Heavenly Homemakers

Encouraging women in homemaking, healthy eating and parenting

Simple Whole Grain Lemon Muffins

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With spring right around the corner, these Simple Whole Grain Lemon Muffins are practically perfect. It’s already spring, you say? I know. Technically it is. But it still feels a bit wintery where I live, with only the occasional hint of spring. We’re still inside baking to stay warm most days. :)

Our 5-year old Bonus Boy loves baking with me, and muffins are an easy favorite to put together. I keep a huge container of Homemade Muffin Mix on hand so that he and I can stir together any muffin variety we want. We recently experimented to make Lemon Muffins and the results are super tangy and fun!

Note how simple it is to make muffin variations! I simply subbed out some milk for lemon juice in my basic muffin recipe. Suddenly we went from Plain Muffins to Lemon Muffins, without any trouble at all!

Want to stir in some fresh lemon zest? Go for it! At this point in my life (adding a 5-year old to our home and caring for an infant), I tend to take every shortcut I can while still keeping our food as nourishing as possible. I use bottled 100% lemon juice in this recipe; therefore I have no lemon to zest. :)

Simple Whole Grain Lemon Muffins

Simple Whole Grain Lemon Muffins
 
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Serves: 12-15
Ingredients
  • 2 cups Muffin Mix** or...
  • 1½ cups whole grain flour
  • ⅓ cup brown sugar or sucanat
  • ½ teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon sea salt
  • 1 egg
  • ¼ cup milk
  • ¼ cup lemon juice
  • ½ cup sour cream
  • ¼ cup melted coconut oil
Instructions
  1. Scoop Muffin Mix or measure dry ingredients together in a bowl.
  2. Add egg, sour cream, milk, lemon juice, and melted coconut oil, stirring until ingredients are combined.
  3. Scoop batter into 12-15 prepared muffin tins.
  4. Bake in a 400 degree oven for 18-22 minutes or until muffins are golden brown.

**Do you have our Simple Mixes to Save the Day eBook yet? Grab it so you can save time and energy by using the Muffin Mix for this recipe!! I LOVE having these mixes on hand!!!

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I love that these muffins are made with whole grain flour, but they are still wonderfully light and fluffy! This is because I use freshly ground soft white wheat (pastry flour). What a difference this makes! You can read more about whole grains and grain mills here.

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

Simple Make-Ahead Parmesan Burgers

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I’m not sure if you’re keeping track or not, but this is the third variation I’ve shared in two weeks using the exact same recipe. Woohoo for easy versatility! Today we’re taking our Simple Make-Ahead Parmesan Meatball recipe and basically smashing the mixture into Simple Make-Ahead Parmesan Burgers. Are we smart or are we smart?

The idea came to me as I was working ahead to make a bunch of Parmesan Meatballs for the freezer. Either I got tired of scooping out meatballs, or I got a brilliant idea. It might have been both. After scooping out about 2 1/2 pounds of meatballs, I decided to abort my meatball endeavor. I took my remaining mixture and formed it into burger patties. I froze them, then we pulled them out to fry another day.

Fantabulous!

Might I recommend that you make these Simple Make-Ahead Parmesan Burgers with a side of Sweet Potato Fries or Simple Seasoned Potato Wedges?

Simple Make-Ahead Parmesan Burgers

Simple Make-Ahead Parmesan Burgers
 
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Serves: 8
Ingredients
  • 2 pounds ground beef or turkey
  • 2 eggs
  • 3 Tablespoons dried minced onion
  • ½ cup shredded (or grated) parmesan cheese
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt
  • ¼ teaspoon ground pepper
  • ½ teaspoon garlic powder
Instructions
  1. Mix all ingredients together until well combined.
  2. Press together burger-sized patties.
  3. Fry in a skillet or on a grill for 8-12 minutes or until the meat is no longer pink.
  4. Serve right away, or refrigerate or freeze cooked burgers to easily reheat for a meal later.
  5. OR, freeze the prepared raw burgers, thaw as needed, and fry as directed.

Want Parmesan Meatballs instead? Or would you prefer Saucy Parmesan Meatballs? Nothing like getting 3-meal-varieties from one recipe!

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12 Fun and Wholesome Ways to Cook with Whole Rolled Oats

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Why am I giving you so many fun ways to cook with whole rolled oats? Well…

If I confess to you that I do not enjoy eating a bowl of oatmeal in the morning (or any time of day) – can we still be friends? I’ve tried to like oatmeal. But I simply cannot eat it (Sam I am). I get to the third bite and try as I might, I can’t put one more spoonful into my mouth. I realize that this is because I am a spoiled, privileged person who has a plethora of food options, and in many other life settings I would be grateful to have a bowl of oatmeal.

So it is with gratitude that I share 12 other options for ways to use and cook with this wholesome ingredient!

How fun it is that delicious rolled oats can be stirred into these recipes and transformed into a wonderful breakfast option!

12 Fun and Wholesome Ways to Cook with Whole Rolled Oats

  1. Stir-and-Pour Honey Oat Bread
  2. Baked Oatmeal Cups
  3. Breakfast Cake
  4. Breakfast Cake Muffins
  5. Cracklin’ Oat Bran Cereal
  6. Cranberry White Chocolate Chip Breakfast Cookies
  7. Dark Chocolate Almond Granola
  8. Giant Breakfast Cookies
  9. Granola
  10. Granola ~ 5-Minute Stop-Top Version
  11. Raspberry Oatmeal Bars
  12. Oatmeal Breakfast Bars

Can you use Quick Oats in any of these recipes? Sure! I just always have Whole Rolled Oats on hand because I like them better. I mean, I like them better for baking. Not in a bowl. How spoiled is this girl? ;)

If you do happen to be an “oatmeal in a bowl” kind of a person, I highly recommend that you make yourself some of these: Instant Oatmeal Packets. It’s a wonderful time and money saver, plus you can include any of the favorite healthy ingredients that you like! I usually make big batches of Instant Oatmeal and put it into jars as pictured above. My family scoops out a “packet” amount and has a quick and easy breakfast!

What are your favorite, wholesome ways to eat oats?

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

How to Save Your Winter Dry Skin

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Sure, spring officially arrived a few days ago. Yes, the sun is shining now from time to time. But tell that to our winter dry skin. I, for one, still need some help.

And who am I kidding? I’ll need help for dry skin all year ’round. I don’t go a day without my BeeSilk Hard Lotion Bar and that’s the truth. I keep them in the bathroom, in my purse, and in the diaper bag (ha, didn’t see that coming! why, hello beautiful world of foster care!). I send lotion bars to the dorm with my oldest sons. I make sure we have a nice supply on hand at all times.

Want to know something cool? I was first introduced to MadeOn products in 2011 (I had no idea it was that long ago!). But Renee and I started talking about putting a FREEBIE deal (see below!!) together for you, and she found and posted this. <—I wrote those words when I was in my 30’s (pauses for laughter). Eight beautiful years later, my hands and I are still going strong.

I’m going to tell you something big:

There are very few companies that I worked with back in 2011 that I am still working with now. I may have liked and promoted a product or service for a company or business back in the day, but then what they had to offer didn’t hold my attention or continue to meet my needs.

But after all these years, MadeOn BeeSilk Hard Lotion is still my go-to product for skin care. NOTHING else keeps my hands from cracking and bleeding in the winter. BeeSilk works beautifully. And what’s even better?

BeeSilk is made from 3 simple ingredients.

Beeswax, Shea Butter, and Coconut Oil.

They are blended perfectly to rub on my dry skin, and the product is so healing! So simple. So nourishing.

I’m actually kind of scared of other skin products now. What are those ingredients? Why are they necessary? How do you pronounce that? What will that stuff actually do to me?

So I skip looking at other stuff and I keep using MadeOn.

It is also worth noting that while BeeSilk Lotion Bars are my favorite of all their products, our family also uses their Lip Balms and Bug Block. MadeOn is my go-to shop for skin care. Renee, founder and owner, makes it easy – a no brainer!

Well, all that to say…

Renee from MadeOn is working with me to give you all a FREE BeeSilk Pocket Lotion Bar! After all, to celebrate 10 years of business, they’re trying to get their BeeSilk Bars into 10,000 hands this in 2019. I want to help them!

Click here to see the sales page she set up just for us! You’ll get more information about their products, and then she shares 3 incredible offers.

Use the code HEAVENLYBEESILK to get $7.75 off your order!

The code HEAVENLYBEESILK will do one of three things for you:

  1. Give you a FREE BeeSilk Pocket Bar if you choose Option 1 (cost for the bar will be $0.00 and you’ll only have to pay shipping).
  2. Give you $7.75 off a BeeSilk 3-Pack, which includes a pocket bar, a regular bar, and a lip balm.
  3. Give you $7.75 off an already discounted BeeSilk Variety Pack – with FREE SHIPPING! ($47.17 total for the entire package!)

Choice #3 gives you the best bang for your buck (I jumped on it immediately!!). You get 6 wonderful products – already discounted 20% – plus you take $7.75 off, PLUS you get FREE SHIPPING. And then you end up with a whole package of awesome BeeSilk products!

No matter which option you choose, I strongly suggest you at least give MadeOn products a try. How wonderful to have a chance to grab a free BeeSilk Bar to experience! Or to use the big discount toward even more products!

This offer ends Wednesday, March 27, 2019.

See all the details and take advantage here!

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

Pumpkin Pie. For Breakfast. In March.

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This idea doesn’t seem normal. However, have you ever known me to actually be normal? Therefore, nothing I post or suggest here should shock you. A little outside-the-box thinking could do us all some good, don’t you think? Today, it’s pumpkin pie for breakfast. Tomorrow, perhaps we’ll turn on the Christmas music. Happy Easter, everyone.

So first of all, I truly love that pumpkins are nutritious. For me, that instantly turns a Pumpkin Pie into a semi-health food. Agreed? Second, if a boxed poptart or a store-bought donut can be considered “breakfast food,” I can’t imagine why pie and cake can’t also be eaten for breakfast.

Now, you know me. I always stress that we should eat nourishing foods so we can stay healthy. I cut the sugar down in recipes because ain’t nobody need as much sugar as most recipes call for.

But when I was cleaning out the freezer recently and discovered a pumpkin pie stashed in the back, baked and frozen way back in November? Well, I pulled it out and surprised my family with it for breakfast. Coffee and pumpkin pie? In March? It was truly something to be thankful for.

I wonder if there’s any Cornbread Stuffing stashed in my house somewhere?

Need my Pumpkin Pie recipe? Apparently I feel that I should share it today. Be warned that I am continuing to clean out my freezer. You never know what tip I might post tomorrow.

Need some actual breakfast recipes?

Get 31 free great ideas here!

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

Is This Better Than Milk?

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On a chilly morning, when we need something filling but easy, when we feel the need for extra comfort: We have found this to be better than milk.

Yum

Our Warm Vanilla Soother recipe has been around for a while. If you’re a Heavenly Homemakers veteran, you’ve likely tried it a time or three. But just in case you’re new, or in case you’ve been around a while but need to be reminded, we wanted to highlight our Warm Vanilla Soother today!

Our 5-year old Bonus Boy is a milk-drinking-machine. He loves his milk, and didn’t bat an eye when he moved in with us and we started serving him our farm-fresh raw milk. He guzzles it down until we tell him “that’s all for now.” So I wondered how he’d like our Warm Vanilla Soother. Oh…he likes it. He likes it very much. And he likes the chocolate variety too. Who wouldn’t?

So what’s better than a milk mustache (worn very often by our 5-year old)? A Warm Vanilla Soother mustache, of course.

Better Than Milk: Warm Vanilla Soother

Is This Better Than Milk?
 
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Serves: 3-5
Ingredients
  • 3 cups whole milk
  • 4 egg yolks
  • ¼ cup real maple syrup
  • 2 Tablespoons arrowroot powder or corn starch
  • 1 Tablespoon butter (optional, but delicious!)
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
  1. In a medium saucepan, whisk together milk, egg yolks, maple syrup and arrowroot powder.
  2. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly (I use a whisk) until mixture begins to thicken.
  3. Remove from heat and add butter and vanilla.
  4. Stir until creamy.
  5. Pour into mugs and serve warm.

Here are a couple other fun varieties we’ve created!

If you live in a colder climate as I do, it’s recipes like these that are getting us through these “it’s almost spring but still very chilly” days. We will make it through until warm weather finds us!

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

Simple Saucy Parmesan Meatballs

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If it seems too simple, that’s because it is. Today I am sharing what is so obvious, you probably already thought of it yourself. Still, it is worth taking the time to mention the idea to take the Simple Make-Ahead Parmesan Meatballs, add sauce, and make the meatballs into a brand new meal of Simple Saucy Parmesan Meatballs!

Oh how I love food that is versatile like this. When we can make one recipe, but turn it into whatever we need it to be – now THAT is a recipe to keep in our back pockets!

Like literally. Print this out and put it in your back pocket. Later, you’ll reach in and say, “Oh! I have something in my back pocket. Could it be a $5 bill I forgot about? No? It’s a recipe for Simple Make-Ahead Parmesan Meatballs? Well that’s even better than surprise cash!”

Yes, that is exactly the scenario that will happen when you put this recipe in your back pocket.

Now my friends, watch and see how easy it is to make a delightful (and ridiculously obvious) variation to our newly beloved Simple Make-Ahead Parmesan Meatballs. We shall now add sauce, serve them with our favorite pasta, and make everyone in our family very happy. But no one will quite be as happy as we are because we are the ones cooking the food and we are the happiest about the ease of this recipe idea!

Simple Saucy Parmesan Meatballs

Simple Saucy Parmesan Meatballs
 
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Serves: 4-6
Ingredients
  • 1-2 pounds of pre-made Parmesan Meatballs*
  • 16-ounces of our favorite pasta sauce (red or white!)
  • 12-ounces cooked pasta
Instructions
  1. Reheat or bake meatballs* as directed.
  2. Pour sauce over meatballs and simmer until heated through.
  3. Serve over your favorite prepared pasta. OR
  4. Serve with rice or potatoes if you like!

* Here’s our recipe for Simple Make-Ahead Parmesan Meatballs.

Another of our favorite ways to enjoy these Simple Saucy Parmesan Meatballs? With this 10-Minute Instant Pot Mac and Cheese. Along with a salad and veggie, of course.

Want More Simple Recipes?

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Simple Make-Ahead Parmesan Meatballs

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Who gets excited about something silly like Simple Make-Ahead Parmesan Meatballs? This girl. Indeed, I get very, very excited.

I like beef. I like meatballs. I like anything that can be made ahead of time. No. Scratch that. I LOVE anything that can be made ahead of time. And if it’s also made from beef, well, that makes me one happy girl!

You can make this recipe ahead and store the meatballs in the fridge or freezer UNBAKED. Or you can PRE-BAKE up a huge batch and pull out a few as needed to reheat quickly. This recipe is flexible to meet your family’s needs!

Simple Make-Ahead Parmesan Meatballs

Simple Make-Ahead Parmesan Meatballs
 
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Serves: 16-20 meatballs
Ingredients
  • 2 pounds ground beef or turkey
  • 2 eggs
  • 3 Tablespoons dried minced onion
  • ½ cup shredded (or grated) parmesan cheese
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt
  • ¼ teaspoon ground pepper
  • ½ teaspoon garlic powder
Instructions
  1. Mix all ingredients together until well combined.
  2. Scoop any size balls out onto a cookie sheet (I use a large scoop).
  3. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 30-45 minutes or until the meat is no longer pink.
  4. Serve right away, or refrigerate or freeze baked meatballs to easily reheat for a meal later.
  5. OR, freeze the prepared meatballs UNBAKED, thaw as needed, and bake as directed.

I love serving these Simple Make-Ahead Parmesan Meatballs with:

Meals like this are truly satisfying, extremely delicious, and still very simple to put together!

Want More Simple Recipes?

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Simple Popcorn Chicken Tacos

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Here’s an idea for you. Make extra Popcorn Chicken to serve in tacos for a super simple meal! Popcorn Chicken Tacos are surprisingly good and of course, super fun.

Here’s our very easy, very delicious Popcorn Chicken Recipe. I love making a double, or triple, or quadruple batch of this chicken and then freezing it to reheat at another time for a super easy meal. As an extra fun variation, I reheat it and we use it to build tacos any way we like!

Simple Popcorn Chicken Tacos

Simple Popcorn Chicken Tacos
 
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Serves: 4-6
Ingredients
  • 1 pound pre-made popcorn chicken*
  • 8 whole grain flour or corn tortillas
  • Fresh taco fixins like tomatoes, lettuce, black beans, sweet peppers, corn, cilantro, onions, salsa, olives, etc
  • Shredded cheese
Instructions
  1. Rewarm popcorn chicken.
  2. Prepare taco fixins and set out a buffet for each person to build Simple Popcorn Chicken Tacos per their preference!

*Find our Simple Popcorn Chicken recipe here.

Want toasted tortillas? Simply warm them in a skillet over low heat for about 1 minute on each side until they turn lightly brown and barely crispy!

Want More Simple Recipes?

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FREE Spring Learning Activities for Your Kids!

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If you don’t have these yet, or if you do have them and need to be reminded to pull them out again, here are our FREE Spring Learning Activities for Kids!

As a special gift to you as you might find yourself needing to little help getting over winter blues and spring fever, I’ve created March “In Like a Lion, Out Like a Lamb” Activity Packets. They are FREE.

There’s a packet for Pre-K to enjoy, as well as a packet for K-5 to enjoy. Use them in whatever works best for your family!

Free Pre-K March Learning Activity Packet

Free K-5 March Learning Activity Packet
Gain access to the free March Lion and Lamb Learning Activities here.

I have Spring Activity Packets ready for you too!

Just like the March Packets, there is a Spring Activity Packet for both Pre-K and for K-5. You can download one or both. (I mean, they’re free, right?) They include fun springtime learning activities and a few coloring pages too. I like coloring pages for read-aloud time. I always found that my kids listened better when I was reading if they were doing something to occupy their hands! Plus, your kids can give away their colored pages to someone to offer them some springtime cheer!

Spring Activity Packet Pre-K FREEBIE!

Spring Activity Packet K-5 FREEBIE!

Click here to sign up and grab the freebies!

I’m super excited to share that signing up for these freebies will connect you to our new Heavenly Homemaker’s Learning Zone. It’s free, of course. You can unsubscribe at any time, your info will never be shared or sold, and being on this list means that you’ll be the first to know of the other fun (yes, FUN!) educational tools we’re putting together!

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