Butternut Squash Soup
1 medium butternut squash (peeled, gutted and cut into chunks) 1 stick of butter 1-2 32oz cartons of chicken broth (I like Swanson’s Chicken Broth) 1 medium onion (chopped) 2-3 cloves of garlic (minced) 1/2 Tablespoon of paprika 1 cups of cheddar cheese (shredded) Salt and pepper to taste Melt butter in a dutch oven, adding the onion and garlic for about 2 minutes. Add 1 carton of chicken broth, stir, then add the chunks of squash.Place the lid on the dutch oven and let the squash simmer on low until the chunks are soft and can be stabbed easily with a fork.Once squash is soft you are going to…
Homemade Biscuits – Quick & Easy
Once upon a time, I started making dinner thinking I had everything I needed. The chicken was cooked and ready to be shredded and plopped into the simmering gravy. All I had to do was pop the biscuits into the oven for my chicken, gravy and biscuit meal. It’s a family favorite and the kids kept popping their heads into the kitchen to ask if it was ready yet. I opened the fridge and… no biscuits. What?! How can there be no biscuits? Has this happened to you? I had actually used the biscuits the previous week for breakfast but completely forgot about it. So now what? The hungry kiddos…
Hope and Healing
The older I get and the more people I talk to, it is obvious we all have our struggles. Some are self-inflicted while others are entirely out of our control. Keeping to yourself when you are going through a hard time might feel like the safe thing to do but in most cases it is not the best plan for overcoming your struggle. By turning inwards, our thoughts and emotions can take us on a downward spiral. I have found that hearing others’ stories can be very helpful. It reminds us that we are not alone in our struggle and it also helps us look at our difficulties with a…
Classic Chocolate Chip Cookies
I posted on Instagram about how I made cookies just for fun with my kids. I always make two batches and put them in a container in the fridge. This way I can make a few to enjoy and save the rest for later or to share with friends. If I don’t use all of the dough in one week I can easily freeze it. Classic Chocolate Chip Cookies Preheat: 375 degrees Ingredients: 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon baking soda 1 teaspoon salt 1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened (I use half butter and half shortening to help prevent flat cookies) 3/4 cup granulated sugar 3/4 cup packed brown sugar 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 2 large…
Sausage Potato Kale Soup
There is no question, as I look out my window at the snow falling, that it is winter. As much as I dislike the cold that comes with this season, there are several things that I love about winter. Soup, for example. I love soup and winter is soup season! I like to make large batches and freeze or give extras to my friends who need a break and a quick meal. I love the idea of a soup swap! How much fun if you and several friends make large batches of different soups and swap the extras to freeze?! So maybe I’m a little over excited about soup but…
Slowing Down
I started off this year talking about the start of the year being a clean slate. Now the whole goal of Beautifully Quaint is to help you create a good life and to do that I believe it is important to slow down. In general, I find myself stressed out and rushed. I have a long list of my own tasks I want to accomplish (this includes my job), then there’s educating and caring for my children, and on top of that there are all of the household chores, not to mention my kids’ activities and any other extra commitments I have made. Some days, I wake up and just…
Clean Slate
Although it is true you can start over any time you choose, there is something exciting about making changes at the start of a new year. Maybe it makes it a little easier to gauge your progress or the beginning of the year is a way to feel like you are celebrating the start of something, either way I believe everyone should use the new year as a clean slate. Whether you use it to let go of disappointments and hurt from the past year or to start something good for yourself, take advantage of the start of the new year. Start the healthier lifestyle or new career.Make time for…
