Heavenly Homemakers

Encouraging women in homemaking, healthy eating and parenting

Take Ten Minutes To Prep For Tonight’s Meal!! (Take the Challenge!)

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Who’s ready to make dinner time easier and less stressful? Who’s interested in saving money and eating healthier? Join us for our fun and easy Take Ten Challenge!

Take ten minutes each morning to make dinner prep in the evening much easier! Ready to learn how?

What’s great about this “challenge” is that it’s really not so challenging at all. In fact, all the tips, suggestions, and challenges we’re going to offer should really make your life much, much easier. If you ask me, the actual dinner challenge really comes in not being prepared, in giving in to spending extra money on take-out, in feeling sluggish after eating a less-than-wholesome meal, and in becoming discouraged because we just don’t like cooking or just don’t know how to “get it together” in the kitchen.

The Take Ten Challenge is here to help.

Here’s how it works:

The Take Ten Challenge

Cost: $17.

What: You’ll receive step-by-step instructions and recipes to help you put meals on the table with an easy 10-minute morning prep! You’ll receive a complete grocery list to get you started. Then each evening of your 10-day challenge, you’ll receive an email containing tomorrow’s Take Ten Challenge information.

When: As soon as you sign up, you’ll receive an email with full grocery list for the Take Ten Challenge. Plus you’ll receive all the other information you’ll need. Two days later, your Take Ten Challenges will begin to arrive in your inbox. You’re going to love how easy this is!

How it works: After you sign up, we’ll immediately send you a complete grocery list and all the information you’ll need to know as we launch the challenge.

What you need to do: Read the simple information, grab the (inexpensive, basic, real food) groceries, and be ready to dive in two days after you sign up. (Hint: For the first meal and challenge, you only need 2 simple ingredients. Hooray!)

Then what: Watch for the first Take Ten Challenge email to arrive at 7:00 pm CST two days after you sign up. It’ll look something like this:

When each email arrives, plan to spend about 10 minutes (or less?!) the following morning doing whatever the Take Ten challenge suggests that you do. That evening, complete the final preparations, then enjoy an easy meal around the table with your family!

Not a morning person?

If you prefer, complete some of the meal prep tasks at night before heading to bed!

Watch for your Take Ten eBook!

After you complete the 10-day challenge, you’ll receive our complete Take Ten eBook, full of all of the challenges you completed plus much more great information!

Ready to join the Take Ten Challenge?

Our Heavenly Homemaker’s Club Members have access to this amazing resource plus ALL of our eBooks, eCurriculum, printables, and so much more – for one very low price! Join us here!

Or purchase separately below:

Once you’ve purchased, watch for an email letting you know how to access your Take Ten Challenge information. Then you’ll receive our Take Ten grocery list and other important challenge information. Looking forward to saving time and money with you while we put great meals on the table!!

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Back to School Freezer Cooking Plan 2019

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It’s this year’s Back to School Freezer Cooking Plan!

Back to School Freezer Cooking Plan, 2019

I have to do it every year. I can’t not do it. I make all the food and I stock up on everything under the sun. My brain somehow cannot handle thinking that we might have to go to the store for toilet paper on the third day of school, so I make sure we have three…cases. Every year. Apparently, we need toilet paper to get us through until Christmas, as if I won’t go to the store for other things before then?

Even though I do think that in some ways my brain is crazy, there is much to be said for my desire to get ahead a little and stock-pile food and essentials before a new school year begins. With a new school year comes fall soccer season, which for our family is intense as we have players, referees, and a collegiate coach under our roof. We live, eat, breathe soccer from August until November. This year we added a brand new 5-year old soccer player to the ranks.

When we found his first pair of soccer cleats on clearance this summer, he was beyond excited. Finally, he can be a soccer player like his big brothers!

And let it be noted that this year we are also toting a Boy Babe to all the games with us while trying to keep him from eating electrical cords and climbing into the fireplace during a homeschool history lesson. So now who’s making fun of my three-case stash of Northern?

I’ve been working since mid-July to fill the freezer and stock-pile essential ingredients and household goods. I’ve taken wonderful advantage of Amazon Prime Pantry and Subscribe and Save. Amazon brings me joy…and groceries. And yeah, lots of toilet paper.

Here’s what I’ve been working on so far to get ahead:

Chicken Cheeseballs with a Kick

I got three pounds of ground chicken on mark-down, so I quickly added this recipe to my freezer-cooking list. These mix up quickly, and having them in the freezer ready to bake for a quick lunch or dinner will be perfect during this busy time of year.

Meat and Cheese Burritos

Burritos. Always burritos. I cannot tell you how good it is for me to have burritos in my freezer for my boys to warm up when they need one (or two).

Pancake and Waffle Mix

This isn’t actually in my freezer, but I did make a huge batch so we can pull it out for quick breakfasts or easy dinners. Man, I love this mix.

Simple Muffin Mix

I also mixed up a huge batch of Muffin Mix so that all we have to do is add liquids and whatever add-ins we want before baking up a batch of muffins. It’s so easy!

Bacon

One of my favorite tricks for saving time is baking several pounds of bacon, then freezing it to pull out and rewarm on the stove. When I do this, we can have hot sizzling bacon with our eggs or pancakes in just 30 seconds.

I also love cutting up bacon and making several pounds of bacon bits to use in salads and in scrambled eggs.

Lasagna

It’s our family’s favorite meal, so having a couple in the freezer will be great!

Hamburger Meat

I cooked 7 pounds of hamburger meat in my Instant Pot. So now I have meat to use quickly as needed. You can see a list here of 33 meals that can be made quickly once there’s meat already cooked and ready.


Cheesy Beef and Rice 

This is one of our favorites. If I have it in the freezer, I can slide it into a 250-degree oven before a game and it will be baked and ready to eat a few hours later when we get home!

Cheesy Salsa Enchiladas

This is also a favorite, and I can do as I mentioned above – bake it while we’re at a game and have dinner ready immediately when we get home!

In addition to all these prepared foods, I have worked to stock up on a supply of most of our essential ingredients so I can “shop from the pantry, fridge, or freezer” as much as possible instead of going to the store.

Want a cheat sheet full of Simple Ingredients to help you have all the real food basics on hand too? It’s free – grab it here!

Also in the freezer:

  • Strawberries, bananas, mango, pineapple, and peaches for smoothies
  • Green beans and peas for quick sides
  • Chicken nuggets and hotdogs #noshame
  • Homemade Ice Cream

Why the Homemade Ice Cream? Because it is as essential as toilet paper. Obviously.

What’s in your freezer these days?

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Is it Worth the Money to Buy a Blendtec?

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Today’s the day I discuss with you whether or not I feel like it is really worth the money to buy a Blendtec. (You probably already know the answer.)

What is a Blendtec?

Well now. A Blendtec is a regular blender – but it is NOTHING like a regular blender. I used to regularly spend $25 to purchase cheap blenders at the store, only to have them burn out on me in less than a year. Not only would a regular blender die quickly, but its capabilities were also very limited. Not so with a Blendtec!

Regular blenders make sort-of-smooth smoothies. Regular blenders take a long time to sort-of mix ingredients. But a Blendtec??? This beauty of a blender is such a high powered machine that cream goes from liquid to whipped in less than 20 seconds. I can put big pieces of frozen fruit into my Blendtec and have a perfectly smooth smoothie in just a few seconds! And, the seeds from berries? They get blended in too! So picky kids (and adults, ha!) don’t have to worry about chunks or seeds in their food!

Ultimately, a Blendtec is a regular blender with many more capabilities and much more power. After so many years of using a Blendtec, I still am amazed at how much time it saves me and at how beautifully it blends or whips or purees our food!

How do I use my Blendtec?

I use my Blendtec multiple times each week, and sometimes multiple times each day.

I mix batter in it, whip cream in it, make smoothies in it, whip mini cheesecake filling in it, the list goes on and on. From cakes to muffins to pancakes – the Blendtec takes away my need to stir and mix. Cream goes from liquid to perfectly whipped in less than 30 seconds. Recently I dumped in all the ingredients for these Mini Crustless Cheesecakes and had them in the oven within a grand total of 5 minutes. Beautiful!

Here are some of the recipes I use my Blendtec for regularly:

In addition, I’ve started using my Blendtec to make our Homemade Applesauce. Once the apples are cooked down, it takes 30 seconds to blend them into super smooth sauce – peelings and all!

Why should I spend more money on a blender, bite the bullet, and buy a Blendtec?

In so many ways, my Blendtec makes my cooking and baking so much easier. It is extremely high powered, which is reflected in the price. A $25 blender gives only $25 of effort (and in my experience, lasts less than one year in my kitchen). The Blendtec, though much higher in price, comes with a warranty and is so high powered that it turns frozen fruit into liquid in just seconds. Unbelievable!

I highly recommend saving up and investing in a Blendtec. Oh the time and energy you’ll save! I acquired a Blendtec several years ago, and it is still going strong. So my larger money investment has already saved me $25 many times over and will continue to save me for years to come!

While money saving is nice – I consider the time and energy saved even better. The fact that I can dump ingredients into my Blendtec and whip or blend them so quickly and easily truly is a refreshing help in my kitchen. I LOVE not having to spend extra time whipping or stirring. Lazy? Absolutely not. Efficient? You bet!

So is it worth the money to buy a Blendtec?

Oh yes. So very worth it. The Blendtec has changed my kitchen life, and this is no exaggeration. Because I make so much food from scratch, while still striving to keep our recipes as simple as can be, I find the Blendtec to be invaluable! I don’t know how I ever lived without it, and that’s the truth!

What is your blender experience? Have you invested in a high power blender like a Blendtec yet?

Sidenote: My understanding is that a Vitamix is of the same quality as a Blendtec. So while I don’t have experience with those, I do recommend them also!

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Why I Decided to Have an Amazon Prime Pantry Membership

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Until recently, I had never really looked into Amazon’s Prime Pantry. It came with a monthly fee, after all. But here’s what made me decide to take on an Amazon Prime Pantry membership.

There are several reasons really. But the first and most important reason is:

1. Groceries placed right on my porch.

I absolutely love groceries being delivered right to my doorstep. What a blessing!!

For years I’ve taken advantage of Amazon Prime and Subscribe and Save. I order many food and household items by the case, saving at least 15% and maybe more if there are coupons. Since I don’t have a Sams or Costco closeby, this has been a fantastic option for us!

But I kept ignoring all the Prime Pantry offers, mostly because I didn’t want to take the time to figure out how it worked (silly). Also, since I usually buy by the case, I wasn’t sure it would be beneficial. Then on Prime Day, there was a sweet Prime Pantry offer which made me decide to give it a try. Aha, I realized! Having a Prime Pantry membership would greatly help me with the fact that…

2. I don’t have any room in my grocery cart anymore!

With a squishy baby in the front and a stocky 5-year old in the big part of the cart, there’s not much room left in my grocery cart for actual groceries. We go through lots of food, so typically I need to fill an entire cart to the max.

This has become very challenging, phew!

When I realized that Prime Pantry would save me a trip to the store for all the odds and ends I typically get (applesauce squeezies, granola, chips, condiments, nuts, etc.), it made me very excited. If most of what I needed at an actual store was fresh fruits and veggies, chicken, and frozen food – well THAT I could probably fit into the cart along with cute little boys. :)

3. But what about the $4.99 monthly fee?

Worth it, worth it, worth it.

I like avoiding fees just as much or more as the next guy. But goodness, there’s a lot to be said for keeping life calm and simple when so much going on in life is far from calm and simple.

With Prime Pantry, I’ll now be able to order whenever I need to and have it delivered for free (on orders over $10, which is basically the amount of food we eat in five minutes). That $4.99 fee saves me all kinds of time, energy, and effort so I feel it is money well spent. Plus it will probably save me money in the long run.

Nope, no room for little boys in that cart!

4. Also, my sanity.

God bless little boys who talk non-stop and ask all the questions up and down every aisle. I absolutely love how inquisitive, fun, and aware our 5-year old is, and taking him to the store is so good for life skills training.

But I find it very difficult to compare prices and think about specific ingredients we need or make an actual good decision about my purchases while answering, “Mom, why is that box blue? Why isn’t that box blue? Are your eyes blue? Do you like blue? Blue is my favorite color. But green is my favorite. And every color of the rainbow is my favorite. Remember that rainbow we saw? I want to see another rainbow. Why can’t we see another rainbow today?”

Oh precious one. Be five forever. But sweet as it all is, that doesn’t help me think and shop at the same time.

So Prime Pantry will help me out with this and give us fewer aisles to travel during shopping trips. I guess I’ll have to come up with other excuses now for losing my sanity.

So Amazon Prime Pantry for the win.

If at any time I find that I’m not getting my $4.99/month worth out of this membership, I’ll let it go, no problem. But for now, I’m finding this to be quite wonderful and helpful!

Want to try it for free?

This is pretty exciting! If you click on the banner below, you can sign up for a free trial for one month to see if it benefits you and your family!

Are you a Prime Pantry member? What do you like about it?

 

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One Simple Trick That Helps Get Dinner on the Table FAST

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I’ve shared it before (more than a few times), but I find that I must share it again. Everyone should know about this one simple trick that helps get dinner on the table fast!

My Simple Trick that Helps Get Dinner on the Table Fast!

It’s simply this:

Brown several pounds of hamburger meat ahead of time. Store it in your fridge or freezer in meal-sized packages. This is a beautiful thing!

It doesn’t take very long to cook hamburger meat when prepping a meal, but still, if it’s already cooked and ready to use, then all we have to do at mealtime is add it to the dish we’re making. Somehow, having pre-cooked meat in my fridge takes away a lot of meal-making stress. How?

Well, I often have very little time for cooking. Mealtime comes up quickly (and many times each day, for our entire lives, oy!). But if I am able to pull out meat that’s already browned, that means I don’t have to worry about thawing meat or cooking meat. I simply add it to pasta or potatoes, or we make Tacos or Nachos, or…

33 Meals to make with Cooked Hamburger Meat

Here are a few more ideas. :)

My current favorite is this Simple Creamy Pasta in the Instant Pot. Not only is it incredibly delicious and a huge hit with everyone I’ve fed it to, with pre-cooked meat, I can have dinner on the table in only 10 minutes!! That is 10 minutes from start to finish, truly. It is amazing! (While it’s cooking in my Instant Pot, we get out salad fixins, and our meal is complete!)

My Favorite Instant Pot Hamburger Tip

Speaking of the wonders of an Instant Pot, you should definitely click over to read this:

How to Cook 5 lbs of Frozen Hamburger Meat in 30 minutes

Amazingly, I cook 5-7 pounds of frozen hamburger meat in my Instant Pot, and it is browned and ready to use for meals for the next two weeks for my family – just like that! (And yes, we eat a lot of meat. We are a family of many, many athletic men and a beef-lovin’ mama.)

Don’t have an Instant Pot?

I have this one and I absolutely love how much time it saves in the kitchen. So do consider investing! This 10-Minute Mac and Cheese is another good reason to buy an Instant Pot!

But, if you don’t have one and don’t want to invest, you can still easily cook several pounds of hamburger meat in a large pot on the stove. You’ll just need to thaw it first. :)

How to Store Pre-Cooked Hamburger Meat

Once you’ve got several pounds of hamburger meat cooked and cooled, what should you do?

I usually separate mine into meal-sized portions (1-3 pounds) and put it into these bowls with lids. Or if needed, I’ll put portions into ziplock bags.

I store these containers of cooked meat in my fridge for up to two weeks, and then pull them out as needed to prep meals. You can also store it in the freezer, of course. Just remember to thaw ahead of time!

Do you cook meat ahead of time? What are your favorite kitchen time-savers?

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Quick Meals I’m Making for My BIG Family This Summer

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Who needs quick meals for summer? I do, and you probably do too! Today, I’m happy to share several of the quick meals I’m making for my big family this summer!

For what may be the last summer ever, ALL of us are under one roof. Asa graduated from college and moved home to earn and save money before moving on. Justus completed his first year of college and moved home to earn and save money before heading back to school in the fall. Elias and Malachi are in and out between work, activities, and summer camps. We’ve got two littles again (one soon-to-be-adopted boy and one foster babe). There are eight of us in all, and seven of them are male. (Fine, one of them is just now starting solids, but still.) :)

We need food. We need a lot of it. And it needs to be quick and easy!

I’ve been amazed at how much food comes and goes in this house! Asa and Justus are our biggest eaters, so having them back in the house has been FUN because they love all the good food they get to enjoy! Just adding the two of them back into the mix has meant that I’m back to doubling and tripling recipes again. Here’s how I’m keeping us all fed – for three meals every day!

Oh, and never fear! All the big boys are playing a huge role in getting these meals on the table. Eating well is a team effort around here!

Quick Meals I’m Making for My BIG Family This Summer

Here are some of the meals that our table sees regularly!

1. Pancakes and Eggs, with fresh fruit and lots of bacon

How to make this meal quick and easy:

2. Grilled Chicken, with mixed greens, veggies, and fresh fruit

How to make this meal quick and easy:

3. Tuna Salad, with fresh fruit, grape tomatoes, and lettuce

How to make this meal quick and easy:

  • I almost always have my kids grab 4-6 cans of tuna and mix it up for the family while I’m doing something else that needs to be done.
  • We serve our Tuna Salad on whatever odds and ends of bread, tortillas, or crackers we have around. (Or if I’m in a hurry, I just grab a fork and eat it as-is!)

4. Baked Potatoes in the Crock Pot or Instant Pot, with whatever toppings we have available

How to make this meal quick and easy:

  • I have each of my kids scrub a few potatoes early in the day so they can cook in the crock pot and be ready for lunch or dinner.
  • We grab leftover ham, taco meat, or roast beef from the fridge and warm it up to serve on our potatoes along with butter, sour cream, and cheese.
  • I almost always steam frozen peas to serve with Baked Potatoes, which takes about 2 minutes.

5. Grilled Hamburgers or Hotdogs

How to make this meal quick and easy:

  • I like to make patties ahead of time, then throw them on the grill for a quick lunch or dinner. Our favorite recipes are Make-Ahead Parmesan Burgers or Cheddar Ranch Burgers.
  • I buy several packages of Nitrite-Free Beef Hotdogs at the store to keep in the freezer so I can grab them out and grill them quickly for summer lunches.
  • I set out fixin’s and everyone builds their burger or dog the way they like!

6. Beanie Weanies

How to make this meal quick and easy:

  • I have a supply of Nitrite-Free Beef Hotdogs in the freezer so I can grab them out and thaw them in hot water when we need a quick meal.
  • I have a supply of Organic Baked Beans in my pantry so that if I don’t have to make Simple Baked Beans from scratch, I can grab a few cans and make a meal!
  • I slice fruit and get out carrot sticks to complete this simple meal.

7. Tacos

How to make this meal quick and easy:

8. Instant Pot Meals

Take a look through all the Instant Pot Recipes we’ve posted so far! I have been amazed at how much time my Instant Pot has saved me. Whatever I make in my Instant Pot, I serve with a quick salad and veggie and food is on the table so quickly! During the summer, I especially love that using my IP keeps from heating up the kitchen!

Our favorite Instant Pot Recipes so far:

9. Special Salads

Salads are great because we get so much nourishment from them, we can use garden fresh veggies, and we avoid heating up the house! But salads are only great as meals if they are hearty and filling.

Here are our favorite Hearty Salad Recipes:

How to make this meal quick and easy:

  • I try to have Homemade Bacon Bits cooked and in the freezer to grab out for easy salads.
  • During all the months of the year that fresh lettuce is not growing in our garden, I keep a package of Organic Mixed Greens in the fridge. Then, when we want to make a salad, we just grab the greens and add whatever we want!

10. Stir Fry

How to make this meal quick and easy:

  • I make a large batch of this Stick of Butter Rice so we can stir it into our fried veggies. (We often serve our stir-fried veggies with whole wheat spaghetti noodles, but we love rice with them too!)
  • I use whatever veggies we’ve picked from our garden, received from Bountiful Baskets, or purchased at the farmer’s market to make super flavorful, nourishing Stir Fry! And I usually throw in a big handful of fresh spinach too. :)

11. Grilled Salmon

How to make this meal quick and easy:

  • If I haven’t thawed our salmon ahead of time, I dunk the package into hot water and they thaw super quickly!
  • I serve a simple salad and whatever fresh veggies and fruit we have on hand to complete this simple meal.

12. Pizza on the Grill

Cooking pizza outside on the grill keeps the oven off and the house cool!

So we’re eating well and we’re eating a lot! How about you? What are you feeding your family this summer?

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Easy Peanut Butter Fluff Fruit Dip

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You need just three simple ingredients, plus some bananas, apples, grapes, or berries – and you can enjoy this wonderfully refreshing treat: Easy Peanut Butter Fluff Fruit Dip!

This is one of those delightful recipes that you can hand off to your kids to make! Not only will it give them experience with cooking and reading recipes, but it will also invite them to eat fruit.

I like to make homemade peanut butter – which is easier than you think! Here are the recipe links that explain how to make peanut butter. But of course, if you prefer to buy it at the store, just be sure the ingredients are wholesome!

Along with peanut butter, all you need is yogurt and honey. Easy peasy! See? Your kids can make this!

Want to get your kids involved in the kitchen with you?

We have a list of great resources for you here. Plus, we encourage you to take recipes like this Easy Peanut Butter Fluff Fruit Dip and use it to help your kids get excited about helping you in the kitchen!

Easy Peanut Butter Fluff Fruit DipYum

5.0 from 1 reviews
Easy Peanut Butter Fluff Fruit Dip
 
Save Print
Author:
Serves: 2 cups
Ingredients
  • 1 cup plain whole milk yogurt
  • 1 cup natural creamy peanut butter
  • 3 Tablespoons honey
Instructions
  1. Blend ingredients together in a blender or with a hand mixer.
  2. Serve with your favorite fruit!

Love recipes like this Easy Peanut Butter Fluff Dip that have five or fewer healthy ingredients?

We do to! This book is filled with 111 recipes just like this one!

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Want more great dip recipes?

We love making entire meals out of fruits, veggies, and chips with dips! Here are 16 more of our favorite dip recipes:

  1. Simple Bean and Cheese Salsa Dip
  2. Creamy Chocolate Fruit Dip
  3. Creamy Italian Veggie Dip
  4. Cream Cheese Salsa Dip
  5. Bacon Ranch Chip Dip
  6. French Onion Dip
  7. Bacon Tomato Dip
  8. Black Bean Salsa
  9. Easy Veggie Dip
  10. Healthier Cheese Dip 
  11. Hot Spinach and Artichoke Dip
  12. Nacho Cheese Pretzel Dip
  13. Easy Guacomole
  14. Easy Cheesy Bean Dip
  15. Hamburber Sauerkraut Dip
  16. Cream Cheese Fruit Dip

 

Heavenly Homemaker's Club Members: Access your homepage and all your fantastic resources here! Not a member yet? Please join us!

A Summer Lunch You Can Make in 5 Minutes (Plus 40+ Lunch Ideas)

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Before you get too sick of sandwiches, I wanted to remind you of a great summer lunch idea that you can make in 5 minutes. Then stay tuned, because we’ve got a huge list of ideas that will save you as you feed your family this summer!

5-Minute Summer Lunch

It’s no secret that our family loves chips and dips. We eat them as meals and as side dishes, and of course, as snacks! This dip has become one of our favorites to eat as a meal. We can put it together in 5-minutes, and it is delicious! It’s filled with good protein, and the flavor is fabulous!

This recipe includes only 3 simple, real food ingredients. Blend them together quickly to enjoy for a fast lunch. Eat it along with fresh fruit, and truly, this is an awesome summer lunch!

Simple Bean and Cheese Salsa Dip

Simple Bean and Cheese Salsa Dip
 
Save Print
Author:
Serves: 5 cups
Ingredients
  • 16-ounces salsa (any variety)
  • 8-ounces softened cream cheese
  • 15-ounce can refried beans or pinto beans
Instructions
  1. Blend ingredients together until smooth.
  2. Serve hot or cold with corn tortilla chips.

Psst!! Want more easy, real food recipes that include 5 or fewer ingredients? You’ll love this!

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Your Real Food Master Simple Lunch List

Want more easy lunch ideas for this summer? We’ve got huge list of ideas we’ll share below.

OR!!

You can download this entire list here. Download it (it’s free!) and save it to your computer for easy access! I also recommend that you pin it so you can find it quickly as needed!

watermelon

Let’s get started with suggestions for your Simple Summer Lunch:

We’ll begin with fruits and veggies because instead of thinking of them second, let’s start thinking of them first!

Fruits and veggies that can be pulled from the fridge and served immediately with little to no prep (beyond washing):

  • Baby carrots (I like the petite carrots – they are sweeter and easier to eat!)
  • Grape tomatoes
  • Mini sweet peppers
  • Sugar snap peas
  • Strawberries
  • Blueberries
  • Blackberries
  • Raspberries
  • Unsweetened Applesauce
  • Bananas
  • Grapes
  • Oranges
  • Clementines
  • Fresh Spinach or Mixed Greens

Fruits and veggies that take a few minutes of prep but are still super simple:

  • Sliced apples
  • Sliced peaches or nectarines
  • Steamed peas (frozen peas cook very quickly!)
  • Sliced cucumbers
  • Sliced sweet peppers
  • Raw broccoli “trees”
  • Cut cantaloupe
  • Watermelon wedges
  • Sliced pears
  • Pineapple chunks
  • Steamed green beans (frozen green beans take just a few minutes, but can cook themselves while you get the remainder of lunch ready)

If you have Homemade Ranch Dip or Hummus on hand, these can be thrown onto the table quickly to help get the veggies down!

orange

Simple Lunches that can be made ahead of time and warmed up quickly:

Simple Lunches that can be thrown together with little prep time:

strawberry

Simple Lunches that are flexible and can be eaten in more than one way:

Would you like to make this Master List of Simple Lunches even simpler?

Sign up here to receive the entire Master List of Simple Lunches in a free downloadable document! Then you can keep it handy on your computer or print it and put it on your fridge as a super handy reference!

Master List of 40 Simple Lunch Ideas

Grab a free download of the Master Simple Lunch List!

 

What would you add to the list? What are your favorite simple lunches to feed your family?

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What to Take on a Family Picnic

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With all the sporting events our family takes part in, I have become a bit of an expert on packing food to go. Now that we have little ones in the house again, I’ve been putting that expertise once again toward packing a family picnic. Who knew we weren’t yet finished with days of heading to the park on warm days to enjoy friends, food, and sunshine!

Certainly, you can head to the park with nothing more than some sandwiches, a blanket, and a jug of water. But we decided it would be fun to brainstorm a huge variety of ideas to encourage many meaningful family outings!

With the help of my friend Kim, we’ve put together an enormous list of everything you could possibly need or want for a fantastic family picnic!

My favorite to-go treat? Strawberry Cheesecake Parfaits!

What to Take on a Family Picnic

In this post, we’ll give you a great list of specifics to meet all your picnic needs. Here’s a basic checklist of items you’ll want to consider taking:

  • Food
  • Drink
  • Basket
  • Tablecloth or Blanket
  • Plates/Cups/Utensils
  • Toys
  • Hats
  • Sunscreen
  • Bug Repellent
  • First Aid Kit

It’s time to get ready for your family picnic!

Here’s a list of all the items we’ve found to recommend for optimum fun:

Baskets and Coolers

You’ll be filling these with food, and we’ve shared a long list of great food ideas below! But first, let’s talk about great options for containers to hold your food and drinks.

And good luck deciding which of these you like best for your family. I kind of want all of them. ;)

  • Traditional Picnic Basket – We received one like this as a wedding gift and it has been so fun!
  • Picnic “Bag” with Cooler – Oooh, now this is both fun and practical!
  • Picnic “Bag” – the Backpack Version – Um. Yes.
  • Soft Cooler on Wheels – You had me at “wheels.” Also, this one folds up.
  • Hard-Sided Rolling Cooler – Also on wheels, but sturdy.
  • Extra Large Rolling Cooler – I think your entire refrigerator will fit in this. I’m serious.
  • Mesh Bag with Cooler Bottom – For the picnics in which you don’t need your entire refrigerator.

Water Bottles and Jugs

Taking drinks for a crowd? Or maybe just individual bottles. Here are some wonderful options!

  • 5-Gallon Water Jug – So that everyone within several acres can stay hydrated.
  • Metal Screw Lid Bottle – Good luck choosing your favorite!
  • Wide Mouth Metal Bottles – Also lots of great color choices.
  • Fun Metal Bottles with a Straw Lid – Ooh, I love these!
  • Stainless Steel Water Bottles for Kids – They can pick their fav!
  • Wide Mouth Glass Bottle – Water tastes better this way!
  • Glass Bottle with Straw – I think this is pretty. :)

Picnic Table Covers

Not that we don’t love eating on a table that may or may not be covered with splotches of bird poop…

  • A Cover for both Table and Benches – Ooh, I like!
  • Table/Bench Covers, without elastic – Much cheaper than the one above, but not as easy to use.
  • Clips to Hold the Table Cloth – If you take a regular cloth from home

And an easy/cheap/fun picnic table hack:

You can use a twin-sized fitted sheet as a picnic table cloth! It’s easy to fit onto the table then throw in the wash later!

Umbrellas and Canopies

Sitting on the ground instead of at a picnic table? Here are some great items you might need.

  • Umbrella for Shade – This is fantastic!
  • Tent/Canopy – Even better for a bigger group.
  • Large Roll-Up Picnic Blanket – I have one of these and it is AWESOME!
  • Heavy Duty Ground Tarp- Whoa, much more durable than a blanket.

Hats

Gotta keep the sun out of our eyes and off our faces!

  • Hat for Ladies – Purty cute!
  • Hat for Men – I think even my teens would want one of these!
  • Hats for Kids – Lots of colors to choose from.

Fun Outdoor Games

Too old for slides and swings? Here are some great outdoor game ideas!

molkky

  • Kubb
  • Lawn Bowling
  • Yard Dice
  • Ladder Ball 
  • Molkky
  • Washer Toss
  • Ring Toss
  • Frisbee Golf (Disc Golf) Set
  • Floating Pong

Great Outdoor Toys

Skip the food. I’m going on a picnic just to play with this stuff! (Just kidding. I want food too.)

  • Kites – I can’t believe how fun these look!
  • Whistling Rockets – These go a LONG way, and they whistle too!
  • Sandbox Toys – Look at this fantastic set!
  • Kid-Sized Shovel – Because why not just dig holes? (But not at a public park.)
  • Small Bend-Proof Trowell – My kids used to dig with these in sand volleyball pits!
  • Fun Garden Tool Set – Truly, just take me to a sand pit to play.

Exploring and Learning

You’re sure to find many teachable moments!

  • Walkie-Talkies – These actually come in fun colors!
  • Batteries for Walkie-Talkies – Don’t forget. :)
  • Weather Radio – It’s solar charged, plus it is a flashlight, AND will charge your phone!
  • Binoculars – Ah, yes. Who knows what you might find?
  • Durable Kid Binoculars – Not that they would drop/break the others…

Skin Care

Just in case…

  • Non-Toxic Bug Block – our very favorite!
  • Deet-Free Mosquito Bands – These are pretty cool!
  • Soothing Rash Cream – Good for just about any owie.
  • Organic Sunscreen – Yes, I actually make my teen and adult kids use this one too.
  • First Aid Kit – It’s got a little bit of everything!

What food should you take on a picnic?

Well, the sky’s the limit on food ideas! But here are some of our top suggestions:


1. Sandwiches or Wraps. Some of our favorites:

2. Chips and Dips. Some of our favorites:

3. Fruit with Dips. Some of our favorites:

Favorite Fruits:

  • Apples
  • Bananas
  • Strawberries
  • Oranges
  • Blueberries
  • Pears
  • Blackberries
  • Raspberries

4. Veggies and Dips. Some of our favorites:

With:

  • Petite Baby Carrots (so much sweeter and easier to eat!)
  • Sliced Cucumbers
  • Broccoli
  • Cauliflower
  • Sweet Peppers
  • Celery

5. Crackers with Cheese and Meat

6. Chips and Salsa

7. Hamburgers and Hotdogs

8. Salads. Some of our favorites:

Some of our favorite Salad Dressings:

9. Fun Packable Side Dishes. Some of our favorites:

10. Chicken Legs, hot or cold. Some of our favorites:

11. Fun Desserts. Some of our favorites:

12. Fun Drinks. Some of our favorites:

13. Pre-Packaged Food to Go

Sometimes you just need a little convenience, am I right? Here are some of our favorite grab and go packaged snacks:

  • Stretch Island Fruit Leather
  • Go Squeeze Applesauce Pouches
  • Larabars
  • Simply Brand Bagged Chip Variety
  • Bagged Nuts

Need some handy food containers to hold your awesome food?

Here are some great ideas:

  • BPA Free Plastic Containers with Lids
  • Pyrex Bowls with Lids – You KNOW these are my favorite!! I have two complete sets that I use constantly!
  • Don’t forget paper plates, napkins, utensils, serving spoons, and cups too!

What do you take on your family picnic?

 

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Two Simple Tricks to Get Your Kids to Eat Green Beans

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Well now, isn’t this interesting? I’ve been feeding kids green beans since 1997. All my bio-boys love them because of the “bacon grease trick” my mom taught me years ago (more details below). But I just learned a new trick to add to my back pocket, which has finally helped our 5-year old Bonus Boy learn to love green beans too! Without further ado, how to get your kids to eat green beans…

How to Get Your Kids to Eat Green Beans

1. First, let’s talk about green beans and bacon.

Bacon makes everything better, of course. And you know me. I’m not afraid of fat if it is from a natural, real food source. Our family enjoys plenty of real butter and coconut oil, whole milk and red meat, real cream and yep – bacon.

All of these fats are recognized by our bodies, and are therefore easily digested and utilized for nourishment and energy. (Low on energy? Eat butter and bacon. You heard it here, folks. Now who’s your best friend??)

You can throw a slice or two of bacon into your green beans as they cook – or you can do what I believe is easier and faster! Drum roll please:

Save grease from cooked bacon to add to green beans anytime you need it!

Each time I cook bacon for my family, I let the bacon grease cool, then put it into a jar. I store this in the fridge, then add a scoop of bacon grease to a pot of green beans along with a little water (or chicken broth!) and Redmond Real Salt. Then I steam them to perfection. The bacon grease adds wonderful flavor to the beans, and of course, the fat makes the vegetable so much more appealing!

How do I cook my bacon?

oven-bacon-1

I’m so glad you asked. Here are my two favorite, most efficient methods of cooking bacon:

  1. Bake bacon in the oven. Then I freeze it to use as needed. This is so easy and helpful to have on hand for all your bacon needs! ;)
  2. Cut it into Bacon Bits. Once cooked, I put the bacon bits into a bag to freeze and pull out for salads, scrambled eggs, or BLT Wraps.

bacon bits 1

2. Now let’s talk about what kind of green beans seem to be the most appealing!

My family LOVES fresh green beans from our garden in the summertime. But alas, we live in Nebraska and can only enjoy these for a few months out of the year. If we grow enough, I blanch and freeze them to pull out and use during the cold months. But the past few years, we’ve been eating them as fast as they grow, leaving no reserves for the freezer!

Therefore, I typically buy frozen green beans in bulk from Azure Standard. Frozen green beans are much more flavorful and nutritious compared to canned beans. Still, even when cooked in bacon grease as described above, our Bonus Boy wasn’t very interested in this veggie side dish.

But, I’ve recently discovered a simple new trick! Instead of buying frozen “cut green beans” as I had been doing, I picked up a back of frozen “whole green beans” one day. I steamed them along with bacon grease and salt, and wouldn’t you know it? Bonus Boy ate them, and ate them, and ate them! We all did!

Who knew that simply switching from short and stubby beans to long and skinny beans would somehow make green beans taste so much better!

Now I stock up on frozen whole green beans and we all devour them!

So there you have it. Long green beans apparently taste better than short ones; and bacon grease makes beans taste amazing!

How do you and your family enjoy green beans?

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