You wanna know when I pat myself on the back? When I'm grabbing snacks out of the freezer for the kids...and even better, when they are grabbing their own snacks from the freezer. My second son pops those frozen yogurt blueberries like they are candy. And having sliced quick breads and cookie dough or baked cookies available at a moments notice is reason to pat yourself on … [Read more...]
16 Freezer Friendly Lunch Recipes
I feel like lunch is the forgotten meal of the day. Maybe because I'm not usually home for lunch...sometimes, I am...but usually not. I do lunches during my "morning time block" and then we all rush off into our day with "something for lunch." But it feels like an after thought...probably because of the mad rush out the door that happens every morning. Lunches are tough … [Read more...]
Homemade Vanilla Extract
The holidays are coming. In a few months, yes. And if you want to give the gift of this homemade vanilla...I suggest that you make this RIGHT NOW. It takes at least 2 months to reach quality flavor potential, 3 to 4 months if you can swing it to really maximize the flavor. So write down on your errands list to stop at the liquor store to pick up some rum or vodka...and … [Read more...]
ROUNDUP: 13 Freezer Friendly Breakfast Recipes
I'm not a morning person. Like, at all. I once was. My husband likes to remind me that he "thought he married a morning person" because we went on a mountain biking date at 5 am when we were dating. I told him that I was a morning person...until the boys came along. And then, I stopped sleeping...sorta. Then I started sleeping again, and now there are those nights that … [Read more...]
Ham & Cheese Panini
This is my 5-Ingredient hack on the Monte Cristo sandwich. You'll need a flat-ish bread, like ciabatta or whatever you can find in the bakery. Ham and cheese. And you'll need to panini-fy it - warm it up, smash it together. And then you'll devour each bite that's been dipped into a sweet preserves - like strawberry or raspberry. This is a great and fun way to "jazz up … [Read more...]
Blueberry Muffins with Vanilla Chex Streusel
So I'm a numbers nerd. I was doing some math and it looks like I've got 15 more years of the "busy back-to-school season" ahead of me. I'm 8 years in (with the early intervention pre-school my oldest attended) with 15 more to go. 22 years of someone starting school. That's a lot of busy, right there. And there's no better partner to help me survive all this busy than General … [Read more...]
Waffle Breakfast Pizzas
Brinner for dinner. That's breakfast-dinner for dinner. We love breakfast for dinner. "Brinner." Especially in the summer months...so I had to sneak in these super easy and yummy "breakfast pizzas" made with waffles. You'll need: Waffles Peanut butter or almond butter or sunflower seed butter (you get the idea) A little honey or maple syrup Sliced … [Read more...]
Lemon Rice Krispies
This Lemon Rice Krispies recipe is a delicious, fun and summery flavor twist on rice krispie treats! This recipe below calls for yellow food coloring and lemon extract for the flavoring. If you're an essential oiler person, you could sub the lemon extract for a few drops of lemon essential oil or Jade lemon essential oil. (That will keep you from needing to buy lemon … [Read more...]
No Bake Coconut Key Lime Pie Squares
I'm adding this to the "foods that when I eat them, any and all self control flies out the window" list. Right behind Thin Mints and chocolate chip cookies. In general, I'm a sucker for any dessert with chocolate. And now I'm a sucker for these key lime bars. So..so..so..SO..SO rich, smooth and summery-scrumptious! No bake. Coconutty flavors that practically whisk … [Read more...]
Copycat Panera Mac ‘n Cheese
It's the white cheddar. WHITE CHEDDAR. And if you can splurge on some white cheddar from Vermont...DO IT. Because, it's so so so so so so good! And the cracked pepper. There's just something about cracked pepper on homemade macaroni and cheese. This Copycat Panera Mac 'n Cheese is outstanding! Copycat Panera Mac 'n Cheese Totally … [Read more...]