How to Make Candied Pecans Recipe – Sugared Pecans

October 17, 2018 By Melissa Leave a Comment
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Looking for the best candied pecans recipe? This easy sugared pecans recipe is a simple and tasty way to make candied nuts.

Cinnamon pecans or sugar coated pecans are a yummy sweet treat, especially around the holidays. I also love candied pecans for salad. It just brings a simple salad up a notch is taste and style. If you are looking for a simple DIY homemade food gift, you could package this sugar coated pecans in a mini mason jar or treat bag and tie with ribbon.

This recipe for candied pecans with brown sugar is so simple to make and requires just a few ingredients. If you are wondering how do you make candied pecans, this recipe shows just how easy it is to make sugared pecans on the stovetop.

You do need to make sure you watch and stir the glazed pecans nuts carefully as you are cooking them in the pan. You don’t want them to burn.

Easy Candied Pecans Ingredients

4 cups pecans
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons water
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
Pinch salt

How to Candy Pecans – Cinnamon Sugar Pecans

Add your brown sugar, butter, water, cinnamon and salt to a large sauté pan.

Mix your ingredients over medium-low heat and mix in your pecans.

Cook and toss for 15 minutes.

Pour onto a sheet on parchment paper to cool and enjoy your cinnamon roasted pecans.

I love how this simple recipe is just perfect for the holidays.

Looking for more Holiday recipes?

Grinch Fruit Kebobs Recipe

Easy Peanut Butter Reindeer Cookies Recipe

Hot Chocolate Rudolph Reindeer Gifts Recipe

Print Recipe

Candied Pecans - Cinnamon Sugar Pecans

Ingredients

4 cups pecans
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons water
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
Pinch salt

Instructions

Add your brown sugar, butter, water, cinnamon and salt to a large sauté pan.
Mix your ingredients over medium-low heat and mix in your pecans.
Cook and toss for 15 minutes.
Pour onto a sheet on parchment paper to cool and enjoy.

Restricted Diets & Food Allergies Meal Planning Tips

October 5, 2018 By Melissa Leave a Comment
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Learn some easy meal planning tips when dealing with restricted diets and food allergies.

Sometimes we have a food intolerance or even food allergies that create issues when meal planning. Because this is more and more common, here are some tips to help you manage meal planning for restricted diets. This can be for food allergies, food intolerance, food aversion, or even dietary restrictions or health-related diets. These tips will make it easier for you to manage a meal plan that works for your family.

Meal Planning Tips For Restricted Diets and Food Allergies

Meal planning for restricted diets doesn’t have to be impossible. In fact, it is often much easier to accommodate a dietary difference when you plan ahead than by having last-minute meals prepared each night. These tips will help you to keep everyone in your family safe, happy, and satisfied with the options available for dinner.

Create a Master Recipe list

This list is a great resource for helping you keep a rotation of menu items on your list without eating the same thing over and over again. Making a master recipe list that is acceptable for diets but also pleasing to everyone will help you to remember those meals that you may have forgotten. As you try new recipes that work for everyone, add them to the list to rotate out the next month.

A master recipe list is also a great tool to help you know what items to keep in your pantry. This can easily give you a way to save more money when you notice sales on items that you use regularly. By purchasing when on sale and storing for future meal planning, you can cut back on grocery expenses in the long term.

Sign up for my Meal Planning Tips and you will receive a special offer on meal planning printables and printables to make your own Meal Planning Binder.

Learn about Proper Dietary Substitutions

There are so many different dietary restrictions that could be at play, that it is hard for me to cover all of the tips for working them into and around your meal planning. There are basic tips, but a lot of things come down to you personally learning about proper substitutions for the things you can no longer have. With things like food intolerance, food allergies, gluten sensitivities, lactose intolerance, and even sensory or textural issues, it can be difficult to create easy menu plans that accommodate all diets.

Some great substitutions that work well for many diets:

Unsweetened almond milk, coconut milk, or hemp milk for non-dairy diets.
Rice pasta, quinoa pasta, and quinoa for those who are gluten-free or low-carb.
Beans and lentils instead of meats in soups, stews, and casseroles
Stevia, honey, and molasses in place of sugar.

Batch Prep Foods

Meal planning isn’t just about creating freezer meals or writing down a menu on your calendar. It also can include preparing foods in advance to use in simple meals throughout the week. The concept of batch cooking as part of your meal planning routine can be totally life changing in your kitchen. Instead of cooking exact recipes, you instead prepare ingredients so they only need to be added to your menu items. This is a great way to throw together meals that can include items everyone can enjoy, but also have the option of adding in other things that are against the diet for some.

The most popular ways to batch cook include preparing meats, starches like rice or potatoes, and select vegetables in advance then freezing or canning for future use. Instead of adding your menu items to a freezer container to be cooked in a slow cooker or in the oven, you would cook them in advance and separate into portions that can be added to fresh sides and starches to create a meal in a hurry.

Grill, roast, boil, broil, or bake things like chicken, pork, steak, or even ground meats with simple salt and pepper seasonings. Allow to cool then divide into portions suitable for a meal. Label and freeze. On the day you want to make something like tacos, quesadillas, or even a simple casserole, you grab a portion from the freezer, thaw, and add to your recipe.

My friend Alea even wrote two cookbooks that are great tools if you want to try prep ahead and simple batch cooking. I have them both and love them.

Families are busier now more than ever, and nobody understands that better than busy mom and food blogger Alea Milham. With Prep-Ahead Meals from Scratch, she brings a unique batch cooking concept that will streamline weeknight family meals like never before. She shows you how to use simple prep-ahead techniques to stock your refrigerator with precooked ingredients that can be combined with fresh produce to easily create wholesome meals. Leave prepackaged foods and take-out behind as you learn the many easy ways to cook ahead from scratch to save time and money during the busy week. Alea breaks down the classics into convenient weeknight dinners using fewer ingredients and smarter techniques.

Prep Ahead Meals From Scratch

This new recipe collection is bursting with fresh, time-saving ways to fuel your family and yourself. Ready to end the days of skipped breakfasts and takeout lunches? With Alea’s expert advice, you’ll have your fridge stocked with homemade grab-and-go meals, full of ingredients you can feel good about. Simple do-ahead techniques help you savor even the busiest weekday mornings.

Prep Ahead Breakfasts and Lunches

Test substitutes before meal planning

Instead of adding a new ingredient into a bunch of meals you are prepping in advance as freezer meals or for batch cooking use, make sure you test them out first. New ingredients don’t always work out as expected. That means you could potentially waste a lot of money in the process. Instead, do a small test run to make sure that your family likes the substitute.

Label everything with details

If your meal planning routine includes freezer meals, it is really important to make sure you have all ingredients well labeled. We usually label freezer meals with the recipe name, directions for cooking, and portion amounts. If a restricted diet is in play, then labeling with all of your ingredients is even more important. Add a list of all ingredients to every package so you are able to easily tell if it is an acceptable meal for everyone to eat. There are many types of labels include chalkboard or dry erase labels that can be used over and over again so you aren’t wasting money on new labels every time you create meals for your freezer.

Prepare in separate areas to avoid contamination

If your restricted diet issues with meal planning are about contamination because of allergies or severe food intolerance, then preparing meals in advance or batch prepping foods is vital to cutting back on your time in the kitchen. Creating a clean and safe prep area is the most important thing you can do. That means you need to prepare meals that are “clean” away from other meals or menu items. Simply create all restricted meals first, then do your other meals separately.

Respect others restricted diets

If your meal planning will include food for friends or family that are spending time with your family, then it can seem frustrating to you to include different foods for their diets. It isn’t always convenient, but planning ahead can make meal planning for any restricted diet easier to manage. Respecting others and their individual dietary needs is just part of being a good human being and friend. Check about allergies, aversions, and sensitivities when planning for guests, and do your best to provide them with yummy foods that are safe for them to eat.

Get a Prepared Meal Plan

If your restricted diet concerns are around flour or sugar, I am a huge fan of this no flour/ no sugar meal plan. Healthy food can be delicious. This meal plan features easy-to-prepare, hearty, healthy recipes for your family to enjoy. These meals are big on veggies and protein from whole foods that you can find in any supermarket. Enjoy a Salad of the Week, and an optional Easy Protein of the Week. No flour or artificial sugars added.

Check out all the meal plan options here

Meal planning for any dietary restriction doesn’t have to be frustrating. Simply use a few simple steps to make sure you are protecting those with food allergies and aversions while adapting existing recipes. Our tips will make this easier to manage no matter your budget.

Need more meal planning tips? Be sure to sign up below.

Plus more articles on Meal Planning

Meal Planning Tools

Monthly Meal Planning And Prep

Meal Planning Pantry and Food Inventory

Meal Planning Made Easy with an Instant Pot

Meal Planning with Picky Eaters

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Chocolate Date Balls – Double Chocolate Energy Balls Recipe

October 4, 2018 By Melissa 2 Comments
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This no-bake energy bites recipe is super simple to make and makes a great snack for kids and adults. It is made with just a few simple whole ingredients that are great even on the go. These oatmeal energy bites are best though stored in the refrigerator.

Even though they do have chocolate, they are still more healthy energy balls than those with processed ingredients.

You can see the full printable recipe for the chocolate date balls below.

Chocolate Date Balls Ingredients

1 cup pitted dates
2 Tablespoons cocoa powder
1 cup instant oats
2 teaspoons coconut milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
a pinch of salt
1/2 cup chocolate chips

Double Chocolate Energy Balls Recipe Directions

Chop up 1/2 cup of the chocolate chips and set aside.
Add dates to a food processor and blend until they become smooth paste/dough.
Add in the cocoa powder and coconut milk, pulse until combined.
Dump the date mixture into a large bowl, add the instant oasts and the pinch of salt.
Knead with the back of a spoon until combined.
Roll the mixture into small bite-sized balls.
Then roll each ball in the chopped chocolate chips.
Enjoy immediately or store in the refrigerator for up to 10 days.

Looking for more no-bake treats?

Check out this no-bake pumpkin oatmeal cookie recipe.

Print Recipe

Easy Chocolate Date Balls

These chocolate date balls are so easy to make and are a great snack. This double chocolate energy balls recipe is great for adults and kids.

Ingredients

1 cup pitted dates
2 Tablespoons cocoa powder
1 cup instant oats
2 teaspoons coconut milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
a pinch of salt
1/2 cup chocolate chips

Instructions

Chop up 1/2 cup of the chocolate chips and set aside.
Add dates to a food processor and blend until they become smooth paste/dough.
Add in the cocoa powder and coconut milk, pulse until combined.
Dump the date mixture into a large bowl, add the instant oasts and the pinch of salt.
Knead with the back of a spoon until combined.
Roll the mixture into small bite-sized balls.
Then roll each ball in the chopped chocolate chips.
Enjoy immediately or store in the refrigerator for up to 10 days.

Click image to pin for later

10 Must Have Meal Planning Tools

October 1, 2018 By Melissa 1 Comment
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These meal planning tools will help you be successful at meal planning for your family.

When you begin meal planning for your family, it’s important to have great tools on hand that keep this task easy and effective. Meal planning should be a way to save time, and most of all help you stick within your grocery budget easily. Adding in a few easy tools to your kitchen will help you to make sure you are staying on task with little frustration.

10 Must-Have Meal Planning Tools

1. A Functional Calendar and a Weekly Meal Planner

This is going to vary for every individual family. You need to check your calendar before you create your meal plan and have some way of posting the weekly family meal plan. You want to make sure that you plan meals that meet your schedule. You may want to make meals in the slow cooker or instant pot on nights you have little time. Some like to use a written or printed calendar with their menu each week. Others prefer to utilize something like a Google Calendar app, or even use a dry erase board to organize their weekly calendar. Whatever you choose, it needs to be functional for you and your family to stay on track. If you create meal plans but never use them, it is a waste of your time and money.

Wondering what I use? Sign up for my meal planning tips and you will even receive a special offer for meal planning printables to make your own meal planning and recipe binder.

2. Detailed Lists for Meal Preparation.

If you are doing a large amount of freezer meals for your meal planning, you know you need detailed lists of ingredients. You will also need a detailed list of preparation needs. For each recipe, you’ll be preparing meats and vegetables in different ways. Making a detailed list that tells you how much meat should be chopped, braised, broiled, or grilled can help you to easily and effectively manage your meal plan and save time doing things over and over again. Doing all of a particular type of prep at one time will save you time and frustration in the long term.

You can learn more about turning your favorite recipes into freezer meals here.

3. Quality Knives and Utensils.

Have you ever tried to cut multiple pieces of meat or vegetables with a dull knife? If so, you know how frustrating it can be to manage. Quality utensils are really important for meal planning as they will save you time and frustration. Grabbing a good set of knifes along with a sharpener is a must. You will also want sturdy wooden spoons, spatulas, and a ladle for assembling items, as well as cooking. I am a huge fan of this starter Henckels knife set made in Germany. The knives with the twins logo are higher quality and made in Germany not China.

4. Cutting Boards

I say boards because you really need to have at least one cutting board that is used ideally just for raw meat preparation. Having multiple cutting boards when meal planning will keep things safe, orderly, and sanitary. You want to have one that is used just for vegetables, one for meats, and possibly one clean cutting board to use for cutting things like breads, tortillas, or other items needed in recipes. These cutting boards look neat and even remind you what you are supposed to cut on them.

5. Measuring cups and spoons

If you are doing a large meal planning event, you will definitely need to have measuring cups and spoons on hand. I much prefer glass measuring cups for liquids, but I love my stainless steel cups and spoons for dry ingredients. If you can afford two sets of each, it will be nice to have on hand so you don’t have to worry about washing a lot between uses when preparing multiple meals at once.

6. Food Saver Vacuum Seal Storage System

If freezer meals are a part of your meal planning system, then one tool I highly recommend is a Food Saver. This vacuum sealing system will help keep your meals tasting fresher for longer periods of time. This is important to those who may be taking advantage of meat sales, seasonal produce, or even just want to do a month or longer of meal prep at once. A Food Saver is a great investment that can keep food fresh much longer in your freezer.

7. Freezer Bag Stands

If you prefer to use gallon Ziploc bags for your freezer meal preparation, freezer bag stands are a great investment. These little plastic stands allow you to hold your freezer bags upright while you fill them with ingredients. It keeps them clean and sanitary, and makes it a much faster process of preparation.

8. Crockpot and Instant Pot

Whether you are meal planning for your freezer or just trying to keep up a weekly plan, a Crockpot is an ultimate helper. Being able to toss foods in before you go out for the day and come home to a fully prepared meal is a huge time saver and makes meal planning much more useful to busy families. They are also great for making things like homemade stock, homemade marinara sauce, and even cooking dried beans for use in all of your recipes. This makes your meal planning efforts even healthier and more budget-friendly. I also love my Instant Pot that makes cooking foods very quick and easy. Have an Instant Pot but not sure how to use it? This free Instant Pot Class can help. It even includes a free Instant Potmeal plan!

I recommend at least one large 5-6 quart Crockpot as well as one smaller 3-quart option. They are nice to use for parties and buffets to keep food to temperature, but also great for making side dishes and full meals.

9. Freezer Storage Containers

Another alternative to using freezer bags are quality glass freezer storage containers. I love the Pyrex freezer containers that come in various sizes. They are ideal for stacking in a freezer, and even allow you to build things like casseroles that can be thawed, brought to room temperature, and then put directly into the oven saving you dishes needing to be washed. They can be pricey up front, but in comparison to the other vacuum seal or Ziploc storage bag options, they are cost-effective over the long term.

10. Meal plans that your family will eat

Aside from these tools for meal planning ease, you need to actually have meal plans your family will eat. Meal planning saves a ton of time and money, but not if you are feeding your family foods they won’t enjoy. You can build your own menu plan around family favorites, or invest in some of the many meal plan options online that fit your family needs. It’s not just about having tools in your kitchen, but about having meals that will fit your family and make your meal planning efforts worthwhile. If you are looking for meal plans already made for you, I personally am a huge fan of the Eat at Home Meal Plans. These include 4 different meal plans each week for one low price and they include freezer meals.

These are what I feel are the must-have tools for meal planning. Creating a functional meal plan for your family isn’t as hard as it sounds. It simply includes a bit of time up front and consistency in your daily routine to build a plan everyone will love and you will find saves you time and money in the long run.

Don’t forget to sign up to get more meal planning tips and a special offer for my meal planning and recipe binder printables.

Easy Cinnamon Baked Apple Chips Recipe

September 27, 2018 By Melissa 6 Comments
This post may contain affiliate links that help support this site at no additional cost to you. Please read my disclosure page for more info.

Looking for a yummy fall treat? Check out this Cinnamon Easy Baked Apple Chips Recipe.

One of favorite fall family activities is to go apple picking. We are lucky to live near some nice orchards. We usually come home with a ton of apples. Since this is more apples than we can easily eat, I am always on the look-out for great apple recipes like this.

One easy way to use up some of those apples is to make baked apple chips. These work great for a snack or to send in with school lunches. The apples are baked so a bit more healthy. We added some cinnamon and sugar though to make them a sweet treat! Your whole family will love them.

Be sure to pin this baked apple chips in the oven recipe to keep on hand.

Easy Baked Apple Chips Ingredients

You need just 3 ingredients to make these dried apple chips in the oven. I love that the recipe is so simple and makes the best apple chips in oven.

4 apples (our favorites are Gala and Honeycrisp)
2 TBSP sugar
2 tsp cinnamon
zip lock bag

If you want healthy apple chips, you could reduce or omit the sugar. I would still add cinnamon for a bit more flavor.

How to Make Apple Chips – Easy Baked Apples

Preheat Oven to 200 degrees.
Line cookie sheet with parchment paper.
Slice apples thinly. I use my Cuisinart Food Processor to cut the apple slices thinly enough to bake.
Pour sugar and cinnamon in a ziplock bag.
Add sliced apples and shake.
Place apple slices in a single layer on the parchment lined cookie sheet.
Bake apple slice at 200 degrees.
Bake on one side for 1½ hours then flip them over to the other side and bake for another 1 hour.
When the final hour is complete, turn off the oven leaving the apple slices inside overnight.
Store in a ziplock bag.

Print Recipe

Cinnamon Baked Apple Chips

Author: Melissa

Ingredients

4 apples
2 TBSP sugar
2 tsp cinnamon
zip lock bag

Instructions

Preheat Oven to 200 degrees.
Line cookie sheet with parchment paper.
Slice apples thinly.
Pour sugar and cinnamon in a zip lock bag.
Add sliced apples and shake.
Place apple slices in a single layer on the parchment lined cookie sheet.
Bake 200 degrees.
Bake on one side for 1½ hours then flip them over to the other side and bake for another 1 hour.
When the final hour is complete, turn off the oven leaving the apple slices inside overnight.
Store in a ziplock bag.

Don’t forget to sign up for our emails so you are notified of our next simple and tasty recipe (plus lots of other fun stuff!).

Want more easy and tasty recipes?

Check out these fall recipes.

Candy Corn Rice Krispie Treats

Harvest Fall Trail Mix

Pumpkin Parfait Recipe

Easy Healthy Salsa Recipe

July 12, 2018 By Melissa 13 Comments
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Looking for an easy healthy salsa recipe? Here is my favorite. It is so so easy to make but tastes incredible. The fresh flavors blend together so well. You can use this salsa as a dip with chips but it is also fantastic on tacos or an other Mexican inspired meal. You are going to love this so much that you will never want to buy store bought salsa again. It really can’t compare. [Read more…]

Jelly Bean Bark Recipe -Easy Easter Treat

March 8, 2018 By Melissa 3 Comments
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Looking for an easy Easter treat? Then you will want to be sure to this Jelly Bean bark recipe. It has just two ingredients! Seriously, is so easy anyone could do it. So cute and so easy and just perfect for an Easter celebration. You could bag this up and give as homemade gifts as well. [Read more…]

Easy Valentine Day Sugar Cookie Recipe – Conversation Heart Bears

February 6, 2018 By Melissa Leave a Comment
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This Valentine Day Sugar Cookie Recipe is so easy to make but turns out so stinking cute. Conversation hearts are quintessential Valentine’s day to me and I love how each sugar cookie bear has their own conversation heart. Other than the basics for the sugar cookie recipe all you need extra is the bear cookie cutter and the conversation hearts. Kids would love to help make these in the kitchen. Be sure to scroll down for the printable recipe.

Valentine Day Sugar Cookie Recipe Ingredients

1 ¼ Cup Flour
¾ Cup Sugar
½ Stick Unsalted Butter
1 Egg
½ teas. Baking Powder
½ teas. Salt
½ teas. Vanilla
Conversation Candy Hearts

Teddy Bear Cookie Cutter

Parchment Paper

Valentine Day Sugar Cookie Recipe Directions

First Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.

Then in a medium size bowl, beat butter and sugar with mixer then add egg and vanilla. Mix until fluffy.

Next stir flour, baking powder, and salt together. Once mixed, add to wet mixture.Mix until dry ingredients are incorporated.
Take dough and roll into a ball and place on floured parchment paper. Take rolling pin and roll out until it’s about ¼ inch thick. If it’s sticking to rolling pin, add a little flour to top of dough

Cut out bears using the cookie cutter and place on a parchment lined cookie sheet.

Place a conversation heart in the middle of the bear and bend its arms up to the heart. Then take a toothpick to poke the eyes and nose. Then place in oven and bake for 8-10 minutes or until edges become golden brown.

Be sure to store cookies in an airtight container for maximum freshness. This recipe makes about 2 dozen cookies.

Be sure to check out more Valentine’s Day ideas.

Star Wars Printable Valentines

EOS DIY Printable Valentine

Valentine’s Day Mocktail

Pony Bag Toppers for Valentine’s Day

DIY Spa sock cupcake

No Candy Crafty Valentine Ideas For Kids

Print Recipe

5 from 1 vote

Easy Valentine Day Sugar Cookie Recipe - Conversation Heart Bears

This easy and cute Valentine's Day sugar cookies are so fun with cut out bears and conversation hearts.

Servings: 2 dozen

Author: Melissa

Ingredients

1 ¼ Cup Flour
¾ Cup Sugar
½ Stick Unsalted Butter
1 Egg
½ teas. Baking Powder
½ teas. Salt
½ teas. Vanilla
Conversation Candy Hearts
Teddy Bear Cookie Cutter

Instructions

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.
In a medium size bowl, beat butter and sugar with mixer then add egg and vanilla. Mix until fluffy.
Stir flour, baking powder, and salt together. Add to wet mixture.
Mix until dry ingredients are incorporated.
Take dough and roll into a ball and place on floured parchment paper.
Take rolling pin and roll out until it’s about ¼ inch thick. If it’s sticking to rolling pin, add a little flour to top of dough
Cut out bears using the cookie cutter and place on a parchment lined cookie sheet.
Place a conversation heart in the middle of the bear and bend its arms up to the heart. Then take a toothpick to poke the eyes and nose.
Place in oven and bake for 8-10 minutes or until edges become golden brown.
Store in an airtight container. Makes about 2 dozen cookies.

Kids Healthy Christmas Treat Recipe – Grinch Kebobs

December 17, 2017 By Melissa 8 Comments
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Looking for an easy healthy Christmas treat recipe? Grinch Kebobs are perfect. These work well for Christmas dinner appetizers or for class parties. This simple recipe is great for getting something healthy that kids will also love. These are so cute and you know kids will love them! [Read more…]

No Spread Sugar Cookie and Perfect Icing Recipe, Plus Tips for Cookie Decorating with Kids

December 7, 2017 By Heidi 9 Comments
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A friend gave me this sugar cookie and icing recipe a few years back when I mentioned that I was having a group of kids over for a cookie decorating party. I wanted cookies that would taste great, hold their shape, be firm enough to decorate, yet still soft enough to eat. I have been using this recipe for several years and it is my favorite. I have hosted cookie decorating parties at Christmastime for the last 5 years and I have been asked for this recipe over and over and so I thought I would share it here. I also am including a few tips below if you are having a cookie decorating party for kids or if you are decorating at home with kids. [Read more…]

Slow Cooker Leftover Turkey Chili Recipe

November 16, 2017 By Melissa 13 Comments
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The age old question after Thanksgiving is what to do with the leftover turkey. One great way to use it is this slow cooker leftover turkey recipe. This recipe is so simple and you can easily have all the items on hand for a yummy meal the day after Thanksgiving.

You just need some canned goods, spices, and the leftover turkey. Plus any of your favorite chili toppings such as sour cream, cheese, crackers, etc.

I have this programmable crock pot which I love. It cooks for the required amount of time than just keeps the recipe warm. This means your recipe won’t get overcooked. You can head out Black Friday shopping and come home for a tasty lunch! Be sure to check out the full printable recipe below.

Print Recipe

5 from 1 vote

Slow Cooker Leftover Turkey Chili Recipe

Author: Melissa

Ingredients

2 cans black beans
2 cans pinto beans
2 cans light red kidney beans
2 cans chili hot beans
2 cans fire roasted diced tomatoes
1 cup chicken broth
1 Spanish onion diced
1 Tbsp chili powder
1 tsp ground cumin
¼ tsp cayenne pepper
¼ tsp garlic powder
½ tsp onion powder
1 tsp salt
¼ tsp approximately freshly ground pepper
3 TBSP Cajun spices
left over turkey

Instructions

Skin and take the leftover turkey off the bones shredding into pieces.
Put the turkey into the crock pot.
Drain the juices out of the black beans, pinto beans, kidney beans.
Stir to mix the ingredients.
Pour the black beans, pinto and kidney beans in a crock pot.
Add the chili beans, roasted diced tomatoes and the broth to the crock pot.
Add the diced onion. Stir well.
Add the spices. Stir well.
Cook on medium for 4-6 hours.
Occasionally stir the ingredients to incorporate all of the spices and other ingredients.
Enjoy with sour cream, cheese, crackers or Fritos.

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Strawberry Jello Pudding Pops Recipe

July 12, 2017 By Melissa 3 Comments
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This Strawberry Jello Pudding Pops Recipe is so simple and so tasty. It is so easy to make that your kids will love to help make them. The hardest part is waiting for them to freeze. I love that this recipe includes fresh fruit. It makes me feel a little better about eating it even though it is a treat.

This recipe requires just a few ingredients and materials. You don’t need a special popsicle form instead you just use paper cups! These really are so simple to make but so tasty too. [Read more…]

Star Red White and Blue Jello Recipe

June 30, 2017 By Melissa 5 Comments
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This Star Red White and Blue Jello Recipe is so cute and your whole family will love it!

This is the perfect treat at any patriotic party including Fourth of July and Memorial Day. This recipe looks really complicated but it is actually quite simple. However, it does take some time to make this red white and blue jello recipe since each layer needs to harden.

[Read more…]

Make Ahead Sausage Egg & Cheese Muffins Recipe

May 15, 2017 By Melissa 14 Comments
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I am always on the hunt for ways to make mornings easier and these make-ahead sausage egg muffins are an easy way to get a lo-carb breakfast quickly.

Getting breakfast on the table quickly can be a challenge. This recipe for make ahead sausage egg cheese muffins will make your mornings so easy. You just prepare the sausage egg cheese muffins ahead of time and freeze them. When you are ready to eat them, all you have to do is pop them in the microwave. It is so easy even your kids can prepare them!

Here are a few pictures of the recipe in process. Full recipe is below.

Fill the cups about ¾ of the way full with the hash browns.

Take half of the shredded cheese and sprinkle in the bottom of the cups. Repeat with half of the sausage crumble.Whisk the eggs together and fill the cups until almost full. Top with the second half of cheese and sausage.

Print Recipe

Make Ahead Sausage Egg & Cheese Muffins Recipe

This easy Make Ahead Sausage Egg & Cheese Muffins Recipe will make your mornings a breeze!

Prep Time10 mins

Cook Time40 mins

Total Time50 mins

Course: Breakfast

Servings: 12

Author: Melissa

Ingredients

4 cups shredded hash browns thawed
4 tablespoons butter melted
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
8 eggs
1 ½ cups shredded cheddar cheese
½ pound sausage cooked and crumbled

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400˚.
In a large bowl combine the hash browns, butter, salt and pepper.
Spray a muffin tin with cooking spray. Fill the cups about ¾ of the way full with the hash browns.
Press with your fingers to mold the hash browns to the cups all the way to the top. Try to make the sides the same thickness all the way around for even cooking. Make sure there are hash browns on the bottom of the cup.
Bake 20-25 minutes, or until they are starting to brown. Let cool slightly.
Reduce oven to 350˚.
Take half of the shredded cheese and sprinkle in the bottom of the cups.
Repeat with half of the sausage crumble.
Whisk the eggs together and fill the cups until almost full.
Top with the second half of cheese and sausage.
Bake until eggs are set, 20-25 minutes.
To freeze: Let cool for two hours, then place muffins in a ziploc gallon bag until you're ready to enjoy. Microwave for a few minutes before serving for breakfast.

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Easy Cinco De Mayo Recipes

May 5, 2017 By Melissa Leave a Comment
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Here are some easy and tasty Mexican recipes that will make any Cinco De Mayo special. We have rounded up everything from healthy salsa to slow cooker meals that are so easy to make. You will love this list of easy Cinco De Mayo recipes! [Read more…]

Once a Month Meals – Meal Planning Tips

April 5, 2017 By Melissa 2 Comments
This post may contain affiliate links that help support this site at no additional cost to you. Please read my disclosure page for more info.

Are you wanting a month of meals ready to cook so you don’t have to stress week to week or day to day? This is the ultimate method for making weeknight meals easy for anyone in your family to manage. Moms tend to be in charge in the kitchen, but with busy work and family life schedules, it can be frustrating to spend hours a week in the kitchen. These tips will help you prepare a month of meals for your family in no time.

How To Prepare One Month Of Meals Ahead Of Time

Create a master recipe list

It all begins with the recipes. There are a ton of ways to go about preparing a month of meals, but the best place to start is by getting your recipes in order. Most often, this list includes just evening meals, but if you are also trying to include your breakfasts and lunches, you will want to plan ahead and add those recipes to your calendar as well.

These 20 freezer meal plans make it easy. These They include complete shopping lists and assembly instructions. Wondering how to make your favorite recipes into freezer recipes, I give tips on this here.

One great tip for making your recipe list even more cost effective for a month of meals, is to look at the sales at your grocery store for the week you will be shopping. While you want to use your favorite recipes, you may adjust your end grocer list some depending on sales. If chicken breast is much cheaper than chicken thighs you normally buy, you can easily make that substitute. Maybe green bell peppers are on sale in the summer. If so, you can easily add extra to your list to cut and freezer for other meals, or add stuffed peppers to your recipe list instead of another meal.

Once you know what you plan to have each day, you can then break down your recipes by ingredients. This takes a bit of time, but is a great way to make sure you don’t get in the middle of meal prep and find you missed an important ingredient when shopping. I recommend breaking down each recipe, then adding up like items once every recipe is listed to create your master list. If you are using meal plans provided by websites or blogs, you are likely to find this has already been completed for you.

As you create your grocery list from the ingredient lists of your recipes, make sure to double check your pantry, freezer, and refrigerator before adding items to the list. Use what you have on had first to save more money on your grocery budget for a month of meals in advance. What’s left on your ingredient list is your final shopping list.

Shop for ingredients to all recipes. Since preparing a month of meals will take a few hours, you’ll probably want to get groceries at least the day before. This will help you be well-rested and up to the task of shopping. When planning ahead like this, you can easily take advantage of sales on meats, produce, and other items needed for your menu plan.

Tips for making your shopping trip easier:

Divide your list into aisles of your store
Take someone to help you stay on track and load or unload groceries
Eat before you shop so you don’t give into impulse buys
Clip coupons for any items that have extra savings available
Use apps like Checkout 51, iBotta, and Target Cartwheel for more savings and rebates

Prep everything before assembling

The best way to conquer preparing meals in advance is to get everything prepped before you begin cooking or assembling. If you are doing simple prepped meals that will be cooked after thawed, this process isn’t as time consuming. If you plan to cook meals ahead of time, it can be more time consuming, but well worth the result. Prepping things in advance can be broken down into two categories.

Tips for use in any freezer meal style you choose:

Arrange bags or containers on your counter so filling them is easy. Invest in bag holders if needed, and leave containers open with lids off. This keeps things sanitary as you move from recipe to recipe.
Have multiple cutting boards ready for use. Preferably you will have one for raw meat, and another for fruits or vegetables.
Have all tools and utensils washed and ready for use. This includes knives, spoons, bowls for mixing, saucepans, or skillets as needed.
Have sanitizing wipes, paper towels, and cleaner on hand for spills and cleanup as you work.
Empty your dishwasher and sink before you get started so you can load all dirty items directly into them to be washed right away.
Prep each item all at once. Dice, chop, slice, julienne each vegetable then separate into containers as needed. Doing all of your onions, all carrots, etc. at once will cut back on overall prep time, and help keep mix-ups and forgotten items to a minimum. This keeps an assembly line going that makes it take much less time. Do the same with meats.

For freezer meals cooked and reheated later:

Roast, broil, bake, grill, or sauté all meats at once. For example, if you have 3 meals using browned ground meat, cook all at once with just salt & pepper seasoning, then separate and add individual seasonings as needed. Do the same with any vegetables or sauces and broths that will be used in multiple recipes.
Use lined baking sheets to flash freeze items for storing in freezer containers or bags. Spreading items out on a baking sheet to cool, then move into the storage container can make it a lot easier and faster to manage.
Choose your cooking method in advance and prep with that in mind. Bags work well for Crockpot meals. Containers best for items to heat in the microwave. Aluminum pans and trays for casseroles to go from refrigerator to oven.

Enlist help for assembly

This is probably the most important part of preparing a month of meals ahead of time. Getting help to make the process go faster is a great idea. Have kids, your spouse, or a good friend there to help you seal containers, sort items,chop and dice ahead of time, or simply add labels to each recipe as you finish preparing it

For those who want to prepare a month of meals ahead of time, these tips will keep you on track and ready to conquer a few hours of hard work in the kitchen that will save you time and money in the long run.

Not sure about making a whole months of meals ahead? This book Prep-Ahead Meals From Scratch: Quick & Easy Batch Cooking Techniques and Recipes That Save You Time and Money is very helpful to get meals on the table quicker and give tips on how to pre-cook proteins.

If you want to try out just 10 freezer recipes that you can make in an hour, this freezer meal subscription service makes it easy.

Let The Grill Season Begin

March 9, 2017 By Melissa Leave a Comment
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There is nothing like a grilled meal and now that winter is over, it’s time to start the season by firing up your grills. Did you know the over 80% of “mature millennials” – millennials between 25-33 – rank grilling as one of their favorite summer activities? It is one of the good things of summer. But why wait until summer? People who love to grill can’t wait to grill – and these extreme grillers may even do it when it’s not quite time yet.

Former Chicago Bears linebacker Brian Urlacher helped Johnsonville grill and serve bratwursts at Sundays Chicago Polar Plunge on March 5, 2017, in Chicago. (Jean-Marc Giboux/AP Images for Johnsonville)

To kick off grilling season, Johnsonville sponsored the 2017 Chicago Polar Plunge, so shivering participants could warm up with piping hot Johnsonville #FirstBrats of the season, fresh off the burners of the Big Taste Grill. The Big Taste Grill is a 20-foot tall, 65-foot long grill, which cooks 2,500 brats an hour or 750 bratwurst at a time on its 40 square feet of grilling surface. Wow! That is a lot of brats!!! Former Chicago Bears linebacker Brian Urlacher helped Johnsonville grill and serve bratwursts at Sunday’s Chicago Polar Plunge on March 5, 2017, in Chicago.

The Plunge was hosted and benefits Special Olympics Chicago, which aligns directly with the charitable mission of the Big Taste Grill. If these extreme plungers were willing to jump in freezing water for a good cause, Johnsonville wanted to be a part of it, as they don’t let the weather get in the way of what they love – grilling brats.

You might have missed this fun event and not have quite as big of a grill but you can still start grilling some brats yourself and start grilling season! I personally love the Johnsonville Chicken sausages. YUM!

You also can enter to win the Johnsonville’s #FirstBrats Contest and the Grand Prize is snow removal or lawn care for a year, a value of $1,500. The Contest begins at 12:00 PM Eastern Time on March 8, 2017 and ends at 11:59:59 PM ET on May 15, 2017.

There are two (2) ways to enter:

Online: During the Contest Period, an entrant may visit www.FirstBratsContest.com, enter his/her email address, and follow the instructions to register by entering all information requested on the registration form. After an entrant has registered, he/she may follow the instructions to upload one (1) photo of his/her “first grill of the season”.

Social Media: During the Contest Period, an entrant may (a) log in to his/her Twitter or Instagram account, follow @Johnsonville on Twitter or @jvillesausage on Instagram (if he/she does not already), and post a Tweet/post that includes one (1) photo of his/her “first grill of the season” and the hashtag “#FirstBratsContest” or (b) log in to his/her Facebook account, visit Sponsor’s Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/johnsonville/, and post a comment responding to Sponsor’s Invitation Post that includes a photo of his/her “first grill of the season” and the hashtag “#FirstBratsContest.

Following the Contest period, all eligible entries received during the Contest period will be judged by a panel of qualified judges selected by Johnsonville. The judges will score the entries according to the following weighted criteria: creativity, photo quality and relevance to the Contest theme (e.g., entry captures the passion for grilling even if the weather is not ideal for grilling).

Limit one (1) prize per person

There is a limit of one (1) entry per entry method per person per calendar day during the Contest period (i.e., an entrant may receive one entry each via www.FirstBratsContest.com, Twitter, Instagram, Facebook) for a total of five (5) entries per day.

Official Contest rules can be found at www.FirstBratsContest.com.

Let the grilling season begin!

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Johnsonville. The opinions and text are all mine.

Fresh & Easy Fish Tacos Recipe

March 8, 2017 By Melissa 19 Comments
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Fresh Easy Fish Tacos Recipe

One of my absolute favorite foods is fish tacos. I often order them at restaurants but this fresh easy fish tacos recipe is great to make at home. It really is very simple to make but the fresh flavors are amazing! It is essential to use fresh cilantro in this recipe. The cilantro, tomatoes and yogurt sauce make this one seriously yummy dish. I used corn tortillas in order for the recipe to be gluten free. You can use flour tortillas though if you prefer them.

Print Recipe

Fresh and Simple Fish Taco Recipe

Fresh and simple fish tacos. Clean eating and can be made gluten free. Easy, fast and full of flavor

Prep Time15 mins

Cook Time5 mins

Total Time20 mins

Course: fish

Cuisine: Mexican

Servings: 4

Author: Melissa Buckles

Ingredients

1 cup grape tomatoes chopped
1/2 cup fresh cilantro chopped
1 lime
1/2 sweet onion finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup plain Greek yogurt
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
2 cups coleslaw mix or green or red cabbage sliced into narrow strips
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1 pound whitefish - Tilapia or other whitefish
1/4 teaspoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
8 to rtillas use corn if gluten free
1 avocado cut into strips

Instructions

Cut lime in half and juice. Slice other half into wedges.
Combine tomatoes, cilantro, onion, jalapeno, onion, 1/4 teaspoon salt and half the lime juice.
In another bowl, mix yogurt, mayonnaise, and remaining lime juice.
Combine coleslaw mix/ cabbage with 2 tablespoons of yogurt sauce in another bowl.
Reserve extra sauce.
Sprinkle whitefish with chili powder, black pepper, and remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt
Grill fish or cook in olive oil in a large pan. Cook 3 minutes in pan then flip and cook two minutes more.
Serve by placing whitefish on top of tortillas and then adding homemade salsa, cabbage mix, avocado, and yogurt sauce.

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Want more easy and tasty Mexican inspired recipes?

Easy Homemade Salsa Recipe

Easy Spicy Pico De Gallo Guacamole Recipe

Slow Cooker Chicken Tostadas

Easy Crock Pot Chicken Tacos

Bite Size Mini Taco Bowls

Berry Homemade Yogurt Tubes made with Refillable Squeeze Tubes

February 20, 2017 By Melissa 3 Comments
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I love these refillable squeeze tubes that you can use to make your own homemade yogurt tubes. What is great is that you can use plain greek yogurt and just add fresh fruit. We used blueberries but you could use any of your favorite berries including strawberries and raspberries. This really cuts down on the sugar that is included in most commercially prepared portable squeeze yogurt tubes. Also, many of the yogurt tubes you buy at the store have artificial colors and flavors. Without too much time and trouble at all, you can make your own yogurt tubes that are made from simple fresh ingredients. You AND your kids will love them! [Read more…]

Instant Pot Meals – How A Pressure Cooker Makes Meal Planning Easy

February 16, 2017 By Melissa 4 Comments
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Instant Pot meals and recipes are all the rage these days, and using your Instant Pot for meal planning is a genius way of saving time, money, and energy in the kitchen. I finally just broke down and bought one myself. If you have invested in an Instant Pot or other pressure cooker for use in your kitchen, then you know how great it is to whip up a simple meal in minutes each night. They do have a bit of a learning curve, but the results are amazing!

Instant Pot Meals

Tips For Using Your Instant Pot For Meal Planning

Many individuals are finding that a pressure cooker like the Instant Pot is ideal for meal planning. Not only does it cook fast and easily, it makes healthy meals even easier to manage. Since fast, easy, and healthy are the most common things people request in recipes, the idea of using a pressure cooker for preparing meals is ideal. They are not like your grandma’s pressure cooker meant only for canning vegetables from her garden or fresh fruit jams and jellies. While many versions still do this and more, the Instant Pot itself is all about creating fast and delicious meals to feed your family.

Get to know your individual Instant Pot

I cannot say this enough. Your Instant Pot is unique depending on the model you have chosen. See the many different varieties of Instant Pots here. If you are using a pressure cooker and not the Instant Pot brand, that has even more unique characteristics. While they all operate in a similar manner, there are differences that can contribute to whether your meal turns out the way you think it should.

Pay attention to liquid recommendations for different types of cooking.

Use different attachments like steamers a few times alone before using along with other cooking methods.
Do test runs in small batches to determine if you like the way the texture, flavors, and recipe comes together as a whole.
Read the manual from your pressure cooker completely, even if you’ve used one that is similar before.

Learn to adjust liquids on traditional recipes.

This is probably the biggest issue people have when using an Instant Pot for meal planning on a regular basis. You can’t just toss ingredients into your Instant Pot and expect the same result you had if you cooked it on the stove top or even in a slow cooker or oven. The liquid variations are vital to how the pressure cooking system works. You absolutely must follow guidelines set out by your particular versions manual. Once you learn more about how it works, and actually cook with it regularly you will be able to create your own recipes for the Instant Pot much easier. It just takes a little bit of practice to make the best Instant Pot Meals.

Understand there will be differences in appearance and flavor with Instant Pot Meals.

If you are used to browning and searing meats, you’ll immediately notice that while you can get some color on items cooked in your Instant Pot, it will never be the same as if you cook on your stove top or in your oven. Some recipes will recommend you remove from the Instant Pot and put into a dish to put in the oven and broil for a few minutes. Others will have you use the saute function on the Instant Pot. Using only one pot and having it done in minutes is the appeal, so, if the color of your food or the crunchy coating are a must, then understand you may have to accomplish this by removing the items from your pressure cooker and finishing them on your stove or in your oven. Otherwise, the food will be cooked through and taste great, it just won’t have the same appearance.

You may also notice that flavor won’t always be as strong on marinades or seasonings as you expect. The addition of liquid to your Instant Pot often means it is a little less strong in flavor. I, personally, find that creating things like beef or chicken dishes in freezer packets that include the marinade in advance help tremendously. This allows those flavors to soak into the meat for a much longer time, and as they thaw the day I plan to cook them, they increase the flavor even more. You will find that you may need to bump flavors up a bit to get a more distinctive flavor profile, but this also varies depending on the meal you are creating in your Instant Pot.

I have been collecting all kinds of Instant Pot Recipes here. Let me know in the comments your favorite Insatnt Pot recipe. I am looking for new recipes to try myself.

Useful Instant Pot Accessories

Additionally, you may to purchase some extra sealing rings and use one for sweet food and another for savoury food. This prevents the odors from transferring among your favorite foods.

If you cook a few thing in a row, you might also want an extra inner pot. Having a secondary inner pot makes it most convenient in preparing multiple types of food with your Instant Pot.

If you plan to use your instant pot as a slow cooker, you may also want a glass lid for your instant pot so you can check on the food while it is cooking.

Create Instant Pot Meals freezer packets of recipes for easy preparation

For those that want to take meal planning with their Instant Pot a step further, you can take your recipes and create freezer packets so you have several meals ready to drop into the Instant Pot at any time. Freezer meals are a common idea in meal planning, and they work great with the Instant Pot. The only consideration would be the amount of liquid included, so you may need to adjust slightly for the right flavor and combination for your Instant Pot. Creating recipes and freezing them raw to be thawed and thrown into your Instant Pot when you get home after a busy day, takes even more time out of your evening meal preparation.

Clean your Instant Pot right away

One big issue with regularly making Instant Pot meals is that you can’t just grab a second one to cook tomorrow night’s meal in if you haven’t done dishes. They are a bit too expensive for most to have more than one in their house. That said, you should always remove the food right away and soak to clean immediately. This will keep food from sticking or drying on, and give you the chance to easily rinse off and use the next night. This is, one of the most important thing for me to do after I use my Instant Pot. If I don’t clean it right away, and it isn’t ready for the next meal, I am much more likely to go off budget and grab take-out on the way home.

Meal planning with Instant Pot recipes is one of the latest and greatest ideas for meal planning. Not only does it make a huge difference in the time you spend in the kitchen, it can easily help you stay within your grocery budget.

More Meal Planning Tips Here.

Meal Planning for Picky Eaters

How Make a Meal Planning Pantry

How To Use a Crock Pot for Meal Planning

Once a Month Meal Planning

Make Your Favorite Recipes Into Freezer Meals

Meal Planning Tips – Food For Picky Eaters

January 18, 2017 By Melissa Leave a Comment
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Every family seems to have at least one picky eater that makes meal planning hard to manage. This doesn’t have to be the case. There are so many great ways to get around a picky eater and manage to have a wonderful menu that everyone will enjoy. Here are some great tips to manage picky eaters when meal planning. Thes meal planning tips with food for picky eaters will save both your budget and your sanity.

Meal Planning Tips – Food For Picky Eaters

The battle of meal time with picky eaters is one moms and dads have been facing for centuries. Whether it is a dislike for vegetables or someone who doesn’t like anything on their plate touching, we have all faced at least one picky eater as parents. It doesn’t have to be a constant struggle a meal time. Especially not with meal planning in advance. Yes, you will have to occasionally make exceptions, but when you plan ahead, it makes things much easier to manage. Our tips will help make meal planning with picky eaters much simpler to manage.

Don’t try a lot of new recipes at once

We often get sucked into the idea of meal planning, and buy or download a ton of ideas from a website. There are many excellent menu plans out there that give you all of the details and grocery lists in one location, but not all work for your family and their preferences. One key thing to remember above all when meal planning is to slowly add new things. Start with one new recipe a month, and eventually increase to one per week if you find your family adapts well. This helps you prevent a lot of unhappy kids or adults at the dinner table, and prevents waste. If you are interested in trying a meal planning service, emeals is a great option. They have a free trial of their kid friendly meal plan so you can see whether your picky eater likes the recipes.

Have everyone contribute to the recipe list

Getting the family involved in your meal planning is a key method of making sure you have fewer complaints and more empty plates. Sit down with your family on meal planning day and ask for their requests. Consider everything they suggest, and try to accommodate at least one meal per week from that list. It may seem repetitive, but at times that is better than frustration and wasted food.

Once you start putting new things on the menu, have your family make notes about whether they want to see it on the menu again. If the majority don’t like it, it won’t go back on the menu. If everyone likes it, then you can easily add it into your meal planning routine.

Keep options on hand that anyone can make as an alternative

No, you don’t want to cave to their whims by giving them the same thing every night, but on the nights you know they may not enjoy the meal option, have something on hand in your pantry they can make for themselves. An occasional peanut butter and jelly sandwich or bowl of soup is okay. One option that works great in our house is to have ready made freezer breakfast burritos that include eggs, turkey sausage,salsa, and a bit of cheese in a whole wheat tortilla. Kids can pop one into the microwave and heat up on the nights we have things like fish or vegetarian meals they don’t care for as much.

Make double portions of favorite recipes

While you may not want to have the same thing every single night, you can plan ahead for the nights when you know your picky eaters aren’t going to like the item added to the menu plan. Add a recipe they do enjoy the night before, and plan for a larger batch that will give them the option of leftovers. Things like soups, pasta dishes, tacos, and even hamburgers or sandwiches are great choices that most picky eaters enjoy and you can easily have enough on hand for that second meal if you want to add something out of the ordinary to your menu. Simply planning ahead like this can solve a problem and help your picky eaters feel like you are listening and care about their discomfort with certain foods. A great resource for batch cooking is the Prep Ahead Meals From Scratch cookbook. This cookbook has so many great ideas for how you can get homemade meals on the table in less time!

Substitute for items picky eaters don’t like

Talk to your picky eaters about substitutions that are similar but still pleasing. Things like adding vegetables to their pizza, or having one sandwich night each week where they can have peanut butter and jelly, but have to include a fruit or vegetable on the side. You can avoid arguments over having a salad for dinner if they will eat carrot sticks, cucumbers, or even cherry tomatoes. I will often make a chicken skillet meal where I pull out my daughter’s piece of chicken before I make the sauce. So easy and it does not require making a separate meal.

Yes, you don’t want to have a dozen different meals to make each night, but you can have some basic things on hand that are substitutes for items they don’t like. For those who don’t like the vegetable choice, you can keep one on hand that they do like and can fix for themselves.

Be understanding of real sensory issues

Sometimes, picky eaters are more than just picky or going through a stage. There are many children and adults that have true sensory issues. There are more that simply do not like flavors or textures. As a parent, we need to teach our children respect for others, and that includes the person cooking their meals. However, we need to be understanding and listen to their issues with foods. Forcing someone to eat something they have legitimate issues with is not okay. There is a big difference between a child just preferring pizza every night, and a child who has a sensory disorder that cannot handle the textures of raw vegetables, or even a food allergy that causes discomfort. Be aware and work around those issues as you are able.
Meal planning around the needs of picky eaters isn’t as tough as you would imagine. It really just involves a bit of extra planning and a lot of communication. Learning what your picky eaters prefer is the key to making meal planning a success.

Looking for more meal planning resources? We have got them! Check them out here.

How to Use a Crock Pot for Meal Planning

The Ultimate Meal Planning Pantry

Once a Month Meal Planning

How To Turn Your Favorite Recipes into Freezer Meal Recipes

Grinch Cookie Pops Made With Oreos

December 22, 2016 By Melissa Leave a Comment
This post may contain affiliate links that help support this site at no additional cost to you. Please read my disclosure page for more info.

If you are looking for a fun an easy Christmas treat, these Grinch Cookie Pops are sure to be a hit. They are so easy to make with Oreos, melting candy and red starbursts. I love that they are a bit subtle but anyone who is fan of the grinch will recognize the grinch green and tiny red heart.

And what happened, then? Well, in Whoville they say – that the Grinch’s small heart grew three sizes that day. And then – the true meaning of Christmas came through, and the Grinch found the strength of ten Grinches, plus two!

Grinch Cookie Pops Ingredients

Mint Oreos – You should be able to find these at your grocery store but can also substitute classic Oreos if needed

12oz Wilton light green melting candy

Red Starbursts – can just buy a multipack and pull out the red ones. You need about 10.

White sugar sprinkles

Lollipop sticks

mini heart cutter

How to Make Oreo Cookie Pops

Directions-
1. Lay out a piece of parchment paper and place your light green candy melts into a microwave safe bowl
2. Heat your candy melts on 50% power for 3-4 minutes, stirring every 30 seconds until melted

3. Dip the end of your lollipop sticks into the melted light green chocolate, open an Oreo, place your stick inside, and sandwich the Oreo back together

4. Freeze your Oreos pops for a couple minutes so the chocolate hardens on the stick, then dip them into your melted chocolate making sure each side is covered, letting the excess chocolate drip off and place onto your parchment paper

5. Open about 10 Starbursts and roll them together between two pieces of parchment paper

6. Use your heart shaped cookie cutter to cut out small hearts and place them onto each green pop
7. Sprinkle with your white sugar and enjoy

Looking for more Grinch Themed recipes?
Check out these cute Grinch Fruit kebobs

Grinch Cookie Pops Printable Recipe

Print Recipe

Grinch Cookie Pops

These fun & easy Grinch cookie pops will by the hit of any holiday party.

Ingredients

Mint Oreos
12 oz Wilton light green melting candy
Red Starbursts
White sugar sprinkles
Lollipop sticks

Instructions

Lay out a piece of parchment paper and place your light green candy melts into a microwave safe bowl
Heat your candy melts on 50% power for 3-4 minutes, stirring every 30 seconds until melted
Dip the end of your lollipop sticks into the melted light green chocolate, open an Oreo, place your stick inside, and sandwich the Oreo back together
Freeze your Oreos pops for a couple minutes so the chocolate hardens on the stick, then dip them into your melted chocolate making sure each side is covered, letting the excess chocolate drip off and place onto your parchment paper
Open about 10 Starbursts and roll them together between two pieces of parchment paper
Use your heart shaped cookie cutter to cut out small hearts and place them onto each green pop
Sprinkle with your white sugar and enjoy

Easy Slow Cooker Garlic Mashed Potatoes Recipe

October 24, 2016 By Melissa 4 Comments
This post may contain affiliate links that help support this site at no additional cost to you. Please read my disclosure page for more info.

Mashed potatoes are a yummy addition to any meal but they can take some time to prepare. That is why I love this easy slow cooker mashed potatoes recipe.

This recipe requires just a few simple ingredients. The full printable recipe and ingredients are below.

Combine the potatoes, broth, milk, and roasted garlic in the crock pot. Stir to mix.

Using a potato masher, begin mashing the potatoes. (Or if you prefer, use a hand mixer to make the potatoes smoother.)
Serve while still hot.

Print Recipe

Easy Slow Cooker Garlic Mashed Potatoes Recipe

Author: Melissa

Ingredients

1 TBSP roasted garlic
1 tsp olive oil
pinch salt & pepper
4 large potatoes peeled and chopped
1 C chicken broth
1 C whole milk
2 oz cream cheese room temp
1/4 C unsalted butter room temp

Instructions

Spray the crock pot with nonstick spray.
Combine the potatoes, broth, milk, and roasted garlic in the crock pot. Stir to mix.
Cook on high for 3-4 hours. Check on the potatoes after two hours to see if they are easy to pierce with a fork .
Add the cream cheese, butter, and pinch of salt & pepper.
Stir well to blend all of the ingredients.
Using a potato masher, begin mashing the potatoes. (Or if you prefer, use a hand mixer to make the potatoes smoother.)
Serve while still hot.

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How To Turn Your Favorite Recipes into Freezer Meal Recipes

October 10, 2016 By Melissa 2 Comments
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Are you considering freezer meals as a great way to save time and money in the kitchen? If so, you may be wondering if you are stuck with using only specified freezer meals. The truth is, almost any recipe can be turned into a freezer meal with the right tips. [Read more…]

Quick & Easy Red Pepper Chicken Recipe

September 26, 2016 By Melissa 3 Comments
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I am always on the look out for quick and easy recipes that help me get dinner on the table fast. This easy red pepper chicken recipe does just that. You can make it very simply by seasoning the chicken and cooking it in a pan. This recipe is great for picky eaters too because you can control the amount of seasoning on each chicken piece. My kids prefer a bit less seasoning on their chicken and with recipes like this that is simple. If you want to take this recipe to the next level, you can also make a sauce with a bit of cream cheese, heavy cream and bacon and top everything with it. It isn’t as healthy but it sure is yummy! You really can’t go wrong with heavy cream and bacon. Mmmmm.

See the full printable recipe below.

Looking for other quick and easy chicken recipes? Check these out.

Easy Kung Pao Chicken

Easy Crock Pot Chicken Tostados Recipe

Easy Slow Cooker Chicken Soft Tacos Recipe

Lemon Dump Chicken Recipe

Quick & Easy Red Pepper Recipe

Print Recipe

Quick & Easy Red Pepper Chicken Recipe

Prep Time3 mins

Cook Time16 mins

Total Time19 mins

Servings: 4 -6

Author: Melissa

Ingredients

2 Pounds chicken breasts
1 Red pepper sliced
3 Garlic cloves minced
¼ Cup green onions sliced
½ Tsp chili pepper chopped
1 Tsp onion powder
½ Tsp ginger powder
Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

In a bowl, season the chicken with the salt, pepper, chili pepper, onion powder and ginger powder.
Transfer to a skillet or pan over medium heat and cook each side for 8 minutes.
Add the red pepper and cook for additional 4-5 minutes.
Serve, side with rice and corn.
Enjoy.
Tips: You can also make a sauce with a bit of cream cheese, heavy cream and bacon and top everything with it.

Simple & Fresh Homemade Easy Beef Bowl Recipe

September 16, 2016 By Melissa 1 Comment
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Simple ingredients can make the best meals and this easy beef bowl recipe proves just that. This recipe requires a bit of chopping and just 5 minutes of cooking. You can easily get this tasty dinner on the table in less than 15 minutes! If you are strapped for time at night, you can chop everything earlier in the day or even on the weekend. This recipe makes 3 to 4 servings. Depending on your taste you can either leave the cabbage and red pepper raw or cook them with the beef. I personally prefer them cooked with the beef.

If you like easy Asian inspired dinners, you should also check out this recipe.

Easy Kung Pao Chicken Recipe

Print Recipe

Homemade Easy Beef Bowl Recipe

Prep Time10 mins

Cook Time5 mins

Total Time15 mins

Servings: 3 -4

Author: Melissa

Ingredients

2 Pounds beef
4 Tbsps olive oil
2 Tbsps organic soy sauce
Salt and pepper to taste
1 Red bell pepper sliced
1 Cup grated red cabbage
1 Cup cooked rice noodles
1 Tbsp black sesame seeds
1 Tbsp chopped chives

Instructions

Cook the noodle following the packaging instructions and set aside
Heat the oil in a skillet over medium-high heat.
Place the beef, stir with soy sauce, salt, and pepper.
Cook for 5 minutes or until desired doneness.
Place the meat, noodles, cabbage, and red pepper in a bowl.
Sprinkle everything with black sesame seeds and chives.
Serve and enjoy.
Cook the cabbage and red pepper together with the beef if desired

Easy Spicy Pico de Gallo Guacamole Recipe

September 7, 2016 By Melissa Leave a Comment
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I love any type of guacamole but this Spicy Pico de Gallo Guacamole really sets the bar high. It is very easy to make and is made of fresh flavorful ingredients. Plus anything with bacon has to be good right?!? This recipe requires just some simple chopping and mixing which even the most basic cook can handle. However, since it is made with fresh ingredients the flavors are amazing and your friends might even think you slaved in the kitchen. This recipe can be made ahead of time and keep it in the fridge for up to 2 days.

You may enjoy some of our other Mexican Inspired Recipes. If you are having a party, many of these recipes would be a great addition.

Fresh Healthy Salsa Recipe

Crock Pot Tostada Recipe

Chicken Soft Tacos Recipe

Fish Tacos Recipe

Mini Taco Bowl Recipe

Spicy Pico de Gallo Guacamole Recipe

Print Recipe

Spicy Pico de Gallo Guacamole Recipe

Prep Time10 mins

Total Time10 mins

Servings: 2 -4

Author: Melissa

Ingredients

2 Avocados
1 Tomato sliced into small cubes
5 Bacon strips
½ Red onion finely chopped
2 Garlic cloves minced
½ Jalapeño pepper chopped
¼ Cup parsley leaves
½ Cup corn
2 Tbsp lime juice
2 Tsps hot sauce
Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Chop the bacon strips and transfer to a saucepan over medium-low heat.
Cook until crispy and set aside.
Slice the avocados and place in a medium bowl.
Mash the avocados.
Add the tomatoes, onion, garlic, jalapeño pepper, corn, bacon, salt, and pepper.
Mix the ingredients until they are well combined.
Season with the lime juice and hot sauce.
Garnish with the parsley leaves.
Serve and enjoy.
Tips
Make it ahead of time and keep it in the fridge for up to 2 days.

Simple Nutella Milkshake Recipe

August 4, 2016 By Melissa 4 Comments
This post may contain affiliate links that help support this site at no additional cost to you. Please read my disclosure page for more info.

Looking for a fun and easy treat for you and your kids? Then you will want to check out this simple nutella milkshake recipe. So easy but looks very special when you add the nutella on the rim and the sprinkles. I promise I won’t tell anyone how easy it is to make this yummy and super cute treat! [Read more…]

Easy Peach Lemonade Recipe

July 18, 2016 By Melissa 4 Comments
This post may contain affiliate links that help support this site at no additional cost to you. Please read my disclosure page for more info.

Looking for an easy refreshing summer drink made with just a few simple ingredients? This easy peach lemonade recipe is just what you need. The lemonade is made with lemon juice, a fresh peach, and agave nectar. If you want to add a refreshing twist to this recipe you could also add fresh mint.

This recipe is great for every day or even a party. You can feel good serving it to your friends and family because it has no artificial ingredients.

I love these cute paper straws to dress up drinks. Everything just seems more fun with a cute paper straw.

Fresh Easy Peach Lemonade Recipe

(scroll down to bottom of page for printable recipe)

Ingredients

2 Cups lemon juice

1 Peach

Agave nectar to taste

Ice

Directions

Slice and pit the peach.

Place the peach slices, lemon juice, and agave nectar in a blender.

Blend well.

Serve over ice, garnish with lemon slices and enjoy.

Looking for more great tasty and easy recipes? Check these out!

Homemade Coconut Ice Cream Recipe

Strawberry Nutella Recipe

Simple Nutella Milkshake Recipe

Strawberry mango smoothie recipe

Key Lime Pie in a Jar Recipe

Click here to see more great recipes!!

Print Recipe

Easy Peach Lemonade Recipe

Author: Melissa

Ingredients

2 Cups lemon juice
1 Peach
Agave nectar to taste
Ice
Mint if desired

Instructions

Slice and pit the peach.
Place the peach slices, lemon juice, and agave nectar in a blender.
Blend well.
Serve over ice, garnish with lemon slices and enjoy.
Add fresh mint if desired

Homemade Coconut Ice Cream Recipe

July 11, 2016 By Melissa 4 Comments
This post may contain affiliate links that help support this site at no additional cost to you. Please read my disclosure page for more info.

Nothing says summer like homemade ice cream. This homemade coconut ice cream recipe is made with just a few simple ingredients. The ice cream at the store tends to full of ingredients that I can’t pronounce which I am trying to avoid. You can feel good about eating this homemade ice cream and feeding it to your family.

We used this Zoku personal ice cream maker to make the ice cream. It is nice because there is no electricity required and you use on any countertop; just pour in your chilled ice cream mixture, churn and scrape the stainless steel bowl, and watch as the ice cream freezes before your eyes. This is a single serve ice cream maker too so for those of us worried about eating too much ice cream in one sitting.

[Read more…]

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