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How to Drink Your Salad (and love it!)

January 13, 2021 by Laura Leave a Comment

This post may contain affiliate links which won’t change your price but will share some commission.

Today I will teach you how to drink your salad. I’m quite sure you will love this idea as much as I do!

See, here’s the thing:

Matt and I like to eat a big salad every day. Scratch that. Matt and I know we need to eat a big salad every day. It’s amazing for our overall health as leafy greens are so incredibly nourishing! But shucks if eating a big salad isn’t actually as much fun as we all wish that it was.


As our family has grown and my hands have become more full of little ones again, I’ve been known to frequently grab greens out of a container in the fridge and eat them on the fly – no dressing, no extras – simply because I rarely have time to build a salad in a bowl and then sit down to chomp it down. Does it takes good, these greens straight out of the fridge? Well, it doesn’t taste bad. But it’s not as fun as eating other food. Again, I just do it because I know my body needs it. Every single day.

Most of us have heard about throwing leafy greens in smoothies. I’ve done it off and on for years, but I never really bought into it as a great daily habit until last summer.

Our three littlest boys and I would go on super long walks every day (before our girls moved in). We’d come home and enjoy chilled smoothies to refresh us. I loaded them with frozen fruit and greens. The boys drank them without hesitation. Matt and I loved them. And finally it hit us: Why should we ever eat salad again?

Well, we did wonder: Would smoothies made with frozen fruit and greens be as wonderful during the cold winter months? Would we get burned out on green smoothies? Was this only a temporary wonderful idea?

Many months and hundreds of smoothies later, I’m happy to report that we are still so very happy with the fact that we can drink our salad every day! It goes down easy. It tastes like fruit. We can drink it on the fly, which is incredibly important during this very busy season in our lives full of both big kids and many little kids.

How to Drink your Salad (and love it!)

  1. Stuff as many leafy greens into your blender as you dare. I put in way more greens than we would typically eat in a regular bowl of salad and our bodies are very happy about this. I also have and highly recommend a Blendtec blender as this will blend your greens into complete smoothness and oblivion.
  2. Add your choice of frozen fruit. I buy big bags of mixed fruit for a fun variety. It includes berries, peaches, and pineapple. Super delicious!
  3. Pour in milk to fill the blender half-full or whatever liquid amount is recommended for your blender so that your smoothie doesn’t explode to the ceiling of your kitchen. Whole milk yogurt is also an awesome “liquid” to include.
  4. Add sweetener or protein powder if you like. Matt and I have found that the fruit alone makes the smoothie sweet enough, so I don’t add any maple syrup or stevia anymore. During the summer we added protein powder to make the smoothie more like a meal. But this winter we’ve left it out.
  5. Put the lid on and blend until smooth. Drink your salad and love it.

And just like that, you have one or two days worth of salad to drink. Perhaps you’ve been doing this all along. Perhaps this is a new idea for you. Perhaps you knew about it but needed the reminder about what a great idea it is!

Here’s what my blender looks like before I get all the goodies mixed up. :)

Give this a try and let me know how you like it!

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

How to Make Perfect Hot Chocolate

December 27, 2020 by Laura 1 Comment

This post may contain affiliate links which won’t change your price but will share some commission.

Want to learn how to make Perfect Hot Chocolate? You’ll want to learn these “tricks” so you can enjoy a mug of this during holiday break with your family!

I am so thrilled to have a huge houseful right now! We’ve got five littles, four bigs, plus two amazing girlfriends. Our holiday time food shared together has been simple but fun. And since I’ve got more big people around to help with all the littles, I find my hands are a little freer to make special treats.

That’s where the Perfect Hot Chocolate comes in. Sure, Christmas is over. But the fun treats and the special drinks will keep on coming until school and work starts again!

Now, to make Perfect Hot Chocolate, I believe it takes three perfect recipes:

Not to worry, these are all easy and fast. (Do you even know me at all?)

  1. Hot Cocoa
  2. Whipped Cream
  3. Homemade Hot Fudge

The Hot Cocoa whisks together quickly on the stove. I whip cream in my Blendtec, which takes 25 beautiful seconds of effortless “work.” I often have Homemade Hot Fudge already in the fridge that we can warm up and drizzle into our hot cocoa. If not, I can make that quickly too.

The ingredients in all these recipes overlap with one another. Plus they are ingredients I always have on hand. Simple but special – that’s what I love about treating our family and guests to this Perfect Hot Chocolate!

Once you’ve got your three recipes made: 1) Fill a mug with hot cocoa. 2) Add a generous amount of whipped cream. 3) Drizzle hot fudge over the cream.

If it all oozes out over the sides of the mug, well, this can’t be helped and it is one of the best problems you’ll have because you’ll have to lick the sides of your mug to “clean it up.”

And there you have it! The Perfect Hot Chocolate. Let me know how you like it!

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

Simple Green Beans in the Air Fryer

December 20, 2020 by Laura 2 Comments

This post may contain affiliate links which won’t change your price but will share some commission.

I love how simple and tasty it is to make green beans in the air fryer!

Do you have an Air Fryer? If no, you might consider putting it on your Christmas wish-list. Here’s how I’ve found it to save a lot of money. Not to mention it turns out some super fun foods, making us feel like we’re eating a treat meal from a restaurant!

So green beans in the Air Fryer? Well, these are super healthy and our kids gobble them up because they’re so delicious. They take about two minutes to prepare, so you can’t go wrong there.

Simple Green Beans in the Air FryerYum

Simple Green Beans in the Air Fryer
 
Save Print
Author: Laura
Serves: 4-6
Ingredients
  • 12-ounces frozen fine green beans
  • 1 teaspoon olive oil
  • ¼ teaspoon sea salt
  • ¼ teaspoon garlic powder (optional)
Instructions
  1. Pour green beans into a bowl (or cheat by cutting open the bag of green beans to use it as a disposable bowl!)
  2. Add olive oil, salt, and garlic powder.
  3. Toss with a spoon or tongs to coat the green beans.
  4. Cook in your Air Fryer at 400 degrees for 7-10 minutes, tossing them half-way through cook time to make sure they are cooking evenly.
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These have an awesome crunch. And did you see that simple hack I shared in the recipe? I simply open a bag of frozen green beans and use the bag as a bowl! Drizzle in the olive oil, sprinkle in the seasonings, shake the bag, and pour the coated green beans into the air fryer. No dishes!! NO DISHES!!!! That is my favorite part, besides of course, the fact that we can make this awesome vegetable in the air fryer. Nourishing and fun all in one!

P.S. I have this Air Fryer and we’ve been very happy with it!

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

Christmas Make-Ahead Breakfast Ideas

December 16, 2020 by Bethany Lotulelei Leave a Comment

This post may contain affiliate links which won’t change your price but will share some commission.

I love baking, but who wants to spend all day in the kitchen when there’s hot chocolate to sip, family memories to make, and stockings to open? I am all about doing the work days earlier so you have a stress-free, peaceful holiday with your family. That’s why I put together this list of Christmas make-ahead breakfast ideas, to encourage you to get that baking done ahead of time so you have more time with your family.

Just in case you, too, are looking for ways to spend less time in the kitchen this holiday season, here are a few of our favorite tried and true Christmas make-ahead breakfast ideas!

Christmas Make-Ahead Breakfast Ideas

Mix and Match Christmas Make-Ahead Breakfast Ideas

1.Make-Ahead Pumpkin Donuts

We can mix up the pumpkin donuts, roll out the dough, cut the shapes, then freeze the uncooked dough on parchment paper or silicone mat-lined cookie sheets. We transfer the frozen dough into freezer bags, then any time we want fresh donuts (and when would we notwant fresh donuts?), we can grab some out of the freezer and fry them up fresh to eat while sipping a cup of coffee, tea, or hot chocolate!

2. Yogurt Parfait Bar

Simply purchase the ingredients beforehand, make the granola or other add-ins a few days beforehand, chop up the fruit the day before, and you are set!

Here are some of my favorite toppings:

  • Containers of your family’s favorite yogurt
  • Stevia, maple syrup, or honey if you haven’t already sweetened the yogurt
  • A variety of fresh berries or peaches (make the process faster in the morning by cutting the fruit ahead of time)
  • Dried fruit options
  • Coconut Flakes
  • Cinnamon Sugar Pecans or other nuts or seeds your family enjoys
  • Dark Chocolate Almond Granola, Regular Granola, or Grape Nuts Cereal

3. Make-Ahead Muffins

I have to know:  Is this “freezing muffin batter” a brand new idea to you, or have you tried it before?  Once I tried this and learned how well it worked, I went on a muffin freezing frenzy (as confessed above). I now have Chocolate Chocolate Chip Muffin batter, Blueberry Muffin batter, Chocolate Chip Muffin batter (recipe in Kids in the Kitchen eBook), and Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Muffin batter in my freezers. What a time saver!

Looking for a few new recipes to try for Christmas morning? Check out this list of 23 Muffin recipes!

4. Frozen Yogurt Cups

This recipe is easy enough for your kiddos to make! Invite them into the kitchen, and whip these up together!

5. Homemade Poptarts


I love to make these poptarts and freeze them before I bake them. On a day I declare to be a Poptart Morning, I pull a few out and bake enough for each person to have a couple with our eggs and fruit. So good!

6. Giant Breakfast Cookies

Make the dough ahead of time, scoop the cookies out unto cookie sheets, freeze the cookie dough balls, and you’re set! Hot breakfast cookies on Christmas morning! Serve with fruit, and bacon (of course).

7. Biscuits with Sausage Gravy

Biscuits and gravy is one of my favorite special breakfasts. Make your biscuits ahead of time, and pop them in the freezer then make your gravy the day before, and heat it up in the morning. Easy peasy!

8. Cinnamon Rolls

I couldn’t make a list of Christmas breakfasts without including Cinnamon Rolls! These are deliciously easy, and mostly low in sugar! They kind of resemble those frozen orange rolls you can buy in the freezer section – except that these have a little bit of nutritional value and not nearly as much sugar, so we can all rejoice.

What is your favorite breakfast to make for Christmas morning?

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

The Surprising (Money-Saving) Ways I Use an Air Fryer

November 18, 2020 by Laura 1 Comment

This post may contain affiliate links which won’t change your price but will share some commission.

You might be surprised about the ways I use an Air Fryer, but hey, it’s tasty and saves money. Let me fill you in on all my secrets…

Matt and the boys surprised me with an Air Fryer last Christmas. But the truth is, I’m pretty sure they all wanted it for themselves and well, it was for sure a win-win Christmas gift!

I’ve made delicious Garlic Butter Shrimp in it and will never turn back. I love roasting green beans in it and will share those simple instructions soon. But can I confess how we mostly use the Air Fryer at our house?

French. Fries.

From a bag. At the store. The good kind. As in, the name brand fries because our store brand doesn’t taste nearly as good.

Wait, but Laura, don’t you make homemade fries?

Yes, I did. Past tense, at least for now. I barely have time to scrub a potato, so I do not have time (or arms) to cut potatoes into fries.

Ore Ida fries in the Air Fryer – the crinkle kind because THOSE ARE THE BEST – are so delicious and fun. We have them every Friday night and have obviously dubbed it “French Fry Friday.” We eat chicken strips and fries and watch a movie to celebrate the week. And about those chicken strips?

Those come out of a bag too. I don’t even feel guilty about this. We throw those into the air fryer with our fries. On Fridays. Before our movie night.

If I have a few extra minutes and two or even one arm to work with, I’ll steam a veggie to go with our meal. Otherwise we all grab some fruit and call it a night.

This saves money, how?

Well, how much money do you spend when you’re too tired to cook and you go through the drive-through for chicken strips and fries for your crew?

We almost never eat out, but a few weeks ago we went through a fast-food drive-through because they were giving a percentage of sales to our local school for a fundraiser. We headed that way to show our support and to give me a night off, but shucks if we didn’t sink $30 into that meal – and the receipt was only that low because only half of us were home that night.

What I throw into my air fryer – which tastes just as good and is slightly healthier than fast-food restaurants – costs around $10 for six of us to eat our fill.

What if your Air Fryer took the place of eating out?

Sure, my Ore Ida fries and Dino Nuggets or Bagged Chicken Strips are not the healthiest things I put on our table. But it’s still a step healthier than regular-fried food at fast-food restaurants.

And the money-saving aspect is huge!

Beyond that, the fun food we cook in our Air Fryer gives us that “we just had a treat” feeling that we can get when we go out to eat.

So now you know. I keep some frozen treats like fries and nuggets on hand to throw in my Air Fryer to help me survive this busy season in life. It saves big bucks compared to eating out and it’s a lot of fun too!

Thought you’d like to know, just in case you want to put an Air Fryer on your Christmas wish-list this year. :)

P.S. I have this Air Fryer and we’ve been very happy with it!

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

What Should I Bake?

November 1, 2020 by Laura Leave a Comment

This post may contain affiliate links which won’t change your price but will share some commission.

As much as I love summer the best of all the seasons, I sure love fall so I can get to baking again! In case you’re in the baking mood too, I thought it would be fun to give you some ideas if you’re asking yourself: What should I bake?

What should I bake?

I organized 111 of our favorite baking recipes into Yeast Bread Recipes, Muffin Recipes, Quick Bread Recipes, Cookie Recipes, Bar Recipes, and Cake Recipes. You’ll love how simple, yet how delicious these recipes are!

Get ready to bake up a storm and share with your neighbors. Wondering “what should I bake?” Wonder no more!

And by the way, if you don’t have a Bosch Mixer, I do highly recommend one. That has made my baking endeavors so much easier!!! (Read about why I invested here.)

Yeast Bread RecipesYum

  1. Chocolate Swirl Bread
  2. Cinnamon Swirl Bread
  3. Honey Whole Wheat Bagels
  4. Honey Whole Wheat Bread
  5. Monkey Bread
  6. No Knead Whole Wheat Bread
  7. One Hour Whole Wheat Yeast Rolls
  8. Pita Bread
  9. Stir-n-Pour Bread – So Easy!
  10. Soft Pretzels
  11. Soft Pretzel Bites
  12. Whole Wheat Hamburger Buns
  13. Whole Wheat Hot Dog Buns
  14. Whole Wheat Butterhorns
  15. Whole Wheat Cinnamon Rolls

Muffin Recipes

  1. Almond Flour Muffins
  2. Bacon Cheese Muffins
  3. Banana Muffins
  4. Blueberry Streusel Muffins
  5. Breakfast Cake Muffins
  6. Chocolate Chocolate Chip Muffins
  7. Chocolate Swirl Muffins
  8. Chocolate Zucchini Muffins
  9. Cinnamon Nectarine Muffins
  10. Coconut Flour Muffins
  11. Coconut Flour Banana Muffins
  12. Cornbread and Cornbread Muffins
  13. Cream Cheese Pumpkin Muffins
  14. Easy Chocolate Cheesecake Muffins
  15. Easy Chocolate Chip Cheesecake Muffins
  16. Easy Banana Cheesecake Muffins
  17. Easy Pumpkin Cheesecake Muffins
  18. Eggnog Muffins
  19. Honey Cinnamon Muffins
  20. Orange Muffins
  21. Pancake Muffins
  22. Pancake and Sausage Muffins
  23. Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Muffins
  24. Peanut Butter Muffins (gluten free!)
  25. Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins
  26. Snickerdoodle Muffins
  27. Strawberry Cream Muffins
  28. Sweet Potato Streusel Muffins
  29. Whole Wheat and Honey Zucchini Muffins
  30. Whole Wheat Chocolate Zucchini Muffins

Quick Bread Recipes

  1. Applesauce Bread
  2. Banana Bread
  3. Chocolate Chocolate Chip Bread
  4. Lemon Bread
  5. Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bread
  6. Whole Wheat and Honey Zucchini Bread
  7. Zucchini Carrot Bread
  8. Strawberry Bread

Cookie Recipes

  1. Cranberry White Chocolate Chip Breakfast Cookies
  2. Giant Breakfast Cookies
  3. Chocolate Chip Cookies
  4. Chocolate Chip Zucchini Cookies
  5. Chocolate Crinkle Cookies
  6. Christmas Spice Cookies
  7. Coconut Macaroons
  8. Flourless Fudge Cookies
  9. Flourless Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
  10. Flourless Peanut Butter Cookies
  11. Oatmeal Butterscotch Chip Cookies
  12. Orange Cream Cheese Cutouts
  13. Snickerdoodles
  14. The Best Chocolate Chip Cookies
  15. Super Soft Chocolate Cookies
  16. Sweet and Simple Butter Cookies
  17. Sweet and Simple Cranberry Cookies
  18. Low Sugar Cream Cheese Cut-Out Cookies
  19. Buttery Almond Cookies
  20. Simple Oatmeal Cookies
  21. Honey Sweetened No-Bake Cookies
  22. Easy {Low} Sugar Cookies
  23. Low Sugar Lemon Melt-Away Cookies
  24. Low Sugar Almond Melt-Away Cookies
  25. Low Sugar Orange Melt-Away Cookies
  26. Low Sugar Lime Melt-Away Cookies
  27. Low Sugar Chocolate Fudge Cookies
  28. Low Sugar Flourless Peanut Butter Cookies
  29. Low Sugar Flourless Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies
  30. Pumpkin Spice Cut-Out Cookies

Bar Recipes

  1. Apricot Breakfast Bars
  2. Oatmeal Breakfast Bars
  3. Butterscotch Bars
  4. Cheesecake Brownies
  5. Chocolate Chip Brownies
  6. Coconut Flour Brownies
  7. Honey Peanut Bars
  8. Monster Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars
  9. Peanut Butter Apple Cookie Bars
  10. Peanut Butter Honey Bars
  11. Pumpkin Pecan Pie Squares
  12. Zucchini Brownies
  13. Low Sugar Chocolate Brownies
  14. Low Sugar Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars

Cake Recipes

  1. Banana Cake
  2. Blueberry Coffee Cake
  3. Breakfast Cake
  4. Peanut Butter Breakfast Cake
  5. Pumpkin Breakfast Cake
  6. Carrot Cake
  7. Chocolate Cake
  8. Lemon Pound Cake
  9. Peanut Butter Cake
  10. Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cake
  11. Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cake
  12. Red(less) Velvet Cake
  13. Strawberry Shortcake
  14. Zucchini Cake
Heavenly Homemaker's Club Members: Access your homepage and all your fantastic resources here! Not a member yet? Please join us!

Vanilla Extract in the Instant Pot. Is it Good??

October 21, 2020 by Laura 1 Comment

This post may contain affiliate links which won’t change your price but will share some commission.

I’ve heard about making Vanilla Extract in the Instant Pot. But I had to wonder: Is it good? As good as the Homemade Vanilla Extract I usually brew for 6 months? I decided to give it a try!

Yum

I’ve been making my own vanilla extract since 2009. It’s super easy to make, but it does take 4-6 months to finish extracting so that we end up with good strong vanilla.

Recently I saw on the internet that you can make vanilla extract in the Instant Pot – in 40 minutes!!! Fun fact: 40 minutes is a lot less time to wait on homemade vanilla compared to waiting for 6 months. I figured it wouldn’t cost much to try it out and compare it to my super special 6-month homemade vanilla. So I gave it a try!

First, let’s look at how this works:

When I long-brew my vanilla extract, I cut my beans and put them into a big jar filled with vodka for 4-6 months. It’s as simple as can be and turns out THE MOST AMAZING vanilla extract!

The Instant Pot method for making vanilla extract takes fewer beans and way less time. I cut a total of 6 beans – first the long way, then in half so they fit into pint-sized jars.

I then fill the jars with vodka and put them on the trivet in my Instant Pot. Carefully set lids on the jars, but do not screw on tightly. Add water to the Instant Pot, seal, and set the timer to 40 minutes at high pressure.

Allow the vanilla extract to pressure cook for 40 minutes, then carefully quick release the pressure so that you can open your Instant Pot lid. The result?

Beautiful vanilla extract in just 40 minutes!!!

How to make Vanilla Extract in the Instant Pot

Vanilla Extract in the Instant Pot. Is it Good??
 
Save Print
Author: Laura
Serves: 32 ounces
Ingredients
  • 6 vanilla beans (use the code HOME for a 15% discount!)
  • 1 quart of vodka
  • 2 pint jars with lids
Instructions
  1. Cut vanilla beans along down the middle of the bean, then cut them in half and place them into 2 pint-sized jar. (3 beans per jar)
  2. Pour vodka over the beans.
  3. Place a trivet into your Instant Pot.
  4. Add 1 cup of water to the bottom of the pot.
  5. Set the prepared jars of vodka/vanilla beans onto the trivet.
  6. Loosely place the lids on the jars, not sealing tightly.
  7. Lock on the Instant Pot lid and seal the pressure valve.
  8. Cook on manual setting for 40 minutes at high pressure.
  9. Quick release the pressure valve (watch out for the steam!)
  10. Carefully remove the jar and allow the vanilla to cool.
3.5.3251

How does it compare?

The old fashioned me wants to say, “Oh, the long brew method of making vanilla extract is so much better!!” But the truth is that I actually can’t tell much difference.

Therefore, the simple-cook me gets to say, “Hey, want to save A LOT of time and effort making vanilla extract? Try making it in your Instant Pot!!”

So in summary, we’ve got a win-win here! If you decide to stick with the regular, long brew method you’ll turn out wonderful vanilla extract! And if you have an Instant Pot and decide to make a fast batch, you will still turn out wonderful vanilla extract!

Make this for Christmas gifts!

If you do have an Instant Pot, you can order your beans and make a bunch of vanilla for gifts – it’s not too late!! People love receiving homemade vanilla as a gift – teachers, family members, neighbors, co-workers!

Where to buy vanilla beans:

I always buy my vanilla beans from Olive Nation. I’ve tried other sources to “save money” but instead ended up wasting money because the quality of the beans from cheap sources was terrible!

Olive Nation beans are so, so good. I’ve used their beans for years. They love working with us here at Heavenly Homemakers so they offer us 15% off when we use the coupon code: home. Plus we get free shipping on orders over $50!

Cost Breakdown to Make Vanilla in the Instant Pot:

I ordered the 25-bean package on this page and used the lovely discount code, home. This landed me 15% off plus free shipping, so total cost for 25 beans was $91.11. With these beans, I can make 4 quarts of vanilla!! (I’ve just made 1 quart so far.)

Cost for one quart of vanilla in my Instant Pot:

  • 6 beans = 21.84
  • 1 quart of vodka = $5.50
  • TOTAL = $27.34

With this, I can put together four 8-ounce bottles of vanilla for gifts!! This makes each 8-ounce bottle cost just $6.84! That is an incredible price!!

(Cost at the store for high-quality vanilla? Most of what I find has water added, and it’s still $8.97 for just TWO OUNCES. Homemade cost for two ounces is just $1.71!!!)

Extra resources:

  • Read this post to learn how to finish and strain your vanilla after 4-6 months if you choose to do the long-brew method.
  • You can purchase dark amber bottles here.
  • Order personalized vanilla stickers for bottles and gifts here.
  • Get your beans here, and use the code HOME to get 15% off!

I’m super excited about this option for making vanilla extract! Have you tried it before?!

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

Food Ideas For Feeding a Large Group

August 5, 2020 by Laura 3 Comments

This post may contain affiliate links which won’t change your price but will share some commission.

Need some food ideas for feeding a large group? Here’s what I’ve been working on recently!

I’ve been prepping to feed our York College soccer teams several times during our pre-season this fall, so I thought I’d share what I’ve been up to! (My husband is one of the women’s coaches so we are blessed to be heavily involved with the teams. Plus our third son, Elias, will be the fourth Coppinger to be on the YC men’s team!)

If you think I’m crazy for taking this on while chasing our busy 6-year-old and two 1-year-old toddlers, I’d probably agree with you. BUT, all I can say is that I had a strong desire to do this. God said yes. I love food, I love feeding people, and I especially love feeding our YC soccer teams as they transition back into a school year and a new season.

We are praising God that we can have a soccer season and an on-campus school year at this point. We are taking all the precautions to stay safe and the fact that we can have such a beautiful opportunity to enjoy community in this way is such a joy to us. We are SO THANKFUL.

How I can feed a large group while chasing babies

Even if I wasn’t chasing babies, I still have to do the following to make this work:

  1. I have to be very organized.
  2. I have to keep my menus very simple.
  3. I have to ask for help.
  4. I have to get as much food prepped ahead of time as possible.

So I’ve detailed my meal ideas. I’ve made thorough grocery lists (Wal-mart grocery pickup for the WIN!). I have lists of tasks others can take off my plate when they come into the kitchen and say, “What can I do to help?” And I started baking five weeks ago!

The plan right now is that I will feed:

  • The guy’s team one evening in our yard.
  • The girl’s team the next evening in our yard.
  • Both teams during an entire weekend retreat (6 meals)

I’ve been feeding big crowds (and chasing littles) for many years now, so I’ve definitely learned a lot about what works well and what doesn’t. I used to go all out and make everything from scratch. Phew, not anymore! I still do what I can, but wow have I simplified compared to making homemade ice cream sandwiches for everyone like I used to!

Food Ideas When Feeding a Large Group

Here’s a simple list of what I’m planning to feed everyone (about 80 people) during the weekend retreat. I’ll share more details below.

Friday Evening: Crock Pot Beef and Chicken Fajitas with Fixins, Watermelon, Butterscotch Bars

Saturday Morning: Egg Casseroles, Quick Breads, Fruit

Saturday Lunch: Dips with Chips, Dips with Veggies, Dips with Fruit, Brownies

Saturday Dinner: Lasagna, Salad, French Bread, Green Beans,  Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars

Sunday Morning: Cereal, Fruit, Yogurt, Leftover Quick Bread

Sunday Lunch: Pulled Pork Sandwiches, Chips, Baked Beans, Leftover Veggies and Fruits and Dips

During the weeks leading up to the retreat, I have cooked or baked a little bit each day to put food in the freezer to get ahead and prepared for the retreat.

Here’s my countertop one morning after I started cooking Fajita Meat in two crockpots,
Stick of Butter Rice in my Instant Pot,
and pulled three loaves of Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bread from my oven.

What Can Be Made Ahead of Time and Frozen

  • Chicken Fajita Meat (15 pounds)
  • Beef Fajita Meat (made just like the Chicken Fajita recipe – 6 pounds)
  • Rice for Fajitas (x8)
  • Easy Breakfast Casseroles (9 dozen eggs worth)
  • Lasagna (x10)
  • Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bread (3 loaves)
  • Zucchini Bread (3 loaves)
  • Banana Bread (3 loaves)
  • Orange Poppyseed Bread (5 loaves)
  • Chocolate Chip Bread (3 loaves)
  • Chocolate Chocolate Chip Bread (3 loaves)
  • Pulled Pork (20 pounds)
  • Brownies (x8)
  • Butterscotch Bars (x4)
  • Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars (x4)

What Can Be Made Ahead of Time and Refrigerated

  • Creamy Italian Veggie Dip
  • Fruit Dip
  • Bean and Cheese Salsa Dip

In Case You’re Curious:

  • Fajita Fixin’s: tortillas, prepared meat, rice, black beans, shredded cheese, salsa, sliced olives, diced tomatoes, shredded lettuce, sour cream

What I Can Ask Others to Help With

It’s helpful for me to have a list made for ways others can help simply because while I’m in the middle of cooking before a big meal starts, my brain can’t always think of what to say when someone offers, “What can I do to help?”

During the retreat, soccer team members will be coming into the kitchen to help me (or grabbing babies to take them outside to play while I cook!). So here’s what I plan to turn over to the students:

  • Prep Fruit – Apples, Bananas, Peaches, Strawberries, Grapes
  • Prep Veggies – Carrots, Broccoli, Cucumbers
  • Slice Quick Breads
  • Shred Cheese
  • Wash Dishes! ;)

Meals in our Yard

The week after the retreat we’ll feed each team once at our house. I haven’t done any prep work for these yet, but I plan to make the same meal both nights for both teams to save effort and my brain energy. :)

  • Simple Pizza Chicken Bake (this is so easy to put together!)
  • Tossed Salad
  • Corn
  • Grapes
  • Italian Bread
  • Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

What are your go-to meals when feeding large crowds?

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How to Easily Freeze Oranges for Smoothies (plus a recipe!)

July 29, 2020 by Laura Leave a Comment

This post may contain affiliate links which won’t change your price but will share some commission.

You can easily freeze oranges for smoothies. Here’s how!

I never liked oranges in smoothies until I invested in a Blendtec. Regular, inexpensive blenders don’t have the power to puree fruit like oranges. This is fine – if you like to chew your smoothies. :) But a high-power blender like my beloved Blendtec easily blends all fruits until they are super smooth. Here’s more info about why I love my Blendtec and why I feel it’s worth the investment!

But back to freezing oranges…

I recently found myself with 5 extra pounds of clementines that were looking a little bit pitiful. Knowing we wouldn’t eat them all before they had to head to the compost, I simply peeled them, separated them, and put them into a freezer bag.

Now, when we want orange flavor in our smoothies, instead of pouring in orange juice, we blend in a handful of these frozen orange slices. These are great with strawberries, bananas, and well, just about any fruit combination!

Here’s our favorite recipe that includes frozen oranges:

Tropical Smoothies

How to Easily Freeze Oranges for Smoothies (plus a recipe!)
 
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Author: Laura
Serves: 4
Ingredients
  • 1½ cups frozen mango chunks
  • 1½ cups frozen pineapple chunks
  • 1½ cups frozen orange slices
  • 2 cups plain yogurt, milk, or coconut milk
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
  1. Place all ingredients into a blender or food processor together.
  2. Blend until smooth.
3.5.3251

It’s tough to beat pineapple, mango, and orange all together in a glass! Use coconut milk in this recipe if you want your smoothie to be extra-tropical tasting. And if you do that, it will be naturally diary-free too!

Do you freeze oranges? How do you use them?

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Start Making Vanilla Extract for Christmas Gifts!

July 5, 2020 by Laura 13 Comments

This post may contain affiliate links which won’t change your price but will share some commission.

Now’s the time to start making Vanilla Extract for Christmas gifts!

Christmas in July is fun. :) Start a batch of homemade vanilla extract now and it will be ready just in time to bottle up and give as gifts this December!

Bottles of homemade vanilla are extremely awesome gifts! However, you need to start making it now because it takes 4-6 months for a big batch of vanilla to be strong and delicious.

How do you make vanilla extract?

It’s actually super easy, though the result will make you feel like you’ve made something gourmet! People love receiving this as a gift.

Find a thorough tutorial here to learn the specifics about making homemade vanilla. Or, if you’re feeling comfortable, simply follow this easy recipe:

How to Make Vanilla Extract

4.0 from 1 reviews
Start Making Vanilla Extract for Christmas Gifts!
 
Save Print
Author: Laura
Ingredients
  • 1.75 liters of inexpensive vodka
  • 25 Vanilla Beans enter code HOME for a 15% discount on Vanilla Beans through Olive Nation!!
Instructions
  1. Slice through each bean lengthwise, leaving about one inch at the top of each bean uncut so that it stays together.
  2. Place all of your cut Vanilla Beans into a half-gallon jar.
  3. Fill the jar with vodka.
  4. Secure the lid and put the jar in a dark place (like in the back of a cabinet).
  5. Allow it to sit and "extract" for 4-6 months.
  6. Every few weeks during extracting time, shake the jar to mix it up a bit.
3.5.3251

Once your vanilla as finished extracting 4-6 months from now:

Here’s how to finish and bottle up your homemade vanilla!

Where to buy vanilla beans:

I always buy my vanilla beans from Olive Nation. I’ve tried other sources to “save money” but instead ended up wasting money because the quality of the beans from cheap sources was terrible!

Olive Nation beans are so, so good. I’ve used their beans for years. They love working with us here at Heavenly Homemakers so they offer us 15% off when we use the coupon code: home. Plus we get free shipping on orders over $50!

To make 1/2 gallon of Homemade Vanilla Extract you need:

  • 25 vanilla beans = $91 after coupon code HOME
  • Shipping = FREE on orders over $50
  • 1.75 liter bottle of vodka = Approximately $11

Your total cost for 1/2 gallon of homemade vanilla extract will be about $102. This breaks down to $1.59/ounces which makes 4-ounces of vanilla cost $6.36

BONUS

You can save your beans after you make a batch of vanilla and reuse them to make a second batch!!

I put my used beans into a lesser amount of vodka to get more bang for my buck. So for instance, for the first round, I use 25 beans in 1.75 liters of vodka. Then for the second round, I use the same 25 beans soaked in half that amount of vodka (.88 liters). The result is still amazing and I just spent a few dollars for a quart of great vanilla extract!

Extra resources:

  • Read this post to learn how to finish and strain your vanilla after 4-6 months.
  • You can purchase dark amber bottles here.
  • Order personalized vanilla stickers for bottles and gifts here.
  • Get your beans here, and use the code HOME to get 15% off!

Go get your beans!

And yeah, go get your vodka. :) :) :)

Make yourself a delicious batch of vanilla extract and get ready for Christmas!

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