How to Celebrate the Holidays on a Budget

I know, I know, it feels a little early to start writing about the holidays. But friends, it's the perfect time to start thinking about the holidays. Especially if you want to celebrate without falling into the trap of overspending. I'm here to show you that you don't need to break the bank to have a memorable holiday season with your loved ones. You can be generous and frugal all at the same time! I'll be sharing creative tips and ideas on how to celebrate the holidays in a budget-friendly way without compromising the holiday cheer! The secret is to start planning now!

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The Ultimate Labor Day Guide

Labor day usually means a transition to fall and back to school for those of us on the west coast. I'm never ready for summer to be over, so celebrating is one way to have one last hurrah before I start to come to terms that the pumpkin spice is coming out in full force. Are you gathering with friends and family this labor day? Maybe you have one last summer trip planned. I've got everything you need to celebrate Labor Day.

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Holiday Cranberry Moscow Mule Mocktail or Cocktail

I just love a good holiday drink. I went into this year wanting to learn how to make mixed drinks and better late then never, right around late October, I started mixing and creating, just in time for the holidays. Cranberries make the perfect garnish for a beautiful holiday drink. If you are entertaining, having a signature drink is always a fun way to create a memorable event and I promise you, this drink will be memorable. Give this holiday cranberry Moscow Mule mocktail or cocktail a try and let me know what you think!

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Homemade Spaghetti Sauce Using Fresh Garden Tomatoes

I've had a garden every summer for a few decades and I always grow tomatoes. Not because I love them, but because they are an easy thing to grow if I'm honest. I almost always have success with tomato plants, even if I plant them from seed. Some years, I have more than others and while my favorite thing to make with them is pico de gallo {this recipe is my favorite!}, spaghetti sauce is a close second. Probably because I always feel like a freakin' homesteader mid-winter when I bust out a jar and make a quick family dinner with it! I'm sharing this homemade spaghetti sauce recipe today using fresh garden tomatoes. No garden, no problem! Tomatoes are cheap at the tail end of summer and you can easily find them at your local farmer's market, at the supermarket, or from a friend who has a garden.

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How to Make the Perfect Pancakes

Whether sweet or savory, making pancakes can be a great activity to get the whole family involved. Have you ever heard of Shrove Tuesday? I hadn't until I started watching an Irish TV show. Shrove Tuesday is also called Pancake Day. Who knew? 
Pancake Day is the day before Lent commences, a Christian festival which sees people fasting and giving up rich food. It is traditional for those involved to use all their 'bad' foods up in recipes on Shrove Tuesday, hence the idea of serving pancakes with a wide range of fillings. It's always exciting for me to learn about a new cultural tradition. Even if you are just making Saturday morning pancakes or pancakes for brunch, these tips to make the perfect pancakes will still help. 

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Sour Cherry Mocktail Drink Recipe

I've got a festive and fun sour cherry mocktail recipe that will make this holiday season feel extra special. It's the perfect bubbly mix to make for friends and family who want to celebrate without alcohol this season. Don't miss this delicious and easy recipe everyone will love!

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Turtle Holiday Hot Cocoa Bombs

Hot chocolate bombs are literally the HOTTEST thing right now. Ask your teen or young adult if they've heard of them and I'll bet you they have! Hot chocolate bombs are simply just chocolate spheres filled with hot chocolate mix and your favorite variations of hot cocoa stir ins. You release the bomb into a mug and pour steaming hot milk over the top and watch the chocolate melt away and the insides open up to create the most fun hot cocoa you've ever had! These are so much fun to make and they make great gifts too! Here is everything you need to know to make your own hot cocoa bombs. This one comes with a little turtle {caramel and walnut YUM!} twist.

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The Best Homemade Mashed Potatoes

This is the best mashed potato recipe ever. The only one you will need! They are always creamy and delicious and full of flavor and act as the perfect base if you want to get fancy with some additions. 

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Meal Planning Mistakes That are Costing You Money

Meal planning is hard work. There are so many different things that go into meal planning, and it can take hours of your time to do. However, if you are making these meal planning mistakes, you could be losing money to plan your meals! Here are the top meal planning mistakes that are costing you money. 

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The Easiest Homemade Stuffing Recipe

This easy stuffing recipe will compliment nearly any meal, but especially the biggest meal of the fall season! If you've never made homemade stuffing, don't be intimidated. This recipe is just about as easy as they come!

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Keto Pumpkin Cookies with Cream Cheese Frosting

What is it about fall that makes you want to get in the kitchen and whip up something yummy? And by something yummy, I mean, something pumpkin-flavored! I used to think I didn't like anything pumpkin flavored, I have no idea why. I think the gross looking pumpkin puree didn't help, but once I got over that, I became obsessed. Not obsessed enough to think I need a pumpkin spice latte, but I digress. I think you are going to LOVE these delicious fall cookies. They have just the right hint of pumpkin, with a delicious cream cheese frosting with a sprinkle of pecans. 

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The Very Best Easy Apple Crisp Recipe

Nothing says fall like apples. They are in abundant supply. Heck, maybe you have a yearly tradition to go apple picking {don't miss these Western Washington orchards!}. This is the very best easy apple crisp recipe you can whip up in no time! Everyone will love it and you'll feel like a real hero with this homemade delight!

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The Best Vodka Cocktail Recipes for Summer

Preparing cocktails for summertime events can be a lot of fun. Be creative and impress friends and family with some new mouth-watering vodka creations. Vodka is one of the most mixable liquor in your bar. It's easy to find a vodka recipe for every drinker or for every occasion. Finding that perfect refreshing drink for your next summer get-together is easy. Here are a few of the best vodka cocktails out there!

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How to Make the Perfect Bloody Mary

Commonly served in a highball glass, the Bloody Mary is one of the most popular vodka drinks today. The Bloody Mary is a frequent cocktail served at special breakfast and lunch occasions. Its zest and jolt are welcomed and desired among all types of people from all walks of life. It is widely known as a hangover cure, but this is due to the high content of vitamin C in the tomato juice. Actually, the tomato juice in the Bloody Mary is the reason why they are known not to cause bad hangovers at all. This is another reason to love this cocktail. Read on to find out how to make the perfect Bloody Mary.

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Instant Pot Caramel Apple Cheesecake

I am still not a religious Instant Pot user like some of you die-hards, but I do appreciate a good Instant Pot recipe from time to time. I try to use my machine at least once a week and what better way to do that than to make a delicious caramel apple cheesecake for fall!

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The Best Mouthwatering Hot Chocolate Recipes

There is something about winter and hot chocolate that makes sense! In the colder months, I’m always looking for new ways to whip up a classic hot chocolate treat for myself and my kids. These hot chocolate recipes take a unique perspective on the traditional hot chocolate beverage, and will leave you wanting more! Whether you are looking for a new way to spice up your hot chocolate, or just a new recipe to make, these recipes won’t disappoint! There are even some classic hot chocolate recipes in here too! Here are the best mouthwatering hot chocolate recipes that you need to make this fall and winter.

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Oreo Pumpkin Patch Chocolate-Dipped Cookies

It's that time of year when the pumpkin-spiced everything starts coming out. I do love a good themed snack or dessert item, so why not create something "pumpkin" themed everyone will love for fall? These chocolate-dipped Oreo pumpkin patch cookies are easy to make and so fun to share. They will be requested at all your fall parties and gatherings. 

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No Bake Nutella Pie Recipe

I have a love/hate relationship with baking. Recipes usually catch my eye, I pin them on Pinterest and then I do nothing with them. Part of me hates to have a dessert at home that is just tempting me. The other part hates the time it takes to make something that is going to be devoured in a matter of minutes. But if I'm going to a party where I need to bring something or if I'm hosting, no-bake desserts are my go-to. I can make them ahead of time and they don't usually have me messing up my kitchen too much. This no-bake Nutella pie is a crowd favorite because who doesn't love a good old heaping of chocolatey goodness! This is everything you want in a pie and then some. And the fact that it requires zero baking makes it a favorite of mine.

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How to Celebrate Chinese New Year

This post was sponsored by Ling Ling, all opinions expressed in my post are my own.

I am a typical American thrown into the melting pot of traditions and culture. Growing up it didn't seem like we had any real cultural traditions we followed as a family, though there are a few now as an adult that I can pinpoint. I just thought we ate saurkraut and sausage on New Year's because it was the only night my dad would tolerate it. I didn't realize that it stemmed from our muddled washed down German roots. When I married into an Italian family that could be easily traced back without too many great great parents getting in the way, it was easier to tie myself to those cultural traditions. Plus I really liked spaghetti and meatballs at every holiday meal {yes Erica, even Easter}. 
For the past few years, I've been volunteering with a group of international college students once a week. I'm learning a lot about their different cultures as I share our own American culture with them. Many of our students celebrate Chinese New Year and it's actually one of their largest celebrations regardless of where they are from. They are all giving me tips on how to celebrate, so this year, I thought I'd fully embrace it and try celebrating Chinese New Year with my American family. 

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Homemade S'more Ice Cream Pops

It's been a few months since summer and I usually get a hankering for a taste of the good life just about now. Probably because I'm cold. So very cold. In a perfect world, I'd have s'mores every single day of the week. Seriously, just type S'mores recipes into my search bar. I think they outnumber just about every recipe hands down by like a million. So my math sucks, but these homemade s'more pops don't. Why not give them a try!

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