Serve Up Some Lovin’ From the Oven

We can make our homes a haven by creating warm, inviting smells of deliciousness in in the kitchen. Here's how to serve up some lovin' from the oven. #womenlivingwell #makingyourhomeahaven #womensBiblestudy #homemaking

Welcome to week two of the 7th Annual Making Your Home a Haven Challenge!  Let’s welcome back our guest –> Karen Ehman.

karen-ehman

{If you are just joining us, be sure to read the post from week one to bring yourself up to speed. Then, be sure to come back to this post for this week’s challenge!}

Karen Writes:

How is it going? I’ll bet your homes smell amazing and your hearts are becoming centered on God and your heart-felt prayers for your family members. Don’t forget to keep the verse of the challenge before you for perspective. Even try memorizing it if you wish. It is Hebrews 10:24.

Download the challenge schedule here.

homehaven-printable3

Download the key verse of the challenge here.

And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works Hebrews 10:24 #womenlivingwell #makingyourhomeahaven #womensBiblestudy #homemaking

 

Last week, we began with grabbing a large candle—and a prayerful attitude—and adopting the practice of creating an atmosphere of coziness in our homes by performing this daily routine:

Light. Pray. Straighten. Repeat.

I have been all smiles this past week as I scrolled through many of the comments here, catching a glimpse of your homes—and hearts—as you’ve chimed in with your thoughts. And….as I scrolled, my mouse randomly stopped on one of the names—that would be the name of the winner of the week one prize of a $50 Home Goods gift card. CONGRATS to Em from Jersey! You won! Please look in your email inbox for an email from Courtney.

As we continue the challenge, keep lighting. And praying. And straightening…….and then, let’s add in something else. This week, we are headed to the kitchen {and there is a fun and functional kitchen-themed prize as the giveaway!}

Here is this week’s challenge:

Serve up some lovin’ from the oven.

Over the next seven days, focus on the kitchen. Whip up some of your family’s favorite dishes—or try out a new recipe or two! Bake or cook what speaks love to your family. Perhaps they love old-fashioned meat and potatoes meals or nostalgic baked goods. Maybe your gang is into healthy veggies and fruit-based treats. Or perhaps you all love a homemade pizza or popcorn night. Anything goes—as long as your family loves it. Get those pots and pans clanking as you serve up some lovin’ from the oven.

This week, focus on the kitchen, the heart of the home.

Super simple. But oh, so important!

By that, I don’t mean that making gourmet dishes is key or that presenting them in a fancy-fied way is the goal—although if you are the gourmet and fancy-fied type, then go for it! The issue is to make the kitchen a warm, inviting place where people are fed and souls are nourished—however that looks in your home.

Gourmet and fancy? Sure. If that is how you roll.

Good ol’ meat and potatoes with a homemade pie for dessert? Fabulous!

Dine on organic veggie main dishes and fresh fruit to end it on a naturally sweet note? Awesome!

Or, does your schedule only allow for a menu tonight of a frozen pizza tossed into the oven and store-bought salad as a side? No problem!

Do. What. Works. For. You.

In our house….I do all of the above at various times. It’s all good! Just as long as it speaks love to your people! It is a sure-fire way to create an atmosphere of love and openness in your home when you make tasty food and hang out in the kitchen with your family members—and their friends!

boys-at-island

 

So, grab your aprons! (Does anyone still wear an apron? I do. I have some fun retro ones made by my friend April and two store bought ones I have had for nearly two decades. One says on the front, “Dinner Will be Ready When You Hear the Smoke Alarm” and the other reads, “Who Invited All These Tacky People?”  🙂

 

karens-aprons

 

Wait….where was I? Yes. In the kitchen with you cheering you on as you serve up some lovin’ from the oven this week. Now, before I tell you what the giveaway is, here is a peek into my kitchen, some great kitchen gadgets I use often, and the links to some of my favorite, no-fail recipes!

karens-kitchen

First, part of the secret of success in the kitchen involves having the right tools. Here are my most-used, (and well-worn!) kitchen gadgets I can’t seem to cook without -> Kitchen tools.

strawberries

Here is a no-cooking required, super-simple veggie tray idea my mom is famous for making. She has been making it since my brother and I were little and has taken it to both official functions like potlucks and also our normal family get-togethers. The center is a head of iceberg lettuce with the veggie garnishes stuck in with toothpicks!

veggie-tray

Now, for some links to some sure-fire foods your family may want to try!

7-layer-salad

Here are three snappy and savory salads, including an Ehman three-generational traditional dish, Seven Layer Salad!

corn-chowder

Simmering a big pot of homemade soup on the stove is a sure way to get the gang into the kitchen. Here are five fabulous fall soup recipes!

potatoes-asparagus

Make one of these when the chilly weather starts to set: Five Best Warm-em Up Main Dishes

herb-chicken

Easy main dish and even better than the rotisserie ones from the deli (although those are great on a hectic day so keep that deli on speed dial for the times you need it!) Homemade Herb Roasted Chicken.

mixer

This treat smells AH-MAZING when it is baking. Great for breakfast, snacks, or to package up and give as a gift! Sweet and simple homemade granola.

monster-cookies

Best cookie recipe EVER. Well, according to the state champ football players who congregate at my kitchen island. I made 10 dozen of these for their senior year summer training camp bus trip. Peanut Butter Oatmeal Monster Cookies

pumpkin-pie-dip

SUPER CUTE dish to serve or take to a fall potluck. I even showcase a clever way to serve it in a hollowed out small pie pumpkin: Pumpkin Pie Dip with Gingersnaps.

pie-on-stove

Wanna tackle baking a homemade pie? {Don’t worry—there are some short cuts given if you aren’t up for attempting a homemade crust!) Here are five unique retro pies from some of my favorite vintage cookbooks!

apple

Here is a printable of my top five apple recipe ideas: Top Five Apple Recipes It includes my most requested fall recipe—the absolute favorite of my kids and their many friends who munch on this each fall: Peanut Butter Apple Crisp!

lemonade

Ok sisters…let’s raise a glass of lemonade and cheer each other on in the kitchen as we share a little lovin’ from the oven in our own unique style and for our own unique people!

Now for this week’s GIVEAWAY!

One person will be chosen randomly from among the comments to win this Hamilton Beach 6 Quart Programmable Slow Cooker with the snap-tight lid! This lid makes it so much easier to transport when you are taking a meal to someone or to a family or church function.

crock-pot

 

To be entered, leave a comment telling us either what your favorite go-to dish to make for your gang is OR tell us one dish that you have always wanted to try, but were afraid to attempt.

I’ll go first…..

I have always wanted to try to make what is called “Divinity”. It is a white candy with pecans that is traditionally made at Christmas time. I have heard my mom talk about it. My husband’s Pop (paternal grandfather) was famous for making it but I have never attempted it, due in part from hearing the older folks in both sides of the family talk about how it is hard to make, is dependant on the humidity in the air, and other such intimidating culinary chatter. BUT…..I know my husband, sons, and my daughter all love pecans, and since there is no gluten in the recipe and my daughter is gluten free….well, I think this may be the year to be brave and try to make some at the holidays.

Now, how about you? Tried-and-true go-to dish or the dish you are scared to try. Go…….

 

 

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277 Comments

  1. Lasagna was always my go to dish to take and share. I’m kind of hooked on baked spaghetti now! Really delicious!

    1. This time of year I love to begin making soupsure of various kinds. It reminds me of the change of seasons and warMs me up. After summer’s diet, it is refreshing to change up the fare a bit. My husband also enjoys the change. Two of our favorites are chili and beef stew. I’m really enjoying this challenge! Thank you!

  2. My favorite fall go to recipe is simple, potato soup!! Easy and perfect for chilli days. I recently learned how to make white chicken chili too!!!!

  3. Homemade chicken soup is our families favorite. It makes the house smell amazing while it simmers on the stove!

    Something I have been afraid to try is my Grandmother’s homemade Angel Food Cake with brown butter glaze.

  4. Spaghetti & meatballs (my son’s favorite) is my go-to dish. 🙂 I’ve never roasted a whole chicken. I’ve always been intimidated by cooking a whole chicken but I am going to be brave & try your recipe this week. I know my guys & girl will love it. <3

  5. Homemade chicken noodle soup or chili is a go to in the cooler months (chicken noodle soup especially if one of us has a cold or sore throat). I always think I will make my mother in law’s “texas sheet cake” but just never get around to doing it and the family all remembers grandmas sheet cake. It’s very easy but one I need to try to make more often especially now that she has passed away. A great go to for fall is homemade apple crisp, another one of my mother in laws as they had so many apple trees so during the fall there was always plenty of warm, homemade apple crisp.

  6. I have a few favorites to take :
    Chicken and Dumplings
    Lasagna
    Spaghetti and Meatballs
    Beans : different kinds
    Dirty Rice
    We have a lot of fish fries and potlucks at the park.

  7. My go to dishes are baked chicken with garlic and salt–super simple, and potatoes mashed with butter and sour cream.
    I am afraid to make homemade soup! I’ll take a look at your recipes. It has to be easy to follow!
    Thank you for these ideas and this challenge!!

  8. I love a night when you just go to the pantry and throw something together. I normally plan it to the T.
    Last week we had one of those nights. I had some frozen chicken breasts, de-boned and ready to cook. A quick boiling in a can of chicken broth, removed and chopped, then returned to pot with a can of cream of chicken soup and 4 cans of water. Add chopped onion and a carrot, our favorite seasonings. Boil to cook onion and carrot. Mix up dumplings. Drop by teaspoon into broth. Cook tightly covered 10 minutes and no lid 10 minutes. Let sit 10 minutes. Yummy.

  9. My go to dish especially this time of year is a nice big pot of chili and corn bread on the side. It’s fairly quick and easy and everyone in my house loves it.

  10. My favorite fall family meal would be roast beef sandwiches (meat slow cooked in the crockpot) with Swiss cheese on hoagie buns, butternut squash soup, and roasted red skin potatoes. For dessert, Kentucky Derby Pie.

  11. Cheesy chicken and spaghetti is my go to easy crowd pleaser. I have to say that I am like you about the divinity. Of course being from the south the humidity is always high and you can’t make it when it’s raining either. But you can always eat it with a spoon if it doesn’t get firm.

  12. My favorite to go dish is chicken and dumplings but my kid’s would say taco salad. I would like to try pizza crust, but I am a little intimidated by yeast.

    1. Don’t be intimidated! Pizza crust is no big deal, I use a taste of Home cook book’s pizza recipe. But there is many good ones, just find one that you like and is simple. We love homemade pizza at my house, in the summer we grill it. It makes the crust better and gives more flavor! I make pizza dough in my kitchen aid mixer but I also have a large plastic tubular I use for dough making. If you need a god bread recipe book ” The New Artesian Bread in 5 minutes a day” by Jeff Hertz berg M.D and Zoë François.

  13. Hummmmm where to begin? We have lots of favorites, but my top three are:
    Chili Colorado
    Chili Lime Chicken Skewers with cilantro lime rice
    Crockpot Turkey with mashed potatoes ????!

  14. My fall “go to” dishes are Greek Lemon Chicken Soup, Chili, White Chicken Chili, Taco Soup, or some kind of casserole! Something that is quick to throw together, leaves plenty of leftovers, and makes the house smell delicious!

    And I’m afraid of anything that has an ingredient or utensil I’ve never heard of, can’t pronounce, or have no idea where to find it in the grocery store! LOL.

  15. My kids love my meat-loaf (actually it’s Betty Crocker’s recipe, but make it even yummier by addding cheese in the middle of the loaf). I usually add some kind of potato dish and salad with it.

  16. My current favorite quick meal is Amy’s Frozen Enchiladas. For guests, Crock Pot Chicken Tacos is always a winner. Chicken Pot pie and Chicken and Dumplings are two of my personal favorites that I don’t make much because, especially with the pot pie, there is so much time and mess involved in the making.

  17. Our families go-to dishes are pilav and vegan chocolate cake. When those to are made I can’t leave the kitchen or else they’ll be gone before dinner time.

  18. Greek food is one of our favorites – for dessert – nothing beats baklava – and if you want to make it really luscious – make it into baklava sundae – with ice cream on top along with chocolate syrup and anything else!! Thank you for your inspiration and recipes!!!

    1. My fall go to recipes tend toward stewps – soups so full and hearty they are more like stew. I love the ease of the crockpot – chop, layer, spice, pour, and let cook while I’m at work. Since my daughter’s family went vegan, I’ve been looking at ways to adapt my traditional soups to be meat and dairy free.

      Friends and family always ask me to bring my spinach dip to gatherings. It’s a bit different from the usual, but it’s still tasty and goes well with bread or veggies. I put it into a hollowed-out sourdough round and keep extra in the fridge for the refill.

  19. Heading to my kitchen to stir up banana bread for my guy who is on day 14 straight of a work pattern. My house will smell heavenly!

  20. My favorite recipe for Fall is Shrimp and Corn Chowder. Easy and delicious!! We also love White Chicken Enchiladas. I could just about eat my weight in both of these! 🙂

  21. My go to meal is either tacos (if I don’t have much time) or lasagna (if I have more time). My family loves both! One thing I have never tried before is baking a rack of ribs. After living in Texas for 15 years, I had better get with it!!!!

  22. My favorite go to dish is pot roast, mashed potatoes and red cabbage. I love cooking and baking so I am not to sure there is anything I am scared to make. I will think on that a bit……..

  23. Our family go to meal is wild rice chicken soup. I love to make soup. Everyone raves over it. My secret ingredient is cream in the end. I always serve with fresh bread and side salad. My challenge would be to make this Flan cake my sister in law makes, I’ve tried it with no success but it’s so good.

  24. We love lash a and spaghetti so when I found instructions for manicotti stuffed with STRING CHEESE I figured my bunch, that doesn’t care for ricotta a all, would love it. I was right and it is now a new family fave:).

  25. My kids love pumpkin bread!!! It’s an all year round tradition for us but always seems extra special during fall. Thanks for seething up this challenge! What a blessing!

  26. My quick go-to when I forget to plan anything for supper (happens more than I’d like to admit!) is Homemade Hamburger Helper. Easy to whip up with ingredients I have on hand (spices, noodles, milk, meat, cheese- easy!).

  27. Our favorite is homemade barbecue chicken pizza. It’s got red onions and cilantro on it. Yum! One day I hope to make the pizza dough myself but for now buy store bought to save time.

  28. Tried a new recipe last night… Firecracker Casserole that I found on Pinterest. Made one batch for us after baseball and took one to a friend who is a new foster mom and a. It overwhelmed. It was a success with both families!
    Also thinking I will try your Monster Cookie recipe Sunday for some football watching???? thanks!

  29. Furst day of school dinner. Beef barbecue and homemade mac and cheese. I have a recipe where you don’t boil the noodles first so it all goes together pretty quickly.

  30. Wow! All these ideas above sound amazing and wish I had recipes for everything.
    Favorite and easiest go to is chicken pie that’s usually waiting in the freezer! Also, breakfast for supper is a winner.
    I’ve been nervous to make a homemade pie crust.

    BTW, my mother made the most delicious, creamiest divinity I’ve ever put in my mouth. Did I learn how? Sadly, no!

  31. Thus far I have made my two favorite items for fall – gingerbread and pumpkin bread. The house has smelled wonderful for twice in a week and they are the things that my husband and some friends of ours that we have in during the month of October enjoy.

  32. I love to make chili in the fall and thinking of getting my bread maker out this week and making some yummy bread. It will make my home smell delicious.
    I’m afraid to try making a homemade pie!

  33. I’ve got a semi-homemade spaghetti sauce that we’ve enjoyed for YEARS. It’s great for hectic days, days when you’re expecting out-of-towners (and don’t know what time they’ll arrive!!), etc. It stretches beautifully when the number around the table grows. Freezes very well. Leftovers can be used as a goulash, hot dog sauce, for lasagna……..whatever you can imagine. Added bonus……..with just a little tweaking it becomes Tex/Mex everything!!!!

  34. We love homemade soups and chilis, crockpot whole chicken and Paleo gravy with mashed cauliflower, homemade granola and granola bars, and roasted veggies! Pumpkin anything from baked goods to chili are a must this time of year!

  35. We love chicken under a brick from the grill! It’s fantastic along with some grilled veggies and a tossed salad it’s perfect Sunday dinner

  36. There are so many. There are two recipes that I make a lot, chili and beer cheese soup. I usually serve homemade corn bread with chili. We also put out shredded cheese, sour cream, mashed avocados, and sometimes corn chips if I don’t have time to make the corn bread. With the beer cheese soup I serve a side salad, homemade rolls or popovers, also I put out a bowl of chopped cooked bacon,for an added little something for the soup or salad.

  37. My family loves my homemade stuffed crust pizza and on special occasions it’s grilled surf and turf (shrimp and steak), baked potatoes and my husbands famous pinto beans.

  38. Pumpkin Bread, Sour Dough Bread, Banana Bread and Chicken Pot Pie… Fall makes it ok to heat up my house during the day with lovely smelling items, here in Texas it’s just too hot in the summer to do that. I love fall! It’s also a great time to have a good ole Texan BBQ!
    I made divinity every year for Christmas and yes, it is a pain in the rear. Especially since 9 times out of 10 even in December the humidity it high. Happy Fall Y’all! 🙂

  39. My family usually has Mexican on Thursdays and pizza (usually homemade) on Fridays. One of our favorite Mexican recipes is my mother-in-law’s burrito pie! Yum!

  40. My go to meals are tacos with all the toppings, breaded chicken, and many varieties of soups such as beef and barley, tomato lentil, and potato leek. Was thinking about trying to make rainbow cookies!

  41. It’s hard to find one thing everyone can agree on but some of the favorites for my boys are turkey dinners, potato salad, and beef stroganoff!

  42. One recipe I need to try but have been afraid to fail is my motherinlaws chicken noodle soup recipe. It is my husband’s favorite and I am nervous to try it!! I think I will give it a try this week:)!!! My husband will like that and will be a great way to remember my motherinlaw! Loving this thanks Ladies:)!!!

    ????
    Beth

  43. My family’s go to meal is unstuffed peppers and yummy taco soup! They all rave about the smell and taste whenever I fix either one… And now that my big boys are in college I want to always give them a reason to want to come home

  44. My go to is squash casserole (it always makes my husband happy), great for company or church meals. As a matter of fact, I love all the squash at this time of year…butternut-soup, acorn-roasted, spaghetti-steamed, and pattypan-fried! I’ve never made a pecan pie and don’t really know why I’m intimidated! Maybe this will be the year. Happy Fall!

  45. I usually do really well with making homemade meals every night because we have so many food allergies. I’m terrible with desserts so I’m going to try to have dessert twice this week. I’ve always wanted to make an apple pie but was scared it wouldn’t turn out so I’m going to try it! And I’m also going to make some gluten free pumpkin bread but that’s kind of cheating because I’m making it from a box mix 🙂

  46. My family’s got so many different go-to meals- usually depends on the season. Fall and winter brings out the cheesy ham and hashbrown casserole (with some yummy green chiles added) which really warms the tummy and soothes the soul. I have to say that another favorite that comes out fully stocked is the hot beverage bar! Apple cider and cocoa mix, lots of hot teas and coffees, and a big jar of mini marshmallows!
    Something I’ve always wanted to make but am intimidated by is a pumpkin roll. Don’t know why, but I fear disaster with that one!

  47. My go to is what my family calls “chicken stuff” boneless breast wrapped in bacon, placed on Dried beef and topped with mushroom soup/sourcream. Serve with rice and green beans. great for taking to families that need dinner. If I don’t take that I take pork loin baked with onion soup on top. Super easy and really good.

  48. My go to dish is always homemade sauce with Italian sausage. I cook it on low all day and it fills the house with a wonderful aroma. It also brings me back to childhood to when my Mom would cook this on Saturdays. Great memories!!!

  49. My go to recipe when I want to show my family love is homemade chocolate chip cookies. I have a super easy recipe called chocolate chippers that I’ve made since my kids were little. Even now, when my 26 year old son comes over for any length of time, he says, “Mom, how about making some chocolate chip cookies, before I leave.” Nothing says, “I love you” any better than a warm cookie out of the oven!

  50. I love making my pumpkin bars (with cream cheese frosting), pumpkin chip muffins and apple scotch crisp every fall!!!

  51. Yummy things coming from your kitchen! Thanks for sharing. I will be copying some of the recipes and suggestions. As for my house, chili is our go to favorite.

  52. Our fall go to meal is chili. Nothing better on a fall day! I’ve always been afraid to try to make biscuits from scratch. Maybe one day!

  53. Love all the recipe ideas! Thanks for sharing!! I’m going to have to try that Apple Pralinw Cheesecake this fall. Mmmm!
    My go to dish for our family is roast beef with mashed potatoes and gravy. My husband and kids just love it.
    Baking is one of my favorite things to do. My mom has always made a pumpkin roll cake (you know, with all the cream cheese icing rolled in side). You have to bake the cake part in a shallow pan and then ice it and roll it up and chill. I’ve always wanted to try making it but am so scared it will break apart in the rolling process so I have avoided it. I might just have to give it a try though this fall.

  54. Wow – impressed by the number of ladies who are up and going so early across the country! Reading all the “go-to” comments has been an inspiration. As I get older, I cook less – but already my mouth is watering!
    My go-to dishes requested most often are potato salad, homemade beanless chili and spaghetti. My mouth is watering for baked chicken and a cherry cheesecake! Blessings!

  55. Hi Karen and Courtney!????????

    My grandmother would always make a traditonal Hungarian ????????dessert with apples ???? called almás pite (apple cake). I’ve tried it once or twice, but just haven’t been able to create that same taste like she used to. ???????? I guess all the more reason to try it again this week! ????????????????

    ???? Homemade soups, like broccoli cheddar or a cider butternut squash with a dollop of sour cream are some of our family’s fall ????favorites!????‍????‍????‍????????????

    When you mentioned essential tools, it made me think that whenever I make a purée soup like the ones I mentioned above, I can’t do it without my stick blender. (Well I can, but….????) The stick blender is A-MAZ-ING! Love it! ❤️????????

    Thanks for the motivation this week!????????????????????????

  56. My favourite soup right now is Lentil soup. I put lots of curry in it so that it makes my family feel warm and fuzzy.

  57. Kids love taco night;husband loves meatloaf and potatoes. I’ll do both this week now that it has finally cooled off in the south. Thanks!!!

  58. Our favorite meal is tacos, our own special recipe where the meat is made with beans and stewed tomatoes and the tortillas are fried!

  59. My daddy makes the best Divinity! I usually make a pot roast in my slow cooker, but it just happened to break last week! Good luck to all! Thanks for the chance.

    1. My go-to recipe is a vegetable bean soup. It’s never the same – just depends on what ingredients I have! It’s simmering as I write! My favorite fall dessert is plain old pumpkin pie and homemade whipped cream! But cookies are good, and cheesecake and apple pie!
      In May I signed up for a healthy meal plan from the Food Babe, Vani Hari. We get 16 new recipes each month. I have been cooking with veggies and products I didn’t know existed! Yay for Google and the helpful people at our local food coop store!
      My favorite new-to-me this year cooking tools: a large stainless steel saute pan that can also go into the oven and one of those As-seen-on-TV Vidalia Onion (Veggie) dicers!
      Happy Fall Everyone!

  60. With it being hunting season I have to say our family favorite meal this time of year is deer roast, root veggies, and Apple crisp. At different times of the year we seem to just crave different things, the crisp autum air always seems to leave us wanting something savory though.

  61. Yum! Divinity! My Granny’s divinity, that no one has the recipe for. Ooops! How did my mom and I never get it. One of my favorite memories is making it with her, and because it was her recipe, it worked. But a close second to her recipe is the one in the Betty Crocker cookbook and worth a go, just choose a low humidity day if possible and go for it. My go to treat is white chocolate popcorn and I absolutely don’t show up to the Night before the Night before Christmas party without it. It also goes on Christmas Day, so I make a lot. For every day my go to is a pot of taco soup. It used to be a every week meal because we love it so much. Happy cooking and loving on your families.

  62. My husband loves lasagna. I found, in the early years of our marriage, a fabulous recipe. My children like chocolate chip cookies and my husband likes peanut butter! I will do both!

  63. My family loves baked chicken with roasted veggies and mashed potatoes. It’s easy, healthy and delicious. I do want to try a recipe for pumpkin crunch cake!

  64. Unfortunately, I don’t like to cook. . . . maybe it’s because I just eat to live and don’t live to eat. However, in recent years, I’m seeing how important special meals are to my grown family. And believe it or not, one of their favorites is fried chicken tenders and mashed potatoes . . . so that’s on the menu for tonight. But MY favorite meal to make is a turkey breast cooked in the crock pot . . . so it’s usually my go to meal for just about any get together or big gathering.
    I’m enjoying so much reading the focus of making my home a haven . . . in the stress of this upside down world today, I’m a feeling compelled to try harder at this.

  65. Since finding out about my husband’s gluten allergy in January, I have intimidated by baking which I used to love. The ingredient list is long and expensive, and the outcome has not been ideal most of the time.
    I make a chocolate-chip pumpkin bread every thanksgiving. This year I am going to set the tried and true recipe aside and replace it with one that is full of texture and flavor, so I better start now.

  66. I love divinity! Yum! Something that I love to make for my family is chicken breast and broccoli with homemade alfredo sauce. My favorite way to show my love for my family is in the kitchen!

  67. My go-to meal is potato soup with red lobster biscuits. I am planning to bake the apple peanut butter crisp and chocolate chocolate chunk cookies this evening.

  68. Lasagna and chili are my go to dishes. My husband LOVES my chili so much, I will catch him eating the leftovers at 2 in the morning! I love baking cookies and brownies with recipes from my mom. Home is where the food is!

  69. My family’s favorite is lasagna! It smells so good as it bakes in the oven. They are also fans of good ol’ chocolate chip cookies 🙂
    Thank you for this series. God Bless

  70. My go to dish for our family is vegan sausage sandwiches. A toasted sub is filled with vegan sausage, sautéed green peppers and onions, and then topped with a vegan mayo and mustard. We all love it!!

  71. I make spaghetti for my husband, which is his favorite. I make the sauce and meatballs in my crockpot which make the house smell delicious all day long!

  72. I am a baker and my boys (and their friends) know that when it rains there will be hot from the oven chocolate chip cookies.

  73. Favorite go-to dish: Baked Ziti with Eggplant! When it’s the warmer months I’ll just make it in the slow-cooker so I don’t have to heat up the house. We love it so much.

    For something I’d like to try but haven’t: pie crust….it’s tricky for me already but I also have to make it gluten-free since I have Celiac. Yikes!

    Thanks again for the inspiration!

  74. I would say our fall go-to meal would be roast pork chops with sweet potatoes and carrots. I grow my own herbs so they’re good and fresh. My kids beg me for chocolate chip cookies, it’s their fav!
    I have always wished I could make a great apple or peach pie. Pie crust is difficult for me.
    thanks for all the YUMMY recipes! Can’t wait to try them out!!

  75. Fall is my favorite season! And I always try to celebrate the beginning of this wonderful time with a batch of Pumpkin Spice cookies with butterscotch chips. YUM!!

  76. We love chili in our home: original, black bean, white, and chicken. We love them all! We also enjoy corn bread with our chili. I always make a huge pot so we can enjoy it for a few days or can invite famiky and friends over to enjoy a bowl with us!

    When going to a pot luck or family dinner, I am sure to take an item specially that my brother and I can both enjoy. We both have a gluten allergy and we don’t have the opportunity to enjoy sweets often, so I will bake up a gluten free desert for us to share!

  77. My family loves lasagna soup on cool crisp fall days and chocolate chip bundt cake for dessert! Thanks for sharing all your yummy recipes, can’t wait to try them!

  78. Good morning!
    So of our favorites to cook are shrimp pasta, spaghetti, homemade pizza, roast with veggies; however, when the weather gets colder I love to do soups. We like chill, creamy potato and beef vegetable just to mention a few.
    But I love to make homemade bread to go either dinner and for desert my husband loves anything chocolate so brownies and cake are a huge hit. Especially, if I put ganauch (it’s very similar to fudge) on top!

  79. Cheeseburger Pie. I have been making this for YEARS. Everyone loves it. I gave the recipe to an aunt, written on a brown lunch bag. She still has it and checks it every time before she cooks it. So easy; so delicious.

  80. My go to dish is the Pioneer woman bacon wrapped meatloaf. It is hearty and my family loves it. I pair it with some loaded mashed potatoes and a salad or my homemade Mac and cheese and a salad.
    I too was scared to try Divinity. I heard how hard it was to make and how easy it was to fail at it. I finally got up the courage and well…massive failure. I kept trying thought. After 6…yes 6 years of failing I finally nailed it. My husband and FIL were so happy. It is one of their favorite holiday treats so I was on cloud nine when I got it right. Especially when my FIL gave me the thumbs up…which is hard to get in these cases.

  81. I am from Texas and I like all kinds of chili, slow-cooker potato & ham chowder, and taco soups. I also like pumpkin bread,muffins, and pies. Fall is wonderful.

  82. My husband’s favorite is Albondigas! I love making it on a chilly night topped with homemade salsa and a squeeze of lemon. I think I’ll make it tomorrow night and throw some cookies in the oven for dessert.

  83. One of my favorite fall “go-to” dishes is chicken pot pie. I use rotisserie chickens from Sam’s Club, and premade pie crusts to simplify the recipe (cuz honestly, if a recipe is too involved, it ain’t gonna happen). My entire family loves this meal! It’s also a great meal to share with others!

  84. My family’s favorite is my mac-n-cheese. Winter, Spring, Summer, or Fall, it doesn’t matter when. It’s our go to comfort food. Our other favorites are potato soup, vegan chili, stir-fry, and vegan tacos. For a sweet treat, I like to make chocolate chip banana bread or brownies.
    My daughter is vegan, I’m mostly vegetarian, and hubby is a meat-eater. Hubby actually enjoys our vegan meals, but I make sure to serve him meat a few times a week and that keeps him happy!

  85. My family’s favorite is breaded thin sliced chicken breasts and mashed potatoes with gravy. For dessert ice cream pie with chunks of their favorite chocolate candy.

    I’m afraid to make almond brittle. My mother in law makes it and we all love it. The using a thermometer for a recipe makes me nervous.

  86. Chicken n Dumplings is a family favorite!

    I too want to try divinity, I can’t eat it but my mom is always mentioning how my great grandma would make it for her when she was little and how much she loved it

  87. My go to dish is quinoa patties. They’re so verstile. You can mix in any chopped veggies that sound good or whatever you happen to have. Sometimes we eat them by themselves. Sometimes we turn them into “burgers” with buns and all the traditional burger toppings. As a bonus my 2 year old loves them and they’re good as leftovers.

  88. Casseroles and pot roasts (yum!). Karen, I’ve also made your Pumpkin Pie Dip the last 2-3 years. It is always a hit! I like with gingersnaps, Nilla wafers, and those cute Gingerbread men. Karen, I’ve enjoyed your posts for the last few years. Courtney, I’ve enjoyed your posts for the last few years as well, but I do miss all your more personal updates on the hubster, the kiddos, the home, etc. I’m not sure why you ever stopped (or I can’t remember if you posted about that), but I do miss those.

  89. Our family favorite is homemade pizza. We aim for Friday nights but if not then, we find another night of the week to get that in. It’s a family effort to make them and eat them. We have lots of fun enjoying one another and the fine finished product when we have homemade pizza night!

  90. Tried and True: Taco’s!

    Simple enough, but my entire family (including my two young boys) LOVE taco’s! And I mean the simple ones. Literally brown hamburger with taco seasoning, bake some hard taco shells, and the only toppings they love are cheese and taco sauce (well, a few more for my husband but he is the odd ball out!). I was super happy this was the challenge this week because that’s exactly what’s on the menu for TONIGHT!

  91. I like the Spinach Tortellini Soup recipe that Karen shared last year in one of her “Love your Life Friday” emails. It’s my go-to comfort soup. Love it!

  92. We have two –

    Spaghetti Pizza – which my mom started when she moved in with us for a year. There really is nothing healthy about this dinner but it’s the one the kids want when it’s been a rough week.

    From Scratch Cinnamon Rolls -which is not only a family favorite but also a church favorite, In fact we made 1/2 of my son’s mission money this summer from the cinnamon rolls.

    the uber bonus – is what my family calls Kookie Krack – with 5 different chips, peanut butter, oatmeal – we’ve also added mini marshmallows to it along with nuts. it’s a pretty versatile recipe.

  93. I would love to try making French macaroons. I see these colorful, crispy shelled cookies sandwiched with creamy flavors of strawberries or nutella or whatever. But the recipe is pretty technical needing precise measurements and cooking. I’ll conquer this recipe! Haha 😀

  94. I never learned how to cook growing up but really want to learn and love home cooked meals. Been trying a lot of recipes and what not that I find online or get from other people. Our go to dishes would have to be tinga tostadas that you can make with shredded chicken or shredded carrots. The other would have to be chicken fajitas in the crockpot or oven!!

  95. I make a variation of Janelle from Comfy in the Kitchen’s chili in my crockpot. My husband raves it is the best chili he’s ever had, and it’s perfect for a chilly fall day. It’s in the crockpot now for dinner tonight! 🙂

  96. Actually two that I’ve been scared to try—blackberry jam cake, a recipe that hangs on my kitchen wall in my husband’s great-grandmother’s handwriting, and the second–soufflé. I’ve never even tasted soufflé so not sure I’d like it if I ever made it.

    1. Oh my word! If you try that blackberry cake and it turns out, do share the recipe with me. My mom LOVES blackberries and remembers picking them on the farm growing up. I make her a crisp each September for her birthday but would love to try a cake.

  97. My family’s favorites:
    1. Lasagna. My side of the family loves my grandma’s lasagna, which she made for us every Christmas. My husband’s parents are from Italy, so his mom’s lasagna is amazing. I have created my own recipe, which is a blend of my grandma’s and my husband’s mom’s recipes.
    2. Big pot of pinto beans. I grew up in Texas, and this is a staple. Period.
    3. Chicken pot pie. Cozy food for when my daughter needs to feel some food love.
    4. Corn cheddar chowder. Fall and winter go to yummy soup!
    5. Buttermilk pancakes. Fresh fruit and pure maple syrup on the side. And I like a little honey. 🙂

  98. My family loves pizza, meatballs and macaroni and cheese. Our favorite meal of the year is either a traditional Thanksgiving dinner with all the trimmings or the fun snacks and homemade candy we have on New Year’s Eve. I’ve been really wanting to try potato soup and making a caramel apple bar!

  99. Barnyard Buzzard – chicken breasts wrapped in bacon, baked with a cream of chicken and sour cream sauce, served with rice. Not a health food, but amazing! (I burned out my mom’s non-KitchenAid mixer making divinity when I was younger. I haven’t made it since, but it lives up to its name!)

  100. Go to dish is usually sautéed Cajun chicken with a veggie and black beans and rice followed by something sweet. Hopefully the something sweet will be pumpkin pie tonight or sliced apples with caramel dip.

  101. I love fall! I have a few recipes that I tend to cook more often in the fall. Potatoe soup, cheesy spinach manicotti, chicken enchiladas. I also love to bake cookies, Honey-bun cake, and a three berry cobbler.

  102. I am always making new recipes, but a current “easy” favorite is One-Pan Mexican Quinoa. A family favorite though is definitely homemade bread . . . I make it in the dutch oven and it is so good! Homemade rolls are well loved her as well . . . clearly we are in to carbs. Ha!

  103. My go to recipe for my family is Enchilada Casserole. It is super easy and my family totally enjoys. My dish I want to perfect is my Aunt’s Coconut Pie. I can’t seem to get it right and she is no longer with us. I keep trying. Thanks for your yummy recipes.

  104. I would love to try chicken cordon bleu or something with duck, but I think my family would prefer steak and potatoes.

  105. When I want to treat my family I make some soup and homemade parmesean herb bread (it’s from all recipes, look it up!) It bakes in a 2qt round glass dish so it comes out looking very artisan and it always bakes well. Makes me feel like a rock star (ha!), my house smells amazing and my family loves it!

  106. I live in south Louisiana so obviously my go to fall recipe would be Gumbo! I always make chicken and sausage, but my hubby loves seafood gumbo, something I’m afraid to try to cook, but maybe I’ll give it a shot this fall.

  107. This is the easy challenge for me. Not only do I cook (but I over cook/bake) either packaging up for neighbors or just a “FB announcement” out there saying “the 1st person to respond gets _____ whatever it is”. This week was fresh bread & rolls. My go-to dish is either “Chicken Surprise” (with wild rice & topped with slivered almonds & crackers with butter) or “Lasagna” – you can’t beat a good lasagna. Something I always wanted to try but afraid of (I even have the spring form pan & a million yummy recipes for it) is a baked cheesecake. Not sure why, just always thinking it won’t turn out. I just need to jump in & try it.

    1. oh – and yes – I wear a full apron. One says “Another Day in Paradise” the other is made from a thick material old dress shirt of my husband’s. I customized it for the pockets the way I like them, to cover all the way over to the armpits & the tie (so I can wrap it).

  108. A pan or two of gingerbread is one of our favorites especially over the holidays. I’ll just need to go make some and share them with our Ah-MAZ-ing garbage man, Merle and our mailman Phil this week! And yes, it will be gluten free too.

  109. Our family’s favorite is chicken and dumplings (my Nanny’s recipe). It’s always a hit and it definitely a comfort food for me! I’d love to try baking more homemade breads. They smell great and make the whole house smell great too!

  110. A simple pot of beans goes a long way. My daughter and I sometimes only need an appetizer for a meal and we’re good. So we use the beans to make Pampered Chef’s Touchdown Taco Dip. Dad likes my chili and corn bread. Son likes a bowl of beans with corn chips and sharp cheddar cheese.

  111. Our two current favorites are big crockpot of spaghetti sauce that summers all day with pasta and salad added at the last minute.

    Or a crockpot full of taco chili served with chips cheese and sour cream. It would be so much easier to take this to potluck with this lovely crockpot!

  112. One of my family’s favorite snacks during any holiday (or anytime!) is 7 -Layer Dip. It’s one recipe most of my kids have taken with them to their own homes.

  113. My go to is a roast chicken (4-5 lb) with roasted potatoes, sweet potatoes, carrots, celery, onions, squash, parsnips alongside in the roasting pan.
    My afraid to make – gluten free bread and desserts

  114. My family loves anything tacos which I try to do on either Tuesday or Thursdays. We also love chili, pizza spaghetti bake, chicken buffalo dip and hamburger vegetable soup. I’m a single mom of 2 and with my kids having cheer and Girl Scouts throughour the week I’m always looking for something quick and easy or something to just put in crockpot while I’m at work! All the other dishes I read on this post sound sooo yummy!!

  115. We have multiple food allergies in our house so I do a lot of cooking out of necessity. One of our favorite dishes is a no noodle lasagne. I haven’t made it in a while, but I think I’ll put it on Sunday’s menu.

  116. My family loves warm french bread that you can buy from Safeway for a few dollars. I always thought I was “no good” with yeast breads, but about 2 years ago I looked up an easy recipe on youtube and have been baking bread from scratch ever since! I still look on youtube for dinner roll recipes, or cinnamon rolls, and I always add the word “easy” when I search. The breads make the house smell amazing and I found that baking with yeast is just not as hard as I thought it would be!

  117. One of my fall go-to’s is a Rice & Cannellini Bean soup. Someone made it for me after my second baby was born (5 years ago) and I knew I needed the recipe. We now enjoy it several times during the fall and winter seasons. It is so quick and easy, plus makes enough for leftovers and some to freeze!

    Something I have been afraid to try: homemade pastries, namely éclairs. The dough seems so tricky, but if it isn’t too hard I am afraid I would make them waaaayyy too often, lol. Maybe on a snow day this year I will give it a go!

  118. Beings that the weather has finally cooled off I can now bake without melting!! First off , a pan of bread pudding with whiskey sauce, then the traditional chili that everyone loves, over fritos corn chips. Then vegetable soup. That never lasts long….
    (when the average temp is over 110 degrees for toooo many days, its lunch meat sammach and something cool like potato salad. )

  119. What a fun challenge! I have always wanted to try making my Great Grandma Pearl’s cutout sugar cookies. They were the best! My mom says they are a little challenging to get just right. I just may give it a whirl this year with my kiddos. ☺

  120. Our go to meal is giant size tuna noodle casserole with sweet peas in it…or sweet corn if we are out of peas…One I would love to try that I have been afraid to is some gluten free recipes…I am gluten free and a few recipes I have been afraid to try…like Pizza crust…pie crusts too have always been my nemesis…also brownies gluten free I have not found a successful recipe from scratch…which is kind of sad but I think I’ll keep trying! 🙂

  121. Baked spaghetti is my go-to along with any thing crockpot related 🙂 Just last night the hubby asked me to try a new recipe he saw in Facebook LOLd. Turned out great & im always happy to please the family with food. Thx for your posts!!

  122. I love to make homemade Chicken Pot Pie. Also for fall, Apple Crisp with vanilla ice cream. I double the amount of topping from the recipe 🙂

  123. My family loves taco soup on cool, crisp days….but since we love in Mississippi, sometimes we just have to cut the air down to 65 and go with it! Taco soup in the crock pot along with Mexico cornbread is a tailgating tradition around here! HoTtY ToDdY!

  124. I started making homemade peanut butter balls(buckeyes), as a Christmas treat, years ago for my Pastor and all the associates of our church. I normally try to do about treats as gifts for each one. One year I sprang my ankle close to Thanksgiving and didn’t think I would be able to get my peanut butter balls done because I have to stand on my feet so long to do them. When I told my Pastor that, he said,”Well sit down and do it. Please don’t ruin my Christmas by not making your famous peanut butter balls.” Needless to say he loves them. I just laughed and said that I would do my best. God gave me strength and quick healing, so I was able to get them done for Pastor, friends and family.

  125. I love to make Sunday Chicken. It is a crock pot meal with 4 ingredients thrown in (boneless chicken breasts, 2 cans cream of mushroom soup, dry Italian seasoning, and a block of cream cheese). Most people haven’t tried it and everyone loves it.

  126. This time of year my family loves my chili!! I’m a good cook but my baking could use some work I’m afraid of making a cake from scratch!!! Frosting as well!!!

  127. I’ve always wanted to try making chicken and dumplings and I’m going to rave and do it this week!!!

  128. My family loves chili with corn bread as a favorite fall meal. I also like to whip up pumpkin bread. Chocolate chip pumpkin bread is my family’s favorite. ????

  129. I have a new favorite of my 3 year old that will make it the regular rotation. He calls it “cheesy chicken pasta”, since I have picky eaters any request is a win in my book. And it’s perfect for this time of year. Cheesy and warm and delicious.

  130. There are a lot of favorites, but one that pleases all six of us and is easy on the budget is homemade potato soup. I can double or even triple the recipe, and they will still finish it that night! I like to have a nice crusty loaf of bread, and some fresh fruit for dessert. And, it can be made in the morning and warmed up quickly at dinner time, great for evenings when games and practices get in the way of a traditional dinner:o)

  131. First, thank you so much for encouraging us to nurture our families! Now, I have never been a tuna noodle casserole fan but in a desperate moment I tried this recipe! I will try to put a link because it is SO easy with things you have right in the cupboard and has that warm your soul feel to it! And don’t even think about leaving the celery out it really makes it. Also, make sure you use the fine egg noodles not the large ones 🙂
    http://www.food.com/recipe/best-ever-tuna-noodle-casserole-199579

  132. I have a lot of favorite, go-to recipes. My husband & girls seem to be changing the foods they like to eat too often for my liking! One thing we always agree on is Tollhouse Pan Cookies – they are easy to throw together & take somewhere & they are yummy!

  133. Thanks for the inspiration in the kitchen! Last year my kids kept asking me to make baked apples… I never did. So this fall I am going to make it my goal to make them at least once. You can make them in the oven or crock pot. Simple but yummy.

  134. Apple pie baked in a cast iron skillet and homemade soups. I love this beautiful time of the year as God shows His artistic talents coloring nature. God is good!

  135. Homemade enchiladas, any homemade soup and southern cornbread – no sugar! Would love the slow cooker; have an old one but gave my DIL my stainless steel one to use for her family!

  136. Chicken and Rice, Meatball Sub’s, Lentil Soup, and White Bean Soup and because it’s Fall vegetarian Tamales ????

    Something I am scared to try is Mole. My MIL gave me a traditional recipe and it has so many steps and ingredients that it’s overwhelming just to look at!!

  137. Cooking and baking are surely one of my love languages. Ironically this week we are vacationing and in a hotel. I’ll catch up on the challenge when we get back. I love trying new recipes and could read cookbooks every night in bed. I am intimidated by long complicated baking recipes, though I usually get around to making them once the time is available or I have the right occasion. Right now I’m looking for the chance to try homemade Danishes. Anyone reading this long comment to the end let me encourage you to learn those special family recipes from your beloved family members before it is too late. It is a lovely heritage and you won’t be sorry for the time spent and lessons learned.

  138. My personal favorite is brown beans, fried potates, and cornbread. ….. umm ummm!

    But, since the husband and son aren’t much on beans, one of my go-to dishes that we all love is fried potatoes with sliced hot dogs, topped with ketchup. I fry the potatoes (peeled) in bacon grease preferably with a couple cloves of chapped garlic, and a big sliced onion.

    I’m hungry now!

  139. My family’s favorite recipe would be my brisket (which I made last weekend – 8 lbs totally demolished!) however if my family allowed me I would eat soup everyday from September through April????

  140. My go to fav is Chicken and Rice. Some times I use the precooked rice if I am in a hurry. But I always use Rotisserie Chicken. It is a great fast meal! My Mom use to make Divinity also! I would love to be able to do it too!

  141. My pie crust is the best I’ve ever had (if I do say so myself, which I do). I usually only make pie around the holidays, but maybe I’ll make it this week with a roast chicken (also a very once in a while treat, but a favorite)!

  142. My favorite thing to bake is homemade bread! not only does it smell AMAZING when it’s baking, but my children love helping me make it! I mean really, what’s more fun than kneading dough?!

  143. I made your apple peanut butter crisp yesterday and took it over to my daughter’s house. Everyone loved it! Thanks for the recipe.

  144. Favorite go to is soup: black bean, chicken noodle, autumn vegetable are a few staples. Love to have a pot simmering on the stove filling the house with its wonderful smell!

  145. I would love to make a homemade pie but I never have. With “Super Pie” makers in the family like my MIL and mom, I have always feared making one so I don’t. 🙁 I make cookies instead and they get lots of compliments, though. 🙂

    1. Leesa,
      I think you should try making a pie because I am sure it will come out fantastic. Another idea would be to maybe get your mother and/or mother in law together at your home and have them teach you their secrets. I know this year, my husband and I are having his grandmother come over and she is going to teach us how to make the special soup she makes for Christmas Eve dinner.

      Have a blessed day!
      Brittany F

  146. The one go to meal that my family loves is the copycat version of Olive Gardens Alfredo ( I add chicken) over noodles and when I have time copycat version of their bread sticks to go with it.:)

    I love the kitchen:)
    Sharon:)

  147. I make homemade chicken pot pie completely from scratch (crust included). I LOVE how rich and creamy this food is and so satisfying. In addition, my husband makes some of the BEST chili ever! I get so excited when he writes on the shopping list all the items I know he needs for chili.

  148. My guys love my homemade bread! If things are super busy, I’ll buy bread from the store, but for the most part I just make it. Makes the horse smell so good! Also currently working on making some homemade warm cinnamon applesauce. Yum!

  149. My go to dish is venison stroganoff. Recipe called for beef sirloin steak, being on a limited budget at the time I trimmed chuck roast for the first time I made it since it was going in the crock pot. When hubby retired out of the AF and we moved back to Michigan it was a way to use venison steak from his yearly hunting time. Loving from the oven has been a success here today as the guys came in from bird hunting this afternoon and our son said it smelled like a home cooked meal. Lemon cake, granola, and pizza crust raising for supper tonight.

  150. My husband and kiddos are literally the pickiest eaters evah! But amazingly enough, they all love my meatloaf! I swap the ketchup out for BBQ sauce or steak sauce. They love it this way! Now, if only they were content to eat meatloaf for every dinner, then meal planning wouldn’t be so torturous and overwhelming for me! 😉

  151. We love pot roast with peas (from the garden) and cornbread. Today I made a dessert from pinterest. I cut up some apples added some caramel and chocolate chips and grated pecans. delicious.

  152. Hurricane Matthew had us without electricity this week…so we used a huge pot (we generally use for a low country boil-the one hooked to propane) to make chili. We grilled hamburger on the grill for the chili. I always love to make chili when it gets cooler. The best part was inviting the neighbors (who were also without electricity) and having a Fall Picnic in the driveway!

  153. I usually fix and take sausage balls to parties or a brunch and my family is stuck smelling the delicious treat but then I take them away and they only get 1 to eat on. So I think I will make a batch of sausage balls just for my family to enjoy.

  154. My “go-to” dish changes from season to season, but right now, it would have to be goulash. Everyone here really likes it and my recipe makes a lot so we can have leftovers for a couple of days. I serve this up with garlic bread & a side salad. It’s yummy & it warms the tummy.;)

  155. I love to bake: homemade bread, cakes, cookies. Yeast used to intimidate me, but I got the hang of a couple recipes. The one thing I have never really made is pastry or pie from scratch. To be fair, my family doesn’t really LOVE pie anyway, but it would be nice to tuck into my repertoire. 🙂

  156. I love to cook & I’m always trying new things! We were just delighted a month ago to meet our 5th little son in whom we are all in love! With homeschool & ministry I have learned to keep eggs & bacon or sausage on hand for those long days where there has been little to no time to prepare!
    When company comes I love to throw a pork tenderloin in the oven with crockpot red potatoes that are SO GOOD & a simple yet dressy looking side of asparagus. The clean up is minimal & the food is sure to please!

  157. My family LOVES apple pie. My husband brought a lot of fresh apples from a nearby farm. We sat as a family and peeled them all and I made apple pie and put the other apple pie filling in the freezer for later use.

    I’m new to this site and absolutely love it!

  158. Two food staples in our home are my husband’s and son’s favorites, chicken pot pie and green chili. Our family favorite is fried chicken, which we love to eat, but it is a high-maintenance meal to make! Lol! I’m always glad to have made meals I know my boys enjoy!

  159. I love to bake for my family. My husband does a lot of the cooking in our Power Pressure Cooker XL Pro from those infomercials. Me? I make a mean chocolate chip cookie in a cake pan. Much less time consuming than making individual cookies. They’re always a big hit!

  160. My favorite pie is lemon meringue. It brings back childhood memories…when we would share lemons from our tree with our neighbor, she would bring back a pie. What a deal! I’ve be scared to try baking one on my own. I finally attempted it a few weeks ago. It was not nearly as scary as I thought it would be and it turned out great!

  161. My go to dish is the delicious adobo chicken and rice my husband makes! It’s a Filipino dish that his grandmother used to make when she lived in the Philippines and passed down to all the kids and grandkids. I don’t even attempt it because he makes it perfect! 🙂

  162. I love experimenting and trying new recipes but my go to recipe to really WOW people is my lasagna. It’s not the ricotta cheese version but made with a bolognese sauce and a bechamel sauce. I’m not ashamed to say I used this recipe on my husband when we were dating to impress him! 🙂
    Ironically, it took me about 3 tries before I perfected it but sometimes I still improvise. I’m not afraid to improvise when necessary on any recipe.

  163. It’s been fun getting back to fall cooking! Last week it was a delicious Pumpkin Cream Cake. This week it was a gluten free chicken pot pie that had squash and zucchini. This weekend maybe a slow cooked roast or meatloaf. Yummm!

  164. I love to make homemade vegetable beef soup. I love to let it simmer all day. My house smells so yummy and we can eat on it for days. 🙂 I also love to make homemade hamburger helper. When I was little, my mom would make the box kind… YUCK! I figured out a way to make the classic into a homemade version and we love it!

  165. Would love to say that my go to dish was lasagna or a yummy taco soup. But with three kids (one of whom is a super picky 4 year old) our sure-fire go-to is breakaways for supper!

  166. baked ziti with ricotta and homemade marinara, a side salad, garlic bread with gruyere cheese, and for dessert… chocolate chip croissant bread pudding with caramel glaze!!! YUM!!! nothing smells quite as good as butter, garlic, and onion sizzling in a pan!

  167. I love old fashioned Pot Roast with veggies cooked in the oven in cast iron. One of our favorite meals! We also enjoy a big batch of Chicken Corn Noodle Soup (enough to freeze some). My Mother used to have this on the stove every Christmas Eve when we drove in from out of town; my children have requested this every year around the holidays. Pumpkin rolls are a favorite dessert along with homemade apple crisp. I like to keep corn candy and dry roasted peanuts in a jar on our counter for a fun snack… grandkids love to dish it out into mini plastic cups and snack on it! Makes a fun snack to keep on your desk a work and offer to coworkers as well.

  168. For a big crowd with kids, meatball sandwiches are a hit. I also like to do the at home version of the Olive Garden’s Zuppa Toscana soup for a cold day! I may make the monster cookies this weekend with my kids and share with the neighbors as a fall treat.

  169. I loved divinity as a kid. I did make it as a teen.Now it’s too sweet for me. I started processing pumpkin a few years ago, and I make a pumpkin bread that everyone loves, including me!

    I also made chili, and then chili mac from what was left. Served up with a tossed salad an garlic bread.

    Tonight we had pork chops, homemade mac n’ cheese, with steamed broccoli and carrots.

    I believe that one of the most important ways to show love is through yummy healthy meals.

  170. Cooking and baking brings together so many of your teachings, will you be doing a cookbook with all your delightful dishes in referred to in your other books and articles?

  171. Home made bread. We love eating it warm out of the oven. Making French toast or sandwiches. It makes the house smell amazing while it’s baking.

  172. Love how you combine cooking with loving on others. My grandmother was such a great cook and everyone loved her food. Food has always equalled loving on others, for me. You bring it all together so well … God, hospitality and food.

  173. With Listen, Love, Repeat as a how to love others more, and how to make your home a haven by inviting people in for food and fellowship, it would be even greater to have a cookbook of your recipes to share that we all could bless others with!!!

  174. I love seeing your kitchen filled with people enjoying eating and chatting. Your home seems so filled with love, hospitality and a sign of welcome for sure. So many pictures show people gathered in your kitchen enjoying the food you make. I would love to make some of the recipes to share with our family. A cookbook by you would be amazing!

  175. I have so many go-to dishes, it’s hard to pick. My baked macaroni and cheese is always a big hit, because it is a layered dish, not a cheese sauce. And my sausage and scalloped potatoes casserole, made in my crock pot, is guaranteed to please. 🙂

  176. Thanks for sharing, Karen! Homemade soups and cookies are my favorites. We need a cookbook from you very soon!!!

  177. You need to write a cookbook then everything would be a my fingertips instead of searching everywhere on the internet for your recipes.

  178. One of my go to meals is tomato soup, or as my kids call it “hot lava soup” and grilled cheese sandwiches. I like to make “grown up” ones for me and my husband with bacon and avocado.

  179. Loved all your tips Karen! My kids loved your peanutbutter monster cookies. You are such a good cook! Hope you put out a cookbook some day.

  180. I’d love some new ideas to replace my go-to give-away meal of rotisserie chicken, green beans, and Mac and cheese. And a book written by Karen would be a perfect source. ☺

  181. After 32 years of marriage, I found I had lost the desire to cook, but these recipes have inspired me and I can’t wait to get cooking! lol

  182. Karen,
    I love how you share your heart but also great food and family recipes with us. I want to make homemade pierogies but haven’t done it in years. My comfort food in the winter is potato soup. It’s so hearty and fills up everyone.

  183. Now I need to go and get ink for my printer so I can print these out….You should write a cookbook Karen…would be a bit easier. I love making Chicken Divan or quiche for a go to dinner…Yummy! I am now inspired to try some new yummy’s!

  184. One of our go to meals in the winter is beef stew. Also love making any kind of soup! Thank you for all the awesome recipes!!!

  185. These pictures make me jealous! Can I come over for dinner? 😉 I wish you had a cookbook out there to steal great recipes from.

  186. Okay, now I’m hungry! I love your ideas on hospitality and showing your family how much you love them. Nothing says love like a great smelling kitchen!

  187. Your home is always so cozy and welcoming! I would love to be a guest at one of your gatherings. I would love a how to entertain / cookbook by you! Thank you for allowing us into your home and sharing your idea.

  188. Our family loves all things Mexican! I make a Mexican recipe in my crockpot that is great to enjoy during the cold winter months,

  189. I have a Crock Pot Lasagna recipe that is easy peesey and very tasty. Karen, could you PLEASE write a Cookbook so I don’t have all these pieces of copier paper all over when I print your recipes? I can never find the one I want, when I want it!

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