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Lunch in a Jar: Apples & Peanut Butter (And Other Fun Fruits and Dips)

August 9, 2018 by Laura 4 Comments

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

It only made sense to follow our Veggies with Dips in a Jar post with this Fruit with Dips in a Jar Post. The most basic idea along these lines: Apples & Peanut Butter.

Apples & Peanut Butter in a Jar

Just like the veggies, place your favorite fruit dip in the bottom of a small jar. Then put in your favorite fruit (apples work best for something like this!). Place the lid on the jar, pack, and take on the go. So, so simple!

—-> Did you see the fun list of supplies and jars I recommend for packing lunches? <—–

First up, if you’re going to pack Apples & Peanut Butter in a jar, you will need links to our favorite homemade peanut butters!

  • Peanut Butter (just peanuts)
  • Peanut Butter (super creamy – like Skippy or Jif)

Don’t be intimidated by the idea of making peanut butter. It truly is remarkably easy! And fresh, homemade peanut butter tastes incredible!

Not up for making peanut butter? No problem. Though I do recommend that you avoid purchasing the varieties that contain hydrogenated oils and corn syrup. Choose a natural brand with few, wholesome ingredients.

Next, let’s talk about fruit.

Apples and grapes transport the best and work best for dipping. Bananas might require an 8-ounce wide mouth jar like this so you can spread the peanut butter or other dip on top. Blueberries are a good possibility too. Fresh pineapple, cut into thin slices, is a great option.

And now for the dips!

Fruit Dip Recipes to Pack in Jars

  • Creamy Chocolate Fruit Dip
  • Easy Cream Cheese Fruit Dip
  • Strawberry Yogurt Fruit Dip
  • Caramel Apple Dip

Great add-ins to your Fruit with Dip Lunch in a Jar

  • Popcorn Chicken with Ranch
  • Quick Bread in a Jar
  • Veggies With Dip in a Jar
  • Cheese Cubes and Crackers
  • Lunch Meat

Up next, more “main dish” Lunch in a Jar ideas!

We’ve got 10 super fun Lunch in a Jar ideas to share this month – perfect for your Back to School lunchbox! Subscribe here so you won’t miss a post!

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

Lunch in a Jar: Veggies with Dip

August 7, 2018 by Laura 3 Comments

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

Hopefully you’ve already seen this genius idea for putting veggies with dip in a jar and packing it for lunch. This has become one of my favorite ways to eat well on the road!

Do you see that?

  1. You put Ranch Dip or Hummus or any of your favorite veggie dips into the bottom of small jar.
  2. Then you add your favorite raw veggies.
  3. Put on a lid and you’re good to go.

When it’s time to eat, your veggies are already dipped. Pick up a carrot, eat the carrot covered in dip. How can eating well get any easier than this?

—-> Did you see the fun list of supplies and jars I recommend for packing lunches? <—–

Our Favorite Veggie Dips to Pack in Lunches

  • Ranch Dip
  • Spicy Ranch Dip
  • French Onion Dip
  • Creamy Italian Veggie Dip
  • Easy Veggie Dip

Our Favorite Veggies to put with our Dips

  • Petite Baby Carrots (so much sweeter and easier to eat!)
  • Sliced Cucumbers
  • Broccoli
  • Cauliflower
  • Sweet Peppers
  • Celery (ok, not really our favorite, but still worth adding it to the list in case it’s one of yours!)

Great add-ins to your Veggies with Dip Lunch in a Jar

  • Popcorn Chicken with Ranch
  • Quick Bread in a Jar
  • Simple Oatmeal Cookies
  • Flourless Peanut Butter Brownies
  • Sweet and Salty Almonds or Pecans
  • Honey Sweetened Flourless Peanut Butter Bars
  • Orange Glazed Poppyseed Bread

We’ve got 10 super fun Lunch in a Jar ideas to share this month – perfect for your Back to School lunchbox! Subscribe here so you won’t miss a post!

Next up, fruits and dips. Wait until you see all the fun ideas!!

Some of these links are my affiliate links.

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Lunch in a Jar: Popcorn Chicken with Ranch

August 5, 2018 by Laura Leave a Comment

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

This month we’re talking about lunches that can be packed in jars to take on the road, to work, or to school. We’re about to get creative. Whose ready to pack some Popcorn Chicken with Ranch Dip?

Silly me. I forgot to pack the chicken in a jar the day I took these pictures. I grabbed a baggie instead. The ranch dip though? Well, it went into one of my favorite little 4-ounce jars. These jars are perfect for transporting dips and dressings!

—-> Did you see the fun list of supplies and jars I recommend for packing lunches? <—–

Here’s the thing about fried chicken: It’s good hot or cold. Therefore, we can make a big batch of Popcorn Chicken, separate it in jars or baggies to send in lunches to be eaten with dip. What a fun lunch!

Our Favorite Dips to Pack in Lunches

  • Barbeque Sauce
  • Ranch Dip
  • Spicy Ranch Dip

These dips can also be made ahead in big batches, then packaged in jars to grab and go. I love how easy this is!

You might remember Popcorn Chicken – one of the first recipes I shared here long ago. I’ll post it for you again here for easy access!

Simple Popcorn Chicken with Ranch

Lunch in a Jar: Popcorn Chicken with Ranch
 
Save Print
Author: Laura
Serves: 3-6
Ingredients
  • 3 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs
  • ¾ cup whole grain flour
  • ½ teaspoon sea salt
  • ½ teaspoon garlic powder
  • butter
Instructions
  1. In a medium sized bowl, stir together flour, salt and garlic powder.
  2. Using kitchen shears, cut chicken breasts into tiny bite sized pieces.
  3. Toss chicken in flour mixture to coat well.
  4. Smear a thick layer of butter on the bottom of a 9x13 inch baking dish.
  5. Pour coated chicken into dish, spreading so that they are in a single layer.
  6. Bake at 350° for 10 minutes. Stir chicken and bake another 10 minutes.
3.5.3229

Need your chicken to be gluten free? Use your favorite gluten free flour. (I’ve made these successfully with Brown Rice Flour.)

Need Popcorn Chicken in large amounts (how well I understand!)? Double, triple, and quadruple this recipe without problem.

Want to really get ahead? Make this Popcorn Chicken in huge batches and freeze them. This will make packing lunches so easy!

Great add-ins to your Popcorn Chicken with Ranch Lunch

  • Carrot Sticks
  • Grapes
  • Cherries
  • Bread and Butter
  • Quick Bread in a Jar

We’ve got 10 super fun Lunch in a Jar ideas to share this month – perfect for your Back to School lunchbox! Subscribe here so you won’t miss a post!

Some of these links are my affiliate links.

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

Back to School Lunch in a Jar: Supplies You’ll Need

August 2, 2018 by Laura 1 Comment

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

Ready to discover great Back to School Lunch ideas that you can make and pack in jars? It’s time to get your supplies ready!

Why pack lunches in jars? Let me count the reasons:

  1. Packing lunches in jars means you can make great food ahead of time, then grab it from the fridge and take it in a hurry.
  2. Jars protect food from becoming smashed in a lunch box.
  3. Jars are see-through, so you can discover your options with a quick glance in the fridge.
  4. Glass is safe for food storage, so you don’t have to worry about dangerous plastics.
  5. Jars are reusable, so you’ll save all kinds of money in the long run.
  6. You can purchase jars in all sizes, giving many options to put together a perfect lunch box!

I think it goes without saying that jars are cute and beautiful and pretty and delightful. Indeed, I really love jars. :)

Back to School Lunch in a Jar: Supplies You’ll Need

I have jars in a variety of sizes, which comes in very handy depending on whether I’m packing tiny jars with dips for veggies or bigger jars full of soup. Here are my top suggestions for jars to use to pack lunches:

These Basic 8-Ounce Jars are a common household item. They are great for baking quick bread, and for packing berry parfaits and any number of small lunch items.

These 8-ounce jars (with regular lids) are short and squat-y. They are wonderful for packing sliced fruit, homemade pudding, cooked meat chunks, and much more.

I LOVE these tiny 4-ounce jars for packing fruit or veggie dips!


It’s hard to tell the size in the picture below, but these 16-ounce wide mouth jars are a favorite for packing main dish items and salads in lunch boxes.

Wide mouth jars make eating directly out of the jar so much easier! They are also easier to clean. I have a set of these 8-ounce wide mouth jars and use them all the time for packing fruit salads and other side dishes.

My favorite, favorite (because obviously I can’t decide which jars are my favorite) are these 8-ounce wide mouth jars. They are so handy for packing, well, just about any side dish item in a lunch box.

For both wide mouth and regular jars, I keep a supply of these plastic lids. They are the best! Check out wide mouth plastic lids and regular plastic lids.

Did you try Baking Quick Bread in Jars? So fun! We’ve got 10 super fun Lunch in a Jar ideas to share this month – perfect for your Back to School lunchbox! Subscribe here so you won’t miss a post!

Some of these links are my affiliate links.

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

Simple Meals for a New School Year!

August 1, 2018 by Laura Leave a Comment

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

It’s almost “Back to School” time and I can’t decide how I feel about it. Mostly I’ve just decided that here it is, ready or not. At least there are books involved, right? Lots and lots of delicious books!

My boys are huge and adultish now,
but I WILL make them pose in the school supply aisle for me again this year.

Oh, baby.

But speaking of delicious, it occurred to me that just like every other year at this time, I am doing everything I can to get ahead in the kitchen so I’m ready for a school schedule and soccer season schedule. Must. Be. Organized!!!

While I love Simple Recipes and the plans that come with Simple Meals all year ’round, I think I like them best in the fall when my schedule is the craziest and my need to be organized is the most important. Ironically though, I don’t always have TIME to get organized when I need it the most. So Simple Meals plans and lists SAVE MY LIFE and feed my family. :)

Simple Meals Subscriptions Include:

  • Complete menu plans for every week of the year
  • Seasonal food ideas
  • Incredibly easy recipes (seriously so, so easy!)
  • Tips to make your kitchen time efficient
  • Complete grocery list for each menu plan
  • Gluten Free adaptations
  • Ideas for meals on the fly
  • Bonus recipes for breakfast
  • Resource guide…

Download a FREE SAMPLE Simple Meals Planning Packet.

As a special Back-to-School bonus, for one week only we’re going to give you $10 off your first year’s subscription. This makes the cost of every Simple Meals plan a tiny little $0.81 each! Incredible!

Ready to get $10 off your first year’s Simple Meals subscription?

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Save time, save energy, save money. Put wonderful, simple meals on the table in the most efficient way possible, thanks to our Simple Meals Planning Packets. They’ll come to your inbox each Thursday morning. You’ll LOVE all they offer each week, from menus to recipes to time saving tips and more.

(Need to eat Gluten Free? The packets include adaptations needed to accommodate you.)

Hurry to take advantage of this discount offer!

Sign up below – While this shows up at the regular $52 price-tag, once you click to purchase you’ll see that the price you pay for your first year’s subscription is only $42! Enjoy the great discount and the wonderful meal plans this year!!

[wp_eStore_subscribe_fancy id=28]

Offer ends Wednesday, August 8.

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

How to Bake Quick Bread in Jars (With 10 Recipes!)

July 31, 2018 by Laura 15 Comments

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

I’ve long been fascinated that it is possible to bake quick bread in jars. I finally took a little time to learn the tricks!

Whether we like it or not, it’s time to think about getting back into a school routine. For all who need to pack a lunch (and even for all who don’t!), we’re excited about our new Lunch in a Jar series!

We’ve got 10 super fun Lunch in a Jar ideas to share this month – perfect for your Back to School lunchbox! Subscribe here so you won’t miss a post!

I love the idea of making a batch of Quick Bread in Jars, then grabbing them out of the fridge as needed to pack in lunches!

Why bake Quick Bread recipes in jars and not simply bake muffins to pack in lunches? Simple! Jars keep the breads/muffins from becoming smashed. It’s genius really. Bake them, stash them, grab them, pack them. It’s super fun!

How to Bake Quick Bread in Jars

5.0 from 2 reviews
How to Bake Quick Bread in Jars (With 11 Recipes!)
 
Save Print
Author: Laura
Serves: 6
Ingredients
  • 1 batch of your favorite quick bread (see recipes below!)
Instructions
  1. Mix up a batch of Quick Bread as directed.
  2. Scoop batter into six buttered 8-ounce jars (do not fill jars over half full).
  3. Place prepared jars on a cookie sheet.
  4. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.
  5. Place a lid/ring on the jar immediately after removing the bread jars from the oven so they will seal. (This step isn't entirely necessary if you are storing the bread in the fridge. But sealing will allow the bread to keep for an extra week inside the fridge.)
  6. Allow bread jars to cool completely before transferring them to the refrigerator.
3.5.3229

Here are 10 of our favorite Quick Bread/Muffin recipes!

  • Applesauce Bread
  • Chocolate Chocolate Chip Bread
  • Lemon Bread
  • Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Bread
  • Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bread
  • Strawberry Bread
  • Zucchini Carrot Bread
  • Whole Wheat and Honey Zucchini Bread
  • Banana Bread
  • Chocolate Zucchini Bread

Stay tuned for an entire month of Lunch in a Jar ideas!!!

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

All the Groceries I Bought for the Beginning of the School Year (Brace Yourself)

August 20, 2017 by Laura 10 Comments

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

Stocking up is one thing. This time I think I might have gone just a tiny bit crazy. Are you ready to see all the groceries I thought I surely must have to help us survive the beginning of the school year?

groceries august2

Oh, you ain’t seen nothin’ yet.

I have decided that I got into this crazy BUY ALL THE FOOD mode for three reasons:

  1. My boys had been at church camps or mission trips a good part of the summer and I had not purchased many groceries for the past three months. I was making up for lost time, perhaps? Or maybe I had gone through withdrawal and needed a bulk grocery fix.
  2. I had a chance to go to Lincoln where there is an Aldi. I had to stock up on all my Aldi favorites to help get me through until the next time I have a chance to go there.
  3. I seem to think that if I can have every single food item in stock at my house, I can more easily get through the first couple of weeks of school. Apparently Geometry is more fun when there is plenty of spaghetti sauce in the house.

groceries august4

Most of my thinking is logical, I believe. I have been doing this Fall Semester thing for how many years now? Sixteen? The fall doesn’t just bring the start of school. It also brings soccer season in which my husband is gone much of the time because he is assistant coach of our local college team. The older boys ref games, and our youngest plays on two teams. The fall is simply BUSY and if I can just have enough tuna on hand, then all of life will be easier.

Sure, I live five minutes from a grocery store. But I live three seconds from my storage room that houses all the tuna, so I’d rather go there on a busy day.

Well, speaking of tuna, I bought 24 cans. But after all the buying and loading and unloading, I found myself not particularly excited about setting up a tuna photo-shoot. I think we can all agree that tuna stacked on a table is not terribly thrilling to see. So I left them in the bags under the bagels. Be amazed.

groceries august5

If you think 24 cans of tuna is excessive (it’s not), you might be even more impressed that I got 24 packages of cream cheese. Dude, I was at Aldi and they were only $0.79 each. I will likely not make it back to Aldi for a couple of months, so I filled a cooler. With cream cheese. Who wants to be my best friend now?

groceries august3

The most fun grocery event of this month was definitely the day my Amazon Subscribe and Save order arrived. The bill for this order was not pretty, though I did get good deals on each case I ordered.

groceries august8

groceries august9

Pasta for days. And also Kleenex.

Here’s what I got this time around:

  • Bearitos Organic Tortilla Chips
  • Individual Nut Pouches
  • Muir Glen Pizza Sauce
  • Stubbs BBQ Sauce
  • Delallo Whole Wheat Pasta – Gemelli, Spaghetti noodles, and Elbows
  • Walnut Acres Baked Beans
  • Nature’s Gate Natural Toothpaste
  • 2 Cases of Kleenex (there’s a coupon!)
  • Case of Quilted Northern TP

TIP! If you want to be kept up to date on great Amazon deals I find, sign up to be a member of our Savings Club. It’s free!

groceries august17

If you’re hungry and you know it, clap your hands. I think it is clear that no one will starve at our house during the next few weeks, though you can be sure that we will go through this food faster than one thinks should be reasonable.

Your Turn! Tell me about the crazy things you do before a school year starts!

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Our First Week of School Menu Plan + an Update on my Grain Free Journey

August 21, 2016 by Laura 7 Comments

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

What a wonderful, refreshing summer.

First, our 16-year old went to Ecuador.

This is him (gray shirt, black pants) playing soccer with some Ecuadorian children.

ecuador

In June we went to Arkansas for a family reunion to celebrate our darling Nana’s 90th birthday. Here’s a picture of me with several of my 1st cousins and Nana. (I’m second from the right in the back row.)

reunion2016

The boys spent several weeks out at our church camp – either as campers or counselors depending on the session. Yay for time to grow spiritually as leaders!

nyc5

I grabbed some pictures of one of the boys’ favorite evening camp activities – Lip Sync Night.

Justus (16) is on the far right:

nyc1

Here’s Elias (14)

nyc2

Asa (19) is on the far right:

nyc3
Oh look. There’s me. I went to camp too. (Matt and I love team-teaching Bible classes out there.)

nyc4

Malachi (11) got to go to camp for the first time as a camper this year. He’s there in the middle between one of his buddies and his counselor:

nyc6

Back at home, Malachi also spend hours and hours building with Legos (and taking pictures of his creations):

legos

It’s all been fantastic. It’s been so fantastic, in fact, that I’ve not been at all ready to start up again with ACT prep, Algebra, history lessons, intense schedules, ball games, practices, music lessons, running, running, running….

Ooooh! But Justus got his driver’s license! So that right there has been very freeing (after the first breath-catching experience of letting him head out on his own without a parent). He can get himself to his college class, soccer reffing games, music lessons – AND HE CAN DRIVE HIS BROTHERS AROUND TOO. This is all very happy.

God always provides. He’s actually made me excited again about a new school year. I might be mostly excited about the routine the school year brings. But even the actual school part. That is starting to make me excited too!

We begin school this week. The books are organized; the software has been installed; the assignment lists are on the fridge.

I’ve been freezer cooking a little bit each week in an effort to make the transition smooth. I’m also writing down this week’s menu in an effort to save my brain from having all the organization swim around and try to keep itself in order. I may begin sharing my menus here again if you and I both find it to be helpful.

This Week’s Back to School Menu Plan

Breakfasts

We usually make some form of meat and/or eggs with our breakfasts because our teens really crave protein. Also, we always serve a fruit or two with our breakfast. So to go with our protein and fruit, we’ll serve:

  • Giant Breakfast Cookies (freezer)
  • Poptarts (freezer)
  • Chocolate Zucchini Muffins
  • Quick Mix Pancakes
  • Ham and Egg Breakfast Bowls (with spinach)

Lunches

I’ve got watermelon, blueberries, strawberries, nectarines, apples, applesauce, pickles, sweet peppers, mixed greens, and carrots to serve with our lunches. I usually put out 2-4 fruits and veggies for everyone to pick from during our meals.

  • Beef and Cheese Burritos (freezer)
  • Chicken Sandwiches (in the freezer/recipe coming soon)
  • Homemade Corndogs (freezer)
  • Chef Salads (with leftover grilled chicken)
  • Homemade Pizza (crusts in the freezer)

Dinners

I try to serve 2-4 fruits/veggies with our evening meal, varying them with what we ate for breakfast and lunch. I’ve got broccoli, peas, green beans, zucchini, spinach, sweet potatoes, and mixed greens to work with, plus all the fruit mentioned above.

  • Grilled Lamb Chops
  • Taco Salad
  • Grilled Burgers
  • Easy Noodle Stir Fry
  • BLTs (if our tomatoes would ever ripen)

How’s my grain-free journey going?

If you recall, my natural doctor took me off all grains in early July. Why? Well, she’s been working with me for four (long) years to cleanse and detox my body to get all systems functioning well again. Trust me when I say that there’s been a lot of junk to cleanse out of me (from heavy metals to bad bacteria). This process has been way less than fun as there have been many days during the past four years I have not felt well.

And then there are the days I feel amazing. So I know we’re onto something here.

My health has improved in incredible ways. Probably more importantly, my emotional health has experienced a huge overhaul along with the physical detox. I didn’t see that coming. It’s amazing how our mental and physical are connected. I invite you to read more about that journey here. God is incredible, gentle, and faithful.

So the grain-free thing?

As really old bacteria and metals have been pulling out from all their hiding places from decades ago and finding their way into my blood stream where the remedies I’ve been given are helping my body get rid of them forever  – sugar and carbs have not been playing nice. So cutting out sugar and grains has been a must for me.

But praise the Lord it is not a must for me forever!!!

In fact, this phase of detox is happening quite rapidly (part of why I haven’t felt great some days). My digestive organs are healthy now, so my body can actually handle grains in small amounts. (I’ll continue to avoid refined sugar and only eat honey and maple syrup in small amounts.)

If none of this makes sense, trust me when I say that I barely understand it either. But I trust my doctor who focuses on getting to the root of our problems. It all makes sense when she explains it (except for the parts that don’t, but since she knows what she’s talking about…).

So. Grains.

I’ve learned that I do need a few whole grains and I feel fine when I eat them now.

But I’ve also learned that my 43-year old, non-athletic self does not need many. Going grain free for several weeks really taught me how to sub grains for even more veggies in my diet. I’m eating tons of leafy greens instead of bread. Sweet potatoes are amazing. It’s such a win to eat this way! Also, you must try fried zucchini with this Real Food “Velveeta” and Rotel Dip.

I eat a little bit of whole grain a couple times each day. I enjoy every bite!! Otherwise I eat veggies, meat, fruit, and dairy – and as much good fat as I can incorporate into my meals and snacks.

So that’s the update. I’m eating a little whole grain again. I’m eating more veggies than ever. I’m on the last phases of healing detox (please, Lord).

When you see grainy food in my recipes and menus, you can assume I’m likely not eating many of them. I’m feeding my family whole grains as normal – because they are active and can handle it. I typically eat what they eat, just a grain free version. (Like my BLT will be in a big bowl of greens instead of between two slices of bread. Don’t feel sorry for me. I’ll eat all the bacon I want with garden fresh tomatoes. There’s nothing sad about this.)

Here’s to a great new school year and all the delicious food that goes with it!

Has your family started school yet? What’s on your menu this week?

You’ll find more great menu plans at OrgJunkie. :)

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

Come Get Your “What I Loved About Summer” Printable

August 8, 2016 by Laura Leave a Comment

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

Here’s something I’ll assign my youngest during the first week of school. It’s simple, but a good way to get his juices flowing and make him think about all he loved about summertime.

Free Printable Summer Writing Prompt

Want this and many more free printables?

We’ve been creating and collecting all sorts of printable learning activities for all ages. These are free for everyone and will connect you to our fun Heavenly Homemaker’s Learning Zone.

Enter your email address here, then check your inbox for download instructions. Print one, print them all, use them in whatever ways work best for your family!

If you are already subscribed to Heavenly Homemaker’s Learning Zone, you should have received an email yesterday giving you instant access to this freebie. Look in your inbox for the subject: FREE Summer Writing Prompt

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

Freezer Cooking I’ve Been Doing to Prepare for Back-to-School

August 4, 2016 by Laura 18 Comments

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

With a houseful of teenage boys, it’s difficult to get ahead.

I’m talking about food in this case, although I guess the same statement is true in every area of life in a household full of kids. (I’m looking at you, Laundry Pile. Dirty Dishes. Mail. Shoe Closet.) Bah.

This is why I did some freezer cooking a few weeks ago when three outa four of our boys were still at church camp. With hardly anyone here to eat, I actually had leftovers to put in the freezer. Yay me!

I took a few pictures along the way to share with you. Take note that not all freezer cooking involves making casseroles. There are many other ways to get ahead. For instance…

I had a cheese shredding marathon:

school food1

It only takes a few minutes and NO EFFORT to shred 8 packages of cheese when I use my food processor. I ran it through the shred piece, so now I have two big bowls of shredded cheese ready to add to everything we need for the next couple of weeks! (Yes, this will be gone by the time we start school. Whatever.)

Almost as important as shredded cheese is the double batch of frozen cookie balls I made. These won’t last long once the boys discover them, but I love that they can take out a few and bake them for an afternoon snack. I used this Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe.

school food2

If you don’t have any of these Silicone Baking Mats,
I encourage you to read more about why I love them here!

I made two bags of our favorite Apricot Chicken. I’ll dump this into the crock pot on a busy school day. (This is a recipe from our Eat Right Away Collection. These are a must have because they save so much time!)

school food3

You know I didn’t do all of this, all on the same day, right? No way. But, there was a day I made not one but SIX batches of homemade whole wheat tortillas. That was a tortilla making record for me!

Malachi helped me use the tortillas to make 24 Lazy Dogs and 24 Meat and Cheese Burritos. We still had leftover tortillas for a few quesadillas, so I felt very accomplished that day.

school food4

Another time, I cut and cooked 5 pounds of bacon to have on hand for salads and scrambled eggs. More on that later. :)

school food6

I mixed up a double batch of Blueberry Muffins and froze the batter so we can bake the muffins fresh on a school morning. I love this time saving technique!

frozen muffins

Last, I made a double batch of Giant Breakfast Cookies. Instead of baking them, I froze them into unbaked cookie balls. This means we can take out a few and bake them fresh any morning we want/need them. I’ll share specifics on how to do this another day soon!

breakfast cookies1

I’m hoping to make a triple or quadruple batch of this Real Food “Velveeta” and Rotel Dip for the freezer during the next few days. That will be great to have on hand for Nachos, Spicy Mac and Cheese, or Simple Taco Soup.

Now your turn! Have you done any freezer cooking lately? What have you been making in an effort to get ahead before school starts?

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