Bloody Mary

Bloody Mary

Welcome to the world’s most amped up tomato juice cocktail–the Bloody Mary.

It’s the ultimate weekend brunch drink. It’s also a famous hangover cure, though the benefits are due mostly to electrolyte replenishment coming from the liquid, salt, and natural sugar in the main ingredients—tomato juice, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce. The vodka? My guess is drinking more vodka isn’t going to help anyone’s hangover much. Though who knows?

The Bloody Mary is one of my favorite drinks of all time, though usually I limit the vodka to one ounce (I’m a lightweight, don’t judge!), or leave it out all together for a Virgin Mary.

My version of this drink includes the basics that you would expect—tomato juice, lemon juice, horseradish, Worcestershire sauce, and pepper—and a few subtle twists.

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New Year Meal Plan - Frugal Family Home

New Year Meal Plan - Frugal Family Home

We are approaching the new year and if you don’t regularly meal plan, the new year is a great time to start.

If you need a few dinner ideas scroll down to see what’s cooking this week.

Over the years, I’ve found that making a meal plan can really help save money. But not only save money but also keep from wasting food too. By using up what you have on hand.

If one of your goals is to eat at home more or to save money meal planning can help. If you need help getting started check out how to plan a month’s worth of meals in just about an hour.

Now onto this week’s meal plan, just in case you need a few dinner ideas…

This week’s menu plan has some easy to make meals, along with a few freezer cooking meals too. I’m keeping my sides simple too. I’ll be making a big batch of mashed potatoes to use a few nights this week. I’ll also make a big batch of rice to use a few nights too.

I also realized it’s been about a while since we have had pizza for dinner. My family loves pizza, so it’s on the plan for this week too.

Here’s what’s cooking at our house this week

Dinners

Build Your Own Haystacks and Fruit

Italian Chicken (freezer meal), Mashed Potatoes, and Green Beans

Ham Slices (from freezer), Mashed Potatoes, Green Beans, and Fruit

Thai Thighs, Rice, and Stir Fry Vegetables

Pizza and Salad

Cashew Chicken Stir Fry and Rice

Brown Sugar Steaks, Baked Potato, and Salad

Lunches

Leftover most days

Crispy Bean Burritos, Salsa and Chips

Chili and Cornbread

Breakfast

Toast, Eggs and Oatmeal

Pancakes, Eggs and Sausage

Mini Apple Muffins, Eggs and Sausage

What’s cooking at your house 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.

Find more menu plan ideas at Org Junkie too.

This post contains affiliate links. Thanks for your support.

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How to Pick Home Floor Mats to Floor You

How to Pick Home Floor Mats to Floor You

Floor mats come in many different types, styles and sizes. So how do you determine what you need? It all depends on where the floor mat is going and why it is needed. We have some great tips to help you…

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Moroccan Pot Roast

Moroccan Pot Roast

Pot roast is such a comforting, all-American dish; you almost don’t want to mess with it.

Almost.

When you add North African ingredients such as turmeric, ginger, cumin and coriander, along with pomegranate juice (for a little sweetness), you end up with something new, a bit exotic, and altogether fantastic!

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Meal Plan for January Week 1

Meal Plan for January Week 1

Welcome to 2018! Our contributor Summer Miller is back to share her meal plans for the month of January. To start us off on the right foot, she has a few thoughts to share on New Year’s resolutions, healthy eating, and what this all means to her.

A few years ago, I found the remnants of a New Year’s Resolution list tucked into the folds of an old notebook stashed in the bottom drawer of an even older desk. The list was written nearly a decade prior, and I realized I’d been trying to lose the same 10 pounds for years.

From that moment on, I changed the way I looked at resolutions. Rather than jotting down a list of goals I’d hope to accomplish, lose 10 lbs., be on Oprah etc., I wrote down a list of words or phrases that represent who I wanted to become.

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10 Activities for Catholic Families in January {Free Printable}

10 Activities for Catholic Families in January {Free Printable}

If you haven’t been doing a lot of activities with your family at home that encourage faith formation, it’s a great goal to make for the new year. To help with that, I have the Activities for Catholic Families in January free printable. It’s updated to a new layout for 2018, but it is written in a way that makes it usable every year.

As always, most of these activities are also great for non-Catholic.  They just might need a tweak here and there, if any of the wording is not part of your faith tradition.

Note: If you happen to prefer the old layout of the monthly activities for Catholic families printables, I still have that one available for download below as well.

Activities on the 10 Activities for Catholic Families in January Printable

1. Celebrate New Year’s Day (or Eve) with your family. Make it a memorable day with fun activities, treats (maybe even sparkling juice), and family togetherness. (Here is a New Years Games and Puzzles free printable packet.)

2. Attend Mass on the solemnity of Mary, Mother of God (January 1st). It’s a Holy Day of Obligation. Here’s a coloring page for the day of Mary with Baby Jesus.

Note: While this is not a Holy Day of Obligation every year, such as when it falls on a Monday in 2018, because I like to make these printables in a way that can be used each year, I have included it anyway. Even when it’s not a Holy Day of Obligation, it is still a day to be mindful of.

3. As the new year begins, reminisce with your family about the past year and talk about plans and goals for this year.

4. Make a beautiful, decorative sign or piece of artwork with Jesus’ name on it to honor the Most Holy Name of Jesus (January 3rd).  If you prefer, here is a Holy Name of Jesus coloring page.

5. Do an Epiphany Home Blessings by writing 20+C+B+M+18 above your front door in chalk (using the current year). You can search for more details about this tradition or use those shared in this wonderful post from Joyfilled Family or this one from Lacy at Catholic Icing. (Here are lots of great Epiphany ideas from Wunder-Mom.)

6. Go stargazing to celebrate Epiphany. Have the children to find the brightest stars in the sky. Discuss how the wise men might have felt while they were traveling to meet the new King, Jesus.

Very reasonably priced travel telescope that can all fit in a backpack!

7. Make or buy a King Cake to mark Epiphany. If your kids are old enough for it to be safe, hide a coin, bean, or baby Jesus figure inside. The one who finds it can wear a crown that you buy or make. Here’s a 20 minute version of a King Cake.

8. To celebrate the Baptism of Our Lord (Sunday after Epiphany), share pictures and keepsakes of your children’s baptisms with them. Tell them about the events and emotions of that day.

9. Many January saints taught others, such as St. John Bosco, St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, St. Angela Merici, and St. Thomas Aquinas. In their honor, learn a Bible verse, prayer, or activity to teach others about your faith. (Here are excellent, faith-filled songs to learn.)

10. Try to learn to juggle like Saint John Bosco (January 31st) did to entertain people.

Juggling Starter Kit

Not on the list, but you can also print out a word search containing the names of some saints with feast days in January.

You might also enjoy this whole printables and worksheets packet about Saint Agnes, who appears at the top of the printable. Her printables packet is also a free download!

10 Activities for Catholic Families in January Printable Terms of Use

The Activities for Catholic Families in January download is free for personal or classroom use. You may also share it in a church bulletin or newsletter, but the copyright credit line must be included (which just means to make sure that you don’t accidentally cut off the line with the copyright information at the bottom of the printable when you are reproducing it to hand out).

This printable (and its contents) cannot be sold, published, or hosted on other websites.

For churches and schools: While you may put this printable in your bulletins or newsletters that are printed, you may not make it available online for others to print from your site.

If you want to pass along the printable though, please feel free to share a link to this post (not directly to the printable) with others.  Another great way to share it is to pin this post to Pinterest!  Thanks!

Download the 10 Activities for Catholic Families in January Free Printable

There are two versions of the 10 Activities for Catholic Families in January printable. They have the same basic content, other than perhaps a few changes to wording. However, the biggest difference is just how they look. One is the older version and one (with checkboxes) is a newer version.

Download the Newest Version of the January Activities for Catholic Families Printable

 

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Chill Out! Use a Wine Cooler to Store Wine at Home

Chill Out! Use a Wine Cooler to Store Wine at Home

“Aging like a fine wine” — while we’ve all heard the saying, wine really only gets better with age when it’s properly stored. Not all wines are meant to be stored long term either. But whether it’s red, white or rose…

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What to Stock Up on in January - Frugal Family Home

What to Stock Up on in January - Frugal Family Home

When you stock up when prices are low you can really save. Here’s a quick of what to stock up on in January.

We are at the start of the new year. If you have a goal to save money, now is the time to start. When you stock up on items when they are at their rock-bottom prices you can save all year long.

But knowing what deals to be on the lookout for is hard to know. Don’t worry, I’ve put together this quick list of items that should be on sale for the month of January so you’ll know what to stock up on this month.

What to Stock Up on in January

Oatmeal ~ January is national oatmeal month so you know oatmeal will be on sale. Stock up when you see a sale and really save.

Christmas Decoration ~ This month Christmas items will continue to be on sale and heavily discounted. You can find gift sets that can work as presents for birthdays or other occasions. You’ll find Christmas decorations on sale. Pick them up at rock-bottom prices and be ready for next year.

Pick up red and green paper products to use at Valentine’s day and St. Patrick’s day. Items that are a generic color can be used at different times of the year.

Christmas Baking Items ~ Baking items will be on sale too. Some boxes might have Christmas decorations on the box or Christmas sprinkles. But no one is likely to care about that.

Items like cake mixes, cupcake wrappers and such can be used for other occasions too and at discounted prices, I’m sure no one will even notice.

Diet Food ~ With everyone’s new year resolutions there is sure to be diet food on sale. Think of items associated with a popular diet, like lean cuisine, weight watcher and such. These should be a very good price this month.

Snack Food ~ It seems funny that snack food and diet food would be on sale in the same month but with the big game coming up you’re sure to find lots of snack foods on sale. Items like chips, crackers, soda, cheese, dips and more.

Winter Apparel ~ Look for deep discounts on winter apparel this month. Items that you can use now like sweaters, coats, hats, and gloves. You might also find overstocked items that didn’t sell well at Christmas on sale too. Be sure to purchase extra items for gifts for next Christmas.

Cold and Flu Medicine ~ With cold and flu season here there is sure to be deals on all kinds of cold medicine. Stock up so you’ll be prepared when the sniffles hit your house. But also stock up enough to get you through the year and really save.

Candy and Chocolates ~ Grab deals on chocolate this month too. Often you can find deals on candy and chocolate that didn’t sell out at Christmas. You can grab these items to enjoy yourself, give to others, or use in baking. Think about Valentine’s Day that is coming up.

Toys ~ After Christmas sales on toys can be a great way to save on gift items for the whole year and even maybe until next Christmas if you are good at hiding them and remembering where they are all year. Stock up on toys to give at Birthday parties for the whole year.

Electronics ~ Find good deals on electronics this time of year too. Often you can find a good deal on computers, tablets and more as the new year starts. If your electronics are getting old and slow be sure to look for the best deals and get a new one without having to pay full price.

In Season Produce ~ When you purchase produce when it’s in season it not only tastes better but is also less expensive. Items in season this month are carrots, celery, cauliflower, broccoli, cabbage, oranges, grapefruit, tangerines, chard, kale, kiwi, and spinach.

That’s the list of what to stock up on January. When you are out shopping or looking over the sales ads be on the lookout for the items above so you can stock up and save all year long.

What are you hoping to stock up on in January?

More Money-Saving Ideas…

10 Ways to Save Money Each Month
Small Changes Big Savings Budgeting Money
6 Ways to Save Money on a Tight Budget

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Easy Croque-Madame (Ham and Grilled Cheese Sandwich with Fried Egg)

Easy Croque-Madame (Ham and Grilled Cheese Sandwich with Fried Egg)

If you go to France and never learn a word of the language, at the very least you should come home knowing the names of the two most popular cafe sandwiches: Croque Monsieur and Croque Madame.

These are both toasted sandwiches made with ham and cheese – “croque” roughly translates as “crunch” or “crunchy.” The difference between a Croque-Monsieur and a Croque-Madame is that the Madame is served with a fried egg on top. Supposedly the yolk surrounded by the rim of white resembles a woman’s hat!

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Get Ready for the New Year with After Christmas Decluttering - Frugal Family Home

Get Ready for the New Year with After Christmas Decluttering - Frugal Family Home

Christmas is over and the new year is almost here. It’s almost time to pack away all the holiday decorations and get ready for the new year to start. But if your house is anything like mine you have gained quite a bit of extra stuff to stuff into your home.

Why not take this time to sort through and remove some of that clutter?

Christmas Decorations

I know I have a few Christmas decorations that have seen better days. Do you have some of those too? You know the ornaments that are missing pieces or those holiday lights that only half of them light up.  Instead of packing them away for next year why not purge them from your collection?

Toy Clutter

Christmas is a time for the kids to get some bright new toys, but getting them all to fit on the toy shelves or in the toy box can be a battle. Some of them might end up lying around and never really having a home.

When the new toys come in why not have your kids pick out some of their outgrown toys to donate or give them to friends. My kids always loved hand me downs from friends, who were just a little older than themselves. It not only cuts down on clutter but blesses someone else.

Closet Clutter

At Christmas, my kids usually get some new clothes from grandma and grandpa. If your kid’s dressers are overstuffed with items already, have your kids try on their older clothes to see which items still fit and which items don’t. Birthdays and Christmas are always good times to go through the kids clothes to purge outgrown items.

It’s also a good time to go through the linen closet and remove any old sheets, towels, and washcloths. I know I don’t think about purging those items and just keep using them over and over, even the ones with holes in them. But if you purge them now you’ll know what you need to replace when the white sales come around in January.

Kitchen Clutter

I like to look through my cupboards and get rid of any extra plastic containers I might have been saving to use for holiday cookies and candy. If I haven’t used them by now, I’m not going to and I don’t want them hanging around until next year. I do a purge of my plastic containers.

I also look through my linen drawers for things that are just too worn out to keep, things like dishcloths and dish towels can wear out and I just keep cycling them through. This time of year is a good time to purge those too worn to use items out of the kitchen.

I find if I do an after Christmas purge as I am packing up the holiday stuff and putting the Christmas gifts away it helps to keep our home less cluttered.

How do you keep your Christmas clutter under control? I would love to have you share your ideas in the comments below.

If this article was helpful to you, please consider sharing it with others. You can scroll down to use the social sharing buttons below. Thanks for sharing!

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Pressure Cooker Chicken and Rice Casserole

Pressure Cooker Chicken and Rice Casserole

Chicken and rice is one of my go-tos for weeknight meals — I love the one-pot convenience.

When I saw that Elise had written a savory, creamy chicken casserole recipe made with mushrooms, sherry, and sour cream, I immediately thought of adapting it to the pressure cooker.

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Christmas Meal Plan - Frugal Family Home

Christmas Meal Plan - Frugal Family Home

Christmas is almost here. Are you’re kids as excited as mine are?

Even though it’s Christmas everyone still has to eat, so here’s what’s cooking at our house this week.

We will be having our traditional Christmas eve meal of a snacky dinner. It usually a mix of summer sausage, crackers, cheese with veggies and fruit.

My son also has a special request for Pringles chips. He loves those chips and I don’t purchase them often so it’s one of the must-have items on our Christmas Eve dinner menu.

For Christmas dinner, we will be having ham. One because it’s easy to heat and eat, less time for me spent in the kitchen and two everyone loves it. The rest of Christmas dinner can be made ahead or prepped ahead and will be quick to make. Making for an easy holiday dinner for me.

The rest of the week will be easy to make dinner because, after a big holiday and lots of overeating, it’s nice to have a few simple easy to make meals to round out the week.

What’s cooking at your house this week?

Here are our Meals for this Week,

Dinners

Snacky Dinner, Sausage, Crackers, Cheese, Fruit, Vegetable Sticks, Dip, and Chips

Ham, Mashed Potatoes, Roasted Sweet Potatoes, Salad, and Easy Dinner Rolls

Beef Stew, Biscuits, and Salad

Puff Pancakes, Eggs, and Sausage

Sesame Chicken, Rice, and Stir Fry Vegetables

Mini Stromboli with Salad

Ground Beef Stroganoff, Salad, and Fruit

Lunches

Leftovers most days

Hot Ham Sandwiches, Chips, and Fruit

Out to Lunch

Breakfast

Toast with Eggs

Cinnamon Rolls, Eggs, and Sausage

Breakfast Sandwiches with Fruit

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.

Find more menu plan ideas at Org Junkie too.

This post contains affiliate links. Thanks for your support.

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Storage for Shoes Options and Ideas

Storage for Shoes Options and Ideas

Shoes, shoes, shoes! Sneakers, flats, boots, heels and more – when it comes to shoes, there is no shortage of styles and sizes, and as it turns out, there are just as many options for storage for shoes. We have…

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Meal Plan for December Week 4

Meal Plan for December Week 4

This month, Summer Miller is back and excited to share her family’s meal plans for December. Happy holidays, everyone!

My general philosophy is to eat as healthy as I can, most of the time. For me, this means that not much is actually off limits, but I focus more on eating in moderation.

When planning our meals for the week, I also try to look at the week as whole and then gauge when we can indulge and when it’s better to plan something lighter.

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8 Holiday Desserts for When Your Sweet Tooth Needs a Break

8 Holiday Desserts for When Your Sweet Tooth Needs a Break

Christmas cookies have an enduring appeal. And then there are all the showstopper cakes, pies, and other sweets that make everyone at your holiday party ooh and ahh.

But what about when your sweet tooth needs a break? What if you love the holidays, but you prefer your sweets just a little less, well, sweet?

Here are a few desserts for when you realize that the holidays are a marathon not a sprint, culinarily speaking. They make a lovely end to a festive holiday meal, but they won’t leave you feeling too full to get up from the table.

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8 Holiday Appetizers That Think Outside the Box

8 Holiday Appetizers That Think Outside the Box

Have you been tasked with bringing the appetizer to a holiday party? Or maybe you’re the host and desperately need some inspiration beyond the go-to recipes in your repertoire?

Enter these eight out-of-the-box holiday appetizers!

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Pomegranate Paloma

Pomegranate Paloma

Deck the halls, it’s time to get Merry Merry with a Pomegranate Paloma cocktail!

A “paloma” if you are unfamiliar with it, is a grapefruit version of a margarita, with lime juice, tequila, and a salt-rimmed glass. (It’s also Spanish for “dove”, which is neither here nor there when it comes to the drink.)

And while I’m partial to everything grapefruit, a tequila/lime/salt combination rocks with pomegranate juice. Stir it up with a rosemary swizzle and now you have a drink that is fully decked out for the holidays in a ruby red coat with a salty white rim.

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6 Recipes for a Super Bowl Fiesta

6 Recipes for a Super Bowl Fiesta

This post is brought to you in partnership with Mission Foods.

Show of hands — who is here to watch the game…. ok, now, who is here for the food?! Yup, that’s about what we figured.

Not to say you can’t enjoy all the touch downs, field goals, and extra points happening on the screen, but what’s the point of getting together to watch the game if there’s not a huge buffet of food involved?

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Choosing the Best Material for Your Area Rugs

Choosing the Best Material for Your Area Rugs

Whether you are remodeling or just need to add a bit of pizzazz to a room, picking the perfect area rugs is a more daunting task than you realize. One of the most important things to consider when choosing an…

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How to Make Easy Fudge, Only 4 Ingredients Needed - Frugal Family Home

How to Make Easy Fudge, Only 4 Ingredients Needed - Frugal Family Home

Want to try making fudge? I know making homemade candy can seem hard but with the right recipe, it can be easy. Here’s how to make easy fudge so you can be enjoying homemade fudge in no time.

If you’ve never made fudge before, you might think it’s hard to make. But it really depends on the recipe you try.

Some fudge recipes you’ll need a candy thermometer. I make a few batches every year with a candy thermometer but I grew up watching my mom, grandma and aunt make candy every Christmas.

Did you know you can make fudge without a candy thermometer? This easy fudge recipe is so simple to make.

Really, I’m serious if you can stir, chop almonds and use a microwave you can make this simple milk chocolate almond fudge in about 5 minutes. Well, you’ll need to include a little setup time with that too before you dive in and indulge.

But you can sample a little out of the bowl before it sets up. Yum!

Your friends will be impressed when you bring out a yummy plate of homemade fudge. As they let the yummy soft chocolate melt in their mouths with glee, you’ll sit back and realize wow that wasn’t hard at all.

I promise it will be super easy. I’ve made a video below to watch and you can grab the printable recipe too. But first, you’ll need to check to see if you have all the ingredients on hand…

Chocolate Fudge Ingredients

Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips
Vanilla Chips
Almonds
Sweetened Condensed Milk

That’s right 4 ingredients, 5 minutes and soon you’ll be enjoying a soft silky bite of yummy homemade fudge you made with your own two hands.

How to Make Easy Fudge, Recipe Video

In case you’re not quite convinced it is going to really be that easy, I made a video of the recipe from start to finish. Just click the play button. Then scroll on down to grab the printable recipe too.

A Few Tips to Make Sure your Homemade Chocolate Fudge Turns Out Fabulous

~ Prep the pan before you start making the fudge. I like to grease a 9-inch square pan and then line it with wax paper. It will make it easier to cut the fudge once it’s set up.

~ Microwave the chips in one-minute intervals to soften them a bit. You don’t want to microwave them too long as they can burn even in the microwave.

Yes, I was impatient once and it happened to me. Don’t be like me, run the microwave for 1 minute at a time and check.

~ After microwaving the chips about 2 minutes add the sweetened condensed milk. I like to warm the chips a bit before adding the milk. It helps to keep me from scorching the chips.

~ Stir well to get the vanilla chips really mixed in with the chocolate chips and milk. You don’t want any streaks of white.

~ Once your fudge is a creamy and smooth add the chopped almonds and quickly pour into the prepared pan. Let it set up until firm and then cut into squares.

~ Store in an airtight container.

 

Easy Fudge

 

Save Print

Prep time

5 mins

Total time

5 mins

 

Author: Shelly

Serves: 20

Ingredients

• 1 cup Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips
• 1 cup Vanilla Chips
• 1 14 ounces can Sweetened Condensed Milk
• ½ cup Almonds, chopped

Instructions

1. Spray a 9-inch square pan with cooking spray and then line with wax paper.
2. In a large microwave-safe bowl add the chocolate chips and vanilla chips. Microwave at 1-minute intervals for 2 minutes.
3. After the chips are softened stir in the sweetened condensed milk and microwave another minute and stir. Repeat until the chips are softened and can be stirred into the milk smoothly.
4. Pour fudge mixture into the prepared pan and place in the refrigerator to chill for about an hour or until firm.
5. After fudge is firm, lift the fudge out of the pan with the wax paper and cut into squares.
6. Store in an airtight container.

3.5.3226

 

We love homemade chocolate fudge and now that you know how to make easy fudge too, I hope you’ll give it a try and share a batch or two with your family and friends.

It really is a delicious yummy treat.

More Easy Candy Recipe

2 Ingredients Chocolate Almond Clusters
5 min Butterscotch Fudge
Easy Strawberry Chocolate Chip Fudge

Pin it for Later…

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Cranberry Apple Stuffed Pork Loin

Cranberry Apple Stuffed Pork Loin

Looking for a festive roast for a special dinner or a holiday celebration? This cranberry apple stuffed pork loin presents beautifully, and is easier to pull off than it looks. Really!

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Easy Homemade Hummus

Easy Homemade Hummus

One of the best reason to keep a few cans of garbanzo beans in the pantry? To make hummus! It’s so easy to make in a food processor, takes all of 5 minutes.

You’ll need some canned (or already cooked) chickpeas, tahini, garlic, olive oil, lemon juice, and salt. Purée everything, top with a few lightly toasted pine nuts and some chopped parsley and voilà, you’re done!

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Almond Flour Waffles

Almond Flour Waffles

I love cooking for people. It’s my primary means of showing affection.

And while I’m always happy to work around dietary needs, cooking for my younger brother takes a bit more consideration. Not only is he lactose intolerant, he is also allergic to gluten. (Sadly, this means every single recipe from my mac and cheese cookbook is off the table!)

Rather than see these dietary restrictions as inconveniences, I prefer to see them as challenges. Or, at the least, an excuse to buy and explore alternatives such as buckwheat, rye, and amaranth flours.

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Cocoa Coconut Macaroons

Cocoa Coconut Macaroons

I am so excited to share the recipe for these Cocoa Coconut Macaroons because they are seriously one of my favorite things to come out of my kitchen, ever.

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Family Traditions, Start a Tradition of Giving this Year - Frugal Family Home

Family Traditions, Start a Tradition of Giving this Year - Frugal Family Home

Traditions, family traditions are something all families have. Something you know you can look forward to each year that is just for your family.

These traditions are little things that you look back at later in life and remember fondly, a little thing that brings joy to your heart.

A Family Christmas Tradition

Thinking back to our Christmas traditions I have so many great memories.

My mom always used to make candy and cookies for all of the people in our lives, the neighbors, the people at the regular gas station we went to, all of our friends and our doctor too.

We would start at the beginning of December spending a week or so making all the great candies and then baking the cookies. Once they were all done we would make the plates of these delicious goodies and deliver them.

I remember loving the giving part so much.

It was fun to make the items but so much more fun to see the smiles on all of their faces when we would deliver them. So I think that is why I continue this tradition with my kids to this day.

One of my neighbors told me they look forward to getting the goodies each year. It warms my heart to know this simple tradition is blessing others.

You don’t have to go all out and it doesn’t have to be expensive to share with others around the holiday season. A batch of cookies or an easy candy recipe made to share can really brighten Christmas for those around you.

Teaching Kids About Giving

Christmas can be filled with getting things for kids, toys, games, and candy, that the giving part can be lost.

Teaching your kids about giving through a Christmas tradition can be a wonderful thing. They can get excited each year about doing for others instead of just receiving themselves.

It’s great to teach the kids about giving, but doing something will really stick with them. Make sure to pick something they can really participate with.

Some Ideas for Giving

Even if your budget is tight your kids can give to others with a few of these ideas,

Bake cookies, make and deliver a dozen of them to each of the neighbors.

Gather up the kids outgrown clothes and toys and take them to a women’s shelter. The kids can make some cards and place a candy cane in each one for the kids.

Make a bunch of cards and deliver them to a local nursing home

Deliver meals for Meals on Wheels with your kids

Bake a loaf of bread to give to the neighbors (homemade bread is always a great gift)

Trim an evergreen tree in your yard and make the trimmings into wreaths or boughs to give to the neighbors to decorate their homes

What activity could you do with your kids to help others out during this Christmas season?

Please share your ideas in the comments below. I’m sure you all have lots of great ideas to share.

Other Christmas Ideas…

That Nagging Feeling You Didn’t Do Enough
10 Easy Homemade Christmas Tree Ornaments to Make

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Slow Cooker Chickpea Curry with Sweet Potatoes and Red Peppers

Slow Cooker Chickpea Curry with Sweet Potatoes and Red Peppers

This chickpea curry is so flavorful, yet so simple to prepare. Just a few minutes of prep and a press of a button on the slow cooker, and the next thing you know, the smell of curry is wafting through the kitchen.

This dish is vegan, gluten-free, and immensely delicious. To build flavor without piling up dishes, everything is cooked right in the slow cooker – no stove-top browning or pre-cooking required!

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Easy Peppermint Bath Salts Recipe with Free Printable Gift Tags

Easy Peppermint Bath Salts Recipe with Free Printable Gift Tags

Post Preview: You’ll find a fabulous peppermint bath salts recipe that’s perfect for Christmas. These homemade bath salts are a great gift kids (or adults) can make. In this post, you’ll also find free printable homemade peppermint bath salts gift tags (called “candy cane bath salts” on the tag).

Homemade gifts are so much fun to make with kids. I always love how much pride they have in the finished product. Of course, sometimes those kinds of projects can cause a lot of stress for the adults helping. But, I think it’s worth it anyway.

One of the first gifts that I ever had the kids work on when they were small were these homemade peppermint bath salts. They were in preschool at the time, and they were so excited to help to make gifts for their preschool teachers and the aides in the room.

Although that was many years ago, especially considering those boys are now a junior and a senior in high school, I decided to share this easy peppermint bath salt recipe this year. To help you prepare your gift jars, I also made a set of free candy cane bath salts gift tags.

Homemade Peppermint Bath Salts Recipe

These peppermint bath salts would be perfect for making and keeping for yourself or for a gift to give in a jar or in a decorative baggie. As I already mentioned, I think this is a great homemade gift that kids can make. Young children may need some assistance though, of course. (Here are more ideas for easy homemade gifts kids can make.)

Toward the end of the post, I have a set of free printable tags that you can include with your jars or packets. If you are using small jars or packets, you may want to print the tags at 75% of their normal size. That’s what I did with mine in the picture.

Ingredients for Peppermint Bath Salts Recipe

Note: This amount makes around 2 1/2 cups of your candy cane bath salts mix. Make sure to increase amounts based on how much you need, especially if you will be making a large number of gifts.

• 2 cups Epsom salts
• 1/2 cup sea salt
• 1/8 teaspoon of glycerin (optional)
• 3 – 5 drops of peppermint essential oil
• 2 – 4 drops of red food coloring

Note about the glycerin: This is great for skin softening, but you can skip this part of the recipe if you really want to. If you want to add it, you can often ask for it in the pharmacy or you might be able to find it in the baking area, as Wilton has glycerin in a bottle.

Directions for Homemade Peppermint Bath Salts

1. Add all ingredients (except food coloring) to a large bowl and mix until well combined.

2. Divide mix into two separate bowls.

3. Add food coloring to just one bowl and mix well to distribute the color throughout until you have one bowl with a pink mix.

4. Add salts to clean jars, alternating colors to make a candy cane effect. Add a tag (free printable farther down) to your jar.

If you decide to make baggies of peppermint bath salts: You won’t be able to have layers of different colors, obviously, but it will still be a fun effect to combine both colors in the baggie. Or, you can skip the food coloring and just have all of your peppermint bath salts be white.

Free Printable Candy Cane Bath Salts Gift Tags

Add a little something special to your homemade peppermint bath salts gift by adding one of these free printable tags!

These tags are in color, but if you do not have a color printer, they will print black and white just fine. I would recommend printing on white cardstock.

Each page has eight tags. If the tag size is too large for your project, you should be able to scale them down while you are printing them.

This download is free for personal use.

This set cannot be sold, published, or hosted on other websites. (Example: an individual or another blogger may not upload the file onto their website for others to download there.) If you want to pass along the printable though, please feel free to share a link to this post with others.

Using the printable means you agree to the terms. Thanks!

Download the Candy Cane Bath Salts Free Printable Tags (as a large PDF file)

Download the Candy Cane Bath Salts Free Printable Tags (as a smaller file size JPG file)

Other Great Homemade Gift Ideas:

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. They don’t change the price you pay. However, when you shop through them, we may receive a small compensation. Thanks!

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Family Favorites Meal Plan - Frugal Family Home

Family Favorites Meal Plan - Frugal Family Home

Are your meals planned for this week?

I know during this busy time of year I do so much better if I plan our meals. It can be hard when you’ve been busy all day to come up with an idea for dinner.

But when you have a meal plan you don’t have to worry about what’s for dinner, since it’s already planned.

This week we will be enjoying a few comfort food meals that are my family’s favorite.

Homemade egg noodles with chicken are requested at our house often during the cold winter months. There is something about a yummy bowl of noodles with chunks of chicken and broth that warms you from the inside out.

We’ll also be having pan-fried pork chops with mashed potatoes. I think a good meat and potatoes meal during the cold dark months of the winter really helps to lift the spirits and make you feel warm inside.

Other meals this week will be hamburgers and pizza because my kids love to have them.

We will also be trying a new recipe for chili chicken. It’s one that can be grilled in the summer and baked in the winter. It should be a yummy addition to our meals this week.

And finally, we’ll be enjoying easy parmesan chicken. It’s a dinner I make off and on but it’s alway a hit when I make it. Even my picky eater will eat it. As long as I separate the chicken and the pasta.

What’s cooking at your house this week?

Here are our Meals for this Week,

Dinners

Pan Fried Pork Chops, Mashed Potatoes, and Salad

Parmesan Chicken, Salad, and French Bread

Chicken Egg Noodles, Salad, and Fruit

Eggs, Sausage, Hash Browns and Toast

Sweet Chili Chicken, Rice, and Stir Fry Vegetables

Pizza Pockets, and Salad

Hamburgers and Baked Fries

Lunches

Leftovers most days

Homemade Pigs in a Blanket, Vegetable Sticks and Fruit

Hamburger Soup, Biscuits, and Fruit

Breakfast

Toast with Eggs

Caramel Sticky Buns, Eggs, and Sausage

Pancakes, Eggs, and Sausage

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.

Find more menu plan ideas at Org Junkie too.

This post contains affiliate links. Thanks for your support.

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Hot Chocolate in a Jar Mix Recipe and Free Printable Tags

Hot Chocolate in a Jar Mix Recipe and Free Printable Tags

Post Preview: You’ll find a great hot chocolate in a jar recipe that’s perfect for Christmas, New Years, Valentine’s Day, or any winter gift-giving reasons. This is an excellent gift kids (or adults) can make. In this post, you’ll also find free printable homemade hot cocoa tags.

Hot chocolate and warm buttered toast.

That combination was a wonderful treat that my mom used to make for us during cold Wisconsin winters. So simple, but to me – it was loving care.

There is just something special about hot chocolate during the winter. That makes it a perfect gift for the holidays! Because of that, I have a hot chocolate in a jar mix recipe plus a set of free printable tags for it.

Hot Chocolate in a Jar Mix Recipe

This homemade hot chocolate mix would be perfect for making and keeping for yourself or for a gift to give of hot chocolate in a jar (or a decorative baggie). I also love that this is a great homemade gift that kids can make. Young children may need some assistance. (Here are more ideas for easy homemade gifts kids can make.)

Farther down in the post, I have a set of free printable tags that you can include with these hot chocolate jars or packets.

Ingredients for Hot Chocolate in a Jar Mix

Note: This amount makes approximately four cups of hot chocolate mix. Make sure to increase amounts based on how much you need, if you will be making a large number of gifts.

• 2 cups nonfat dry milk powder
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa
• 1/2 cup mini semisweet chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup powdered nondairy creamer
• 1/8 teaspoon of salt
• Mini marshmallow bits (optional – add in amount desired)

Directions for Hot Chocolate Mix

Add all ingredients into a large bowl and mix with a whisk until well combined. The ingredients should be evenly distributed throughout the hot chocolate mix.

Divide mix between clean jars or small plastic bags. Add a tag (free printable farther down) and maybe a candy cane for decoration.

Free Printable Hot Chocolate Mix Gift Tags

Add a little something special to your hot cocoa gift by adding one of these free printable tags!

You can choose to download the tags in black and white or in color. Each page has six tags. If the tag size is too large for your project, you should be able to scale them down while you are printing them.

This download is free for personal use.

This set cannot be sold, published, or hosted on other websites. (Example: an individual or another blogger may not upload the file onto their website for others to download there.) If you want to pass along the printable though, please feel free to share a link to this post with others.

Using the printable means you agree to the terms. Thanks!

Download the Hot Chocolate Mix Free Printable Tags (Black and White)

Download the Hot Chocolate Mix Free Printable Tags (Color)

Other Hot Chocolate Recipes and Fun Ideas

Nutella Hot Chocolate

Cinnamon Caramel Hot Chocolate

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. They don’t change the price you pay. However, when you shop through them, we may receive a small compensation. Thanks!

The post Hot Chocolate in a Jar Mix Recipe and Free Printable Tags appeared first on Real Life at Home.

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Chocolate Pavlova with Whipped Cream and Raspberries

Chocolate Pavlova with Whipped Cream and Raspberries

Do you love show-stopping desserts? What about show-stopping desserts that are easy to make? Oh, I thought so.

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Meal Plan for December Week 3

Meal Plan for December Week 3

This month, Summer Miller is back and excited to share her family’s meal plans for December. Happy holidays, everyone!

Some days dinner inspiration comes together without much thought, while others you stand at the kitchen counter blankly staring to a cupboard full of ingredients with no idea what to pull together.

Not to worry, we’ve all been there.

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Home Organization: 7 Tips to Declutter and Organize Your Home

Home Organization: 7 Tips to Declutter and Organize Your Home

What is clutter? It can mean different things to different people. What I see as clutter, maybe treasure to someone else and what I see as keepsakes, may seem like trivial knickknacks to others. But what we can all agree…

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