Heavenly Homemakers

Encouraging women in homemaking, healthy eating and parenting

Simple 10-Minute Instant Pot Mac and Cheese

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I have a major confession, and I think you will all be a tiny bit shocked. (No I didn’t start eating margarine. Who do you even think I am?) For years, I deemed this Creamy Mac and Cheese recipe the best in the world. I held to this opinion for years. And now. NOW, I have discovered a recipe that is even better than the best. Allow me to introduce you to the marvelous, wonderful, fabulous 10-Minute Instant Pot Mac and Cheese!

If you don’t yet have an Instant Pot, I feel you, I get you, and I was on your Non-Instant-Pot-Team for many years. Then I finally gave in and allowed this jewel to change my life forever. I truly do love my precious Instant Pot because it saves me so much time and energy in the kitchen. It’s like God knew we all needed Simple Meals and Simple Recipes so on the eighth day He created the Instant Pot. And God said it was good.

What are my favorite foods to make in my Instant Pot? I’m so glad you asked.

If you don’t yet have an Instant Pot, might I recommend that you save up and invest in one? I do think you will love it as much as I do!

For all the Instant Pot owners out there, you’ll be delighted to know that this 10-Minute Instant Pot Mac and Cheese can actually be ready to serve – from start to finish – in just 10-minutes. This has become a great go-to lunch for my boys at home or a wonderful side dish at dinner after a busy day.

Simple 10-Minute Instant Pot Mac and Cheese

4.0 from 2 reviews
Simple 10-Minute Instant Pot Mac and Cheese
 
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Serves: 4-6
Ingredients
  • 16-ounces whole grain pasta (any shape)
  • 4 cups water
  • 4 Tablespoons butter (always butter, never margarine, amen, hallelujah)
  • 2 teaspoons sea salt
  • 1 cup heavy whipping cream
  • 3 cups shredded cheese (we love Colby jack)
Instructions
  1. Stir uncooked pasta, water, butter, and salt in your instant pot.
  2. Seal and cook on manual, high pressure for 4 minutes.
  3. Quick release the pressure.
  4. Open the pot and stir in the cream and cheese until melted and creamy.

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DON’T Make Meal Plans in 2019! (What?!)

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Yep. Sit back and let us make your meals plans for you. How fantastic would that be?! We offered this back in September – and it’s back for two days in a flash sale. Drum roll please…

We included an entire years Simple Meals Subscription (worth $52) in this year’s Healthy Living Bundle. That means you can get your first year subscription for just $29.97! That’s almost half price. (Complete real food, simple menu plans every week for $0.58 each!!!!)

Ultimate Healthy Living Bundle 2018PLUS, your purchase instantly gives you 95 other Healthy Living resources that help you learn more about keeping yourself and your family healthy. And if that isn’t awesome enough, we decided to sweeten the pot even more by creating a new Simple Recipes eBook and giving it to you for…

FREE.

Yes. When you buy this year’s Healthy Living Bundle through our links,  not only will you be getting an entire year’s worth of Simple Meals complete planning packets for almost half price, you’ll get 95 other products (worth $2235), 6 bonuses…

Then you can email me and we’ll throw our Simple Recipes for Simple Meals eBook into your inbox!

But I don’t want the Healthy Living Bundle!

Oh. Well, I think if you look at all that is included in this year’s collection, you might change your mind about not wanting it. But hey, I get it. Sometimes the idea of having the entire bundle can feel overwhelming.

So say you don’t want the Bundle, but you DO want a One-Year Subscription to Simple Meals. And you want our new Simple Recipes eBook too. But of course. 

You can pay full price for both of those if you want to, but I suggest buying the bundle anyway so you can get Simple Meals for $29.97 instead of our regular $52. And you’ll get our free new eBook, regularly priced at $8.95.

(You’ll end up saving $31! Which is more than the cost of the entire bundle!)

Why is this worth it?

The best thing I can say is that we all want to feed our families well so we can be healthy, but there are more important ways to spend our time and energy than planning, shopping, and cooking for hours every week. It is much more important to love God and love people. We must turn our focus from work to love!

That is the inspiration behind Simple Meals. Every week our team creates and sends you super simple, real food menu plans, grocery lists, recipes, and more – so you can very easily put great meals on the table every night. You’ll be able to feed your family tremendous food while spending very little time in the kitchen. This will free you up for:

  • More family time
  • More time spent in ministry
  • More time to rest and find refreshment in God’s word

That’s more of everything that is most important. All while feeding your family well too.

Your kitchen life is about to make a big change for the better.

This Healthy Living Bundle flash sale offer is only good through Friday, December 28.

Take advantage right away! You’ll get immediate access to Simple Meals, and you’ll benefit from it for an entire year. Then email me ([email protected]) and I’ll email you a copy of our brand new Simple Recipes for Simple Meals eBook for FREE!

Then look through all the other (95!) products that are included in the bundle too. They are yours forever, so you can take your time in looking through them all.

Ultimate Healthy Living Bundle 2018

I can’t wait to connect with you through Simple Meals!

This offer expires December 28, 2018.

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Simple Real Food Recipes For Your Holiday Break

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I don’t know about you, but I’m taking a break right now. I break from blogging and a break from many normal responsibilities. This is why we all need Simple Recipes so we can still feed our families well!

Keep your meals as simple as possible as you enjoy family time and celebrations. Here’s our ever-growing list of Simple Recipes for you to choose from!

Dozens of Simple Real Food Recipes

Want them in your hands?

We’ve got most of these recipes already in eBook format so you can download, print, and hold them in your hands!

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Merry Christmas from the Coppinger 7!

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Wait – 7?? Yep. God took us from six to seven this year. We can’t believe it either.

Here we are, on Asa’s Senior Night for just before his final home soccer game for York College.

The adoption won’t be final until sometime in the new year, but we’re well on our way. You can expect precious pictures of our Bonus Boy on adoption day in a few months.

What have I learned this year? I’ve learned that I should never make plans. Be kind of organized and maybe have a casserole in the freezer. But don’t make plans. GOD MAKES PLANS. Then He prepares us, equips us, and provides for us as He carries out His perfect plans.

We weren’t even looking to provide foster care, much less adopt. Indeed, I had all kinds of other plans for our lives in the next few years…but fostering? Adopting? Not even a blip on my radar.

Trusting God, though? Listening? Obeying and walking in the path He paves? That’s where we’ve been focused. We’ve been asking God to show us what it really means to love our neighbor…

As our hearts had opened to people in our community who needed support through special struggles, we became friends with Bonus Boy’s birth mom. When we discovered one night last spring that the little guy needed a temporary place to live, we prayed. God told us yes, so Bonus Boy moved in within just a few hours of our finding out about the need. This huge life change happened exactly that fast – with less than a day’s notice. But God knew all along.

Fostering turned into the need for adoption. And now here we are. We’re learning about God’s faithfulness and love in ways we never knew. This is the best gift of all.

I pray that as you celebrate Christmas and look back on 2018, you are filled with JOY as you see all the ways God stretched, molded, challenged, grew, and loved you this year. As the year ends, we hope to be more like Jesus than we were at the beginning.

From our family to yours – Merry Christmas. I can’t wait to learn what’s in store for 2019.

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Festive Raspberry (or Cranberry or Apricot) Oatmeal Bars

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Remember these awesome Raspberry Oatmeal Bars? Seeing as they have red raspberries in them, that automatically turns them into a festive holiday recipe option, don’t you think?

Now, keep in mind, any of your favorite fruits and jellies will work in these Oatmeal Bars! Perhaps you’d enjoy making a Cranberry variety for Christmas? We like Raspberry and Apricot best at our house. And if you top them with slivered almonds, you’ve got an extra special treat!

When you look at the recipe, you’ll notice that there’s a lot of butter in these. YES. That’s why they are so delicious!

Festive Raspberry (or Cranberry or Apricot) Oatmeal Bars

Festive Raspberry (or Cranberry or Apricot) Oatmeal Bars
 
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Serves: 12
Ingredients
  • 1½ cups whole wheat flour
  • 1½ cups rolled oats
  • ½ cup sucanat or brown sugar
  • ½ teaspoon baking powder
  • ¼ teaspoon sea salt
  • 1 cup melted butter
  • ½ cup 100% fruit jam (raspberry, apricot, grape, cranberry, etc)
Instructions
  1. Mix together flour, oats, sucanat, baking powder, and salt.
  2. Stir in melted butter until the mixture resembles crumbs.
  3. Press half of the mixture into an 8x8 inch baking pan.
  4. Spread jam over the top.
  5. Sprinkle remaining oat mixture on top of the jam layer, pressing down to cover.
  6. Sprinkle slivered almonds on top if you like!
  7. Bake in a 350° oven for 30 minutes or until lightly browned.

 

Want to mix and match your flavors by using a variety of jellies? I’ve described how to do that here!

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Simple Crock Pot Chocolate Peanut Butter Lava Cake

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I shared this Simple Crock Pot Chocolate Peanut Butter Lava Cake with you many years ago! Christmas is the perfect time to bring it back, don’t you think?

This recipe looks rather involved, but would I be sharing it if it was difficult? Of course not. :) Putting this together is very simple, and worth every bit of your (small amount of) effort!

Simple Crock Pot Chocolate Peanut Butter Lava Cake

Simple Crock Pot Chocolate Peanut Butter Lava Cake
 
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Serves: 6-8
Ingredients
  • 1 cup whole wheat flour
  • 2 Tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
  • ½ cup sucanat or brown sugar
  • 1½ teaspoon baking powder
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ½ cup milk
  • 2 Tablespoons melted butter (or coconut oil)
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • ½ cup natural peanut butter
  • ½ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
  • TOPPING:
  • 3 Tablespoons cocoa powder
  • ½ cup sucanat or brown sugar
  • 1½ cups boiling water
Instructions
  1. Combine flour, cocoa, sucanat, baking powder, and salt. Mix well.
  2. Make a well in the center and add milk, butter, and vanilla.
  3. Stir well, until batter is smooth.
  4. Stir in peanut butter (heat if needed, to thin).
  5. Stir in chocolate chips.
  6. Spread the batter evenly into a well greased slow cooker.
  7. Make the topping:
  8. Mix cocoa and sucanat, whisk in boiling water until smooth.
  9. Gently pour over batter in crock pot, but don’t stir.
  10. Cover and cook on HIGH until puffed and the top layer is set, about 2- 2¼ hours.
  11. Turn off crock pot and let stand, covered for at least 30 minutes.
  12. Serve the cake (which is now on top) with ice cream or whipped cream and drizzle the fudgy pudding from the bottom over both.
Top this awesome cake with freshly whipped cream!

How to Make Fresh Whipped Cream

Want to go a little chocolate and peanut butter CrAzY? Try this on top of your cake:

How to Make Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup Whipped Cream

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Our Favorite Simple Christmastime Snacks and Sweets Recipes

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While I like making special foods for Christmas, I still like to keep my preparations simple (of course) so I can enjoy my family and friends instead of standing at the sink washing dishes. Today I’m sharing 13 of our family’s favorite simple Christmastime snacks and sweets recipes!

Favorite Simple Christmastime Snacks and Sweets Recipes

These are the recipes that are great to whip up quickly to share at a holiday gathering. I especially like having quick recipes like this so we can set out a snacky buffet for a family game night or movie night. They are easy to have already made up to pull out for an impromptu get-together. And they are all made with real food, so while they are treats, they are also still on the “better for you” side!

Favorite Snacks

Easy Veggie Dip 1

Favorite Sweets

Does sugar count during Christmas? Asking for a friend. Actually, some of these are naturally low in sugar so I don’t feel bad about serving or indulging at all!

Dark Chocolate Peppermint Mousse

Caramel Popcorn With No Corn Syrup!

Enjoy these fun snacks and sweets recipes! Enjoy time with your family, making the most of your holiday season. Settle in, relax, make memories!

 

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Low Sugar Chocolate Cookie Cutouts

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Look at these fun and festive Low Sugar Chocolate Cookie Cutouts! What a fun way to make a Christmas treat you can feel good about eating!

These cookies are delightfully good with a cup of coffee or tea. And if you want the non-chocolate version (what is wrong with you, ha?!), you’ll find that here. It’s fun to make a batch of both so you can display them in a pretty way on a tray!

Low Sugar Chocolate Cookie Cutouts

Low Sugar Chocolate Cookie Cutouts
 
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Serves: 20-30
Ingredients
  • 1 cup melted butter
  • ½ cup sucanat or raw sugar
  • ⅓ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 3½ cups of whole wheat flour (give or take)
Instructions
  1. Stir together melted butter, sugar, and cocoa.
  2. Add eggs, vanilla, and baking powder.
  3. Stir in flour until a solid ball of dough forms.
  4. Cover the bowl and place it in the refrigerator to chill for about an hour.
  5. Roll chilled dough on a well-floured surface and thin or thick as you like.
  6. Cut with cookie cutters and place them about a half inch apart on a baking sheet.
  7. Bake in a 350° oven for about 12 minutes or until cookies are lightly browned.
  8. Makes 20-30 cookies depending on the thickness and size.

Want to frost your Low Sugar Chocolate Cookie Cutouts? Here are some fun (and low sugar) options:

Stevia Sweetened Cream Cheese Frosting

8 ounces softened cream cheese
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Liquid stevia to taste (I use 2 droppers full)

Whip ingredients together until smooth. Frost cookies just before serving.

Low Sugar Chocolate Frosting

1/2 cup butter
4 Tablespoons cocoa powder
2 Tablespoons milk
2-4 Tablespoons honey (sweeten this to your taste)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

In a small saucepan combine butter, cocoa, milk, and honey. Cook and stir over low heat until ingredients are well combined and mixture begins to thicken slightly. Removed from heat. Stir in vanilla. Spread over cooled cookies.

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Easy Christmas Breakfast Casserole Recipes (That Can Be Made Ahead of Time)

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Is there anything better than a Christmas Breakfast Casserole? YES. What’s better is a Christmas Breakfast Casserole that can be made ahead of time so you can wake up on Christmas morning and enjoy your family instead of working and cooking!

Today I will share my favorite Breakfast Casserole options, all of which are super fast and easy to make AND can be made with any variety of ingredients you want to put together. As an added bonus, these are both naturally gluten/grain free if that is a need for you!

(Why no bread in these recipes? What can I say? I don’t like soggy bread. Ha!)

First I will re-share my Easy Breakfast Casserole. Mix it up a day or two before Christmas and put it in the fridge. On Christmas morning, bake as directed!

Easy Christmas Breakfast Casserole

Easy Christmas Breakfast Casserole Recipes
 
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Serves: 4-6
Ingredients
  • 8 eggs
  • ½ cup heavy cream
  • ¼ teaspoon sea salt
  • 1 cup shredded cheese (I use white cheddar, but you can use whatever cheese you want!)
  • 1-2 cups of any variety of cooked breakfast meat, and veggies like onions, peppers, and mushrooms - per your family's preference
Instructions
  1. Whisk together eggs, cream, and salt.
  2. Pour the ingredients into a 9x13 inch casserole dish.
  3. Sprinkle in any "add in" ingredients you wish.
  4. Stir them around with a fork.
  5. Top casserole with cheese.
  6. Bake in a 350° oven for 30-40 minutes, or until the middle doesn't jiggle.

Care to take a peek at how easy it is to put together this casserole? Here’s a quick video my son helped me make!

More Christmas Breakfast Casserole Recipes

Want a few more great Breakfast Casserole recipe ideas? We’ve got plenty!

What to serve with your Christmas Breakfast Casserole

Oh, I’ve got lots of great ideas for you!

What’s your favorite Christmas morning breakfast tradition?

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Christmas Gift Ideas for Teachers and Coaches

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Here’s a post I shared last year full of great Christmas gift ideas for teachers and coaches. Seeing as it’s that time of year again, and we all have plenty of things like pie and fudge to think about, I thought it would be helpful if I reposted this!

You’ll especially enjoy that many of the ideas on this list came from teachers themselves! I trust their opinion on this one. ;)

Christmas Gift Ideas for Teachers and Coaches

1. Gift Cards

Do these seem impersonal? I guess they could. But write a kind and appreciative personal note, then slide in a gift card that will provide your teacher with free dinner, free ice cream, free coffee, free shopping, or free anything fun from around your community. I personally love receiving gift cards and never think them impersonal!

teacher gift2

2. Movie Passes

Again, include a personal note of appreciation. Maybe a package of popcorn. Perfection. (I like that these come in a 3-pack!)

teacher gift3

3. Supplies for the Classroom

When I asked for gift suggestions on my Facebook page, Stephanie said this, “I always ask the teachers if they have any classroom needs-supplies, games or activities for inside recess days, etc.” Brilliant gift idea! (These Sharpies are a great price right now! Do all teachers love Sharpies, or is it just me?)

teacher gift4

4. Wrapping Paper and Scotch Tape

Who thinks of these things? Several on Facebook suggested that this was a hit. I love the idea!

teacher gift5

5. Breakfast in the Break Room

Meredith shared this fabulous suggestion, “One year I brought in breakfast for the office staff of our elementary. We were newish to the school then, and I didn’t want to bring in homemade food that might make some uneasy, so I made up my own shortened (and with prices that fit in my budget per person) list of breakfast options from Panera and handed it out early with a date on it I needed to collect them. I brought in orange juice and iced coffee from the grocery dairy section and a chopped fruit bowl from the grocer (but bananas and oranges or apples would be good too, I was just really wanting everything to clearly be commercially prepared if that makes sense) to go with each person’s selections. Panera boxed all the other stuff up and I brought it in early before the kids arrived. It was about $6-7 per person and we have a small office staff. They really loved it!”

Fruit tray

6. Maple Syrup, Honey, or Jelly and Homemade Bread

While I think it’s best to be cautious on the homemade food gifts we give teachers (they may be leery about eating it unless they know us well), a jar of homemade jam and a loaf of homemade bread is a real treat! Teresa suggested, “This year teachers will get a pint of maple syrup and a jar of strawberry jam from our farm. In the past I have done loaves of homemade cinnamon raisin bread, and those were well-received.”

Terra says, “I’m giving them local honey in little bears this year…helps with immune systems…so not the typical gift.” Kris makes homemade Biscotti. I love all these unique ideas for homemade goodies!

7. Jamicure in a Jar

We all know I love jars! While I’m pretty sure my sons’ male basketball coaches wouldn’t appreciate this gift of manicure items, any female teacher or coach surely would! My friend Joymakes and gives these and emailed me with, “I love mason jars for gifts! Fun to dress up and make fancy then useful afterwards. But you already know that because you’re queen of mason jars! I include the wraps or polish or both with a nail file or care kit, cotton balls, personal lotion and of course, a few chocolates!”

IMG_2892

8. Family Ornament

Again, we should stay away from apple-shaped ornaments that say “#1 Teacher.” But April shared, “My favorite I ever did was a Christmas ornament with her family name on it.” Now this is a great idea!

teacher gift10

9. Family Fun Night

Brittany suggested a Family Fun Night with, “Redbox gift certificate with popcorn and candy.” Brittany is a teacher, so I think this suggestion is definitely worth listening to!

popcorn-and-tickets-vector-designs_zybEHyY__L

10. Car Wash Tokens

As someone who constantly has a filthy vehicle, I like this idea very much!! Lyn said, “When the boys got into middle and high school and had so many teachers, I started getting gift cards for the local car wash (one or two washes each). Our local place runs a “20 for $100? special each year. It’s inexpensive, different and they love them!”

Fill in the gaps! What are your favorite gifts to give teachers and coaches?

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