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EASIEST Bean and Cheese Quesadillas Our Family Loves

January 12, 2022 by Laura 5 Comments

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

Our family loves these Bean and Cheese Quesadillas even though they thought they wouldn’t!

This idea is not new or innovative. No one will actually be very impressed. But it is still worth sharing because we all need to be reminded from time to time of the best and easiest lunch or snack ideas!

We’ve always been a simple cheese quesadilla family.

Cheese quesadillas are no-brainers. Tortillas. Cheese. Melted together. In a skillet. That is all. Cut them into triangles. Dip them in salsa. Serve them with fruit. This is lunch.

But in an effort to figure out:

  • how to get my toddlers to eat more protein
  • what other soft foods our barely-has-any-teeth- 1-year-old baby can gum
  • more ideas for easy lunches, suppers, or snacks our whole family will like
  • inexpensive ways to feed our army of children

I decided to open a can of refried beans to smear on our tortillas when I made quesadillas one evening.

Yeah. Wow. I opened a can. It’s so easy I’m wondering why this hasn’t always been my go-to meal idea?? We can always wonder about this.

How my kids first respondedYum

When my kids asked what we were eating for dinner and I said “Bean and Cheese Quesadillas” my 6-year-old said, “Ok, but can you make mine with just cheese and no beans please?” And then my 17-year-old asked the very same thing. Because change is hard? Beans are hard? We don’t know. The bean version just didn’t sound good to them.

Fair enough. But I told them that I wanted to eat the bean version first and then if they really didn’t like it, I’d make them a plain cheese version.

Man, this story is not that exciting. Laura told her kids she was putting beans in their quesadillas. They were nervous. She made them try anyway. Thank you for sharing.

How my kids liked the Bean and Cheese Quesadillas after trying them

Well, I couldn’t keep up. I stood at the skillet and kept making quesadillas until the entire package of tortillas was gone. I cut the quesadillas into triangles and kept throwing them onto plates. I cut the babys’ quesadillas into tiny bites and kept throwing them onto the high chairs.

The 6-year-old forgot about the beans. She just ate her first quesadilla triangle and asked for another. And then another. And then another. So there you have it.

The 17-year-old? Same story. He ate his fair share and was like, “Wow Mom. These are actually good.”

Meanwhile, the 8-year-old, the 2-year-old, the 1.5-year-old, and the nearly-toothless 1-year-old ate and ate and ate.

I served the quesadillas with these smoothies, therefore we also loaded up on greens and fruit:

Bean and Cheese Quesadillas are a WINNER!

But you probably already knew that. This is old news. Everyone already makes these. Laura is 24 years behind.

Just in case, here’s how to make these:

5.0 from 1 reviews
EASIEST Bean and Cheese Quesadillas Our Family Loves
 
Save Print
Author: Laura
Ingredients
  • Whole Grain Tortillas
  • Shredded Cheese
  • Can of Refried Beans
Instructions
  1. Smear beans on a tortilla.
  2. Sprinkle shredded cheese on top.
  3. Top it with another tortilla to make a "sandwich."
  4. Heat it on low in a skillet until the cheese is melted, turning from time to time to heat both sides.
  5. Cut the quesadilla into trianges and serve as-is or with salsa, sour cream, and/or guacamole.
3.5.3251

Add Bean and Cheese Quesadillas to your go-to fast meal idea list!

 

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Easy Homemade Pancake and Waffle “Syrup”

April 4, 2021 by Laura Leave a Comment

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

Nothing beats real maple syrup, but in a pinch, and to save a little money, here’s how you can stir together Easy Homemade Pancake and Waffle “Syrup.”

Why would we want to avoid Real Maple Syrup? Oh, we don’t want to avoid it. That stuff is delicious and natural! I keep it on hand and we use it…most of the time for our pancakes and waffles.

But, I’ll admit that I get a little bit stingy when feeding pancakes or waffles to a large crowd. Real Maple Syrup can be pretty pricey! And most people are used to drowning their cakes in syrup! When they do that at my house with the real maple syrup I set out, then they leave $3 worth on their plates and wash it down the sink, I cry just a little bit.

Not really.

Yes really.

So…if I’m feeding a large crowd and I don’t want $20 worth of the good syrup to be washed down the drain, I make a Brown Sugar Syrup that has always received rave reviews.

OH! And if you’re wondering why I don’t just buy some Aunt Jamima for occasions such as this the answer is: Well. I just can’t bring myself to put it into my cart. Because of the high fructose corn syrup. She just isn’t welcome on my table. Shucks, Aunt Jamima.

Easy Homemade Pancake and Waffle “Syrup”Yum

Easy Homemade Pancake and Waffle "Syrup"
 
Save Print
Author: Laura
Ingredients
  • 2 cups brown sugar (give or take)
  • ⅓ cup water (give or take)
Instructions
  1. Heat and stir on the stovetop until sugar has dissolved.
  2. Serve over pancakes and waffles.
3.5.3229

Yes, it really is that easy. And those measurements? Don’t worry too much about them. Mostly you can just put brown sugar and water into a pan and heat it and serve it and it will be delicious (because it’s sugar).

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10 Easy Food Items You Didn’t Know You Could Make at Home (Save $$!)

February 24, 2021 by Laura 3 Comments

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

I bet you didn’t know you could make these food items at home! (Actually, if you’ve been reading here long, you probably do know about most of these, but act surprised anyway.) ;)

The old me used to make EVERYTHING from scratch. Some of you probably remember that girl. I made homemade ketchup, homemade tortillas, homemade grape nuts cereal, homemade hashbrowns, homemade tator tots… Wait. Homemade Tator Tots?? Yes. It was a reader request and I figured out how to do it! I was what one might call “an overachiever.” (Or “that really crazy heavenly homemaker lady.”)

Now I’m in a different season in life with a big houseful of littles and have decided that there are some food items that aren’t worth my time to make at home. Loving my people is more important than making Homemade Peanut Butter Captain Crunch. Oh my goodness yes. I even tried that too.

But today I want to share 10 food items that are easy to make at home, will save a lot of money, and are worth your time!

10 Easy Food Items You Didn’t Know You Could Make at Home

1. Vanilla Extract

We’ll start with my favorite! This saves a lot of money and is amazing to make in your very own kitchen!

2. Peanut Butter (super creamy – spreadable, like Skippy or Jif)

This tastes so much better than any store brand and is so much fun to make. Watch peanuts turn into peanut butter! So cool.

3. Gatorade

This costs pennies and is so much better for us!

4. Chicken Wings

I always thought this was restaurant food. Turns out, it’s super cheap Friday night dinner at home.

5. Whipped Cream

No, it isn’t cool whip. It’s 1,000 times better.

6. Ranch Salad Dressing

Hidden Valley who?

7. Poptarts

These taste so incredibly good and are easy to make in bulk amounts to freeze and pull out for easy breakfasts!

8. Graham Crackers

The kind from a box will never taste as good as these gems. You can even make them chocolate!

9. Instant Oatmeal Packets

Make a bunch of packets or make a big batch in a jar for easy, inexpensive breakfasts!

10. Frappe

Because why pay $5 at a coffee shop when you can make it for much less at home?

Stevia Sweetened Chocolate Frappe

Which of these have you tried? Ready to try something new?!

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How to Serve a Special Breakfast without Breaking the Bank

June 14, 2020 by Laura 2 Comments

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

Want to serve a special breakfast without breaking the bank? Here’s how!

Yum

How to serve a special breakfast without breaking the bank

In short, the answer is pancakes.

And crepes.

With pretty fruit.

And whipped cream.

See, here’s how I came to learn about this special breakfast. I mean, I already knew about it. But I guess I didn’t realize how amazing it really was. I thought I was just feeding college kids while simultaneously cleaning out my fridge (shh, don’t tell!).

As it turns out, I was giving them a feast that made them think I had gone to a lot of trouble and expense. They were amazed and grateful and overjoyed when they saw our buffet. Which was?

A tower of pancakes and whatever fruit I could find in my house.

We already know that pancakes are cheap to make in bulk. And we already know that most people love pancakes. So this is a great meal to feed a larger group of people.

So as I flipped the cakes, I kept pulling out whatever I could find to go with them. Matt sliced some bananas. I whipped some cream. Then I got out frozen fruit stuffed and forgotten in the back of my freezer and turned it into syrup.

We got out half empty full jars of applesauce. We pulled out a few fresh berries. We set out homemade peanut butter.

The buffet ended up looking so pretty and fun! The college students (who this time happened to be a bunch of soccer athletes who can EAT and who also have a soft spot for our Boy Babes – oh my heart) were simply thrilled with the food options.

We fed about 10 extras that night for just a few dollars. But seeing their faces beam and their plates fill and their hearts soften as they loved on our littles – it was entirely priceless.

For the record, I did decide to save money and make “syrup” by heating and stirring together brown sugar and water in a saucepan. Again, they all thought it was fancy since I’d made it myself. I was kinda feeling stingy about such a large group dousing their pancakes in our hard-to-come by and pretty pricy real maple syrup. So that was my money-saving solution to that. :)

So that’s that.

If you need to feed a crowd and you want to do it on the cheap, make a pile of pancakes and clean the frozen fruit out of the back of your freezer. Make your own “syrup” (I’ll post the details soon!) and put a big smile on your face. Offer this meal for breakfast, lunch, or dinner – it is a winner any time of day!

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

Simple Three Cheese Spaghetti (On a Simple Budget)

January 28, 2018 by Laura 9 Comments

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

I’ll tell you about this Simple Three Cheese Spaghetti in a minute. But first…

I’ve decided I need to write another cookbook. My Oh, For Real cookbook is almost out of stock, and I’ve learned a lot more about simple real food cooking since I wrote that one. My Best of Heavenly Homemakers book is selling well, but there are very few recipes included.

I think I need to write a cookbook filled with all these super simple real food recipes I’ve been sharing so we can help lots and lots of families put great, nourishing meals on the table without hassle or big expense. Hmmm…my wheels are now spinning with new cookbook ideas. What are your thoughts and ideas about this??!

three cheeese spaghetti1

Today’s Simple Three-Cheese Spaghetti recipe is super creamy and flavorful. We use Pepper-jack cheese for this, which gives it a nice kick. If your family doesn’t like spice, you can stick with Colby-jack, cheddar, or any of your favorites!

Simple Three Cheese Spaghetti

Simple Three-Cheese Spaghetti (On a Simple Budget)
 
Save Print
Author: Laura
Serves: 6-8
Ingredients
  • 16-ounces whole grain spaghetti noodles
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1½ tablespoons minced garlic
  • 1 cup freshly shredded pepper jack cheese (or cheddar if you want to avoid the spice)
  • ½ cup freshly shredded Parmesan Cheese
  • 4 Tablespoons cream cheese
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
  1. Cook spaghetti noodles according to package; drain.
  2. While noodles are cooking, saute garlic and olive oil for 1-2 minutes in a medium sauce pan.
  3. Remove from heat and add remaining ingredients to the pan.
  4. Place back on the burner, and cook and stir sauce ingredients until cheeses are melted and sauce is smooth and creamy.
  5. Pour cheese sauce over the cooked spaghetti noodles and serve.
3.4.3177

Simple 3-Cheese Spaghetti on a simple budget

Catch the running list of Simple Meals on a Simple Budget here.

Simple Recipes on a Simple Budget

Want even more Simple Recipes?

  • Simple Baked Salmon and Asparagus
  • Simple Crock Pot Chicken Soup with a Kick
  • Simple Skillet Taco Pasta
  • Last-Minute Lentil Chili
  • Simple Sweet and Sour Baked Chicken Legs
  • 20-Minute Taco Soup
  • Simple Cheesy Baked Chicken
  • Simple Creamy Chicken Stew in the Crock Pot
  • Simple Italian Beef and Broccoli Skillet
  • Simple Bacon Ranch Chicken
  • Simple Hawaiian Crock Pot Chicken
  • Simple Taco Rice Dinner
  • Simple Last Minute Nacho Plate
  • Simple Chicken Cheeseballs with a Kick
  • Simple Beanie Weanies
  • Simple Crock Pot BBQ Spareribs
  • Simple Pizza Chicken Bake
  • Simple Italian Chicken and Green Bean Bake
  • Last Minute Creamy Bacon Spaghetti
  • Simple Hamburger Soup
  • Simple Parmesan Broiled Fish
  • Simple Overnight Saucy Crock Pot Chicken
  • Simple 15-Minute Meal
  • Simple Overnight Melt-in-Your-Mouth Beef Roast
  • Simple 3-Cheese Crock Pot Pasta
  • Simple Oven Fried Chicken
  • Simple Honey Mustard Chicken Legs
  • The Easiest Mashed Potatoes in the World
  • Simple Garlic Butter Shrimp
  • Simple Crunchy Ranch Chicken Strips
  • Simple Crock Pot Shredded Ranch Chicken (for salad or tacos)
  • Simple Crock Pot Pizza Casserole
  • Simple Barbecue Beef Roast
  • Simple Spanish Rice Bowls
  • Simple Roasted Rotiserie Chicken
  • Simple Green Chile Chicken
  • Simple Tex-Mex Creamy Chicken
  • Simple Waffle Omelets
  • Simple Crock Pot Taco Pasta
  • Simple Grilled Chicken
  • Simple Hawaiian Beef Roast
  • Simple Crock Pot Creamy Stew Meat
  • Simple Cheese Stuffed Burgers
  • Simple Hashbrown Casserole (For Instant Pot, Crock Pot or Oven!)
  • Simple Lasagna Casserole (For Instant Pot or Crock Pot)
  • Simple Chili Mac
  • Simple Bacon Cheeseburger Casserole
  • From Burrito Bar to Casserole (a 5-Minute Meal!)
  • Simple Bacon Cheeseburger Roll
  • Simple Garlic Parmesan Chicken Legs
  • Super Simple Lasagna
  • The Simplest White Chicken Chili
  • Simple Lentil Nachos
  • Simple Tuna Patties
  • Simple Banana Pancakes
  • Simple Crock Pot Applesauce BBQ Chicken
  • Simple Hashbrown and Egg Nests
  • Simple Cornbread Waffles with Chili
  • Simple Veggie Fritters
  • Simple Lemon Garlic Chicken Legs
  • Simple Noodle Soup

Enjoy all these recipes without effort when you become a Simple Meals member! Every week we’ll send you a great menu plan full of Simple Recipes like this one. We’ll equip you with a grocery list. We’ll break everything down so that your meal prep is as simple as possible. We’ll give you bonus tips and recipes and freebies. And this is all for just $1 each week. You’ll love it!

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

Simple Noodle Soup on a Simple Budget

January 23, 2018 by Laura Leave a Comment

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

Did you save your bones from the Simple Lemon Garlic Chicken Legs so you could use them to make broth? You’ll need that great broth in this Simple Noodle Soup recipe!

noodle soup12

See how orange my broth is? That’s because I always cook a lot of carrots and other veggies with my chicken or beef bones when I make broth. Then I blend up the mushy, cooked veggies and stir them back into the broth. I’m telling you, this tip makes our broth super delicious and obviously very packed with nutrients!!

Here are the links which share how I make broth:

  • Chicken Broth
  • Beef Broth

I store my broth in 1/2 gallon jars in my fridge to pull out and use as needed. Usually when I make soup, I add more veggies so we’re getting veggies upon veggies and our soups are very nourishing!

This particular Simple Noodle Soup recipe I’m sharing today can really be made according to your family’s preferences. I simply cook sliced carrots and whole wheat noodles in the broth, salt it liberally, and call it a meal. If I serve it with salad then we’re getting even more nutrients and if I throw some fruit on the table we’re golden.

The best part is that this soup is comforting, warm, tasty, and quick to put on the table. It costs very little to make, especially if you’ve kept chicken bones from past meals like these Simple Lemon Garlic Chicken Legs.

noodle soup13

Simple Noodle Soup

Simple Noodle Soup on a Simple Budget
 
Save Print
Author: Laura
Serves: 4-6
Ingredients
  • 4 cups of your favorite broth
  • 2-3 carrots
  • 1½ cups of your favorite whole grain pasta, any shape or variety
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • Additional veggies your family likes in soup
Instructions
  1. Pour broth into a large cooking pot.
  2. Slice carrots (and other veggies if you like) and add to the pot.
  3. Bring broth and carrots to a boil.
  4. Add pasta, salt, and pepper.
  5. Cook until pasta is tender, about 8 minutes.
3.4.3177

Simple Noodle Soup on a Simple Budget

There’s no meat in this soup, but if you’ve got some leftover chicken hanging around, feel free to stir it in for extra nourishment and protein!

Catch the running list of Simple Meals on a Simple Budget here.

Simple Recipes on a Simple Budget

Want even more Simple Recipes?

  • Simple Baked Salmon and Asparagus
  • Simple Crock Pot Chicken Soup with a Kick
  • Simple Skillet Taco Pasta
  • Last-Minute Lentil Chili
  • Simple Sweet and Sour Baked Chicken Legs
  • 20-Minute Taco Soup
  • Simple Cheesy Baked Chicken
  • Simple Creamy Chicken Stew in the Crock Pot
  • Simple Italian Beef and Broccoli Skillet
  • Simple Bacon Ranch Chicken
  • Simple Hawaiian Crock Pot Chicken
  • Simple Taco Rice Dinner
  • Simple Last Minute Nacho Plate
  • Simple Chicken Cheeseballs with a Kick
  • Simple Beanie Weanies
  • Simple Crock Pot BBQ Spareribs
  • Simple Pizza Chicken Bake
  • Simple Italian Chicken and Green Bean Bake
  • Last Minute Creamy Bacon Spaghetti
  • Simple Hamburger Soup
  • Simple Parmesan Broiled Fish
  • Simple Overnight Saucy Crock Pot Chicken
  • Simple 15-Minute Meal
  • Simple Overnight Melt-in-Your-Mouth Beef Roast
  • Simple 3-Cheese Crock Pot Pasta
  • Simple Oven Fried Chicken
  • Simple Honey Mustard Chicken Legs
  • The Easiest Mashed Potatoes in the World
  • Simple Garlic Butter Shrimp
  • Simple Crunchy Ranch Chicken Strips
  • Simple Crock Pot Shredded Ranch Chicken (for salad or tacos)
  • Simple Crock Pot Pizza Casserole
  • Simple Barbecue Beef Roast
  • Simple Spanish Rice Bowls
  • Simple Roasted Rotiserie Chicken
  • Simple Green Chile Chicken
  • Simple Tex-Mex Creamy Chicken
  • Simple Waffle Omelets
  • Simple Crock Pot Taco Pasta
  • Simple Grilled Chicken
  • Simple Hawaiian Beef Roast
  • Simple Crock Pot Creamy Stew Meat
  • Simple Cheese Stuffed Burgers
  • Simple Hashbrown Casserole (For Instant Pot, Crock Pot or Oven!)
  • Simple Lasagna Casserole (For Instant Pot or Crock Pot)
  • Simple Chili Mac
  • Simple Bacon Cheeseburger Casserole
  • From Burrito Bar to Casserole (a 5-Minute Meal!)
  • Simple Bacon Cheeseburger Roll
  • Simple Garlic Parmesan Chicken Legs
  • Super Simple Lasagna
  • The Simplest White Chicken Chili
  • Simple Lentil Nachos
  • Simple Tuna Patties
  • Simple Banana Pancakes
  • Simple Crock Pot Applesauce BBQ Chicken
  • Simple Hashbrown and Egg Nests
  • Simple Cornbread Waffles with Chili
  • Simple Veggie Fritters
  • Simple Lemon Garlic Chicken Legs

Enjoy all these recipes without effort when you become a Simple Meals member! Every week we’ll send you a great menu plan full of Simple Recipes like this one. We’ll equip you with a grocery list. We’ll break everything down so that your meal prep is as simple as possible. We’ll give you bonus tips and recipes and freebies. And this is all for just $1 each week. You’ll love it!

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

Simple Lemon Garlic Chicken Legs (on a Simple Budget)

January 21, 2018 by Laura 1 Comment

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

These Simple Lemon Garlic Chicken Legs will make everyone think you are a gourmet chef. Which, of course, you are. No one has to know your secret. The secret about how you spent five minutes making the chicken. Let’s just keep that between us.

lemon garlic chicken11

No one has to know how little you spent on this meal either. We can let everyone think you went all out with time and money.

Want to know how much it cost me to serve this entire meal to my family? There were five of us home the last time I made this. My husband and me, our 17-year old son, our 15-year old son, and our 13-year old son. We ate a full pan of these chicken legs with mixed greens, grapes, and green beans. Total cost for all of us to eat?

$5.61

Total. For the entire meal. For five of us to eat a plate full of nourishment.

Indeed. I’m so glad I did the math!

I always watch for chicken legs to be marked down at the store, which is a huge money saver! This time I used two packages which had been marked down to a tiny $1.27 and $1.34! So total for my meat this meal was just $2.61. Incredible! Add in the greens, veggies, and grapes and I’m estimating that our total for this meal was just $5.61.

Now, not to geek out too much, but this breaks down to just $1.12 per person for this meal. Man, I am loving this Simple Meals on a Simple Budget series! It is challenging me to see what meals pack the most punch to stretch our grocery budget!

Oh! And I saved the chicken bones after we cleaned up all the meat and threw them into my Instant Pot for a small batch of chicken broth. Waste not, want not, right? :) Remember that little tip because the next Simple Budget recipe I plan to share will use that broth!

Simple Lemon Garlic Chicken Legs

Simple Lemon Garlic Chicken Legs (on a Simple Budget)
 
Save Print
Author: Laura
Serves: 6-8
Ingredients
  • 10-12 chicken legs
  • 1 large-sized lemon
  • 2 teaspoons garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt
  • ½ teaspoon paprika
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
  1. Lay chicken leg in a 9x13 inch baking dish.
  2. In a medium-sized bowl, juice and zest the lemon.
  3. Add remaining ingredients to the lemon juice/zest and stir.
  4. Pour the mixture over the chicken.
  5. (Do this ahead of time and refrigerate for 2-24 hours to marinate if you wish.)
  6. Bake, uncovered, in a 425 degree oven for 35-45 minutes or until juices run clear.
3.4.3177

Simple Lemon Garlic Chicken Legs

Catch the running list of Simple Meals on a Simple Budget here.

Simple Recipes on a Simple Budget

Want even more Simple Recipes?

  • Simple Baked Salmon and Asparagus
  • Simple Crock Pot Chicken Soup with a Kick
  • Simple Skillet Taco Pasta
  • Last-Minute Lentil Chili
  • Simple Sweet and Sour Baked Chicken Legs
  • 20-Minute Taco Soup
  • Simple Cheesy Baked Chicken
  • Simple Creamy Chicken Stew in the Crock Pot
  • Simple Italian Beef and Broccoli Skillet
  • Simple Bacon Ranch Chicken
  • Simple Hawaiian Crock Pot Chicken
  • Simple Taco Rice Dinner
  • Simple Last Minute Nacho Plate
  • Simple Chicken Cheeseballs with a Kick
  • Simple Beanie Weanies
  • Simple Crock Pot BBQ Spareribs
  • Simple Pizza Chicken Bake
  • Simple Italian Chicken and Green Bean Bake
  • Last Minute Creamy Bacon Spaghetti
  • Simple Hamburger Soup
  • Simple Parmesan Broiled Fish
  • Simple Overnight Saucy Crock Pot Chicken
  • Simple 15-Minute Meal
  • Simple Overnight Melt-in-Your-Mouth Beef Roast
  • Simple 3-Cheese Crock Pot Pasta
  • Simple Oven Fried Chicken
  • Simple Honey Mustard Chicken Legs
  • The Easiest Mashed Potatoes in the World
  • Simple Garlic Butter Shrimp
  • Simple Crunchy Ranch Chicken Strips
  • Simple Crock Pot Shredded Ranch Chicken (for salad or tacos)
  • Simple Crock Pot Pizza Casserole
  • Simple Barbecue Beef Roast
  • Simple Spanish Rice Bowls
  • Simple Roasted Rotiserie Chicken
  • Simple Green Chile Chicken
  • Simple Tex-Mex Creamy Chicken
  • Simple Waffle Omelets
  • Simple Crock Pot Taco Pasta
  • Simple Grilled Chicken
  • Simple Hawaiian Beef Roast
  • Simple Crock Pot Creamy Stew Meat
  • Simple Cheese Stuffed Burgers
  • Simple Hashbrown Casserole (For Instant Pot, Crock Pot or Oven!)
  • Simple Lasagna Casserole (For Instant Pot or Crock Pot)
  • Simple Chili Mac
  • Simple Bacon Cheeseburger Casserole
  • From Burrito Bar to Casserole (a 5-Minute Meal!)
  • Simple Bacon Cheeseburger Roll
  • Simple Garlic Parmesan Chicken Legs
  • Super Simple Lasagna
  • The Simplest White Chicken Chili
  • Simple Lentil Nachos
  • Simple Tuna Patties
  • Simple Banana Pancakes
  • Simple Crock Pot Applesauce BBQ Chicken
  • Simple Hashbrown and Egg Nests
  • Simple Cornbread Waffles with Chili
  • Simple Veggie Fritters

Enjoy all these recipes without effort when you become a Simple Meals member! Every week we’ll send you a great menu plan full of Simple Recipes like this one. We’ll equip you with a grocery list. We’ll break everything down so that your meal prep is as simple as possible. We’ll give you bonus tips and recipes and freebies. And this is all for just $1 each week. You’ll love it!

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

Simple Hashbrown and Egg Nests (on a Simple Budget)

January 11, 2018 by Laura 7 Comments

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

I first made these Simple Hashbrown and Egg Nests on a Saturday morning in which we had no plans. No plans. None. I didn’t actually know what to do with myself.

hashbrown cups11

So I did something unwise and I drove myself to Wal-Mart. I know better. Going to Wal-Mart on a Saturday is a very bad idea. This is because everyone from the entire town and every surrounding town is there, making it one big party in which navigating through grocery aisles becomes an Olympic sport.

There are tight squeezes and dozens of “excuse me’s” and by the time I finally make it over to the frozen hashbrowns, the brand I’m hoping for is out of stock. Because, of course.

During this shopping endeavor while breaking into a sweat and attempting not to crash into fellow shoppers at Aisle 9, my biggest goal is to keep a smile on my face. “Shine for Jesus, Laura!” I tell myself. “What would Jesus do?” I ask myself.

Well, Jesus probably wouldn’t have gone to Wal-Mart on a Saturday, because of His ultimate wisdom.

When I finally got home from the store that day, I could think of nothing I would love more than to make a huge feast for my family because after all, my morning had been so laid back and relaxed so far. Thank goodness for the ease of recipes like this one for Simple Hashbrown and Egg Nests. They made their way into the oven very quickly and I think it goes without saying that after my taxing morning, I was ready to sit down with my family and eat a second breakfast.

hashbrown cups22

These Simple Hashbrown and Egg Nests are incredibly tasty and would make a wonderful dish to serve at dinnertime. That’s why I’m qualifying it for a Simple Meals on a Simple Budget recipe. Making these quickly in the evening and serving them with salad, veggies, and fruit will make a great dinner!

Oh. But don’t go to the store at 5:00 pm on a weeknight to get these ingredients for your dinner because in my experience, that time is worse than a Saturday morning at the store and I think we all know how I feel about that.

Simple Hashbrown and Egg Nests

5.0 from 1 reviews
Simple Hashbrown and Egg Nests (on a Simple Budget)
 
Save Print
Author: Laura
Serves: 12
Ingredients
  • 15-ounces frozen shredded hashbrowns
  • 8 eggs
  • 2 Tablespoons dried minced onion
  • 1 cup shredded cheese (we like Colby jack or pepper jack best, but any variety will work!)
  • Sea salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
  1. Mix ingredients together in a bowl until well combined.
  2. Scoop mixture into prepared muffin tins (I find that it works best to melt a bit of oil in each tin so that the baked nests pop right out!)
  3. Bake in a 400 degree oven for 30 minutes or until golden brown.
3.4.3177

Simple Hashbrown and Egg Cups

Catch the running list of Simple Meals on a Simple Budget here.

Simple Recipes on a Simple Budget

Want even more Simple Recipes?

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  • Simple Crock Pot Chicken Soup with a Kick
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  • Last-Minute Lentil Chili
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  • 20-Minute Taco Soup
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  • Simple 15-Minute Meal
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  • Simple 3-Cheese Crock Pot Pasta
  • Simple Oven Fried Chicken
  • Simple Honey Mustard Chicken Legs
  • The Easiest Mashed Potatoes in the World
  • Simple Garlic Butter Shrimp
  • Simple Crunchy Ranch Chicken Strips
  • Simple Crock Pot Shredded Ranch Chicken (for salad or tacos)
  • Simple Crock Pot Pizza Casserole
  • Simple Barbecue Beef Roast
  • Simple Spanish Rice Bowls
  • Simple Roasted Rotiserie Chicken
  • Simple Green Chile Chicken
  • Simple Tex-Mex Creamy Chicken
  • Simple Waffle Omelets
  • Simple Crock Pot Taco Pasta
  • Simple Grilled Chicken
  • Simple Hawaiian Beef Roast
  • Simple Crock Pot Creamy Stew Meat
  • Simple Cheese Stuffed Burgers
  • Simple Hashbrown Casserole (For Instant Pot, Crock Pot or Oven!)
  • Simple Lasagna Casserole (For Instant Pot or Crock Pot)
  • Simple Chili Mac
  • Simple Bacon Cheeseburger Casserole
  • From Burrito Bar to Casserole (a 5-Minute Meal!)
  • Simple Bacon Cheeseburger Roll
  • Simple Garlic Parmesan Chicken Legs
  • Super Simple Lasagna
  • The Simplest White Chicken Chili
  • Simple Lentil Nachos
  • Simple Tuna Patties
  • Simple Banana Pancakes
  • Simple Crock Pot Applesauce BBQ Chicken

Enjoy all these recipes without effort when you become a Simple Meals member! Every week we’ll send you a great menu plan full of Simple Recipes like this one. We’ll equip you with a grocery list. We’ll break everything down so that your meal prep is as simple as possible. We’ll give you bonus tips and recipes and freebies. And this is all for just $1 each week. You’ll love it!

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Simple Tuna Patties (on a Simple Budget)

January 4, 2018 by Laura 4 Comments

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

These Simple Tuna Patties are definitely going to become a new staple around our house.

tuna patties11

Anytime we eat tuna, I like to use yellow-fin tuna in water. If I wait for sales and then stock up, I can get it for around $1.14 per 5-ounce can. There are even cheaper varieties, but those tend to include unnecessary ingredients I want to avoid. This one only contains tuna, water, and salt. :)

Since we’re talking about Simple Meals on a Simple Budget right now, how about we do a little math story problem?

Laura needs three cans of tuna to make Simple Tuna Patties. Her tuna costs $1.14 per can. What is the cost of her tuna for this recipe?

This is math in the real world, Baby. It’s the answer to, “But when will I ever use this stuff in real life?” that we all asked back in our middle and high school days. Though I’ve still never used one lick of the Geometry and Alegebra 2 I worked so hard to learn in high school so I’m still a little bit bitter about that.

Well anyway, $3.42. The answer to my tuna math problem is $3.42.

tuna patties22

I will admit that before trying these, I thought the idea of mashing tuna into patties and frying them sounded weird. So if you also saw the title of this recipe and got weirded out, let me assure you of how wonderful these taste! Every single person in my family loves these. They are easy, filling, delicious, and inexpensive. So how about another tuna story problem? This one is more complex. Prepare yourself.

Laura pays a minimum of $5.60 for one pound of grass-fed ground beef. If she makes hamburger patties for her family, she uses two pounds of ground beef. How much money does she save when making one recipe worth of Tuna Patties instead of hamburger patties?

tuna patties33

Here, I’ll make it easy. Two pounds of burger = $11.20. $11.20 take away $3.42 is $7.78 and that is how much money I save when making these Simple Tuna Patties for my family’s lunch.

(I used a calculator to solve this problem because my high school math teachers are no longer the boss of me. Also, they told me I would use the sine, cosine, and tangent stuff in my future and that was a lie. So I’ll use my calculator if I want. And I will apparently go off on a tangent. So at least I’m using that one.)

tuna patties44

Simple Tuna Patties

5.0 from 2 reviews
Simple Tuna Patties (on a Simple Budget)
 
Save Print
Author: Laura
Serves: 6-8 patties
Ingredients
  • 15-ounces canned tuna in water, drained
  • 2 eggs
  • ¼ cup grated parmesan cheese
  • 2 Tablespoons dried minced onions
  • Sea salt and pepper to taste
  • Oil for frying (I recommend palm shortening or refined coconut oil as these are both flavorless and remain stable at high temperatures.)
Instructions
  1. In a bowl, stir together all ingredients except for the oil.
  2. Heat about 3 Tablespoons of oil in a skillet.
  3. Drop a large scoop full of tuna mixture into hot oil, pressing to flatten into a patty.
  4. Cook for about 2 minutes on each side or until both sides of the tuna patty is golden brown.
  5. Serve right away.
3.4.3177

Simple Tuna Patties on a Simple Budget

Here’s one more math story problem for you:

If Susie becomes a Simple Meals member for the tiny cost of $1.00 per week, receiving complete and easy meal plans, grocery lists, recipes, time-saving tips, and more, how happy is Susie every single week of her life? And how much time has Susie saved each week? And how much money has Susie saved? And how well does Susie’s family eat??

Well now, this one is a no-brainer. :) Join us here —>

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Want more Simple Recipes?

  • Simple Baked Salmon and Asparagus
  • Simple Crock Pot Chicken Soup with a Kick
  • Simple Skillet Taco Pasta
  • Last-Minute Lentil Chili
  • Simple Sweet and Sour Baked Chicken Legs
  • 20-Minute Taco Soup
  • Simple Cheesy Baked Chicken
  • Simple Creamy Chicken Stew in the Crock Pot
  • Simple Italian Beef and Broccoli Skillet
  • Simple Bacon Ranch Chicken
  • Simple Hawaiian Crock Pot Chicken
  • Simple Taco Rice Dinner
  • Simple Last Minute Nacho Plate
  • Simple Chicken Cheeseballs with a Kick
  • Simple Beanie Weanies
  • Simple Crock Pot BBQ Spareribs
  • Simple Pizza Chicken Bake
  • Simple Italian Chicken and Green Bean Bake
  • Last Minute Creamy Bacon Spaghetti
  • Simple Hamburger Soup
  • Simple Parmesan Broiled Fish
  • Simple Overnight Saucy Crock Pot Chicken
  • Simple 15-Minute Meal
  • Simple Overnight Melt-in-Your-Mouth Beef Roast
  • Simple 3-Cheese Crock Pot Pasta
  • Simple Oven Fried Chicken
  • Simple Honey Mustard Chicken Legs
  • The Easiest Mashed Potatoes in the World
  • Simple Garlic Butter Shrimp
  • Simple Crunchy Ranch Chicken Strips
  • Simple Crock Pot Shredded Ranch Chicken (for salad or tacos)
  • Simple Crock Pot Pizza Casserole
  • Simple Barbecue Beef Roast
  • Simple Spanish Rice Bowls
  • Simple Roasted Rotiserie Chicken
  • Simple Green Chile Chicken
  • Simple Tex-Mex Creamy Chicken
  • Simple Waffle Omelets
  • Simple Crock Pot Taco Pasta
  • Simple Grilled Chicken
  • Simple Hawaiian Beef Roast
  • Simple Crock Pot Creamy Stew Meat
  • Simple Cheese Stuffed Burgers
  • Simple Hashbrown Casserole (For Instant Pot, Crock Pot or Oven!)
  • Simple Lasagna Casserole (For Instant Pot or Crock Pot)
  • Simple Chili Mac
  • Simple Bacon Cheeseburger Casserole
  • From Burrito Bar to Casserole (a 5-Minute Meal!)
  • Simple Bacon Cheeseburger Roll
  • Simple Garlic Parmesan Chicken Legs
  • Super Simple Lasagna
  • The Simplest White Chicken Chili
  • Simple Lentil Nachos
Heavenly Homemaker's Club Members: Access your homepage and all your fantastic resources here! Not a member yet? Please join us!

Simple Meals on a Simple Budget (Check out our plans for the New Year!)

December 31, 2017 by Laura 2 Comments

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

We’ve been offering Simple Meals planning packets for over a year now. It’s been a blast helping so many families put delicious, nourishing meals on the table in such a simple way night after night! To kick off the new year, we’ve got some big plans. But in keeping with the theme, the big plans are still simple. :)

Pssst! If you aren’t a Simple Meals member, please join now! The price is unbeatable and you will love how Simple Meals helps you put great food on the table in a ridiculously short amount of time each day, with minimal effort. Simple Meals saves your family time!

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All this month, we’ve got new Simple Recipes to share that are incredibly easy on the budget. We always try to keep costs down, but the next 10 recipes we share are going to be extra inexpensive!

So, prepare yourself. As if Simple Meals wasn’t already great, now more of the recipes will feature money-saving ideas that will allow you to serve your family food that costs a minimal amount while still being super tasty and of course, simple to prepare!

hashbrown cups11

Here’s a sneak peek at one of our favorite Simple Meals and on a
Simple Budget recipes I’m getting ready to share with you!

By the way, did you know I’ve shared 50+ Simple Recipes since we began offering Simple Meals subscriptions? These recipes have ruined me forever for any recipe that requires more than just a few steps or a few ingredients. I’ll consider a new recipe and see that it says “saute then slice then do other things and work very hard” and I cannot handle it. We’d like our food to be “put it in a pan, slide it in the oven, yum, and you’re welcome” and if it isn’t, we just move on.

It’s a good thing there are now so many Simple Recipes being offered here so we can stay on the easy train. And this month we can look forward to — more recipes! And every single one of them is super low in cost!!

Simple Recipes on a Simple Budget

So let’s review.

Simple Recipes on a Simple Budget During the Month of January

  1. Recipe is very simple to put together…check.
  2. Recipe is family friendly…check.
  3. Recipe will take hardly any time to make…check.
  4. Recipe uses only real food, nourishing ingredients…check.
  5. Recipe costs very little to make…check.

What else could we possibly want in a recipe? Oh!! 6. Recipe tastes delicious…check.

Well, I guess that really does cover everything!

I recommend subscribing here to receive our free email each time we post a new recipe this month. That way you won’t miss out on anything new!

Watch for our upcoming Simple Recipes on a Simple Budget. Here’s the running list:

  • Simple Lentil Nachos
  • Simple Tuna Patties
  • Simple Banana Pancakes
  • Simple Applesauce BBQ Chicken
  • Simple Hashbrown and Egg Nests
  • Simple Cornbread Waffles with Chili
  • Simple Veggie Fritters
  • Simple Lemon Garlic Chicken Legs
  • Simple Noodle Soup
  • Simple 3-Cheese Spaghetti
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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