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Recipes

Easy Butternut Squash Soup Recipe {Carrot and Butternut Squash Soup with Tortellini}

by Dana Zeliff on January 10, 20192019-01-10
in Recipes

Disclosure: This post may contain an affiliate link.

Easy Butternut Squash Soup Recipe
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Try this tasty and easy butternut squash soup recipe.   You can add in tortellini and Parmesan cheese for more yummy goodness.  Serve with crusty bread and a salad to round out your meal.

Easy Butternut Squash Soup Recipe:

Easy Butternut Squash Soup Recipe Ingredients

Ingredients:

½ a large onion, diced
2 stalks of celery, diced
2 tablespoons butter
2 cups peeled and cubed butternut squash
4 cups peeled and chopped carrots
3 cups chicken stock
½ teaspoon dried marjoram
8 ounces cream cheese
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Black Pepper and Kosher Salt to taste
½ lb. cooked tortellini
Parmesan cheese for serving, optional

Directions:

  1. Melt the butter in a stockpot and cook the onions and celery over medium heat until the onions are translucent.
  2. Add the butternut squash, carrots, chicken stock, marjoram, pepper, salt and cayenne pepper.
  3. Bring to a boil and cook until the vegetables are tender, about 20 minutes.
  4. Reduce the heat.
  5. Cut the cream cheese into pieces and add to the stockpot.Easy Butternut Squash Soup Recipe 1
  6. Using an immersion blender, puree the mixture until smooth and creamy.
  7. Add the cooked tortellini just before serving.
  8. Garnish with Parmesan cheese if desired.

[Read more…]

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Recipe for Gingerbread Cookies in a Jar {Homemade Gift Idea}

by Dana Zeliff on December 17, 20182018-12-17
in Gingerbread, Recipes

Disclosure: This post may contain an affiliate link.

Recipe for Gingerbread Cookies

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Christmas just wouldn’t be Christmas unless there was a tray of sweet little Gingerbread men baking in the oven.

A wonderful gift idea is to use this Recipe for Gingerbread Cookies and put it in a jar for busy moms who love to bake homemade but could use a little help pulling together ingredients. It’s also perfect for teachers who would love the taste of fresh baked cookies but lack time.

Delicious and full of the taste of the holidays these cookies are sure to put two times the smile on everyone’s face, once while baking and again while devouring them. The are equally delicious with a steaming cup of coffee or a glass of ice cold milk. Layer in a quart sized mason jar and add a pretty ribbon and handmade label with baking instructions, don’t forget to attach a cute Gingerbread cookie cutter or two to finish them off!

Recipe for Gingerbread Cookies in a Jar:

Layer the following ingredients in a quart mason jar in this order:
1 ¾ cups all purpose flour
⅓ cup brown sugar
1 ¾ cups all purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
1Tbsp. ground ginger
1 tsp. cloves
1 tsp. allspice
2 tsp. cinnamon

Place lid and ring on the jar and close securely. Top your gift with fabric tied in raffia or twine or cut festive scrapbook paper using your mason jar ring to trace for a topper – add ribbon and a handmade tag for a thoughtful gift.

Baking Directions:

  1. Place cookie mix in a large mixing bowl, stir well.
  2. Stir in ¾ cup of molasses, ½ cup butter-softened, and 1 egg. Mix thoroughly.
  3. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate to firm up dough for one hour.
  4. Preheat oven to 350°
  5. Roll dough out to ¼ thickness on a smooth surface that has been lightly floured.
  6. Cut shapes from dough and place on lightly greased baking sheet.
  7. Bake for 12-15 minutes.
  8. Allow to cool completely.
  9. Decorate with icing and small candies (using icing as a glue)

Simple Icing Recipe:

1 ½ cups of powdered sugar
1-2 Tbsp. water
¼ tsp. cream of tartar
½ tsp.vanilla

Start with sifted powdered sugar in a small mixing bowl, add vanilla, cream of tarter, and water 1 Tsp. at a time until desired consistency is reached.
Place in an icing bag and pipe onto cooled cookies.

* Frugal icing tip – Use a ziplock sandwich bag, after filling the bag snip off a small corner, squeeze bag gently as you go. This is also much simpler for cleanup-just toss the baggie when done!

What do you think of this Recipe for Gingerbread Cookies?

See more Gingerbread Cookie Recipe and Gingerbread Recipes!

You might also like:

  • Gingerbread Activities
  • Christmas Gingerbread Cookies
  • Vegan Gingerbread Cookies Recipe
  • Gingerbread Man Candy Dish

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Filed Under: Gingerbread, Recipes Tagged With: Christmas, Gingerbread Cookie Recipe

Marshmallow Krispie Treat Ornaments

by Dana Zeliff on November 9, 20182018-11-09
in Recipes

Disclosure: This post may contain an affiliate link.

Ornament Krispie Treats
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Looking for another great recipe to use all that Rice Krispie Treat cereal that you can usually find on a good sale?  These Christmas Rice Krispie Treat Ornaments are sure to be a huge hit.  So get the kids in the kitchen and start Holiday baking!

Ornament Ingredients

INGREDIENTS
3 tbsp Butter
6 cups Rice Krispies Cereal
10 oz Marshmallows
Green Food Coloring
Red Food Coloring
Rolo candies

DIRECTIONS

  1. In a medium saucepan, melt half the butter over low heat.
  2. Add half the marshmallows and stir until completely melted.
  3. Stir in enough food coloring to make the marshmallows very green.
  4. Remove from heat.
  5. Add half the Rice Crispies cereal and stir until cereal is well coated.
  6. Prepare a sheet of wax or parchment paper.
  7. Butter a your hands or use wax paper to press the mixture into 2″ balls and place on wax paper.
  8. Press a Rolo into the top of each.8Us8vvp029qX-NKlVlaUKq5cyT7SIAM1EwXnw0vv4irE5eq6sI7mQOBsqHn547SGqg=w1330-h500
  9. Repeat this process with the other half the ingredients and the red food coloring.
  10. Allow to cool.

Looking for more recipes?  How about these Mini Pumpkin Pie Sugar Cookies!

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Filed Under: Recipes Tagged With: Christmas

Simply Adorable Penguin Doughnut Recipe to Make at Home

by Dana Zeliff on November 7, 20182018-11-07
in My Kitchen, Recipes

Disclosure: This post may contain an affiliate link.

The kids will be begging you to make this adorable Penguin doughnut recipe again and again.  With a bit of work you can take an easy doughnut recipe and turn it into an adorable creation.  You could make a double batch and surprise your children class at school or make something extra special on a Saturday morning.

Please note there are 2 parts to this doughnut recipe.  Below you will find a doughnut ingredient list and set of directions as well as an icing ingredients list an separate set of directions to finish off your penguins.

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How to Make Dessert Pilgrim Hats for Thanksgiving

by Dana Zeliff on November 2, 20182018-11-02
in Crafts, Recipes

Disclosure: This post may contain an affiliate link.

Make Dessert Pilgrim Hats

Need a super cute and easy edible craft for the kiddos on Thanksgiving?  Follow these simple directions to learn How to Make Dessert Pilgrim Hats that are both tasty and creative! These would also be cute on top of cupcakes or as mini-treats in decorative cellophane bags. I’m thinking of taking them in as class treats!

Supplies:
Chocolate cookies (I used Keebler Fudge Stripes)
Reese’s Peanut Butter cups – miniature size
Red Fruit roll-up
Yellow Chicklet gum
Chocolate Icing

Directions:

  1. Place icing on the top of a peanut butter cup and attach to the middle of a cookie.
  2. Cut a red fruit roll up into small pieces, about 2 inches long and ¼ inch wide and place it around the peanut butter cup.
  3. Dab a small amount of icing on the chicklet gum and center it in the middle of the hat on top of the fruit roll up piece. This will be the “buckle” on the hat.
  4. Let set for 5 minutes.

Make Dessert Pilgrim Hats for your next Thanksgiving get-together or class party!

You might also like these Candy Corn Cookies

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Filed Under: Crafts, Recipes Tagged With: Thanksgiving

Quick Easy Biscuits – Only 5 Ingredients!

by Dana Zeliff on October 31, 20182018-10-31
in Recipes

Disclosure: This post may contain an affiliate link.

Quick Easy Biscuits
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Most biscuit recipes call for lard and that is something that I just don’t have on hand on a day to day basis.  If you need a quick easy biscuit recipe that you can whip up fast and tastes delicious, this version uses butter and is a great go-to recipe for simple biscuits.

The key to a great texture is to use ice cold butter, and handle the dough as little as possible. Flaky and buttery these biscuits go well with a variety of dishes from sausage gravy at breakfast to fried chicken at night.

Quick Easy Biscuits:

Ingredients:

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 Tbsp. Baking Powder
4 Tbsp. Butter, cold
½ tsp. Salt
¾ cup whole milk

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Apple Pie Filling Recipe with Homemade Apple Filling

by Dana Zeliff on October 19, 20172017-10-19
in Apples Recipes, Recipes

Disclosure: This post may contain an affiliate link.

Apple Pie Filling Recipe

I made Apple Pie with my step-dad last week using apples picked from a local farm.  I was surprised at how easy making an apple pie can be!  If you want to make this all American pie, check out my Apple Pie Filling Recipe below:

Ingredients:
6-8 cups sliced apples
1/2 – 1 cup Brown sugar
1/8 + tsp salt
1 1/2 – 2 Tbsp cornstarch
1/4 + tsp cinnamon
1/8 + tsp nutmeg
1 package of Pillsbury pie crust

*The ingredient amount range is due to the size of the pie!  Use the more of an ingredient for a 10 in. pie and less for a 9 in. pie.  You can also modify the amount of brown sugar based on the sweetness/tartness of your apples.

Directions:

Apples for Pie Filling

    1. Combine all dry ingredients and sift over apples, stir.  Tip:  Use a large bowl and clean hands to mix as they are more gentle than a spoon.
    2. Line pie crust with apple mixture and dot with butter.Apples in Pie
    3. Add top crust, prick or cut slits in top.
    4. Sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar and dot with butter.Homemade Apple Pie Filling Recip
    5. Bake at 450° for 10 minutes then lower temperature to 350° and bake for 35 to 45 minutes more. Tip:  Place a baking sheet under the pie pan to prevent drips.
    6. Top with vanilla ice cream or cool whip (optional.)

Apple Pie Collage

Do you have a favorite Apple Pie Filling Recipe?

Adopted from Joy of Cooking Cookbook

Don’t forget to see my Apple Pie Recipe with homemade pie crust

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Filed Under: Apples Recipes, Recipes Tagged With: Apple Pie


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About The Coupon Challenge

Hi! I'm Dana, the writer behind the scenes of The Coupon Challenge, a Hampton Roads, VA based coupon blog. I'm a wife and mother of 2. After getting out of debt we started using our savings to travel together as a family and create memories.

Are you looking for ways to save your family money? I strive to help you save on the products you need, so you can spend more on the things you want. Read More about Dana & Family

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