Looking for a fun dessert you can make for Valentine’s Day? If so – try these mini Ombre cakes.

They are cute from the outside, and when you cut through them you’ll reveal a surprise:

different colored mini layers of cake! While these may look fancy, the good news is that they require easy to find, inexpensive ingredients and equipment.

Here’s what you’ll need.

• Boxed Yellow Cake mix (Duncan Hines was used for today’s recipe)
• Ingredients for the cake mix (Duncan Hines is: 3 eggs, 1/3 C oil, 1 C water)
• Red food coloring
• Pink food coloring
• Round cookie cutter
• 2 sheet pans/cookie sheets
• Parchment paper
• Cooking spray

For the Vanilla Buttercream Frosting, you’ll also need: 

• 2 sticks butter, softened
• 4 C powdered sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tbs milk
• Red food coloring
• Pink food coloring

Start by preheating the oven to 350°F.

Line pans with parchment paper and spray with cooking spray. Prepare cake mix according to box and divide the batter evenly into 4 bowls. (3 bowls plus the one you mixed in is fine.)

Leave one the way it is, and color the remaining 3 different tints of pink and red.

If you’re looking for some tasty game day snacks – look no further! I’ve assembled a collection of 30 for you – and the best part is they are all finger foods (no utensils required!). To get the recipe for each, simple click the link and follow.

Mexican Tortilla Rollups from Tastes of Lizzy T

Loaded Potato Bites from Hearth and Vine

Ham and Cheese Sliders from Dinner At The Zoo

I sometimes get the urge to make a whole mess of pancakes or waffles on a lazy Saturday morning. I happen to have had a bit of buttermilk in my fridge, so I decided to peruse AllRecipes.com for a great buttermilk waffle recipe.

I’m happy to say, I found one! In fact, these waffles were so good I decided to make them again, this time doubling the recipe so I could freeze them.

I’m going to warn you though – while this recipe is simple to follow, there are definite steps you will need to follow. Don’t skip them! They result in what I think has got to be the absolute best waffle batter I’ve ever worked with.

One of my daughter’s very favorite (and most requested!) meals is macaroni and cheese. And yes, while I’ve purchased boxed varieties over the years, I’ve wondered if I couldn’t develop my own homemade version using whole ingredients that I control. After several months of tinkering and experimenting, I’m happy to say her favorite macaroni and cheese is now my recipe, not one from a box!

Not only is today’s recipe delicious – it’s very quick and easy to prepare and chances are, you have most (if not all) of the ingredients right now!

Here’s what you’ll need:

• 6-8 oz dry pasta (I am using elbow macaroni today, but we’ve also used rotini, shells, and other shapes)
• 2 cups shredded cheese (I use sharp cheddar for a nice cheese flavor)
• 2 cups milk
• 3 tbsp butter
• 2 tbsp flour
• pinch salt
• 1/4 cup breadcrumbs + 2 tbsp melted butter (optional)

Looking for a delicious, but easy recipe you can make in your Instant Pot this week? Try this hamburger soup! I purchased an Instant Pot myself a couple years ago (you might want to read more about my experiences with the Instant Pot if you’re on the fence!). If you don’t have one, Amazon has been the best source of Instant Pot deals in my experience, and there are many models to choose from.

Not only is it delicious and hearty – chances are you already have most of the ingredients in your pantry right now!

Here’s what you’ll need:

• 1 lb ground beef
• 1 small onion diced
• 2 tsp. minced garlic
• 2 large russet potatoes, scrubbed and cut into cubes
• 2 large carrots, sliced
• 2-3 celery stalks, cut into pieces
• (2) 10.5 oz cans of cheese soup
• 3 C. chicken broth
• 1/2 C. half & half
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. pepper
• 1 tsp. dried parsley
• 1 tsp. basil
• 1 tsp. garlic powder

And…

Don’t forget the Instant Pot!

Place the ground beef, garlic and diced onion in the Instant Pot and turn on the sauté function.

I swear that I always get the best ideas when I’m out running. Maybe it’s the blood flow finally hitting the brain or the chance to get away from other distractions and just think.

Whatever the case, the inspiration for today’s recipe came while I was out running the other day.

I’ve been seeing these ads from Starbucks about sous vide egg bites and I really dig the idea of nourishing, portable breakfast ideas.

I tend to just be a cereal or oatmeal kind of gal, but there are times when you want something a bit more hearty to “stick to your ribs!” Today’s Egg Bites Recipe fits the ticket.

Not only are these egg bites delicious to make – they are easy. Even better, they are budget-friendly (but what else would you expect from a frugal living blog)?

This recipe is also extremely versatile. Change up the protein, cheese, or veggies to suit what you have in your pantry, your tastes, or whatever diet you’re on.

Here’s what you’ll need to make 12 egg bites: 

• 9 large eggs
• 4 pieces of bacon
• 1/2 cup shredded cheese of your choice
• 1 red bell pepper, finely minced
• 1 onion, finely minced
• 2 tablespoons half and half or milk
• Salt & pepper, to taste

Start by heating your oven to 350°.

In a pan, fry up that bacon to desired crispness. I like mine fairly crisp, so that means an extra minute or two. Using a slotted spoon, remove the bacon onto paper towels. I decided to fry up my veggies in some of the bacon grease (yum!), so I left some of that in the pan, ready to go!

It seems that dessert recipes keep getting fancier and fancier. But I think some of the simplest desserts are the best. Today I’d like to take a look at the humble custard. It requires very few ingredients and very little prep.

With Easter right around the corner, we’re seeing lots of deals on eggs. So if you have a few extra laying around and are tired of omelets or hard-boiled eggs, today’s recipe is going to be right up your alley!

I stopped by my local grocery store and do they ever have an awesome selection of eggs – they’ve got an entire case devoted to all the varieties including pasture raised and locally farmed options! Since I was in the dairy section of the store, I decided to pick up some milk for my recipe. Now you can use whichever milk you’d like, but I decided to go with whole milk for a creamier, richer result. My store carried a lactose-free variety that I opted for, since it’s gentler on my family’s stomachs.

This year, I knew I wanted to share some delicious holiday-inspired recipes on the blog. But could I share besides how to roast a turkey or prep mashed potatoes? So, I brought in some enforcements!

I reached out to fellow blogger Neyssa, who runs the site Latina Misfit on a Mission. Not only did she agree to help – she had an awesome idea: Thanksgiving dinner, with a Hispanic twist!

Today, we’re kicking off this series with the first recipe, Chorizo Rice. Rice and beans is a staple in every Latin household, but there’s only so much rice a certain way you can take. Chorizo is a great way to elevate Spanish rice, as the smoked sausage flavors wrap around each grain of rice. It’s a fiesta in your mouth!  

The holiday season is upon us, and that means big meals, crowded ovens, and many mouths to feed in our home.  I don’t know about you, but Christmas morning shouldn’t be chaotic in my book.  Don’t get me wrong, I love the noise and craziness of kids and presents, but I want to enjoy that chaos…the chaos I would rather avoid is the one where I’m stuck in the kitchen whipping up breakfast or brunch for everyone while they are out there enjoying their gifts and hot chocolate.

One way to cut down my time in the kitchen is with a slow cooker breakfast.  Instead of scrambled eggs, with a side of sausage, bacon and hash browns (all cooked individually) why not throw it all in a slow cooker, add some cheese and bell pepper and there you go!

Here’s what you’ll need:

• 1 – 30 oz. bag frozen hash brown potatoes
• 1 lb. bacon, cooked, drained, crumbled
• 1 lb. ground pork sausage (I use Jimmy Dean), cooked and drained
• 1 bell pepper, diced
• 2 cups shredded cheese of your choice (sharp, cheddar, colby jack, pepper jack)
• 1 dozen large eggs
• 1 cup milk (2% or whole)
• 1/2 cup green onion, sliced
• salt & pepper to taste

The first thing you will want to do is cook up your meat.  Before I cook my bacon I cut it up into small pieces, makes it a little easier to work with.  Make sure to place your meat on a paper towel lined plate to soak up any excess grease.  If you aren’t preparing your casserole right away, simply put your meat in a Ziploc bag in the refrigerator until your’re ready.

I’m a huge fan of dinners you can prepare in advance, freeze, then throw in the slow cooker when you know you’re going to have a busy day. This recipe is one of those easy to freeze / yummy to eat meals. As a side note, if you have a Costco membership I highly recommend picking up your bell peppers from them.  A bag of six for $6 is way more affordable then the local store where the colorful ones are usually 2 for $5.

Here’s what you’ll need:

White Chicken Chili – with $5 Costco Chicken!

I love simple recipes that taste like you spent all day in the kitchen, slaving over the stove, when really you spent more time perusing Pinterest while the stove did all the hard work! White Chicken Chili is definitely one of those recipes that will “wow” your family and friends.

I have a little secret that saves time and adds flavor to almost any recipe that calls for shredded chicken…I grab a rotisserie chicken from Costco! The price ($4.99) and convenience are well worth a trip to the store. Not to mention the texture of the shredded rotisserie chicken is perfect in this chili.

Here’s what you’ll need:

• 1 rotisserie chicken
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 ½ tsp garlic powder
• 2 T vegetable oil (canola or avocado oil can be substituted)
• 2 – 15 ½ oz cans great northern beans, drained & rinsed
• 1 – 14 ½ oz can chicken broth
• 2 – 4 oz cans diced green chilies
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• ½ tsp white pepper (black can be substituted)
• ¼ tsp cayenne pepper
• 1 cup sour cream
• ½ cup heavy whipping cream

To start, I shred my rotisserie chicken, measure out my spices, broth, dice my onions and open up all my cans. Now the fun can begin…

Start by adding oil to a large stockpot or Dutch oven. Add onions and garlic and sauté for about 2-3 minutes on medium heat (the onions will become translucent; this is what you want).