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Christmas tree cookies decorated with icing and sprinkles on a round white plate
Gingerbread Cookies Baked GoodsKids FavoritesRecipes
December 4, 2023

Gingerbread Cookies

These gingerbread cookies are the perfect holiday treat and making them is a favorite tradition for our family.  Add frosting, sprinkles, and/ or candy decorations or they are delicious just plain as well.  Ingredients For Gingerbread Cookies From the pantry, you will need flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, dark brown sugar and vanilla.  The spices in this recipe include ground ginger, cinnamon, ground cloves, and ground nutmeg.  In…
Chili in a white bowl, garnished with shredded cheese, chunks of avocado, cilantro, and tortilla chips.
Beef & Sausage Chili Kids FavoritesMains
November 10, 2023

Beef & Sausage Chili

This beef and sausage chili is a crowd pleaser for holiday gatherings, football watching parties, or for a family meal that will offer leftovers for the week.  With a simple ingredient list and great flavor, you can make this chili your own with varied spice levels or try it our way.   The Ingredients In order to cook this beef and sausage chili, you will need a 6-quart (or larger)…
Made Rite sandwich prepared on a plate, with a side of small pickles
Maid Rite Sandwich Kids FavoritesMains
November 3, 2023

Maid Rite Sandwich

Where we come from, a ground beef sandwich with a flavorful sauce was called a Sloppy Joe.  Living in Colorado and influenced by our beloved Iowa neighbors (love ya'll!), I learned that the Maid Rite Sandwich is a Sloppy Joe, without the tomato base.  Both delicious, but since living in CO, our family has adopted a liking to this more Iowa style of sandwich. Although I cannot figure out why…
baked mushroom chicken fresh out of the oven
Mastain Family Mushroom Chicken Kids FavoritesMains
October 28, 2023

Mastain Family Mushroom Chicken

This Mushroom Chicken is a cherished recipe from my husband's family, originally created by his grandmother decades ago.  The coziest of comfort foods which has many fond memories of family gatherings surrounding it. So special, that for years has been the chosen Christmas Eve dinner in the Mastain family.  We love enjoying this creamy, tender chicken on any cold fall or winter day and smelling it cook slowly in the…
A slice of oreo icecream pie exposing all of layers of the icecream, crust, and fudge layers, with oreo crumbles on top.
Oreo Ice Cream Pie DessertsKids Favorites
September 20, 2023

Oreo Ice Cream Pie

This Oreo Ice Cream Pie is truly a treat. A hybrid of several recipes, we made it as a birthday dessert for my daughter this year.  It was a hit! When looking through our grandma's recipe binder, I stumbled upon an ice cream pie recipe.  It happened to be right around my daughter's birthday.  She is not huge on cakes or desserts in general, but she's in love with Oreo…
roasted broccoli laid out on a baking sheet
Simple Roasted Broccoli Kids FavoritesVeggie Sides
August 31, 2023

Simple Roasted Broccoli

If you ever get tired of steamed broccoli, try this simple roasted broccoli recipe.  A great flavor and texture that will make your broccoli shine as a side dish! It is perfect for a weeknight side, as it is simple and easy to make (and clean up!). My kids actually like broccoli since I started preparing it this way.  We hope it can add some flare to your weeknight menus…
Breakfast quesadilla laid out on a wood board with a side of avocado and a small bowl of salsa
Carolyn’s Breakfast Quesadilla BreakfastKids FavoritesRecipes
August 22, 2023

Carolyn’s Breakfast Quesadilla

Want to add another go to tasty breakfast recipe into the rotation?  Mix things up by trying this quick and easy recipe for what our stepmom calls the breakfast quesadilla. My son, who rarely can muscle down eggs of any style in the morning, gobbled these right up when she made them at our house recently.   Serve plain or enjoy with your choice of toppings!  This is a kid and…
A wooden board with one folded crepe and an open crepe with nutella, sliced bananas, and garnished with blueberries. The board is decorated with sliced strawberries.
Mamie Martine’s French Crêpes DessertsKids Favorites
August 11, 2023

Mamie Martine’s French Crêpes

What do you get when your sister marries a Frenchman? Homemade French crêpes with every visit!  Without him there, it is not quite the same. But making crêpes is a family tradition we are so grateful to be adopted into.  Beth’s kids get the honor of making crêpes on a regular basis with their dad (Papa) as well as grandmother (Mamie Martine) when she visits from France.  It is a…
Grilled chicken thighs on a wood cutting board
Honey Mustard Chicken Thighs Kids FavoritesMainsOn the Grill
August 9, 2023

Honey Mustard Chicken Thighs

If you need an easy weeknight family crowd pleaser, try this honey mustard chicken thigh marinade.  The meat is tender and flavorful, pairing well with many types of sides.  We prefer the thighs to be grilled, but you do you, as the baked version is delicious as well. Also, my husband prefers chicken breasts, so often, I cut thicker breast meat into small cutlets in addition to the thighs to…
a muffin pan of golden brown cooked butt buns
Butt Bun Potato Rolls Baked GoodsKids Favorites
August 5, 2023

Butt Bun Potato Rolls

These tasty butt bun potato rolls are the perfect addition to any family feast or celebration.  These rolls affectionately received their name from my son who was making them with Grandma.  Originally intended to be a clover shape, these rolls were formed by three balls of dough.  When you have only two remaining balls of dough, the shape is less clover and more…..well that is how the Butt Bun got…