Heavenly Homemakers

Encouraging women in homemaking, healthy eating and parenting

What to Do With Overripe Bananas

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Need any ideas for ways to use your overripe bananas? Here’s a quick list of our favorite banana recipes!

We love it when our bananas become over-ripe. Otherwise, how could we make these great recipes?

What to Do With Overripe Bananas

Look through these and try them all!

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Heavenly Homemakers’ Reader Favorite Recipes (The Best of the Best!)

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Today we’ve got a list of our most well loved recipes!

We’ve been sharing recipes here on Heavenly Homemakers now for over a decade. During that time, we’ve created hundreds of recipes for you to share with your family! Some of you have been reading Heavenly Homemakers since the very beginning, and have incorporated these recipes into your family’s meal plan for the past decade.

Readers are often messaging me, sharing their very favorite recipes that they have made and loved for years! I love this, because it reminds me of recipes I haven’t made myself for quite some time!

Recently we asked our Heavenly Homemakers’ community on Facebook (if you aren’t following us, join the fun here!) what their absolute favorite recipe was from our website. We asked them, what was one recipe that they return to again and again. A recipe that have become a family favorite over the years.

We received so many responses that we decided to share that list with you today! We have SO many fun recipes on our site, but we thought you would enjoy a hand-picked list from other readers.

Top 15 Reader Favorite Recipes

1. Spicy Chicken Pizza

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Says reader Kim: “I made the Spicy Chicken Pizza today and EVERYONE loved it!! Definitely going to be made often in our home!”

2. Chocolate Pudding

Homemade sweet chocolate mouse in the glass,selective focus

Reader Christine wrote: “Chocolate pudding!!! I use it for my pies every holiday season and they always, always get rave reviews. And it isn’t so unhealthy either!”

3. Peanut Butter Cups

Says reader Kim: “The peanut butter cups! Such a healthy, delicious treat”

4. Ranch Dressing

This recipe was mentioned over and over again by readers!

5. Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Muffins

Erin said: “Most used (almost weekly for years) would be chocolate chip pumpkin muffins.”

6. Taco Seasoning

Lisa wrote: “Taco seasoning, yes! Fine recipe, but I love to reread it because all the shaking makes me laugh.”

7. Alfredo Sauce

Kristin wrote: “Alfredo…my kids would eat it every week if I made it.”

8. Raspberry Oatmeal Bars

Shannon wrote: “Raspberry granola bars. It was the first recipe I made from you and what made me start following your blog. We are still making them 5 years later (round about).”

9. Creamy Cheesy Chicken Pasta

Rebekah wrote: “I have so many how do I pick. Creamy cheesy chicken pasta, stir and pour bread, breakfast casserole, strawberry fluff stuff. Do you See my problem.”

10. Coconut Flour Cheddar Drop Biscuits

Jackie wrote: “I make the cheddar drop biscuits all the time.”

11. Creamy Chicken and Rice

Teresa had a few favorites: “Italian dressing mix (I use it on so many things) and creamy chicken and rice!”

12. Giant Breakfast Cookies

This recipe was brought up again and again! Stephanie said: “Most used for us… giant breakfast cookies, raspberry oatmeal bars, and several of the muffin varieties. Thank you!!”

13. Sloppy Joes

Several readers mentioned that they make this Sloppy Joe recipe over and over!

14. Warm Vanilla Soother

Perfect for this time of year, reader Tara put her vote in for this comforting drink!

15. Tortillas

Several readers said they loved the tortilla recipe! You can find that recipe in the Totally Tortillas eBook! Gain access to this eBook, and countless others, by joining our Club Membership!

Honorable Mentions

Here is a list of the most well-loved recipes on Heavenly Homemakers!

Several other recipes didn’t make the top fifteen list, but were reader faves all the same! Here are a few more recipes that readers have tried and loved.

Now the only question is, which one are you going to try first?!

Your turn to share! What is your absolute favorite recipe you’ve found on Heavenly Homemakers? Share in the comments!

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P.S. This week only, be sure not to miss the 2022 Home Management Bundle —> Head here to get this at 97% off. OR, read here first to see why I think it’s worth it. :)

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High Five Recipes – PRINTED COOKBOOK!!!!

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High Five Recipes, our most popular eBook, has now been turned into a printed cookbook! And just in time for Christmas!

I love the simplicity of this cookbook and how you can now have it in your kitchen, ready to use every day to make your kitchen life easier. Find recipes from Breakfast Casserole to Pizza Chicken Bake to Homemade Ice Cream to Homemade Ranch Dressing – and over a hundred more! And all of them call for only 5 or fewer ingredients!!

High Five Recipes

High quality recipes, five or fewer ingredients. Bring it in for a high five!!

Cooking for your family has never been easier. Especially because your family will love how delicious all these meals and snacks taste! When you make these recipes, your time and energy can be used to do what is more important – loving people.

Take a peek inside the book and get hungry as you read the table of contents:

Grab a copy for yourself and some for family members, teachers, friends, and neighbors too. This book makes a fantastic gift and saves everyone time.

Can’t wait for you all to enjoy all that this cookbook will offer you. Be blessed and fall in love with these delicious, simple recipes!

Get your High Five Recipes Cookbook here.

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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!

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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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40 Favorite Fall Recipes (Made with Real Food Ingredients!)

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Need some more favorite fall recipes? Of course we do! Want them to all be made with real food ingredients? Absolutely!

As much as I love summer the best of all, I definitely love the beauty of fall. So what that in Nebraska we go from summer to winter with about 5 minutes of fall weather in between? At least we get to enjoy the gorgeous trees and fun viewing of birds gathering to fly south for the winter.

And the food. Fall food is just about as good as it gets. Not everyone loves Pumpkin Spice, but just in case you are a Pumpkin Spice lover, here is a DIY recipe for you!

If you aren’t a Pumpkin Spice fan, you’ll be glad to know that not all of these recipes include pumpkin or spice. Though most of them do contain cinnamon. It is, after all, the flavor of fall!

40 Favorite Fall Recipes (Made with Real Food Ingredients!)

  1. No-Knead Cinnamon Rolls with Honey’d Orange Glaze
  2. Cinnamon Smoothie
  3. Cinnamon Nectarine Muffins
  4. Quick Mix Honey Cinnamon Muffins
  5. Cinnamon Apple Toast
  6. Snickerdoodles
  7. Cinnamon Swirl Bread
  8. Baked Apple Pancake
  9. Snickerdoodle Muffins
  10. Vanilla Muffins with Cinnamon Crumb Topping
  11. Apple Pie Filling
  12. No-Bake Snickerdoodle Bites
  13. Low-Sugar Carrot Cake
  14. Zucchini Carrot Bread
  15. Applesauce
  16. Baked Apple Pancake
  17. Apple Pie Filling
  18. Salted Caramel Apple Crisp
  19. Cream Cheese Fruit Dip (to go with your apples)
  20. Applesauce Bread
  21. Apple Fruit Leather
  22. Build a Fruit Salad Bar
  23. Apple Crisp
  24. Apple Butter
  25. Apple Nachos
  26. Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bread
  27. Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins
  28. Pumpkin Donuts
  29. Warm Pumpkin Custard
  30. Multi-Grain Pumpkin Waffles and Pancakes
  31. Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cake
  32. Pumpkin Pecan Pie Squares
  33. Pumpkin Pie
  34. Pumpkin Breakfast Cake
  35. Pumpkin Cheesecake
  36. Pumpkin Pie Bars
  37. Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins
  38. Pumpkin Spice French Toast Casserole
  39. Pumpkin Spice Roll-Out Cookies
  40. Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cheesecake Muffins

What are your favorite flavors of fall?

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Simple Crock Pot Chicken Soup with a Kick – 4 Ingredients!

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It’s as if this soup knew we needed it in our lives. As if somehow, in the mysterious ways only known to soup, it recognized that many days of the week are busy, and our time in the kitchen is limited, but we still want a hearty meal as the sun goes down. Therefore, on the day we needed it most, this soup arrived, begging us to make it on a morning we are still half-asleep and thinking about the other items on our agenda for the day.crock-pot-chicken-soup-with-a-kickThis soup! I don’t think I’ve ever made one that takes less effort or energy. I didn’t even thaw the chicken ahead of time. I had all four ingredients already in my home because I almost always have:

  • boneless chicken
  • salsa
  • chicken broth
  • cheese

I didn’t have to chop, stir, measure, or think. I put the ingredients into my crock pot, plugged it in (always recommended), turned it on, and walked away. Six hours later we sat down and ate soup.

If all of life was as easy as this soup, we would all turn into lazy, squishy people. Seeing as most days we are going-going-going, I don’t think we need to fear the squish. But this soup? It’s got our back at the end of a busy day, because it recognizes all we do and it’s here to say, “Dinner? No problem. I’m here for you. Sit down with your family. Eat. Enjoy.”

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Simple Crock Pot Chicken Soup with a KickYum

5.0 from 3 reviews
Simple Crock Pot Chicken Soup with a Kick - 4 Ingredients!
 
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Author:
Ingredients
  • 2 pounds boneless chicken thighs or breasts
  • 16-ounces salsa (more or less is fine)
  • 32 ounces (1 quart) chicken broth
  • 8 ounces cheese (cheddar, Colby jack, Monterrey, Pepper jack - whichever you prefer)
Instructions
  1. Put all ingredients into a crock pot.
  2. Cook on hi for 3-4 hours or low for 6-8.
  3. Shred chicken and serve.

What to serve with this Chicken Soup with a Kick:

  • Tossed salad
  • Fresh fruit

Consider adding to your bowl of Chicken Soup with a Kick:

  • Crushed tortilla chips
  • Sour Cream
  • Sliced Olives
  • Black Beans
  • Corn

This soup will work wonderfully to serve to guests. It is seriously delicious and need I remind you? You don’t have to thaw the chicken ahead of time. I mean, you can if you want. But why plan ahead when this soup doesn’t require it?

This recipe, for sure, will be one of my go-to recipes this fall and winter.

Hopefully you also saw the Simple Baked Salmon and Asparagus recipe I posted earlier this week. If you’re wondering if there’s some kind of theme going on – perhaps a conspiracy to force us put healthy meals on the table with very little effort – you are right on track. Meals that take just a few minutes to prepare. Healthy food ideas and guides that prevent us from spending hours in the kitchen. Plans to save our family time. Oh yes. This is definitely in the works.

It’s here! Check out our amazing Simple Meals program!

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Check it out! Cooking Guy (my friend’s son) is at it again. He’s four. He made this soup. See? I TOLD you it was simple!

If you’re going to buy Simple Meals (and you really, really should), you should click through the video to YouTube and buy it through Cooking Guys link. He deserves a little referral money, don’t you think?

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Soup or Smoothies? I Can’t Decide

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March comes in like a lion and goes out like a lamb. I learned that in Kansas in first grade when my teacher Mrs. Howell explained the concept, then gave us paper plates to make lion and lamb faces. We hung them on the wall in the back of the room above the coat rack. (I remember pointless things.)

I’ve since learned that typically in Nebraska, March comes in like a lion and acts like a lion all month and goes out like a lion and greets April like a lion and once in a while a little lamb pokes it soft little head out just long enough to tease the lion. But this year the lamb appears to be a bit more feisty than the lion because the sun is shining and we’re having some unusually warm weather. The boys have been going outside in shorts because they can. We’ve been shooting hoops in the driveway with the sun in our eyes. Awesomeness.

For the first time in months, a smoothie sounds good, especially after playing or working outside. But then we come back into my house and guess what? Brrrrr! The house hasn’t caught up yet with the outside weather. What should we expect? It is still getting pretty cold at night.

So sweaters or shorts? Flip flops or boots? Iced coffee or hot? Soup or smoothies?

I’m thinking both. Lions and lambs can be friends, can’t they? Here’s what I’m celebrating during this fun collision of lion and lamb during the month of March:

1. THE SUN IS SHINING, even during the cold parts of the day. I heart sunshine.  I’ve probably mentioned that here before.
2. I can enjoy baking and grilling at the same time. This doesn’t happen in the winter or the summer.
3. There are no bugs yet because they haven’t yet realized that it’s warm enough to come out and crawl on us.
4. Soup and smoothies taste good together.

Cheeseburger Soup

Today I present to you, in honor of The Month of Crazy Weather, our favorite soup and smoothie recipes. You just never know when you’ll need one or the other or both at the same time.

Soup

Smoothies (and other fun, cold drinks)

While looking through my archives, I realize that I actually have very few smoothie recipes here. That’s because I just throw in whatever fruit we have, which makes smoothies at our house “non-recipe” items.

What are you experiencing at your house? Lion or lamb? Soup or smoothie? Boot or flip-flop?

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My Top 10 Kitchen Tips Ever and 10 eBooks for $10 – Through Monday Only!

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Top 10 Kitchen Tips

Here is a life-changing  list of my top 10 kitchen tips ever, and the links where you will find the wonderful details on each:

10. Don’t forget to close the dispenser on your blender.
9. Never overfill said blender.
8. Clearly label your freezer food so you won’t have to wait for the food to thaw and bake before you recognize what it is.
7. A fresh tablecloth makes everything better.
6. Be sure to allow room for expansion when you fill jars with food for the freezer so your beloved jars won’t break.
5. If your garden is destroyed by a hail storm, wait and trust. It might just bounce back.
4. Buttering your pineapple is not a good idea.
3. Wearing mis-matched rubber gloves is the best way to clean.
2. Don’t touch your eyeball with your hands after chopping hot peppers.
1. Never, ever forget that God is bigger than a free range chicken.

Just reading that list makes you a better homemaker, does it not? Really. What would you ever do without my insights and advice? (I forgot to mention earlier, you should always be sure to sift the popcorn out of your waffle mix. Keep hanging around. The wisdom never ends around here, my friends.)

And now, I am excited to share with you that through Monday, February 9 at midnight, our very popular Heavenly Homemaker’s eBook Overload Package is marked down to just $10.  That’s 10 eBooks for $10.  Seriously!

 

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This package includes loads of real food recipes that are easy and family friendly. From chicken to beef to fruits and vegetables to chocolate (of course!), here is the wonderful books you will receive:

Feel free to click on any of the above titles to learn more about these individual books. Once purchased, you’ll recieve an email giving you the download links to each eBook. You’ll have so many healthy, kid friendly recipes you won’t know where to start!

Heavenly Homemakers Ebook Overload!
$51.49
$10.00

Add to Cart

Feel free to add your best kitchen tip in the comments. It’s always great to learn from each other. :)

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Final Day: Get 1-2-3 Menu Planning eBook FREE With Oh, For Real Purchase

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Don’t forget! If you purchase our Oh, For Real printed cookbook, you’ll also receive our new 1-2-3 Menu Planning eBook for FREE!

Buy this….

ForRealBookCover6

Get this free…

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Just want 1-2-3 Meal Planning? Grab it for just $5.

1-2-3 Menu Planning
$5.00
Add to Cart

Saturday, August 23 is the final day for this freebie offer – so act now! Let these helpful resources make your real food cooking life easier!!!!! Get all the details of this offer here.

Oh, For Real: Real Food, Real Family, Real Easy with 1-2-3 Menu Planning free bonus
$25.95
Add to Cart

Cost for a book shipped to Canada is $34.05. If you are from Canada or another country outside the U.S., please email me before purchasing. Thanks!

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Share Your Story: Getting Ahead For a Healthy Breakfast

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Welcome to one of our newest features here at Heavenly Homemakers! I love hearing the stories of how you are using the recipes you find on our site or in our books. Do you have a story to share? Take a picture or two, then email me with the details of how you use your favorite Heavenly Homemaker recipe. :)

Share Your Heavenly Homemakers Recipe Story

Lori sent this in last week – a wonderful inspiration to all of us as we begin busy school years:

With school starting next week, I’ve been spending some time in the kitchen. I like breakfast to be as quick and simple as possible. My husband is usually in charge of feeding the kids while I’m getting ready for work. When I asked my kids (Kaylee-11 and Blake-8) what I should have available for breakfasts when school starts, they both said Breakfast Cookies. Silly question, I know. These cookies have been a staple at our house since I discovered the recipe a few years ago. Kaylee has actually been asking for them all summer. She will be thrilled to come home from camp to find the freezer stocked with her beloved cookies.

share your story breakfast

Blake is the happy taste tester! 
Elias, our 12 year old, walked through my office as I was prepping this post. He was excited to see:
  1. All the food in the picture. Elias likes looking at food as much as I do. :)
  2. My cookbook in the picture. “Hey look, it’s your book!”
  3. Blake’s glasses are almost identical to his. Love of breakfast cookies and matching glasses? I think they’d get along just fine. :)

Can’t wait to hear from more of you. Share your stories!

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