Just hearing the words “sloppy joe” from my mother used to send us kids into a tizzy. There was something wonderfully fun about getting to eat a burger/sandwich that was messy by design.
I first posted this recipe years ago, after making it for my visiting young nephew. Sloppy joes really are a quintessential kid food, aren’t they?
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Chocolate cupcakes were one of the first recipes I became obsessed with perfecting.
To me, the ideal chocolate cupcake is moist with a deep chocolate flavor. The recipe also should produce exactly one dozen cupcakes in a standard muffin tin, no more and no less.
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Soup is soul food, satisfying and warming on a cold day or night. Sometimes, though, you make a pot of soup that’s good and fine, but maybe you wish it were a little bit… better. Maybe you want to take this soup to the next level, and give it something extra to improve the taste, texture, or complexity of flavor.
Here are a few tips to take you beyond the recipe and make all your soups sing.
http://ift.tt/2nqiFXnStockpiling is one way I save a bundle of money each year. And it’s not something I do once and forget about, it’s something I do each month all month long.
When you know when items will be at their rock bottom prices each month you can stock up and really save a bundle.
Stocking up when you don’t have to pay full price, can really keep your spending down. Here’s what’s sure to be on sale in February.
Electronics and Smartphones
February is a great time to find deals on electronics. Things like televisions, cameras, and GPS systems. Smartphones are usually on sale this time of year too.
You should be able to find a great deal if you missed the deals in November and December.
Winter Coats
As people start to think about spring the winter items start to go on sale. If you need a new winter coat for yourself or for your kids it’s a great time to get a high-end coat for a lot less.
If you are purchasing for your kids be sure to buy up a size or two. Don’t forget to look for hats, scarves, and gloves. This is also a great time to purchase those smaller winter wear items for stocking stuffers for next Christmas.
Bedding and Towels
This is a great time to replace those old worn out towels. There’s sure to be a great President’s Day sale and you should be able to find some great buys then. I like to grab a set of sheets for all of our beds and a few new towels so I can rotate out the ones that are looking a little worn.
Don’t throw those old towels away. Cut them up for rags that can be used over and over instead of paper towels and save even more.
Furniture and Home Decor
February is a good time to find good deals on furniture and home decor. As new styles come out the current stock needs to be sold, making for some great buys.
If you are looking to replace furniture pieces this month would be a good time to shop.
Valentine’s Day Gifts
You won’t find great deals until after the 14th but after the 14th, you can find some great deals on Valentine’s Day gift items like jewelry, perfume, and other gift items.
Don’t forget to look for chocolates too. You can score some high-end chocolate on the cheap after the 14th.
Tax Software
Yes, the tax season deadline is still a while away but you can get a great deal on tax software this month. Get your taxes done early and save too.
Baby Items
Be on the lookout for baby sales. Now would be a good time to purchase baby items if you have baby showers coming up later in the year.
Supplements
After the new year, new you fitness craze has died down from last month, this month is a great time to save on health-related items, like supplements.
Be on the lookout for markdown and scoop up the savings. Plus since most supplements last a while you can stock up and save without having to worry about them going bad.
Canned Foods
Did you know that February is canned food month? It is and it’s a great time to find great buys on canned goods. The great thing about canned goods is you can stock up and you don’t have to worry about them going bad.
Be on the lookout for sale of items you use often and when you see a great price grab up enough to last you a while and save.
Hot Breakfast Items
Since it’s also Hot Breakfast month watch for sales on oatmeal, Malt-o-Meal and you might even find deals on frozen pancakes and waffles too. Although making those at home yourself, is usually a better deal. I make my own pancakes and waffles for the freezer.
If you find regular plain rolled oats on sale you can make these oatmeal packets yourself.
Snacks
There will be deals on snacks for football game parties. Even if you won’t be having a party, you should be able to snatch up saving on party type foods like, chips, dips, frozen pizzas, and pop.
Produce on Sale in February
This month there should be good deals on citrus fruit like, oranges, grapefruit, tangerines, and lemon. Other items to look for at good prices are potatoes, onions, sweet potatoes, bananas, cabbage, lettuce, avocados, broccoli, and winter squash.
What’s something you are looking to shop for in February?
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http://ift.tt/2FrbANNWhile Stations of the Cross is an excellent reflection for any time of year, Lent is an especially appropriate time to meditate and pray on the Lord’s journey toward His death. This brings me to something I have been working on, which started as a small idea and got much larger than I anticipated. I’m
The post Printable Stations of the Cross for Children (Booklet and Reflections) appeared first on Real Life at Home.
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I’m a card-carrying member of the Delicata Squash Club. When I see mounds of delicata squash at the market, I make a beeline.
This squash takes so well to roasting — the sweet flesh hardly needs any adornment because it has so much flavor. The skin is also edible, so there’s no need to peel. After roasting, you can cut right through the skin with a fork!
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Barley is one of those grains that your grandmother probably always had in her pantry. And like many other treasures tucked away on those shelves, barley is chic now and a star ingredient on many trendy restaurant menus.
With this modernized recipe, we’re adding barley to a pot of vegetarian soup along with both dried and fresh mushrooms, and seasoning it with a surprising combination of soy sauce and balsamic vinegar.
The bowls of soup have a satisfying saltiness and an alluring sweetness—it’s an entirely new take on traditional mushroom barley soup.
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Being stationed in Germany for six years gave me a deep appreciation for two things: beer and bratwurst (sausages) of all kinds.
This Brats and Beer Cheese Dip was born out of my love for this German fare and for hosting Super Bowl parties. Honestly, I have no clue about how football is played—I just love any reason to have a party.
http://ift.tt/2DMFZtEAre you ready for the last few days of January? It’s time to get prepared for the week with a new meal plan. If you need a few ideas scroll on down and see what’s cooking at our house this week.
Can you believe it’s already the end of January. It’s hard to believe that February is right around the corner. Where did January go?!
I love this time of year when you can make dinner in the oven every night, if you want to. I love to pop dinner into the oven and let it cook while I get other things done.
This week I’ll be baking the Pizza cups, World’s Best Chicken, Cheesy Ham and Potatoes Dish, the Easy Hamburger Dish and the Sausage sheet pan dinner will all be baked in the oven.
But if you don’t have time to bake the World’s Best Chicken, Cheesy Ham and Potato dish as well as the easy hamburger dish can be made in the crock pot. Making those dinner fix and forget until dinner time if you have a busy day ahead.
The pan fried pork chops are a quick and easy stove top meal for a busy night. And finally we have pizza cups on the meal plan which is a favorite at our house.
What’s on your meal plan this week?
This Week’s Meal Plan…Dinners
Pizza Cups with Salad
Pan Fried Pork Chops, Mashed Potatoes, and Green Beans
Spaghetti with Homemade Sauce, Salad and Breadsticks
World’s Best Chicken (freezer meal), Mashed Potatoes and Salad
Cheesy Ham and Potato Crock Pot with Salad
Easy Hamburger Dish, Fruit and Bread
Sausage and Vegetables Sheet Pan Dinner, Fruit and Salad
Lunches
Leftovers most days
Sandwiches, Fruit and Chips
Bean Burritos with Chips and Salsa
Breakfasts
Oatmeal, Toast and Eggs
Omelets with Hash Browns and Toast
Whole Wheat Pancakes with Homemade Syrup, Eggs and Sausage
What’s on your menu plan this week?
Do you need help planning your menu? Find my menu planning tips here with a free printable menu planner page and here for my frugal menu planning tips.
This post contains affiliate links. Thanks for your support.
Find more menu plan ideas at Org Junkie too.
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Winter may be in full swing, but now is a great time to start thinking about front yard landscaping ideas! It doesn’t matter whether you’re in a warmer climate and can get started or if you just need something to get you…
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Being stationed in Germany for six years gave me a deep appreciation for two things: beer and bratwurst (sausages) of all kinds.
This Brats and Beer Cheese Dip was born out of my love for this German fare and for hosting Super Bowl parties. Honestly, I have no clue about how football is played—I just love any reason to have a party.
http://ift.tt/2njcNz7Grocery shopping should have been a breeze this week, I didn’t have much on my list. But I combined it with finding socks for my daughter.
My daughter needs to have cotton socks, white cotton socks and they are becoming harder to find. Have you noticed most socks are now at least 50% polyester, when did this happen?
I have purchased cotton socks in the past at our local Fred Meyer store but the didn’t have any.
I walked through two Fred Meyer stores on this shopping trip, to find none of the socks she likes so much. I finally gave up after I dropped my reusable bags and lost them. How that happened I’m not quite sure.
They must have slipped off my arm when I picked up socks to check the cotton content and dropped them without knowing it.
After retracing my steps I gave up when I couldn’t locate my lost shopping bags and went on to shop for our groceries.
I was glad that I didn’t have much on my list since I was a little frustrated at not being able to locate the socks and losing my reusable grocery bags too.
But I found a couple of good deals on groceries.
And if you are wondering if I finally found some cotton socks, I did. I made a separate trip to Walmart and found a wide assortment of cotton socks on sale half price. So I stocked up, yay!
Here’s what I found on this grocery haul trip… Best Deals for this Grocery HaulLettuce $.99 a head
Strawberries $3.99 for 2 pounds
Bread $.89
Smart Balance $2.99 – $.60 coupon, just $2.39
The total for this grocery haul for this week ended up coming to $31.75. I wish they had a few better deals but not all weeks have great sales that’s why stocking up is so important.
What was the best deal you got this week while out shopping? And where do you find all cotton or at least 80% cotton socks?
Love to Coupon Shop? Print your coupons before you shop….
Grab a few Printable Coupons
Find the printable Red Plum Coupons
Print the SmartSource Coupons
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Welcome to 2018! Our contributor Summer Miller is back to share her meal plans for the month of January.
January is always a reprieve from the hectic holiday season and the one month where our family is light on sports commitments. Fall soccer has ended, spring soccer has yet to begin, and the cold weather keeps us huddled together playing card games indoors.
It’s a month of renewal as I prepare for the flurry of activities that hit our home from February through July.
http://ift.tt/2GmA6B2Free Unicorn Printables Preschool Activity Packet Post Preview: This post includes a free nine page Unicorns Worksheets Printable Packet for preschoolers and kindergarteners as well as some other unicorn fun. Do you know what I think makes unicorns such a fun, mythical animal? They’re magical and believable. After all, what are they other than super cool
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http://ift.tt/2Bv18CvYou get a call from a friend coming over to visit, what will you make for a snack? How about a homemade vanilla cake? It’s easy when you have this homemade vanilla cake mix waiting in the cupboard.
Making a cake can be super simple when you have a cake mix sitting in the cupboard. But if your family is like ours, you don’t want the added preservatives that come in a boxed cake mix.
This homemade vanilla cake mix makes the most moist and tasty cake ever. Plus, you can make it dairy free and gluten-free too.
That’s why making a cake from scratch can be so great. You can include only the ingredients you want, and nothing you don’t want. It’s perfect.
But if you are like me and short on time, having a ready to make homemade vanilla cake mix sitting in your cupboard is the perfect solution.
When you take a few minutes to throw together a homemade vanilla cake mix from scratch or two and store it in your cupboard, you’ll be ready to make a cake from scratch, any time.
You can even get your kids to help. You won’t have to worry about flour all over the counter or all over the floor either.
The kids will only have to dump the cake mix, add the wet ingredients, mix and pour into the pan. Just like a cake mix from the store and fewer chances of a flour fight breaking out to make a huge mess in your kitchen. Yes!
Making this homemade vanilla cake mix takes just about a minute and only 4 ingredients, you have sitting in the cupboard right now.
Here’s how easy it is to make a white cake mix from scratch in just about a minute….
How Much will a Homemade Vanilla Cake Mix Cost to MakeWith only 4 ingredients this simple homemade cake mix is quick and easy to make and frugal too. If you need to eat dairy free or don’t like the added preservatives in boxed cake mixes and you love saving money, this cake mix is for you.
That brings the cost of this vanilla cake mix to just $.68. Not bad, for a homemade cake mix that makes a delicious moist cake. Most store bought cake mixes are at least a dollar on sale so you save money when you make them at home.
Print the White Cake Mix from Scratch Labels
If you are ready to make your own cake mixes from scratch grab the printable labels too. Print the recipe above but also grab the printable labels below.
The labels make it so easy to add the instructions for how to make the cake right to the storage container.
I store our homemade vanilla cake mix in a zipper quart sized bag. I tape the instructions to the front of the bag so I don’t have to hunt for them. Then the cake mix is ready for me to make a cake for a birthday or when company comes over.
I make two or three cake mixes at a time. I measure and mix the ingredients for the first batch of cake mix. Then I’ll make the next cake mix separately . Doing this assures each cake mix gets the right amount of sweetener and baking powder.
Get the Printable Labels….
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You’ll also be added to our email list to get regular updates on new recipes and more.
How to Make this Homemade Vanilla Cake Mix Dairy or Gluten Free
If eating dairy free is a concern for your family like mine. Or if eating gluten-free is something you need to do, you can alter the recipe to meet those needs.
To make this simple cake mix recipe dairy free….
Mix the cake mix according to the directions but when making the cake substitute the milk with soy milk, almond milk or any other dairy free milk you like. The recipe uses oil so you don’t have to worry about any butter added.
To make this cake mix gluten-free….
Instead of using regular all purpose flour, use your favorite gluten-free flour mix in the recipe instead. Then follow the directions to finish making the mix. It’s that simple.
If you love homemade moist cake from scratch. I know you’ll love the convenience of having this homemade vanilla cake mix waiting for you in the cupboard the next time you need to bake a cake. It’s so simple to make and less messy if your kids want to help make cake too.
More Recipes You’ll Want to Try…Chocolate Cake Mix From Scratch
Strawberry Filled Chocolate Cupcakes
Freezer Friendly Chocolate Chip Cookies
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Spring is in the air, which means it’s spring cleaning time! OK, so house cleaning may be the least fun part of the arrival of warmer temperatures, but it is a necessity. We have a few tips on how to efficiently clean…
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There’s a lot to love here with these sweet, sour, spicy nuggets of chicken on a skewer — barbecued when the weather cooperates, or broiled in the oven when it does not.
They’re real crowd-pleasers (watch out, Super Bowl food competitors, this one’s in the running!), but they’re so good that you’ll want to put them on the menu every week!
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Everyone needs one great muffin recipe. This is mine.
These Morning Glory muffins are like carrot cake cupcakes, though not as sweet and at least somewhat more nutritious. They’re mixed with grated carrots and apple, along with raisins, walnuts, and spices.
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I’m a card-carrying member of the Delicata Squash Club. When I see mounds of delicata squash at the market, I make a beeline.
This squash takes so well to roasting — the sweet flesh hardly needs any adornment because it has so much flavor. The skin is also edible, so there’s no need to peel. After roasting, you can cut right through the skin with a fork!
http://ift.tt/2Bow8Ee
When I was out for a friend’s birthday recently, we ordered some spinach artichoke dip for the table. The dip was warm and creamy—and a great accompaniment for the crispy tortilla chips that came with it. It was devoured within minutes.
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I lived as a vegetarian for more than a decade, and then I met my husband, who happens to be a hunter. I slowly tiptoed into the world of eating, and later, preparing meat, but it took a good while to find comfort in cooking foods so unfamiliar to me.
The first time I made a pot roast the thing was tough as leather. I was in my early 30s and, of course, I had invited people over for dinner to share this pot roast. They were gracious about this first attempt, and I went on to cook many roasts, all of which fared better than the first.
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I’m from Omaha, Nebraska, where the Reuben sandwich was born (sorry, New Yorkers), and I grew up eating this classic sandwich.
I’ve had it in the homes of my mother, grandmothers, aunts and uncles. I’ve also consumed plenty of Reubens at bars and restaurants, where they usually come with a side of onion rings.
It’s a simple lunchtime favorite, and I’ve found that it also transitions into the perfect party dip.
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If the craving for a Reuben sandwich strikes or you need a “secret sauce” for your next burger, you probably have all of the necessary ingredients around to make this quick, creamy and delicious dressing.
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This post is brought to you in partnership with Mission Foods.
It’s that time of year when our slow cookers are almost always on the kitchen counter. It’s just so easy to make dinner happen, even on the busiest weeknights.
These Slow Cooker Honey Chipotle Chicken Tacos need to be on your regular rotation this season.
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In this recipe, chicken transforms salad from a side dish into a meal by itself.
That leftover chicken in the fridge? Whether it’s poached, baked, or grilled, give it a home in this salad!
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Give me sausage, eggs, potatoes, and cheese for breakfast, and I know it’ll be a great day ahead.
This tater tot casserole combines all of these items into one delicious breakfast dish. It makes a great dish for a weekend brunch, or add it to your meal plan and eat it for breakfast throughout the week!
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This week’s meal plan is all about simple dishes that require little thought and can be easily adapted.
Life is busy, food doesn’t need to be complicated to taste delicious and feed your family.
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Everyone needs one great muffin recipe. This is mine.
These Morning Glory muffins are like carrot cake cupcakes, though not as sweet and at least somewhat more nutritious. They’re mixed with grated carrots and apple, along with raisins, walnuts, and spices.
http://ift.tt/2BlPtGeIf you are new to gardening or have moved to a new area, it’s hard to know which plants will grow best in your garden. Below I have a few resources on how to discover which plants will grow best in your garden.
There are so many seed choices out there, many places to purchase seeds and so many varieties of each kind of plant to grow. It’s hard to determine which plants will do well in your garden.
Tips to Find Which Plants will Grow Best in Your GardenYou could always go by trial and error but that’s not the best way. If you do a little research, you can discover which plants will grow best in your garden.
Know Your ZoneThe first task is to find what growing zone you are in. We are up north but our zone is zone 8b which most people would think would be for states down south. But we are only one state away from Canada and in the upper northern part of our state too. But we are also in a coastal state.
Each area is different but when you know your hardiness zone, you can pick plants that will do well in that climate.
If you need to know what growing zone you are in look at this handy chart. Put your zip code in the box below the “Find your plant hardiness zone”. Hit the find button and just below the box, your zone will appear.
While it might not seem very helpful at first, it will help you decide which plants or seeds to purchase that will grow well in your area. You don’t want to try to grow a plant that won’t tolerate the temperature fluctuations of your hardiness zone.
Use the Extension Service for Your StateMost states if not all of them have an extension service available. They have great articles on what varieties grow in your state and other helpful tips for gardening and other things.
To find your local extension site, Google, extension, and your state name. Or if you are looking for a particular crop recommendation you can Google, extension varieties for (the type of fruit or vegetable you are looking for) in (your state name). It would look like this if I would search for tomato recommendations, “extension varieties for tomatoes in Oregon”
Our local extension has information on many crops and helpful information on canning and pest control too. All this information can be helpful in deciding which plants will grow best in your garden.
Take a trip to your local garden center and look over what plants are available and which seeds they are selling. They want you to have a successful garden. They will stock seeds and plants that will do well for your area.
If you go to a big box store, you won’t find as much variety of the plants. But if you go to a local nursery, you’re bound to find a much wider selection. Our local nursery has a question station where you ask which varieties they recommend or any other gardening questions. I’ve found them to be super helpful.
Ask a Neighbor Who GardensIf you have neighbors who also gardens, ask them which varieties they like and which ones they don’t. Most gardeners have opinions on what grows best and what has flopped in their gardens. Be sure to ask other gardeners you know too.
If it does well in your neighbors garden, it will likely do well for you too. But soil conditions can vary from house to house. So while it’s not guaranteed the same varieties will thrive it’s a good place to start.
Look through the Seed Catalogs or OnlineYou can also look at seed catalogs to see different varieties of seeds available to purchase. Be sure to look at germination times and temperatures. And plant sizes if your garden space is limited or if you plan to container garden.
Some of the links below are my affiliate links. Which means if you purchase through them I can make a little money. Thanks! See my disclosure policy for more information.
A few companies to look at seeds and to request catalogs are….
Territorial Seed
Johnny Seeds
Eden Brothers
Burpee Seed
Park Seeds
It’s good to keep a garden journal each year. You can track when you plant your seeds or plants. Which ones did well and which ones didn’t. I keep a garden journal to track how my garden does from year to year.
It makes it easier to decide which seeds or plants to grow. Because even if a plant or variety does well for others in your area, it might not be right for your garden. Keeping a journal can help you track what grows best in your own garden.
If you need a journal, this garden journal is one to try. Plus since it’s a printable garden journal, it can be used over and over too.
Those are my best tips for discovering which plants will grow best in your garden. I hope you’ve found them helpful to you too.
Whether you are a new gardener or an experience one wanting to try new plants, doing a little research ahead of time can help you grow a great crop.
How do you discover which plants will grow best in your garden? I would love to have you share your tips too.
More Gardening Tips to Read…7 Spring Flowers to Grow
How to Divide Hostas
7 Spring Gardening Chores
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Happy Monday! I hope you have a great weekend. We had a busy weekend but it was a good one. If you haven’t made your meal plan for this week yet, scroll down to see what’s cooking at our house this week.
This week I’ll be stretching a roast into two dinners and maybe a lunch too. I don’t know which we like better the actual roast beef dinner or the roast beef sandwiches we make with the leftovers. They are both so good.
We have a few turkey soup kits tucked away in the freezer from Thanksgiving and I will be using one in a soup recipe this week. I love having the starts for a good meal ready to go in the freezer. It makes preparing dinner so much easier.
Stir fry is on our menu this week to use up a few veggies we have hanging out in the crisper drawer.
We’ll finish out the week with barbecued chicken from the freezer. It’s such a quick and easy meal to make for the freezer. It’s nice to have it in the freezer for an easy dinner on a busy day.
What’s cooking at your house this week?
Our Menu,Dinners
Crock Pot Beef Roast, Potatoes, Vegetables and Rolls
Beef Dip Sandwiches, Chips, and Fruit
Chili Cornbread, Salad and Fruit
Turkey Soup Kit, Butter Dips, and Fruit
Chicken Stir Fry with Rice
Grandma’s Pork Chops, Roasted Potatoes, and Green Beans
BBQ Chicken, Mashed Potatoes, and Corn
Lunches
Leftovers most days
Sandwiches, Chips, and Fruit
Grilled Sandwiches with Soup
Breakfast
Toast and Eggs
Pancakes, Sausage, and Eggs
Biscuit Sausage Sandwiches with Fruit
What’s on your menu plan for this week?
Do you need help planning your menu? Find my menu planning tips here with a free printable menu planner page and here for my frugal menu planning tips.
This post contains affiliate links. Thanks for your support.
Find more menu plan ideas at Org Junkie too.
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