This cranberry jello salad mold is a make ahead side dish with raspberry jello, pineapple tidbits, whole berry cranberry sauce, celery, and chopped pecans. It takes about 15 minutes to mix, then it chills for at least 24 hours until it is ready to slice. I made this one in my vintage Tupperware Jello mold,…
This crockpot chicken pot pie is an easy slow cooker version of the classic, made with chicken breasts, frozen mixed vegetables, and creamy soup. It cooks on low for 6 hours, then you shred the chicken and spoon it over warm Grands biscuits. The Story Behind This Crockpot Chicken Pot Pie My husband and I…
Crockpot cranberry meatballs are an easy holiday appetizer made with frozen meatballs, whole cranberry sauce, chili sauce, brown sugar, and Worcestershire sauce. You stir the sauce together in your slow cooker, add the meatballs, and cook them on low for 4 hours. A quick and easy holiday appetizer. From Grape Jelly to Cranberry Meatballs in…
These 16 Christmas breakfast ideas make Christmas morning easier, with make-ahead casseroles, muffins, quick breads, scones, pancakes, donuts, and a coffee cake. Many of them can be made ahead, so you can enjoy the morning with your family instead of standing at the stove. Every recipe here comes from my own kitchen. Birthday Cake for…
This easy crockpot pepper steak takes about 10 minutes to prep, and the beef goes in raw with no browning. Tender sirloin strips, thick mushrooms, and colorful bell peppers simmer in a savory soy sauce gravy that is made for spooning over rice. My Father’s Pepper Steak TV Dinner I have always loved pepper steak…
If you are looking for a cozy fall dinner, this creamy slow cooker white chicken chili is the one. It cooks for 4 hours on low with cannellini beans, sweet corn, and mild green chiles. A block of cream cheese stirred in at the end makes it smooth, rich, and full of protein. Why You’ll…
This homemade baked mac and cheese recipe starts with a buttery roux, a creamy sharp cheddar sauce, and a thick, crunchy panko topping. It bakes at 350 degrees for 30 to 35 minutes, and you can make the sauce ahead and freeze it. If you are looking for a baked mac and cheese recipe that…
These easy cranberry orange muffins start with a boxed muffin mix, then get an oat streusel topping and a light orange glaze. A few simple box muffin mix hacks, like milk instead of water, make them soft and moist. They bake in 18 to 22 minutes and make 12 muffins. Every morning, Jim and I…
Ghost hot dogs are the cutest Halloween hot dogs you can make, and you only need two ingredients, fully cooked hot dogs and a can of refrigerated crescent roll dough. You drape a little square of dough over each hot dog half, poke two eyes and a round mouth with a straw, and bake them…
Pumpkin chia seed pudding with Greek yogurt is the closest thing to pumpkin pie for breakfast. It tastes like the filling from a slice of pie, and it has no added sugar. It is a delicious pudding and tastes like dessert for breakfast. You stir everything together in one bowl and let the fridge do…
This easy crockpot chili is the recipe my family asks for the minute the air turns cool. Ground beef, kidney beans, bell peppers, and our garden tomatoes all simmer together while you go about your day. You brown the beef, dump everything in the slow cooker, and walk away. Start it at lunchtime, and dinner…
Ninja Creami Pumpkin Protein Ice Cream is exactly what I want during pumpkin season. It tastes just as cozy as a pumpkin spice latte or a big bowl of regular ice cream, but without all the sugar and calories those treats carry. I love fall flavors as much as anyone. But between the coffee shop…
This apple crisp recipe is everything I love about fall in one dish, warm cinnamon apples under a golden, buttery crumble that turns crisp on top and soft underneath. It is the smell that fills my kitchen the whole season, and the recipe that reminds me why fall is my favorite time of year. Every…
You are both working, taking care of the kids, and trying to keep the grocery bill under control. Every week, figuring out what to make for dinner can be a challenge. Everyone likes chicken, so you need chicken recipes that use simple ingredients, don’t cost a fortune, and give your family something they’ll actually want…
Orange fluff jello salad is the recipe I think of every time our church has a potluck. It is a delicious, sweet, fluffy, creamy retro Jell-O salad. The dish is full of flavors from the mandarin oranges and the Cool Whip. While it is called a salad, it’s more like a dessert. It is a…
Zucchini cornbread casserole is the newest recipe to come out of our garden. Two weeks into zucchini season, and we already have more than we can keep up with. This casserole is full of fresh vegetables and is a full meal. If you love zucchini in the summer, you will love this on a warm…
Ninja Creami crumbly ice cream is one of the most common problems I hear about, and I promise you it is an easy fix. After your first pint and its first spin, instead of creamy ice cream, you find dry, powdery crumbs that look like snow. Do not panic or get frustrated, as the solution…
I have made mashed potatoes so gluey they could pass for wallpaper paste, and it took me years of hosting Thanksgiving to fix it. When those hosting duties first landed on me, I ruined more batches than I want to admit, until I found the one tool that fixed it for good. This creamy mashed…
Hosting Thanksgiving goes just fine right up until it does not. The gravy goes lumpy. The rolls will not rise. You open the oven, poke the turkey, and realize it is nowhere close to done. Most thanksgiving hosting ideas out there are about planning ahead. This one is about the moment something goes wrong. I…
Every year around Thanksgiving, I hear the same thing from young moms. The kids want to help, and there is no room in the kitchen for anyone to help. I have been there. You are watching the turkey, the rolls are rising, and three little people are standing at your elbow asking what they can…