Heavenly Homemakers

Encouraging women in homemaking, healthy eating and parenting

Simple Parmesan Broiled Fish (10-minutes from start to finish!)

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I was going to call this Simple Cheesy Fish Dish – you know – because it rhymed and was cute. But then I was like, “What a weird and not-very-appetizing name. Let’s change it to Simple Parmesan Broiled Fish. People will want to make it if it has a better name.”

broiled-parmesan-fish

I sure hope you all appreciate all the thought and trouble I go to in preparing these recipes and laboring to come up with their names. There is no end to all the decisions I have to make around here.

But in actual news, and what you really need to know about this recipe is how easy it is. You broil the fish. While it is broiling, you mix up a few ingredients to spread over the top. You spread it on. You broil it all a little longer. In ten minutes the fish is completely done and ready to serve.

Ten minutes. Maybe I should have called this Ten-Minute Fish Dish. But seriously, though.

Simple Parmesan Broiled FishYum

5.0 from 2 reviews
Simple Parmesan Broiled Fish
 
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Serves: 4-6
Ingredients
  • 2 pounds fish, any kind (cod, tilapia, halibut, flounder, salmon)
  • ¾ cup shredded Parmesan cheese
  • ⅓ cup melted butter
  • ¼ cup mayonnaise (I use Hain Safflower mayo)
  • 3 Tablespoons lemon juice
  • 3 Tablespoons dried minced onion
  • Sea salt and pepper to taste
  • Splash of hot sauce (we like Cholula)
Instructions
  1. Lay fish pieces in a buttered 9x13 inch baking dish.
  2. Broil for 8-10 minutes in the oven.
  3. In the meantime, mix the remaining ingredients in a bowl.
  4. Removed broiled fish from the oven and spread on the cheese mixture.
  5. Broil for an additional 2 minutes.

simple-parmesan-broiled-fish

This fish has incredible flavor! We have also found that the sauce tastes great with the steamed veggies we eat with this meal. There’s just something about cheese and butter and mayo all together that makes a great sauce. So if the sauce from your fish runs over your plate into your veggies – be grateful. The entire meal will taste better this way!

Other Simple Recipes I’ve Shared Recently:

It’s recipes like this that makes Simple Meals such a life saver for families. We’ll provide the plans. We’ll provide the recipes. We’ll provide the grocery list. All you have to do is take a deep breath and enjoy how simple your life in the kitchen has become! Join Simple Meals!

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Want to Join Me for “A Year of Simple”?

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I have no idea how my kids are getting so old when clearly, I am staying so young. (That sentence was obviously not written with a straight face, but with one beginning to show several laugh lines.)

Over the Christmas holiday, we were so blessed to spend a day with some of our former college friends. As if no time had passed since 1991, we laughed and shared memories and acted like we were twenty again. Then we looked across the room at all of our kids, and wondered how it came to be that we actually have a kid going to the same college we had gone to together just a few short years ago??

Y’all. I have an adult child. My other kids will also be adults the day after tomorrow. This is not new information. But sometimes the realization knocks me over the head. How did I get here? How did this happen?

coppinger-time-lapse

It is this realization – knowing that time flies and the years are short – that lands me in a place of wanting to get rid of everything that is not essential. If it’s not nailed down, out it goes. If it’s overwhelming, I’m off-loading. God has been calling me to simplify as never before.

why-im-choosing-a-year-of-simple

I’ve been making lists of what I feel is priority. It is surprisingly short.

  1. Love God
  2. Love my husband
  3. Love my kids
  4. Love myself
  5. Love my neighbor

While this sounds simple in and of itself, you and I both know how much all of that involves. There are so many essentials involved with loving all the people, and we all know the food doesn’t cook itself. My days are filled with:

  • Feeding my family well
  • Teaching and training our boys
  • Taking part in our boys’ outside activities
  • Caring for several people in our community and in our church family
  • Managing my home
  • Maintaining this website
  • Dozens of other tasks
  • Take a day of rest each week

It is these priorities along with these essentials that leave me a bit in a quandary. While the lists are short, they are very involved. How to juggle? How to manage? How to remain in a state of peace and joy while keeping top priorities and managing the essentials? God gave us 24 hours each day on purpose. But even while cutting out much during the past few years and saying no more than saying yes, I’m still overwhelmed much of the time. My conclusion is that there is no way to do life perfectly and also…

I must simplify as much as possible

My family and my ministries require much of my energy – much more, even, than when my kids were little. Saying “no” to all the good things that pull at me but aren’t God’s best for me is my only solution to receiving peace, especially as I have come to realize that God has not called me to do all and be all. All He asks of me is to seek Him. This is the only way His answers for my daily life become clear.

Thus, I am excited to explore the next few months of The Year of Simple. 

Join me?

Simple doesn’t give way to laziness. Simple means we’ll work smarter, not harder. Simple means we’ll seek to go about our days with God’s best in mind, cutting out all that hinders and everything that keeps us from looking up to Jesus (Hebrews 12:1-2). This will look different for each of us.

What I’m planning for a Year of Simple at Heavenly Homemakers is…

To encourage all of us care for our families in the simplest ways possible so we can keep our top priorities at the top. This will include:

  • More Simple Recipes – We’ve still gotta eat. We still want healthy meals. But let’s learn more about keeping it simple. (Simple Meals is one of the best ways to simplify our kitchen lives, hands down! Everyone should take part in this!)
  • Simple Kitchen and Homemaking Tips – I’ll continue to share ways of managing our homes by working smarter, not harder.
  • Simple Truths – God continues to reveal His perfect and simple Truth as I study and meditate on His Word. Lies fade as Truth overpowers. As God directs, I’ll share what I’m learning.
  • Simple Fun – But of course.

I don’t think it matters what season of life you are in. Whether you have no children, baby children, growing children, teenage children, adult children, a spouse, no spouse – no matter who you are and what your current time of life holds for you – we can all get so wrapped up in being so busy with all the busyness that we forget to take part in what is most important.

What if we all learn together how to let go of the non-essentials, to ask for help when we need it, and to walk in peace as we trust that God will provide everything we need?

Each time I think about how God can help me simplify, I feel great joy. I take in a deep breath. I see the lovely that is around me. Often the lovely is covered in a layer of dust and smells like sweaty socks. Lovely doesn’t mean perfect. Lovely means fully being in the moment to recognize that God’s mercies are new every morning and that He is at work in all things.

I look forward to spending 2017 with you. Join me in this Year of Simple!

What’s at least one way you seek to simplify your life this year?

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Simple Hamburger Soup

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My mom used to make something like this Simple Hamburger Soup every Wednesday night before church. She called it “Beef Garden Casserole” and usually baked biscuits on top and on the side. I remember coming home from sports practices, starving, and so excited to eat this meal along with several biscuits dripping with butter.

beef-garden-soup

Ah, the memories.

I’ve been making this for my own family during the last 22 years, and even though it started out as a simple recipe, I’ve simplified it even more. I now skip the biscuits altogether. I often make it ahead of time so all I have to do is rewarm it and serve.

But then there’s the fact that some people in my family don’t like corn. Of all things not to like, right? So I usually make corn on the side for people to stir in if they like.

Also? I don’t make this as a casserole. It goes into bowls like soup, then we top it with shredded cheese. It’s still one of my favorite meals, and it always reminds me of my mom. You’ll love how easy this is!

Simple Hamburger SoupYum

Simple Hamburger Soup
 
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Serves: 4-6
Ingredients
  • 1 pound hamburger
  • 3 Tablespoons minced onion
  • 2-3 cups frozen green beans
  • 2-3 cups frozen corn (optional)
  • 32-ounces tomato soup
  • Sea salt to taste
  • 1 cup shredded Colby jack or cheddar cheese
Instructions
  1. Brown hamburger and minced onion until meat is no longer pink.
  2. Meanwhile, steam green beans in a separate pot until they are tender.
  3. Stir together cooked meat mixture, green beans, corn, and tomato soup.
  4. Simmer until bubbly, salting liberally.
  5. Serve in bowls with shredded cheese if desired.

simple-hamburger-soup

Other Simple Recipes I’ve Shared Recently:

It’s recipes like this that makes Simple Meals such a life saver for families. We’ll provide the plans. We’ll provide the recipes. We’ll provide the grocery list. All you have to do is take a deep breath and enjoy how simple your life in the kitchen has become! Join Simple Meals!

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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!

Last Minute Creamy Bacon Spaghetti

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Well, hi! Did you have a nice Christmas?

I’m assuming you’d like to stay in “vacation mode” for just a few more days. Perhaps you’re planning to hit the stores and grab some 75% off sales. (Get me some wrapping paper and multi-colored tree lights while you’re there, will you?)

Today I’ve got a fun new Simple Meal to share with you. This one is a bit different from those I’ve shared recently. You’ll be happy to learn that it includes bacon. And cream cheese. It’s like I’m giving you a late Christmas present. Best of all, this meal can be thrown together at the last minute with no prior planning!

Here’s how this Creamy Bacon Spaghetti can be considered a “last minute meal” even if you didn’t thaw bacon in preparation: Bacon will thaw quickly when placed in a pan of hot water. In just a few minutes, you can cook it and stir it into your pasta.

Easy, peasy, bacon, cheesy.

bacon-spaghetti

Here’s another great bacon tip for you: Cut it into pieces with kitchen shears, like this…

bacon bits 1

While your bacon pieces are cooking, you can boil your spaghetti. When both are finished, you stir them together with cream cheese, Italian dressing, and parmesan. A couple minutes later, your meal is served.

Last Minute Creamy Bacon SpaghettiYum

5.0 from 5 reviews
Last Minute Creamy Bacon Spaghetti
 
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Serves: 4-6
Ingredients
  • 16 ounces whole grain spaghetti
  • 1 pound uncooked bacon, but into 1-inch pieces
  • 4 ounces softened cream cheese, cut into cubes
  • ½ cup Italian dressing*
  • 4 Tablespoons grated parmesan cheese
Instructions
  1. Cook spaghetti according to package directions.
  2. In the meantime, cook bacon in a skillet.
  3. Drain grease from bacon.
  4. Drain water from spaghetti.
  5. Immediately pour hot spaghetti into the skillet with cooked bacon.
  6. Add remaining ingredients, stirring until cream cheese is melted and dish is well combined.
  7. Serve right away.

*Here’s my Italian Dressing recipe if you like!

simple-last-minute-creamy-bacon-spaghetti

Other Simple Recipes I’ve Shared Recently:

It’s recipes like this that makes Simple Meals such a life saver for families. We’ll provide the plans. We’ll provide the recipes. We’ll provide the grocery list. All you have to do is take a deep breath and enjoy how simple your life in the kitchen has become! Join Simple Meals!

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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 Pizza Chicken Bake

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Once again, a Simple Recipe saves the day. Three cheers for Simple Pizza Chicken Bake! (Hip, hip…okay, let’s just get to the recipe.)

pizza-chicken-bake

Truth: I have been too busy to cook lately. Why? Well, for one thing, I’ve been quite occupied by writing about how to put simple meals on the table.

Do not miss the irony of this.

Oh my dears. We hosted people for Thanksgiving, then turned right around and traveled to Kansas. We arrived home a few days later happy and tired, and very behind on all of our work. We began to play catch up while getting ready for Christmas and finishing up our kids’ semester of school work. Our youngest has been in our big downtown Christmas play, so we’ve been running to practices and performances and hosting family who came into town to watch. We hosted Christmas parties for two groups of college students, and enjoyed a big basketball triangular in town with the team our two middle boys are involved with.

Did I mention we’re getting ready to drive to California to see family at Christmastime?

All this fun in the midst of trying to keep up with everyday life has threatened to push me into the next level of crazy-head. (No one wants to see what that looks like.) So when Matt got home from his current job site one day last week and asked how he could help with dinner, I looked up from my computer (where I was editing a post about keeping dinner simple) and said, “I’ve been too busy writing about how to put food on the table easily to actually get food on the table. I love you. I’m hungry. Malachi needs to leave for practice in 15 minutes.”

Fun times. I have no recollection of what we actually ate that night. But no one starved, and I think I’m back on track this week to at least have the brain power to throw something in the crock pot or oven at a reasonable time.

Keep this new Simple Recipe in your back pocket. It truly is a no-brainer, and maybe it’s just me, but I think we can all use no-brainer recipes this time of year and always.

Simple Pizza Chicken BakeYum

5.0 from 2 reviews
Simple Pizza Chicken Bake
 
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Author:
Serves: 4-6
Ingredients
  • 3 pounds boneless chicken breasts or thighs
  • 14 ounces pizza sauce
  • 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
  • 6 ounces sliced pepperoni
Instructions
  1. Cut chicken into thin strips and spread them into the bottom of a 9x13 inch baking dish.
  2. Spread pizza sauce over the chicken.
  3. Sprinkle with cheese.
  4. Top with pepperoni.
  5. Bake, uncovered in a 400 degree oven for 30 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink.

simple-pizza-chicken-bake

I’m happy to report that the work I was behind on is almost caught up, and the work I’m trying to get ahead on is coming along at a nice pace. I got to a good enough point a few days ago that I told Matt, “Hey, I think I’ll be able to go to California with you for Christmas after all.” Now here’s hoping he gets all his work done so he can go too.

Other Simple Recipes I’ve Shared Recently:

If you haven’t joined Simple Meals, we invite you to come aboard! We’ll provide the plans. We’ll provide the recipes. We’ll provide the grocery list. All you have to do is take a deep breath and enjoy how simple your life in the kitchen has become! Join Simple Meals!

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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 Crock Pot BBQ Spareribs

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Here’s the thing about making BBQ Spareribs:

You can go to a lot of trouble and take several steps to make them taste incredible. Or, you can spend five minutes to throw them into your crock pot, pour on your favorite BBQ Sauce, and then watch them fall off the bone in amazingness at the end of the day.

You know me. I will always choose the five-minute method.

bbq-ribs

The only trouble I run into with making ribs at my house is that only so many will fit into my crock pot, so it doesn’t turn out to be an all-you-can-eat rib fest for my men. Other than that, making ribs has become one of my favorite fall back meals.

Who knew making a meal of BBQ ribs would be easier than making a box of mac and cheese? Who knew?

Just last week, I put some ribs into my crock pot before heading out of town for the day. This took no effort except for the tiny amount of finagling it took to manhandle a big rack of ribs down into my oval crock pot. Never fear. Laura: 1. Ribs:0. Mom for the win. It probably helped that I had just had my morning coffee, which pretty much ensures I can conquer the world.

I arrived back home later that night to delicious meat falling off the bone. I steamed some veggies, got out the mixed greens for salad, and dinner was served.

Feeling a little bit busy these days with so many holiday preparations and activities? Let your crock pot make you some BBQ Ribs. At the end of a busy day, you’ll shock yourself with how awesome you are that you actually managed to make such a delicious meal when, in fact, you spent the day addressing Christmas cards and trying to locate the missing gifts you put in a safe place for no one to find. (Sounds like you found a pretty good hiding spot.)

Simple Crock Pot BBQ SpareribsYum

Simple Crock Pot BBQ Spareribs
 
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Author:
Serves: 4-6
Ingredients
  • 3-4 pound package of beef or pork spareribs
  • 1-2 cups of your favorite BBQ Sauce*
Instructions
  1. Place spareribs in your crockpot. I typically have to fold them over to get them to fit.
  2. Spread BBQ Sauce over the meat.
  3. Cook on low for 7-8 hours or until meat is falling off the bone.

*Here’s our favorite BBQ Sauce recipe!

simple-crock-pot-bbq-spareribs-5-minute-prep

Other Simple Recipes I’ve Shared Recently:

It’s recipes like these BBQ Spareribs that makes Simple Meals such a life saver for families. We’ll provide the plans. We’ll provide the recipes. We’ll provide the grocery list. All you have to do is take a deep breath and enjoy how simple your life in the kitchen has become! Join Simple Meals!

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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!

My Favorite Things Giveaway – Christmas 2016

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It’s the 3rd annual Favorite Things Christmas Giveaway! I’m sharing one here (wait till you see!), plus you’ll want to click over to the other 14 wonderful bloggers to enter their giveaways too!

1. Thriving Home // 2. Happy Home Fairy // 3. Nourishing Joy // 4. Intoxicated on Life // 5. Chaos to Peace // 6. Mommy Hates Cooking // 7. The Nourishing Home // 8.Young Wifes Guide // 9. Martha Martha // 10. Heavenly Homemakers // 11. The Realistic Mama // 12. Keeper of the Home // 13. Kitchen Stewardship // 14. Gwen’s Nest // 15. Make Healthy Easy

favorite-christmas-things-collage-2016

What can you win from my giveaway this year? Some of my forever favorites, of course!

This year’s giveaway here at Heavenly Homemakers includes:

10 Vanilla Beans from Olive Nation
MadeOn Hard Lotion – 3 Pack Skin Care
Lilla Rose Flexi-Clip
Tropical Traditions – Coconut Oil and Palm Shortening Bucket!
Simple Meals – year long subscription

favorite-things-2016

a Rafflecopter giveaway

This giveaway will end Sunday, December 11 at midnight. I’ll draw a random winner Monday morning the 12th!

Click on the links below to learn more about the bloggers!

Thriving Homethriving-home-logo-FINAL-WEB

At Thriving Home, Polly and Rachel strive to encourage moms to thrive in every area of home life. They try to keep it real when it comes to sharing about healthy recipes, raising little people, growing in their faith, freezer cooking and various other topics that motherhood and life may bring their way

mhclogoMommy Hates Cooking

Mommy Hates Cooking is a national cooking and lifestyle website that encourages families to take back the dinner table. Through her easy-to-prepare (yet looks like you spent all day in the kitchen) meals and her knack for breaking down meal planning, Kristy has become the busy-mom’s resource for the modern family.

chaos2peace_logo-170x170Chaos to Peace

Jennifer and her family live in the South. She and her husband, Fred, have three boys ages 13, 10, and 7, and one unruly dog named Dash. Chaos2Peace is a blog designed to bring peace in the midst chaos by providing organizational tips, menu planning, simple recipes, and a whole lot of laughter. Join us on the blog today as we do life together, one step at a time

logoHeavenly Homemakers

Laura Coppinger and her husband have four sons ages 11-19. HeavenlyHomemakers.com is dedicated to inspiring women daily with healthy (and easy!) recipes, homemaking tips, spiritual encouragement, and good ol’ clean fun.

iol_header_design_no_taglineIntoxicated on Life

Intoxicated on Life is a blog about raising strong families – body, mind, and soul. We believe, with the right education, busy moms can be equipped to make small changes one step at a time, transforming the life and health of her family. Join us on a journey as we raise holistically healthy children: nurturing their bodies, cultivating their minds, and inspiring their souls!

tapinfluence-logoMake Healthy Easy

Jenna Braddock is a registered dietitian nutritionist, football coach’s wife, mom of boys, and entrepreneur. At Make Healthy Easy she shares real life strategies for better health and doable and delicious recipes. As a MHE reader you can breathe a sigh of relief knowing your daily health struggles are normal. You’ll also get a little dose of family and football through the eyes of our Friday Night Lights life.

hhf-logoHappy Home Fairy

Happy Home Fairy is a resource of fun ideas, simple recipes, free printables, holiday traditions, and encouragement to help moms build happy homes

kitchen-stewardship-header-for-newsletterKitchen Stewardship

Katie Kimball has shared her journey to real food and natural living for almost 8 years at Kitchen Stewardship, a blog that encourages moms to keep their families healthy without going crazy.

final-logo-cmykYoung Wife’s Guide

Young Wife’s Guide exists to encourage and equip Christian homemakers to form Gospel-Centered Homes. Jami Balmet shares about her own struggles with running and managing a home and hopes to provide Biblical resources for the struggling homemaker.

gn_square_logoGwen’s Nest

Visit Gwen’s Nest and discover simple home remedies, in depth holistic health articles, healthy recipes, & Gwen’s health & weight loss discoveries. Come meet Gwen, and enjoy the funny, holistic, and friendly-efficient way of life in her nest!

koth_logo_final_2016-03Keeper of the Home

Keeper of the Home is a resource and community for women and families in all seasons of life who are striving to be healthy – body, mind, and soul. It covers a wide range of topics from healthy recipes, cleaning practices and self-care. Our inspiration begins with our faith. Stewardship inspires the way that we approach our homemaking. In fact, it’s the foundation of what you’ll find when you pull up a chair, grab a mug of something delicious, and come share this journey with us!

The Nourishing Hometnh-logo

The Nourishing Home provides family-friendly, gluten-free, whole food recipes; free weekly whole food meal plans; helpful cooking tips and techniques; and lots of encouragement to help you in your journey to live a more nourished life.

logo-headerMartha, Martha

Peace and Productivity coexist at Martha, Martha, a blog for busy women who, like biblical Martha, often get distracted by life’s demands and lose sight of Jesus! Devotional thoughts, productivity planning, simple recipes, and more will help you stay focused on the “one thing {that} is needed”

The Realistic Mamatrmcoloredwatermark

The Realistic Mama is all about family, how to spend more time with your family, activities you can do with your kids, how to create an online business that benefits your family, and more! You’ll find everything from saving money, parenting tips, kids activities, easy recipes, and DIY to online entrepreneur ideas, and more! Our tribe of moms and family-oriented entrepreneurs is one-of-a-kind. The connection, transparency, and trust are just a few of our favorite things about our community!

logo-with-avatar

Nourishing Joy

Nourishing Joy is dedicated to real food and natural living. We’re on a mission to equip and inspire busy parents with the tools to make intentional, thoughtful decisions easy. Or at least easier.

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

How About a Simple Meals Gift Certificate for Christmas?!

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Love Simple Meals and want to buy a subscription for someone this Christmas? We make it easy! Purchase as many subscriptions as you need, print off this certificate to give to your loved ones, then email me and I’ll transfer each subscription to the preferred email addresses of your recipients!

simple-meals-gift-certificate

After purchase, download Simple Meals Gift Certificate here.

You’ll be able to tell people you got them time, energy, health, and deliciousness for Christmas!

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

The Simple Meal I’m Almost Embarrassed to Tell You About

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It happened the day we were putting up the Christmas tree. I was also trying to help guide Justus, our 16-year old, as he was finishing a big research paper for his college class. Decorations had exploded all over the living room, and I’d just discovered that not one, but two of our strings of lights for the tree weren’t working.

Such is life. Tis the season. No big deal. But it was almost lunch time and not only was food not prepared, I hadn’t even found a moment to figure out what lunch was yet. “Help me with a quick idea for lunch, Malachi, then we’ll run to the store and get more lights for the tree.”

Malachi’s solution to every lunch would be hot dogs if I would allow it. So it was no surprise when that was his suggestion this day too.

Aha! That gave me an idea. I said, “Malachi, go grab a package of hotdogs from the freezer and get two cans of baked beans. We’ll make Beanie Weanies when we get home.” And there was much rejoicing by all.

This is where I pause to tell you how silly I feel right now. I’m actually writing a post to tell you this:

When you’re in a hurry and you don’t have anything planned for your meal, make Beanie Weanies.

I know this isn’t a typical recipe idea you’re used to hearing about from me. But there really is something about a pot of bubbly baked beans with bites of hotdogs that is comforting, am I right? Plus, this meal doesn’t have to be unhealthy if you use the right ingredients. Even the most health conscious among us need a fall back meal sometimes. Beanie Weanies it is. Rock on.

simple-last-minute-meal

Yum

Best tip of the day: Keep a supply of canned of baked beans in your pantry. Keep a supply of better-than hot dogs in your freezer. When you’re in a hurry and need a fast meal, mix them together and lunch is served.

You’re welcome, I guess.

simple-beanie-weanies

Not only did we manage to finish Justus’ big research paper that morning and put (working) lights on our Christmas tree, we had a fantastically satisfying meal that only took about ten minutes to make.

Am I weird? Is my whole family weird? What can we say? We all really love this meal. The Beanie Weanies tasted great along with a mixed green salad, clementines, sweet peppers, and slice pears. The sides took hardly any effort to prepare so I’m not kidding when I say that this meal really only takes about ten minutes to make.

simple-last-minute-beanie-weanies

Other Simple Recipes that are a little more “normal”

‘Fess up! Who’s a Beanie Weanie fan? 

Let Simple Meals save you money, time, and energy so you can enjoy your family! (Remember, the plans will be extra simple this holiday season. Sweet!)

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Lots to Do? How to Save the Christmas Season…

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Before I get started with today’s post, I wanted to show you my new, early Christmas present!

ecooe

It’s an insulated, stainless steel 34-ounce double wall French Press and I LOVE IT! It came from Ecooe, a site that has me drooling. My favorite feature of this French Press is that it keeps the hot beverage hot during our entire breakfast while it rests on the table. And of course, it’s stainless steel which makes it safe to use and beautiful to look at. The price is right, so put it on your list, or grab it early so you can use it to entertain this Christmas!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Now let’s talk about how to save the Christmas season!

Never am I more tempted to buy Take-and-Bake Pizzas like I am during the busy holiday season. Sometimes (shh) I even consider buying Velveeta to make Rotel Dip. I know!!!! I think it’s a childhood memory thing. But also, no matter how simple I keep our holidays, there is still always more to do than a normal day in the life. Therefore, compromising in the kitchen is something I’m always more likely to do while we’re putting up the tree, wrapping gifts, or rummaging through our piles of junk to find yet one more thing to take to a White Elephant Gift Exchange.

Let us all pause for a moment to acknowledge how many white elephant gifts my family has to come up with every Christmas season now that I have a houseful of teenagers going to parties of their own. The parties are many; the need for white elephant gifts is abundant. You would think by now we’d have nothing useless or weird left in our house. Somehow we keep coming up with items to wrap and get rid of. Although at one point last year we got so desperate to figure out what to send with our oldest son to his White Elephant Gift Exchange on the college campus that we put a bow on our then 10-year old and sent them both on their way.

malachi white elephant

You thought I was kidding.

Not to worry though. After all the college students fought over this special gift, they delivered him back home safe and sound. Somehow we also accumulated a fish in a tank that night. We named him Finley and managed to keep him alive for exactly a day and a half.

finnley

So back to making food compromises and trying to survive the busy holiday season.

My solution to avoiding Velveeta? Make this dip instead. Ever since I invented this dip, I don’t even want Velveeta any more. Guaranteed, I will be making this for my family to enjoy some evening while we’re sitting around the Christmas tree playing a game. We all love this.

Real Food Velveeta and Rotel Dip

I will probably buy a few Take-and-Bake Pizzas sometime during the month to give myself a night off. The kids will eat more sugar than normal at all of their White Elephant parties and sure, probably even at our house. I’m not terribly worried about any of this because stress over food is, in my opinion, less healthy than the junk food itself. So bring on the fudge, but first please eat a carrot.

How we’re going to save the Christmas season for you

Seeing as I can’t fall back on compromise foods every single night from now until January 2 when things supposedly settle down, here’s what I’m going to do. I’m going to make Simple Meals planning packets even simpler than normal. This is saying something, my friends!

From now until the end of the year, every meal suggestion in your Simple Meals packets will be extra easy, extra brainless, and even extra festive! This is going to help us all survive the holidays without having to stress over how we’re still going to put a good meal on the table while we’re trying to put together goody bags for the neighbors and rummage through the toy box for yet another (non broken) something or other to wrap for a White Elephant gift exchange.

Simple Meals Members? Look forward to refreshingly easy plans and ideas to simplify your holiday season! If you’re not a member yet, now is the time to get on board with us so you can enjoy this too!

Get all the details about Simple Meals here.

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Do you find yourself coming and going during the holiday season? What compromise foods do you find yourself falling back on? What have been your best scores at a White Elephant Gift Exchange?

Look forward to some amazingly fun and easy Simple Meals Planning Packets this month!!!

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