Family Recipes - Mom's Minestrone Soup

One of my favourite things to do is to make a scrumptious dinner for my sweet family. And when it's one of my Mom's recipes, it's even more special. This is Mom's Minestrone Soup. I need to ask her where this recipe came from, as I'm 99.8% certain that we have no Italian heritage. You wouldn't know it, by how much we enjoy Italian foods, though. And this is one of our faves.

Mom's original recipe called for dried kidney beans. I don't think I've ever made it with dried beans, but feel free to do so. The above photo is incomplete, as I had forgotten to get out the garlic. And another ingredient that's missing is fresh spinach, because I had forgotten that I used the spinach in another dish a few nights ago. Whoops.

It starts with chopping some yummy veggies - celery, carrots and garlic. Sauté the trio in a little butter and olive oil for 3 or 4 minutes, then add in 3 cans of kidney beans, that have been drained, rinsed and half of them crushed. Mix in a large can of crushed tomatoes, some dried basil, dried parsley, 3 bay leaves, 2 boxes of chicken broth (or water), salt and pepper. Let that simmer for 30 minutes to an hour. Add in the macaroni pasta and cook for 15 more minutes. 

Fresh Parmesan cheese is the perfect topping to this delicious and filling soup. Serve with garlic bread or bread sticks, like I did last night or just add a green salad. Either way, it's the perfect meal for a chilly January night.

Mom's Minestrone Soup

2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons butter
4 carrots, sliced
4 celery stalks with leaves, sliced
4-6 cloves garlic, chopped
3 cans kidney beans, drained, rinsed and half of the beans crushed
1 large can crushed tomatoes (or tomato sauce)
2 teaspoons dried basil
2 teaspoons dried parsley
3 bay leaves
2 boxes of chicken broth (or the equivalent of water)
1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
1 teaspoon pepper, or to taste
1 to 2 cups chopped fresh spinach
2 cups macaroni pasta
2 cups grated Parmesan cheese for topping

Chop celery, carrots and garlic. Sauté the trio in a little butter and olive oil for 3 or 4 minutes, add in kidney beans. Stir in crushed tomatoes, dried basil, dried parsley, bay leaves, chicken broth (or water), salt and pepper. Let that simmer for 30 minutes to an hour. Add in the macaroni pasta and cook for 15 more minutes. Add spinach in last 5 minutes of cooking.

Add Parmesan cheese as a garnish. Enjoy!

This recipe serves 8. It can easily be vegetarian by switching the chicken broth to vegetable broth or water. And it's a frugal recipe, too!

Blessings and love. xo

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Weekly Menu Plan {2 March}

Hello, friends! Happy March and the countdown to spring! Do you have any big plans this week? Do you have any special meals to cook? I always mention that I'm linking up with Menu Plan Monday in these posts, and I hope you will take time to hop over and see some of Laura's great menu ideas (plus, don't miss her fantastic organizational tips!), as well as the other ladies who are a part of the link-up. They have offer all kinds of recipes for special diets or just regular ones. 

Also, if you are interested in having a menu all planned out for you, don't forget about 5 Dollar Dinners! Click the banner to find out more about these meal plans tested and ready for you to put into place for your own family. There are plans specifically for Costco, as well.



Now on to our very frugal plan for this week:


Monday - Chili, cornbread

Tuesday - Vegetable soup, cornbread

Wednesday - Pasta Carbonara (Ben's night to cook)

Thursday - Turkey & Provolone Sliders (Emma's night to cook)

Friday - Tortellini, salad

Saturday - Creamy Pumpkin Soup, toast (Austin's night to cook)

Sunday - Snack-y supper

Have a great week!

Many blessings and great love. xo

Disclaimer: This post contains my affiliate links. Many thanks for your support!

Saving Money Series - Decorating Our Homes

Good morning to you! I am continuing with my Saving Money Series today. In case you missed the first installment, find it here. 

Today I want to talk about decorating, the inexpensive way. We are so bombarded with Pinterest perfection and incredible, professional magazine layouts that we may think we may never be able to attain that kind of beauty or decorating prowess in our own homes. I want to show you how I decorate, on a very small budget (which, at times, has even been non-existent). With a little creativity, there are ways I can make my home a lovely, welcoming haven, without spending hundreds or thousands of dollars. I realize that it can take a few years to collect some decorative items, but most of us can probably shop our cupboards or pantries or yards and come up with some neat displays or arrangements to make our homes more beautiful, inviting and peaceful. 

And just a quick side note, I discovered the world of freecycle.org a couple of years ago, which can be a great resource for adding things to your home or decorating collection. People often give away perfectly wonderful possessions that they are tired of, don't have room for, or have simply replaced with something bigger and better. I am often amazed at the offerings in my local freecycle groups. Another great resource, is of course, the yard sale - both the old school kind in your own neighbourhood, as well as the new Facebook yard sale options for your town or city (check out the coffee table I once got free of charge!). (Use both of these online resources at your own discretion and with care and caution. Follow all rules of safety as specified in each group.)

As a homeschool mom, one of the things I've had to come to terms with is that since we are mostly at home, my house is not going to look like a two-page spread out of Better Homes and Gardens or Kinfolk. I have, though, been able to carve out a few spaces that can be the exceptions to the rule and lovely displays of beauty amidst the messes.

We use our dining room not only for family meals, but also for school, of course. Puzzles are also worked there, painting is done there, and much more, so it is a heavy traffic area. I try to have the kids put away their school books after use and keep it picked up as much as possible. The sideboard functions as a cupboard for much of our school paraphernalia, which is such a lifesaver. I like the top of the sideboard to be an appealing focal point in the room and not covered in clutter. 

During Christmas it looked like this, simple yet festive:

The poinsettias were very inexpensive (from Aldi). I pulled the candy jar out of the pantry and filled it with Brach's Christmas Nougats, Hershey's Candy Cane Kisses and candy canes. The little red and white dish came from Target, on sale. The wooden sleigh was a gift, as were the Santa and the cloth manger set. So the main expense on this display was the candy.

I enjoyed moving the pieces around, and eventually, the rest of the surface was covered with the Christmas cards we received in the mail. 

For January and the rest of winter, I wanted to do something fresh and simple, but I didn't want to spend any money on it at all. I shopped around the house to see what I could come up with, and this was the result . . .

Lately, every time I have walked out my back door, I have thought how pretty the dead hydrangea blooms looked, so I cut some and put them in a vase I already had on my shelf. The old globe belongs to Ava and was free from a homeschool mom who was having to quickly sell her house and move. The small blue vases came from a lady who made colloidal silver, and I've had them for ages. The photo was a gift from my very talented photographer uncle. The vase with the greenery in it was a wedding gift. The greenery itself is from my back yard.

I've rearranged everything a couple of times and like this arrangement the best so far . . . 

Another tip for creating a beautiful space in our homes is to purchase a simple  and inexpensive bouquet of flowers (or pick them from your garden, if you have them). I adore flowers and believe they can brighten up any area, no matter what the season. I bought this bunch of Alstroemeria (also known as Peruvian lily) for $5. I love this variety of flower because it lasts and lasts, so my $5 goes a long way. They are still sitting on the coffee table in my living room, almost three weeks later!

How do you like to decorate your home inexpensively? I'd love to hear your ideas and experiences, especially the money-saving ones!

Don't forget, the Ultimate DIY Bundle is on sale now for a limited time. Click the banner for details.

Blessings and love. xo

Disclaimer: This post contains my affiliate links. Thank you for your support.

Saving Money Series - 20 Meals From Costco For $150

For 2015, I thought I'd share some of my tried and true ideas for saving money. One of my favourite ways to save is to make a menu plan every week. Making a plan means that I am prepared, I have what I need and am not frantic at 4:45pm each afternoon wondering "What in the world are we going to have for supper?". I'm not tempted to call for pizza delivery or run down to the Mexican restaurant to grab a take-out order. Not that we never eat out, but in trying to pay off debt and be wise about where our money goes, a menu plan is one of the best ways I have found to save money. I can check my freezer and pantry for what I already have available and then see what is on sale at the stores where I typically shop to find deals. I especially like to use coupons on items which are already on sale, for even bigger savings. More on using coupons another time. Meal planning can sometimes seem like a daunting task. What to make, especially if there are special food needs, can be time-consuming. You can check out my meal plan ideas here. 

Another wonderful resource I discovered several years ago is $5 Dinners. Check out what Erin has to offer right now (the plans are already made for you - how great is that!?!):

Costco friends, check out these 20 meals for $150! Gluten free, as well as Whole30 and Paleo modifications to each recipe, have been included. The aspect I especially love about this plan is that Erin has broken down the recipes into meat categories, so we can take advantage of sales on meats and plan accordingly. Great money saver!



Or, if you're like me and not a Costco member, there is another option:




Erin also has a fun contest going on, so don't forget to enter!

Do you have any helpful hints for meal planning? Feel free to share in the comments. 

Blessings and love.xo

Disclaimer: This post contains my affiliate links, which means that when you purchase through my links, there is no additional cost to you, and I make a small commission. Many thanks!

Weekly Menu Plan {3 November}

Hello, friends! Did everyone have a fun Halloween and weekend? Are we all on a sugar high? I'm thinking of sticking half of our candy in the freezer to save for a few months, at least. That way it's not staring us in the face all the time. What is your favourite candy? I am mostly a chocolate girl, particularly DARK chocolate! I also occasionally enjoy fruity candy, such as Skittles. 

Here is our meal plan for this week:

Monday - Leftovers

Tuesday - BBQ Ribs, mashed potatoes, green beans (Emma's turn to cook)

Wednesday - Lamb Stew (Ben's turn to cook)

Thursday - Cappellini Pomodoro, salad

Friday - Mom's Potato Soup, cornbread

Saturday - Stuffed Peppers (with ground turkey), Texas toast

Sunday - Snack-y supper

Blessings and love. xo

Weekly Menu Plan {20 October}

Hello friends! I am running late with my menu plan yet again. I have been up to my eyeballs in washing, sorting and tagging children's clothing for our local consignment sale. I have never participated before and am looking forward to it - not only to making a little money for the holidays, but also to finding a few things that the kids need for winter. 

Here is what we're planning to eat this week:

Monday - Emma made one of our favourite pasts dishes - Dani Johnson's Penne-Pinching Pasta

Tuesday - Chicken and Dressing, salad, green peas

Wednesday - TBD by Ben

Thursday - Leftovers

Friday - Baked Potato Bar, Caesar Salad

Saturday - Healthy Mexican Casserole, Spanish Rice

Sunday - Snack-y supper

Have a great week! 

Blessings and love. xo

Weekly Menu Plan {8 September}

Hello and Happy Monday! 

I hope your week is starting out on a positive note. We dived into our second week of school, and I am pretty pleased with the way things are going. There are almost always tweaks and interruptions and some weeks that schedules change or we add in a field trip, but I think things are getting off to a good beginning.

Here is my supper plan for this week . . .

Monday -  Ree's Pasta with Whiskey, Wine and Mushrooms, salad, baguette 

Tuesday - Beef and Vegetable Soup (Emma's night to cook - I'm not sure what she decided on but something similar to this recipe.)

Wednesday - Slow Cooker Cacciatore Chicken Recipe, rice, salad, green beans

Thursday - Leftovers

Friday - Fried Rice

Saturday - Hot dogs, chips, baked beans

Sunday - Snack-y supper

Blessings and love. xo

Linking up: Menu Plan Monday and Good Tips Tuesday

Homeschool Freebie Alert!

Hey everyone! I just wanted to give you a heads up for this great product that is FREE right now! Fine Art Pages from Classical Composers Monthly is a wonderful resource for teaching art. It has a $14.95 retail value and will only be available for a limited time. We love learning about art and artists, and this is a wonderful addition to our studies! 

Classical Composers Monthly is a great asset to our homeschool. They offer many composer studies, artist studies, as well as other historical units. 

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Blessings and love. xo

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate/referral links. When you use my links to make a purchase, I make a small commission, which is a blessing to our family. Thank you for your kindness!

Weekly Menu Plan {25 August}

Hello friends!

We have an exciting week here celebrating Emma's 18th birthday. Goodness, it's hard to believe I just wrote EIGHTEENTH! What? Time keeps marching on, doesn't it? 

We have added some new components to our schedule for the first time this week - Bob has new work hours and Ava starts soccer. Plus I'm still adjusting to Emma's new work schedule, as well. Isn't it a constant factor to keep schedules straight and plan accordingly?

Here's what I have planned for this week:

Monday - Steak bites on the grill, sweet potato fries, salad

Tuesday - Macaroni and cheese (Emma's night to cook)

Wednesday - Birthday dinner for Emma (one night early, due to her work schedule)!

Thursday - Asian Lettuce Wraps

Friday - Curried Lentils and Rice with Caramelized Onions

Saturday - Thai Coconut Soup with Bok Choy and Mushrooms

Sunday - Snack-y supper

In case you missed it and would like help thinking of what to make for lunch, here is my post on Homemade Lunch Ideas!

Blessings and love. xo

Linking up: Menu Plan Monday and Good Tips Tuesday  

Weekly Menu Plan {18 August}

Hello and happy Monday! How is your week starting out? Has school begun in your neck of the woods? I believe schools started here today, but we still have a couple of weeks before we have our first day. I am not ready, but I am working on things almost every day to get prepared. It will be so strange to only have four students instead of five this year. (I realise that I haven't posted about Emma's grad, but I plan to do so soon.)

Here is my tentative plan for this week's meals:

Monday - Taco Salad

Tuesday - Crock Pot BBQ Beef, potato casserole, salad

Wednesday - Leftover BBQ Beef on leftover baked potatoes (from last Sunday's meal)

Thursday - Bruschetta (Our neighbours shared some beautiful tomatoes from their garden, which will be perfect on bruschetta!)

Friday - Something on the grill

Saturday - Rustic Lasagna, sautéed spinach, veggie tray

Sunday - Snack-y supper

Enjoy your week!

Blessings and love. xo

Linking up: Menu Plan Monday and Good Tips Tuesday 

Coups For Troops - Don't Throw Away Your Expired Coupons

To all my fellow couponing friends in the States: Don't throw away your expired coupons!!! 

You can put your expired coupons to good use, and I wanted to take a minute to let you know how! There is a wonderful organization called Coups For Troops, started by founder Stephanie Almasy in 2011 after she learned that our US troops overseas can use expired coupons in their commissaries and PXs up to six months past the expiration date. They are serving hundreds of military families in 10 countries all over the world. How great is that?

I love supporting our military families. They make so many incredible sacrifices and serve our country in ways that we many never even realize. They truly have my utmost respect and admiration. This is one small but thoughtful way to give back to them. So when it's getting close to the end of the month and you're sorting through your coupon stash, do not throw away any manufacturer's coupons, including Catalinas and Internet printed coupons. Instead, put them in an envelope and drop them in the mail to Coups For Troops. They have Mail-In Satellite Offices all over the country. They also have Drop-Off Locations. Or if you are interested in being matched with a military family overseas, that option is available, as well, through the Direct Mail Program. 

I have personally had the opportunity to send coupons to Coups For Troops a couple of times now, and I love knowing that my coupons, whether they came from the newspaper or from my printer or from an in-store offer, will go to some of our dedicated military families all over the globe, instead of in the recycling bin. 

Blessings and love. xo

Linking up with Virginia Bloggers.

Weekly Menu Plan {12 May}

Hello! Happy Belated Mother's Day! I hope you all had a lovely day and weekend. What's going on for your new week? We are enjoying the warmest weather we've had all spring. I think they're calling for 90 degrees Fahrenheit tomorrow. This rental house happens to have a pool (woohoo!) and the pool company came today to uncover it and start working to get it ready for swimming. We are beyond excited! I envision lots of pool parties and BBQs this summer. 

What's on your menu for this week? Have you switched to mostly grilling or crock-pot cooking, due to the warmer temperatures? 

Here's my plan for this week:

Monday - We are having some amazing leftovers that Emma brought home from the wonderful restaurant where she works! And Emma has been working on this recipe all day, which we hope to have for a fun dessert.

Tuesday - BBQ Turkey Burgers, sweet potato fries

Wednesday - Pan Seared Steak Rolls, salad

Thursday - Baked Southwestern Egg Rolls, guacamole and salsa

Friday - Salmon with Bok Choy and Apple Slaw

Saturday - Snack-y supper

Sunday - Something on the grill!

Have a wonderful week!

I'm linking up with Laura for Menu Plan Monday.

Blessings and love. xo

Weekly Menu Plan {28 April}

Hi all! Bob and I were in DC for much of the afternoon and evening, so I am running late with my menu plan post. We had a brief but fun time exploring the National Gallery of Art, which may have become my favourite spot in the city. I could have stayed for hours, and I plan to go back soon. Then we went over to the U.S. Capitol Visitor Center for a film which was shown in commemoration of Holocaust Remembrance Day. I will share more on this important film soon.

Now on to the menu plan . . .

Monday - The kids had leftovers. Bob and I enjoyed dinner out at a DC pub!

Tuesday - Spaghetti Squash Caprese Bake, Caesar salad

Wednesday - Mexican Chicken Soup with chips, cheddar cheese, sour cream, avocado slices

Thursday - Leftovers

Friday - Shauna Niequist's Enchiladas, rice, beans

Saturday - Chili, cornbread

Sunday - Snacky-supper

I hope your week is starting out well. I am praying for all who have been impacted by the devastating tornadoes the past two days. 

Blessings and love. xo

I'm linking up with the Menu Plan Monday girls!

Weekly Menu Plan {3 March}

We've had some unusual activities the past three days. My menu plan changed quite a bit last week, due to said activities, which included a visit to a restaurant featured on Guy Fieri's Triple D! What fun! More on that soon.

On to the plan for this week . . .

Monday - Grilled cheese sandwiches

Tuesday - Grilled shrimp, pasta, sautéed spinach

Wednesday - Bangers and Mash, salad

Thursday - Leftovers

Friday - Italian Slow Cooker Roast, served on tortillas with tomatoes and sour cream

Saturday - Snack-y supper

Sunday - Something on the grill (to be determined)

Hope all is well with you. 

Blessings and love. xo

Linking up with Menu Plan Monday. Laura has lots of free printable planning resources to share today.

Weekly Menu Plan {24 February}

Monday - Leftovers

Tuesday - Vegetable soup and cornbread

Wednesday - Spaghetti with meatballs, Caesar salad and garlic bread

Thursday - Guinness Beef Stew, crusty bread

Friday - Bangers and Mash, sautéed spinach

Saturday - Snack-y supper

Sunday - Grilled shrimp and veggies with fettuccine 

Bob's parents gave us a BBQ grill for Christmas and even though it's winter and we've had  a fair bit of snow, we have been grilling on Sunday nights. We're usually all home on Sunday evenings, so it is a perfect time to fire up the BBQ and grill up something delicious. So, since this seems to be working in our schedule (for the moment), I've moved our traditional "snack-y supper" to Saturday for now.

Linking up with Menu Plan Monday.

Blessings and love. xo

Weekly Menu Plan {17 February}

Happy President's Day (USA) and Family Day (Canada)! I hope everyone has had a lovely day off work and school and regular schedules. 

Here is what I am planning for our suppers this week:

Monday - Leftovers

Tuesday - Chicken Pot Pie, salad

Wednesday - Taco Soup

Thursday - Asian Chicken Wraps

Friday - Cheese Enchiladas, black bean and corn salsa 

Saturday - Leftovers

Sunday - Snack-y supper

What's on your menu this week? Need some ideas? Hop on over to Laura's link-up at Menu Plan Monday.

Love and blessings. xo

Weekly Menu Plan {10 February}

Hello, my friends! Are you staying warm in your neck of the woods? It's definitely still winter here, and we are happy about it. It is only February, after all. 

In case you missed it, I posted our go-to lunch ideas last week. And if you are gluten free and need to buy quality coconut flour or oil, check out this great sale going on for a few more days.

What delicious, nourishing meals are on your menu plan this week? 

Here is mine:

Monday - Leftover Chicken fajitas (We received a charcoal grill for Christmas and we are so excited to have a grill again! Bob was even barbecuing in the snow once again!)

Tuesday - Cream Cheese and Spinach Tortellini

Wednesday - Chicken Fried Rice

Thursday - Leftovers

Friday - Slow Cooker Barbacoa

Saturday - Vegetable soup, corn bread

Sunday - Snack-y supper

Have a fabulous week!

Blessings and love. xo

Linking up with Menu Plan Monday and Good Tips Tuesday!