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Tomato Free Salsa

February 24, 2022 by Quin Leave a Comment

Let’s keep this simple! I love salsa, but consuming tomatoes make my feet so sore I can barely walk, and they put our little girl into tears for the same thing, sore feet. It hasn’t always been this way, yet it has intensified over time. Although, sometimes we can tolerate marinara sauce like in the form of pizza sauce.

It’s weird, I know. I’m done trying to figure it out, and I’m done feeling sorry for myself over food allergies and intolerances. I feel empowered and inspired by creating dishes that our whole family can eat. I love how we’ve unlocked what makes our bodies feel GOOD!

When it comes to quick dishes like this, that aren’t needing a certain sort of science and careful measurements to bake properly, I imagine my great-great-grandmothers just tossed foods together and didn’t think twice about measuring them. So that’s what I like to do too, a little of this, a little of that. Taste, adjust, repeat until it’s how you want it.

God created this one today, as my hands grabbed things and combined them that I never would’ve thought could go together.

Note that I diced each ingredient into tiny pieces, like super tiny. I first cut them into smaller chunks with a knife, then tossed them into my food chopper. If you don’t have a food chopper, no biggie, just keep chopping with your knife.

Homemakers, this is satisfying stuff. Grabbing different foods that came from the Earth and combining them into something edible can be such a beautiful art if you let it.

Alright, let’s get to it:

I started with carrots. I wasn’t sure if I would cook them first since they’re so firm, but I decided that if I cut them small enough they didn’t need the extra step of being cooked.

Then I added the handful of pineapple tidbits the kids had leftover from lunch, an onion, and diced green peppers from the freezer.

That’s it. No measurements, just work with it and taste it until you love it. I’m enjoying this right now with tortilla chips, but this could also be sprinkled over a salad, a bowl of rice, or scrambled/fried eggs.

Filed Under: Recipes Tagged With: Homemaking, Recipes

Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free, Dye-Free, Peppermint Snow Ice Cream

January 14, 2022 by Quin Leave a Comment

This post contains affiliate links.

10 Cups Fresh White Snow (avoid brown or yellow)
1/4 C. Sugar
1 Can Coconut Milk

Whisk it all together. Work quick, snow melts quickly at room temperature.

Tip: Put your coconut milk in the fridge for about an hour ahead of time, to get it good and cold.

Optional: Crush up dye-free candy canes to sprinkle on top. We love the YumEarth brand.

Filed Under: All The Posts, Recipes

Carrots For Days

August 31, 2015 by Quin Leave a Comment

Have I told you lately how much I honestly <3 my #Cutco knives??  I really do!
These carrots are from the neighbor’s garden, and they’re headed into a quadruple double batch of Sloppy Joes {freezer cooking}.  My kids have no problem eating veggies, but I like to add them to recipes for extra nutrition and easier meal prep when dinner time rolls around.
Where do YOU sneak veggies in? 
#kitchentherapy #carrotsfordays #bestneighborhoodever

Filed Under: All The Posts, Recipes

One Skillet Green Bean Goodness

August 28, 2015 by Quin Leave a Comment

I spy a little boy’s hand, swiping some bacon.
Thanks to my backyard hobby farmer & the amazing God we serve, our refrigerator has been filled with an over abundance of GREEN BEANS!
To put this in perspective, I had a whole shelf dedicated to only gallon Ziploc bags that were stuffed full of beautiful fresh green beans.  Oh my, were they ever the most vibrant shade of green you could imagine!
I know, green is the color of money.  I should’ve taken these to the Farmers’ Market.  But Ain’t nobody ’round here got time for that. 
Actually, I was told for a week that the beans were off-limits, as Mr. Awesome was planning to pickle them.  But then the plan changed and I was told to use them up as quickly as I could!  Say What?!
1. Melt a hunk of BUTTER in a skillet.  A skillet with a wide base and high sides works the best.

 2. Chop up some onions.  I ♥ my Cutco knives.  I only have a few of them, but they were an excellent investment.  I call them an investment, because they really did cost as much as a couple weeks worth of groceries.  I have Housewife Probs I suppose, I compare everything to how many groceries I could get for the same price.  You all do that too, yeah?

3. Add the ONIONS to the BUTTER.

4.  Stir them around like you know what you’re doing.

5. Cut off the ends of the green beans and toss them aside.  Then cut the beans into manageable bite sized chunks; Nobody is going to use their manners and a knife to cut them at the table, and you don’t have the energy to fight that battle today.  Just keep chopping.

6. Rinse the beans now, or you could’ve done this earlier if you were on the ball and remembered they weren’t washed when they got put in the fridge.

7.  Add the beans and some  diced up bacon to the skillet.  Put the lid on.

8. Forget what you’re doing and snap a picture of the sunset

9.  Come back a few minutes later, give this a stir, and marvel at this sight:

10. Put one serving on your nicest plate and take a picture of it.  It’s okay, you can serve the rest on your regular dishes.

THE SILVER LINING: This simple one skillet dish took care of one full bag of green beans.  We only have to eat them for another 28,000 meals to finish up the rest of them.

Dear Tired Momma out there,
I know you’re thinking your kids would NEVER eat this.  But my completely irrational 2 year old ate THREE plates of this.  I’m sure she would’ve had more, but SOMEONE pulled the ice cream out of the freezer and she decided she was ready for dessert RIGHT THEN (cue the temper-tantrum).  My 8 & 12 year olds also devoured this meal. 
Give it a try.  And if it fails, go for the ice cream. 
Love,
Quincey B.

Filed Under: All The Posts, Recipes

For Real Red Devils Food Cake

August 5, 2015 by Quin Leave a Comment

I whipped up this ‘tried and true’ recipe last week for a friend’s birthday.  It was in a binder I filled with my grandma Edna’s recipes.
After the cake cooled I used a glass to cut the cake into circles and stuffed it in the bottom of a plastic cup.  My hubby stepped in to help out while I made supper.  He covered it in ice cream, chocolate and caramel sauces & put a straw down the center, and the kids put homemade flowers in the straws.

For Real Red Devils Food Cake
1 2/3 C. Gluten Free All-Purpose Flour, sifted
1 1/2 C. Sugar
1 1/4 tsp. Soda
1 tsp. Salt
1/3 C. Cocoa
1/2. C. Soft Butter
1 C. Milk (2/3 C. + 1/3C.)
2 Eggs
1 tsp. Vanilla

Pre-heat your oven to 350.
Grease a 9*13 pan
Sift the dry stuff together.
Add butter and 2/3C. Milk
Beat for 2 minutes
Add the rest of the milk, eggs & vanilla
Beat until well combined.
Pour into the pan.
Bake 45 minutes
MAJOR Deliciousness!!

Filed Under: All The Posts, Celebrate Absolutely Everything, Recipes Tagged With: Celebrate Absolutely Everything, Recipes

Satisfying the Sweet Tooth: Local Honey

May 19, 2015 by Quin Leave a Comment

This little girl of mine has a definite sweet tooth. There is no doubt she got it from her mama.  oops!

 While I don’t mind enjoying a treat now and then, and believe me I do, I realize how important it is to fill our
bodies with real food.
 She and I both like the sweetness of pitted dates, but the other 3 people in the house can’t even tolerate them (their loss!).  Honey on the other hand, has never been turned away by any of my little (or big) sweeties.

We can all agree that there is nothing better than a spoonful of honey.  Except maybe that same spoonful of honey spread on a slice of warm toast, with a smear of our homemade peanut butter.  Oh my word.  Is your mouth
watering yet?

The benefits of honey are plentiful.
Here are my top 5 favorite reasons to indulge in the sweet treat (not a doctor, not medical advice):

1. It’s natural.  Not like the processed foods in the store that are labeled “natural”, but loaded full of junk.  This honey is
actually pure.

2. It’s antibacterial and antifungal.  Before you think I’m going overboard, would you let me explain?  I have little kids, some of which put everything in their mouth and touch everything in sight.  I can use all the immune-boosting properties I can get, and so can they!

3.  It’s a natural cough suppressant and it works far better, and much quicker, than over the counter remedies.

4. It can be used to fight allergies.  Only one of us really suffers here, but the local honey helps immensely!
5. It’s delicious.  Really that’s the only reason I need, the other benefits just help me to enjoy it guilt free.

This particular bottle of honey was a birthday gift given to my husband from our pastor and his wife. The brand is called Hopp-N-Honey and is available for purchase through them.  Message me if you’d like their contact info.   

The flavor of this honey compared to other brands I’ve tried is richer, sweeter, and overall more flavorful than the majority of store-bought honeys that I’ve sampled.  It’s safe to say this is our new favorite. 🙂

Home Educator Tip:
I like to tie everything into Home Educating that I can.  When I cracked open the lid on the honey today I also decided we’d watch a show or movie about bees.  We’ve already watched The Bee Movie over a dozen times, so I wanted something different. I found Reading Rainbow’s “The Life Cycle Of The Honeybee” on Amazon.  It’s episode 8 on Season 1, you can watch it with Amazon Prime Video.

Filed Under: All The Posts, Local, Recipes

Homemade Ranch Dressing Mix

March 24, 2015 by Quin Leave a Comment

 
This Ranch Dressing Mix is SO easy peasy.
Those little packets of dry mix are super expensive; considering you can make your own with spices you probably mostly have on hand.  If you don’t have all of these on hand, I’d suggest getting them and making it anyway, this is pretty easy and leaves you feeling super accomplished!
I mostly use this in my taco soup recipe, which I just realized I don’t have a blog post up for that. I’ll add that to my to-do list!
Ranch Dressing Mix
2 TBSP. Parsley
1 tsp. Dill
1 tsp. Garlic Powder
1 tsp. Onion Flakes
½ tsp. Basil
½ tsp. Black Pepper
For Dressing: Whisk 1 TBSP. of ths Ranch Dressing Mix in with 1/3 C. Mayo and 1/4 C. Milk.
For Dip:  1.5 C. Sour  Cream per  1 TBSP of Ranch Dressing Mix.  Add salt to taste.

Filed Under: All The Posts, Recipes

Homemade Taco Seasoning Mix

March 24, 2015 by Quin Leave a Comment

Armed with a bunch of spices, some measuring spoons, a big mixing bowl, and my mother-in-law’s recipe, I set out to make up a long time family favorite.  Taco Seasoning Mix!
We order enough beef to fill our deep freeze each year. When my husband and I got married and first started ordering beef the only thing I knew how to do with it was put in Hamburger Helper (deep cringe).  After that I learned how to make tacos.  The more I settle into my homemaker role the more I learn to do with a basic pound of hamburger, but this is still a family favorite.

Taco Seasoning Recipe:
1/4 C  Dried Minced Onion
1/4 C Chili Powder
3 TBSP. Salt
4 tsp. Cornstarch
1 TBSP. Dried Minced Garlic
1 TBSP. Ground Cumin
1 TBSP. Crushed Red Pepper Flakes
2 tsp. Beef Bullion Granules
1.5 tsp. Dried Oregano
I mix it all up and store it in an air tight container in the fridge.  Use 2 TBSP. of the mix in each pound of hamburger with 8oz tomato sauce.  You can add a little water if it’s too thick.
Tip: Taco meat is easy to make up ahead of time and store in Ziploc bags in the freezer.
My late MIL, Dorothy, who would probably think this blog is ridiculous, but have tons of tips to pass on to all of you anyway.  She is so deeply missed by all of us! ♥

Filed Under: All The Posts, Recipes

How to Make Your Own Shell Ice Cream Topping

March 4, 2015 by Quin Leave a Comment

Did you know you can make your own hard ice cream topping?
Let’s get a little old fashion and give this a try, okay?
Now we don’t really have this often (ice cream, YES.  This topping though, no), I’d say maybe once or
twice a year.  It is nice to be able to make it yourself for two reasons:
1.     Less junk goes into it.
2.    We don’t have an extra bottle lying around taking up space in the cupboard. Do you see the label peeling off that thing?  I should probably chuck it!
I chose not to use fancy organic ingredients for this, but just to show you the bare bones of this recipe. Baby steps, right?
If you aren’t making it often, you certainly don’t need specialty items for it.  If you do however make your own peanut butter, buy the better coconut oil, and good dark chocolate, by all means, use those!  It’ll be delicious either way.
This tutorial is ridiculously easy.  Ready….
Mix Peanut Butter, Chocolate Chips (or whatever chocolate you have around), and Coconut Oil in a pan
on low-med.  Any higher and you’ll burn it.  Keep stirring until it has reached a nice liquid-like consistency.
Then drizzle it over your ice cream.  DONE!
 I wish I could show you a picture of this step, but folks, after stirring and smelling this peanut buttery goodness, I
set my camera down so I could indulge!  We also had friends over.  I didn’t want to seem TOO obsessed.
You other foodie type bloggers know what I’m talking about, don’t you?  You set the bowl down, snap a picture, give it a quarter turn, snap again.  Decide to move to the table, same drill, then realize it’s melting.  Give up, put the camera down and eat it before it’s a total waste.
*If you have a peanut allergy, ran out of peanut butter, or don’t like peanut butter {GASP}, it’s alright to just leave it out of the recipe.*
How it works?  The coconut oil gets hard as it hits the COLD ice cream, causing the mixture to take on a hard
consistency.
If you’re one of those people that need ratios, here it is:
1 C. Chocolate chips
1/2 C. Coconut Oil
1/4 C. Peanut Butter
I hardly ever measure this anymore though.  I just scoop out whatever amounts I feel like, being sure to use plenty of coconut oil and it always turns out perfect!
This is a fun treat for family nights, birthdays, etc.  It’s also an easy little kitchen project to do with kids.  It’s totally science and foods class in one, right?
The clean-up is a breeze!  Hot water melts the leftover chocolate right out of the pan.

Psalms 119:103 – How sweet are your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth!

Filed Under: All The Posts, Recipes

How To Make Homemade Almond Milk -Recipe

January 10, 2015 by Quin Leave a Comment

Today I’m going to share with you a super simple DIY Homemade Almond Milk Recipe.
All you really need for this is Almonds and Water.  If you want to sweeten it up a bit and add a
little more flavor you can add a Pitted Date, a pinch of salt, and a small splash of vanilla.

Let’s get started!

Soak 1 C. of almonds in 4 C. of water overnight.
 
Your water will turn a funky color and you’ll wonder if it’s still okay to use.  Yes, it is.
 
 Strain off the water the almonds have been soaking in.
You end up with these nice beautiful plump looking almonds.
In a blender or food processor add your plump almonds (you can pull the skin off first if you’d like), and 4 C. of water.  If you chose to add the date, vanilla, and salt, now is the time. I did add those for this batch, that’s why the water is the color it is.
 
Turn it on and wait about a minute.  It doesn’t take too long at all to see the magic happening.
 
Strain the almond meal from the almond milk.  I had a small cry over some spilt milk, but we kept going anyway.  At this point you can use the back of a spoon to push some extra liquid through the strainer.  Thanks to my hubby for that creative thinking!  We got probably another half cup of almond milk from his trick!  Which is about how much we poured out on the counter!
Then just pour the milk into a jar and put it in the fridge!
Easy right? Now quit spending so much on store bought almond milk that can be full of fillers/processed junk.  Remember just because a label says “natural” doesn’t mean it’s actually natural.  You can totally make this!
The leftover almonds, called the almond meal are still very much edible.  I put ours in a covered container the fridge overnight because I didn’t feel like doing anything with them right away.
Today I toasted the almond meal on a pan in the oven at 425 for about 5-10 minutes. You can sprinkle it over just about anything; flavored or plain yogurts, oatmeal, hmm, maybe even some homemade ice cream…
FYI–  I’ve read you can keep homemade almond milk in the fridge about 3 days.  I don’t imagine it’ll last that long around here, especially because I love to blend up frozen coffee cubes and almond milk for a tasty midafternoon treat quite often.

Filed Under: All The Posts, Recipes

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