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8 Spice Blends & Seasonings You Can Make At Home

A couple weeks ago, we tried a new recipe from Erin Chase’s $5 Dollar Dinners. Cajun Chicken Fettuccine….YUM. This was one of the very first times we used a recipe that called for a homemade spice blend. Uh… what? We never thought about making our own spice blends! Totally crazy because it was amazingly easy and delicious. 

Since then, I’ve been searching around for more spice blends. It’s amazing what you can make yourself, and, you can avoid weird ingredients and chemicals that you can’t pronounce. You know, those ones that we definitely shouldn’t be putting in our food. 

Check out these 8 Spice Blends and Seasonings you can make at home!

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Tasty Fall Recipes

 

FAIRY

As the chilly weather begins to set in, I’m always in the mood for warm and comforting dishes! There’s something about dishes like chili, soups, roasts, and casseroles that just make me happy when the temperatures drop! My crockpot becomes more prevalent in the fall, too!

We’ve had an unusually hot summer in Colorado this year and we’re still in the mid-70’s to low 80’s these past couple weeks. As much as I love the warmer weather, I’m ready for some cooler temps! This also means that I am in search of cold-weather friendly recipes :)

Check out some of these recipes that have become our new favorites lately!

 

Southwestern Chicken Chili
Super quick and delicious crockpot meal for a chilly fall night!
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Ingredients
  1. 1½ lbs boneless chicken breast
  2. 3 cans petite diced tomatoes (14.5 oz each)
  3. 2 cups medium salsa
  4. 1 (14.5 oz) can corn, undrained
  5. 2 (14.5 oz) cans black beans, drained and rinsed
  6. 1 pkg ranch seasoning
  7. 1 pkg taco seasoning
  8. Toppings - cheese, sour cream, tortilla strips ect
Instructions
  1. Combine all ingredients in crock-pot and cook on low 4-5 hours.
  2. Remove chicken from crock pot and shred.
  3. Place chicken back in crock pot and stir.
  4. Serve with desired toppings.
Notes
  1. Makes enough for leftovers too! :)
Adapted from Mommy's Fabulous Finds
Adapted from Mommy's Fabulous Finds
http://crunchyontheweekend.com/
One Dish Chicken & Rice Bake
Serves 4
Quick and easy without tons of clean-up! Mama win!
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Prep Time
5 min
Cook Time
45 min
Total Time
1 hr
Prep Time
5 min
Cook Time
45 min
Total Time
1 hr
Ingredients
  1. 1 can (10 1/2 ounces) Campbell’s® Condensed Cream of Mushroom Soup
  2. 1 cup water
  3. 3/4 cup uncooked long grain white rice
  4. 1/4 teaspoon paprika
  5. 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
  6. 1 1/4 pounds skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
Instructions
  1. Stir the soup, water, rice, paprika and black pepper in an 11x8x2-inch baking dish.
  2. Top with the chicken.
  3. Season with additional paprika and black pepper.
  4. Cover the baking dish.
  5. Bake at 375°F. for 45 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through and the rice is tender.
  6. Let stand for 10 minutes.
  7. Stir the rice before serving.
Adapted from Campbell's
Adapted from Campbell's
http://crunchyontheweekend.com/
Crock Pot Easy Pot Roast
Serves 8
"Moist and juicy pot roast done in a slow cooker with carrots, onion and potatoes."
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Prep Time
40 min
Cook Time
9 hr
Total Time
9 hr 40 min
Prep Time
40 min
Cook Time
9 hr
Total Time
9 hr 40 min
Ingredients
  1. 4 lbs chuck roast
  2. salt and pepper to taste
  3. 1 packet dry onion soup mix
  4. 1 cup water
  5. 3 carrots, chopped
  6. 1 onion, chopped
  7. 3 potatoes, peeled and cubed
  8. 1 stalk celery, chopped
Instructions
  1. Season the roast with salt and pepper to taste. Brown on all sides in a large skillet over high heat, about 4 minutes per side.
  2. Place the roast in the slow cooker and add the soup mix, water, carrots, onion, potatoes, and celery.
  3. Cover and cook on Low setting for 8 to 10 hours.
Notes
  1. I always add additional seasoning to my pot roast- nothing specific and it's usually different each time. Whatever pairs well with each other is my go-to! Also, I RARELY measure seasonings.
Adapted from All Recipes
Adapted from All Recipes
http://crunchyontheweekend.com/
 

Stuffed Peppers
Serves 6
Super tasty and easy recipe for those busy nights!
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Total Time
55 min
Total Time
55 min
Ingredients
  1. 1 lb lean chopped turkey meat or ground beef
  2. 1 garlic, minced
  3. 1/4 onion, minced
  4. 1 tsp garlic powder
  5. 1 tsp cumin powder
  6. salt to taste
  7. 3 large sweet red bell peppers, washed
  8. 1 cup fat free chicken broth
  9. 1/4 cup tomato sauce
  10. 1 1/2 cups cooked rice
  11. Olive oil spray
  12. 1/4 cup reduced fat shredded cheese (cheddar or mozzarella are my favorites!)
Instructions
  1. Heat oven to 400°.
  2. Spray a little olive oil spray in a medium size saute pan and heat on a medium flame.
  3. Add onion, garlic and cilantro to the pan. Saute about 2 minutes and add ground turkey.
  4. Season with salt and garlic powder, and cumin and brown meat for several minutes until meat is completely cooked through.
  5. Add 1/4 cup of tomato sauce and 1/2 cup of chicken broth, mix well and simmer on low for about 5 minutes. Combine cooked rice and meat together.
  6. Cut the bell peppers in half lengthwise, and remove all seeds. Place in a baking dish.
  7. Spoon the meat mixture into each pepper half and fill it with as much as you can.
  8. Place all stuffed pepper halves on the baking dish and pour the remainder of the chicken broth on the bottom of the pan.
  9. Cover tight with aluminum foil and bake for about 35 minutes.
  10. Top with shredded cheese and enjoy!
Notes
  1. We typically eat 2 halves each so this only feeds 3 people when we make it.
  2. Also, we double the meat mixture each time so we can freeze half of it for a later date!
Adapted from Skinny Taste
Adapted from Skinny Taste
http://crunchyontheweekend.com/

 What are some of your favorite cold-weather recipes? 

Other articles you may enjoy:

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

Our Favorite Snack & Dip Combos

Simple Breakfast Recipes

 

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Rubbermaid Tupperware…My kryptonite. + GIVEAWAY!

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As a mom, I have a whole new appreciation for tupperware. As a kid, I always knew my mom loved hers, but, I didn’t “get” it…until now. I hoard tupperware like nobody’s business and I am not ashamed. I have tupperware of all sizes- little enough for my husband to take dips to work for lunch and big enough to store enough watermelon to feed an army (aka my toddler). I have specific tupperware for freezing and specific tupperware for things like spaghetti- I can’t have ALL my tupperware stained red, no way. I even have a special tupperware container to store homemade diaper pail fresheners…it is permanently peppermint scented. 

Lately, with our Renovation going on and my broken ankle, we’ve been doing big, family-style style dinners with my parents, Gramma, me, my husband, and our daughter. That makes 6 of us with a sometimes ravenous toddler (depending on her mood for the day). My mom’s been the main cook since I was in a non-weight bearing cast for 4+ weeks. She makes a bunch of food with plenty for leftovers! And what else would I want to store those leftovers in besides my amazing Rubbermaid tupperware!? Nothing. I love it more than my scarce alone time…okay, maybe not THAT much ;)

I was more than excited when I got to try out some of Rubbermaid’s best tupperware- their large Party Platter and their Easy Find Lids 24-piece Set. Be still my heart! This is one of my ongoing mom dreams come true…more awesome tupperware to add to my collection! I received the platter and set a few days ago and I am in love with them!

Plus, one lucky person will win their OWN set of (1) Party Platter and (1) 24-Piece Set of Easy Find Lids! Woo hoo! Good way to start the football season off when you have tons of snacks and leftovers from your game day parties!

Enter below!

Let’s start with the specifics…

 

Party Platter

  • Large outer container with a secure lid to hold chips, veggies, and other snacks
  • Removable Twist & Seal™ dip container nests snuggly into the base
  • Leak-proof Twist & Seal™ lid secures the dip and prevents spills
  • Divided platter base keeps different foods and snacks separated
  • Outer lid snaps onto platter base for a tight seal and secure transporation
  • All components are BPA-free
  • Microwave, dishwasher, and freezer safe
  • Available in ONE SIZE- outer container is 2.3 L/9.6 cups; dip container is 473 mL/2.0 cups
  • Available at Kroger, Publix, Meijer, and select online retailers
  • MSRP $8.99

Easy Find Lids

  • Lids snap together and to container bases so you can always find the right lid
  • Graduated sized containers nest for compact storage
  • One lid fits multiple bases
  • Square shape for optimal space utilization
  • Microwave / Freezer / Dishwasher Safe
  • Thick, durable container walls for everyday use
  • Bases and Lids are BPA FREE
  • Available in a variety of sizes
  • Sets range from $8.99-$25.99 MSRP
  • Individual containers range from $2.50-$8.99 MSRP
  • Available at Walmart, Target, various grocery stores (Kroger, Publix, Fred Meyers, and select others), & Club Stores (Sam’s Club, Costco, and BJ’s)

 

Now, I love pretty much every piece of tupperware, but, these Easy Find Lids are my favorite. The pieces are solid and sturdy without being too bulky. These pieces ALWAYS stay organized inside my lazy susan (and yes, I have an entire lazy susan dedicated to tupperware…no judging!). Everything “snaps” together so there’s no loose pieces sliding around and no crazy organization needed. Another bonus- multiple lids fit multiple containers! I also love that the lids and containers are BPA-free. That’s important to me when I’m using the containers to store food in that my family will be eating!

With football season here, the weekends are full of get-togethers and parties. The new Party Platter from Rubbermaid is the perfect thing to tote your snacks and dips in. You have 4 larger spots for veggies, chips, crackers, fruit, whatever you want! Then, you can store whatever dip you want in the included center tupperware without it leaking all over the snacks! Super easy and no weird nooks and crannies to clean. That’s great when you’re worried about more important things like just getting the dishes done quick so you can spend time with your friends and family and watch the game! Check out some of our favorite snack and dip combos for get-togethers here! :)

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Enter the giveaway below and share with your friends and family! :)

Good Luck!

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Rubbermaid Party Platter & Easy Find Lids Set Giveaway!

*Disclaimer: Crunchy on the Weekend does not get monetary compensation to review all products. On occasion, companies will send me a product for review on my blog. I personally decide which products to review and feature on my blog- these are products or services I would use myself and for my family. Receiving products does not influence my final review at all. I will not we be held responsible if you decide to purchase an item and you are dissatisfied with it. I state my opinions on the products and do not claim any guarantees for you as the reader.*

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Our Favorite Snack & Dip Combos for Get-Togethers!

Our Favorite

As the holidays approach and football season picks up, get-togethers with family and friends are happening all the time! Sometimes, planning what to bring isn’t as planned as you expected and you rush to throw something together.

Check out some of our favorite snack and dip combinations and make your side dish super quick and easy! :)

Appetizer Dips

  • Tortilla Chips & Salsa
  • Tortilla Chips & Guacamole (my favorite- my husband hates guac! I don’t understand it!)
  • Pita Chips & Hummus
  • Veggies & Hummus
  • Artichoke Dip & Crackers
  • Veggies & Ranch
  • Tortilla Chips & Buffalo Chicken Dip

Dessert Dips

To make your transporting and clean up even easier, enter to win some Rubbermaid Tupperware and a Party Platter!

What are some of your favorite combinations? Tell me about it on Facebook!

 

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End of the Summer Canning & Cooking

We have had a wonderful summer here in Colorado. A little hot throughout, but, we’ve lucked out with decent weather and tons of sunshine! Sunshine is always a good thing, right!?

Since our homestead plans changed drastically (just a little home renovation, no biggie right?), our planned garden was a no-show this year and we’re okay with that.

We’ve got next year to plant and harvest goodies (in a new home hopefully!).

Canning and storing food is not only a great way to use up excess veggies and fruits before they go bad, it’s also a good way to have a good stock of healthy, preservative-free canned goods for quick meals and snacks!

Those canned veggies, fruits, sauces, and other goodies are perfect for quick and easy meal prep! A mom's lifesaver! ;)
Those canned veggies, fruits, sauces, and other goodies are perfect for quick and easy meal prep! A mom’s lifesaver! ;)

Another way to use up excess garden harvests is freezing! It’s great to have veggies and fruits on hand that still taste fresh when you thaw and cook them! Plus, frozen fruits are amazing in smoothies :)

If you’re feeling neighborly, you could even bake some goodies for your neighbors.

Donating to a local food bank or shelter may be an option as well, and, you’d be helping to feed others who may not have much to eat that week. Talk about a good feeling- I love helping others.

For now, I want to share some awesome recipes for those end of the season veggies that you may have an excess of!

*(Keep in mind that most of these recipes are for large amounts for canning- adjust appropriately if needed)*

Canning & Other Recipes

An entire index of delicious & creative recipes from Food in Jars

Homemade Spaghetti Sauce

Mild Tomato Salsa

Apple Pie Jam

Cinnamon Blueberry Jam

Grandma’s Dill Pickles

Photos by Taste of Home
Photos by Taste of Home

Most of these recipes are super simple and you can make and store a lot (even gift some if you’re feeling generous!)

This is also a great time to can and store some goodies since the holidays are right around the corner!

What is your favorite recipe (canning or otherwise)?

Tell us below! :)

 

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