Keeping it short and simple this week—I’ve been feeling a bit off the last few days, so I may come back to update this post later.
This week is both eventful and uneventful at the same time. Friday is, of course, Valentine’s Day! Tim also has the day off, which means he’ll be around to help with dinner. I decided on something a little more hands-on: mini meatloaves. It’s a great way for him to learn a basic meatloaf recipe—and let’s be honest, mixing the meat with your hands is half the fun. We’ll see how he does with it. That was always my favorite part as a kid!
I didn’t get around to making the spinach pesto last week, so we’re having it tonight. And since the weather wasn’t great for ribs yesterday, we pushed those to Wednesday when James is home to help. Love when we can shop our pantry before heading to the store!
Lately, we’ve been on a mission to save some money. With three kids and prices skyrocketing, it’s way too easy to spend more than we should on convenience foods. I’m sure a lot of you can relate. I can just picture it now:
It’s Tuesday afternoon. The kids are home from school, already bickering. You’re staring into the fridge, trying to think through the chaos in your mind to figure out what’s for dinner. There’s barely any protein, a few leftovers, and a sad bag of baby carrots. With a dramatic sigh, you throw your hands up in the air and tell everyone to get in the car—it’s time for the drive-thru!
We’ve all been there, right? No plan, a crazy schedule, and the temptation to grab some fast food. Whether you’re heading to an overpriced restaurant or just swinging through a fast-food joint, it’s easy to default to convenience. But let’s be honest—those options aren’t doing your body or your budget any favors. Now, don’t get me wrong, eating out can be great when it’s part of the plan or when you just need a break. But doing it regularly? Not so much.
So, what’s the secret to breaking the cycle? Menu planning! When we first started planning our meals, it felt super intimidating. But over time, we’ve figured out some tips and tricks that have made a world of difference.
If you’ve got any questions or want to share your own tips, drop them in the comments! We’d love to hear from you.
What does your week entail?
Do you have a kiddo with a ballet lesson every Thursday that leaves you scrambling for dinner? Is there a big event coming up and you need to bring a side dish? Maybe you have extra time on Sunday to prep ingredients or pack lunches? Whatever your week has in store, taking a moment to look ahead can help you plan your meals more efficiently.
Keep Breakfast and Lunch simple
Choose two or three things you enjoy for breakfast and lunch, and stock up on those items. Are you a fan of oatmeal? Make sure it’s on your list! You can even buy it in bulk to save a little extra cash. Keeping things simple and having options without overcomplicating it can streamline your day and free up time for what really matters.
Shop the House first
Before making your shopping list, take a quick inventory of your freezer, fridge, and pantry. You’d be surprised at how many ingredients you’ve purchased and forgotten about. A few weeks ago, I planned to make a salad with quinoa, but the day got away from me, and I ended up going with something simpler. This week, I’m going to use that quinoa—and save a few bucks in the process! You can also spot things that are going to go bad soon and use them up before they expire.
Shop Seasonal
We all want to eat more fruits and veggies, right? Not only are they better for us, but they also add a fun variety to the menu. Plus, shopping for what’s in season can save you money while providing higher quality. If you’re craving something that’s out of season, check out the frozen section or canned goods aisle for a more affordable alternative.
Not sure what’s in season? You can find the USDA’s official list here to help you out!
Shop the Sales!
Take advantage of apps and store ads to compare prices across different stores. You can easily see where you can find the best deals, and it might even spark some new recipe ideas! Sure, you may need to make a couple of extra stops, but those savings will make you feel pretty accomplished. Plus, it’s fun to hunt for a good deal!
Need a little more inspiration? We’ll be posting our weekly menu here to give you ideas for your own home soon. Subscribe so you don’t miss out!
So, long time no post. Our previous post was back around when the world got really crazy. Covid time… Unfortunately, time and life really got away from us. But now we’re ready to get back to you with recipes galore!
A little family update! Timmy is 8 now, and we’ve added two more crazies to the brood! Susie is 4, and Theo was born earlier this year! Our hands and home are definitely full, and we couldn’t be happier about it!
On a more serious note, we have faced many challenges the last few years. James’ father passed away December 2022. Roy was a huge influence in James’ love for cooking. He learned everything he knows from his dad, and it has been a huge loss for him. We wanted to share a small tribute to him because without Roy we wouldn’t be here writing to you.
Other challenges we’ve faced are bouts of illness and injury. Between a long time back injury and a car crash, there have been more days of pain for James than not. But after a long time spent working on healing his body (including a back surgery), he is feeling better than he has in a long time. This has lead to an increased interest in old hobbies, including updating our loving blog family!
For now we’re in the planning and preparing stage. We hope to add lots of new content very soon! Including (but not limited to) new recipes, updates on old recipes, new reviews, life stories, and many more! We can’t wait to return to your inbox and your life as a new and improved site you can turn to when you need wholesome recipes you can trust.
I know, you are all probably sick of hearing about it! You can’t look at your phone without seeing updates about the Corona virus.
We just wanted to let you all know we are all thinking of all of you. We hope you and your families are safe and well.
For the time being, due to an excess of stress and a lack of variety in the grocery department, we will not be posting as regularly as we used to. We hope to get back up and on schedule soon!
For now, please keep safe and think of those around you! Be sure to:
Wash your hands regularly!
Cough into your elbow!
Don’t touch your face!
Avoid large gatherings and stay at least 6 feet away from anyone in public
Stay home if you can!
Stay safe, stay healthy, and pray this passes by soon!
Disclosure: Some links in this post may be affiliate links, meaning that at no additional cost to you I will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase.
At our house the party never stops, and Monday we shared our recipe for my wife’s Cherry Chocolate cake she picked. Today I’ll be sharing my pick – Blueberry Lemon!
Join 11 other subscribers
Lemon and any kind of berry is my favorite flavor combination! Light yet sooooo sweet! This one comes with a tangy glaze that goes over it hot, sinking into the cake and making it extra moist!
Lemon Blueberry Mini Bundt Cakes
Cake, Comfort Foods, Dessert, Fruit, Meals for a Crowd, Party, Uncategorized
Ingredients
For the Cake
8 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
1/4 cup nonfat plain Greek yogurt
1 3/4 cups granulated sugar
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
6 medium eggs
3 cups all purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup of well shaken low fat buttermilk, room temperature
Zest of 2 lemons
2 cups frozen blueberries, partially thawed
For the glaze
1/2-3/4 cup confectioners sugar
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/2 tablespoon low fat buttermilk
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
In a large bowl, use an electric mixer to cream together the butter and Greek yogurt until just smooth, about 20 seconds. Add in the granulated sugar and beat for 1 minute to combine. Scrape down the bowl and then add the salt. Beat until fluffy and lighter in color, about a minute. Add in the eggs one at a time, beating until combined and scraping down the bowl between each egg.
In another bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and baking soda. Add 1/3 of the flour mixture to the egg mixture, beating mixture until the flour just disappears. Add half of the buttermilk, beating on low to incorporate. Add another 1/3 of the flour mixture, beating to combine as before, then add the second half of the buttermilk, mixing on low to incorporate, then the last 1/3 of the flour mixture. Mix until just incorporated and the batter doesn’t have any large lumps.
Zest the lemons over the bowl and mix until the zest is fully incorporated. Gently fold in the blueberries.
Grease 12 mini bundt pans with butter or oil just before filling. Pour batter into pans until just half full and level the pans with a spatula.
Bake for 10-20 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Immediately run a clean butter knife around the edges of the pans to loosen the sides, then place upside down on a cooling rack. If the cake immediately comes out of the pan, remove the pan. If not, remove from pan after cake has been cooling for about 5 minutes. If it still sticks after 5 minutes, cool for a final five minutes, then give the pans a gentle shake to release the cake. Allow to cool completely on the cooling rack.
Once the cakes are almost cooled, prepare the glaze by whisking together 1/2 cup of confectioners sugar, lemon juice, and buttermilk. Add the remaining confectioners sugar in a tablespoon at a time, whisking in between, until it reaches your desired thickness. Drizzle glaze over the cooled cakes.
Notes
This recipe can also be used to make one 12inch bundt cake – baking time will vary.
Disclosure: Some links in this post may be affiliate links, meaning that at no additional cost to you I will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase.
Join 11 other subscribers
Hey all! This week’s post doesn’t contain any pictures. We ate this stew so fast we didn’t get a chance to snag a pic!
Seriously, it is so good! We LOVE oysters in this house, but living where we do we don’t get them very often. Here they cost an arm and a leg and are canned. Though there’s nothing wrong with canned, you can’t beat fresh oysters.
We stock up on fresh seafood when we visit family in Oregon and freeze most of it for use during the next year. These oysters were the last of the ones from our last trip (yay for another trip in a few weeks!), and boy was it worth it to use them!
With soup season finally being here, this soup goes together fast and easy and is great paired with some fresh bread!
Creamy Oyster Stew
Comfort Foods, Dinner, Meals for a Crowd, Seafood, Soup, Splurge, Uncategorized
Ingredients
1 pint oysters in their liquid
2 1/2 tablespoons butter
1/2 sweet onion, minced
1 stalk of celery, minced
1 cup heavy cream
2 cups whole milk
1/2 tsp dried thyme
salt and pepper to taste
Garnishes (see below)
Instructions
Prepare the Oysters
Set a colander over a small bowl. Add the oysters into the colander, allowing the liquid to flow into the bowl.
Place a fine mesh sieve over another bowl and pass the liquid through it, filtering out sand, grit, and small pieces of broken shell from the liquid. Discard solids and set liquid aside for later.
Make the stew
In a stock pot, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the minced onion and celery, stirring, for 2-3 minutes or until the vegetables are softened and translucent.
Turn the heat down to medium low. Add the oyster liquid, milk, cream, and thyme. Heat slowly, stirring occasionally, until the broth just reaches a simmer. Do not boil! Taste the broth and adjust the seasoning, adding salt and pepper to taste.
Add the oysters to the broth and simmer for 2-3 minutes. The oysters are done once the edges start to curl.
Serve hot with desired garnishes.
Notes
We didn’t garnish ours, but some garnishes we would suggest would be celery leaves, Old Bay seasoning, a dash of hot sauce, and/or slivers of butter.
6.4.2
Do you love oysters as much as we do?! Let us know in the comments if you want more oyster recipes!
Disclosure: Some links in this post may be affiliate links, meaning that at no additional cost to you I will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase.
We’ve been grilling up a storm this summer! I made these ribs most recently to enter an online contest…fingers crossed! Even if I don’t win, though, my wife says these are the best ribs I’ve made yet – maybe even the best she’s ever had!
She took some to work and they stayed tender even after microwaving, and the flavor is so savory with just the right amount of heat. This is definitely one we’ll be making for years to come!
You’ll need to find a great hickory barbecue sauce. We typically use Kraft. Its usually one of the cheaper options, but the flavor is great! Below is a link for a variety pack of their most popular flavors. We love love love their Hickory and Mesquite!
Hickory Barbecue Ribs
Barbecue, Comfort Foods, Dinner, Meals for a Crowd, Meat, Summer, Uncategorized
If frozen before, make sure ribs are completely thawed. Place rack of ribs onto baking sheet.
In a small bowl, combine spices. Rub half of spice mixture onto one side of ribs. Flip, and rub remaining spices onto other side.
Place meat on preheated grill. Cook on first side for 25 minutes. Flip the ribs and coat upside with barbecue sauce. Grill for an additional 20 minutes and flip again, coating new side with sauce. Flip and coat again after another 10 minutes, and then again after 5 minutes, removing from grill after the fourth coat of sauce. (Total grill time – 1 hour. 4 coats of barbecue sauce)
Allow ribs to rest for at least 5 minutes. Slice and serve.
6.4.2
New rib recipes coming soon, not to mention the juicy grilled corn you can see with our ribs above! Don’t forget to Subscribe so you don’t miss a thing!
What is your favorite barbecue recipe to make during the summer? Comment below!
Disclosure: Some links in this post may be affiliate links, meaning that at no additional cost to you I will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase.
Need something to spice up your next chicken recipe? I personally have a hard time finding things that are spicy enough. My wife will be red in the face and crying while I shrug and say, “Eh…Its good. I just wish it was spicier…”
This sauce, though, brought it all for me. Full of sweet flavor and plenty of heat, I loved smothering our fried chicken strips in this sauce, but its great as a dipping sauce as well!
You’ll need to grab some habanero hot sauce, and we found the one we bought locally on Amazon! Its yummy on its own, and is a must have to add any sort of heat to your favorite sauces! Yellow Bird has a lot of other flavors I would love to try as well!
Mango Habanero Sauce
Sauce, Spicy, Uncategorized
Ingredients
2 cups mango nectar
Habanero hot sauce (to taste)
1 TBS corn syrup
1/4 cup cayenne pepper sauce
1/3 cup melted butter
Instructions
Combine mango nectar, corn syrup, and Habanero hot sauce to taste in a medium sauce pan. Heat through over medium heat, stirring occasionally.
Once ingredients are well combined and heated through, add cayenne pepper sauce and melted butter.
Cook through until combined again. Reduce heat and cook, stirring occasionally, until desired thickness.
6.4.2
Try this on fried chicken (or air fried chicken if you’re looking for a healthier twist) . Need something not so hot? Try our Zesty Asian sauce!
Disclosure: Some links in this post may be affiliate links, meaning that at no additional cost to you I will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase.
I can never have enough Italian food! Its by far my favorite food “genre”. Bright acidic tomatoes paired with cheese and pasta – you can’t go wrong!
These ravioli are the perfect classic. Baked to perfection and smothered in red sauce, you and your family will not be able to resist! Don’t plan on there being any leftovers…
Put the flour into a mixing bowl. Make a well in the center of the flour.
Crack eggs into the flour, pop yolks and mix flour into the eggs in the well using a fork. Then thoroughly combine mixture until you have formed a dough. If it sticky, add small amounts of flour until the desired consistency. If dry and cracking, add small amounts of water until the desired consistency.
Roll pasta out using a rolling pin to about 1/8” in thickness and to larger than 5×10”. Trim pasta into a 5×10” rectangle.
Slice the rectangle into two sections – 2×10” and 3×10”.
Take the 3×10” piece and roll it out longer, making it 3×12”.
Make the Filling –
In a medium skillet, cook ground sausage. Remove from heat and cool.
In a large mixing bowl, combine mozzarella and ricotta cheese.
Making the ravioli –
Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Lightly coat baking sheet with olive oil and set aside.
Using the 2×10” rectangle of pasta and starting 1” from the edges, begin adding 1TBS of cheese mixture about every 2”. Place some sausage on each mound of cheese.
Make an egg wash (1TBS of water per egg, beat together) and brush it between each mound of cheese and sausage and along the edges of the pasta sheet.
Carefully lift the 3×12” sheet of pasta and place over other pasta, cheese, and sausage. Press down between each mound, making sure to seal.
Using a knife or ravioli cutter, cut in between each mound to create 2” pieces. To finish sealing pieces, use a fork or other crimping tool to push down along the edges of each piece.
Place pieces onto baking sheet. Lightly brush the top of the pieces with olive oil.
Bake for 6-8 minutes until golden brown.
Making the sauce –
In a medium sauce pan, combine the tomato sauce, onion powder, garlic powder, and Italian seasoning.
Bring to a light boil. Allow to cool, spread over baked ravioli.
6.4.2
Don’t feel like cutting your own ravioli? We found this nifty ravioli stamp set that we’ve added to our wish list for Christmas!
A little about myself – I am a father, a bread winner, a strong member of my faith, and an avid video game enthusiast.
And I. Love. To. COOK!
I have been cooking for as long as I can remember. My dad started me out on toast and dish duty. We had what we needed as I grew up, but never a whole lot. It didn’t help that I was a student athlete and could eat a pound of pasta on my own outside of what the rest of the family ate. So I learned early on how to make delicious and wholesome food on a tight budget.
I’ve been married now for a little over 6 years. My sweet wife and I have an adorable toddler named Tim. We’ve been blessed with the least picky eater in the world. He always tries stuff at least once, and is always begging to eat my spicy chips or new veggies.There is very little he won’t eat – which is good because he is a little garbage disposal! He is always eating. We know we are lucky to have such an easy going kid, and we are hoping against hope all of our children eat like him
I’m sure you are wondering what lead me to blogging. Cooking has always been a passion of mine. My favorite times are when I get to plan a menu for an event and go over the top to feed our guests. I’ve always received compliments at work when I bring enough to share. Another passion of mine is helping others. I know from lots of personal experience how to eat on a budget and I want to share that knowledge with others.
So I am writing a blog for people like me and my family. People who have little to work with but don’t want to eat bland boring food night after night. People who like to know where their food comes from and be able to pronounce all of the ingredients. People who like making things the old fashioned way.
I promise to only show you recipes I know and love. I promise to keep my posts short and my food delicious. Be prepared for more than just recipes, as I will be posting cooking techniques I’ve learned, products I love, and other helpful kitchen tips and hacks I come across.
Something that makes us unique is how this blog will come about. Though I love to cook new and interesting food, I am not so great with expressing my thoughts and feelings. That is where my wife Lexi comes in. She is quite the word smith, and is such a blessing to me. So though the words behind what you read will be my own, she will be ghost writing everything for me. She is so amazing, sweet, beautiful, helpful, wonderful, hard working and all around perfect. { 😉 } Without her this blog would not be what it is today.
So welcome! I hope we can bring you some joy in your kitchen and your day with the simple offering I bring. Be sure to SUBSCRIBE to our mailing list so you can keep up do date with our newest recipes and tips!
