Summer Sauteed Corn and Squash

Sauteed corn and squash makes for the perfect addition to any summer meal. It is delicious enough to make a meal on its own! Made with fresh and simple ingredients, this dish comes together in a matter of moments and is going to get rave reviews from anyone that samples it!

Summer is here you guys! I have never been so happy to hit the farmers market! After a long winter with access to a sad selection of fresh veggies, to see food grown with care and pride inspired my stomach and my menu planning.

I made the easiest dish for dinner last Sunday. It was a lazy summer day. The kids had been playing outside most of the day and I turned to my farmers market finds to create dinner. This recipe is so easy you guys it makes only 3 ingredients and the prep time is minimal, so you can spend more time making summer memories.

Chefs notes:

Use real butter. Butter is something that should not be sacrificed in any kitchen. I firmly believe that using butter to cook is healthier than turning to some scientifically created food like substance. Butter- just do it guys. 

At the last moment, I tossed roughly chopped fresh parsley into the veggie mix to add a splash of green and a little extra flavor. This is optional

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Ingredients

1 yellow squash

2 ears of corn on the cob

2 tablespoons of real butter

parsley to taste (optional)

Directions

Shuck your ears of corn 

Cut the corn from the cob

Chop the squash into chunks

Heat a skillet at a a medium heat setting

Add butter

Add corn and squash

Add parsley if desired

Sautee for about 20 minutes, stirring frequently. When your squash is tender you can remove from the heat and serve.

I served this along with garlic roasted asparagus for a delicious dinner that was extremely delicious and healthy. It offered a colorful plate packed with summer veggies! This is one of the many ways we love to enjoy summer squash.

 I would love to hear how you enjoy summer squash!

This dinner was so economical. It is one of the many examples of the reality that you can eat wholesome and healthy foods even on the tightest of budgets.  I always hear people claim that it costs too much to eat healthy. Recipes like this dispell that myth. While I didn't add meat to the meal- you could easily do so if you desired.

Summer squash {1/3 of a pound} In stores squash sells for $.99 to $1.59 a pound in my area. I paid 50 cents for the squash at my farmers market.

Corn was on sale for 12 cents an ear. I used 2 ears for a total of 24 cents.

Figuring butter into the equation would be about 15 cents for the amount used in this recipe.

Asparagus was on sale for $1.49 a pound. I used 1/2 a pound with this meal for .75 .

Seriously, this was one of the best dinners I have eaten in a week and I served this to 2 adults for a total of $1.64. We both left dinner incredibly satisfied. This is a completely healthy dinner that is budget friendly for proof that eating healthy is not as expensive as everyone wants you to believe.

DIY Kids Reading Nook and Book Storage Solution

We have moved into our house and are now in the stages of making it work for us. The rooms are all spacious, there are closets! But we have a mass of childrens books fitting for a small library. After filling the only 3 shelves available with books, I had to get creative about storing them but I also wanted to come up with something functional.

I got an under the bed storage tote. I filled it with about 50 books.

I placed the lid on it and immediately my daughter dashed into see what was up. She is a little bookworm and the idea of several hundred available books really appealed to her... and the mess maker in her too.

                  From here I got a soft blanket. and covered tote of books.

I added a few favorite stuffed animals, but they were instantly snatched away by the kids. so I gave them a pillow and a small basket of books at the side of this reading nook.

As you can see, it was instantly put to use by my sweet book loving daughter.

So, for about $8 I created a storage solution and a seating area for the kids! This has worked well because the kids like to lay down and read, and the tote filled with books supports their weight and is just the right length for them to do so.

Grape-Nuts Crunchy Curried Hummus

If you like hummus you are going to love this recipe inspired by my friends at Post!

Grape-Nuts Crunchy Curried Hummus


Ingredients

2 cans (15 ounce each) chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1 garlic clove
1 Tablespoon curry powder
1 teaspoon toasted cumin seeds*
2 tablespoons tahini
1/4 cup water
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 Tablespoons olive oil (recommend Extra Virgin Olive Oil from Gundry MD, click here to learn more about the product)
1/3 cup Grape Nuts Cereal
Cauliflower florets and carrot sticks

Directions

In the bowl of a food processor add chickpeas, garlic, curry powder, cumin seeds, tahini, water, lemon juice and salt. Pulse to combine. With the motor running, stream in olive oil and process until smooth.
Remove from food processor and place in serving bowl. Fold in Grape-Nuts cereal. Top with a light drizzle of olive oil and sprinkle with additional Grape-Nuts cereal for added crunch. Serve with cauliflower florets and carrot sticks.

*Note: To toast cumin seeds, place seeds in a dry pan over medium heat. Toast until golden brown and fragrant.

If you like Hummus, you have to try this awesome recipe. It is flavorful and perfect for parties! I would love to hear about your favorite hummus recipe if you have one!

Kindness Rocks

Hot Kindness Rocks are a fun way to decorate rocks to hide to share with others!

Harper and I found a kindness rock in the woods one day and we were inspired to make some of our own! This was a fun multi part project for us. As we had to find rocks, decorate them and then hide them!

We found a super special rock that had a chip in it. The chip was in the shape of a heart. We knew this special love rock needed to be placed someplace special. We knew just the place! Preschool! We headed there to hide it in a special spot!

These rocks were fun to make, but truly not kid friendly. 

To begin I heated rocks in the oven at 200 degrees for an hour.

When they were hot I melted crayons on them.

After they cooled for several hours we were ready to share them!

Peanut Butter Chicken {$7 Dinner Series}

Summer is creeping up on us. For my family, that means all 4 of us are home for 3 months.  Sounds fun right?! It is, if you can take the increased cost of living out of the equation. My water and electric bills sky rocket over the summer, we spend about 3 times more on gasoline in the summer. My grocery bill makes me want to cry. With my husband and son eating all 3 meals at home for 3 months it more than doubles every week. We haven't even got on the subject of entertaining the family, the sports and so on.

This summer, I am going to reign in our spending. I am taking that depression inducing grocery bill on first. I have made it my mission to discover the recipes that taste amazing and are economical too. I am giving them a bonus star if they can be prepared without use of the oven.

This has led me to start a little series over here called the $7 Dinner Series. I will be featuring recipes that you can make for your family for under $7 that will earn cheers instead of jeers for budget cooking!

I love peanut chicken from the Chinese Restaraunt, but taking the family out for dinner every time I crave Peanut Chicken is definitely not budget friendly! Luckily, I came up with an incredibly easy and delicious alternative.

Before you groan at the thought of eating peanut butter coated chicken, let me tell you, this is incredible. It is such a scrumptious combination. If you try it, you are going to like it. I promise!

This meal features fresh veggies and chicken. To give you a run down on the cost

I purchased a 2.5 pound bag of store brand chicken tenders for $5.47 I used 1/2 of the bag for this recipe to feed 4 people. That made the cost of chicken for this recipe $2.74.

I had peanut oil on hand.

I used about 1/3 of a cup of peanut butter this would add about 45 cents to the price of dinner.

Asparagus was on sale for 99 cents a pound.

Sliced mushrooms were on sale for $1.09

I used about 1/3 of a stick of butter which would add about 30 cents to the price of dinner.

That brings this meal for 4 to $5.57.

My husband says it is even better than take out, and seriously I couldn't go out for Peanut Chicken solo for $5.57!

Ingredients Needed for Peanut Butter Chicken With Asparagus and Sauteed Mushrooms

1 1/4 pound of frozen chicken tenders
1/3 cup of smooth peanut butter
3 tablespoons or so of peanut oil {you can use vegetable oil if that is what you have on hand!}

1 pound of asparagus, fresh with trimmed ends
2 1/2 tablespoons of butter

1 cup of sliced mushrooms
2 1/2 tablespoons of butter

Salt and Pepper as desired

Directions 

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

Place mushrooms in a frying pan with butter over medium heat. Allow to cook, stirring as needed until the mushrooms have a lovely golden brown color to them.

Place your trimmed asparagus on a baking dish. Add butter to the top of the asparagus and sprinkle with salt and pepper if you wish. Place this in the oven to roast for about 15 minutes.

Begin to fry your chicken tenders in peanut oil at a temperature of about 300 degrees. {I use a wok}

As the chicken has fried and reached the recommended temperature of 165-170 degrees remove it from the pan or wok and cut it into smaller chunks.

 Discard oil remaining in wok/pan after it has cooled down a touch.

Return chicken chunks to the pan/wok, turn to a medium heat setting.

Add the peanut butter to the wok.

Stir as it melts, make sure the chicken is coated.

Remove mushrooms and asparagus from heat and serve with the  Peanut Butter Chicken!


This is such a great recipe. It is delicious, it cooks easily and quickly and it is economical. You really can't beat it!

Do you have a favorite economical dinner that you often make for your family? I would love to hear about it!

You might also enjoy this cute cupcake decorating idea!

You won't want to miss this collection of Lo Mein recipes.