Barbecue Chicken Skewers with Creamy Ranch Dip

August 18, 2015January 13, 2017 - Mama 1 Comment

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #BackYourSnack #CollectiveBias

This snack hack is perfect for party entertaining or for upgrading your afterschool snack for your teen. These easy barbecue chicken skewers with a creamy ranch dip take only minutes to make and have so much flavor-- your teens will love it! It's the perfect back-to-school snack. Plus, the creamy ranch is so versatile that you can use it for tons of different treats! #BackYourSnack #Ad

I cannot believe Jeffrey is starting high school this year. While he’s still homeschooled, many of his friends, and our exchange student, are in public school, which means when school lets out around 3:00, our house becomes the social hub as all of his friends come over. It means we need snacks, LOTS of snacks, to satisfy the insatiable study group we have around our house these days. Luckily, I’ve come up with a foolproof snack that everyone loves. And, if you’ve got a Snack Hack using FarmRich and Walmart Fresh items, you could actually win $10,000, so keep reading and share YOUR back-to-school Snack Hack. Mine snack hack? Delicious barbecue chicken skewers with creamy ranch dip. With only 4 ingredients plus some herbs and spices you probably have on hand, it’s the perfect recipe for snack time.

Dairy-Free Blueberry Yogurt Bars (Yes, Really!)

August 17, 2015January 13, 2017 - Mama 1 Comment

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #SwapMilk4Silk #CollectiveBias

Going dairy-free? You can still enjoy these blueberry yogurt bars-- yes, really! Using Silk Yogurt Alternative, these bars have all of your favorite flavors-- oatmeal, fresh blueberries, and the creaminess of yogurt-- but without any dairy at all. They taste JUST like a blueberry muffin and make a great breakfast, dessert, or mid-day snack. #SwapMilk4Silk #Ad

Since starting this blog, I’ve been asked a lot about modifications for various nutritional needs– it’s not uncommon for me to get messages or emails asking if a certain recipe can be made dairy-free, or gluten-free, or vegan, or… but what I didn’t realize was that a dairy free recipe could be SO flavorful, or still include the creaminess of yogurt. Yeah, sure, most of you wouldn’t think that my blog’s very first entirely dairy-free recipe would be a yogurt bar… but that’s exactly what makes this one so delicious. So grab a bowl, and some Silk, and a few other ingredients, and let’s make these delicious bars, shall we?

“The Chicken or the Egg” Hashbrown Casserole

August 14, 2015January 13, 2017 - Mama 1 Comment

This casserole is for breakfast. Wait! No. It's for dinner. Wait! No. Brunch. Actually, it's for anytime! This casserole won't answer the age-old question of which came first, but it does put chicken and egg and hashbrown in one delicious casserole.

This casserole is for breakfast. Wait! No. It’s for dinner. Wait! No. Brunch. Actually, it’s for anytime! This casserole won’t answer the age-old question of which came first, but it does put chicken and egg and hashbrown in one delicious casserole… which is pretty special, actually.

Tips for Avoiding Heat Stroke (With Water Infusion Recipes)!

August 7, 2015January 13, 2017 - Mama Leave a comment

Worried about heat exhaustion or heat stroke? Here's how to avoid it and stay healthy for the rest of summer.

I was at the drive in with my son, having a really great time. And then, suddenly… I just felt weird. As soon as the movie was over, we opted not to stay for the second one, and the more I drove, the worse I felt. I felt dizzy. I had a horrible headache. I was a little confused, struggling to find my turns. I was nauseated. And it was getting worse. As I struggled to continue driving, I pulled into a nearby restaurant, and made a call to my mom. 3 IV bags later, I found out I was suffering from heat exhaustion, which, if left to get any worse, would progress to heat stroke, had I remained for the second movie. Don’t make the same mistake… here are some ways to protect yourself against heat stroke.

Pecan Chicken

August 3, 2015January 13, 2017 - Mama 1 Comment

Creamy. Juicy. Nutty. This pecan chicken is going to be a dinnertime staple-- it's a little sweet, a lot of savory, and so delicious your whole family will love it! Perfect chicken recipe for dinner.

I’ve said it a few times before– I love digging through the stacks of old recipes I inherited from my grandfather. Not only does it have some of his favorites, but also favorites from my grandmother and from my great grandparents. Sometimes, these old, frail recipes are just spot on, and sometimes, they take a little bit of modification to get just right. After giving this recipe a go, I figured out the best way to make it work perfectly, and I cannot wait to share it with you today. If you love pecans, you’re going to love this Pecan Chicken recipe. It’s going to be a dinnertime staple– it’s a little sweet, a lot of savory, and so delicious your whole family will love it! Perfect chicken recipe for dinner.

The Power and Insanity of a Multi-Tasking Mom (Plus, Orange Dream Cooler Recipe)

July 31, 2015January 13, 2017 - Mama 1 Comment

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #WaterOnlyBetter #CollectiveBias

What is it with moms and multitasking? It seems like we can never get a spare minute to ourselves anymore! Do you find yourself doing your face mask while you clean the bathroom? You might be suffering from not enough mom time... so read this, and relate. #WaterOnlyBetter #ad

It started after Zach was born. I had never really noticed it before, but when he was born, it really did start. Late nights spent breastfeeding meant late nights where I’d just be… awake. So, I did something I swore I would never do. I got hooked on reality TV. See, my mind wasn’t awake enough for reading, and it really couldn’t handle TV with actual plot, either, so there I’d be, lying there awake after Zach had drifted off to sleep, realizing I needed to be doing…. well, something. Anything. if I wasn’t sleeping.

Slow-Cooker Tex Mex Chicken Tortilla Soup

July 27, 2015January 13, 2017 - Mama 5 Comments

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #CampbellSavings #CollectiveBias

No-Bake Chocolate Cheesecake For Summer Parties

July 24, 2015January 13, 2017 - Mama Leave a comment

This chocolate cheesecake requires no oven and no stove, and only a few minutes of effort, but tastes so delicious and silky that no one will ever believe it was that easy! It's the perfect no-bake dessert for summer parties, but tastes great year-round!

I love a good cheesecake. I hate all of the work that goes into it. Baking. Springform pans. Actual effort. See, 90% of the time when I’m cooking, I just don’t do actual effort. Especially in the summer– who wants to heat up their house for a dessert when they can get away with effortless chilled desserts, anyway? This is a no-bake chocolate cheesecake, so it doesn’t require any heat at all, and it’s great because it gets thrown together pretty quickly, meaning you can go back to enjoying summer before you know it.

Bangin’ Hot Buffalo Chicken

July 22, 2015January 13, 2017 - Mama 6 Comments

This buffalo chicken will be a hit with any family-- you'll never believe what's in the marinade! It's SO worth it, but trust me, it's hot hot hot. If you want a great chicken recipe for dinner, this is the one for you-- cut it up and serve it over tacos, rice, or by itself.

I LOVE spicy food. I just love it. Buffalo chicken is a great way to serve chicken, but I’ve just never been able to make it at home. Until now, that is. This buffalo chicken is so delicious, and the marinade so versatile that you could use it to coat storebought popcorn chicken, too. But these buffalo chicken breasts? They’re where it’s at– I love them by themselves, or cut up over rice, pasta, or in tacos. There’s just something spicy about them, and I’m so glad I found this recipe in my family recipe box to share with all of you. My grandfather must have known what he was doing to serve this super-spicy Buffalo Chicken!

Summer Grilling: Fruit and Veggie Skewers with 5-Minute Dips!

July 15, 2015January 13, 2017 - Mama 11 Comments

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #FireUpTheGrill #CollectiveBias

Looking for an easy summer recipe? Try these 5-minute dips. One is perfect for fresh vegetables, with it's easy cheesy flavor. The other, a fruit dip with tart lemon flavor! You'll love how they taste with these fruit and vegetable skewers-- get your summer grilling tips here! #FireUpTheGrill #Ad

In summer, I totally hate heating up the whole house. I mentioned that recently, and I’ll say it again– dinner is not worth turning an oven on for! That’s why summer dinner is better on the grill. But how often do we think of grilling as being all about the meat? Forget those days– fresh veggies and fruit on the grill are all the rage, and I’ve got the easiest way to do it, plus two dips to pair with dinner!

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