by Jamie Jeffers | Nov 9, 2015 | Meal Plans
The grocery stores are absolutely full of great deals on baking supplies, stuffing, chicken stock, and…of course, turkey! It’s hard to choose which things to stock up on. But if you can create any wiggle room in your grocery budget at all, be sure to take extra advantage of the great prices on the items you use the most. Fill those freezers and pantries!
If you’re starting to make your Thanksgiving plans and aren’t sure what side to take to your pot luck, here is a great list of suggestions.
A tradition my own little family has is to eat a Practice Thanksgiving every year about a week before the “real” Thanksgiving. Since we attend a big family pot luck for both lunch and supper on the actual day of Thanksgiving, this gives us the chance to celebrate the holiday for ourselves. It also gives me the opportunity to try out any new recipes before I take them along to the big family event. We really enjoy this tradition!
So here is our 2 Week Meal Plan for November. As usual, I like to keep it simple and work with the cheaper in season foods.
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by Jamie Jeffers | Nov 4, 2015 | Holidays, Recipe
These (mouthwatering) easy Thanksgiving side dish recipes will have your family going back for seconds.
Here comes Thanksgiving.
Many of us Thanksgiving lovers enjoy the holiday because it’s so simple.
But the one part of Thanksgiving that isn’t so simple is (obviously) the meal.
Either you’re hosting and have a big burden on your plate…
(Pardon the pun. Actually, I totally love a good pun.)
…or you’re heading to someone else’s Thanksgiving. And you have to bring a side dish.
That might be stressful.
But it doesn’t have to be!
Those foods that make Thanksgiving so amazing don’t have to keep you in the kitchen for 10 hours.
With the right recipe, you can get the side prepared ahead of time, without a ton of effort.
And, wouldn’t you know it…those perfect recipes are right here!
(Psst…print out one of these Thanksgiving potluck signup sheets to keep it simple!)
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by Jamie Jeffers | Oct 28, 2015 | Recipe
This easy crock pot ham and bean soup is fail proof! Your family will beg for this delicious comfort food.
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The first time I tried to make my own beans, I failed.
No…it was actually a major fail.
They stuck to the bottom of the pot.
The house smelled awful for DAYS. It was not a fun experience.
So when I mentioned trying it again, my Hubby wasn’t enthusiastic.
I could see his point. The stench of burned beans isn’t exactly a “welcome home” scent.
But this recipe for easy crock pot ham and bean soup was the perfect way to change his mind.
After trying it just one time, I swore I would never make beans any other way again.
And my family…even the little ones, request this comfort food whenever the weather turns cold.
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by Jamie Jeffers | Oct 26, 2015 | Meal Plans
Fall is the perfect time to pull out those hearty meals you love the most.
Filling the crock pot with those meat and potato types of meals is like pulling out your favorite hoodie!
But sometimes making all the plans for all those meals is tedious. So I’ve done the hard lifting for you. 😉
Below you’ll find amazing fall dishes for every meal…there are even snack ideas!
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by Jamie Jeffers | Oct 12, 2015 | Meal Plans
Ahhh, October.
The time of year I like to play a little game called…try not to turn on the heat until November 1.
I don’t always love that game, but my wallet does. 😉
One thing that makes winning the game easier is having hearty, steamy foods that warm you up from the inside.
Yum!
So the meal plan is full of them this time.
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by Jamie Jeffers | Sep 28, 2015 | Meal Plans
One of our favorite traditions in the early fall is to have a big family camp out. I love camp food! Especially bacon. (That’s a camp food, right?)
As usual, I meal plan 2 weeks at a time. I also try to keep it simple and double up on our favorite foods. We have a freezer full of a half of a hog and a quarter of a beef, which is just wonderful.
Here’s our 2 week meal plan for October.
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I'm Jamie, and I want to help you afford a beautiful life with your family. 
