Ninja Foodi Recipes – A Quick Glance at My Favorite Ninja Foodi Recipes!

Ninja Foodi Recipes

Looking for great Ninja Foodi Recipes? Here is your one stop shop! Learn how to make everything from Roast Chicken to frozen fast food french fries in your Ninja Foodi! This is an ongoing compilation of air fryer recipes, pressure cooker recipes, and basically everything you can make in your Ninja Foodi to simplify your LIFE!

I received a Ninja Foodi for Christmas. Actually, I received a different air fryer, but when I read the online reviews (coupled with a facebook post I read the night before I received it, regarding the unit catching on fire while UNPLUGGED) I was hesitant to keep this particular model in my house.

I had been wanting a Ninja Foodi since the very first video I saw of it over the summer. That price point though…ouch!

Thankfully, with the funds from the returned air fryer AND some Christmas money, I was able to procure my very own Ninja Foodi!

So far, we have made a long list of items:

  1. Bacon – Air Fry
  2. Roast Chicken – Pressure Cooker & Air Fry
  3. Frozen Mozzarella Sticks – Air Fry
  4. Super Pretzels – Air Fry
  5. Bacon & Eggs – Air Fry and Saute
  6. Burgers and Hot Dogs – Air Fry
  7. French Fries – Air Fry
  8. Brussels Sprouts – Air Fry
  9. Dino Chicken Nuggets – Air Fry

I already have an Instant Pot, so honestly I was more interested in the Ninja Foodi for the air frying feature and because I would need more fingers and toes to count how many times I have wished I had a second pressure cooker!

So far, it has not disappointed me!

I wanted to create a post to share some of the tried/true Ninja Foodi recipes that I have been able to use the Ninja Foodi for.

I did not want to do separate posts for all the recipes (because it seems silly to write an entire post about how to cook frozen mozzarella sticks in an air fryer), but still wanted a one stop shop for anyone specifically looking for Ninja Foodi Recipes, even if they are as simple as how long to air fry a pound of frozen french fries.

(However, as I do post Ninja Foodi recipes you will find them here)

I will expand on this list as I learn more about my Foodi and post more recipes to my website! If you have a Foodi, be sure to bookmark this post for future Ninja Foodi Recipes. I will also try to share any updates to my FFF Facebook group!

Bacon – Air Fry

First up is bacon! My first time making bacon in the air fryer, I cut the bacon in half before putting the slices on the included rack. The next time, I did not, trusting that the bacon would shrink up before it burnt on the bottom. It was a success!

I air fried the bacon on the included wire rack for 12 minutes. This resulted in very crispy bacon. I will play with less time and update!

Roast Chicken – Pressure Cooker & Air Fry

I made this according to the Foodi directions in the book included with your Foodi. My chicken was a bit bigger though and was not fully cooked unfortunately. Next time I will cook pressure cook 5 minutes per pound as I have seen suggested elsewhere and then air fry until crispy. I will update with my results!

Frozen Mozzarella Sticks – Air Fry

370 for 7 minutes. Check these often and if the cheese starts leaking out, you are ready! I flipped these 1/2 way. They were beautiful and tasty! I did these in the air fry basket.

Super Pretzels – Air Fry

350 for 5 minutes. I did not flip these. I otherwise made these according to package directions. Keep an eye on them! They crisp up quickly and beautifully. I did these in the air fry basket.

Bacon & Eggs – Air Fry and Saute

Bacon made as noted above. Then removed and placed on a paper towel. Poured out all but a teaspoon of bacon grease and scrambled up 4 eggs on med/hi saute mode! So tasty and only messed up one pot!

Burgers and Hot Dogs – Air Fry

Burgers were not done enough to our liking…so I will update when I make these to our liking.

Hot dogs however…oh my gosh! 6 minutes at 390 degrees in the air fryer basket.

French Fries – Air Fry

Basically the reason people get air fryers, amiright? These were amazing! We bought the Fast Food Ore Ida French Fries. They were super tasty!

We just followed the time/temperature setting in the included Ninja Foodi cookbook and these were perfect.

Brussels Sprouts – Air Fry

I have this on here as a place holder. These did not turn out great. Some parts way too crispy, some parts way too hard. Not a fan. Will keep trying though as brussels sprouts are basically my fave cooked veggie!

Dino Chicken Nuggets – Air Fry

This was actually the very first thing I made in my Foodi since I had not yet gone grocery shopping. My dino chicken nuggets were likely even a bit freezer burnt since they had been in my deep freezer for so long.

They were great though!

400 degrees for 9 minutes and they were perfectly crispy and tasty. Made in the air fryer basket.

In addition, any of my Instant Pot recipes can be adapted for the Ninja Foodi by using the same exact instructions!

Crack Chicken with Veggies Meal Prep Lunch Boxes – Low Carb & Keto Friendly – Instant Pot, Ninja Foodi

Crack Chicken with Veggies Meal Prep Lunch Boxes

This low carb and keto friendly Crack Chicken with Veggies Meal Prep Lunch Box recipe is guaranteed to keep you on track for lunches all week long! Tasty enough to eat daily without getting bored, but simple enough to throw together on Sunday evening without too much fuss! Can be made in the instant pot, slow cooker or ninja foodi.

One of the hardest meals to eat low carb in my opinion, is lunch.

Why is lunch so hard to eat low carb?

Honestly, because when I don’t eat low carb, lunch typically consists of whatever I can grab quickly and scarf down in the shortest possible amount of time while I juggle working from home, volunteering at my kids school and just trying to juggle all the day to day demands of motherhood.

(Find more of my low carb recipes by clicking here)

For the most part, if I am not intentional about lunch when I am focused on my low carb lifestyle, I wind up either just skipping it or grazing my way from noon until dinner time.

Mostly on cheese. 😉

(Psst, this recipe would also be a GREAT low carb lunch option!) 

I find, I personally do best on a low carb diet when I make sure I am well fed all day long. This includes lunch time!

These Crack Chicken with Veggies Meal Prep lunch boxes make lunch a no brainer.

Bonus points that my husband LOVES them and thinks I am basically the best wife that has ever walked the earth when I make these for him.

It is SO simple and quick and honestly it’s these Crack Chicken with Veggies Meal Prep Lunch Boxes are the easiest meal prep I have ever done.

Crack Chicken with Veggies Meal Prep Lunch Boxes

Here is what you need (or rather, here is what I used…you can adapt this to fit your kitchen appliances, dietary needs, etc):

Containers – This recipe makes enough for 8 lunches total. Which is perfect because my husband gets lunch at work on Fridays and I typically have at least one day a week where I need to eat on the run or I am eating lunch out of the house for a meeting, social event, etc.

These are the containers we use and we love them!


Instant Pot or other pressure cooker (I have also done this in my Ninja Foodi!) – you could also do this in your slow cooker, but it won’t be as quick!

KitchenAid Stand Mixer – I love mine and use it multiple times a week. I don’t really bake anymore and I still use it constantly. Mostly to shred meat like you will be doing in this recipe!

Ingredients: 

  • Chicken Breast – I use one package of thin sliced chicken breast from my grocery store
  • Cream Cheese – (1) 8 oz block – cut into cubes for easier melting
  • Ranch Dressing packet
  • 1 cup chicken broth
  • 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
  • Crumbled cooked bacon
  • 2 packages of frozen veggies
  • butter (I do one “pat” per container)
  • Garlic Salt with Parsley (love this stuff!)

Directions: 

  1. You are going to combine your chicken, chicken broth and ranch dressing in your Instant Pot/Pressure Cooker and press the chicken button. Allow the pressure to naturally release.
  2. Remove the chicken (leave the broth, you might need it though so don’t throw it away) and shred the chicken while still hot in your KitchenAid stand mixer with your paddle attachment (or with two forks).
  3. Incorporate your cream cheese at this point. This is easy in the KitchenAid stand mixer. I just throw the cream cheese in with the chicken as it shreds. You might need to add some of the cooking liquid to get the mixture more creamy. I usually end up adding about half of the broth into the shredded chicken mixture.
  4. Add 1 cup of cheddar cheese and mix well.
  5. Next, switch gears and cook your veggies. I use the frozen veggies you can steam in the bag. I’m all about convenience! Remember, these will be reheated, so maybe cook them until they are about 75% to your liking?

Time to assemble! 

  1. Split the veggies among the 8 containers. Add one pat of butter and seasoning.
  2. Split the chicken mixture among the 8 containers. Sprinkle cooked bacon on top.
  3. Store in fridge and we usually reheat for about 1 minute 30 seconds to 1 minute 15 (you might need to stir halfway through).

Enjoy!

Ingredients
  • Chicken Breast – I use one package of thin sliced chicken breast from my grocery store
  • Cream Cheese – (1) 8 oz block
  • Ranch Dressing packet
  • 1 cup chicken broth
  • 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
  • Crumbled cooked bacon
  • 2 packages of frozen veggies
  • butter (I do one “pat” per container)
  • Garlic Salt with Parsley (love this stuff!)
Instructions
  1. You are going to combine your chicken, chicken broth and ranch dressing in your Instant Pot/Pressure Cooker and press the chicken button. Allow the pressure to naturally release.
  2. Remove the chicken (leave the broth, you might need it though so don’t throw it away) and shred the chicken while still hot in your KitchenAid stand mixer with your paddle attachment (or with two forks).
  3. Incorporate your cream cheese at this point. This is easy in the KitchenAid stand mixer. I just throw the cream cheese in with the chicken as it shreds. You might need to add some of the cooking liquid to get the mixture more creamy. I usually end up adding about half of the broth into the shredded chicken mixture.
  4. Add 1 cup of cheddar cheese and mix well.
  5. Next, switch gears and cook your veggies. I use the frozen veggies you can steam in the bag. I’m all about convenience! Remember, these will be reheated, so maybe cook them until they are about 75% to your liking?
  6. Time to assemble!
  7. Split the veggies among the 8 containers. Add one pat of butter and seasoning.
  8. Split the chicken mixture among the 8 containers. Sprinkle cooked bacon on top.
  9. Store in fridge and we usually reheat for about 1 minute 30 seconds to 1 minute 15 (you might need to stir halfway through).
3.5.3251

 

My Favorite Money Saving Apps

Top 10 Money Saving Apps

Your smartphone can be a very powerful tool if you know how to use it for more than just surfing social media and posting memes. There are so many money saving apps available that can help you save large amount of cash every single year! Here are my favorite money saving apps and the ones I tend to reach for on a daily/weekly basis.

If you have a smartphone, you know that there is an app for darn near everything. Type in “money saving apps” and the huge array of choices can be a bit overwhelming. It is hard to know what is legit? What companies will actually pay out? Some of these companies require you to enter sensitive information. Who can you trust?

Some of these we use on a regular basis. Some of these money saving apps are on our “2019 to-do list” to set up. Some of these are used daily! I hope you’ll enjoy our list of money saving apps, and please comment below with some of the apps your family enjoys using to help save money and meet your financial goals!

Ibotta

One of my faves and super easy to use! Simply scan this before you head out the door to shop and you can add offers to your account. Then go shopping and afterwards, just take a pic of your receipt and Ibotta will give you credit!

This is definitely one of those “small trickles make a big stream” apps but it can really add up over time!

Click here to sign up for Ibotta (this is my referral link FYI!).

Target

The Target app makes me so  happy. Not only is it now a one stop shop for all Target Cartwheel offers and coupons, but it also offers a built in price checker AND you can pay via the app!

As you peruse Target, pull out the app to scan items to see if there are relevant coupons/Cartwheel offers that you can apply to your purchase.

Are you a Target RedCard holder? You can actually link your card to your app so that you can pay with your phone at checkout!

This app saves me so much money because it makes finding the great deals at Target so easy!

Coupon Sherpa

This app saves my butt every single time I leave the house to go shopping and forget to bring my retail coupons! Standing in line at Sally’s Beauty supply? I quickly open up this app to see if there are any relevant coupons I can use!

I love the interface of this app over other retail coupon apps and I have found that if there is a coupon out there, Coupon Sherpa usually has it available.

Groupon

I love Groupon. You can save on products, services and travel! I have Groupon on my phone and try to check it on a daily basis to see if there are any deals that will help my family.

You can also use Groupon if you intend to travel. You are not limited to only buying deals in your local area. Say you are traveling to Branson, just plug Branson into Groupon and see what deals you can find! This can be a great and frugal way to travel for less.

Sign up for Groupon here if you have not already!

Cozi

This one might seem a bit strange. This is a calendar/family organizer that you can use to organize basically your entire life. My family uses the Cozi app and I have a full review planned for later this month about how much we love it (well, I’m not sure the kids love the chore lists…but it’s better than us barking orders at them!).

This app is a money saving app for me because it includes meal planning and from your meal plan, you can make grocery lists! Meal planning and never going to the grocery store without a list are HUGE money savers for me and my family!

We pay for the Gold version of Cozi, which is a bit pricey, but we more than earn that money back in our annual savings.

Gas Buddy

This app will do just what you think it will! It will help you save money on gas! Tell Gas Buddy where you are and it will find the cheapest gas around town for you!

If you are going on a road trip, you can even plan your trip based on where you can find cheap gas along your route!

My Grocery Store Apps

I’m not sure what grocery stores you have near you, but all of my local grocery stores have an app. Their apps all have coupons available that I can either add to my store loyalty card, or I can at least see the weekly ad. In my area, most grocery stores have stopped mailing their weekly physical ad, so I find this super helpful!

Restaurant Apps

Do you frequent your local Starbucks? Are you a Chili’s regular? Regardless of where you tend to spend your eating out cash, be sure to see if that restaurant has an app! Often times, chain restaurants will have apps that link to loyalty programs. The more you frequent their establishment, the more perks you get.

Here are a few of our faves:

Starbucks

Buffalo Wild Wings

BJ’s

Acorns

Acorns is a way to make saving and investing basically effortless. It works by rounding up your purchases to the nearest dollar and then adding that difference to your Acorns account.

Then, the money will be invested in your portfolio and you will earn a return on your investment.

It takes 5 minutes to set up and is a super easy way to increase your savings with minimal involvement.

You Need A Budget

This app works by going off of last month’s income. The theory is that if you are only spending money that is over 30 days “old”, you will relieve yourself of the neverending paycheck to paycheck cycle that most of society tends to live in.

FYI, you work your way up to this level. They don’t automatically assume you can just stop spending/paying bills this month to free up your income for next month.

This app does require you to hook up your bank account info for it to work effectively. It is highly rated and has great support if you have any issues. This app can be tried for 34 days for free, but afterwards you will have to pay a $6.99 monthly fee.

I have several other apps I use, and several others that I am interested in checking out.

For now though, these are the money saving apps that I am personally most excited about!

Do you have any apps that you love to use to save money? Am I way off the mark on my top 10 list? Let me know in the comments below!

Salsa Chicken Bowl with Cilantro Lime Cauliflower Rice Low Carb/Keto – Instant Pot/Ninja Foodi Friendly Recipe

Salsa Chicken Bowl with Cilantro Lime Cauliflower Rice Recipe

This Salsa Chicken Bowl with Cilantro Lime Cauliflower Rice Recipe is keto and low carb friendly. You can make this Salsa Chicken Bowl recipe using your instant pot, your slow cooker or your Ninja Foodi! This comes together quickly and is a great dinner or lunch option!

Do you love getting a big burrito from Chipotle, Freebirds or (here in Texas) Bullritos?

Oh my gosh, it is one of my FAVORITE things to eat! So filling, so many flavors.

Burritos make this Texas girl’s heart happy.

(FYI, if you like Salsa Chicken, you might check out these Ridiculously Easy Chicken Tacos!) 

However, have you ever calculated the nutritional info on those bad boys?

Well, if you want to continue eating them…I recommend you do NOT.

You might get more nutritional bang for your buck by simply omitting the tortilla, but you still have the 2 + cups of rice to deal with.

You might say, just get a salad?

The thing is, if I wanted a salad…I would have gone some place to get a salad. I want a burrito darnit!

This Salsa Chicken bowl combines all of my favorite parts of a restaurant quality burrito bowl with a fraction of the carbs!

It comes together SO quickly too!

Salsa Chicken Bowl with Cilantro Lime Cauliflower Rice

Ingredients:

  • Steamable cauliflower rice in a bag
  • 3 limes
  • Cilantro
  • Butter (1 Tablespoon)
  • Chicken breast
  • Jar of salsa
  • Guacamole
  • Sour cream
  • Shredded cheddar

Directions:

  1. First off, you need to make the chicken. Just throw your chicken breasts (I used 5 thin sliced chicken breasts) into your slow cooker (4-6 hours on low), Instant Pot (just press the chicken button) or Ninja Foodi (15 minutes) with the jar of salsa (you can reserve a bit of salsa if you want some to top your burrito bowl!).
  2. Meanwhile, go ahead and steam your cauli rice per the directions on the bag.
  3. Melt the butter and then add your cauli rice to a saucepan
  4. Next, add lime juice and salt and pepper to taste.
  5. Top with cilantro (this is by taste!) and put your lid on, keep warm on low until your chicken is finished.
  6. Shred chicken in your kitchen aid (or with 2 forks)
  7. Open cauli rice pot and stir
  8. Add cauli rice to your bowl, then top with chicken.
  9. Now top with guacamole, sour cream and cheddar   

Voila! Enjoy!

You can also use the carnitas recipe from this post in lieu of chicken and it tastes amazing as well!

Salsa Chicken Low Carb/Keto Bowl with Cilantro Lime Cauliflower Rice – Instant Pot/Ninja Foodi Friendly Recipe
Ingredients
  • Steamable cauliflower rice
  • 3 limes
  • Cilantro
  • Chicken breast
  • Jar of salsa
  • Guacamole
  • Sour cream
  • Shredded cheddar
Instructions
  1. First off, you need to make the chicken. Just throw your chicken breasts (I used 5 thin sliced chicken breasts) into your slow cooker (4-6 hours on low), Instant Pot (just press the chicken button) or Ninja Foodi (15 minutes) with the jar of salsa (you can reserve a bit of salsa if you want some to top your burrito bowl!).
  2. Meanwhile, go ahead and steam your cauli rice per the directions on the bag.
  3. Melt the butter and then add your cauli rice to a saucepan
  4. Next, add lime juice and salt and pepper to taste.
  5. Top with cilantro (this is by taste!) and put your lid on, keep warm on low until your chicken is finished.
  6. Shred chicken in your kitchen aid (or with 2 forks)
  7. Open cauli rice pot and stir
  8. Add cauli rice to your bowl, then top with chicken.
  9. Now top with guacamole, sour cream and cheddar   
3.5.3251

 

 

My Goals for 2019 – Business and Personal Goals

It has been awhile since I have shared a “goals” post here on FFF. In fact, I would say it’s been a long while since I have shared anything personal in nature here at all.

I never really considered myself a super private person until the past few years. The older I get, and the more I realize how many thing are out of my control, I have really realized that my privacy and the privacy of my family is one of those things I do have some measure of control of.

I do not apologize for this and will continue to have fairly strict boundaries regarding what I will share here on my blog.

This was never intended to be a “mommy blog” (I have nothing against mommy blogs though!) where I share about the day to day of my family’s life (however, if you want a bit more insight into our lives…I do share a bit more candidly over on Instagram!).

However, in some ways, I do feel like my lack of personality here on FFF has kind of stunted the growth in this community over the past few years. If you have only been following for a few years, you might think that this is just yet another deal site run by a mindless office full of employees.

No way!

I have had helpers over the years, and honestly this site would not be where it is today without their support and hard work.

Now though, it’s just me (well…and Lizzie for at least one post so far, haha!).

Therefore, one of my goals for 2019 was to share more about my life in the form of content posts! Anyway, I am getting ahead of myself here…let’s get to my goals:

Business Goals – 

(fyi, if you aren’t really interested in business goals…you can skip down a bit to personal goals!)

100 Evergreen Articles in 2019

Oh this one scares me y’all! I’m not sure how many evergreen articles (evergreen articles are articles that are not time sensitive. How to Use Coupons, How to Play the Drugstore Game, Keto Friendly Low Carb Mini Cheesecakes, etc) I put up in 2018…but I guarantee it wasn’t 100.

This goal is important to me because I sometimes post upwards of 50+ posts a day. I spend a LOT OF TIME on these posts. Hours a day.

Within 24 hours, 90% of those posts are dead.

Done.

No longer relevant.

Ugh.

Therefore, sometimes it just feels like I am spinning my wheels all day every day.

I need content that helps others all day every day.

I need to feel like I am making lasting change and leaving a footprint of service here on my little corner of the internet.

This means sharing a bit more about me and my life while still keeping up strict boundaries (like…you will never read a post here about my kids personal lives or my frustration with a friend/family member).

This *might* mean less deal content. It might not.

I know I am excited for it and also terrified that I have now put this out there!

Income goals

I am not going to share my exact dollar figure. Needless to say, it is more than I am making now, less than I have made in the past. My goal is just consistency at this point.

My business obviously has seasons.

As you know, (if you have read my How to Monetize a Blog post), I make money from passive traffic and when my readers make a purchase in some cases. It is not a lot per sale/pageview.

However, it can add up, and I honestly need it to do so more consistently 😉 .

Increase Pageviews and Email Subscribers – 

These two are kind of self explanatory and they are all intertwined with the two goals above. I have a few actionable ways I am planning to reach these goals:

  1. Promote my email list more. Did you know that I send a (um…sometimes) daily email with all of the deals of the day? I do! You can sign up here. (see…that wasn’t so hard, and yet I never really promote it!)
  2. Increasing Pageviews will involve generating more content AND being more strategic about where/when/how I share that content. I’m talking social media,  y’all! My thoughts on each platform are:

Instagram

Be more personal. More Instagram stories.

More sharing the day to day. More engaging with the frugal living community.

I feel like there are people there who I can help AND people who can help me!

Follow me on Instagram here.

Facebook Group – I love my Facebook group.

It is my most interactive form of social media for FFF and I think it is is working just fine as it is.

Deals will continue to be auto posted to my Facebook group via dlvr.it as long as that service continues to work out for me.

Facebook Page – Posting all deals to my Facebook page just isn’t working.

Facebook’s algorithm hates bloggers and honestly it hates anything that I post that doesn’t originate from someone else (ugh…viral posts only seem to be blessed upon the same 10 pages).

I will feed the Facebook page beast and share content that is relevant and performing well from others in hopes that I can funnel readers who WANT good deals/frugal advice to the Facebook group from time to time.

Pinterest – I will continue to use Tailwind for my Pinterest Content Strategy.

I will stress LESS about what images I put onto Pinterest.

I am noticing a trend on Pinterest of “normal” pictures having success.

This is encouraging. I am not a photographer and sometimes the fact that I KNOW my pictures won’t compete with the professionals posting on Pinterest has me holding back on creating content…no more!

Twitter – Twitter isn’t really a traffic driver for me and never has been.

I will continue to auto feed to twitter because that is the only place my husband reads my blog. Haha!

Work Outside the Home More –

You might be thinking…um why?!

You are so lucky to work from home!

Here’s the thing.

Without getting into too much personal detail, my home does not inspire creativity in me. Too many interruptions. Lack of control over my environment.

I am rarely ever home alone and honestly I am always on the edge of my seat waiting to be interrupted. Since I have ADHD, the smallest interruption can easily steer me off course.

(Fun fact, I literally just got interrupted while I was writing that sentence. Haha!)

My home is also a source of stress for me in many ways that I will not get into. Suffice to say, I think for 2019, I need to get OUT of the house to be more productive/creative. I have tried to work out of the house at least once a month for the past few years, but I need to do it more. I am actually thinking once or twice a week.

The key is, I am going to go into these work outside the home sessions with a clear plan of what I need to be working on. I have been known to get a study room at the library for 2 hours and then talk on the phone to my friend Katie for those 2 hours. Haha. I need to be intentional and focused during this time to make it most worth my while.

Personal Goals –

Lose Weight –

This has been my goal every single year for as long as I can remember. Basically, it just  needs to get done. I know how, I just need to set my mind to the task and not lose focus. Some ways I am going to focus on losing weight:

  1. Meal Planning
  2. Low Carb & Dirty/Lazy Keto
  3. Get active more often – at least 3 times a week (my competitive nature REALLY wants to say 5 times a week. That is what I always say though, and I burn out. Setting the bar a bit lower on this goal in hopes of meeting it).

Household – 

Clean & Organize one space a month – This one is kind of tough for me because I like to clean BY MYSELF with the music blaring and without interuption.

As posted above, I am rarely ever home alone and honestly I think that this keeps me from conquering big tasks because I know I’m just going to get side tracked. (you really can’t even understand how easily I get side tracked. This post is taking a LOT of mental focus to keep writing right now!)

My husband bought me some GREAT bluetooth headphones though that I think I’m going to make good use of this year. I could ignore a hurricane with those bad boys on!

Financial – 

I have a few things I want to really work on this  year in terms of finances. In addition to making more consistent money (like posted above), I also want to focus on saving more money by doing the following things:

  1. Start Christmas shopping early. I love having a gift closet, but I also want to be more intentional with my gift giving rather than just picking up random markdowns. It’s tough to Christmas shop early for kids because what they are into in February is likely NOT what they are into in December later that year. However, there are things I can do year round to take some of the burden off that big November/December Christmas shopping spending spree.
  2. Thrift Shops – I love going to thrift shops. I will proudly tell you the sweater I was wearing costs $.50 or the adorable dress my daughter has was a Goodwill find. I need to get more intentional about visiting the thrift shops on a regular basis!
  3. Shop my own sales – I am probably the only deal blogger on the planet that RARELY buys the great deals I post. It’s like I have tunnel vision. I am posting these deals for YOU and I don’t even consider buying them for myself. I will remember as I’m going to bed that night…oh, I should have taken advantage of that great deal! Only to look it up and it is already a dead deal 🙁 .

Motherhood & Marriage – 

I want to be more intentional about my time with my husband and my children. Spend more one on one time with all of them. Surprise them more often. I want to pray for all of them daily in a more intentional and focused way.

I want to ask them what they need from me and provide it. Don’t just assume that I am meeting their needs.

In the same vein, I want to tell them what I need from them as well. Don’t just assume they know.

I want us to go on a vacation together. We have not been on a vacation in several years. The last vacation we went on was with extended family. We need a vacation with just the 4 of us.

We need to go camping more.

Have more day trips.

My son is already 11. That might still seem very young, but let’s be honest.

We only have a few more years of being just a family of 4 living under the same roof.

We need to make the most of our time together and build memories that will last a lifetime.

I need to DATE my husband more. We have a wonderful relationship, but we rarely get the opportunity to just focus on each other. I’d love for us to find a hobby outside the home for us to engage in. Not sure what that will be (besides eating…we both enjoy that, haha!), but I’m excited to figure it out.

Read More Books

I want to read 50 books in 2019. Yikes! I think I can do it. I read mostly Kindle Unlimited and Kindle First Reads books because I am chea….frugal 😉

Wrapping up…

If you have followed along this far, bless you! I’d love to hear about your goals for 2019. Feel free to leave them in the comments. If there is a way I can help you reach your goals, please let me know!

Sausage and Peppers Recipe – Instant Pot, Ninja Foodi or Stove Top/Slow Cooker Friendly!

A simple and tasty sausage and peppers recipe that can be scaled up or down to feed a crowd or just a few. Very versatile and comes together quickly and easily! This recipe for sausage and peppers can be made on the stovetop, in the Instant Pot or in the Ninja Foodi.

My family likes to switch things up for Christmas. Some years we’ll do a more traditional Christmas dinner. Some years Mexican food and some years (maybe my favorite years?) we’ll do Italian food!

This year, I wasn’t sure what to make. My favorite items were already spoken for (lasagna and spaghetti!) and I knew that whatever I made had to be able to travel well, sit out possibly for a bit (when we say we eat at 6…that usually means 7), and feed a large crowd (my family Christmas usually has well over 25 people).

I love Sausage and Peppers and it scales very well for a crowd! It’s also incredibly flexible and easy to make. You can easily half this recipe for sausage and peppers if you are just cooking for your immediate family. You can also opt for spicy italian sausage, opt for turkey sausage, and you could also make this entire recipe in your instant pot or Ninja Foodi if you want!

Because I was making sausage and peppers for such a large crowd, it was easier for me to do the sauteing of veggies and sausage in a large pan on the stove, but when I make this just for my small family, I do the whole sausage and peppers recipe in the instant pot using the saute and then the slow cook feature.


Be sure to taste this and play with the seasoning! Add more Italian seasoning, more salt & pepper, some red pepper flakes if your family likes things spicy, etc. Let me know how you adapt this sausage and peppers recipe!

Sausage and Peppers Recipe

Ingredients:

  • 2 packs sweet Italian sausage
  • 2 onions sliced
  • 1 each red, green, yellow and orange bell pepper sliced
  • 1 tbsp minced garlic
  • 2 tbsp Italian seasoning
  • Salt & pepper to taste
  • 2 tbsp butter
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 jar marinara

Directions: 

  1. Cook sausage links whole until browned on all sides (won’t be cooked through)
  2. Remove from pan
  3. Put butter and olive oil on pan and then sauté veggies and garlic with seasoning until veggies are just softened.
  4. Add jar of marinara to slow cooker or instant pot
  5. Pour cooked veggies in with marinara.
  6. Slice partially cooked sausage up and then pan fry just to get both sides brown (might have to do this in batches)
  7. Add sausage to slow cooker/instant pot and cook on low until you need to serve!
Sausage and Peppers Recipe – Instant Pot, Ninja Foodi or Stove Top/Slow Cooker Friendly!
Ingredients
  • 2 packs sweet Italian sausage
  • 2 onions sliced
  • 1 each red, green, yellow and orange bell pepper sliced
  • 1 tbsp minced garlic
  • 2 tbsp Italian seasoning
  • Salt & pepper to taste
  • 2 tbsp butter
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 jar marinara
Instructions
  1. Cook sausage links whole until browned on all sides (won’t be cooked through)
  2. Remove from pan
  3. Put butter and olive oil on pan and then sauté veggies and garlic with seasoning until veggies are just softened.
  4. Add jar of marinara to slow cooker or instant pot
  5. Pour cooked veggies in with marinara.
  6. Slice partially cooked sausage up and then pan fry just to get both sides brown (might have to do this in batches)
  7. Add sausage to slow cooker/instant pot and cook on low until you need to serve!
3.5.3251

 

Lizzie’s Corner: Tiny Dish Soap Slime

Dish Soap Slime Recipe

Interested in making dish soap slime? Dish soap slime can mostly be made by using household ingredients. It is a very simple and inexpensive slime to create, and it is very fun to play with the result!

Say hello to Lizzie! Lizzie is my daughter and she is a very smart, fun and creative little girl. Lizzie has been wanting her own corner of the internet for awhile now, so we had the bright idea that from time to time, she could share this space with me and post some of her creations, thoughts and ideas! Please comment and share your feedback with her by commenting below (please be kind!). 

I have loved slime for a long time and today I thought I could share my ideas with others! To make this slime I took household items and mixed them together. Hope you enjoy!

Dish Soap Slime Recipe

Materials :

  • Measuring cups
  • Bowl
  • Small air tight container
  • And something to stir with.

Ingredients:



Steps to make Dish Soap Slime:

1. Put in  1/3 of a cup of clear glue.

2. Add 1/2 of a cup of white glue.

3. Mix well

4. Add 1/3 cup of dish soap.

5. Mix well

6. Add 2 teaspoons of corn starch

7.mix well

( Optional glitter )

Notes (troubleshooting for your dish soap slime):

My slime is too stiff! Try adding a tiny bit of lotion.

My slime is to wet and watery! Add more corn starch.

If there are any other problems with your dish soap slime, please comment down below and I’ll try to help.

Interested in making your own slime? You might also like the following kid friendly creative posts!:

Make your own doodle paint!  -This DIY make your own paint recipe uses ingredients you likely already have in your pantry right now!

9 Slime Recipes – here are a bunch of different slime recipes to choose from!

DIY Magnetic Chalkboard – These would be great for a variety of functions: to-do lists, grocery lists, chore chart, and more!

Marshmallow Madness: Snowmen S’mores & Marshmallow Snowmen Candy Sticks (A How-To)

This is a repost of a very popular 2014 craft! Let me know if you make it!

Yesterday was a big BIG day for my kids! They each had a fun school Christmas Party.

That tray above had big plans. That was the before, and here are the afters:

Snowman Marshmallow S’mores


You might remember that for Halloween, I made these adorable Ghost Peep S’mores as gifts for the kid’s classmates.

So when I was searching for a great classmate gift for Christmas, and I stumbled upon my friend Stacie’s adorable Snowman Marshmallow S’mores on her blog The Amazing Mess (fabulous blog, you should check it out!), I knew I had to make them!

I’m totally going to be known as the Crazy S’more Lady at the school! 😉 (Now to brainstorm an Easter S’more gift!)

Head on over to the Amazing Mess to get this super simple gift idea.

Marshmallow Snowmen Candy Sticks


Next, I needed a centerpiece for Lizzie’s classroom. I was in charge of decorations, and since I was sick with Strep Throat all last week, I was coming down to the wire! I saw these adorable Sugar Crystal Covered Snowmen and I knew I had to make them!

They were super simple to make:

Ingredients:

  • Light Karo Syrup
  • Clean  small paintbrush
  • Large Marshmallows
  • Candy Sticks (I got the long ones)
  • White Sparkling Sugar
  • Rolos
  • Mini Oreo Cookies
  • Fudge Frosting
  • Mini Chocolate Chips
  • Orange confetti sprinkles

Directions:

  1. “Paint” the sides of each marshmallow with karo syrup and roll it around in the sparkling sugar to coat.
  2. Push 3 marshmalllows onto each Candy Stick
  3. Make a face using the mini chocolate chips (I just pushed in with the pointy side) and the orange confetti sprinkle (I had to put a bit of Karo Syrup on my sprinkle to make it stick)
  4. Take your oreos apart.
  5. Eat the side with the frosting 😉
  6. On the other side, use the fudge frosting to stick the rolo to the top and to attach the hat to the top marshmallow

After this point, I found a basket and stuck a small styrofoam block in it (just one that came in with a package). Next I stuck my candy stick Snowmen into the styrofoam and filled the bottom with mini marshmallows. I tied some ripped fabric for a pretty effect.

They were a real hit with the kids and they were pretty simple to execute!

Both of these projects were done in about an hour and a half at a frantic pace, but the results were well worth it!

What Christmas crafts have you done this year?

Beauty On A Budget – My Top 10 Beauty Budget Must Haves

Top 10 Beauty Budget Must Haves

Are you on a tight budget? Maybe you just don’t like to spend a ton of money on beauty products? These beauty budget haves will give you the most bang for your buck. Lipstick that lasts forever, the best gel for curly or wavy hair, the best razor (no more razor burn!) and more!

Okay, first off, let’s state the obvious…

I am NOT a beauty blogger.

I am a fairly low maintenance mom of 2 who barely ever plucks her eyebrows.

However, I do care about my appearance and I do try to put effort into how I look each day.

I do NOT invest a lot of money in my outward appearance though. I should probably invest more, but let’s be honest, I can think of a lot of better ways to spend my hard earned money.

That said, if you are a beauty guru or fashionista…more power to you! I watch my share of youtube beauty gurus and have learned quite a few tips and tricks.

Okay, now that that is out of the way, on to my beauty budget must haves!

Qualifications to make my beauty on a budget list: 

  1. I must use the product on a fairly regular basis
  2. I must have repurchased the product at least 2-3 times (most of these have been repurchased MANY more times)
  3. The item must be $10 or less

Without further ado…here are my top 10 Beauty Budget Must Have’s (as of 2018): 

Hollywood Beauty Tea Tree Oil Skin & Scalp Treatment

How I use it:

I use this daily. I use it at night after I wash off my makeup and then I often use it again in the morning right out of the shower. I have also used this as a scalp treatment. Basically, this tiny little bottle gets a lot of use! Great for keeping dandruff AND acne at bay, I also find it is very moisturizing to my skin. It is SUPER cheap too.

Where to find it: 

You can find it here on Amazon. I have also purchase it from HEB, Sally’s Beauty Supply, Target, Walmart…basically anywhere that beauty products are sold.

Maybelline Makeup SuperStay Matte Ink Liquid Lipstick (specially in the color Lover)

How I use it: 

Well, it is lipstick, so I use it on my lips. Joking aside, this liquid matte lipstick lasts FOREVER and compliments ANY skin tone! What I mean by this is that I have complimented multiple people on their lip color, only to find out that they were wearing this exact shade! This beauty on a budget find seems to compliment every single skin tone by pulling the prettiest shade on everyone! (this lasts so long I have to use makeup remover to remove it most nights. And lipstick usually doesn’t last 10 minutes on  me!)

Where to find it: 

Amazon is your best bet to actually find this exact shade IN STOCK. I have had trouble finding this in stock in stores. This is a beauty budget must have for a LOT of people! Also available at Walmart, Target and Ulta.

 

L’Oréal Paris Makeup Voluminous Lash Paradise Mascara

How I use it: 

I use this to make my lashes look amazing! This layers well and makes even the scrawniest lashes look impressive. I prefer the waterproof kind, but if you aren’t a waterproof mascara fan, I have used the non waterproof version and it does not run/clump either!

Where to find it: 

Of course, you can find this on my favorite site…Amazon! (and there is currently a coupon if you sign up for Subscribe & Save – learn more about Subscribe & Save here!) .

Also grab this beauty on a budget find on Walmart, Target and any drugstore (Do you know how to get the best deals at the drugstores? Read my post on The Drugstore Game!)  near you! (although this is another product that seems to be sold out often…lately I have had more luck finding this in stock anywhere I go).

NOTE: There is also a “primer” for this mascara. I have tried it and I honestly don’t think it makes much of a difference.

ECOCO Eco Style Gel

How I use it: 

Okay, so this one is going to be for my wavy/curly girl ladies! Although, if you ever use gel at all (to slick back a ponytail or bun maybe?), you might want to listen up.

This stuff is beauty on a budget GOLD!

Creates a nice hard cast that easily breaks with NO residue once your hair is dry. No clue what language I’m speaking? You must not have read up on the Curly Girl Method (if you have even the slightest wave to your hair, I highly encourage you read this book). Basically, you “scrunch” your hair with this gel while it is still wet and LEAVE it alone until it is dry. Then you “break” the cast (what gives you the wet head scrunched hair look that was so popular in the 90’s) and are left with beautiful frizz free curls/waves!

This stuff is awesome and SOOOO cheap!

Where to find it: 

You can buy this stuff just about anywhere! Buy this huge tub here on Amazon that will likely last you the remainder of your time here on earth (recommended ;), however, over my $10 requirement…so if you want a smaller tub click here) . Plus, find this at Sally’s, Target, Walmart and pretty much any drugstore (often times you will find this in the ethnic hair care section).

Jergens All-Purpose Face Cream

How I use it: 

Okay, remember how I mentioned up there that I prefer waterproof mascara? Well, getting waterproof mascara to come off at the end of the day can be a REAL chore! This stuff makes it easy!

Just smush (technical term) it all over your eyes and it will loosen all of your eye makeup making removal easy. Then just swipe off with a makeup wipe or cotton ball.

I also use this all over for a “just like grandma” moisturizing treatment every once in awhile. My skin feels awesome afterwards!

I do use miceller water sometimes (this brand specifically – which I would also consider a beauty budget find, but I have only purchased this once so far…so stay tuned.), but if I have several layers of my waterproof mascara on, this stuff is the only stuff that does the trick. 

Where to find it: 

The usual suspects. Amazon, Target, Walmart, your grocery store, the drugstore. Look in the old lady section. Haha!

Global Beauty Care Collagen Spa Anti Aging Treatment Mask

How I use it: 

It’s a mask, so I use it as a mask. My skin feels gorgeous and glowy afterwards! You don’t rinse your skin after you take the mask off, so you rub in the extra product.

Where to find it: 

I’m linking to it on Amazon, but go to your local Dollar Tree! You can grab 2 masks in a package for $1! Here’s a slightly embarrassing picture of me wearing it from Instagram:

The Wet Brush

How I use it: 

I use this brush exclusively to brush my hair and my daughter’s hair. EXCLUSIVELY. I can’t stand other brushes anymore! These are so worth it. We have like 5 of these brushes.

Where to find it: 

Pretty much anywhere. Check out this 2 pack on Amazon. Plus, you can find them at Sally’s, Walmart, Target, Ulta, etc

Wet N Wild Color Icon Eyeshadow Quad ~ Walking on Eggshells 340B

How I use it: 

I have a ton of eyeshadow. It’s kind of addicting for me. It’s one of my few splurges. I just love trying out new palettes (well, provided they are cheap).

This is a great old standby though. I find myself falling back on this palette probably 50% of the days I do my makeup.

This was the first palette I think I ever purchased more than once and it is STILL the only palette I have purchased more than once ( I think I’ve purchased it 4 times over the past few years?). Super cheap and it looks good.

Where to find it: 

Amazon, but you will find it much cheaper in the drugstore, Walmart or Target.

e.l.f. Smudge Brush

How I use it: 

I use this to make any eyeshadow into an eyeliner! I just dip this into any black eyeshadow (I have been using a black NYX eyeshadow that came in an Ipsy exclusive palette for this for a long time now) and use it to line the top/bottom of my eyes!

Often times I will start off doing a very thin liquid eyeliner on my top waterline (I stay pretty well stocked on liquid eyeliner through my Ipsy subscription…more on that later), and then I lightly pack a bit of eyeshadow on top and finish off the bottom of my eyes with the black eye shadow using this brush.

Honestly I love ALL of the e.l.f. brushes, but I would be lost without this e.l.f. Smudge Brush!

Where to find it: 

Amazon, Target, e.l.f cosmetics, Walmart and your local drugstores!

Schick Intuition Razor

How I use it: 

This is probably the item I have been using the longest on this whole list! This razor changed my life. I have VERY sensitive skin. Typical razors/shaving creams give me razor burn EVERY SINGLE TIME. Ever since I found this razor? No more razor burn…EVER. NO more cuts…EVER. I have not cut myself with a razor since I was in my early 20’s (when I first found out about this razor).

Where to find it: 

You can find this razor anywhere. I typically buy one once a year at HEB and then purchase the refills via Subscribe & Save on Amazon (they are MUCH cheaper using subscribe & save on Amazon).

I hope you enjoyed reading about my beauty on a budget must haves! I had fun writing it. I love to gush about products I am loyal to.

For the most part though, I am NOT very brand loyal. Because of this, I enjoy trying different brands often. Most of the time, the trial size is enough for me to get my fill and that is why I love my Ipsy subscription! It’s a little mom gift I get in the mail every month.

 

You can set your preferences so you get to try the kind of makeup you WANT to try. Sign up here using my referral link and I’ll get a small bonus 😉

What are some of your favorite beauty budget must haves? Comment below! Maybe I’ll find my next beauty budget must have from your comments! 

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