Laura Tucker

Buffalo Pimento Cheese Dip Recipe

December 17, 2015 by Laura Tucker 2 Comments

Have you ever seen one of those dishes that you look at the ingredients and think they could never possibly work together? That was me with this dish.

We southerners tend to really love Pimento Cheese, and we like the kick of buffalo sauce every now and then (mostly on our chicken), but we like those things separate. Don’t go messin’ up a good thing of pimento cheese, now!

Well….I’m sorry. Actually, I’m not sorry, cuz this dip is DELICIOUS!

It’s a little more than delicious, y’all. This dip is downright sinful! While there’s nothing in it that’s good for you (try not to indulge TOO hard), every bit of it is good for the soul. At least, that’s what I’m telling myself. It’s comfort food at it’s finest. It’s basically a party in a bowl, and everyone will want an invite.

When I make this dish, it’s best that I make it for an event where several will partake. Otherwise, my husband and I will sit down and eat this thing in 3 servings. Not that that’s happened. It might have happened a few times, though. Just sayin’.

Buffalo Pimento Cheese Dip Recipe - This dip in sinful, y'all!

I love to add shredded or chopped chicken to this dip. Remember how I said us southerners like a touch of buffalo, but mostly on our chicken? Just stickin’ to my roots, here! Here’s what you’ll need to make this devilishly delicious dip:

Ingredients:

1 8oz package of cream cheese (NOT fat free), softened
1/4 cup light ranch dressing
1/4 cup light blue cheese dressing
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese + plus a handful for topping
1/2 cup buffalo sauce
1 4oz jar of pimentos, diced
2 cups cooked/shredded chicken (optional, but DO IT!)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 F.
In a large bowl, combine all ingredients. Blend well.
Top with additional cheese if desired.
Pour ingredients into a casserole dish (8×11 or larger) and bake uncovered for 20-25 minutes.
Serve with tortilla chips or your favorite crackers. I love Ritz Crackers with this!

If you give this Buffalo Pimento Cheese Dip recipe a try, I’d love to hear how you like it! I also won’t judge if you and your significant other or friends sat down and devour the whole dish. Been there! 😉

Microfiber vs. Hemp Cloth Diaper Inserts – A Buttons Cloth Diaper Review

December 14, 2015 by Laura Tucker 4 Comments

I received these products at no cost to facilitate my review. However, all thoughts and opinions expressed are completely my own.

When people express interest in cloth diapering and start doing their research, they often are surprised at how many different options there are when it comes to styles and inserts. Prefolds, AIO’s, AI2’s, snaps, hook & loop, microfiber, bamboo, cotton, fleece, hemp, etc. It seems like it goes on and on. It can certainly be overwhelming if you let it! I mean, we all want what’s best for our baby. How in the world do we know where to even begin and what to choose?!

When I started getting really serious about cloth diapering, I decided to break it down and learn about 2-3 different things each day over the course of around 2 weeks. I found it to be so much easier that way. No information overload! I was really interested in the natural fibers as I learned that they are typically more absorbent and are safe to use against the skin. However, once I started building my stash I very quickly accumulated mostly microfiber inserts. I feel that I wound up with more microfiber because, frankly, they’re cheaper. I became a little off-put by the natural inserts because they’re a good bit pricier. But friends, let me just tell you. Having some natural insert options in your stash is WONDERFUL!

I have a little cloth diaper confession to make. I have been cloth diapering my child since she was 1 month old. I’ve been a member of numerous Facebook support/chat groups regarding cloth diapering, and I’ve done a lot of research on using cloth during the daytime and nighttime. However, I’ve never cloth diapered my child at night. Why? Because I’ve been too scared to do it. I was scared because I felt that typically people have the most issues with leakage at night. I had such a good fit and good daytime routine with my diapers that I didn’t want anything to steal my thunder. I didn’t want to become frustrated with any aspect with cloth because I love it so much. That’s why I never did it at night. I was scared of losing my fire for cloth because of the chance of leaks. Phew, I’m glad I got that off of my chest! Perhaps there are some other cloth diapering parents that are in the same boat as me. If that’s the case, I urge you to go ahead and try it!

I’m also pumped to share how I took that leap and am jumping for joy on the nighttime side…with no leaks!

I received a very special package from Buttons Diapers. I must note that I’ve always loved their packaging. It makes me think of that line in the song, “My Favorite Things” from The Sound of Music. You know, “brown paper packages tied up with string…these are a few of my favorite things!” 😉

I received a hemp/cotton nighttime doubler and a microfiber nighttime doubler, both in size small. I also received a one size diaper cover in peony. It’s a gorgeous color, and I have always loved the fit of Buttons diapers. You can read more about my love for Buttons here.

Now, before I get started with the review of the inserts and the diaper, let me share with you a few differences that I personally have found between microfiber and hemp in general:

The Buttons brand nighttime doubler inserts are designed to snap into your diaper with a daytime insert snapped on top like so:

Microfiber vs. Hemp Cloth Diaper Inserts - A Buttons Cloth Diaper Review

In this photo I am using the microfiber nighttime doubler with a microfiber daytime insert on top.

Check out this awesome video from Amy over at Buttons Diapers! She explains the microfiber doublers in great detail!

Since this was our first time ever using cloth at night, I was definitely nervous! I trust Buttons cloth diapers more than most other diapers in my stash during the day time. If I was going to use cloth at night, I felt peace knowing we were using one of the best brands! We started with the microfiber doubler and a microfiber daytime insert on top. The microfiber doubler has 6 absorbent layers and the daytime insert has 4 layers. Each time we put on the diaper, I found the fit to be pretty bulky. This was expected, though. Most night time diapers require more inserts/fabric, so that butt is going to be extra fluffy! I found the fit to still be great around the legs, which I was so happy to see. My concern came with the elastic at the very top of the back of the diaper. Because the inserts were pretty bulky, they created a tiny gap between the elastic and my daughter’s skin. My first thought was that this was going to leak, but I decided to continue to put my trust into Buttons and really put these inserts to the test!

My baby typically sleeps throughout the entire night. I was nervous that she’d wake up feeling wet, but she slept beautifully and we woke up with ABSOLUTELY NO LEAKS! I got pretty excited, but I wanted to be sure I didn’t just get really lucky on our first try. We then tried out the hemp/cotton doubler. I was expecting the hemp/cotton insert to be a little more trim than the microfiber insert, but it seemed to be roughly the same thickness. I am guessing that this is because it is a hemp/cotton blend and not solely hemp. The hemp insert is made with 5 layers of natural fabric to ensure maximum absorbency. My daughter slept beautifully again, and with no leaks!

I have found that we get a better fit with the doublers when we let out completely all of the rise settings. She normally wears it on a medium rise setting. I don’t feel that this is supposed to work this way, but it worked fine for us, so we’ll continue to do it that way. I’m just excited that we’ve found a nighttime solution that has worked for us! I even feel a little spoiled that we’ve had no leak issues at all. Thanks, Buttons! 😀

As far as preferring one over the other, I feel that the jury is still out. There’s things about the microfiber inserts that I love, and there’s things about the hemp inserts that I love. I don’t love how long the hemp inserts take to dry. I choose to air dry my inserts, and they take a good day and a half to dry when hanging indoors. The microfiber inserts take far less time. The hemp/cotton inserts also require more initial prepping. Natural fibers require 6-8 washes before becoming fully absorbent, while microfiber only takes 3-4 initial wash cycles. While I feel that both were very absorbent and got the job done, I do feel more confident that the hemp inserts absorb more liquid. I think both inserts are necessary to any stash, but I definitely recommend the hemp/cotton doublers!

You can purchase Buttons Diapers and inserts by visiting their website here.

The nighttime doublers are available to purchase in a single or double pack. Microfiber nighttime inserts start out at just $5 and the hemp/cotton nighttime inserts start at $9.75! They also have a beautiful collection of covers. Prints are $12.50 and solid colors are $11.

Can we talk about how cute this newly released “Jack Frost” print is?! This would be a perfect holiday gift for your little one! 😉

Microfiber vs. Hemp Cloth Diaper Inserts – A Buttons Cloth Diaper Review

3 BIG Reasons to Support the FFA

December 10, 2015 by Laura Tucker Leave a Comment

The summer before my junior year of high school (on my 16th birthday to be exact), I walked into the agriscience building of my school for the very first time. I heard through the grapevine that auditions were taking place for the FFA string band, so I decided to be a little brave and try out. It was my first time singing by myself in public, and I was pretty nervous walking in with two instructors and two other students as my audience. I had no idea what the FFA was really about, I just knew I wanted to sing. I belted out some obscure country song I heard on CMT during the wee hours of the morning when they actually play music videos. (If you’re curious, it was Barbed Wire and Roses by the band Pinmonkey.)

When I sang the last note, my Ag teacher was quiet for a moment, gave me a quick smirk and said, “I like it!”. I’ll never forget that moment. That moment was my first step into becoming fully involved in The National FFA Organization and learning about the things I could offer it, and more importantly, what it could offer me. Come to find out, it was a lot!

My ag teacher and FFA adviser wasted no time. The Enterprise High School FFA String Band came together and began practicing. We competed and won at county, district, state and national levels. Because of the FFA, I was able to travel and visit Indianapolis, IN for the FFA National Convention. I even got to attend a leadership conference in Washington DC!

I served as a string band member for two years and as a chapter officer for one year. The greatest experience of all, though, was learning how to unlock my potential as a student and as a young woman. I gained leadership skills, communication skills, and experienced team-building and career development activities. I was living the FFA life! (Be sure to check out this neat little video to give you a really good glimpse at what it’s like to be fully involved with the National FFA Organization!)

#WeAreFFA

Let me be really clear, here. Being involved in the FFA is not the same thing as sitting in ag class. I came from a very well established and involved FFA chapter, so I sort of had this skewed idea that ALL FFA chapters were getting the full experience like I was. Unfortunately, there are a lot of chapters in many school systems that are flat-lining. Students are sitting in ag classes and don’t have a clue as to what the FFA is. Many think that that joining the FFA means you want to be a farmer, or that the FFA and ag classes are just for country bumpkins. They’re not learning the motto, participating in career development events, applying for scholarships, learning to serve their community, and sadly, they’re not wearing the blue jackets. But YOU can help!

I’ve put together 3 BIG reasons to consider supporting your local chapter (no matter how active), and I also break down exactly what that support can mean to students in your community.

FFA Builds
- Through the FFA, students abide by the following motto: “Learning to Do, Doing to Learn, Earning to Live, Living to Serve”. The FFA encourages youth to be educated, motivated, and service minded through various exercises and events.
- Career Development Events (CDEs)
  - CDE’s help demonstrate how to take what is learned in the classroom and apply it into a real world settings. The primary objective is to help students become stronger individuals, help them function as a team, think critically, and provide an element of healthy competition. These events cover real life job skills ranging from communication and marketing/sales all the way to livestock evaluation and management. You can learn more about and view numerous CDE categories here.
- Supervised Agricultural Experiences (SAEs)
  - An SAE helps students consider multiple careers and places them in situations that allow them to apply occupational and academic principles in a supervised simulated work environment. This helps ensure that students are leaving high school fully prepared for collegiate and career opportunities. Throughout the year, students will plan their SAE carefully with their FFA adviser. You can view examples of SAEs here.
FFA Encourages
- FFA makes a difference in the lives of students by encouraging their potential for leadership, personal growth and career success. Through CDE’s, SAE’s, leadership conferences, local competitions and exercises in the classroom, the FFA helps students develop interests, fine-tune their talents, and strive to reach their maximum potential. In turn, these are skills that members will take with them when they enter the workforce and into their future careers. These are skills that aren’t learned from a textbook, but are things that are organized and demonstrated by devoted FFA advisers and other FFA members through hands on learning and service.
FFA Educates
- When you think about the FFA, you probably automatically think “Future Farmers of America”. But did you know that this is no longer what the organization is called? While the letters still historically stand for Future Farmers of America, as a whole it is now called “The National FFA Organization”. In this, the FFA is representing the growing diversity of agriculture and is better able to reach out to students and focus more so on encouraging and building them as individuals, all while presenting an understanding of agricultural influence and importance.
- Currently, agriculture is the nation’s largest employer. There are over 22 million people working in some aspect of this industry. When you think of agriculture, you probably think of crops and livestock. The FFA helps to educate students that agriculture extends even further than that. Agriculture is also the processing, marketing and distribution of crops, livestock, and other agriculturally related goods. In truth, its a science, a business, and an art. In addition to providing food and raw material through crops and livestock, agriculture provides employment opportunities to the population.
- Naked and Hungry
  - Say what?? Why do I say that? Well… think about it! Where would YOU be without agriculture? 😉

There are currently 629,327 members of the FFA in grades 7-12 throughout the country who have the opportunity to be greatly impacted by The National FFA Organization. That’s 629,327 even BIGGER reasons to show your support for your local FFA chapter and the students in it. Take the time to learn a little bit more about the organization and the many ways you can support it.

One of the most popular (and most delicious) ways to support the FFA is to make a purchase during the annual fruit sale. Students begin selling the boxes around mid October. The fruit is delivered in early December just in time for holiday cooking and baking!

I ordered a box of beautiful apples and pears. Not only did I get to support an organization that is very dear to my heart with my purchase, but I also get to have healthy snacks during the day. I’ll be making baby food for my daughter out of some of it and I’ll possibly make some jams or jellies as well!

I hope that this has shed a bright light on The National FFA organization and encourages you to learn more and show your support for those involved. The FFA has taught me so much and has given me wonderful memories and friendships that I will cherish for a lifetime. Because of the FFA, I will always believe in the future of agriculture with a faith born not of works, but of deeds.

What’s in My Diaper Bag? {Diaper Bag Essentials for the First 6 Months}

December 9, 2015 by Laura Tucker 1 Comment

Diaper Bag Essentials First 6 Months

A dear friend of mine bought me this beautiful Vera Bradley diaper bag just a few weeks after I found out we were having a little girl. (Thanks, Victoria!) I was so eager to start filling it when nesting set in, but I had no idea where to even begin! It really wasn’t even necessary to start filling it until after I brought the baby home from the hospital, but you just couldn’t tell me that! 😉

I put together a little list of 15 things that I ALWAYS kept in my diaper bag for the first 6 months after my daughter was born. It’s not an exhaustive list by any means, but these are just a few of my top picks. Some are more age specific for newborns, and a few are more for babies closer to 4-6 months, but I thought this might be a helpful guide for other parents that are nesting and want to get a head start on packing their bags!

Diapers & Wipes
- This one is pretty obvious. I won’t bore you with details on this one, but I will share that I try to keep 7-8 diapers in my bag at all times. That number can vary depending on how long we will be out of the house, but I’ve personally found 7-8 to be a comfortable number. I WILL say this, though: Have you SEEN how cute the diaper prints are from The Honest company?! I am crazy about that Anchors and Stripes print! You don’t see prints that cute when you open up a box of Huggies, that’s for sure!
Changing Pad
- Most diaper bags actually come with one of these. You may not get a TON of use out of this, but you’ll definitely want one. Who knows, you just may wind up having to change a baby on a dirty floor or in the grass. Trust me, stuff like that just happens! You’ll want to be able to lay your baby down on a clean and soft surface when changing. If you don’t want to carry around a changing pad, consider getting a few disposable ones like these: Munchkin Arm and Hammer Disposable Changing Pads. They’re easy to use, and you just toss when you’re done with them!
Change of clothing
- I don’t want to be too blunt here, but spit-up happens. Vomit happens. Spills happen, and blow outs happen. They just do. ESPECIALLY when you’re out and about. You’ll want to make sure you have a full change of clothing with you on hand for when those moments sneak up on you. Don’t forget the socks! Nothing is worse than when you’re changing your baby’s diaper and they plop their foot (WITH a sock on) right into their dirty diaper in a split second while you’re changing them. That happens, too. Best to be prepared! 🙂
Burp Cloth
- Remember when I said spit happens? It definitely does. Especially in the first 4 months. It tends to taper off a little bit, but you still definitely need a burp cloth at 6 months. Really, you could probably use two of them. In my opinion, these Gerber Prefold Cloth Diapers work really well. They’re not the cutest, but they’re absorbent and nobody’s feelings will get hurt if they get ruined or if they get left somewhere. That also happens!
Extra Bib
- You really won’t need these for the first month, but once the baby starts spitting up more frequently, it’s nice to have a bid to help protect their shirt. You’ll especially want to keep a bib when your baby begins teething (hellooooo, drool!) and when they start eating solids. Babies are NOT neat eaters!
Medicine Bag
- I personally like to keep a little ziploc bag filled with a couple different things that my baby may need. I’ll share with you what I keep in mine, but I am not implying in any way that you should use these things. That’s totally your call on what you should give your child. You know your baby best! 🙂
  - Diaper Rash Cream. We’ve used a few different brands, but we’re really liking Pinxav (Pronounced pink salve) right now! Thanks, big sis!
  - Teething Tablets (We really like Hyland’s Natural Baby Teething Tablets
  - Baby Orajel
  - Baby Tylenol (for emergencies only)
  - Suction bulb (aka: the snot sucker)
  - Thermometer
Pacifier & extra pacifier clip
- Your baby may or may not take a paci. (Do you call them pacis? I personally call them binks..short for binky!) However, you just might have one that is seemingly forever devoted to the bink. She’s brand loyal, too! We don’t leave the house without our MAM pacifiers. I personally like to keep an extra one or two in my bag, because these have a tendency to get lost frequently. It’s also wise to have an extra pacifier clip on hand. It’s torture having to constantly pick up a binky that has been dropped or thrown across the room!
Pacifier/Toy Wipes
- I always keep a package of Pacifier Wipes on hand. They’re perfect for cleaning dirty pacifiers and toys that have been dropped on the floor, or even cleaning a dirty area that you may not want your baby to touch.
Teething toy
- You really won’t need this for the first couple of months. Once baby starts teething, though, you’ll want to keep a few on hand. Teething is different for all babies. Some babies start super early, and others start a little late. We started right around 4 months. I have a detailed post on our favorite teething toys. You can read more about our top picks here.
Breast pump + a few accessories
- If you are breastfeeding your little one, I highly recommend carrying a hand pump with you in case you are ever in a situation where you cannot feed your baby right away but you need to express your milk. I always kept the Medela Harmony Manual Breast Pump with an extra bottle in my diaper bag. It’s easy to use and doesn’t take up a ton of space, which is great!
- As a breast feeder, you’re very likely to leak a little. If you don’t leak, count your lucky stars! I always kept some extra nursing pads on hand to prevent any leakage from showing through. I really liked to use reusable nursing pads, but disposable pads are also a great option. It might be a good idea to throw a little tube of lanolin in your bag to help soothe sore nipples.
- Clip-itz Nursing Cover Clips were super handy for me. I never wanted to purchase a whole nursing cover because they take up SO much room in a diaper bag and can be a pain to fold neatly. These little clips allow you to turn any blanket into a nursing cover so that you can nurse comfortable anywhere, plus they take up VERY little room.
Formula & Water Bottle
- If your baby takes formula, you’ll definitely want to have a Formula Dispenser on hand. These little contraptions perfectly portion out your formula so that you can easily pour them into a bottle for quick and easy feedings.
- Water bottle – You’ll need to have one or two of these on hand so that you can mix your formula. It’s best to use purified water or water that has been boiled.
- I love to keep these little Enfamil Single Serve Packets on hand in case we run out of formula in our dispenser, or if we ever need to do a small feeding in between normal feedings. These little Enfamil nursettes are also really nice to keep on hand. They’re already pre-mixed, so they can drink them straight from the bottle if we’re ever in a pinch.
Germ-X
- Because germs. Ain’t nobody got time for that!
Bio-hazard Bag
- I’m totally laughing as I type this. They’re not actually bio-hazard bags, but that’s what my husband and I call them. They’re really just disposable dirty diaper baggies to throw away dirty diapers in. They’re also really good for storing soiled clothing (remember when I said blow out’s happen?). They’re basically just a glorified plastic grocery store bag, but they’re super compact and come in a fancy little dispenser. All in all, they’re just nice to have.
Snacks
- This is another item that you will not need until baby has started eating solids, which is usually around 5-6 months. We’re pretty conservative with the amount of snacks we let our little one munch on during the day, but they’re great when we’re out and about the the baby starts getting a little fussy. We really like Happy Baby Organic Greek Yogurt Bites!
Bottle
- Whether your baby is drinking breast milk, water, juice or formula, you’ll want to have a bottle of some sort on hand. If your baby is exclusively breast fed, you may not find this necessary until they begin taking juice. We absolutely love these Philips Avent Bottles. You’ll want to make sure you find a bottle that works well with your little one, and that you get a nipple with an appropriate flow level for their age.

I hope you find this list of diaper bag essentials for the first 6 months helpful when preparing for your baby! Do you have any other diaper bag essentials you couldn’t live without? I’d love for you to share about them below in the comments!

Southern Made Simple is a part of several affiliate advertising programs. This means that if you click and/or make a purchase through certain links on this site or any related social media platforms (including Twitter, Facebook and Pinterest), I may make a commission from that click and/or purchase. Although I participate in these programs and have sponsored posts, all opinions are my own.

You’re a SWEET One, Mr. Grinch! {Grinchy-Green Christmas Fluff Recipe}

December 7, 2015 by Laura Tucker 4 Comments

You’re a SWEET One, Mr. Grinch! {Grinchy-Green Christmas Fluff Recipe}

I think I owe you an apology, Mr. Grinch.

I know how you felt about Christmas cheer for the longest time, and I know that you and Christmas are cool now. Your beef with the holidays and the Whos down in Whoville has been squashed. Your heart has grown THREE sizes bigger, and the true meaning of Christmas came through. You even gained the strength of 10 grinches, plus TWO!

I mean, you’re a pretty good guy, all gruffness aside. But when this time rolls around each year, I’m not singing about how cool you are. I’m singing the opposite! Maybe you’ve heard this little diddy a time or two..

Yeah. I apologize if that hits a sore spot. I really didn’t mean it when I called you a nasty wasty skunk. I promise!

I say it’s time to CELEBRATE you instead of bashing you, Mr. Grinch. I think the world needs to give you a little more credit and warm up to your sweet side. You may have stolen Christmas, but you really stole our hearts in the end. 😉

Growing up, How The Grinch Stole Christmas was one of my very favorite Christmas movies. I hope my daughter enjoys it as much as I do, because we’re watching it every year. Maybe even more than twice! In order to celebrate the Grinch’s sweetness, I decided to whip up a yummy little dessert that reminded me of him. I think we’ll make this a tradition every year to snack on this when we watch the movie. It’s fun to make and even more fun to eat!

Here’s what you’ll need to make this Grinchy awesomeness:

Ingredients:

1 box lime jello
1 8 oz package cream cheese, softened
1/2 c cold water
1 cup boiling water
1 1/2 cup mini marshmallows
1 16 oz can crushed pineapples, drained with juice reserved
2 Tbsp pineapple juice
Cool whip or Reddi Whip
Sprinkles (optional)

Directions:

Add jello mix to 1 cup boiling water and stir until well dissolved. This should take around 2-3 minutes.
Add 1/2 cup cold water and 2 tbsp reserved pineapple juice.
In a separate bowl, blend cream cheese with a hand mixer.
Add jello mixture slowly, not allowing it to splash. Allow to slightly froth.
Chill until thickened – roughly 1 hour
Mix in marshmallows and pineapple
Chill for 2+ hours
Serve with sprinkles and cool whip (if desired)
Enjoy!

Who knew celebrating the Grinch could be so sweet?! Not only would this be a sweet dish to cuddle up on the couch and eat, but it would also be great to take to a holiday gathering! If you give this recipe a try, I’d love to hear how you like it. Maybe it’ll make you warm up to the Grinch just a little bit more. I know it did me!

Why Amazon Prime is My BFF {+ FREE 30 Day Trial}

December 5, 2015 by Laura Tucker Leave a Comment

There are certain things in this world that help make life so much easier. I love those things. Those things are FANtastic. Easy is always welcome in my home. We can be best friends forever, because I need easy in my life. I’ve found this to be especially true as a new mother. I’ve also found this to be even more true as a new mother who lives way out in the sticks. Sometimes driving 20+ minutes to get to a decent store with a 7 month in tow is less than ideal or desirable. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve thought to myself, “Can’t someone just ship all the junk I need to me without me paying an arm and a leg for shipping, cuz that would be AWESOME!”.

Actually, I have that thought roughly 3 times a week to be honest. But you know what?Thanks to Amazon Prime, l DO have junk that I need shipped to me, and it arrives in just 2 days without me worrying about extra shipping costs. I never have to load my baby into her car seat and waste my gas driving into town to go pick up the 2 things I needed, and IT. IS. GLORIOUS!

Now when I need to purchase something, I usually ask myself, “Can I wait two days to get this item?” If the answer is yes, I just Prime it! Seriously. I’ve “Primed” almost everything, y’all. Laundry detergent and undergarments are not exempt from that list. I should probably bake my UPS lady something sweet, because she stops at my house almost every single day. Bless her heart.

So if you’ve never heard of Amazon Prime until now, let me fill you in here. Amazon.com offers a special membership program that offers ROCK STAR benefits to paying customers. For $99 a year (SO SO SO SO SO worth it), you will have access to the following things:

UNLIMITED free two-day shipping on eligible orders with no minimum order size. (Hallelujah!)
Access to Prime Instant Video, where you can instantly watch over 40,000 movies and TV episodes
Access to Prime Music, which offers unlimited and ad-free access to hundreds of Prime Playlists and more than a million songs
Free unlimited book borrows for Kindle users
Free access to Amazon Mom (hello, 20% off diapers!)
Plus several other amazing benefits that you can learn more about here.

Isn’t that AWESOME? I’ve been using Amazon Prime for over 3 years, and I don’t ever want to go back to life without it. For as many times as I have things shipped to my door, that $99 has saved me so much money in shipping fees, but more importantly it allows my life to be easier in so many ways. Amazon Prime is especially great during the holidays. My Christmas shopping is basically done!

What’s even better than me bragging about how my life has been easier than it used to be and I don’t pay a ton for shipping? Why, I’m glad you asked.

YOU can have it, too! If you want to try out Amazon Prime for a month before committing to paying $99 for a year, you can start out with a free trial. No hidden fees or anything! This would definitely come in handy to help you get your last minute shopping done. I’d love to share prime with you through my affiliate link. You can start your free trial by clicking here ( Try Amazon Prime 30-Day Free Trial) or by clicking the banner below.

I hope this helps you out a little bit with your holiday shopping. Who knows, maybe you’ll love it as much as I do and become a member! There’s so many great benefits, and I just can’t help but to sing praises about Amazon Prime. If you’re not already a member and decide to try it out, let me know how you like it!

Southern Made Simple is a part of several affiliate advertising programs. This means that if you click and/or make a purchase through certain links on this site or any related social media platforms (including Twitter, Facebook and Pinterest), I may make a commission from that click and/or purchase. Although I participate in these programs and have sponsored posts, all opinions are my own.

Southern Made Simple Has Been Live for 1 Month!

December 2, 2015 by Laura Tucker 9 Comments

Southern Made Simple Has Been Live for 1 Month! I think a small celebration is in order!

I’ll be giving away this fun little 3 pack of vinyl monogram decals to one lucky reader, just in time for Christmas! This would make an AWESOME stocking stuffer! Vinyl decals can go on nearly any hard surface and are easy to apply. Think car windows, mirrors, binders, laptops, etc. There’s so many things you can do with them, and they’re a fun way to make your items personalized!

The winner will get to customize the lettering and choose between red, green or white decals. If you’re really feeling festive, you can do one in each color! 😉

Just fill out the form below to enter! Be sure to sign up for our email updates so you don’t miss anything. We’ve got lots of great stuff coming up this month!

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Did you miss your chance to enter this fabulous giveaway? No worries! Be sure to check out my list of current giveaways going on so you can get in on the fun!

When Santa Has No Chimney {+ Free Printable!}

December 1, 2015 by Laura Tucker 4 Comments

As a child, I remember reading and singing cheerful Christmas songs about Santa Claus and his magic reindeer. For a while, my mother would decorate our home from top to bottom with Christmas decor. We had a HUGE fireplace where we displayed our stockings. Christmas was a big to-do in our house.

When the night before Christmas rolled around, we’d always break out the book, “Twas The Night Before Christmas” and read it as a family. We’d put on our Christmas pajamas and go straight to bed. At night I would fall asleep imagining Santa filling our stockings after squeezing down our chimney.

Because that’s what Santa does. He goes down the chimney.

That’s what all the books and Christmas carols said, anyway. But because I always had a chimney, I never once gave it any thought as to how he would enter if we didn’t have a chimney.

Now that I’m an adult and have a child of my own, I’m excited to share the magic of Santa with her as she gets older. I’m so excited for those few magical years where children believe in Santa, and you know it by the twinkle in their eye once December rolls around.

I’m looking forward to teaching my daughter all of the fun holiday songs, reading her my favorite Christmas-y books, and sharing with her that Santa and his reindeer fly around the world bringing people presents. He lands on the roof, slides down the chimney, nibbles on the cookies you leave him, and fills your stocking with fun surprises.

We just have one tiny little problem, though.

Our house has no chimney.

I looked everywhere, y’all. Sadly, it’s just not there. And then it occurred to me that this is actually a normal problem. And frankly, it’s really not a problem at all! People live in apartments, trailers, condos, and all sorts of different dwellings that have no chimney. Santa still visits them somehow, right?! Of course he does! And this is the type of thing that I know my daughter will inquire about one day. How DOES Santa come down the chimney when you don’t have a chimney?

Why, he uses his magic of course!

If that fat man can squeeze down a chimney and make his reindeer fly, then he can sprinkle some of that jolly ol’ magic on our special Santa Key and walk right through our front door!

The Santa key can only be used by Santa himself. We leave it hanging on our Christmas tree until Christmas Eve. Before we slip off to bed, we hang the magic key outside our front door so he knows how to enter.

My daughter is will be 7 months old this Christmas, so she will know nothing of the jolly ol’ elf this year, but it won’t be long before she starts picking up on who Santa is. We’ll gladly explain to her how he’ll come into our home quietly while she sleeps and work his magic filling stockings and leaving presents. When we put out his milk and cookies, I’ll let her hang the key on our door just for him.

If you find yourself in the same chimney-less situation as us, here’s a free printable that you can download and pair with your own magic Santa key!

I hope this brings a little more joy to you and your family this holiday season! If you don’t have a chimney, how has Santa been entering your home? I’d love to hear about all the ways he works his magic!

Southern Egg Salad (with Bacon!)

November 30, 2015 by Laura Tucker 3 Comments

This is one of my favorite go-to recipes when I need to whip up a yummy side dish for an event or a pot-luck. It’s got a little somethin’-somethin’ that sets it apart from your typical egg salad, and boy is it a game changer!

I’ve always liked egg salad, but I’ve never loved it. Sure, I’d help myself to some at a bridal shower or at a picnic/cookout, but that’s really only sort of occasion I’d ever eat it at. It was never something I thought to prepare at home and eat as an actual meal, and I certainly never craved it. That is, until this happened:

Cream cheese + Bacon

Yes, my friends. Cream cheese and bacon. All up in yo egg salad. AND it’s glorious. Whip these two rock star ingredients up into this egg salad and you’ll be licking the spoon! Think I’m kidding? Try it.

Savory Southern Egg Salad with a twist! The cream cheese and bacon really make this one spectacular!

Gone are the days where I viewed egg salad as being just okay. With this flavorful twist on a Southern staple dish, you’ll have people going back for seconds. And you certainly won’t think twice about eating this as a meal in your own home. It’s deee-lish! I personally love to eat it on slider buns, but it also pairs nicely with crackers. Here’s what you’ll need:

Ingredients:

(Note: This recipe is doubled to feed a larger crowd. Feel free to reduce the ingredients as you see fit.)

1 dozen hard boiled eggs
1 8oz package cream cheese, softened
4 Tbs butter, softened
Bacon, cooked and chopped. (Real bacon bits work fine as well)
4 Tbs low-fat mayo
Pickle Relish (to taste)
2 tsp sugar
Salt & pepper to taste

Directions:

Peel the hard boiled eggs and separate the yolk into a large bowl.
Blend egg yolks, cream cheese and butter together until smooth.
Mix in remaining ingredients, making sure the egg whites are blended in last.
Cover in air-tight container and chill for an hour
Serve on your choice of bread or crackers and enjoy!

What are your thoughts on egg salad? Have you ever added anything different to a traditional dish to give it a new life? If you try this recipe, I’d love to hear your thoughts!

Easy + Cheesy Sausage Balls

November 27, 2015 by Laura Tucker 1 Comment

This simple little recipe is one of my husband’s favorite things to munch on. His great grandmother wrote this one down in a cookbook that she shared with her friends and family years ago, and I know she’d love for it to be shared again with others. It makes for a perfect appetizer for nearly any occasion, and it has only 4 ingredients! Woohoo!

These sausage balls are also delicious for breakfast! I love to drizzle a little syrup over mine in the morning, but my husband loves to just reheat and go! These would be perfect to make ahead of time in a large batch and eat during busy work/school mornings!

Ingredients:

3 cups Bisquick Mix
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1 lb mild sausage (spicy sausace would also be delicious if you like a little heat!)
2/3 cup sweetened condensed milk

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 F
Combine all ingredients and roll into small balls. (Do NOT cook the sausage ahead of time.) Place balls on greased cookie sheet.
Bake 15-20 minutes
Enjoy!

What is your favorite simple appetizer to whip up? Leave a comment and let me know! I always love to try new recipes!

If you like this recipe for Easy Cheesy Sausage Balls, you’ll definitely want to give these a try! Bacon Spinach Alfredo Twice Baked Potatoes, Mini Venison Taco Bites, Jalapeno Pepper Poppers

Laura Tucker

I received these products at no cost to facilitate my review. However, all thoughts and opinions expressed are completely my own.

FFA Builds

FFA Encourages

FFA Educates

Ingredients:

Directions:

Did you miss your chance to enter this fabulous giveaway? No worries! Be sure to check out my list of current giveaways going on so you can get in on the fun!

Our house has no chimney.

Cream cheese + Bacon

Ingredients:

(Note: This recipe is doubled to feed a larger crowd. Feel free to reduce the ingredients as you see fit.)

Directions:

Ingredients:

Directions:

If you like this recipe for Easy Cheesy Sausage Balls, you’ll definitely want to give these a try! Bacon Spinach Alfredo Twice Baked Potatoes, Mini Venison Taco Bites, Jalapeno Pepper Poppers

And if you want to try another one of Grandmama’s AMAZING recipes, you must try her Glazed Mini Lemon Cakes. They’re seriously to die for, y’all!

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