Growing up, this was a staple in our home. It is easy to throw together and does not require a lot of expensive ingredients. Our home was on a budget and now with a larger family, we budget our food spending, too! This easy American Chop Suey dish costs under $25 and can give you …
Olivia Whalen
We recently celebrated our youngest daughter’s 2nd birthday! Hard to believe that my last baby is already in toddler hood. Time goes by so quickly with little ones. Store bought cupcakes are SO sweet and have dye packed frostings. She won’t eat them! Our girl prefers from scratch baking from her mamas kitchen and for …
This is one of those meals people will talk about for ages after they get a chance to grab a plate. My honey BBQ mac and cheese is something I make to fill us up and keep our guests happy! It is also a comfort dish for my family! This mac and cheese with a …
Taco night at our house is one of the most fun and enjoyable dinners that I do! We don’t go basic though! We do a family taco night without the store bought box kit. Now, my kids do not want anything else! Kits are not the healthiest option and when you have a large family …
This easy, crispy and delicious air fryer veggie tempura is a great spin on your average dinner side. You can even turn this INTO dinner by adding in another heartier option like shrimp! It is a bit of a production line to get these vegetables prepared but once you get into the swing it goes …
I’ve got the perfect recipe for dinner tonight! Homemade hot pockets are a family favorite. Not only do the kids love them but they are also the perfect thing to make and freeze to have a snack, a future quick dinner or even a batch ready to go for lunch boxes for the upcoming week. …
This past weekend I made a couple trays worth of these Philly cheesesteak egg rolls and honestly I am counting down the day until I can make them again. They came out over the top tasty! They are really easy too. It takes a tiny bit of prep and you are good to go. You …
This filling ham & noodle casserole is such a comfort dish and is a wonderful way to use up leftover ham! This would be the perfect casserole to make with Easter dinner leftovers. You can even freeze this casserole for an easy pop in dinner on a night when you are busy out in the …
These frozen banana yogurt bites are GOOD, good. I’m not joking here. They are addictively good. The best part about it? They aren’t bad for you! I mean it when I say good. Delicious enough that I would go for these in the freezer over ice cream. Yes, you actually read that right. What is …
My family loves a good pasta meal. Truthfully we cook at least one a week. They are so easy and hearty and with a gaggle of growing girls it gets the job done. Pro tip: It makes them sleep like a rock! And well, same for me too. So this sausage alfredo pasta not only …
Are you looking to switch up your average dinner? Maybe make something out of the ordinary and also FUN! This delicious sheet pan shrimp boil tastes like it is straight out of southern restaurant but you can make it without much, or any, culinary training. With a couple main ingredients and then a bundle of …
Busy season is upon us, well…almost. The prep for busy season has begun in my home however. That is why I am focusing on make ahead breakfasts. So I whipped up a big batch of egg muffins to have in the freezer. I thought what better way to ease the burdens of cooking then have …
My crockpot party kielbasa is one of the easiest things I put together for a crowd. The ingredients are incredibly simple and prep takes less than 3 minutes. Plus, it is a throw in and go kind of recipe which when you are planning a gathering…is a must! There are so many other things to …
The weather has been frigid here in Vermont and I have been doing everything to keep our family feeling warm. One of the first things that came to mind to make happen was whipping up a batch of my hearty homemade corn chowder. It is the definition of warmth itself. It also leaves you feeling …
This easy crockpot pulled pork recipe is a must have for your back pocket! It is a crowd pleaser and you can make a large batch to feed the masses pretty easily. I pull this one out when we have a lot of meat eaters joining us, when we need a “thank you” for a …
A week of kitchen & coop on the homestead is where our focus was! I spent the week with my hands pressed in flour this week. It was a wonderful slower week with downtime. My tiniest tot is starting to talk a bunch. She just hit a year and a half and we have been doing …
This delicious avocado & goat cheese salad is a lunch I dream about making. It has so many flavors that work so well together and every bite is a touch different. I, myself, love a good salad with complex flavors throughout. Your typical garden salad does the trick but add in some berries, nuts or …
This homemade pancake recipe is one that we use on Sunday mornings for a big family breakfast. However, if this one doesn’t suit your taste buds, I have some recipes that are totally noteworthy for other fluffy flapjacks. Sunday mornings are a time for togetherness for us. We like to start the day off a …
This homemade orange zest cranberry sauce is a crowd pleaser…even for the folks that claim to dislike cranberry sauce. It is so incredibly different than your canned cran that people either love or hate. My family doesn’t enjoy the canned version although I don’t mind it! It brings back many childhood memories as there wasn’t …
I say this with sadness because I LOVE peanut butter. Like….gravitate towards it 100% of the time. So what did I go and do? Fall hopelessly in love with a man who is deathly allergic. With lots of trial and error and patience I have come to find a couple of recipes that are still …
Coming into cold season I do all that I can to prep my families immune systems for the inevitable wave of sicknesses that come with temps dropping and school germs. One of my favorite ways is by incorporating and putting an emphasis on foods that naturally support our health overall like this vibrant and delicious …
Slow Cooker Stout Chili is the very first recipe I gravitate towards once the temps start to drop and the leaves start to turn. It is one of those dishes that warms your body and your soul. I love to cook in my slow cooker this time of the year. It is easy and convenient …
Homemade canned cucumber pepper relish gives those on my homestead the option of a fresh taste of summer all year long. We love a good condiment here and this little jar of heaven perks up any simple meal. It is so good you can honestly eat it up by the spoonful! I love it on …
This crockpot southern green beans and stewed tomatoes recipe is the perfect way to jazz up dinner! For us, it’s a holiday favorite but this dish sits nicely with any belly filling plate. This dish is something we always have accompany Thanksgiving and even Easter dinner. It goes so well with a turkey or ham. …
Our goal this year for the garden was to try and use as much as we possibly could during harvest for our families consumption and use! Trying to think outside of the box and use, freeze, process and can as much of the plants and herbs that we could! Harvesting and roasting fresh sunflower seeds …
This past week I made some fresh roasted tomato and herb sauce that you may can or freeze! This recipe is easy and absolutely delicious and only calls for a couple of minor adjustments if you plan to can it! I chose to freeze this first batch so that we have a quick pull out …
One dish that speaks directly to my nostalgic heart and brings me right back to feeling the warmth of my grandmother’s presence is her famous clam dip. It sat proudly on any family gathering table and helped keep our rumbling bellies satisfied as we inhaled the scent of the roast in the oven cooking slowly. …
Getting the kids, the house and yourselves back into the routine of school can be challenging at the end of the summer. Early mornings, bus schedules, after school programs, homework….all of it. One of the last things you want to do is have to think about FOOD on top of all of that. Let us …
Beets are one of my absolute favorite things to grow in the garden. The colors are magnificent and I love a freshly roasted beet salad. Canning pickled beets is a close runner up for me. I love anything pickled but beets have such a beautiful and earthy taste to them. You can sweeten or spice …
This 4 ingredient creamy chicken Caesar pasta salad is a delicious change up from your normal summer cold pasta dish. It doesn’t require a lot of ingredients, prep or time to make and it’s pretty light and refreshing considering! Pasta salad is a great side summer dish but this one includes protein so it can …