• Disclosure Policy
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use
  • Contact

Protecting Your Pennies

Buy Smart. Plan. Play

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • YouTube
  • Home
  • Trim Healthy Mama
    • Meal Plans
    • What I Ate Wednesday
    • Recipes
      • Breakfast
      • Main Meal
      • Desserts
      • Snacks
  • Buy Smart
    • Discounts
    • Holidays
    • Sales & Deals
  • Plan
    • Holiday Treats
    • Cleaning & Organization
  • Play
    • Travel
    • Kid Activities
    • Gifts
  • About Me
  • Contact
  • Shop
  • Cart
  • Checkout

easy

Thanksgiving Turkey Shaped Eggs In A Basket

November 10, 2018 by Stacy Craft Leave a Comment

Learn how to make a cute Thanksgiving inspired turkey shaped eggs in a basket breakfast for the kids this season.

Thanksgiving Turkey Eggs In A Basket for Kids

Thanksgiving Turkey Eggs in a Basket Breakfast for kids

This turkey shaped eggs in a basket was inspired by a breakfast that my Dad made frequently when I was growing up. People call this concoction of toast with a fried egg in the middle a variety of things.

Eggs in a basket, toad in the hole, eggs in a nest are all common. My Dad always called it a “one eye” so when I see this breakfast, one eye is always my first thought.

And a turkey shaped one eye makes this a perfect breakfast before the big Thanksgiving meal for the kiddos.

(Affiliate Links are used in this post. A small commission may be paid to me at no extra cost to you and that helps to support this page. Please see my disclosures page for additional information.)

Thanksgiving Turkey Shaped Eggs in a Basket

Making fun food for my kids is one way that we start getting excited about the upcoming holidays. We have already made these easy turkey shaped bagels with apple feathers and since those went over well, I wanted another cute breakfast treat for the kids.

(ignore the Rudolph pajamas, I try to fight only important battles with 4 year olds)

Kid eating Turkey Shaped Egg in a Basket for Thanksgiving Breakfast

To make these turkey shaped eggs in a basket, start by baking or frying your bacon. I love to bake the bacon because it frees me up to do another task while the bacon is crisping up in the oven.

Eggs in a basket or one eye’s are super easy to make and please even a picky eater. To get the eggs in a basket portion going, start by melting a tablespoon of butter in a skillet over medium heat.

While the butter is melting, take one slice of bread and make a hole in the middle. You can use a cookie cutter, the top of drinking glass or just tear out a hole if that is more your style (that is how my Daddy does it).

Bread with Hole for Toad in a Hole Breakfast

Put the slice of bread into your skillet and crack an egg into the hole. Season with salt & pepper. Cook for about two minutes or until the egg is set up enough for you to flip.

Egg in a Basket Uncooked

Flip the toast/egg combo. Cook until the egg is at your desired method. When I am making this for kids, I cook for another couple of minutes until the egg is over hard (basically boiled in the middle). They don’t like runny eggs.

Once the egg is done, remove it from the skillet. Now you get to turn the eggs in a basket into a turkey. For the eyes, use candy eyeballs or raisins.

For the nose, I used a piece of cheese cut in a small triangle. The gobbler is just a broken piece of bacon.

Turkey shaped egg in a basket with bacon feathers breakfast

Arrange the bacon feathers around the top of your turkey shaped eggs in a basket to complete this yummy Thanksgiving breakfast treat. Would your kids love to see a cute little turkey shaped egg in a basket on their breakfast plate?

Filed Under: Holiday Treats, Plan, Recipes Tagged With: breakfast, easy, eggs in a basket, fun food, healthy, holiday, kids, one eye, Thanksgiving, toad in the hole, treat, turkey, turkey shaped food

9 Store Bought Halloween Party Foods to Make in Less than 5 Minutes

October 12, 2018 by Stacy Craft Leave a Comment

9 Store Bought Halloween Party Foods to Make in Less than 5 Minutes for busy moms. These DIY Halloween treats will make everyone happy at the school harvest party. No chocolate melting or baking. Just simple Halloween fun.

9 Store Bought Halloween Party Foods to Make in Less than 5 Minutes

(Affiliate Links are used in this post. A small commission may be paid to me at no extra cost to you and that helps to support this page. Please see my disclosures page for additional information.)

Holidays with young kids are some of my favorite times. Seeing the excitement with all the decorations and fun treats warms a mama’s heart. But if you have young kids at home, you know that time thing is not always abundant.

You may have high hopes of creating homemade chocolate cupcakes with perfectly hand rolled witch hats made of fondant. But then the 4 year old wants to play barbies, the 10 year old needs to go to basketball practice and the baby needs to well, eat.

So your Halloween cupcake dreams are momentarily crushed. Now you are staring at the grocery store shelves looking for something easy and also cute (probably with a toddler screaming at your feet).

To make the Halloween season go a little smoother, we have collaborated with some great bloggers to bring you 9 store bought Halloween party foods to make in less than 5 minutes!

9 Store Bought Halloween Party Foods to Make in Less than 5 Minutes

My kids probably get more excited about a Halloween Oreo than they would about any fancy dessert that I could create. Note that I said “would.” Elaborate desserts are a thing I enjoyed before kids. No bake, done in 5 minutes are a little more my style these days. Especially since little man has decided to learn to walk and is in to everything.

Here are 9 store bought Halloween party foods to make for your kids school party. These are also great for a fun October lunch or dinner treat.

Mummy Snack Cakes I can’t believe how much these look like a tiny mummy and it took me no time at all to make thanks to my BFF, her name is Little Debbie.

Easy No Bake Halloween Mummy Snack Cake

Ghost Snack Cakes A simple ghost face on a delicious white chocolate ding dong is sure to make your kid smile.

No Bake Halloween Snack Cake Ghost

 

Pumpkin Cupcakes These are great because they are not spooky at all. Perfect for a school or church fall harvest party.

Harvest Party No Bake Pumpkin Cupcakes

Spooky Eyeball Sandwich  by Kimspired DIY – Such a fun lunch option for the Halloween season! I make a million PB&J’s a month so why not make it into an eyeball!

Jack O Lantern Mandarin Orange Cups by Mission to Save – Fruit disguised in a Halloween costume is always welcome at my house. Sugar sure is fun but gosh the kids get so much of it this time of year. I want to put these in the lunchbox for school.

Halloween Witch Hat Cookies  by Princess Pinky Girl – These cute witch cookies have an oreo base and just four ingredients.

Vampire Donuts by the Happy Family Blog –  I know my kids would love the donuts but the bagel idea is another great way to add some Halloween fun to your table with a low sugar item.

Pudding Bat by The Inspiration Edit –  These pudding bats are so adorable! If you need a prepackaged item for a class party, this is a unique dessert to send.

Ghost Cheese Sticks & Jack O Lantern Cuties by Sizzling Eats – Great non-candy options to put in a lunch box that are still fun and festive.

I hope these 9 store bought Halloween party foods to make in less than 5 minutes help to get you time for an extra cup of coffee (oh & make your kids super happy)!

If you need some items to send for the class goody bag or your trunk or treat event, check out 31 non-candy Halloween treats and 16 Halloween favors that won’t get trashed.

Filed Under: Featured, Holiday Treats, Recipes Tagged With: desserts, easy, fast, Halloween, healthy, no bake, store bought, treats

Crack Chicken Crescent Bombs

August 25, 2018 by Stacy Craft 4 Comments

Crack chicken crescent bombs are stuffed with cheesy chicken, crisp bacon and ranch. Your entire family will beg you for these little pockets of goodness!

Chicken Bacon Ranch Crack Puffs

Crack Chicken Crescent Bombs (3)

(Affiliate Links are used in this post. A small commission may be paid to me at no extra cost to you and that helps to support this page. Please see my disclosures page for additional information.)

Chicken puffs are a staple at our house. Shredded chicken, some combo of cheeses as a binder and then something to create some interest.

In this case it is bacon, can’t go wrong with bacon. We usually call these “puffs” but after making this newest creation, a new name was warranted.

Adding crack chicken to our ordinary puffs made them much more than just a puff. Welcome, crack chicken crescent BOMBS. Because, well, these things are the bomb!

If you read 2.7 seconds on this site, you know that my 4 year old is in that “I only eat chicken nuggets, mac n cheese and McDonald’s” phase. Or I should say that is the phase she wants to be in!

I don’t usually agree with that phase so we negotiate. I find if she tries something she usually likes it so we just have to win the battle to try the new food. Ya’ll she loved these!

Crack Chicken Crescent Bombs

Crack Chicken Bombs - Family Dinner Idea

Let me tell you about these amazing crack chicken crescent bombs. You have probably had crack chicken or at least seen it all over Pinterest.

Crack chicken is shredded chicken, cream cheese, a little cheddar, ranch and some crumbled bacon. There is nothing bad about crack chicken. But you really take it up a notch when you turn the crack chicken into a crescent roll bomb!

Prepare Your Crack Chicken

You can make your crack chicken in a variety of methods. I used my new Instant Pot to make my chicken. But you can also use your crockpot or even a rotisserie chicken.

Using the instant pot, place a package of chicken thighs or chicken breasts into the pot. Add half a cup of chicken broth and a tablespoon of ranch mix on top. As a side note, we really prefer boneless/skinless thighs in this recipe!

For the instant pot, I use the poultry setting and cook for 15 minutes on high pressure. Allow the pressure to release naturally. While your chicken is in the instant pot, set out your cream cheese so that it can soften up a bit.

Cook your bacon while your chicken is cooking. You could use the packaged real bacon bits but actually making the bits will really increase the flavor in your crack chicken crescent bombs.

The Crack Chicken Mixture

In a large bowl, shred your cooked chicken thighs. Next, add the cream cheese, shredded cheese, bacon bits and 1 tablespoon of ranch seasoning to the bowl and mix it all together.

Take one crescent roll triangle and press it out with your fingers just a little. You don’t want to make the dough too thin, but if you press it out a little, it helps get a nice seal on your “bombs.” And let’s face it, no one wants their crack chicken crescent bombs oozing out all their awesome filling so that seal is important.

I usually try to get about 1.5 to 2 tablespoons into each crescent. Then wrap it up like a crescent roll but instead of leaving the edges open, you want to pinch all the way around to make a nice seal. Just keep tugging on dough until you get all the filling contained.

Place the crack chicken crescent bombs on a baking sheet that has been sprayed with non-stick cooking spray.

Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes. I usually flip mine over after about 10 minutes so that both sides get browned. I think it helps to make sure you don’t end up with doughy crescents too!

Serve these cheesy crack chicken crescent bombs with mashed potatoes and a big green salad or some green beans.

Especially if you do the chicken in the Instant Pot or Crock pot, you can have this dinner on the table quicker than the pizza delivery guy can get to your house!

We don’t usually have leftover chicken puffs but if you do, they heat up really well for lunch the next day.

Well, if I’m being honest, they heat up well for breakfast too! Surely I am not the only one that likes dinner food for breakfast! A

nd if you cook up some extra chicken in your instant pot, check out 5 things to do with your leftover chicken.

Print Recipe
Crack Chicken Crescent Bombs
Servings
Ingredients
  • 1 Package Boneless/Skinless Chicken Thighs (6-7 thighs)
  • 1 Envelope Ranch Dressing Mix
  • 1/2 cup Chicken Broth
  • 4 strips Crisp Bacon Crumbled
  • 1 Cup Shredded cheddar cheese
  • 1 Block Cream cheese softened
  • 2 packages Refrigerated Crescent Rolls
Servings
Ingredients
  • 1 Package Boneless/Skinless Chicken Thighs (6-7 thighs)
  • 1 Envelope Ranch Dressing Mix
  • 1/2 cup Chicken Broth
  • 4 strips Crisp Bacon Crumbled
  • 1 Cup Shredded cheddar cheese
  • 1 Block Cream cheese softened
  • 2 packages Refrigerated Crescent Rolls
Instructions
  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
  2. Add chicken thighs, chicken broth and 1 tablespoon of ranch mix (1/2 package) to the instant pot. Cook using the poultry setting on high pressure for 15 minutes. Allow steam to release naturally.
  3. While the chicken is cooking, cook your bacon until crisp and tear it into bits.
  4. In a large bowl, shred your cooked chicken thighs.
  5. Add the softened cream cheese, shredded cheese, bacon bits and remaining 1 tablespoon of ranch mix to the bowl.
  6. Mix well until all items are incorporated.
  7. Place 1.5 to 2 tablespoons of the chicken mixture onto the center of each crescent roll triangle.
  8. Roll the crescent roll up and pinch the ends together to create a seal around the edges.
  9. Place the prepared chicken bombs onto a baking sheet that has been sprayed with non-stick spray.
  10. Cook the crack chicken crescent bombs for 15 minutes.

Filed Under: Featured, Main Meal, Plan, Recipes Tagged With: cheesy chicken, Chicken bombs, Crack Chicken, crack chicken bombs, crescent rolls, dinner, easy, main, simple, weeknight meal

Simple Turkey Ham and Beans THM E Meal Under 15 Minutes

June 29, 2018 by Stacy Craft 9 Comments

 A simple THM E turkey ham and beans skillet meal that is made in under 15 minutes. Perfect for busy work week meals. 

THM E Beans and Turkey Ham Lunch or LIght dinner

Why are E meals hard? They don’t have to be, but you need a good list of easy, “go to” E meals. This ham and beans THM E meal uses lean turkey ham to stay within the fat limit of an E Meal and you can put it together in less than 15 minutes.

Another easy E meal to add to your list is this No Sugar Added Baked Georgia Peach Oatmeal.

We often eat these beansfor an easy lunch or a light dinner. I love it because not only is it quick, it is also cheap.

The turkey ham will last us multiple meals and the beans are usually less than .60 a can. So for less than $2-$3 (depending on how much ham you use), I can feed 2 adults and a child lunch. Now try to tell me Trim Healthy Mama costs too much! I love finding ways to eat healthy and cheap!    

(Affiliate Links are used in this post. A small commission may be paid to me at no extra cost to you and that helps to support this page. Please see my disclosures page for additional information.)

Ham and Beans THM E Meal

If you are from the South, a big pot of beans with a huge ham hock simmering all day is something you probably grew up watching your mama or grandmama stirring on Sunday. It is simple comfort food.

I took that memory and modified it a little to meet the THM E meal guidelines. Now I can have (turkey) ham and beans in a healthy carb setting without all the added fat.

Since the turkey ham is already cooked, you are really just warming up your ingredients. Quick and easy.

Dice the ham and turn your burner to medium/low. Spray the pan with non-stick spray and add your ham. In a separate pot, add your beans on medium/low to simmer.

Uncooked Turkey Ham

Cook the turkey ham until you get the pieces browned.

Browned Turkey Ham

Transfer the turkey ham into the pot with your beans. Add in the seasoning and cook for about 5 more minutes to allow the flavors to merry together. The seasonings just amp up the flavor of this simple ham and beans THM E Meal.

Ham & Beans THM E Meal Simmering

Serve that easy ham and beans THM E meal up to your family. My 4 year old & 8 month old both eat this with no complaints. Winner Winner ham and beans THM E meal dinner!

Print Recipe
Turkey Ham and Northern Beans Simple THM E Meal Under 15 Minutes
Course Main Dish
Cook Time 10 minutes
Servings
Ingredients
  • 1 can White Northern Beans
  • 4 oz Lean Turkey Ham
  • 1/2 tsp onion powder
  • 1/2 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp parsley
  • salt/pepper To Taste
Course Main Dish
Cook Time 10 minutes
Servings
Ingredients
  • 1 can White Northern Beans
  • 4 oz Lean Turkey Ham
  • 1/2 tsp onion powder
  • 1/2 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp parsley
  • salt/pepper To Taste
Instructions
  1. Dice the turkey ham into the desired bite size pieces. Open can of beans and place them into a pot to simmer on medium/low (do not drain). Spray a second skillet and add diced ham. Brown the turkey ham on medium low. This step isn't necessary but it adds a nice flavor to the dish. Add the browned turkey ham to the beans. Add in seasonings and simmer for 5 minutes or so to meld the flavors.

The only thing that would make this better is a big chunk of crusty cornbread. I may just have to try a Trim Healthy Mama cornbread soon. Did you grow up eating ham and beans?

Turkey Ham And Beans THM E Meal

Filed Under: Buy Smart, Featured, Plan Tagged With: 15 Min Meal, budget, Carb, Cheap, easy, ham and beans, healthy, Light Dinner, lunch, Main Dish, quick, THM E Meal

Easy Spring Tray Vignette For the Home with Buying Guide

May 9, 2018 by Stacy Craft Leave a Comment

Easy Spring Tray Vignette with Online Buying Guide

Decorating is not necessarily my thing. I like doing it but I feel like an amateur at best. But when it comes to decorating for holidays or seasons, I am a pro. Well, a pro in the sense of adding lots of gaudy, bright colored trinkets and holiday signs around the house that my daughter absolutely loves.

I love celebrating with her so I don’t mind too much that we might not make the cover of Southern Living magazine. Lately I have been trying to create one pretty thing for each holiday and season that can bring me joy like the bright orange plastic pumpkins that delight my daughter at Halloween. This month I created an easy spring tray vignette that I have on a counter in my kitchen.

Spring Tray Vignette Flowers Bird and Moss

Affiliate Links are used in this post. A small commission may be paid to me at no extra cost to you and that helps to support this page. Please see my disclosures page for additional information. 

Simple Spring Tray Vignette Assembly

For this spring tray vignette, I wanted to bring in a fresh green color as my focal point. I did that for two reasons. 1. It reminds me of fresh cut grass and new leaves on the trees that come with springtime. 2. I created a St. Patrick’s Day Vignette a few weeks back and I wanted to reuse some of the items – and you guessed it, there was a lot of green. I like being able to create a fresh decorative area while saving money by re-purposing some on hand items.

Free Buying Guide

Pinterest is awesome until you see something you want to recreated and can’t figure out where to buy the stuff at. I bought everything shown on this spring tray vignette at Hobby Lobby or Amazon. The only exception is the fresh flowers. I got those at our local grocery store, just the cheap $5 bouquet.

Tray – I bought mine at Hobby Lobby and used it in this spring tray vignette and in my St. Patrick’s Day Vignette. However, since they can’t seem to find a cart that will hold a car seat carrier, I totally understand if you  prefer Amazon! Here is a tray that is similar in size to mine on Amazon Prime.

Green Vase – Reused this item from the St. Pat’s Vignette. Here is the bottle.

Green Moss Ball – I bought this ball on Amazon & it is was only $5! Prices are always subject to change on Amazon

White Cake Stand with Cloche – what I used to hold the little bird.

Bird – I found one at Hobby Lobby, it fits in the palm of your hand. 

Moss in Bird Cloche – I put this moss in the white cake stand so that the bird was sitting on a little nest of moss. You will have a good bit left over since the stand isn’t very big.

Farmhouse Pitcher – I couldn’t find the exact pitcher that I bought but this is an Amazon option – Farmhouse distressed metal pitcher

Flowers – I bought at a grocery store for $5

Books – These were all reused from the St. Patrick’s day Vignette.  Sheet Music Book, Antique Book, Small Fancy Green Book.

Spring Tray Vignette Close up

Total Money Spent

By reusing some things that I saved from the St. Patrick’s Day Vignette and by purchasing the other items on sale, I spent just under $40 to create this spring tray vignette. I am sure I will reuse some of these pieces again for my summer tray that I am planning.

One of the reasons that I like saving money is so that I can afford to play a little more. I love the satisfaction of creating something that I like and finding happiness in looking at it. With delicate fresh daisies in a farmhouse white pitcher – what’s not to like? It just screams happy spring to me.

I even tried it with a Fresh pineapple just for fun but we ended up eating the pineapple so the tall green bottle made its way back on the tray.

Spring Tray Vignette with Pineapple

What is your guilty decorating pleasure?

 

Filed Under: Featured, Play Tagged With: decor, decorating, easy, frugal, fun, holiday, seasonal, simple, spring, vignette

  • Go to page 1
  • Go to page 2
  • Go to page 3
  • Go to Next Page »

Primary Sidebar

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • YouTube

Subscribe & Never Miss a Recipe!

A Little About Me

Hey - I'm Stacy! Join me on a journey to buy smart, plan and save so that you can also PLAY!

Copyright © 2023 · Lifestyle Pro Theme on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in