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Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Muffins
Today I would like to introduce you to one of my family’s all-time favorite recipes – Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Muffins. We eat these muffins for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snack time. Skip to the bottom of this blog for the link to the recipe. Read the middle section if you would like my story of this recipe.
Dinnertime Shortcuts
All of a sudden it is time to go back to school and routines are changing for many of us. Schedules get a little busier and we have less time to cook. The temptation to grab takeout is definitely there, but we can save money and make more nutritious choices by using some shortcuts at home instead.
Meals from a Dollar Store
In my home state of Iowa, there are a lot of us who have a significant drive to get to a big grocery store with a wide variety of food. Trips into larger cities take time and money for transportation. In small towns and certain areas of larger cities, we are more likely to find a dollar store that sells a variety of items including some food. Most dollar stores have shelf-stable foods and some have refrigerated or frozen foods too. I gave some thought to what I could make with the shelf-stable foods my local dollar store carries. Here are some of the products that stood out to me as particularly useful and how I would make them into a meal.
Peppers on Parade!
It has been a fun month reading all about our favorite summer produce items. It is a real joy to have summer produce from the grocery store, farmers market or even your own back porch. I enjoy nearly all summer produce, but I would say peppers rise to the top for me. They are delicious raw and cooked and they can be sweet or spicy.
Totally Tomatoes
What ripens to red, orange, purple, or yellow, has seeds, and is bursting with the fresh flavor of summer? Tomatoes come in a rainbow of colors; the most common is red, of course. Tomatoes add color, nutrients, and interest to our meals. Not only can we chop, slice, and eat them fresh, but they serve as the base for recipes and sauces in many cultures. If you want to find new recipes from cultures around the world there are some ideas below, or you can check out Oldways.
Go to Quick Meals
Recently my neighbor asked me what my go-to meals are for supper. I was quick to reply tacos and scrambled eggs. I keep the ingredients on hand for both, they come together quickly, and everyone likes them. In the summer, I like to spend time outside after work and not in the kitchen. And I’d rather not turn on the oven and heat up my house. Tacos and scrambled eggs allow me to do both.
