according to the package.
  4. Make dressing by combining 1/4 cup olive oil, 1/4 cup vinegar, 2 tbsp maple syrup, and dashes of basil, oregano, and red pepper flakes.
  5. Combine all together and mix well, adding salt & pepper to taste!
  6. Enjoy!!

I hope you enjoyed this Fall Harvest Bowl recipe! I have this recipe on repeat each week because it’s just that good. If you liked this recipe, you can check out more recipes here!

Ugly Love by Colleen Hoover Review!

I can hardly believe that I’m sharing October’s book of the month! This month I went back to Colleen Hoover and gave her book Ugly Love a try! Colleen Hoover books are always so good when you feel like you’re in a book rut.

They always help me get back into reading because they’re so good! Her books are usually complex love stories with a twist at the end. I seriously love her writing style and wasn’t surprised when I loved this book!

Ugly Love by Colleen Hoover- Shop Here

ugly love

Ugly Love was my last read of the summer and it definitely did not disappoint! I loved the writing between current Tate and flashbacks to Miles’ past. It helped to paint a picture of who these people are and how they got to the places they’re in.

Tate first meets Miles drunk and crying in her brothers apartment. They don’t speak of that night again but it leaves this lingering feeling that Miles isn’t telling the entire truth to Tate. He essentially just wants to be friends with benefits but as we know, feeling started to evolve.

Tate and Miles end up falling for each other and we realize Miles has a traumatic history with being in love. This makes us understand why he is so against being in love with Tate and how important it is that he might actually be ready to move on.

Ugly Love is one of those books that makes you realize just how complex love can be. It does show that it is so worth it to find your person that helps you to work through your issues and create new happiness.

I truly believe you can just never go wrong with a Colleen Hoover book. No matter which one you choose they are all so good and make you want to just keep reading!

You can read last month’s book review here!

My Trader Joe’s Essentials!

I cannot tell you how exponentially better my life is now that I have a Trader Joe’s close to me! My weekly grocery trips and meal planning has leveled up since then. I wanted to dedicate this post to my Trader Joe’s essentials, the things that are alway on my list and in my fridge!

If you like this post, I actually have another Trader Joe’s post here to check out! I made that a few years ago but honestly some of these things are the same. TJ’s is great for everything but I love to stock up my fridge/freezer because their pre-made meals are great for busy days.

Freezer White Jasmine Rice

This product is a true freezer staple for me. I rave about my rice cooker but sometimes you just don’t have the time to use it. These rice packs you just have to pop in the microwave and they come out great every time. They’re so fast and great for quick additions to your lunch or dinner.

Chunky Guacamole

I have tried so many guacamole containers but this one is truly my favorite. I also like that it’s super inexpensive because guac is not cheap these days. This one seems to last me awhile too so I can open it one day and it’s not super gross and brown the next.

Chicken Fried Rice

trader joe's essentials

I cannot explain to you the love I have for this rice. It definitely isn’t a takeout dupe but honestly tastes better in my opinion because I know it’s healthier. This is perfect on its own or I like to grab like egg rolls or pot stickers and make a full dinner out of it.

Chicken Soup Dumplings

trader joe's essentials

I saw this online and immediately knew I needed them. I love dumplings and these are so great for lunch. They come in chicken or pork but I like the chicken version best. Seriously I love these and just having them in my freezer makes me not have to worry about planning a lunch during the work day.

Vegan Cashew Ravioli

trader joe's essentials

You need to try these ravioli even if you aren’t vegan! These are so yummy and honestly you probably can’t tell they aren’t vegan. I haven’t had a ravioli in like a year because I can’t have dairy and finding these was life changing!

These Trader Joe’s Essentials have seriously become staples in my life. I’ve noticed that TJ has become really dairy free friendly and has some great alternative products so let me know if you want me to do a post on my favorite non dairy things!

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My Dairy Free Broccoli Cheddar Quiche!

September has turned into the month of recipes for me! This post is dedicated to my latest favorite breakfast recipe, Dairy Free Broccoli Cheddar Quiche! I was craving a bigger weekend breakfast and I love how easy this is!

Quiches are awesome because they’re so easy to customize and also prep. You can make this as a meal prep for morning breakfast during the week! My recipe is vegan but you can always swap out the ingredients to fit your dietary needs!

dairy free broccoli cheddar quiche

Ingredients

1 Pre-made pie crust

4 eggs

1 1/2 cups vegan shredded cheese (I love follow your heart brand)

1 1/2 cups unsweetened almond milk

1 cup broccoli (i like to bake mine ahead of time)

Directions

  1. Pre heat oven to 400F.
  2. Spray pie pan then place pre made pie crust into pie pan and fork some holes into the bottom of it.
  3. In a separate bowl, scramble eggs then mix in milk and shredded cheese. Add broccoli and give it a gentle stir.
  4. Pour egg mixture into crust and bake quiche for about an hour. This might be more time but you just a knife to come out clean when you enter it in the center.
  5. Slice and enjoy!

As you can see, this Dairy free broccoli cheddar quiche recipe is seriously so easy to make! I personally love broccoli and cheese but you can really add any veggie you want to it. As long as you have the milk and eggs, you can really make it your own! Adding meat for extra protein might be great if you eat it too!

This is a great meal prep meal since it stores so well in the fridge for about 4-5 days too! If you liked this recipe, check out more of my recipes here! Follow me on Pinterest for more food videos too!

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