How do you handle those mornings when you are 18 minutes later than you'd hoped to be, but you're craving a delicious and portable breakfast option that will leave you satisfied until lunch? With the ingredients positioned in the right place, you can have this one ready and be headed out the door in less than 2 minutes! Spread some plain (or vanilla) Greek yogurt on a … [Read more...]
Slow Cooker Ham & Beans
Y'all...I'm thrilled to be bringing another great recipe from HurstBeans, a longtime partner of $5 Dinners. We all know how delicious, filling and hearty beans can be...in fact, just this evening I was talking with the boys about how we'll be enjoying many a beans-based meal in their lifetime...because they are bottomless pits. And beans fill bottomless pits well. And they do … [Read more...]
Ham and Cheese Breakfast Egg-Tacos
Having a mixed bag of food allergies and intolerances in our family makes certain dinner ideas and concepts a challenge...but what I love about this one...it easily catered to my egg-free child and my gluten-free child, both of whom happen to be dairy free as well. Ryan enjoyed this ham and egg rollup that you see above...even had a second 'egg tortilla.' Tyler enjoyed a ham … [Read more...]
Basil Balsamic Chicken
This recipe is part of the latest 21 Gluten Free Meals from Costco Plan. Simple y'all. It doesn't get any simpler than this. This is your very basic, but very tasty, chicken and rice meal. I often encourage people to set up 'theme nights' in their meal planning efforts...to take some of the guesswork and edge off of the meal planning process and experience. Besides pizza … [Read more...]
Ranch Chicken & Potatoes Casserole
Chicken + Potatoes + Cheese + Bacon...it's the perfect 'quad-fecta'...because trifecta doesn't work here. Top with some green onions and/or sour cream and you're in potato heaven. Except these are baked potatoes. This is yet another really simple 'load and roast' dish that comes together easily, and makes for a great filling weeknight dinner...as long as you get it … [Read more...]
Linguini with Creamy Tomato Sauce
Finally. A cooking demo that doesn't feature my 8 year old spanking himself, or a super fussy baby that has to sit on my lap while I cook... If y'all need budget gourmet, this is a meal for you. Get this one on your meal plan...ASAP. And before I get to the recipe, I must confess something. From the moment I say/yell (depending on the day and if they are outside!), … [Read more...]
5 Healthy Lunch Ideas
Whether you’re eating lunch at home or brown-bagging it at the office, lunch is one of those times when people often turn to convenience foods and end up making unhealthy choices. Below are five tips for how to eat healthy, budget friendly lunches, without spending forever packing them every morning. 1. Build Your Own Salad Salads are nutritious, delicious, simple and a … [Read more...]
How to Make the Perfect S’mores
This past week was our spring break...and we enjoyed a part stay-cation here in San Antonio, followed by a long weekend at my friend's ranch-river house near Leakey, TX. It was little boy heaven and no one wanted to leave, myself included. My happy, carefree, adventurous Charlie, walking through the river. Nevermind that wet jeans are....well, wet jeans! My shy, … [Read more...]
Andouille Creole Skillet Dinner
Y'all...if I ever write a 'feeding teenage boys on a budget' cookbook or satire in the future, this will be the headline recipe. It's super filling, super delicious, and super budget friendly. Whenever I use a more expensive ingredient, in this case andouille sausage, I work hard to come up with or find a recipe that calls for other inexpensive ingredients to keep it balanced … [Read more...]
Chili Pasta Bake
Our church is experiencing a flurry of new babies and I'm on the team that delivers meals to new mamas! I adore getting to see the tiny humans when I drop off the meal and I LOVE getting to serve new moms in this way. A few weeks ago, I had the privilege of taking a meal to a family I hadn't met who just had their first little girl...a fiery little red head. She was so sweet … [Read more...]