Laura Tucker

Spicy Twice Baked Sweet Potatoes

November 10, 2016 by Laura Tucker 2 Comments

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #ad #MakeHeartburnHistory #CollectiveBias

I’ve been making big plans, y’all. I’ve been daydreaming and taking notes about ALL of the delicious foods that are going to make an appearance on our Thanksgiving dinner table this year, and I seriously cannot wait! There are certain Thanksgiving foods here in the South that you just don’t pass up on. You’ve got your deviled eggs, your casseroles of every flavor, your buttered roll or biscuit, and your slice of sweet potato pie to polish everything off. This year we’ll have those traditional foods aplenty, but in my true foodie nature, you know I’ve got to pack in a little heat somewhere. I crave spicy all the time, and Thanksgiving is no exception!

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Cookies for Santa (A Gift in a Jar) + Free Printable

November 8, 2016 by Laura Tucker 3 Comments

There’s just something so magical about the holidays to me. From the food, festivities, and family gatherings to the holly jolliness of children anxiously awaiting the arrival of Santa Claus, it’s a spectacular time of year that’s unlike anything else. As families gather together to celebrate the season, old family traditions that have been passed down year after year are brought back to life. Every family has their own traditions that they love to carry on, and one of our favorite traditions is to spend time together making a special batch of cookies for ol’ St. Nicholas to nibble on when he makes his special delivery at our house.

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How I Transformed A Closet Into My Office Space + OttLite Review

November 7, 2016 by Laura Tucker 3 Comments

When my husband and I moved into our current home, we knew that we were going to have far less room in our new house than we were accustomed to. We decided to move back to my husbands hometown and stay in his grandparent’s rental property for a few years to save up enough money to build our dream home. While we’re forever grateful for this humble little abode, it’s had it’s share of challenges. For instance, the house is approximately 1100 sq feet, so coming up with places to put our belongings requires us to get really, really creative sometimes. With just 2 bedrooms, 1 bathroom and no storage space at all, things got tight fast.

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Banana Nut Cranberry Cookies

November 5, 2016 by Laura Tucker 2 Comments

I really wish we lived in a world where the calendar was full of Novembers. It’s my absolute favorite month of them all. The weather is perfect, the family gathers together to celebrate Thanksgiving, and all of the delicious foods that are prepared this month are amongst some of my all-time favorite foods in the entire universe.

This month is also special to me because it’s the month that I love to break out the recipe for my delicious Cranberry Banana Nut Bread. I made my first batch a few years ago when I was hosting Thanksgiving at my house. It was a little something that everyone could nibble on all throughout the day, and it could be warmed up with a slab of butter and eaten for breakfast. I remember the heavenly smell that filled my home while it was baking to perfection in my oven. As much as I love to bake pumpkin-y things during the Thanksgiving season, these are a really nice break from all of the pumpkin spice.

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White Chocolate Peppermint Mocha Cannoli Cups

November 1, 2016 by Laura Tucker 7 Comments

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #DelightfulMoments #CollectiveBias

With the weather finally cooling off a little here in Alabama, I’ve been daydreaming of all of the wonderful holiday treats that I want to make this year. Once I feel that cool air come in, I grab my fuzzy socks, curl up in a blanket, pour myself a cup of my beloved coffee, take out my trusty notepad and pen and get busy jotting down all of the ideas I have for our Thanksgiving and Christmas meals.

This time of year is always so busy for us. It seems like once Halloween has come and gone, our calendar immediately starts filling up with events, holiday parties and functions. I take menu planning for the holidays very seriously, and I always try to incorporate something new on the dessert table…no matter what holiday it is!

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20 Edible Thanksgiving Crafts for Kids

October 25, 2016 by Laura Tucker 10 Comments

20 Edible Thanksgiving Crafts for Kids

Wow has this year really flown by! Before we know it, we’ll be cutting the Turkey at the dinner table on Thanksgiving day! I remember always getting a kick out of celebrating the Thanksgiving holiday when I was in elementary school. Every year we’d have a “party” where we would do a special study on early American culture, put together fun little crafts and devour seasonal snacks until our bellies were stuffed!

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3 Ways to Amp Up Your Morning Before You Leave the House

October 24, 2016 by Laura Tucker Leave a Comment

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #BrushingEvolvedBBB #CollectiveBias

The morning slump. We’ve all fallen victim to it’s lack-luster blah-ness that leaves us feeling unmotivated and uninspired before our feet even hit the floor in the morning. Hopefully it’s not every day what you feel that way, but I’m sure you’ve been there a time or two where you just couldn’t get your motor running in the morning. We’ve all been there.

Even morning people (like myself) can find themselves in a rut early in the day, trying hard to focus on the positives, but too often being consumed by negative thoughts and vibes. I try really hard to be a go-getter and tackle each day with confidence, but sometimes my go-getter attitude gets up and leaves long before I ever step foot out of my front door. Let’s be honest here.. sometimes my morning is just a little too….blasé, if you will.

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Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Snickerdoodle Cookies

October 19, 2016 by Laura Tucker 2 Comments

I’ve had a serious hankerin’ here lately, y’all. I’ve been having these super fierce cravings for something sweet, but I just couldn’t put my finger on exactly what it was. I knew I wanted something chocolate-y, but not too chocolate-y. I knew I wanted to bake something, but I didn’t want any sort of cake. I probably wanted something pumpkin-y (because I always want something pumpkin-y,) but I didn’t want to go overboard with the pumpkin. I also wanted something sugary and cinnamon-y. Basically, I want all the things. That’s nothing unusual, by the way!

So what in the world is a woman to do when she’s got a hankerin’ like that?

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Simple Slow Cooker Chicken Taco Soup

October 17, 2016 by Laura Tucker Leave a Comment

The leaves are falling on the ground here in my neck of the woods, and the temps are starting to cool off nicely in the afternoon. Cold weather is coming, y’all! I can feel it! It won’t be long and we’ll officially break out the jackets, boots and long sleeves and bask in all of Autumn’s glory. I. Can’t. Wait!

And with the coming cooler weather, it’s time to start breaking out the slow cooker and start dusting off those recipes for soups, stews and chili! Mmm, I could eat that sort of thing all year long! (I can’t even tell a lie, y’all. I DO eat it all year long!)

So with zero hesitation, I broke out my slow cooker and decided that we were definitely having some taco soup for supper. It’s such an easy meal to throw together, and it’s so delicious and soothing on a cold winter day! My family typically uses ground beef in their taco soup, but I like to use a little chicken in mine every now and then. It’s SO good!

Here’s a copy of my recipe for you to save. As far as the ingredients go, you can get as creative as you like! We love to use chick peas in addition to chili or kidney beans from time to time because of their amazing health benefits, but feel free to use whatever sort of bean that you like!

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Simple Slow Cooker Chicken Taco Soup

Prep Time5

Cook Time6

Total Time6 5

Course: Soup

Author: Southern Made Simple

Ingredients

2 large chicken breasts
2 cups chicken broth
1 15 oz can of corn drained
1 15 oz can red kidney beans
1 15 oz can of chick peas or your other favorite bean - drained
2 15 oz cans of diced tomatoes
1 small onion - diced
1 packet of taco seasoning
Optional taco soup toppings: Tortilla chips sour cream, shredded cheese, cilantro etc

Instructions

Combine all ingredients (except taco soup toppings) in a slow cooker and cook on low for 6 hours.
With 30 minutes cook time left remaining, remove chicken breasts and shred with a fork. Return to slow cooker and let simmer.
Serve with your favorite toppings

Tried this recipe?

Tag me on Instagram: @SouthernMadeSimple or use the hashtag #SouthernMadeSimple and share your love of southern cuisine!

Another great thing about this dish is that it freezes really well. If you have a good bit of leftovers, store it in a freezable container and just pull it out and thaw the next time you’re ready for it!

Do you have any other yummy soup or stew recipes that you love to eat during this time of year? I’m always on the hunt for a new soup to try! Leave a comment and share the love!

Laura Tucker

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #ad #MakeHeartburnHistory #CollectiveBias

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #DelightfulMoments #CollectiveBias

20 Edible Thanksgiving Crafts for Kids

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #BrushingEvolvedBBB #CollectiveBias

Simple Slow Cooker Chicken Taco Soup

Ingredients

Instructions

Tried this recipe?

Tag me on Instagram: @SouthernMadeSimple or use the hashtag #SouthernMadeSimple and share your love of southern cuisine!

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