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{5-Ingredient} Grilled Pork Chop Marinade

May 18, 2019 by Laurie 7 Comments This post may contain affiliate links, which means if you click on a link and purchase something, I may earn a small commission (at no additional cost to you.) See my disclosure policy HERE.

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 . . .

Five Ingredient Grilled Pork Chop Marinade

Ingredients

1/2 cup soy sauce
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 teaspoons honey
2 teaspoons garlic powder
4 pork chops ours were sliced very thinly, but you could use whatever thickness you choose, just change the cooking time accordingly)

Instructions

Mix together first 4 ingredients.
Poke holes in pork chops with fork and put in plastic bag or shallow dish.
Pour marinade over pork chops and let sit for at least 30 minutes.
Set grill to high heat and grill 5-8 minutes per side, until cooked through.
Enjoy!

https://passionatepennypincher.com/grilled-pork-chop-marinade/

Thanks All Recipes for another great meal! If you need a little more menu inspiration, go HERE.

Homemade Yellow Cake Mix (Pantry Staple!)

May 15, 2019 by Cheree' Leave a Comment This post may contain affiliate links, which means if you click on a link and purchase something, I may earn a small commission (at no additional cost to you.) See my disclosure policy 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. 🙂

Homemade Yellow Cake Mix

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! 🎂

Homemade Yellow Cake Mix Directions

Ingredients

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/4 cups sugar
3 1/2 tsps baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup butter, softened (1 stick)
1 1/4 cups milk
2 Tbsps vegetable oil
1 Tbsp vanilla extract
3 large eggs

Directions

Add flour to a quart size mason jar (the wide mouth jars work best), followed by the sugar, baking powder and salt. Tap the jar on the counter every so often so all the ingredients will fit.

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! 😋

Looking for more recipes like this?

3 Easy Camping Meal Ideas (That Kids Will Love!)

May 14, 2019 by Laurie Leave a Comment This post may contain affiliate links, which means if you click on a link and purchase something, I may earn a small commission (at no additional cost to you.) See my disclosure policy HERE.

3 Easy Camping Meal Ideas (That Kids Will Love)

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!

1 . Pizza Cooked Over the Fire:

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!

2 . Philly Cheesesteak Foil Packs:

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!

3 . Turkey Chili Stuffed Hand Pies:

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

1 pound ground turkey
½ large (about 1 cup) sweet onion finely diced
½ cup finely diced red, yellow or orange bell pepper
1 14.5 ounce can diced tomatoes with the juice
1 14.5 ounce can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup finely chopped baby spinach
3 garlic cloves minced
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoons ground cumin
½ teaspoon ground turmeric
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 tablespoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon chipotle powder
1 teaspoon sea salt
½ teaspoon ground black pepper
¾ cup finely shredded cheddar jack cheese

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

3 cups all purpose flour
1 egg beaten
½ teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
½ cup finely shredded cheddar jack cheese
3 sticks butter cut into smaller pieces
About 5 tablespoons ice water
Egg wash: 1 egg mixed with a little water, milk or cream

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.

Slow Cooker Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup

May 13, 2019 by Cheree' Leave a Comment This post may contain affiliate links, which means if you click on a link and purchase something, I may earn a small commission (at no additional cost to you.) See my disclosure policy HERE.

I cannot say enough good things about this soup!! It's fresh, clean and just scrumptious. 🙂 Perfect for spring and summertime! 🍋🍋🍋

Slow Cooker Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup

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

ingredients

1 Tbsp olive oil
1 lb pkg carrots, chopped
3 stalks celery, chopped
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
½ tsp dried thyme
½ tsp dried oregano
1 bay leaf
3 32 oz cartons low-sodium chicken broth
1 ½ lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts
8 oz orzo pasta
½ cup fresh lemon juice
1 lemon, zested
5 oz pkg baby spinach leaves
shredded Parmesan cheese (optional)

directions

In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Sauté carrots, celery and onions in hot oil until vegetables begin to soften. Add garlic; cook and stir until fragrant, about 1 minute. Transfer mixture to slow cooker.
Add thyme, oregano, 1 teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon pepper, bay leaf, chicken broth and chicken to slow cooker; stir.
Cover and cook on low 6-7 hours or on high 3-4 hours.
Remove bay leaf and chicken; shred chicken and return to slow cooker.
Cook pasta according to package directions. While pasta is cooking, squeeze lemons for juice and zest.
Add cooked pasta, lemon juice, zest and baby spinach to slow cooker. Cover and cook on low about 5 minutes or until spinach wilts into the broth.
Ladle into bowls and top with Parmesan cheese, if desired.

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.

Looking for more recipes?

Looking for more penny pinched recipes? Here you go!

Freezer Cooking Challenge Update: Day 1, 2, 3, 4 & 5 + New Video

May 10, 2019 by Laurie 2 Comments This post may contain affiliate links, which means if you click on a link and purchase something, I may earn a small commission (at no additional cost to you.) See my disclosure policy HERE.

EEK ~ HURRRRRYYYY!!!

motionmailapp.com
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:

START HERE

USE THE CODE SUPPER AT CHECKOUT
Pay as little as $1.13 per week ~ I know you will love these lists!

Don't forget, when you sign up you'll get:

Weekly menu plans for the entire month
A set of slow cooker menu plans including 6 FREEZER MEALS PLAN every month
A set of no sugar no flour menu plans
A set of traditional menu plans
A set of wholesome traditional menu plans
One quick click to download all 4 sets of menus (in color or black and white ink ~ the color option is amazing to make it easy to pick and choose your meals!
BONUS FOR PPP READERS ONLY: PRIVATE FACEBOOK GROUP with other Eat at Home Members ONLY when you sign up for the annual plan ~ I *promise* this is worth it!

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!

Freezer Cooking Challenge Day 5

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!

Freezer Cooking Challenge Day 4

Freezer Cooking Challenge Day 3

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!

Freezer Cooking Challenge Day 2

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.

Freezer Cooking Challenge Day 1

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!

We'll be making 5 Eat at Home Freezer Challenge meals each morning on Facebook Live every morning at 9AM Eastern Time, and I promise they will change your life!

The best part?

If you sign up right now and use the code SUPPER at checkout you'll also get access to . . .

Weekly menu plans for the entire month
A set of slow cooker menu plans including 6 FREEZER MEALS PLAN every month
A set of no sugar no flour menu plans
A set of traditional menu plans
A set of wholesome traditional menu plans
One quick click to download all 4 sets of menus (in color or black and white ink ~ the color option is amazing to make it easy to pick and choose your meals!
BONUS FOR PPP READERS ONLY: PRIVATE FACEBOOK GROUP with other Eat at Home Members ONLY when you sign up for the annual plan ~ I *promise* this is worth it!

Here's what we'll be making this week:

Monday

Chicken Fajitas
Southwest Chicken Chowder
Pulled Pork over Cornbread
Brown Sugar Chicken & Sweet Potatoes
Zesty Slow Cooker Pork Chops

Tuesday

Ravioli
Smoked Sausage
Sweet Potatoes and Apples
Balsamic Chicken and Root Vegetables
Lemon-Artichoke Pork Chops

Wednesday

Chicken Tikka Masala with Spinach, Naan
Cherry Mustard Pork Chops
Mushroom-Tarragon Chicken
Sloppy Chicken Tacos
Crockpot Roast,

Thursday

Lemon Dill Chicken
Peach Basil Pork Chops
Curry Yogurt Chicken Thighs
Beef Fajitas
Pulled Pork Sandwiches, Layered Coleslaw, Watermelon

Friday

Chicken Burrito Bowls, Chips and Guacamole
Maple Bacon Pork Loin, Mashed Sweet Potatoes, Roasted Asparagus
Zingy BBQ Chicken, Cornbread Muffins, Layered Coleslaw
Beef Gyros, Cucumber and Onion Salad, Watermelon
Garlic Rosemary Chicken and Potatoes, Roasted Brussels Sprouts

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!

Are You Ready for Our Freezer Cooking Challenge?

May 4, 2019 by Laurie 6 Comments This post may contain affiliate links, which means if you click on a link and purchase something, I may earn a small commission (at no additional cost to you.) See my disclosure policy HERE.

Freezer Cooking Challenge 2019

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.

And TODAY GET THE VERY BEST DEAL EVER ON THESE FREEZER, SLOW COOKER, AND TRADITIONAL MEAL PLANS THAT OUR FAMILY HAS USED FOR YEARS.

>>>>>>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:

Weekly menu plans for the entire month
A set of slow cooker menu plans including 6 FREEZER MEALS PLAN every month
A set of no sugar no flour menu plans
A set of traditional menu plans
A set of wholesome traditional menu plans
One quick click to download all 4 sets of menus (in color or black and white ink ~ the color option is amazing to make it easy to pick and choose your meals!
BONUS FOR PPP READERS ONLY: PRIVATE FACEBOOK GROUP with other Eat at Home Members ONLY when you sign up for the annual plan ~ I *promise* this is worth it!

ALL FOR AS LITTLE AS $1.13 PER WEEK WHEN YOU SIGN UP FOR AN ANNUAL PLAN, or just $9.80 to try the menu plans out for one month.

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

Chicken Fajitas
Southwest Chicken Chowder
Pulled Pork over Cornbread
Brown Sugar Chicken & Sweet Potatoes
Zesty Slow Cooker Pork Chops

Tuesday

Ravioli
Smoked Sausage
Sweet Potatoes and Apples
Balsamic Chicken and Root Vegetables
Lemon-Artichoke Pork Chops

Wednesday

Chicken Tikka Masala with Spinach, Naan
Cherry Mustard Pork Chops
Mushroom-Tarragon Chicken
Sloppy Chicken Tacos
Crockpot Roast,

Thursday

Lemon Dill Chicken
Peach Basil Pork Chops
Curry Yogurt Chicken Thighs
Beef Fajitas
Pulled Pork Sandwiches, Layered Coleslaw, Watermelon

Friday

Chicken Burrito Bowls, Chips and Guacamole
Maple Bacon Pork Loin, Mashed Sweet Potatoes, Roasted Asparagus
Zingy BBQ Chicken, Cornbread Muffins, Layered Coleslaw
Beef Gyros, Cucumber and Onion Salad, Watermelon
Garlic Rosemary Chicken and Potatoes, Roasted Brussels Sprouts

PRICE BREAKDOWN:

$9.80 per month with the code PPP30 at checkout (ends 5/14/18 at noon EST) or $2.45 per week
$21.70 per quarter with the code PPP30 at checkout (ends 5/14/18 at noon EST) or $1.80 per week
$58.80 per year with the code PPP30 at checkout (ends 5/14/18 at noon EST) or $1.13 per week

> > > GET YOURS HERE < < <

Chocolate Chip Pecan Pie for Derby Day!

May 4, 2019 by Laurie 8 Comments This post may contain affiliate links, which means if you click on a link and purchase something, I may earn a small commission (at no additional cost to you.) See my disclosure policy HERE.

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!!

12 Days Christmas Baking: Chocolate Chip Pecan Pie

Ingredients

1 cup sugar
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup melted butter (it’s not as good with margarine)
2 eggs, slightly beaten
6 oz. package chocolate chips
1 cup chopped pecans
1 teaspoon vanilla
9 inch unbaked pie shell

Instructions

Preheat oven to 325.
Mix together sugar and flour. Add melted butter and blend well.
Stir in eggs, chocolate chips, nuts and vanilla.
Pour mixture into pie shell. Bake in oven for one hour or until golden brown.
Pie will wiggle a little when done; but will continue to set as it cools. Serves 8.

https://passionatepennypincher.com/chocolate-chip-pecan-pie/

Walking Tacos Recipe (Great for Camping and Kids Parties!)

May 3, 2019 by Laurie Leave a Comment This post may contain affiliate links, which means if you click on a link and purchase something, I may earn a small commission (at no additional cost to you.) See my disclosure policy HERE.

Try out this fun and easy recipe for walking tacos – perfect for camping and easy dinner nights!

Walking Tacos Recipe

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!)

How to Make Walking Tacos:

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!)

How To Prep Walking Tacos for Camping

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).

How to Make Taco Meat

There are loads of taco meat recipes out there – but this is my go-to easy taco meat recipe 🙂

Brown 2 lbs of ground beef and 1/2 Onion on Medium-High until cooked through
Drain any grease and return to stove on low
Add in a can of Ro-Tel
Stir in 4-6 Tbsp Homemade Taco Seasoning

Optional: Add a can of black beans and or corn (it makes it extra filling and stretches it even further!)

Homemade Onion Soup Mix Recipe (Pantry Staple!)

May 1, 2019 by Cheree' Leave a Comment This post may contain affiliate links, which means if you click on a link and purchase something, I may earn a small commission (at no additional cost to you.) See my disclosure policy HERE.

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! 😃

Homemade Onion Soup Mix Recipe

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!

Homemade Onion Soup Mix Directions

Ingredients

1/4 cup dried minced or chopped onions
2 Tbsps beef bouillon granules (or 4 beef bouillon cubes, chopped)
1/4 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp parsley flakes
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/8 tsp celery seed
1/8 tsp paprika

Directions

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.

Looking for more recipes like this?

Homemade Brownie Mix (Pantry Staple!)

April 24, 2019 by Cheree' 2 Comments This post may contain affiliate links, which means if you click on a link and purchase something, I may earn a small commission (at no additional cost to you.) See my disclosure policy HERE.

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….

Homemade Brownie Mix

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. 🙂

Homemade Brownie Mix Directions

Ingredients

2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/3 cup powdered sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup all purpose flour
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
3 large eggs
1/2 cup vegetable or canola oil
3 Tbsps water
2 tsps pure vanilla extract

Directions

1. 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! 🙂

Looking for more recipes like this?

Homemade Ranch Dressing Mix (Pantry Staple!)

April 16, 2019 by Cheree' Leave a Comment This post may contain affiliate links, which means if you click on a link and purchase something, I may earn a small commission (at no additional cost to you.) See my disclosure policy HERE.

This is the PERFECT recipe for us penny pinchers! Try this one for just a few cents compared to buying the name brand! 🙂

Homemade Ranch Dressing Mix

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!

To Make Dry Ranch Dressing Mix You'll Need:

Ingredients

3/4 tsp black pepper
1 tsp seasoning salt
1 tsp dried parsley
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp onion powder

Directions (Easy Peasy!) 😉

Mix all ingredients and store at room temperature in a plastic bag or container. This recipe equals 1 Ranch seasoning packet.
Or store in the refrigerator or even the freezer!
Use 3-4 tablespoons in place of 1 dry Ranch seasoning packet.

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!

Looking for more recipes like this?

Bunny Buns Easter Cheese Ball Recipe (SO CUTE!)

April 13, 2019 by Cheree' Leave a Comment This post may contain affiliate links, which means if you click on a link and purchase something, I may earn a small commission (at no additional cost to you.) See my disclosure policy HERE.

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. 🐰

Bunny Buns Chocolate Chip Cheese Ball

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. 🙂

To Make the Bunny Buns Chocolate Chip Cheese Ball You'll Need:

Ingredients

8 oz pkg cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup butter, softened (not margarine)
1 tsp vanilla extract
3/4 cup confectioner sugar
2 Tbsps brown sugar
1 cup white chocolate chips, chopped
1/2 cup Easter M&M's, chopped (reserve 8 pink M&M's for the toes)
1/2 cup rainbow sprinkles
bag of unsweetened coconut flakes
graham crackers, vanilla wafers, gingersnaps or animal crackers to serve

Instructions

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! 🙂

If you're looking for more Easter recipes, be sure to check out our free and complete Easter Menu HERE!

Looking for more penny pinched recipes? Here you go!

Homemade Italian Dressing Mix (Pantry Staple!)

April 10, 2019 by Cheree' 2 Comments This post may contain affiliate links, which means if you click on a link and purchase something, I may earn a small commission (at no additional cost to you.) See my disclosure policy HERE.

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 🙂

Homemade Italian Dressing Mix

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 🙂

To Make Italian Dressing Mix You'll Need:

Ingredients

1 1/2 tsps garlic powder
1 Tbsp onion powder
2 Tbsps Italian Seasoning
1 Tbsp sugar
2 Tbsps salt
1 tsp black pepper

Directions (Get ready…. these are really involved!) 😉

Mix all ingredients and store at room temperature in a plastic bag or container.
Or store in the refrigerator or even the freezer!
Use 2 tablespoons in place of 1 dry Italian seasoning packet.

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.

Looking for more recipes?

Resurrection Rolls Easter Recipe

April 5, 2019 by Laurie 11 Comments This post may contain affiliate links, which means if you click on a link and purchase something, I may earn a small commission (at no additional cost to you.) See my disclosure policy HERE.

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!

Resurrection Rolls Recipe

If you're looking for something special to make on Easter morning that also has a little object lesson for your family, these Resurrection Rolls might be just the thing to try out.

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.

So why are they called Resurrection Rolls?

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.

After the Resurrection Rolls bake, the marshmallows “disappear” and the rolls represent the empty tomb.

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

1 package Crescent Rolls
8 marshmallows or Peeps 🙂
1/4 cup melted butter or margarine
2 tbsp. cinnamon
2 tbsp. sugar

Directions

Mix together cinnamon and sugar in small bowl. In another bowl melt margarine.
Dip marshmallow into butter, then into cinnamon sugar.
Roll marshmallow in crescent roll, pinching together at the seams.
Roll crescent roll in butter, then cinnamon sugar again.
Spray muffin cup liners with cooking spray, then place each crescent roll in muffin tin.
Bake in 400 degree oven for 12-14 minutes.
Enjoy! Makes 8 rolls.

*Note – you may want to put some aluminum foil underneath these while they're baking as the marshmallow goo tends to leak a bit.

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!

Homemade Taco Seasoning

April 3, 2019 by Cheree' Leave a Comment This post may contain affiliate links, which means if you click on a link and purchase something, I may earn a small commission (at no additional cost to you.) See my disclosure policy HERE.

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!

Homemade Taco Seasoning

Ingredients

2 tsps chili powder
½ tsp salt
½ garlic powder
½ tsp cumin
¼ tsp pepper
1 ½ tsp paprika
1 tsp onion powder
pinch red pepper flakes

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! 🙂

Looking for more recipes?

Homemade Cream Soup Substitute

April 2, 2019 by Shannon 2 Comments This post may contain affiliate links, which means if you click on a link and purchase something, I may earn a small commission (at no additional cost to you.) See my disclosure policy HERE.

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

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!

What You Need for Homemade Cream of Chicken Soup :

2 1/2 cups chicken broth
1 1/2 cups milk
3/4 cup all purpose flour
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp garlic salt or reg salt
1 tsp parsley

How to Make Cream Soup Substitute:

Combine chicken broth and 1/2 cup of milk in a large saucepan over medium high heat. Bring to a low boil. Reduce heat to medium low.
Meanwhile, in a separate bowl, whisk flour and seasonings together. Pour in the remaining 1 cup of milk. Whisk until smooth and no lumps remain.
Pour milk/flour/seasoning mixture into saucepan with broth mixture. Whisk and stir constantly as mixture simmers. Continue to let simmer until mixture is smooth and thick – about 10 minutes.
Freeze or refrigerate (up to a week) or use immediately

You can use this substitute for cream soup in any of these recipes here:

Slow Cooker Chicken & Dumplings

Tex Mex Chicken Casserole

Slow Cooker Chicken Alfredo

Slow Cooked Chicken Tortilla Soup

Need a few more pantry staples?

Homemade Taco Seasoning

Homemade Italian Dressing Mix

Need a little more menu inspiration? Go HERE.

Frozen Bread Dough Garlic Twists

March 15, 2019 by Laurie Leave a Comment This post may contain affiliate links, which means if you click on a link and purchase something, I may earn a small commission (at no additional cost to you.) See my disclosure policy HERE.

Frozen Bread Dough Garlic Twists

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. 🙂

Here's how to make Garlic Twists using Frozen Home Bread Dough if you want to make your family oh-s0-happy for dinner tonight too.

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!)

Guacamole Deviled Eggs Recipe ~Top Chef Style!

March 5, 2019 by Cheree' Leave a Comment This post may contain affiliate links, which means if you click on a link and purchase something, I may earn a small commission (at no additional cost to you.) See my disclosure policy HERE.

Looking for more penny pinched recipes? Here you go!

Guacamole Deviled Eggs Recipe

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…

Guacamole Deviled Eggs~Top Chef Style

Ingredients

6 hard boiled eggs, cooled and peeled
1 medium ripe avocado
1/2 -1 small jalapeño, seeded and diced (or jarred diced jalapeño)
2 Tbsps diced red onion
2 Tbsps chopped fresh cilantro
4 tsps lime juice
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/8 tsp white pepper
1/2 Roma tomato, seeded and diced
pinch smoked paprika or chile powder (for garnish)

Directions

Cut the eggs in half horizontally and scoop out the yolks; set aside.
Cut avocado in half, remove pit and scoop out the flesh.
In a bowl, mash avocado and 2-3 egg yolks with a fork; discard remaining yolks. (I mixed the leftover yolks in with my doggies food and he loved it)!
Stir in jalapeño, red onion, cilantro, lime juice, garlic powder, white pepper, kosher salt and black pepper to taste. Gently mix in tomato.
Spoon heaping spoonfuls of guacamole into the halved egg whites.
Garnish with a pinch of smoked paprika or chile powder and chopped cilantro, if desired.

These really hit the spot and got all thumbs up from my bunch! 🙂

Looking for more side dish recipes?

30 Instant Pot Chicken Recipes

February 19, 2019 by Laurie 1 Comment This post may contain affiliate links, which means if you click on a link and purchase something, I may earn a small commission (at no additional cost to you.) See my disclosure policy HERE.

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!

If you don't own one yet, today only at Target.com you can get the Instant Pot for 25% OFF with code KITCHEN! You can also currently get a good deal on the IP-LUX60 (New Model) and the IP-DUO60 over on Amazon!

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!

Pressure cooker salsa chicken burrito– I was born to cook
Instant pot orange chicken– Living Sweet Moments
Instant pot no washing up Mediterranean chicken wings– Recipe This
Instant pot cheesy chicken and pasta– Food N Service
Pressure cooker low-carb buffalo chicken tacos with blue cheese coleslaw– Kalyn’s Kitchen
Green chile chicken stew– Mooshu Jenne
Instant pot chicken tortellini soup-Real Mom Reviews
3 ingredients crockpot BBQ chicken wings-Intelligent Domestications
Chicken paprika stew– Mooshu Jenne
Instant pot peanut free Thai chicken satay-Recipe This
10-minute pesto chicken pasta– ABC’s and Garden Peas
Instant pot recipe- Pomegranate Molasses Chicken– Little Family Adventure
Instant pot chicken parmigiana-Food N Service
Asian sesame instant pot chicken– Living Sweet Moments
Pressure cooker chicken breast-Wholesome Yum
Instant pot no washing up chicken tikka bites– Recipe This
Pressure cooker chicken puttanesca– Gluten Free Pressure Cooker
Pressure cooker chicken paprikash recipe– Gluten Free Pressure Cooker
Incredible instant pot ginger garlic drumsticks-Living Sweet Moments
How to cook a whole chicken in your instant pot– Recipe this
Instant pot pulled chicken tacos– Mom N Mom’s
Instant pot double cheese chicken rigatoni bake-Recipe this
The best instant pot chicken noodle soup– Sidewalk Shoes
Chicken enchilada soup in the pressure cooker-Life is Sweeter by Design
Instant pot garlic coconut butter chicken & potatoes– Recipe This
Frozen chicken breasts in an instant pot– Sidewalk Shoes
Instant pot chicken taco bowls-Wonder Mom Wannabe
Instant pot buffalo chicken wings– Mom N Mom’s
Instant pot honey balsamic drumsticks– Living Sweet Moments
Instant pot Cajun chicken pasta– Recipe This

What is an 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!

Countertop Cooking Challenge Day 6: New Video + Eat at Home Sale ENDS TONIGHT!

February 18, 2019 by Laurie Leave a Comment This post may contain affiliate links, which means if you click on a link and purchase something, I may earn a small commission (at no additional cost to you.) See my disclosure policy HERE.

Eat at Home Cooking Challenge

>> 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 am so excited about dinner tonight!

Tonight was the last “catch up” day in our Eat at Home Cooking Challenge (I was behind a day last week because we weren't home one night for one of the meals), so I caught up and made the Apricot Soy Ginger Pork Chops in the Slow Cooker, and we're having them tonight with Edamame and Egg Rolls.

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.

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!) USE THE CODE COUNTERTOP AT CHECKOUT TO GET THE BEST PRICE TODAY.

Here's what the schedule will look like for the rest of the week:

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:

Monday 2/11: White Chicken Chili + Maraschino Cherry Cake
Tuesday 2/12: Beef Roast with Red Wine, Mashed Potatoes & Spinach Salad wth Nuts
Wednesday 2/13: Sloppy Slow Cooked Chicken Tacos
Thursday 2/14: Apricot Soy Ginger Pork Chops, Edamame, Egg Rolls
Friday 2/15: Jerk Chicken Sandwiches with Cucumber Mango Salsa + Tuxedo Bars from Slow Cooker meals week of 2/18
*JUST ADDED* Monday 2/18: Apricot Soy Ginger Pork Chops, Edamame, Egg Rolls

If you're looking for freezer meal supplies I'll be using you can find all of those HERE 🙂

>>>USE THE CODE COUNTERTOP AT CHECKOUT TO GET THE BEST PRICE ~ THESE ARE THE LOWEST PRICES YOU’LL FIND ON THIS MENU PLAN!<<<

Curious what's included when you sign up? Here you go!

Weekly menu plans for the entire month, every single month
A set of slow cooker menu plans
A set of whole foods menu plans (those are the ones we’re using right now)
A set of traditional menu plans
A weekly dessert recipe
One quick click to download all 3 sets of menus (in color or black and white ink ~ color coded to make your menu planning even easier)
Basically, you'll get 96 recipes with menu plans AND A GROCERY LIST, all included!
The menu plans cost as little as $1.13 per week when you sign up for a one year plan, or try out a 1 or 3 month subscription and see what you think.

And, if you're like me you'll use the grocery list along with the Kroger Click List (watch the video above), and make grocery shopping and menu planning so crazy easy you'll have it done in 30 minutes or less.

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!

Looking for more ways to have dinner on the table? Be sure to sign up for my totally free Crocktober Cookbook with menu plan and grocery list. I can't wait to get started countertop cooking with you!

Eat At Home Challenge Day 5: YUMMIEST Sandwiches + New Video + Tupperware Cleanout!

February 16, 2019 by Laurie Leave a Comment This post may contain affiliate links, which means if you click on a link and purchase something, I may earn a small commission (at no additional cost to you.) See my disclosure policy HERE.

Eat at Home Cooking Challenge

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!

>>> IF YOU NEED TO JOIN ME, USE THE CODE COUNTERTOP AT CHECKOUT TO GET THE BEST PRICE TODAY.

Here's what the schedule will look like for the rest of the week:

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:

Monday 2/11: White Chicken Chili + Maraschino Cherry Cake
Tuesday 2/12: Beef Roast with Red Wine, Mashed Potatoes & Spinach Salad wth Nuts
Wednesday 2/13: Sloppy Slow Cooked Chicken Tacos
Thursday 2/14: Apricot Soy Ginger Pork Chops, Edamame, Egg Rolls
Friday 2/15: Jerk Chicken Sandwiches with Cucumber Mango Salsa + Tuxedo Bars from Slow Cooker meals week of 2/18
*JUST ADDED* Monday 2/18: Apricot Soy Ginger Pork Chops, Edamame, Egg Rolls

BONUS: FREEZER COOKING SESSION:

On Wednesday, 2/13/19 at 8:30 PM Eastern Time we'll also d a Freezer Cooking Challenge, making all of the recipes from the Eat at Home Freezer Meals (look for those on the 2/18 Slow Cooker Menus!)

Here's what we made Wednesday night:

Taco Soup
Harvest Apple Pot Roast
Loaded Cheesy Potato Casserole
Smoky Chipotle Chicken
French Dip Sandwiches
Meatballs and Spaghetti Sauce

If you're looking for freezer meal supplies I'll be using you can find all of those HERE 🙂

>>>USE THE CODE COUNTERTOP AT CHECKOUT TO GET THE BEST PRICE ~ THESE ARE THE LOWEST PRICES YOU’LL FIND ON THIS MENU PLAN!<<<

Curious what's included when you sign up? Here you go!

Weekly menu plans for the entire month, every single month
A set of slow cooker menu plans
A set of whole foods menu plans (those are the ones we’re using right now)
A set of traditional menu plans
A weekly dessert recipe
One quick click to download all 3 sets of menus (in color or black and white ink ~ color coded to make your menu planning even easier)
Basically, you'll get 96 recipes with menu plans AND A GROCERY LIST, all included!
The menu plans cost as little as $1.13 per week when you sign up for a one year plan, or try out a 1 or 3 month subscription and see what you think.

It's going to do be a great week!

Looking for more ways to have dinner on the table? Be sure to sign up for my totally free Crocktober Cookbook with menu plan and grocery list. I can't wait to get started countertop cooking with you!

Candy Recipes (Perfect for Clearance finds & Valentine leftovers!)

February 15, 2019 by Laurie Leave a Comment This post may contain affiliate links, which means if you click on a link and purchase something, I may earn a small commission (at no additional cost to you.) See my disclosure policy HERE.

Leftover or Clearance Candy Recipes

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.)

7 Candy Recipes We Love

Apple Snicker Salad

Just tell everyone you had salad for lunch. No one needs to know it was made of Snickers and caramel topping….. 😉

Apple Snicker Salad

S'Mores Peanut Butter Pie

So much ooey-gooey goodness in this one – with the toasted marshmallow flavor to take it up a notch!

S'more Peanut Butter Pie

Reese's Peanut Butter Cake

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.

Reese's Peanut Butter Cake

Reese's Peanut Butter Pudding Cookies

Gather up your Reese's Pieces (Or M&M's will work fine) for these yummy peanut butter cookies!

Reese's Peanut Butter Pudding Cookies

Candy Corn Bark

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!

Candy Corn Bark

Kit Kat Cake

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.

Easter Bunny Kit-Kat Cake (SO Fun for Kids!)

Fall Popcorn Ring

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 🙂

Time For A Treat: Fall Popcorn Ring

Check out all the most recent Candy Deals we've found HERE!

Eat at Home Freezer Cooking Challenge Update: 8 Meals In Under 1 Hour?

February 14, 2019 by Laurie Leave a Comment This post may contain affiliate links, which means if you click on a link and purchase something, I may earn a small commission (at no additional cost to you.) See my disclosure policy HERE.

Eat at Home Cooking Challenge

>>> 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.

Here's what the schedule will look like for the rest of the week:

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:

Monday 2/11: White Chicken Chili + Maraschino Cherry Cake
Tuesday 2/12: Beef Roast with Red Wine, Mashed Potatoes & Spinach Salad wth Nuts
Wednesday 2/13: Sloppy Slow Cooked Chicken Tacos
Thursday 2/14: Apricot Soy Ginger Pork Chops, Edamame, Egg Rolls
Friday 2/15: Jerk Chicken Sandwiches with Cucumber Mango Salsa + Tuxedo Bars from Slow Cooker meals week of 2/18
*JUST ADDED* Monday 2/18: Apricot Soy Ginger Pork Chops, Edamame, Egg Rolls

BONUS: FREEZER COOKING SESSION:

Here's what I made last night:

Taco Soup
Harvest Apple Pot Roast
Loaded Cheesy Potato Casserole
Smoky Chipotle Chicken
French Dip Sandwiches
Meatballs and Spaghetti Sauce

If you're looking for freezer meal supplies I'll be using you can find all of those HERE 🙂

>>>USE THE CODE COUNTERTOP AT CHECKOUT TO GET THE BEST PRICE ~ THESE ARE THE LOWEST PRICES YOU’LL FIND ON THIS MENU PLAN!<<<

Curious what's included when you sign up? Here you go!

Weekly menu plans for the entire month, every single month
A set of slow cooker menu plans
A set of whole foods menu plans (those are the ones we’re using right now)
A set of traditional menu plans
A weekly dessert recipe
One quick click to download all 3 sets of menus (in color or black and white ink ~ color coded to make your menu planning even easier)
Basically, you'll get 96 recipes with menu plans AND A GROCERY LIST, all included!
The menu plans cost as little as $1.13 per week when you sign up for a one year plan, or try out a 1 or 3 month subscription and see what you think.

It's going to do be a great week!

Looking for more ways to have dinner on the table? Be sure to sign up for my totally free Crocktober Cookbook with menu plan and grocery list. I can't wait to get started countertop cooking with you!

Countertop Cooking Challenge Day 3: New Video + Freezer Challenge Is Tonight!

February 13, 2019 by Laurie Leave a Comment This post may contain affiliate links, which means if you click on a link and purchase something, I may earn a small commission (at no additional cost to you.) See my disclosure policy HERE.

Eat at Home Cooking Challenge

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.

Here's what the schedule looks like this week:

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:

Monday 2/11: White Chicken Chili + Maraschino Cherry Cake
Tuesday 2/12: Beef Roast with Red Wine, Mashed Potatoes & Spinach Salad wth Nuts
Wednesday 2/13: Sloppy Slow Cooked Chicken Tacos
Thursday 2/14: Apricot Soy Ginger Pork Chops, Edamame, Egg Rolls
Friday 2/15: Jerk Chicken Sandwiches with Cucumber Mango Salsa + Tuxedo Bars from Slow Cooker meals week of 2/18

BONUS: FREEZER COOKING SESSION:

Here's what we'll be making Wednesday night:

Taco Soup
Harvest Apple Pot Roast
Loaded Cheesy Potato Casserole
Smoky Chipotle Chicken
French Dip Sandwiches
Meatballs and Spaghetti Sauce

If you're looking for freezer meal supplies I'll be using you can find all of those HERE 🙂

>>>USE THE CODE COUNTERTOP AT CHECKOUT TO GET THE BEST PRICE ~ THESE ARE THE LOWEST PRICES YOU’LL FIND ON THIS MENU PLAN!<<<

Curious what's included when you sign up? Here you go!

Weekly menu plans for the entire month, every single month
A set of slow cooker menu plans
A set of whole foods menu plans (those are the ones we’re using right now)
A set of traditional menu plans
A weekly dessert recipe
One quick click to download all 3 sets of menus (in color or black and white ink ~ color coded to make your menu planning even easier)
Basically, you'll get 96 recipes with menu plans AND A GROCERY LIST, all included!
The menu plans cost as little as $1.13 per week when you sign up for a one year plan, or try out a 1 or 3 month subscription and see what you think.

It's going to do be a great week!

Looking for more ways to have dinner on the table? Be sure to sign up for my totally free Crocktober Cookbook with menu plan and grocery list. I can't wait to get started countertop cooking with you!

Countertop Cooking Challenge Day 2: New Video + Challenge Update

February 12, 2019 by Laurie Leave a Comment This post may contain affiliate links, which means if you click on a link and purchase something, I may earn a small commission (at no additional cost to you.) See my disclosure policy HERE.

Eat at Home Cooking Challenge

>>> 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.

Here's what the schedule look like starting Monday:

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:

Monday 2/11: White Chicken Chili + Maraschino Cherry Cake
Tuesday 2/12: Beef Roast with Red Wine, Mashed Potatoes & Spinach Salad wth Nuts
Wednesday 2/13: Sloppy Slow Cooked Chicken Tacos
Thursday 2/14: Apricot Soy Ginger Pork Chops, Edamame, Egg Rolls
Friday 2/15: Jerk Chicken Sandwiches with Cucumber Mango Salsa + Tuxedo Bars from Slow Cooker meals week of 2/18

BONUS: FREEZER COOKING SESSION:

Here's what we'll be making Wednesday night:

Taco Soup
Harvest Apple Pot Roast
Loaded Cheesy Potato Casserole
Smoky Chipotle Chicken
French Dip Sandwiches
Meatballs and Spaghetti Sauce

If you're looking for freezer meal supplies I'll be using you can find all of those HERE 🙂

>>>USE THE CODE COUNTERTOP AT CHECKOUT TO GET THE BEST PRICE ~ THESE ARE THE LOWEST PRICES YOU’LL FIND ON THIS MENU PLAN!<<<

Curious what's included when you sign up? Here you go!

Weekly menu plans for the entire month, every single month
A set of slow cooker menu plans
A set of whole foods menu plans (those are the ones we’re using right now)
A set of traditional menu plans
A weekly dessert recipe
One quick click to download all 3 sets of menus (in color or black and white ink ~ color coded to make your menu planning even easier)
Basically, you'll get 96 recipes with menu plans AND A GROCERY LIST, all included!
The menu plans cost as little as $1.13 per week when you sign up for a one year plan, or try out a 1 or 3 month subscription and see what you think.

It's going to do be a great week!

Looking for more ways to have dinner on the table? Be sure to sign up for my totally free Crocktober Cookbook with menu plan and grocery list. I can't wait to get started countertop cooking with you!

Countertop Cooking Challenge Day 1: New Video + This Cake!

February 11, 2019 by Laurie Leave a Comment This post may contain affiliate links, which means if you click on a link and purchase something, I may earn a small commission (at no additional cost to you.) See my disclosure policy HERE.

Eat at Home Cooking Challenge

>>> 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! <<<

I'm just a wee bit excited about getting dinner done this week!

I love using my Eat at Home meals all the time, but I just stay a wee bit more on track when we do a challenge week, so it makes me so happy when you join in and make dinner with me too.

Tonight we're having the Slow Cooker White Chicken Chili and Maraschino Cherry Cake from the Eat at Home Week of 2/11/19 Slow Cooker meals, and goodness, my home smells so good.

And dinner. is. done.

I'm also going to go ahead and make some cornbread (my husband will be so happy because I never make cornbread), and I noticed that she has her cornbread recipe in the 2/18/19 slow cooker recipes. Since I'll have plenty of cornmeal left over from tonight's meal, I figure it's worth testing it out!

(If you're curious and have kept up with PPP very long you know I don't normally eat this many carbs especially on a Monday as I carb cycle using Faster Way to Fat Loss, but I'm training for a half marathon and have to run 10 miles tonight to keep up. SO, BRING ON THE CARBS.) 🙂 🙂 🙂

(This is Tiffany from Eat at Home's pic of her yummy maraschino cherry cake all done. Now I kind of wish I'd done it in two layers, but I was thinking I'd be easier to keep in the fridge in a pan. Hmph!)

Here's what the schedule for the rest of the week will look like this week :

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:

Monday 2/11: White Chicken Chili + Maraschino Cherry Cake
Tuesday 2/12: Beef Roast with Red Wine, Mashed Potatoes & Spinach Salad wth Nuts
Wednesday 2/13: Sloppy Slow Cooked Chicken Tacos
Thursday 2/14: Apricot Soy Ginger Pork Chops, Edamame, Egg Rolls
Friday 2/15: Jerk Chicken Sandwiches with Cucumber Mango Salsa + Tuxedo Bars from Slow Cooker meals week of 2/18

BONUS: FREEZER COOKING SESSION

Here's what we'll be making Wednesday night:

Taco Soup
Harvest Apple Pot Roast
Loaded Cheesy Potato Casserole
Smoky Chipotle Chicken
French Dip Sandwiches
Meatballs and Spaghetti Sauce

If you're looking for freezer meal supplies I'll be using you can find all of those HERE 🙂

Would you like to join me this week? Here's what you'll get when you sign up!

>>>USE THE CODE COUNTERTOP AT CHECKOUT TO GET THE BEST PRICE ~ THESE ARE THE LOWEST PRICES YOU’LL FIND ON THIS MENU PLAN!<<<

Weekly menu plans for the entire month, every single month
A set of slow cooker menu plans
A set of whole foods menu plans (those are the ones we’re using right now)
A set of traditional menu plans
A weekly dessert recipe
One quick click to download all 3 sets of menus (in color or black and white ink ~ color coded to make your menu planning even easier)
Basically, you'll get 96 recipes with menu plans AND A GROCERY LIST, all included!
The menu plans cost as little as $1.13 per week when you sign up for a one year plan, or try out a 1 or 3 month subscription and see what you think.

It's going to do be a great week!

Looking for more ways to have dinner on the table? Be sure to sign up for my totally free Crocktober Cookbook with menu plan and grocery list. I can't wait to get started countertop cooking with you!

Are You Joining Me? Eat At Home Cooking Challenge Starts Monday!

February 9, 2019 by Laurie Leave a Comment This post may contain affiliate links, which means if you click on a link and purchase something, I may earn a small commission (at no additional cost to you.) See my disclosure policy HERE.

Eat at Home Cooking Challenge

I'm sooooooo excited about our Eat at Home Cooking Challenge staring this Monday, 2/11/19!

During the February 2019 Countertop Cooking Challenge I'll be cooking with you all week long using my friend Tiffany's Eat at Home Menu Plans and grocery lists (they just make my life as a crazy-busy-working-momma easy!)

The best part?

Tiffany's offering us 30% off her menu plans with the code COUNTERTOP at checkout if you sign up this week.

I know you're going to just love these.

Can you imagine going to the grocery store, buying oodles of groceries, and then just dumping a few of those bags of groceries in the trash?

You might just be doing that.

If you missed my Facebook Live you can watch it HERE.

So many people (myself included sometimes!) head to the store without a plan in place, buy things they may not use, and things end up getting wasted and thrown away ~ literally 25% of food in America is thrown away each year.

But you and I are going to fix that by getting dinner DONE with a simple, EASY plan in place this week.

I promise, these will save you a bundle, and I just know you're going to love these menu plans as much as I do. I can't wait to cook with you this week!

>>> TO JOIN IN THE FUN, USE THE CODE COUNTERTOP AT CHECKOUT TO GET THE BEST PRICE TODAY.

Here's what the schedule look like starting Monday:

Each morning I'll share a Facebook Live Video filling up Mrs. Potts (a.k.a. ~ my slow cooker), and it would be so stinkin' fun for me if you were on the other side of the screen filling up Mrs. Potts in your kitchen too. I'll be on Facebook Live between 9 and 9:30 AM Eastern Time each morning making these:

Monday 2/11: White Chicken Chili + Maraschino Cherry Cake
Tuesday 2/12: Beef Roast with Red Wine, Mashed Potatoes & Spinach Salad with Nuts
Wednesday 2/13: Sloppy Slow Cooked Chicken Tacos
Thursday 2/14: Apricot Soy Ginger Pork Chops, Edamame, Egg Rolls
Friday 2/15: Jerk Chicken Sandwiches with Cucumber Mango Salsa + Tuxedo Bars from Slow Cooker meals week of 2/18

BONUS: FREEZER COOKING SESSION!

On Wednesday, 2/13/19 at 8:30 PM Eastern Time I'll be doing a Freezer Cooking Challenge as well, making all of the recipes from the Eat at Home Freezer Meals (look for those on the 2/18 Slow Cooker Menus!)

If you're looking for freezer meal supplies I'll be using you can find all of those HERE 🙂

Here's what we'll be making Wednesday night:

Taco Soup
Harvest Apple Pot Roast
Loaded Cheesy Potato Casserole
Smoky Chipotle Chicken
French Dip Sandwiches
Meatballs and Spaghetti Sauce

As an extra bonus, once you sign up for the Eat At Home Cooks Menu plans, you'll have access to these recipe sheets (you can download them right from the Eat At Home Cooks Web Site where you download your recipes). You can print these off (in color OR in black and white) and pop them into your freezer bags so you what's in each bag, how to cook it and when you froze it!

HERE’S WHAT YOU'LL GET AS SOON AS YOU SIGN UP:

Weekly menu plans for the entire month
A set of slow cooker menu plans
A set of whole foods menu plans (those are the ones we’re using right now)
A set of traditional menu plans
A weekly dessert recipe
One quick click to download all 3 sets of menus (in color or black and white ink ~ color coded to make your menu planning even easier)
Basically, you'll get 96 recipes with menu plans AND A GROCERY LIST, all included!
The menu plans cost as little as $1.13 per week when you sign up for a one year plan, or try out a 1 or 3 month subscription and see what you think.

>>>USE THE CODE COUNTERTOP AT CHECKOUT TO GET THE BEST PRICE ~ THESE ARE THE LOWEST PRICES YOU’LL FIND ON THIS MENU PLAN!<<<

It's going to do be a great week!

Looking for more ways to have dinner on the table? Be sure to sign up for my totally free Crocktober Cookbook with menu plan and grocery list. I can't wait to get started countertop cooking with you!

Not Quite Homemade Heart Shaped Cinnamon Rolls

February 7, 2019 by Laurie 3 Comments This post may contain affiliate links, which means if you click on a link and purchase something, I may earn a small commission (at no additional cost to you.) See my disclosure policy HERE.

Looking for more penny pinched recipes? Here you go!

These cinnamon rolls are my kid's favorites.

In fact, last night as I was baking them, my eleven-year-old sweet girl informed me that she expected me to make them for all of the guests on her wedding day.

Yikes.

(She's also planning on having these best ever chocolate chip cookies at her wedding. Clearly she thinks I'll have nothing to do except bake before her wedding day!) 😉

Turning these into their favorite Valentine treat is simple enough, and my family (of course) loved the results.

Here's how to get started . . .

Let dough thaw out for at least a few hours.

After dough is thawed, roll out into rectangle (or, something that loosely resembles a rectangle) 😉

Spread 5 tablespoons of softened butter out on dough. Then sprinkle with 5 tablespoons sugar.

Next sprinkle 3 teaspoons of cinnamon over dough.

Then, starting with the shorter end of the dough, roll dough up (if making regular cinnamon rolls, just roll them up completely)

To make heart shaped cinnamon rolls, roll the other half up until both ends come together.

Using a pizza cutter or sharp knife, slice into about 1 1/2″ rolls (I forgot to take a picture after making the heart shaped ones, so this is just the regular cinnamon roll)

Place in greased baking dish and allow to rise, 1-2 hours.

Bake at 350 for 15-20 minutes, cinnamon rolls will rise more while baking.

Add a little butter or margarine once they're baked if you'd like, and top with frosting.

Perfect!

Almost Homemade Cinnamon Rolls

Cinnamon Roll Ingredients

1 loaf frozen bread dough, thawed, not risen (I usually use Rhodes dough or the Kroger brand)
5 tablespoons margarine or butter
5 tablespoons sugar
3 teaspoons cinnamon

(don't forget to add the frosting – I can't believe I forgot to get a picture of these without frosting included!)

Frosting Ingredients

1 cup powdered sugar
1 tablespoon milk
1/2 tsp. vanilla

Directions

Preheat oven to 350.
Roll out dough to about 12×14 inches. Spread butter evenly on top of dough.
Sprinkle with sugar and then with cinnamon.
Roll up jelly-roll style, tightly pinching ends so sugar/cinnamon doesn’t fall out. (If making heart shaped cinnamon rolls, roll to the middle from both ends to make the heart shape.)
With a sharp knife cut into 1-inch sections and lay in prepared pan.
Allow dough to rise until almost double its size (around 1–2 hours, they will also rise quite a bit while baking. Meanwhile, prepare frosting (see recipe below). To help them rise a little more quickly, I put them in the oven with the light on, and place a bowl of water on the rack beneath them to help moisture stay in the oven.
Bake in greased round or square pan at 350 for for 15 to 20 minutes. Top will be golden brown when done. Allow rolls to cool slightly while preparing topping. (If you’re like me, you may want to spread a little butter or margarine on top to make them nice and glossy!)

Frosting

Mix powdered sugar and milk to make a thick paste.
Add more milk or powdered sugar as needed.
Spread on still-warm rolls, allowing the frosting to melt slightly. Serve warm.

Need a little more menu inspiration? Go HERE.

Will You Join Me for the Countertop Cooking Challenge?

February 7, 2019 by Laurie Leave a Comment This post may contain affiliate links, which means if you click on a link and purchase something, I may earn a small commission (at no additional cost to you.) See my disclosure policy HERE.

Countertop Cooking Challenge

(NOTE: after 12 NOON EASTERN TIME TRY THE CODE COUNTERTOP to save 30% IF THE CODE EARLYBIRD IS NO LONGER WORKING)

During the February 2019 Countertop Cooking Challenge I'll be cooking with you for a whole week including grocery lists and menu plans, and Tiffany and I will be cooking them up each day right up with you.

Annddd … just for today, Tiffany is offering us the lowest prices she's offered on her menu plans 30% off with the code COUNTERTOP at checkout.

Can you imagine going to the grocery store, buying oodles of groceries, and then just dumping a few of those bags of groceries in the trash?

You may just be doing that.

If you missed my Facebook Live you can watch it HERE.

But you and I are going to fix that.

Crocktober wrapped up last fall, but back by popular demand we're doing a very similar series this February called the Countertop Cooking Challenge. (I think you're going to love it!) We're going to have a menu plan, grocery list, and recipes all pulled together before the week even starts.

Starting Monday, 2/11/19, I'm teaming up with my friend Tiffany from Eat at Home Cooks to bring you Crockpot and Instant Pot recipes, and every single one of us is going to get dinner done.

To make your life waaaayyyyy easier (and mine too!) we'll use Tiffany's Eat at Home Menu Plans ~ which I've been using in our home and they're just fantastic.

I promise, these will save you a bundle!

In fact, people who shop with a menu plan and grocery list save 25-50% every single week on their food expenses.

And, a menu plan all of a sudden makes grocery shopping easy.

>>>USE THE CODE COUNTERTOP AT CHECKOUT TO GET THE BEST PRICE ~ THESE ARE THE LOWEST PRICES YOU’LL FIND ON THIS MENU PLAN!<<<

Best of all?

You'll actually eat well balanced meals with what you have in your kitchen and skip the drive thru.

Sound good?

I thought so too. 🙂

My favorite part is that each morning I'll share a Facebook Live Video filling up Mrs. Potts (a.k.a. ~ my slow cooker), and it would be so stinkin' fun for me if you were on the other side of the screen filling up Mrs. Potts in your kitchen too.I'll be on Facebook Live between 9 and 9:30 AM Eastern Time each morning making these:

Monday 2/11: White Chicken Chili + Maraschino Cherry Cake
Tuesday 2/12: Beef Roast with Red Wine, Mashed Potatoes & Spinach Salad with Nuts
Wednesday 2/13: Sloppy Slow Cooked Chicken Tacos
Thursday 2/14: Apricot Soy Ginger Pork Chops, Edamame, Egg Rolls
Friday 2/15: Jerk Chicken Sandwiches with Cucumber Mango Salsa + Tuxedo Bars from Slow Cooker meals week of 2/18

BONUS: FREEZER COOKING SESSION!

And, on Wednesday, 2/13/19 at 8:30 PM Eastern Time I'll be doing a Freezer Cooking Challenge as well, making all of the recipes from the Eat at Home Freezer Meals (look for those on the 2/18 Slow Cooker Menus!)

Here's what we'll be making Wednesday night:

Taco Soup
Harvest Apple Pot Roast
Loaded Cheesy Potato Casserole
Smoky Chipotle Chicken
French Dip Sandwiches
Meatballs and Spaghetti Sauce

As an extra bonus, once you sign up for the Eat At Home Cooks Menu plans, you'll have access to these recipe labels (you can download them right from the Eat At Home Cooks Web Site where you download your recipes). You can print these off (in color OR in black and white) and pop them into your freezer bags so you what's in each bag, how to cook it and when you froze it!

If you're looking for freezer meal supplies I'll be using you can find all of those HERE 🙂

HERE’S WHAT YOU'LL GET WHEN YOU SIGN UP:

Weekly menu plans for the entire month
A set of slow cooker menu plans
A set of whole foods menu plans (those are the ones we’re using right now)
A set of traditional menu plans
A weekly dessert recipe
One quick click to download all 3 sets of menus (in color or black and white ink ~ color coded to make your menu planning even easier)
Basically, you'll get 72 recipes with menu plans AND A GROCERY LIST, all included!
The menu plans cost as little as $1.13 per week when you sign up for a one year plan, or try out a 1 or 3 month subscription and see what you think.

>>>USE THE CODE COUNTERTOP AT CHECKOUT TO GET THE BEST PRICE ~ THESE ARE THE LOWEST PRICES YOU’LL FIND ON THIS MENU PLAN!<<<

And I would just love for you to join my free private Dinner's Done Facebook group to get tons of support and encouragement as we all get dinner done in February.

It's going to do be a great week!

Looking for more ways to have dinner on the table? Be sure to sign up for my totally free Crocktober Cookbook with menu plan and grocery list. I can't wait to get started countertop cooking with you!

Valentine White Trash Candy

January 29, 2019 by Cheree' 2 Comments This post may contain affiliate links, which means if you click on a link and purchase something, I may earn a small commission (at no additional cost to you.) See my disclosure policy HERE.

Valentine White Trash Candy

This is typically a recipe I think about during the Christmas season, but it's really PERFECT for any seasonal holiday. So, Valentine's Day seemed like the perfect holiday to whip some up! 💗

Here's what you'll need to get started . . .

plus, a great use for the almond bark I snagged on clearance at Kroger 👇🏻👇🏻 – WHOOP!

measure out the ingredients – this 8 cup Pyrex measuring cup is awesome!

toss them all together in a ginormous bowl!

melt your almond bark (or use 2 packages of white morsels along with 2 tablespoons vegetable oil instead) – either way is FANTASTIC!

mix it all up….

then spread onto wax paper, add a few sprinkles and let cool 🙂

and try not to nibble, ha! 😜

package it up as fast as you can and give it away!!!

How to Make Valentine White Trash Candy:

Ingredients

6 cups Rice or Corn Chex Cereal
6 cups small pretzels
16 oz jar dry roasted peanuts
11 oz bag plan M&M's
24 oz almond bark (1 1/2 packages)
sprinkles (optional)
wax or parchment paper

Directions

Combine cereal, pretzels, peanuts and M&M's in a huge bowl.
Line 2 large baking sheets with wax or parchment paper. Or, spread a couple of large pieces on your countertop if they can tolerate a bit of heat.
Place almond bark in a large glass bowl. Microwave in 30 second intervals until the almond bark is melted and very pourable.
Pour melted almond bark over dry ingredients; stirring gently to combine. Once combined, spoon mixture onto the wax paper and spread. Add sprinkles, if desired.
Cool on the countertop or pop in the refrigerator until set. Break into pieces and store in an air-tight container at room temperature.

So yummy and completely addictive…….I warned ya! 🤗

Looking for a few more fun Valentine ideas??

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Costco Party Food: How Much Party Food For 25

January 22, 2019 by Laurie 2 Comments This post may contain affiliate links, which means if you click on a link and purchase something, I may earn a small commission (at no additional cost to you.) See my disclosure policy HERE.

Planning a party and need some party food for an upcoming event?

I used Costco party food to feed 25 (including 16 college-aged boys), and goodness, this party food plan was super simple to pull together (and didn't break the bank!)

My son's college Young Life house has weekly house nights, and he asked if I could host them this week (we live about 30 minutes away.) I offered to just get the meal catered to make things really easy, but he said they'd sure love a homemade meal.

As you can imagine, no mom is ever going to miss that opportunity to make homemade food for their bunch, so I came up with some party food ideas and set to work.

Now, I've used Costco's Mac & Cheese before (at his graduation party most recently) and I knew there was nothing better on the planet that was easy and delicious for a bunch of college boys.

He also loves this easy Slow Cooker Italian Beef Sliders recipe (get the recipe HERE, or better yet print my entire free Crocktober Cookbook right over HERE), so I figured out how to make this super easy and without way too much work.

The Italian Beef Sliders are one of those recipes that you can literally make in under 10 minutes (I shredded the meat after cooking using my Kitchenaid Hand Mixer ~ so simple!) and this party food was done.

Here's the party food menu I came up (that could easily make for great Super Bowl party food too or any other party your planning anytime soon!)

5 containers Costco Mac & Cheese – containers each around $11 (I easily would have had more than enough with just 4!) = $55
13 pounds of chuck roast from Costco at $3.99/lb (I got two of their chuck roast packages which weighed in at just at 13 pounds. I could have probably done a little less, but we had enough for 20 + leftovers which was exactly what I was hoping for) = $68
3 dozen hamburger buns at $2.69 each – I easily could have done 2 dozen and won't buy as many next time = $8.07
1 veggie tray $9.99
1 tray Costco cookies 60 ct (I also made a batch of these best ever chocolate chip cookies too ~ the next time I do this I'll double up my batch of homemade cookies and skip the Costco ones ~ they homemade ones were eaten up in under 5 minutes but the Costco ones were barely touched… there's just nothing like mom's cookies warm from the oven!) = $15.99
4 packets Kroger brand Au Jus Seasoning package $.49 each = $1.96
4 jars Kroger brand Pepperoncini peppers $1.99 each = $8.96
1 kale salad from Costco ~ they almost ate all of this (which totally surprised me!) = $5.49

TOTAL COSTCO PARTY FOOD COST = $173.46

This would easily feed 25 normal people (I encouraged those kids to eat and eat and eat because I didn't want leftovers here), and we still had leftovers left that I sent home with them at the end of the night.

That would make the party food meal per person $6.93 per person with very minimal effort (and tons of meat!), and my bet is you could easily feed 30 with this same plan (especially if other folks were bringing a few appetizers to add to the main dishes too.)

If you have tips on what types of Costco Party Food you make when you're trying to feed a bunch I'd love to hear them ~ leave a comment to share! And if you have other party food ideas that you make when feeding a crowd I'd sure love those recipes too. It's so much more fun to make a big meal when you can make it quickly and easily, and this one was a huge success at our house!

Almond Flour Coffee Mug Bread Recipe

January 21, 2019 by Laurie 6 Comments This post may contain affiliate links, which means if you click on a link and purchase something, I may earn a small commission (at no additional cost to you.) See my disclosure policy HERE.

Jamie here! I mentioned how I started doing Keto recently – and I promised to share the coffee mug bread recipe I use and love. Well here it is!!

I started off with this Magic Mug Low Carb Bread recipe here which is great and uses no dairy (for anyone who needs to avoid that!) If you're allergic to nuts or prefer the less-expensive coconut flour, I also highly recommend Kasey Trenum's 90-second bread that actually tastes good!

I took notes from both of these recipes and made a couple minor adjustments for personal taste. I've been making a batch on Sunday nights (a double batch if I'm sharing with my friend who just started Keto with me) and it's really helping me get through my first couple weeks.

Here's how I make my weekly batch of almond flour coffee mug bread. (Find my ingredient list at the bottom of this post!)

Almond Flour Coffee Mug Bread Recipe

1 . Start with a straight-sided coffee mug

2 . Put a generous pat of butter in the mug and melt in the microwave. Swirl it around until it coats the ENTIRE inside of the cup well.

3 . Add eggs, almond flour, baking powder and salt (plus cheese if you will be using your bread for savory meals)

4 . Whisk all ingredients with a fork until combined and smooth

5 . Microwave for 3 minutes, the bread should rise to the top (or even slightly out of) the mug.

6 . Remove and let cool for 1 minute. Then hold with an oven mitt and shake upside down onto a cutting board. (Mine comes out kind of like a tornado shape *see below* – so the little ends bits I usually use for my “croutons”) 🙂

7 . Slice into thin circles. Try to get 4-6 thin bread circles out of your “loaf”.

The amount of butter you see above was my first attempt and was NOT ENOUGH!

SUPER IMPORTANT: My friend Kasey warned me and she was SO RIGHT that you really need to put a GOODLY amount of butter in a skillet and toast up your bread circles on both sides. This makes them YUMMIER and STURDIER for any sandwiches or mini pizza plans you might have in mind for the week.

Keep in mind this is almond flour, and it burns easily. Keep a good eye on those puppies!

Guys – I really took these pics for my mom – so they're kinda goofy 😉

BIGGER BREAD TIP: Use a small straight-sided pyrex bowl to create bigger bread circles for the week. (I use the 4-cup bowl from this set) You can use these to make open-face sandwiches, personal pan pizzas, and all sorts of other creations! I doubled the recipe for my pyrex bowl and it came out beautifully! (But was harder to remove, so load up on that butter)

My pictures are super horrible (because I only took them to send my mom) but here are some ways you can use your almond flour coffee mug bread throughout the week.

Mini Pizzas!

Load cold bread up with low-carb marinara, meats you like, mushrooms, veggies, etc… and lots of cheese. Put it in the microwave and voila! I love that when you microwave this bread it actually gets a little crisper. Like it activates that butter and re-toasts it. Perfect!

Open Face Sandwiches!

Lunchmeat, Cheese, Bacon – yum! I just pop mine in the microwave to make life easy – and like I mentioned before, the bread gets crisper instead of soggier (amazing!)

Mississippi Chicken Bowl!

You can use these for buns when you make Mississippi Chicken – but when I use the leftovers for a few days, I like to put my chicken in a bowl (I've added sauteed mushrooms here) and add some cut up bread as an extra crouton-like texture.

Here's a very bad pic of how I heated them both up in the skillet together. 😉

MEXICAN RESTAURANT TIP:

I always order Pollo Loco with Chicken and Steak (It's just cheesy chicken and steak pieces over rice). I was SO worried I would totally cave the first week we went out with the family – when I had to ask for no rice 🙁 But I brought along a little baggie of my almond flour bread croutons – and sprinkled them over my pollo loco. It added just enough texture to make me feel totally satisfied (I couldn't even finish more than half my meal!)

Ingredients for Almond Flour Coffee Mug Bread:

(Double for Pyrex Bowl loaf)

Straight sided mug
Big pat of butter
2 large eggs
1/2 cup almond flour (course or fine – depends on if you like a little more texture)
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp Himalayan Pink Salt (for extra minerals) or regular salt if that's all you have
2 tbsp of your favorite shredded cheese – parmesan, sharp cheddar, etc… (Optional add-in for savory bread!)

Macros: Depending on if you use cheese and which flour you choose – your carbs will be slightly different. Plugging these ingredients into an app like MyFitnessPal or CarbManager will give you your totals!

For tons more ideas on ways to eat well on Keto – check out these FREE Keto Meal Plans here!

Peanut Butter Fudge: 12 Days of Christmas Baking Day 2 (2018)

December 11, 2018 by Laurie Leave a Comment This post may contain affiliate links, which means if you click on a link and purchase something, I may earn a small commission (at no additional cost to you.) See my disclosure policy HERE.

As I shared yesterday I'll be posting our 12 Days of Christmas Baking over the next two weeks, and goodness, this one is always a favorite at our house (plus it makes so much, so it's perfect to share with folks over the holidays!)

The ingredients are pretty simple ~ and it takes less than 30 minutes to make.

Perfection.

My son Jackson gets home from tonight from college, and I'm just so glad he'll have something yummy waiting for him when he walks in the door. 🙂

And my Caroline . . . well she decided that she needed exactly eight batches to share with friends at school tomorrow, so they're all wrapped up and ready to go.

I'd love for you to join me and download your free 12 Days of Christmas Baking Grocery List and Cookbook over HERE.

And if you're making any yummy recipes this month, I'd s0 love for you to leave a comment and share what you're making too!

Looking for more ideas? Here you go:

12 Days of Christmas Baking Day 1: Muddy Buddy Chex Mix
12 Days of Christmas Baking Day 2: Perfect Peanut Butter Fudge
12 Days of Christmas Baking Day 3: Almost Homemade Cinnamon Rolls
12 Days of Christmas Baking Day 4: Christmas Crack
12 Days of Christmas Baking Day 5: Reese's Peanut Butter Bars
12 Days of Christmas Baking Day 6: Peppermint Chocolate Fudge
12 Days of Christmas Baking Day 7: Best Chocolate Chip Cookies {EVER}
12 Days of Christmas Baking Day 8: Easy Marshmallow Fudge
12 Days of Christmas Baking Day 9: Honey Bun Cake
12 Days of Christmas Baking Day 10: Buckeye Balls
12 Days of Christmas Baking Day 11: Hello Dolly Bars
12 Days of Christmas Baking Day 12: Slow Cooker Christmas Candy

Note: be sure to download your FREE Christmas Made Easy checklists including the 12 days of Christmas recipes to print at home (watch for it via email as soon as you sign up). But, if you'd like a “real” paper copy mailed to you head on over HERE to order one on Amazon.

12 Days of Christmas Baking: Day 1

December 10, 2018 by Laurie Leave a Comment This post may contain affiliate links, which means if you click on a link and purchase something, I may earn a small commission (at no additional cost to you.) See my disclosure policy HERE.

It's a new 12 Days of Christmas Baking series (you can download your grocery list and cookbook HERE), where we'll be making yummy Christmas treats to share with others this season!

I'll be honest . . . I totally wanted to skip this series this year (or at least to do it all in one day . . . ) but my daughter Caroline begged me to keep it around so she would have treats to share with her friends at school each day.

Well, you can imagine I was all about making her day that way (I really do love to bake!) so here we are. Oodles of Muddy Buddy Chex Mix mad and one really happy girl on her way. 🙂

Here are the recipes included in the free cookbook (I'm not sure I'll make all of them on Facebook Live, but you can print all the recipes + my free Christmas printable checklists right over HERE.)

12 Days of Christmas Baking:

Day 1: Hello Dolly Bars
Day 2: Muddy Buddy Chex Mix
Day 3: Slow Cooker Christmas Candy
Day 4: Perfect Peanut Butter Fudge
Day 5: Homemade Cinnabons
Day 6: Christmas Crack
Day 7: No Bake Reese’s Peanut Butter Bars
Day 8: Peppermint Fudge
Day 9: Best Chocolate Chip Cookies EVER
Day 10: Easiest Fudge EVER
Day 11: Happy Birthday Jesus Cake
Day 12: Peanut Butter Buckeye Balls

Looking for more homemade DIY projects? Here you go!

Air Fryer Turkey Breast

November 14, 2018 by Laurie Leave a Comment This post may contain affiliate links, which means if you click on a link and purchase something, I may earn a small commission (at no additional cost to you.) See my disclosure policy HERE.

Hey everyone, this is PPP team member Cheryl. I've been LOVING my air fryer for the past 6 months and I wanted to try a turkey breast for Thanksgiving. I was SO excited how it turned out, that I had to share!!

Did you know you can cook a turkey breast in the air fryer? I didn't either but started looking it up and found that it's SO easy, not to mention delicious!!

Here's what you'll need to get started, just a few seasonings:

salt
pepper
sage
poultry seasoning
olive oil

I greased up my air fryer (I have a 3.5 quart). I also had to cut the breast into two smaller portions so it would fit (the larger air fryers shouldn't have any problem cooking the whole breast).

Then rub the breast with oil and seasonings, pop it into the air fryer at 325° F for 30 mins.

After 30 mins, flip the turkey breast over and cook an additional 15 – 30 mins until the internal temperature 180° F.

It was such a treat to have this delicious air fryer turkey breast ready in such a short time and my family just LOVED it!!

Air Fried Turkey Ingredients

Turkey Breast (be sure to buy one that will fit your fryer or you can cut it off the bone to fit like I did)
salt
pepper
sage
poultry seasoning
olive oil

Seasonings are optional.

Air Fried Turkey Directions

Drizzle your turkey breast with olive oil, rub seasonings all over turkey breast and lay in air fryer basket.
Set your air fryer to 325 degrees (I didn't have to preheat mine at all, just set it and set the dial to the correct time).
Set the timer for 30 mins.
Once the timer goes off, flip the turkey breast and set the timer for another 15-30 mins.
Make sure the internal temperature is 180° F – let sit for 15 mins, slice and serve.

9 Recipes You Need To Try In Your Instant Pot This Year!

Turkey in the Crock Pot

Turkey Appetizer Tray

November 13, 2018 by Laurie Leave a Comment This post may contain affiliate links, which means if you click on a link and purchase something, I may earn a small commission (at no additional cost to you.) See my disclosure policy HERE.

Turkey Appetizer Tray

My sweet family can't wait to gobble down this Turkey Appetizer Tray, and I'm betting you'll love it too! This one just might become a new Thanksgiving tradition. 🙂

Here's what you need:

Turkey Appetizer Tray Ingredients

small potato or Asian pear (for the turkey head)
1 each Granny Smith and Red Delicious apples
small bunch each red and green seedless grapes
snow or snap peas
baby carrots
dried apricots
whole almonds and pecan halves
raisins
cracker sized cheddar and smoked gouda cheese slices
1 box mixed party crackers

These ingredients are merely suggestions! Tweak it to your family's tastes.

A few suggestions are pretzel sticks, pepperoni slices, rolled up ham or turkey slices, red or green bell pepper slices, sliced or whole olives, cherry tomatoes, broccoli or cauliflower.

So many fun options! 🙂

If you missed me on FB live making the Turkey Appetizer Tray, you can watch it HERE.

Turkey Appetizer Tray Instructions

Start at the bottom with the turkey head, using either a potato or pear (if needed, slice the potato in half lengthwise so it will lay flat). You will build out from him in a fan like fashion. Be sure to use the picture as a reference as you are creating your turkey!
Following the picture, add the raisins, snow peas, carrots and dried apricots.
Next, spread out 3 different type crackers using the picture as a guide.
Fill in between the crackers with the almonds, cheese slices, grapes and thin apple slices.
The last part is what really makes it. Add eyes to the turkey by using a hole punch to make 2 white circles and marking them with black dots. Or, take a piece of the white cheese, cut in a circle and put a raisin on top for the pupils. The nose can be made by cutting a triangular piece out of the dried apricot or cheddar cheese. Give him a cute tongue by slicing off a piece of a red grape and don't forget to add pecan halves for his feet!

I just LOVE this little guy! 🦃🦃

What a great and healthy option to have for your guests to nibble on while they wait for the main event. Or such a cute idea for a holiday party!

I would love to see your pics if you decide to make this little guy for Thanksgiving ~ leave your pictures on the Passionate Penny Pincher Facebook wall to share or tag me on Instagram when you share your pictures there too. 🙂

SIDE NOTE:

As I mentioned in the video, tomorrow we'll be doing a one day freezer cooking challenge and I would love for you to join me! I'll be using my friend Tiffany from Eat at Home Cook's recipes ~ head on over HERE to get started, and use the code PPP to save 30% off your entire order.

More Thanksgiving Recipes

Looking for more turkey tips this year?

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