Home Cookin'

Patriotic Ice Cream Cone Cups

June 28, 2017 by Laura Tucker 1 Comment

These patriotic ice cream cone cups are a great way to add a little sweetness to your Fourth of July celebration!

How does your family celebrate the 4th of July? Do you pull out the grill and throw a rack of ribs on? Do you crank the handle on that old-fashioned ice cream churn and indulge in a little summertime sweetness in the late afternoon? Just like most Americans, my family loves to celebrate our nation’s independence and freedoms with our favorite foods – and sweets are definitely included in the mix!…

How to Freeze Zucchini

June 25, 2017 by Laura Tucker 5 Comments

This simple tutorial on how to freeze zucchini will help you enjoy zucchini all year long!

I mentioned earlier this month in my tutorial on how to freeze summer squash that we’ve been unable to plant a garden this year like we normally do because of our home building project. While I’m totally willing to sacrifice a garden in order to gain more time to dedicate building a brand new home, I can’t help but feel a little sad when I think about how I can’t walk out to my backyard and pick produce off of the stalk to cook for supper this year. That has always been such a fun and productive feeling!

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Cheesy Chicken & Rice Burrito Dip

June 22, 2017 by Laura Tucker 1 Comment

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

Now that summer is in full swing, my daughter and I have been a pair of busy bees attending all of the fun children’s events that have been taking place in the area. Just the other day I had to grab my calendar and schedule all of the activities taking place because it had gotten to where I couldn’t keep track of it anymore! On top of all of our weekly outings, I decided to enroll her in a baby gymnastics class that meets once a week. I feel so lucky to live in an area that has put such a big focus on children’s learning and physical activity. Living in a very rural part of the state, all of these free public events are a rare treat that are really making our summer extra special!

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Buffalo BBQ & Baked Bean Bacon Cups

June 20, 2017 by Laura Tucker Leave a Comment

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

This recipe for Buffalo BBQ Baked Bean Bacon Cups is the perfect appetizer to serve at your next outdoor barbecue shindig, and it’s made even greater with Frank’s RedHot Buffalo, which is perfect for Summer. Check out their Buffalo Chicken Sandwich recipe and visit their site for inspiration.

With the Fourth of July right around the corner, I decided it was time to step up my BBQ game and come up with a fun and flavorful dish that’s sure to be the star of any backyard barbecue party! There are few foods on this planet that make my mouth want to jump right off my face and give myself a big ol’ kiss like barbecue does. I love it any and every kind of way. You just can’t go wrong with it! Just to give you an idea of how much I love it – I served it at my own wedding 5 years ago. It’s safe to say I’m a big fan, y’all. BIG fan!

So when it comes to playing around in the kitchen and coming up with a new way to use it, you know I’m ready to get down and get my grub on!

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Southern Fried Peach Hand Pies

June 19, 2017 by Laura Tucker 4 Comments

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

What’s the first thing that comes to your mind when you think of summer foods? Do you think about ice cold sweets such as ice pops or ice cream? Maybe your mind takes you all the way back to your childhood years when you spent time at the county fair with your friends and dived in to a pile of fried corn dogs and funnel cakes! When I think of my summertime favorites, I always think about the fresh produce that grows in abundance right here in my home state – and all of the many ways you can take those fruits and veggies and turn them into something so sweet and tasty, you’ll have the whole neighborhood coming over to your house to eat!

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Southern Fried Chicken (Without the Guilt!) Power Air Fryer XL Review

June 14, 2017 by Laura Tucker 55 Comments

I received a Power Air Fryer XL™ as compensation in exchange for my honest review. All opinions expressed here are 100% my own!

When you think of southern style food, what are some of the first things that come to mind? Casseroles? Sweet tea? What about fried chicken? If you automatically thought of something battered and fried, you’re definitely not alone! It’s no secret that we love our fried foods here in the south. Heck, we even fry our vegetables! Just walk into any local diner around here and you’ll find that the majority of the menu items are fried – and if they’re not, the cooks will be more than happy to fry it for you!

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How to Host a Kid Friendly Fiesta Fry Bar!

June 5, 2017 by Laura Tucker Leave a Comment

“This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of McCain Foods. The opinions and text are all mine.”

With the summer months officially here, it’s time to kick off your shoes, roll up your sleeves and enjoy these beautifully warm days with friends and family by your side! Even though the temperatures here in south Alabama keep climbing higher and higher, nothing is stopping me from creating memorable moments for my family to enjoy together! One of my favorite things to do during the long summer days is to get my creative juices flowing and put together a special food-filled evening that my entire family will be sure to enjoy.

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How to Freeze Yellow Squash

June 1, 2017 by Laura Tucker 26 Comments

This tutorial for How to Freeze Yellow Squash is simple and effective at preserving those beautiful golden veggies from the garden this summer!

Over the last 4 years since we moved out to the country, my husband and I have planted a vegetable garden in our backyard. Planting a garden is a true labor of love, but the fruits of the labor always make the effort SO so worth it. If for nothing else, I love summer because of all of the delicious fruits and vegetables that are so abundant during this time of year. One of my very favorite vegetables is summer squash. Two years ago we planted extra squash in our garden so I could make baby food for our daughter. Our squash plants always tend to do very well, and by the end of the summer it usually feels like we have squash growing out of our ears!

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Crispy Baked Green Bean Fries Recipe + Balanced Meal Idea for Busy Weeknights

May 30, 2017 by Laura Tucker 1 Comment

It seems like the month of May is always one of the busiest times of the year. Schools are closing for the summer, graduation ceremonies are taking place, wedding season kicks it into high gear, little league games are coming to an end and parents are trying desperately to transition their schedules from kids being at school to kids being at home. No matter what the situation is, you may find yourself in a frenzy at one point or another, trying to balance work, school events, extracurriculars, and herding in the family around the dinner table to enjoy a balanced meal together.

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Patriotic Snack Crafts for Kids

May 25, 2017 by Laura Tucker Leave a Comment

Affiliate links may be included within this post at absolutely no cost to you. Patriotic Snack Crafts are a fun and delicious way to celebrate our great country, and I love sharing my favorite finds with you!

With Memorial Day right around the corner and Independence Day quickly approaching, I’ve started my annual hunt for the cutest seasonal snacks and crafts on Pinterest (where I always spend way more time that I ever intended) to pin to my Fourth of July pin board. My toddler is starting to take an interest in creating things, and I thought it’d be perfect to find a few of my favorite patriotic snacks for kids that encourage them to have a creative eye and create something that’s not only super yummy, but also really cute!

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