My quadruplets' birthday is this week and somehow they always end up with a Halloween themed birthday party since they were born in October. I've made a ton of Halloween themed treats over the years, but so far these spiderweb cupcakes have been their favorite. I made three dozen of these to take to their school for snack time yesterday and all of the kids went crazy for the … [Read more...]
Chicken and Summer Squash Skillet
The inspiration for this recipe is extreme fatigue. My family was craving a home-cooked meal and I really wanted to make them one. I went so far as to plan on making garlic chicken and sauteed squash. But as I started cutting up squash in preparation for dinner, I began to wonder if I could get away with combining the ingredients from the two recipes and quickly cooking the … [Read more...]
Potato-Mushroom Smothered Pork Chops
I'd really like to call this a one-dish dinner. But I'm not going to. I could. But I won't, because I can't. Because yes, the second step in the process involves cooking all the food together in one dish. But there's a first step that involves 2 other pans. One for the potatoes, another for the mushrooms and onions. So too many dishes to justify not calling it … [Read more...]
Best Pumpkin Recipes
This is the ultimate list of all the best pumpkin recipes! Loving these brisk Fall mornings (yes, we've had a few in San Antonio, and I've enjoyed a few this week in Atlanta too!). And loving that it's "bake with pumpkin" season again. (Not that you can't bake with it all year!) I wanted to pull together some of our favorite pumpkin recipes, so without further … [Read more...]
Beer Bread
This Beer Bread Recipe is Perfect for Leftover Beer and Octoberfest fun! Sometimes a beer finds its way into my house. It's pretty rare because my husband will only drink one or two a month maximum, and I never developed a taste for it. When he does get a six pack, the leftovers just lurk in the refrigerator forever. Well, until recently! It turns out, that beer bread is … [Read more...]
Rice and Pinto Beans with Andouille Sausage
Love me some dried beans! I love cooking with dried beans...it's easy, cheaper and I love to play with flavors. Our boys love beans too...so it's a win-win situation for this busy mom! Cooking beans does take a little over an hour and they do have to pre-soak, so it does take a little pre-planning and a little time in the kitchen to get them going on the … [Read more...]
Pumpkin Spice Baked Oatmeal
So we've had a handful of "brisk" mornings here in San Antonio. And by "brisk," I mean the temp has dropped below 70. Which must mean fall is here because I've seen a number of people out wearing sweatshirts. Or my blood is already starting to thin out some, because it's really not that cool?! While it may feel warm outside still, it's starting to feel like fall as we … [Read more...]
Scene from My Kitchen Counter at 7:18 AM…
So this was the scene on my kitchen counter at 7:18 this morning. I'm still adjusting to the fact that my kiddos have to be on the bus at 6:55 am...and we all have to be up by 6:15. But... The upside is that I can get a lot lot lot done right after they get on the bus, while littlest brother is still sleeping. This morning that meant getting food ready for my "week away." … [Read more...]
Easy Fancy Spaghetti Casserole
I went to make our very favorite meal, Italian Stuffed Shells. Alas, no large shell pasta was in the pantry. What was I to do? Aha! Make it anyway with spaghetti noodles. I already had the noodles cooked – leftover from spaghetti a couple nights ago. So I mixed up the stuffing, poured in a can of sauce, added the cooked noodles. I tucked it in the oven. Frugal, favorite … [Read more...]
Roasted Butternut Squash with Crunchy Caramelized Onions
Butternut squash...I feel like it is my mission in life to not only help others spend less on groceries, but also to know what to do with the groceries when they buy them. As autumn approaches, the prices of fall fruits and vegetables plummet. At our house, we do our best to take advantage of these savings by bringing more variety to our diet and eating seasonally. My … [Read more...]