I have loved having a stash of freezer meals available during the last couple of months as I’ve adjusted to life with a newborn and a toddler. Because of this, on my most recent menu I included a number of “cook once, eat twice” items that would yield freezer meals. Using affordable ingredients, this easy-to-follow recipe yields two … [Read more...] about Cook Once, Eat Twice: Creamy Beefy Noodles and Cheesy Beefy Noodle Bake
I’m Done Pretending I Have It All Together
I had some friends over a couple of weeks ago and, much to my embarrassment, I noticed halfway through our lunch that I had not served them anything to drink. I had a drink in front of me and my oldest daughter had one in front of her (I’d poured both earlier in the day), but I simply forgot to serve drinks to our guests. I felt … [Read more...] about I’m Done Pretending I Have It All Together
Instilling Good Dental Health Habits in Toddlers
My toddler has a bit of a love-hate relationship with her toothbrush. She enjoys chewing on it and sucking training toothpaste off of it, but she’s generally displeased with it when I use it to scrub her teeth. Though brushing her teeth can be an ordeal, I do it twice each day because I want her to have healthy teeth. What must we do … [Read more...] about Instilling Good Dental Health Habits in Toddlers
Starter Kitchen Essentials
Have you ever come across a gadget or dish in your kitchen that you’re pretty certain you’ve never used? I recently heard from a reader who would like to avoid this. Elizabeth asked the following: “My fiancé and I both grew up in homes with single parents who cooked using mostly frozen and canned foods. We’re both now learning how to … [Read more...] about Starter Kitchen Essentials
Fall 2016 Menu
Our summer has flown by so quickly! I can hardly believe it’s time to begin using a new menu. I’ve detailed the whys and hows of my menu planning previously (read about it here). In summary, I create a new monthly menu at the beginning of each season (fall, winter, spring, and summer). We use each menu for the three months of that … [Read more...] about Fall 2016 Menu
Dare to Prepare: Items to Use for First Aid When in a Pinch
We’re once again in the midst of National Preparedness Month. As I’ve done in the past years, I’m going to take advantage of this by taking a straightforward look at disaster preparedness. (Click here for links to the previous Dare to Prepare posts.) Today’s topic is both practical and fun. A good first aid kit should be part of your … [Read more...] about Dare to Prepare: Items to Use for First Aid When in a Pinch
Garden Fresh Freezer Spaghetti Sauce
Earlier this summer I had an abundance of Roma tomatoes from my vegetable garden. I decided to make spaghetti sauce with them. I don’t have the equipment to can spaghetti sauce, so I found a simple recipe for freezer spaghetti sauce. I will forever remember making this sauce for two reasons. First, my husband was somewhat doubtful it … [Read more...] about Garden Fresh Freezer Spaghetti Sauce
Book Review: Under Our Skin
You’d have to be living with your head buried in the sand to be unaware of the racial tensions that Americans face today. In an attempt to deepen my understanding of these tensions, I recently read Under Our Skin, a book written by an NFL player and commentator on social media named Benjamin Watson. Watson, a black man, does a wonderful … [Read more...] about Book Review: Under Our Skin
