After having visitors in and out of our home for a good part of the last month, things are finally settling down around here! This is nice because it’ll give us some time to relax before we enter the busy Thanksgiving and Christmas seasons. Our weather has finally cooled off a bit. We still have highs in the upper 80s, but that’s much … [Read more...] about October 2021 Dinner Menu
Keeping the Home
Dare to Prepare: How to Prepare Your Standalone Freezer for a Power Outage
My family loves having a large deep freezer in which we can store frozen casseroles and foods that we’ve purchased in bulk quantities. I’ve written previously about the convenience of having a standalone freezer and about how (depending on what freezer you purchase and how you use it) having one can potentially save you money. One thing … [Read more...] about Dare to Prepare: How to Prepare Your Standalone Freezer for a Power Outage
Roasted Summer Vegetables
As many of you know, my kids (and husband) aren’t big fans of most vegetables. I often try new ways to prepare veggies in an attempt to find ones they’ll enjoy. My attempt last week was a pan of these colorful, delicious Roasted Summer Vegetables. Ingredients 2 bell peppers (red, yellow, or orange), chopped 1 yellow squash, sliced … [Read more...] about Roasted Summer Vegetables
Hospitality in an Imperfect Home
About two weeks ago, we got a phone call from my husband’s cousin and his wife. They were letting us know that they were on their way to our house (they live in Louisiana and were evacuating because of Hurricane Ida). Once my kids went to bed, I jumped into action: I quickly wiped down the bathroom, I made sure clean towels were available, I … [Read more...] about Hospitality in an Imperfect Home
September 2021 Dinner Menu
We are in one of the most challenging times of the year for us in terms of weather. As I’m typing this, I’m watching coverage of damage left by Hurricane Ida. I was planning to post this menu yesterday, but I didn’t get it finished because we had family evacuate Louisiana and come here on Saturday. Spending time with them is more important … [Read more...] about September 2021 Dinner Menu
How to Make Healthier Pizza
When I think of healthy foods, pizza isn’t exactly the first thing that comes to mind. However, when I’m planning a menu and ask my kids what they’d like for me to put on it, pizza is pretty much always the first thing that comes to their minds! Thankfully, there are little things that we can do to prepare flavorful, nutrient-packed … [Read more...] about How to Make Healthier Pizza
Slow Cooker Meatball Tortellini
I have a love-hate relationship with slow cooker recipes. They are so convenient to prepare but I find that many taste somewhat bland and contain certain components that are mushy (it’s hard to cook veggies and meats well when they are all in one pot at one temperature). Nevertheless, I’ve been using my slow cooker at least once per week in … [Read more...] about Slow Cooker Meatball Tortellini
August 2021 Dinner Menu
Summer is still very much underway, but I’d be lying if I denied that I’m looking ahead to the fall! Though this won’t happen for a bit, I’m ready to wear a sweater, eat soup for dinner, and put my fall wreath on the door. I’ll be patient, though, because I know fall will arrive in due time. In the meanwhile, here are the tasty dinners … [Read more...] about August 2021 Dinner Menu