I really love it when my slow cooker can do the work for me. January usually means a freezer and pantry challenge, including rice and beans. So, about once a month I batch cook some beans to tuck away in the freezer. Especially in the winter months, that means navy beans. Using the slow cooker to batch cook takes only a little pre-planning. You need to rinse and … [Read more...]
Setting the Table – My New Strategy…
Having my kids in the kitchen during "those final moments before dinner is on the table" is not ideal (for me anyways)...they trapse through the kitchen, leaving a trail of toys behind, causing me to almost trip. They dilly-dolly when it comes to getting spoons, cups, forks to the table. I want the boys to be responsible and helpful members of our family...so they set the … [Read more...]
15 Bean Enchiladas Recipe
Melt in your mouth enchiladas... Yep, these are those. I've made all kinds of enchiladas over the years. But never with a random mix of beans like this. Hurst Beans sent me a few bags of beans to cook with and experiment with...and it took me all over 2 seconds to know that I'd use the Cajun 15 Bean Soup mix to make some Cajun-kickin' enchiladas. The beans are cooked … [Read more...]
5 Ways to Reduce the Amount of Sugar in Your Kitchen
This past August, I challenged myself to not eat an ounce of refined, processed sugar. No white sugar. No brown sugar. No chocolate. It was tough, but I did it. And I learned a few things. I thought it would be prudent to share some more of these things as we start into the new year, as we challenge ourselves to think outside the box, to push ourselves outside our comfort … [Read more...]
Parmesan Garlic Knots
Today I'm going to tell you about an amazing side that I've discovered. If you like garlic bread with your pasta, you are going love Parmesan Garlic Knots. If you get the generic biscuits in a can from Wal-mart, even if they aren't on sale they are $1.25 for 40 so you'll have plenty! And it will keep practically any pasta dish under $10 for your family! And the good thing is … [Read more...]
Chicken and Spinach Enchiladas
I made these enchilada gems for my husband and his dude friends...just before Christmas. We hosted a guys night and I made 2 pans of these for the guys to snack on. (And I may have had a few...in the name of quality control!) The recipe is written for 2 pans...but you could easily half the recipe to make it for just 1 pan. And before you go all "these can't be real … [Read more...]
Peppermint Divinity
As soon as you pack up the Christmas decorations the candy canes become out of season treats. However, peppermint never goes out of season, so I crush my candy canes and use them to add peppermint flavor to candies and treats. Peppermint Divinity makes a delicious hostess gift if you attend any New Year's Eve parties. It is also a lovely Valentine's Day … [Read more...]
Everything You Need to Know about Papayas
Lechoza. Lechosa. That's the spanish word for papaya. Pronounced "Le-cho-za." Short e, short 0 sounds. I'd never had a lechoza/papaya until I lived in the Dominican Republic. And there, I had the three trees growing in my front yard. I'll tell you what...there's nothing better than eating fruit that you watched grow and get to pick at the peak ripeness. But even still, … [Read more...]
Dipped Pretzel Sticks and Gift Tags
We absolutely adore our children's teachers and the other wonderful personnel at their school so the kids helped me whip up these Chocolate Dipped Pretzel Sticks for them, then I created these "Merry Christmas" and "Happy Holidays" gift tags to decorate them with. Now the kids are super excited to hand deliver them at school tomorrow! Feel free to download the gift … [Read more...]
Hot Chocolate Mix Gifts Your Kids Can Make!
Just four ingredients. Plus one or more children equal a fun time making hot chocolate mix for gifts. At our house we abandoned store-bought individual hot chocolate packets long ago. Only because we needed more. When the temperature dipped outside, we went through about a box in a day. With this recipe and warehouse-sized containers, we make a frugal, homemade version in … [Read more...]