saving, giving, LIVING abundantly
Happy 4th of July! Here are a few of our all time favorite 4th of July recipes in case you need some ideas . . .
4th of July Cheesecake Dessert
Ribbon Jello (so you're warned: this one is so pretty, but not as easy as the rest!) 🙂
Strawberry Pie
Almost Homemade Blackberry Cobbler
This blueberry cobbler dump cake is an easy summer recipe that your whole family will love!
I've been making this Blueberry Cobbler Dump Cake in the summertime for years, and every time I see blueberries go on sale I can't wait to whip it up!
It's super simple to make, takes about 3 minutes to dump together, then bake for 45 minutes and serve up with cool whip or your favorite vanilla ice cream. Super simple and easy to make ~ and always a winner at our house!
Here's all you need to get started . . .
Fill the bottom of your 9×13 baking dish with blueberries.
Layer on the crushed pineapple.
Sprinkle cake mix over top of blueberries & pineapples.
Drizzle melted butter over cake mix.
Bake for 45 minutes, serve warm and enjoy!
If you need a little more menu inspiration, check out the Recipe Index. Join Passionate Penny Pincher on Facebook to keep up with all the meals & deals.
If you need a little more menu inspiration, check out theRecipe Index. JoinPassionate Penny Pincher on Facebookto keep up with all the meals & deals.
Guess what I had for breakfast this morning? 😉
Yup, you guessed it. This is one of those recipes that I wait around all year long to make (for whatever reason?), but it's just the perfect treat for the 4th. It's easy to make ahead of time, light and fluffy, and absolutely delicious.
Perfect, right? Here's how to whip it up in your kitchen too, plus all the best prices on everything you need so you can pinch those pennies too. 😉
Ingredients
Instructions
If you have leftover blueberries and need another yummy dessert to go with your berry trifle – check out this Blueberry Cobbler Dump Cake!
If you need a little more menu inspiration, go HERE.
You're gonna love these homemade beef meatballs that are PPP Team member Shannon's family favorite!
As we continue our homemade pantry staples series, Shannon mentioned that she loves to keep a stash of her homemade beef meatballs in the freezer to pull out as needed. We thought this would be the perfect next recipe to share so you can stock your freezer with these kid friendly meatballs as well! 🙂
1. Using your hands, mix all ingredients together in a large bowl.
2. Form into golfball size meatballs and place on a baking sheet.
3. Bake in a 350°F oven for 30 minutes.
4. Let cool and freeze in a zip-top bag if you're not using right away.
If you aren't ready to bake these right away, we suggest flash freezing the homemade beef meatballs straight on your baking sheet. When frozen, remove and place in a zip-top bag, label and freeze.
When ready to use, thaw and bake in a 350°F oven for 30 minutes.
This recipe is a perfect one to double or even triple if you have the time. For instance, use a batch for spaghetti and meatballs or homemade meatball subs and another batch to eat by themselves.
Perfection! 🙂
P.S. Shannon loves, loves, loves her some garlic, so if you prefer your meatballs with a bit less, you can omit the garlic salt and garlic powder from the ingredients. 🙂
Need a good homemade chocolate cake mix? If you were a fan of the homemade yellow cake mix recipe we posted a few weeks ago then you're going to go gaga over this one! Yum, Yum!! 🙂
My family is very happy tonight, haha! This homemade chocolate cake was a big hit and I even cheated with a store bought frosting.
Shhhhh, don't tell!
You'll definitely want to add this to your pantry when you see how simple (I'm talking ridiculously easy) this one is to whip up. 🙂
To make mix: combine flour, sugar cocoa powder, baking soda and baking powder; mix well.
Store until ready to use.
Instructions When Ready to Prepare Cake Batter:
1. Add cake mix to a large mixing bowl. Add eggs, melted butter and water. Blend until well combined.
2. Pour batter into greased and floured cake or muffin pans.
3. Preheat oven to 350°F. Bake according to times below.
4. Cool cake before frosting.
I used a store bought frosting for this one, but a chocolate buttercream icing like this one would be fabulous.
I can't wait to try this one using coffee instead of water. ☕️☕️ Then I can eat it for breakfast, right??? 😜
Chocolate Lovers Unite!!! ❤️
Note from Laurie: my cute Reagan is twelve this summer, and she's OBSESSED with baking. She just made her very first chocolate meringue pie (and it truly was the best ever, so I figured you'd appreciate the recipe!)
I shared with her that her grandmother always told me that her neighbor Suzie Thomas made the very best meringue pie, and know this pie would have made Reagan's grandma proud. Let me know if you'd love to see another recipe or two from Reagan (and you can follow her letter board account over on Instagram too ~ she's just starting out but everyone has to start somewhere!) 🙂
This is Reagan and I'm writing a post about a Chocolate Meringue Pie recipe that my whole family loved. This recipe was on the harder side, but it was totally worth all the time it took.
I found the pie recipe at Allrecipes.com, and the best graham cracker crust recipe we could find was on the back of the Kroger graham cracker container box (scroll down for that.)
Ingredients
Directions For Chocolate Filling
Directions for Meringue
Pie Crust
Mix together melted butter, sugar and graham cracker crumbs. Spread into pie plate and chill in refrigerator for one hour before baking. Bake at 350 for 8 minutes and cool before filling.
Looking for more yummy pie recipes? Here you go! (Um, clearly we love a little pie at our house!)
Good gravy do I have a treat in store for you! This one will be PERFECT for the weekend! ❤️
This recipe does not disappoint and is just scrumptious!!
Honestly, any time there is chocolate, cream cheese and peanut butter all together in a recipe, it most likely will be a winner. 💯
If you like to mix your chocolate with your peanut butter ~ this one's for you! 🙂
This recipe is enough to make TWO 9 inch brownie pizzas.
1. Preheat oven to 350ºF.
2. Prepare brownie mix according to package directions for cake-like brownies.
3. Spritz two 9 inch round cake pans with non-stick cooking spray. Line with parchment paper and spritz again. Divide the brownie mix between the two pans.
4. Bake the brownies for 15 to 20 minutes or until the middle is set. Remove from oven and allow to cool completely. Remove from baking pans before decorating.
5. In a medium bowl, beat together the peanut butter, cream cheese, and powdered sugar. Mix until smooth. (If the consistency is not easily spreadable due to a different consistency in the peanut butter, mix in 1 to 2 tablespoons of milk.)
6. Evenly spread cream cheese mixture over the cookie. Decorate as desired with peanuts and peanut butter cups.
7. Melt milk chocolate chips with coconut oil in the microwave for 30 seconds. Stir well. Drizzle over peanuts and candy.
8. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Best if served immediately.
Sooooo yummy! 😋
I've been making a homemade barbecue sauce for years, but haven't made any in quite a while. So this was the perfect time to make up a batch with all the grilling we (ummmm, my hubby) will be doing all summer! 🙂
This homemade barbecue sauce recipe is one that can totally be customized to your personal tastes. We like ours sweet and spicy. 😋
But, if you prefer yours more spice, you can add a bit more hot sauce. Prefer it sweeter, increase the amount of brown sugar or honey! Like it more like they do in the Carolinas, add more vinegar.
The great thing about making it yourself is you can really keep adjusting the ingredients in the sauce until you get it just right!
Combine all ingredients in a large bowl. Store in an airtight container or jar for up to 3-4 weeks.
If you prefer your homemade barbecue sauce not as sweet, reduce the amount of brown sugar to 1 cup.
Great to keep on hand all year long! 🙂
This Homemade Bisquick Mix is sooooo much cheaper and better for you than the boxed version! Plus, super yummy too!!! 🙂
I've never thought of making a homemade bisquick mix, but from now on this will definitely be a staple in my fridge! I love that I can control what is in the mix and don't have to worry about preservatives that I'm not crazy about that are in the boxed mix. So simple!
Homemade Bisquick Biscuits
1. Combine baking mix and milk together until a soft dough forms.
2. Knead about 10-12 times. Roll out dough onto a floured, flat surface or rolling mat to about 1/2″ thickness. (don't roll them out too thin or they will bake up too thin ~ I speak from experience, ha!) Cut into circles using the top part of a glass or use a biscuit cutter.
3. Place biscuits on a greased baking sheet and bake at 450ºF about 7-10 minutes or until golden brown.
Homemade Bisquick Waffles
Homemade Bisquick Pancakes
This homemade bisquick mix has endless possibilities and can be substituted anywhere a recipe calls for baking mix. 🙂
Perfect recipe for Taco Tuesday!! 🌮🌮🌮 Grab all the ingredients so you can slow cook this one all day and come home to ummmm…. perfection!!!
This slow cooker pork carnitas recipe is one of those that will do all the cooking for you all day long while you're at work or running kids to and fro! This one is sure to become part of your meal planning rotation! 🙂
prep time 5 minutes | cook time 6-8 hours | serves 12 | 240 calories per serving
ingredients
directions
Get in my tummy!
This recipe includes basic calorie counts. If you’re adhering to a specific diet and would like exact calories and nutrition information on a certain recipe, use an online calorie counter like My Fitness Pal, Lose It or Very Well Fit.
Kick up your grilling this summer with this perfect dry rub recipe! Great for chicken and pork! You'll want to try this one on ribs this weekend! Yum Yum!! 🙂
I hope y'all have been enjoying all these fun pantry staples we've been sharing.
We grill a ton of chicken, I mean a ton! So, I like to keep a homemade dry rub made up pretty much all the time. This dry rub recipe is perfect for a whole chicken, chicken breasts or thighs.🍗 Also great for pork chops, pork loin and ribs! I'm thinking of trying this one on some turkey breasts soon as well. 🙂
I had all the ingredients right in my pantry for this one (that makes it a winner in my books)! So easy!
Combine all ingredients and mix well. Store in an airtight container for up to 1 year in a cool dry place.
As much as I love my slow cooker in the winter time (I love it in the summer time too. . .) there's not much better than easy summer grilling nights this time of year.
On busy days, I pull out some meat in the morning, add some marinade (check out my favorite chicken marinade), let it sit in the fridge all day, and hand it to my hubby to throw on the grill at dinnertime. It's easy, usually pretty healthy, and as long as I stick to basic ingredients and use meat that I've purchased on sale, it's a great way to pinch a few pennies.
So, as soon as we got home this weekend from a baseball tournament (yes, we came home Thursday from traveling for two weeks and headed out Friday to watch baseball all weekend), I thawed out some pork chops and made this simple yummy grilled pork chop marinade. Five ingredients, less than $5 in meat, and no more than 10 minutes of prep time: even after traveling I can handle that. 😉 Here's how to get started at your home too . . .
Ingredients
Instructions
Thanks All Recipes for another great meal! If you need a little more menu inspiration, go HERE.
I may never buy another boxed cake mix again! This one is super easy and I'm betting you have everything you need to make this Homemade Yellow Cake Mix right now! This recipe is sure to become a pantry staple you keep on hand at all times. 🙂
I was a bit hesitant when Shannon mentioned she wanted a homemade yellow cake mix to be our next pantry staple. But, I'll admit that she was right on and this one is going to make your life a wee bit easier.
All the ingredients were items I had on hand so it was super quick to whip up! Plus, it was great to have all the dry ingredients ready to go when I got around to making my miniature baby bundt cakes and cupcakes! 🎂
Store for later use.
Instructions When Ready to Prepare Cake Batter:
1. Place softened butter into a large bowl and mix on medium 1-2 minutes.
2. Add dry ingredients to bowl and mix for about 30 seconds.
3. Next, add milk, oil, vanilla and eggs and mix on medium-high for 1 minute.
4. Pour batter into greased and floured cake or muffin pans.
5. Preheat oven to 350°F. Baking the 9-inch cake pans 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. If you're making cupcakes, start checking them after about 15 minutes. The mini cupcakes were perfect at the 17 minute mark.
6. Cool before frosting.
I used a store bought frosting, but a homemade buttercream icing would be fabulous!
So cute! 😍
How fun are these baby bundt cakes! 
5 Star Rating from my kiddos! 😋
The following is a guest post by our new friend Jennifer of Indiana Mommy – Cooking from the Heartland. She's great at prepping for her family camping trips, so she can relax while still serving awesome food. I was super impressed with incorporates real food into her easy camping meal ideas (Not just hot dogs here!) I hope you enjoy this post of Easy Camping Meal Ideas!
———————————————————
Let’s Go Camping!
Preparing food for camping in advance is the best way to make sure your time camping is relaxing and enjoyable. Here are 3 fun and easy camping meal ideas to try on your next camping trip that your family will love!
I don’t know too many people that don’t love pizza! This is such a fun thing to make camping and is super easy. The key to this is to prepare all your ingredients in advance so all you need to do is assemble and bake your pizza at the campsite. I used a home made pizza dough recipe but you could easily use store bought to save time.
At the campsite I just spread out my pizza dough onto a cast iron pan that was lightly oiled and put it over the fire on a grate. I cooked it for about 8 minutes on one side, then flipped it over and cooked the other side for about 5 minutes. You are looking for a golden brown color.
Next, pull the pan from the fire and build your pizza starting with the sauce and then adding your favorite toppings and cheese. Cover the pan with aluminum foil and put it back over the fire, using indirect heat, and let it bake for 10-15 minutes. Pull off the cover and let it cool for a few minutes, then slice and enjoy! So easy and so delicious!
I even tried a dessert pizza topped with a mascarpone cheese and honey “sauce” with fresh strawberries. It was seriously good. There are so many possibilities!
Making foil packs is a popular way to cook dinner while camping. There are no dishes to wash and they can be completely assembled in advance, then cooked over the fire on a grate or even on the grill at the campsite.
To make these just start with a large square of heavy duty aluminum foil and start layering your ingredients. A splash of olive oil first, then sliced onions and bell peppers, then thinly sliced sirloin steak (you could use flank or skirt steak also), some finely chopped fresh garlic, Italian seasoning, a few dashes of Worcestershire sauce, salt, pepper, a little more oil then a few dabs of butter and fold up the foil to make a sealed pocket with the opening at the top.
I double wrapped mine in aluminum foil to make sure they didn’t leak. Then I cooked them for 20 minutes over the fire on a grate. After the 20 minutes I opened them up and put a layer of yummy cheese on top and put them back on the fire, leaving the top open so the cheese would melt.
I brought along some bread to serve them on and each person was able to assemble their own sandwich. This was amazing! The peppers and onion were cooked perfectly and the steak was so tender and flavorful. Then with ooey gooey cheese on top! You have to give this a try!
Having chili while camping is almost as popular as smores! I thought it would be fun to make chili, but in a hand held pie! A flaky, buttery, cheesy pastry crust filled with flavorful and healthy chili.
You just completely make and bake these before camping and then just re-heat on some aluminum foil on a grate over the fire for about 15-20 minutes and they are done! They are kid friendly and are so fun to eat!
I’ve included the recipe to make these from scratch, but to save time you could use store bought pie dough and even store bought chili.
Turkey Chili Stuffed Hand Pies: Recipe by Indiana Mommy – Cooking From the Heart Land
Yield 16 pies
Turkey Chili
Directions:
Heat some olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until it is lightly caramelized, about 10 minutes. Add the diced bell peppers and cook for five minutes. Next, add the ground turkey and be sure to break it apart as it’s cooking. Cook the turkey until it is completely cooked through. Add the fresh garlic and cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Add the finely chopped spinach and cook for five minutes, until wilted. Now add the tomato paste and cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Mix together all the dried spices, then pour them all in, and cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Now add the diced tomatoes with juice and stir and break apart the tomatoes so they are a finer consistency and create a juice. Cook the chili until all the liquid is evaporated over low heat. At the end add the kidney beans and stir to combine. Allow this mixture to cool completely and then add ¾ cup of finely shredded cheddar jack cheese. Put your chili in the refrigerator while preparing the dough.
Pie Dough
Put flour, salt and pepper into the bowl of a food processor, fitted with the metal blade. Mix. Add the egg and pulse a few times until the egg is incorporated. Add butter and cheese and pulse until the butter in the size of peas and well mixed into the flour mixture. While the processor is running, slowly add the ice water in tablespoon increments until a dough pulls together in the food processor. The amount of water will depend on the type of flour you use, the humidity in your kitchen, so just a little at a time until it pulls together into a ball. Remove from the food processor onto a floured board and form into a ball. Divide that ball into 16 equal pieces and form each of those pieces into a ball. Then flatten each ball into a disc and stack the discs on top of each other separated by parchment paper. Wrap all of that in plastic wrap and put back in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour.
Pre-heat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
Roll out each disc of dough on a floured surface until they are each about 5 inches in diameter. I worked with about 6 at a time and kept the rest in the refrigerator while I was working on the first batch. Take about ¼ cup of the chili and place in the middle of each dough round. Wet the edges of each dough circle with just a touch of water. I just dipped my finger in the water and ran it along the edge of each circle. Fold over one side of the circle to touch the other side, forming a semi-circle. Fold up the edges of the semi-circle and then crimp with a fork to seal them. Slice 2 small slits in the top of each pie. Brush each pie with the egg wash. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes or until golden brown, rotating half way through.
Allow to cool for on a wire rack for about 10 minutes before eating. Enjoy!
Thank you so much to Passionate Penny Pincher for inviting me to submit a guest post and thank you for checking out my recipes! My name is Jennifer aka Indiana Mommy – Cooking From the Heart Land, and I’m a creative home cook who loves to create recipes that are family friendly and made from whole foods. I have step by step videos of these recipes that show you exactly how I made them.
You can find them, along with many other delicious recipes by visiting my YouTube channel at: https://www.youtube.com/c/IndianaMommyCookingFromtheHeartLand.
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I cannot say enough good things about this soup!! It's fresh, clean and just scrumptious. 🙂 Perfect for spring and summertime! 🍋🍋🍋
I'm not the biggest fan of soup in the warmer weather, but this Slow Cooker Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup is a great one to serve all year long.
I'll admit, my hubby was a bit skeptical when I told him I was making a soup that had, ummmmm……lemon juice in it and had lemon in the main title. But, if you've ever had a similar soup at Panera then you'll be sooooo happy you've found this jewel of a recipe.
Now, let's get to it and by the way, my whole family loved this one and gobbled it right down! Even the hubby! 🙂
prep time 20 minutes | cook time 6-7 hours | serves 12 | 175 calories per serving
This recipe includes basic calorie counts. If you’re adhering to a specific diet and would like exact calories and nutrition information on a certain recipe, use an online calorie counter like My Fitness Pal, Lose It or Very Well Fit.
EEK ~ HURRRRRYYYY!!!
If you struggle with spending too much money on eating out and not having a plan at the grocery store, DO NOT MISS THIS! This is your last chance to save 30% on the Eat at Home Menu Plans, which is what our family has used (and loved!) for freezer cooking, slow cooker, and every day meals too.
Here's how to get yours before the offer ends this weekend:
Don't forget, when you sign up you'll get:
I'd sure love for you to join us ~ go HERE to get started and be sure to use the code SUPPER at checkout to save 30% before it expires!
Good.
gravy.
I just finished up all 25 freezer meals for our summer, and I am sooooo crazy glad to be done!
This is the third year I've tried this though and gosh, I can't even begin to tell you how much easier it makes my life in the summertime!
I don't have to stress over menu planning.
I don't have to do too much grocery shopping.
And dinner at home is totally done.
The best part?
We save a ton of money because we're eating at home, and we eat healthy, well-balanced meals too.
Scroll down to see all we've tackled this week, and use the code SUPPER at checkout to get the Eat at Home Menu Plans that we're using for 30% off, and if you sign up for an annual plan you'll be included in our Private PPP Eat at Home Group. You will love these lists!
I promise these will be a blessing for your family ~ I'm cheering for you!
I finished up 5 more Freezer meals today and I am sooooo excited to have most of my summer grocery shopping and menu planning done!
Freezer cooking sometimes feels like so much work to tackle, but when it's finished it's amazing not to have to stress over dinner each night.
These meals are so simple, easy to put together, and just make my life easier each day!
Today was day 2 of our Supper's Set for Summer Freezer Cooking Challenge, and goodness, I'm so thankful for this challenge each year!
We were all home for about thirteen minutes to have dinner together before heading to a choir concert and my older kids Young Life groups, and it was so nice to just have an easy yummy meal done.
Goodness gracious, we just finished up a seriously yummy meal from our Eat at Home Cooks Freezer Cooking Challenge, and it was so. . . .
so.
good.
In about 30 minutes this morning on Facebook Live I pulled together 5 meals (4 in freezer bags + one to eat tonight) and dessert, and my family gobbled down their brown sugar chicken and sweet potato dinner tonight.
Success.
If you've been on the fence about trying out a menu plan option like this, goodness, this is the week to try!
The best part?
If you sign up right now and use the code SUPPER at checkout you'll also get access to . . .
Here's what we'll be making this week:
Monday
Thursday
WILL YOU JOIN ME?
If you haven't ordered yet, I would sure love for you to try out Eat at Home Cooks with me this week.
Use the code SUPPER at checkout to save 30% this week only as a special Passionate Penny Pincher bonus ~ I just you know you will love these lists and would sure love for you to join me!
USE THE CODE SUPPER at checkout to save 30% off with these menu plans at checkout! Go HERE to get yours so you'll be all set this weekend to start cooking for summer.
Look what's finally here!!!
It's our freezer cooking challenge . . . you and I are going to have supper set for the summertime.
IN JUST 5 MINUTES YOU WILL CHANGE DINNER THIS SUMMER~ GET THE MENU PLANS YOU NEED FOR 30% OFF WITH THE CODE SUPPER AT CHECKOUT
>>>> USE CODE SUPPER AT CHECKOUT! <<<
Have you ever made freezer meals before? I absolutely adore them, and now you and I are going to make dinner EASY THIS SUMMER AT HOME too!
I could hardly wait to tell you about our SUPPER'S SET FOR SUMMER FREEZER COOKING CHALLENGE, because I know it's going to change dinner in your home!
Our family has been using them for the last two years and I had no idea until I tried them out how much easier they would make it to get dinner done in our home.
And, PPP readers who've used these menu plans say they have saved as much as $100 EACH WEEK ON GROCERIES ALONE using these menu plans, and they're actually sticking to their menu plans and EATING AT HOME.
You can dump these meals in the crockpot. Throw them on the grill. Roast them in the oven, cook them on the stove top, or even make them really fast in your Instant Pot.
>>>>>>USE CODE SUPPER TO SAVE 30%!!! <<<<<<<<
Here's what you need to know (please read closely!)
ANYONE WHO SIGNS UP FOR THE –>>>ANNUAL PLAN ONLY THIS WEEK<<<— WILL BE included in our PRIVATE FACEBOOK GROUP ~ our PPP EAT AT HOME GROUP. (I'm so stinkin' excited about this group~we'll all be there together making dinner as a group all together ~ I know you're going to love this!)
EVERYONE WHO SIGNS UP will get access to our FREEZER COOKING MEALS INCLUDING 25 RECIPES WE'LL MAKE TOGETHER EACH MORNING ON FACEBOOK LIVE AT 9AM EASTERN TIME (we'll all do them together on Facebook Live ~ so order now to get your supplies ready so you can join me!)
Starting next Monday (5/6/19) and going through Friday (5/10/19), we'll MAKE FIVE FREEZER MEALS EVERY SINGLE DAY . . ..
SO THAT YOU CAN FIRE UP YOUR CROCKPOT, GRILL, OR STOVETOP WHEN YOU NEED A BREAK EVERY DAY, all summer long!
And allllll the grocery shopping and menu planning will have ALREADY BEEN DONE FOR YOU.
WOOHOOOO!!!
THE BEST PART?
You will save a TON of money by having a grocery list and menu plan in place.
I promise.
I can't even wait!
HERE'S WHAT YOU GET WHEN YOU SIGN UP:
WILL YOU JOIN ME?
If you haven't ordered yet, I would sure love for you to try out Eat at Home Cooks with me this week.
<<<
YOU'LL GET 92 RECIPES AND A DESSERT EACH WEEK AND GROCERY LISTS AND MENU PLANS FOR A SMALL OR LARGER FAMILY . . . WAAAAAY BETTER THAN JUST A COOKBOOK!
I promise, if you struggle with meal planning and sticking to your grocery budget, this will change the way you shop.
So, head on over HERE to sign up if you're not set up already, and hit the reply button on this email if you have any questions ~ I'm happy to help!
It's going to be a great week ~ I can't wait to start cooking with you!
Note: I explained all of this in detail and answered questions about it this morning on Facebook Live (as well as showed how I make one of the recipes in my crockpot plus giving away a few Amazon gift cards!)
Curious what we'll be making? Here's a peek of the schedule!
Monday
Thursday
PRICE BREAKDOWN:
Need a Derby-ish pie for watching the Kentucky Derby??
This chocolate chip pecan pie might just be my favorite pie ever. It tastes almost identical to the famous Derby Pie of Louisville, Ky.My brother-in-law makes it every Thanksgiving, and if it were up to me I’d bypass the turkey and dressing completely, and gobble down this fabulous pie first (in fact, I've been known to do that a time or two!)
The recipe comes from Patti’s Restaurant in Western Kentucky (also home to the famous Boo-Boo Pie, and the largest Pork Chops you’ve ever seen), so you know it’s gotta be good. In fact, it's my go-to pie to make this time of year 🙂
Here's the recipe . . . enjoy!!
Ingredients
Instructions
Try out this fun and easy recipe for walking tacos – perfect for camping and easy dinner nights!
Jamie here!
My family loves to camp and I'm always looking for super easy meal ideas I can prep in advance for meals. This recipe for walking tacos is going to make our next camping trip a breeze! The best part is, every person can customize their walking taco just how they like it. (As a picky eater – I promise that is one of my favorite parts of ANY meal!)
Start with a variety of single-serving bags of Doritos or Fritos. The 1-oz bags are fine – but if you have bigger kids, you might want to pick up the 1 and 3/8 oz size (they're 2/$1 at most stores). I got Cool Ranch and Nacho flavor for fun, my teen says Cool Ranch WINS 😉
Prep your favorite kind of taco meat for the filling. (See below for how I make my taco meat) Let it cool a little and set it out along with all your favorite toppings.
Open the bag and smash the chips around some so they're bite sized.
Fold the top edge of the bag down so it's more of a bowl shape.
Load in your taco meat, cheese, lettuce, and other toppings and dig in!
This is great option for kids birthday parties, sleepovers, backyard movie nights and of course – camping! It could even work for a Graduation Party taco buffet. You can definitely forego the single-serving bags and save a little money by just buying the bigger bag of chips and using paper bowls. Same concept – plus it's cheaper and easier to eat this way. (But then they're not officially walking tacos – there's just something fun about eating out of the bag!)
If you're planning to go camping, you can prep the taco meat ahead of time and store in a ziploc bag in a cooler. I recommend bringing a disposable Hefty Foil pan to reheat the taco meat over a grill or fire circle. (The best cleanup is no cleanup!)
Fill your cooler with toppings – chopped tomato in a storage container, a bag of pre-shredded lettuce, and shredded cheese.
Other great topping options are black olives, avocado, salsa and sour cream. (If you do avocado, you'll want to wait and slice it fresh).
There are loads of taco meat recipes out there – but this is my go-to easy taco meat recipe 🙂
Optional: Add a can of black beans and or corn (it makes it extra filling and stretches it even further!)
Who knew??? I had NO idea you could make this from everyday items in your pantry! You'll want to give this one a try! 😃
I hope y'all have been enjoying all these fun pantry staples we've been sharing.
Onion soup mix is one of the items I like to have stocked in my pantry, so I'm super excited to find I can make this one so easily!
It's a great add in for hamburgers, roasting potatoes, throwing in your slow cooker with a pot roast and this super delicious Slow Cooker Salisbury Steak recipe!
My men LOVE that one!
Mix together the minced onions, beef bouillon granules, onion powder, parsley, black pepper, celery seed and paprika in a bowl or mason jar. This recipe equals a 1-ounce packet of dry onion soup mix.
Tip: If you only have beef bouillon cubes on hand, chop 4 of those in a blender or hand chopper to equal 2 tablespoons granules.
If you prefer to make a bigger batch, double the recipe and store in an airtight container. 1/3 cup mix equals 1 packet.
The 4 oz mason jars with lids or the 8 oz mason jars with lids work perfectly for this recipe. The homemade onion soup mix recipe can be stored in your pantry or even in the freezer.
I love a good fudgy, moist, but chewy brownie! 😍 They can be from a box or homemade, but there's something extra special about making them from scratch! This homemade brownie mix is great to keep in the pantry….
Oh boy, do we have a treat for you today! I've tested a few homemade brownie mix recipes recently to find one that deserves to be shared and put into your regular rotation. This……is…..the……one!!!
This is a great mix to whip up and keep on hand and will be a recipe you turn to over and over again. 🙂
Directions1. In a large bowl, combine cocoa powder, sugars, salt, flour and chocolate chips.
2. Store in an airtight container until ready to use.
3. When ready to make, preheat oven to 350ºF. Line a 9×9 square pain with foil or parchment paper, leaving about a 2 inch overhang on two sides. This will allow you to lift the whole tray of brownies straight out of the pan.
4. Empty dry brownie mix into a large bowl and add eggs, vegetable oil, water and vanilla extract. Stir with a rubber spatula to combine (mixture will be very thick).
5. Pour brownie batter into prepared dish; smooth top. Bake 25-35 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
6. Remove from oven and place on a cooling rack. Let cool about 15 minutes and then gently lift brownies out of pan back onto the cooling rack.
7. Cool completely before cutting into squares.
Yields 12 large squares or 24 mini squares.
324 calories per large square.
Note: you may also add in 2 teaspoons espresso powder for an even more intense flavor!
Sooooo yummy!!! 😍😍😍
Try adding in peanut butter or butterscotch chips for a fun twist. So many brownie creations just waiting to be discovered! 🙂
This is the PERFECT recipe for us penny pinchers! Try this one for just a few cents compared to buying the name brand! 🙂
I hope y'all have been enjoying all these fun pantry staples we've been sharing. This one might be my favorite so far since it's one I tend to reach for time and time again. Plus the name brand Ranch dressing mix is sooooo pricey! This homemade version costs pennies and we penny pinchers are all over that!
Directions (Easy Peasy!) 😉
Want to make this mix into a pourable dressing? Blend 1 cup milk, 1 cup mayonnaise and 4 tablespoons Ranch seasoning mix together with a whisk. Cover and refrigerate at least 30 minutes to allow dressing to thicken. Stir before serving. 🙂
If you prefer to make a bigger batch, quadruple the recipe and store in an airtight container. The 4 oz mason jars with lids or the 8 oz mason jars with lids work perfectly for this recipe.
So simple and I'm betting you have all the spices to make this homemade Ranch dressing mix in your pantry! 🙂 If you don't, you can head over HERE to grab some spices on Amazon!
I'm not gonna lie, I've been completely obsessed with this bunny bun cheeseball for about a month now and am super excited to share it with you today! Such a fun dessert to whip up for Easter. 🐰
Cheree' here! I've seen several versions of this sweet bunny buns over on Pinterest, but I've been making a chocolate chip cheese ball for years so I decided to use that recipe as a base for this one (because honestly my family thinks it's the best, so why mess with perfection)!
Hmmm, I'll need to share that specific recipe with y'all later. 🙂
1. Combine cream cheese, butter and vanilla and mix until smooth. Add sugars and beat until well combined. Stir in white chocolate chips, M&M's and sprinkles. Cover and refrigerate about 2 hours.
2. Separate cream cheese mixture and roll into 1 large, 2 medium and 1 small ball.
3. Gently roll in coconut until covered.
5. Assemble your bunny bun by adding the small ball as the tail and flatten the two medium sized balls a bit and add as the feet. Add pink M&M's (or your preferred color) for the toes.
6. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
7. Serve with desired crackers or cookies.
Not crazy about coconut??? Try this cheese ball rolled in pecan or toffee pieces for a year round treat! 🙂
I can hardly handle the cuteness!! 🐰💕
It's almost too cute to eat……..ALMOST! You and your family won't be disappointed, YUM!
We would love to see a pic if you decide to give this one a try for Easter! 🙂
Save yourself a trip to the store by keeping this Homemade Italian Dressing Mix in your pantry! It's an easy recipe that will come in handy over and over 🙂
Dry Italian Dressing mix is a pantry staple that I've found myself reaching for time and time again over the years. But what about those times you need it for a recipe and realize you're all out? This homemade version is delicious and cheaper than buying packets! You can make it in bulk and use it time and time again.
PLUS – there are no mysterious ingredients inside, you can control the amount of salt, sugar, etc… according to your diet 🙂
So simple and I'm betting you have all the spices to make this in your pantry! 🙂 You can head over HERE to grab some spices on Amazon!
If you prefer to make a bigger batch, double the recipe and store in an airtight container. The 4 oz mason jars with lids or the 8 oz mason jars with lids work perfectly for this recipe.
We've been making Resurrection rolls for as long as I can remember – they're a sweet part of our Easter morning breakfast tradition and I think you'll love them too!
Back when my husband and I were first married, I made these rolls and we absolutely loved them. Somewhere along the way though, I completely forgot about them until a PPP reader reminded me about them, so we of course had to try them out again.
Resurrection Rolls are one of those great recipes that use up a few Pillsbury Crescent Rolls (is it possible to mess up a Pillsbury Crescent Roll? we did of course use the reduced fat variety . . .), but are also just a fun treat to make each Easter.
My kids help me make them, and promptly devour a few minutes after they pop out of the oven.
Well, you use a marshmallow for the recipe, but when the sweet rolls bake up, the marshmallow disappears, so the “tomb” is found empty. We had an interesting discussion when my youngest was little and asked ~ “Momma, Why did Jesus have to die on that cross?”
Well, I love that these rolls offer a little object lesson on Easter (as well as make an amazing treat.) The crescent rolls represent the cloth that Jesus was wrapped in, the white marshmallow represents Christ because of His purity, the butter represents the embalming oils and the cinnamon sugar are examples of the spices used to prepare Christ's body for burial.
These are a great treat any time of year, and we usually make a double batch because we love them just so much. If you're looking for a unique way to share the Easter story with your kids, these Resurrection Rolls might be just the treat in your home too.
Resurrection Rolls (we doubled the recipe)
Ingredients
Directions
Do you have any special treats that you plan to make this Easter? I'd love to hear what they are in the comments section . . . I'm always looking for new ideas!
Tired of not having taco seasoning on hand when you need it? You more than likely have everything in your spice cabinet to make this homemade taco seasoning right now!
Directions
Mix all ingredients to equal one package taco seasoning mix. Use 1-2 tablespoons seasoning per pound of meat.
If you prefer to make a bigger batch, quadruple the recipe and store in an airtight container. The 4 oz mason jars with lids or the 8 oz mason jars with lids work perfectly for this recipe. The homemade taco seasoning can be stored in your pantry or even in the freezer.
Easy peasy and you'll be ready for Taco Tuesday every week! 🙂
If you love the creaminess of canned cream soups – but not the additives – this homemade cream of chicken soup is going to be a game changer!
Homemade Cream Soup is so easy to make! How many times have you been making a casserole or a slow cooker recipe that called for a can of cream of this, or cream of that, and you realize suddenly that you never restocked? It's so frustrating! I was so thrilled when I realized I could make my own cream soup at home with minimal effort and ingredients that I always have on hand anyway. Happy day!
Although this recipe is flavored with chicken broth – you can substitute it for any cream soup in your recipes. (And honestly, I think it makes the casseroles creamier than the canned stuff.)
Bonus points? This homemade version is a cheaper, healthier option too! This recipe makes 2 cans of soup. (I usually double it) You can store it in the fridge for up to 7 days – or freeze it for the next time!
Slow Cooker Chicken & Dumplings
Slow Cooked Chicken Tortilla Soup
Need a little more menu inspiration? Go HERE.
If you've never purchased Frozen Bread Dough, oh my goodness you are missing out! Frozen bread dough is super versatile (and cheap!) And, as we've spent this month working really hard on the MoreMoney in March Challenge, I decided to pull out some frozen bread dough to make frozen bread dough garlic twists this week.
My family agreed I won at life for this one. 🙂
1 – let bread thaw
2 – roll out dough
3 – use pizza cutter to cut into long strands
4 – twist dough into long knots
5 – brush butter or Smart Balance onto dough, sprinkle with garlic power and salt (I use Kosher salt or Sea salt)
6 – Bake 10-11 minutes on 350
I made it to go alongside this Easy Chicken Parmesan and it was fantastic.
If you're looking for one more way to use frozen bread dough, try out these homemade cinnamon rolls too. I promise you'll never eat a Cinnabon again after making this one ~yum! I'd love to hear if you have any other recipes to make using frozen bread dough ~ leave a comment to share (I love hearing from you!)
If you are like me and have leftover hard boiled eggs from Easter then you will want to check out this Guacamole Deviled Eggs recipe!
This recipe pretty much covers just about any eating style you might be into right now ~ low carb, paleo, keto, clean eating, whole30, vegetarian, even gluten free ~ you get the picture, ha! 🙂
Here's what you'll need to get started…
These really hit the spot and got all thumbs up from my bunch! 🙂
30 Instant Pot Chicken Recipes Round Up
If you have an Instant Pot, then you already know that it can make your life SO much easier ~ I've just started using mine but so far I'm in love!
Among other things, I love that I can cook meats quickly (even straight from frozen!) that are super flavorful, tender and taste like they cooked all day. One of the most popular meats by far to cook in the Instant Pot is chicken.
Here's a roundup of 30 awesome instant pot chicken recipes to give you plenty of things to try in your Instant Pot!
An Instant Pot is an electric pressure cooker that takes the “scary” factor out of pressure cooking and makes the job of cooking fast and easy! It speeds up cooking by 2~6 times using up to 70% less energy, and, above all, produces nutritious healthy food in a convenient and consistent fashion.
If you need a support group for getting dinner on the table (especially using our Slow cookers and Instant Pots!) – come by and join our Dinner's Done Facebook Group ~ so much great wisdom and encouragement there!
>> If you'd like to get the best price on these menu plans, USE THE CODE COUNTERTOP AT CHECKOUT TO GET THE BEST PRICE BEFORE IT ENDS TOINGHT~ I know you will love these! <<<
I can't even wait. 🙂
So after one week of our challenge, our family saved a bundle on eating out, ate some seriously delicious food (I think the Jerk Chicken Sandwiches with Mango Cucumber Salsa were my favorite!) and I added a whopping 10 more freezer meals to my freezers too.
WOOHOOO!
If you're struggling in your finances, I know that using the Eat at Home Menu Plans will make your life so much easier.
If you'd like to hang out with me as you make them, you can catch up on all of the videos as I've made in the Eat at Home Meals right over here on my Youtube Channel too.
>>> TO JOIN IN THE FUN, USE THE CODE COUNTERTOP AT CHECKOUT TO GET THE BEST PRICE TODAY.
Each morning I'll share a Facebook Live Video between 9 and 9:30 AM Eastern time filling up Mrs. Potts (a.k.a. ~ my slow cooker). Here's what we'll be making:
Curious what's included when you sign up? Here you go!
I sure hope you've loved this challenge as much as I have this week ~ thanks for joining me along the way (it's so much more fun to get dinner done when we can do it together!) I'm cheering for you!
This dinner was a huge success at our house . . . even though I wasn't all that awesome at cutting up a mango! 🙂
We made the Eat at Home Slow Cooker Jerk Chicken Sandwiches with Cucumber Mango Salsa last night and goodness, they were so good.
It took about a minute to prep the meat and another 3 minutes to make the salsa, and in under 5 minutes dinner was done.
My hubby loved it, I loved it, and I pretty clearly decided that you can put anything on a King's Hawaiian Roll and it magically turns into a success. 🙂
Because I had so much time on my hands with all that easy cooking (*ahem*) after I was finished cooking I also tackled my Plasticware Containers cleanout from our 2019 Ultimate Home Checklist.
It took less than 10 minutes, and now my space feels so. much. better.
Success!
I really do believe these grocery lists and menu plans are a game changer if you struggle with getting dinner done each day. I'm amazed at how much stress this takes off our evenings (and our finances ~ we save SOOOOO much by not eating out when we have a great plan in place!)
>>> IF YOU NEED TO JOIN ME, USE THE CODE COUNTERTOP AT CHECKOUT TO GET THE BEST PRICE TODAY.
Each morning I'll share a Facebook Live Video between 9 and 9:30 AM Eastern time filling up Mrs. Potts (a.k.a. ~ my slow cooker). Here's what we'll be making:
Curious what's included when you sign up? Here you go!
It's going to do be a great week!
If you're looking for candy recipes that will help you use up your leftover candy from Valentine's Day, Halloween, Christmas or Easter – I have several ideas for you!
From Snickers Salad to a Kit-Kat cake – these candy recipes lend themselves perfectly to leftovers and clearance finds 🙂 (Check out current candy deals here.)
Just tell everyone you had salad for lunch. No one needs to know it was made of Snickers and caramel topping….. 😉
So much ooey-gooey goodness in this one – with the toasted marshmallow flavor to take it up a notch!
You just CAN NOT GET any closer to heaven than this chocolatey, peanut buttery perfection. JUst take all the chocolate peanut butter candy you have lying around (Reese Cups? Check. Reese's Pieces? Check. ) and get ready to create a masterpiece.
Gather up your Reese's Pieces (Or M&M's will work fine) for these yummy peanut butter cookies!
This is one of those recipes where you throw together all sorts of random yummy things to wind up with the ULTIMATE yummy salt-sweet treat!
HOW FUN is this Kit-Kat Cake!!??? You'll want to stock up on both Kit-Kats and any small roundish candy to fill the cake. I used mini Cadbury eggs but you can use M&M's, Reeses Pieces, etc…. and of course just leave out the bunny to make it non-Eastery.
This Fall Popcorn Ring is a family favorite in our house – it uses M&M's and each season you can change up the color of your popcorn ring with the different colored M&M's 🙂
Check out all the most recent Candy Deals we've found HERE!
>>> If you'd like to join in the fun this week, USE THE CODE COUNTERTOP AT CHECKOUT TO GET THE BEST PRICE TODAY ~ I know you will love these! <<< And don't forget, we'll be doing a LIVE FREEZER COOKING SESSION WEDNESDAY, 2/13/19 at 8:30 PM Eastern Time using these menu plans ~set your alarm and join me!<<<
I'm thrilled that I finished up our Freezer Cooking last night!
It took about an hour, but I finished up 8 meals to fill our freezer, so dinner is done for at least a few busy weeknights.
I had Instacart deliver my groceries (it does cost a little more than grocery shopping myself, but as a full time working mom it is the greatest gift I could ever give myself.) 🙂
They delivered my groceries . . .
I set up my stuff (that vase full of corn is my fancy selfie stick holder for Facebook live ~ yikes!)
And in under an hour eight meals were done.
(I also made dessert right before I started. Because, freezer meals require dessert.) 🙂
Now . . . I'm not gonna lie, I am just about done with food for today.
So when I realized none of my family was going to be home for dinner tonight, I decided to tweak our Eat at Home schedule and I'll be making the Apricot Pork Ginger Pork Chops on Monday. (That meal sounded too good to miss!)
I really do believe these grocery lists and menu plans are a game changer if you struggle with getting dinner done each day. I'm amazed at how much stress this takes off our evenings (and our finances ~ we save SOOOOO much by not eating out when we have a great plan in place!)
>>> IF YOU NEED TO JOIN ME, USE THE CODE COUNTERTOP AT CHECKOUT TO GET THE BEST PRICE TODAY.
Each morning I'll share a Facebook Live Video between 9 and 9:30 AM Eastern time filling up Mrs. Potts (a.k.a. ~ my slow cooker). Here's what we'll be making:
Curious what's included when you sign up? Here you go!
It's going to do be a great week!
We finished up day 3 of our Eat at Home Countertop (crockpot!) Cooking Challenge and I am loving using these menu plans this week.
Last night we made the slow cooker beef roast, spinach salad with spiced nuts, green beans and had leftover maraschino cake for dessert, and dinner has never been so good.
(that spinach salad made me so. stinkin'. happy. We maybe used a little too much sugar on the nuts, but that might be exactly what made it so, so good.) 🙂
I love that.
Tonight I've got sloppy slow cooker chicken tacos on the menu plan along with black bean and corn salad, and goodness, I'm pretty excited about this one too after several reviews folks have shared in our Private PPP Eat at Home Facebook Group (to join me in the group, go HERE and sign up for the annual Eat at Home Membership and we'll get you added!)
I still have to go pick up more black beans (actually, Instacart is delivering them this afternoon along with my groceries for our freezer cooking challenge tonight), so I feel like I've totally won at mom-life today!
WOOOHOOOO!
>>> If you'd like to join me, I'd sure love to have you hop in and do menu planning with me! To join in the challenge this week, USE THE CODE COUNTERTOP AT CHECKOUT TO GET THE BEST PRICE TODAY.
Each morning I'll share a Facebook Live Video between 9 and 9:30 AM Eastern time filling up Mrs. Potts (a.k.a. ~ my slow cooker). Here's what we'll be making:
Curious what's included when you sign up? Here you go!
It's going to do be a great week!
>>> If you'd like to join in the fun this week, USE THE CODE COUNTERTOP AT CHECKOUT TO GET THE BEST PRICE TODAY ~ I know you will love these! <<< And don't forget, we'll be doing a LIVE FREEZER COOKING SESSION WEDNESDAY, 2/13/19 at 8:30 PM Eastern Time using these menu plans ~set your alarm and join me!
OH MY STARS.
I just love when we do an Eat at Home Challenge!
Last night we enjoyed the yummiest little meal (my family was so happy! Well, except for one who was not willing to try her beans . . . but picky eaters are picky eaters and I'm pretty sure that happens in just about every home out there . . .).
And tonight I cannot even wait to try this Beef Roast with Red Wine, Mashed Potatoes and Spinach Salad.
(I mean really. How much yummier can dinner get that that?)
It took me about a minute to dump everything in Mrs. Potts and we'll make the mashed potatoes at dinnertime tonight.
Success.
>>> If you'd like to join me, I'd sure love to have you here! To join in the challenge this week, USE THE CODE COUNTERTOP AT CHECKOUT TO GET THE BEST PRICE TODAY.
Each morning I'll share a Facebook Live Video between 9 and 9:30 AM Eastern time filling up Mrs. Potts (a.k.a. ~ my slow cooker). Here's what we'll be making:
Curious what's included when you sign up? Here you go!
It's going to do be a great week!
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