Style, Recipes, Travel, Crafts & Household Tips
Using your Crockpot or slow cooker for meal planning is a great way to save time and money. Slow cooking foods is ideal for summer months when turning an oven on means heating up an already hot house. It also saves a ton of time for those busy moms who are juggling full-time work, kids, and various activities. Our tips for helping you on how to use your crockpot for meal planning are going to be revolutionary for your menu and budget. [Read more…]
Making asian food at home always has me a bit intimidated. However, this easy Kung Pao chicken recipe is so simple that is perfect for the home cook and is sure to become a family favorite. You need just a few simple ingredients that you cook and mix together for a tasty meal. This recipe is wonderful when you serve with a side of rice. You can also add some sriracha sauce to spice things up.
If you don’t want to steam the vegetables, you can instead add the vegetables to the chicken while it’s getting cooked. The full printable recipe is below. This recipe is great to use up the chicken I purchase in bulk from Zaycon Foods.
This recipe requires juts a few ingredients.
½ Pound boneless chicken
1 Tbsp tamari sauce
1 Tbsp rice vinegar
1 Tbsp sesame oil
¼ Cup chopped carrots, steamed
¼ Cup chopped green beans, steamed
¼ Cup peas, steamed
¼ Cup corn, steamed
Sesame seeds to taste
First cut the chicken in cubes and take to a pan over medium heat. Next cook the chicken for 1 minute. Add the tamari sauce, rice vinegar, and sesame oil, and continue cooking until the chicken is golden brown and set aside. In a bowl mix the carrots, green beans, peas and corn. If you don’t want to steam the vegetables, you can instead add the vegetables to the chicken while it’s getting cooked. Add the cooked chicken and mix it. Top with sesame seeds, serve and enjoy. YUM!
Pancake muffins are a great breakfast that appear and taste special but are so simple to make. So easy, in fact, that older kids could make these on their own and younger kids can easily help. I am in love with all the fresh berries this time of year and this recipe is wonderful with fresh strawberries. The mixture of chocolate and strawberries is hard to resist. It is so yummy! This recipe is great to have with a side of fresh fruit or even a savory breakfast with eggs. These would be great as part of a breakfast buffet.
Pancake muffins would be a great addition to any brunch or shower as well. Since they are small and easy to serve they would work well for any breakfast or brunch party. These muffins though are so simple to make that you don’t need a special occasion. You can make them anytime. The full printable recipe is below.
Looking for more great tasty and easy recipes? Check these out!
Make Ahead Freezer Friendly Egg and Sausage Muffin Recipe
Strawberry Nutella Smoothie Recipe
Simple Nutella Milkshake Recipe
Strawberry Mango Smoothie recipe
Looking for a fun and yummy coffee cupcake recipe? Then check out these Starbucks Caramel Frappuccino Cupcakes. They are easy to make with a boxed cake mix and Starbucks Via Coffee. Plus we have included a FREE Starbucks cupcake wrapper printable to really make your cupcakes special.
1 box White or Yellow Cake mix
3 Egg Whites
1/3 cup Vegetable Oil
1 1/4 cup Water
2 Starbucks Via Ready Brew Coffee, Caramel Flavored
1/2 cup Torani Caramel Sauce
4 cup Powdered Sugar
1 cup Butter
2 tbsp Milk
Love recipes? Check out all our other recipes including Copycat Starbucks Caramel Frappuccino Recipe.
Looking for more great tasty and easy recipes? Check these out!
Strawberry Jello Pudding Pops Recipe
Simple Nutella Milkshake Recipe
Strawberry mango smoothie recipe
Salted Caramel Rice Crispy Treat
Love Starbucks Caramel Frappuccino but not the price? Then check out this copycat Starbucks Caramel Homemade Frappuccino Recipe. Easy to make and less than half the price! This recipe requires just two simple steps. It is so easy that you will wonder why you have not been making Homemade Frappuccinos in the past. Be sure to pin this recipe for later! You can do so by clicking the pin it button above. [Read more…]
Are you looking for fun patriotic snacks for Fourth of July or Memorial Day? Then you will want to make these cute American Flag pretzels. They are adorable and easy to make with just 5 ingredients and a microwave. This recipe makes about 14 pretzels and takes about 30 minutes. The full printable recipe is below.
Ingredients-
2 Cups white candy melts
1 Cup blue candy melts
1 Cup red candy melts
Star sprinkles (sort out the white ones)
Pretzels rods
You will also need-
Parchment paper
3 microwave safe bowls
Ziplock style bag
3 mixing spoons
Directions-
1. In three separate microwave safe bowl’s, microwave your candy melts on 50% power for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring every 30 seconds until Melted
2. Lay a piece of parchment paper down on the table
3. Dip your pretzel rod into your white chocolate to cover almost all the way (leave a spot to hold the pretzel) and place onto you parchment paper to harden
4. Once hardened, dip the end of your white pretzel rod into your blue chocolate and placed back on your parchment paper
5. Sprinkle on your star sprinkles while the blue chocolate is still soft
6. Pour your melted red chocolate into a plastic Ziploc bag and cut a very small tip off the corner
7. Drizzle your melted red chocolate over the white part of your pretzel and let harden. This doesn’t have to be perfect you can see in the pictures that we just went back and forth a few times and they look great.
The last step is to enjoy your patriotic snacks with friends and family. These are so simple to make that older kids can even help but they look like you were slaving in the kitchen.
If you are looking for more ideas for a Fourth of July party, be sure to check out this red,white and blue dessert or these cute red, white and blue jello stars.
Looking for more great tasty and easy recipes? Check these out!
Strawberry Jello Pudding Pops Recipe
Simple Nutella Milkshake Recipe
Strawberry mango smoothie recipe
Salted Caramel Rice Crispy Treat
I am a huge fan of puppy chow recipes or Muddy Buddies as some people call them. This Cake Batter Puppy Chow Recipe is perfect for a party. You can serve it in a large bowl, small individual size party bowls (perfect for kids) or you could even bag it up and hand it out as favors for a birthday party. Not only is this recipe super yummy it is also is so festive and fun. This puppy chow recipe is also very easy to make. You need just a few ingredients that you will microwave, mix in a bowl and then shake in a Ziploc bag. [Read more…]
I am always on the look out for easy and tasty crockpot recipes. This easy crock pot chicken tostadas recipe fits the bill. It is so simple to make and requires just a few ingredients. This is great on busy days because when you get back from running the kids around to practice and other after school activities dinner is almost ready for you. I headed to Dollar General and was able to purchase most of the ingredients and they were a great price too! Each spice jar was just $1. You can purchase the ingredients at any store though that is convenient.
This easy strawberry Nutella recipe makes a yummy treat for kids or adults. It requires just three simple ingredients. All these ingredients are easy to have on hand so you can whip this up easily for an after school snack or a delicious treat. My kids love Nutella and adding it to a smoothie is so fun. I love that these are so simple to make as well. This recipe is for just one smoothie but you can easily multiply the ingredients if you want to make more. [Read more…]
Looking for an easy Easter treat or dessert for spring? Then check out this Sprinkles Gooey Easy Cake Bar Recipe. Not only are these super cute, they are super tasty too! These are so easy that kids can help you make them. These are also so good I can’t promise how long they will last at your house.
Looking for a fun spring or summer dessert? Then consider this yummy easy key lime pie in a jar recipe. This recipe is so easy to make but looks very special. Your friends will be so impressed with this great dessert and you don’t have to tell them how easy it was to make. There is just something about an individual dessert in a jar that takes it to the next level.
If you can’t be in Florida having Key Lime Pie then this is the next best thing. This would work great for dinner parties or even a wedding or baby shower. This would also be a simple and cute dessert for Easter.
Each individual pie is made in 4 oz Jelly Canning Jar. These are available for purchase on Amazon.
Love easy treats and sweet recipes? Here are a few more of our favorites.
Sprinkles Gooey Cake Bar Recipe
Salted Caramel Rice Crispy Treat
This post was sponsored by Starbucks as part of an Influencer Activation for Influence Central. I received compensation and complimentary products to facilitate my review.
In winter, the girls and I love to warm up with a cup of hot cocoa. Now making yummy hot cocoa is easier than ever with Starbucks Hot Cocoa K-Cups. We saw these at our local Kroger store and had bought a box before we even were sent some to try. We loved them so much that the box was quickly used up.
The Starbucks Hot Cocoa K-Cups come in two flavors Classic and Salted Caramel and both are made with real cocoa and non-fat milk for rich, creamy, chocolaty taste. The Salted Caramel Hot Cocoa K-Cup® pods also have a dash of natural caramel flavor. These taste so indulgent and I love that they are just 90 calories. They taste great on their own but to take it up a notch you can add whipped cream, marshmallows and or other yummy toppings.
You can find these k-cups at your local grocery store or Target. I will say that I had a bit of trouble finding the Salted Carmel ones but found them at my local Meijer. I bought a few boxes since they seem to go quickly at my home. I love that is such a simple and easy indulgence. You just pop a Starbucks Hot Cocoa K-Cup in your Keurig and in just a minute you have a treat!
You can also find some hot cocoa recipes using the Starbucks Hot Cocoa K-Cups and how to set up a hot cocoa bar on their Pinterest account.
We love the Starbucks® Cozy Collection we received and the exciting thing is you can enter to WIN a Cozy Collection of your own!
This collection includes:
Here is a great easy slow cooker barbecue ribs recipe. This crock pot baby back ribs recipe is so simple to prepare and requires just 4 ingredients but your guests and family will love it! I use my favorite crockpot with a timer when I cook mine. [Read more…]
Baked coconut chicken nuggets are a quick healthy recipe that your whole family will love. It is so easy that the kids can help you make them too. My girls are much more likely to eat something when they help make it. This recipe is great for an easy dinner or lunch or you can use as an appetizer at your next party. Works well with a variety of dipping sauces.
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Looking for a bite size fun appetizer or party snack recipe? Then check out this Mini Taco Bowl recipe. Not only are they tasty they are super cute too. Plus they are easy to make. These would be great for a Super Bowl party! [Read more…]
If you are looking for an easy slider recipe you have come to the right place! These mini Barbecue Beef Sliders have a base of a biscuit and are cover with bbq ground beef and memphis slaw. They are so easy to make and serve at any party and would be perfect for a superbowl party. They are hearty and can be used as a mini meal. The cole slaw can either be used as a topping for the beef sliders or as a side dish. Be sure to scroll down for the full printable recipe which is below. [Read more…]
If you are looking to get more vegetables in your diet, you will want to check out this easy oven roasted veggies recipe. It couldn’t be more simple but it helps make veggies taste great. There is just something about oven roasting the elevates the taste of the veggies. It takes very little prep time to make these vegetables and only about 20 minutes to roast them. I used cruciferous vegetables including broccoli and cauliflower. Cruciferous vegetables are rich in nutrients, including several carotenoids, beta-carotene, lutein, zeaxanthin); vitamins C, E, and K; folate; and minerals. They also are a good fiber source. The full printable recipe is below. [Read more…]
With school and activities, life moves pretty fast around here. In the new year, I am trying to make it a point to get a chance to slow down and connect with my girls more often. Dunkin’ Donuts asked us to try out their new Fudge Croissant Donuts and we were happy to do so and have some bonding time.
This outrageously delicious donut is sure to be a favorite with chocolate lovers, combining the brand’s famous glazed croissant donut with a decadent fudge filling, topped with chocolate and white icing drizzle. The Fudge Croissant Donut was introduced December 28, and is available for a limited time at participating Dunkin’ Donuts restaurants nationwide. We loved eating these and chatting about our week. I love hearing the details about school and activities while we fulfilled our chocolate cravings.
The first Croissant Donut at Dunkin’ Donuts was introduced in 2014 as a limited-time only menu item, and became one of the most popular limited-time bakery items in recent brand history. Due to popular demand, in 2015 Dunkin’ Donuts decided to make the Croissant Donut a permanent menu item at participating Dunkin’ Donuts restaurants nationwide.
I love that Dunkin’ Donuts offers breakfast all day and is a great destination for on-the-go people who want a quick bite or a meal any time of day. Breakfast is not just for breakfast any more. There are lots of great menu options that provide delicious choices people can enjoy anywhere, at any time of day.
If you download and pay with their app, you can get perks and points! It is also very convenient to pay with it because all they have to do is scan. You don’t have to have another gift card in your wallet because you can just pull it up on your phone. When I signed up for their rewards program, a coupon for a free drink was in my app. Not sure how often the offer changes but I used mine to get a yummy cappuccino! If you are looking for a fun treat, try out the new Dunkin’ Donuts Fudge Croissant Donut today.
Disclosure: This post was sponsored by Dunkin’ Donuts through a partnership with Blog Meets Brand.
You will love this overnight oatmeal recipe with steel cut oats and it’s just so easy, healthy and comforting. We make this at least a few times a month at our house. It’s perfect for those busy weekday mornings or lazy weekend mornings. This recipe calls for just a few ingredients and then you can top it with lots of fun and yummy toppings. The best part is that you don’t need a crockpot to make this! [Read more…]
I am a sucker for coffee drinks but buying them at the coffee shop can get expensive quick. You can get the same taste with our peppermint mocha recipe that you can make at home for much much less. You can make it just as fancy with whipped cream and crushed peppermints too! It really is very simple to make and you can make just one or multiply the recipe to make peppermint mochas for a crowd.
In a saucepan, whisk cocoa, sugar, milk and peppermint extract together over medium heat. Be sure to whisk briskly until hot and you have worked up a froth. Brew your favorite coffee. (If you are making just one, I like to just make a K-Cup. I like to use these expresso style K-cups) Pour cocoa mixture into your coffee and top with whip cream if desired and garnish with candy canes. YUM!
The full printable recipe is below.
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Looking for a great easy DIY Gift In a Jar? How about Peppermint Hot Chocolate Mix in a Jar. This easy and yummy DIY gift is perfect for friends, teachers coaches and more. It is so easy to make and we even included some free printable labels to decorate your jar. [Read more…]
Making your own applesauce can be simple with this easy crockpot applesauce recipe. This recipe calls for just 5 easy ingredients that can be mixed and cooked in your crockpot or slow cooker. You will love that this applesauce has no preservatives or artificial ingredients. No only does this applesauce taste great it will fill your home with a yummy apple cinnamon scent. Be sure to see the full printable recipe and instructions below.
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I am always on the lookout for quick and easy healthy meals for my family. This easy slow cooker chicken soft taco recipe is in the regular rotation. I love that it includes just a few healthy ingredients and the prep time is minimal. We often eat these on days when we are very busy after school with dance and soccer practice. It is great to come home to a meal you can get on the table in just a few minutes. With some planning, you can feed your family healthy meals even when you are busy. Planning meals can help you save time and money too. This meal is very affordable and costs less than getting fast food for your family.
I love to find healthier options for my family and was excited to learn about the new Azteca No Artificial Preservative flour tortillas who sponsored this post and are providing an awesome giveaway. Be sure to enter at the end of this post.
Azteca No Artificial Preservative flour tortillas are made with no high fructose corn syrup, artificial colors or flavors. I love that! I found them at my local Kroger store in the refrigerated aisle. My store has a small refrigerated section right in the main aisle near the other Mexican food items. This keeps the tortillas super fresh! Not only are these flour tortillas better for you, they also taste delicious. My kids ate them for dinner and even had leftovers another night. That is a win in my book.
The No Artificial Preservative flour tortillas are part of Azteca’s better-for-you options, which includes tortillas with added Calcium and Vitamin D, a tortilla option made with Ultragrain® Whole Wheat Flour, Organic, Whole Wheat, Low Carb and more.
This recipe has just a few easy ingredients. You can prep the chicken before you head out for work for the day or in the afternoon if that works better for you. If you are going to be gone all day, it is best to have a slow cooker that has a timer and then when it is done cooking it will just keep the meat warm. That ensures your meat won’t get overcooked. I have this crockpot and really like it.
We have a great giveaway to go along with this recipe. Enter below to win this great prize pack.
This giveaway is open to US residents and ends on October 12, at midnight EST.
With back to school, I am all about using my slow cooker. To make thing even easier, I came up with an easy Lemon Dump Chicken recipe that you can prep and freeze. Once you are ready to cook, all you do it dump the whole freezer bag into the slow cooker. Seriously you can’t have dinner made easier than that! The lemon chicken recipe also includes vegetables so you can just add some rolls or rice and you have a complete meal.
If you are looking for a stock up price on chicken, be sure to check out this amazing no hormones chicken deal. I buy it myself and love it.
Here is a picture of the easy ingredients. Be sure to wash all the vegetables and let them dry.
Enjoy this easy and healthy meal and busy nights. Let your slow cooker do the work for you and can prep everything and freeze when you have some free time.
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An attendee at one of my classes mentioned what a great deal this is. I have also ordered myself and love it. There is still time to put in your order. It is a great way to get hormone free meat at a stockpile price! Locations will sell out so if you are interested be sure to put in your order soon.
In How to Save 50% off on your groceries in under an Hour a Week, I talk about how important it is to pick up meat at low prices and stockpile. That way you are not at the mercy of grocery stores cycles. Here is an amazing deal from Zaycon food. You can get boneless, skinless chicken breast for just $1.89/lb. This is a stock-up price!
What makes this deal even better is that this chicken is 100% natural with no added hormones, additives or artificial ingredients. I am buying this again because the quality is exceptional and this is a stock up price for even lesser quality meat.
It does come in bulk but you can then freeze it in meal size portions.
Forty pounds seem like a lot of meat and it is but after prepping and freezing in my family’s portion sizes. I could fit all 40 pounds on just two shelves in my side by side freezer. I loved that I was stocked for quite a few months and I didn’t have to worry about finding the best deal on chicken at the grocery store.
The pick up dates vary by location but they are available across the whole country!
How do you get in on this great deal:
Zaycon Foods has sales in most of the country. Just check out the Zaycon foods website to find out if and when they’re coming to your area. Plus once you sign up over at Zaycon, they will email you once a sale is coming to your area so you don’t miss out. There are locations all across the United States. Does 40 pounds of chicken seem like to much for you? You can always split with a friend but really it doesn’t take up all the much space once you package it in meal sized portions. I was suprised by how little room it took up. We do not have an extra freezer and I was able to fit all 40 pounds in just two baskets in my side by side freezer!
Want to learn more about this chicken? Check out this video
Looking for a fun grilling meal that the family will love? Then try out this Teriyaki Chicken Kabobs Recipe. It is easy to make and so tasty too. These are great for a party. You can pre-make the kabobs and then throw them on the grill when your guests arrive.
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Looking for a fun cupcake recipe that isn’t too hard? Check out this super cute Alligator Cupcakes Recipe.These would be perfect for a birthday party. If you are a Florida fan, you could make these into Gator cupcakes for football season. Just change out the frosting for orange with some blue cupcake liners or vice versa and you will be the hit of the tailgate party!
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Here is a fun Minion snack mix recipe. This would be great for a Minion themed birthday party or a minion viewing party. It is simple to make and tasty too! We purchased the sixlets and candy eyes at Hobby Lobby but any place that sells cake decorating supplies will have them . A 1 lb bag of yellow sixlets and Wilton candy eyes are also available at Amazon.
Here area few in process pictures of how to prepare the Minion snack mix recipe. The full recipe and directions are below. It is so easy to prepare with just a few steps but looks so fun and fancy!
Here are the Minion Snack Recipe ingredients.
Serve and enjoy! It looks like you have been slaving in the kitchen to make this fancy treat. We won’t tell how easy it was to make.
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Here is an awesome banana bread recipe that takes it to the next level with added raspberries! This recipe is made with fresh fruit and whole wheat flour. It is a fun way to get some fresh fruit in your diet while still getting a treat! It is very easy to make and looks like your were slaving in the kitchen. Here are a few in process pictures but be sure to print the full recipe below for all the directions and the raspberry banana bread recipe.
Combine the eggs, milk, butter, mashed bananas, sugar and vanilla mixing well.
Add in 3/4 cup of the fresh raspberries. Reserve a few to add on top of the mini loaves prior to baking.
Evenly pour the batter into each of the loaf pans. Add a few of the extra raspberries on top.
Allow the bread to cool before removing from the pans and enjoy your tasty treat! I am sure you will love this Raspberry Banana Bread recipe.
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Looking for a yummy treat? Then you will want to check out this Easy Salted Caramel Rice Krispie Recipe. This is so easy to make but looks and tastes amazing. How can you go wrong with rice krispies, caramel and chocolate. Plus there is no baking required! I promise I won’t tell anyone how easy it is to make! [Read more…]
