Heavenly Homemakers

Encouraging women in homemaking, healthy eating and parenting

How to Make Perfect Hot Chocolate

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Simple Green Beans in the Air Fryer

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

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

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

Simple Green Beans in the Air FryerYum

Simple Green Beans in the Air Fryer
 
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Serves: 4-6
Ingredients
  • 12-ounces frozen fine green beans
  • 1 teaspoon olive oil
  • ¼ teaspoon sea salt
  • ¼ teaspoon garlic powder (optional)
Instructions
  1. Pour green beans into a bowl (or cheat by cutting open the bag of green beans to use it as a disposable bowl!)
  2. Add olive oil, salt, and garlic powder.
  3. Toss with a spoon or tongs to coat the green beans.
  4. Cook in your Air Fryer at 400 degrees for 7-10 minutes, tossing them half-way through cook time to make sure they are cooking evenly.

These have an awesome crunch. And did you see that simple hack I shared in the recipe? I simply open a bag of frozen green beans and use the bag as a bowl! Drizzle in the olive oil, sprinkle in the seasonings, shake the bag, and pour the coated green beans into the air fryer. No dishes!! NO DISHES!!!! That is my favorite part, besides of course, the fact that we can make this awesome vegetable in the air fryer. Nourishing and fun all in one!

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

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10 Favorite Back-to-School Crock Pot Dinner Ideas

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Need some Back-to-School Crock Pot Dinner ideas? Here are my favorites!

Yum

It’s time for me to get organized. Back to school at our house means much more than “get your pencils sharpened.” I usually consider this time of year “Back-to-Soccer” season and brace myself for the crazy that comes with it. Matt coaches our York College women’s team so usually in August I smile at him and say something like, “Whelp, see ya in November.”

Elias (who moved into the college dorm over the weekend; I’m not ready to talk about it, ha) will be playing on the YC men’s team. Malachi (15) will referee as many rec-league and club team games as he can. And Brayden (6) will play on a rec-league team. I try to pack everyone up and go to as many home YC games as I can, plus of course, I’ll be Brayden’s biggest cheerleader.

Awwww. There’s Malachi, back in his baby-soccer days. Now here we are again with our new set of Littles!

I’ve done this soccer-mom-wife life for so many years now that I know full well what it’ll be like. And as much as I know that it will be challenging as it always is (especially now that we’ve got so many little ones again!), may I just say this very loudly:

I AM SO THANKFUL SCHOOL IS STARTING and that WE GET TO HAVE A SOCCER SEASON!!!!

Last spring, we weren’t sure, you know? In early March, we sent all of our beloved college students home with barely a good-bye. We trudged through quarantine like so many of you did, wondering when or if life would ever be back to normal.

I’m not sure we can call everything “normal” yet, but praise God, students are moving back and soccer season is happening.

So as I celebrate this and also get ready for a very busy season, I’m putting these Crock Pot Dinner Ideas in my back pocket to make our mealtimes easier! These 10 ideas are the recipes I tend to fall back on first…

10 Favorite Back-to-School Crock Pot Dinner Ideas

  1. Crock Pot Chicken Soup with a Kick
  2. Hawaiian Crock Pot Chicken
  3. Overnight Saucy Crock Pot Chicken
  4. Overnight Melt-in-Your-Mouth Beef Roast
  5. Crock Pot Pizza Casserole
  6. Barbecue Beef Roast
  7. The Simplest White Chicken Chili
  8. Cheeseburger Noodle Crock Pot Dinner
  9. Hearty Bean Casserole (which can be made on the stovetop, but is perfect to make ahead and keep warm in a crock pot until dinnertime!)
  10. Crock Pot Fajitas

All of these recipes require almost no work or prep time. That’s why I like these best!

Oh, and if you like simple recipes like this, you will love our Simple Real Food Recipes Cookbook. These are my go-to recipes now!

What does your fall season look like this year?

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Potato and Bacon Foil Packs on the Grill

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Make yourself some Potato and Bacon Foil Packs for the grill! You will not be disappointed!

I may have to make this every week of the summer! The flavor is unbelievably good. And of course, these are really easy to make!

I like to prep them in the afternoon while the babies are napping. Then at dinnertime, we throw them on the grill. While they cook, we steam some veggies. And the meal is perfection!

First things first, make yourself a batch of this Ranch Dressing Mix. I like keeping a full jar of this mix in my pantry to use in recipes like this!

Second, consider making a batch of Bacon Bits like this. I love having these ready to grab and use in recipes!


If you’ve got those prepped ahead, you can make these Potato and Bacon Foil Packs super quickly!

Ready to put yours together?

Potato and Bacon Foil Packs on the GrillYum

Potato and Bacon Foil Packs on the Grill
 
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Serves: 6-8
Ingredients
  • Heavy-duty foil
  • 5 pounds baby red potatoes
  • ½ pound cut and cooked bacon
  • 4 Tablespoons ranch dressing mix (or 1 pouch)
  • 1 stick of butter, cut into 12 slabs
  • Shredded cheese and sour cream for serving (optional)
Instructions
  1. Wash potatoes and slice them into very thin slices.
  2. Place them in a large bowl.
  3. Stir in cooked bacon and ranch dressing mix.
  4. Prepare foild packets using a double layer of foil filled with potato mixture. (I try to make my foil packets thin so they will cook faster on the grill. So I make this recipe into 3 large, flat foil pouches.)
  5. Top potato mixture with slabs of butter.
  6. Close pouches securely for the grill.
  7. Cook pouches on the grill for 15-30 minutes, turning occasionally for even cooking.
  8. When you can easily poke a fork into the pouches, you'll know the potatoes are thoroughly cooked.
  9. Pull potato pouches off the grill and serve with cheese and sour cream!

 

Need more recipes for the grill? Here’s a great list!

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Simple Spicy Chicken Cheese Dip

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I ate this Spicy Chicken Cheese Dip at a friend’s house recently and fell completely in love with its flavor!

Therefore, I came home and promptly made a big batch for my family the very next day. It’s ridiculously easy to make – especially if you have chicken already cooked and on hand to stir into this dip. (If not, simply cook 3 boneless chicken thighs or breasts in a pan on the stovetop for several minutes in a little water until it is no longer pink and shreds easily.)

Here’s where I confess to you that ever since we started taking in foster kids, I’ve started compromising more in the kitchen. But you already knew that. What you probably didn’t know is that I often now keep this canned chicken on hand in my pantry to use quickly in a pinch. I don’t even feel bad about it because God is bigger than free ranged chicken – and also chicken in a can.

So indeed, if you have canned chicken, drain a couple cans and throw it into this dip. Easy, delicious, and dinner is on the table super quickly!

Simple Chicken Cheese DipYum

Simple Spicy Chicken Cheese Dip
 
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Serves: 6-8
Ingredients
  • 16-ounces softened cream cheese
  • ½ cup hot sauce (your favorite)
  • 1 cup ranch dressing
  • 3 cups cooked, shredded chicken
  • 2 cups shredded cheese (we use Colby jack)
  • Tortilla chips
Instructions
  1. In a blender or with a hand mixer, mix together the cream cheese, hot sauce, and ranch dressing until smooth.
  2. Fold in shredded, cooked chicken.
  3. Spread mixture into a 9x13" baking dish.
  4. Sprinkle shredded cheese over the top.
  5. Bake in a 425 degree oven for 10-15 mintues or until cheese is melted and dip is bubbly.
  6. Serve with tortilla chips.

If you want, you can throw this dip into a crock pot to take to potlucks or parties. Make as directed, and cook in a slow cooker on low for 2-3 hours.

Amazingly tasty!!!

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Want more Simple Real Food Recipes? We’ve got a beautiful cookbook full of them!

 

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Best Dips for Your Super Bowl Party

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Here are the Best Dips for your Super Bowl Party.

I watch football exactly once each year. Scratch that. I eat dip and pretend to watch football exactly once each year.

At our house, we’re a little bit more into soccer (actual futbol, thank you and good night). But we all still love a good Super Bowl party because of the fun it offers with friends. As it turns out, a lot of people really like watching football. They scream a whoop at the TV just like I do when I’m on the sidelines watching a good soccer game.

Sometimes they’re veins bulge at their neck and their faces turn funny colors. Football games bring out a side of my friends I don’t see on a regular day. So perhaps I could say that I like to watch my friends watch football. While I’m eating dip…

Dip is the reason for the season. Super Bowl parties were invented so people could eat dip!! I’m just sure of it.

Football lovers and Chip Dip lovers – unite! This fun event provides a win-win for all of us! (Not that I can guarantee that your favorite team will win. But the dips – we all win with dip. Heh.)

Best Dips for Your Super Bowl PartyYum

  1. Easy White Queso – My Current Favorite!
  2. Simple Bean and Cheese Salsa Dip
  3. Creamy Chocolate Fruit Dip
  4. Creamy Italian Veggie Dip
  5. Cream Cheese Salsa Dip
  6. Bacon Ranch Chip Dip
  7. French Onion Dip
  8. Bacon Tomato Dip
  9. Black Bean Salsa
  10. Easy Veggie Dip
  11. Healthier Cheese Dip 
  12. Hot Spinach and Artichoke Dip
  13. Nacho Cheese Pretzel Dip
  14. Easy Guacomole
  15. Easy Cheesy Bean Dip
  16. Hamburber Sauerkraut Dip
  17. Cream Cheese Fruit Dip

What are your favorite Super Bowl snacks? Who loves dip as much as I do?!

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Quick and Easy New Year’s Snacks and Treats

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Need some quick and easy New Year’s snacks and treats? We’ve got a great list of fun recipe ideas for you!

Yum

This time, we’re going to focus on finger foods. After all, on the final day of the year, who wants to use a fork? We’ve done that for 364 days already this year. At this point, we just.can’t.handle.picking.up.a.fork.

And also? Finger foods are more fun on New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day. Right?

My personal preference is to make several fun snacks and treats, then pull them out onto a buffet so we can all munch and graze while we play games, hang out, and visit. Here are some of the ideas I’m working on for this year:

Quick and Easy New Year’s Snacks and Treats

And for some added fun, may I suggest that you brew some coffee and have bowls of these set out for people to add to their mugs?

For the record, I will be making an enjoying these finger foods, but I will not be staying up until midnight. You?

Happy New Year!

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Easy 4-Ingredient Chocolate Crunch Bars

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I’m guessing you already have all or most of the needed ingredients on hand to make these Chocolate Crunch Bars. So what are you waiting for? You NEED to make these pronto!

I could go on and on about how delicious these are. They taste like fudge with a wonderful crunch! I make a double batch for college kids and the plate is empty in no time. :)

The fact that they are super easy to make is a great bonus. And the wonderful crunch in these makes you feel like you’re eating a candy bar!

Watch Brayden (age 5) help me make these super easy Chocolate Crunch Bars —>

I personally like to use Bittersweet Chocolate in this recipe so the sugar content is much lower. But you can use any of your favorite chocolate chips.

So let’s see, you’ll need:

  • chocolate chips
  • coconut oil
  • nut butter
  • rice krispie cereal

You’ll put the first three ingredients into a pan to melt and stir together.

Once the mixture is melted and smooth, you’ll stir in the cereal.

Then you’ll spread it into a dish and put it into the fridge to chill.

See how easy? And yep, they taste as good as they look!

Easy 4-Ingredient Chocolate Crunch BarsYum

Easy 4-Ingredient Chocolate Crunch Bars
 
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Serves: 16
Ingredients
  • 12-ounces bittersweet or dark chocolate chips (any chocolate chips will work!)
  • 1 cup nut butter (I like almond butter for these)
  • ¼ cup coconut oil (I prefer refined coconut oil in these because it's flavorless)
  • 2 cups crispy rice cereal
Instructions
  1. In a medium-sized saucepan, melt and stir the chocolate chips, nut butter, and coconut oil.
  2. Remove from heat and stir in the rice cereal.
  3. Pour mixture into an 8x8 inch pan.
  4. Chill for at least one hour before cutting and serving the bars.

During this busy time of year, you’ll find that these Easy Chocolate Crunch Bars are perfect for a snack or even to make and take to a holiday party!

Chocolate Hint:

Do yourself a favor and order any of the Cocoa Powders, Chocolate Chips, or Chocolate Chunks from Olive Nation. (And use the code home to get 20% off!) I can’t tell you what a wonderful difference these cocoa powders and chocolate chips have made in my chocolate recipes. The quality is MUCH better, and they do not cost more than I was spending on the lesser varieties.

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Simple Pumpkin Waffles

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I highly recommend enjoying a fall brunch with these Simple Pumpkin Waffles. These are light, fluffy, flavorful, and perfect!

When I told our 17-year old that I was going to make Pumpkin Waffles he saw right through my “add a veggie to breakfast” scheme. Still, he went back for seconds and even ate homemade applesauce on the side. It was a perfect fall breakfast – or brunch as was the case that day as we tried to squeeze in a hearty meal between high school/college classes, kindergarten homeschool, babies’ naps, a college soccer game, and tennis meet.

It’s rare that I have time to stand at the waffle iron these days. So it only made sense that I double the recipe and make a huge pile of waffles so we can easily toast and enjoy them another day soon. If you’re going to make a mess, you might as well make a big one, right? :) So now I have a freezer full of Simple Pumpkin Waffles to pull out and serve as needed!

I highly recommend whipping some cream to serve on top of these waffles. A huge dollop of whipped cream along with real maple syrup drizzled over the top of these waffles makes an incredible meal. Sausage, applesauce, and coffee too? It’s breakfast heaven.

Simple Pumpkin WafflesYum

Simple Pumpkin Waffles
 
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Serves: 6-8
Ingredients
  • 2 cups of whole grain flour (I use freshly ground soft white wheat)
  • 1 teaspoon of baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon of cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice
  • ½ teaspoon of sea salt
  • 1½ cups of milk
  • 1 cup of canned 100% pure pumpkin
  • 3 eggs
  • 4 tablespoons of melted butter or coconut oil
Instructions
  1. Whisk all ingredients together until smooth.
  2. Scoop about ½ cup of batter into a hot waffle iron.
  3. Cook until waffles are golden brown.

What is it about pumpkin and cinnamon in the fall that just doesn’t taste the same any other time of year?

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Easy White Queso

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It’s my favorite splurge at any Mexican restaurant. So finally, I decided that it must be time to try making White Queso at home.

Why make White Queso at home?

Mostly, because of the deliciousness. Also, because of this:

At a birthday party several months ago, the hostess had picked up one of her birthday boy’s favorites: White Queso from our local Mexican restaurant. She set it out as a part of a delicious taco bar. Maybe I was just extra hungry that day (probably), or maybe my friend is an excellent cook (most definitely). But my taco plate that day tasted so good that I went back for more and wanted to duplicate it later at home.

So a few days later, I decided to surprise my husband and kids by picking up a large cup of White Queso to go with our taco dinner at home. Great idea, thought I. They will love it and be so surprised that Mom actually went to a restaurant to buy part of our dinner.

Were they surprised? Yes, and delighted. Was I a little bit sticker-shocked by how much it costs to buy a large, delicious cup of queso at the restaurant? Gulp.

So while it was fun and delicious, I knew I could only do something like that on a special occasion. A few months later, I was craving the White Queso and decided to try my hand at it. (Sometimes I wonder why it takes me so long to try to make something at home. Isn’t this my hobby?)

Take a few seconds to watch this fun video Malachi helped me make to show you how easy it is to make Easy White Queso at home!

Easy White Queso – See how it’s made —->

Guess what? It takes less time to make White Queso at home than it does to stand in line at a restaurant waiting for them to bring you a cup and take your money. Obviously it costs less. And while the authentically made queso at the restaurant is still better than mine, I’m so excited to be able to make and eat this regularly now instead of waiting for the very occasional splurge at a restaurant!

Easy White QuesoYum

Easy White Queso
 
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Serves: 6-8
Ingredients
  • 8-ounces cream cheese
  • 16-ounces pepper jack cheese
  • ¾ cup sour cream
  • 1 cup half-and-half or whole milk
  • 10-ounce can Rotel (diced tomatoes and green chilies)
Instructions
  1. Place all ingredients into a medium-sized saucepan.
  2. Whisk over medium or low heat until mixture has melted together smoothly.
  3. Serve!

See how easy that is!!?

What’s your favorite restaurant splurge?

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