Crock Pot Seven Layer Dip
I love this Crock Pot Seven Layer Dip. I mean, come on. What’s not to love? Beans? Good. Meat? Good. Sour cream and salsa? Gooood. Cheese? You see where…
Crock Pot Cola Ham
We’re big sandwich eaters around here. Almost every day, at least two of the members of our family pack a sandwich for lunch, and it’s not uncommon for my seven-year-old…
Crock Pot Cheesy Tortellini
My 20th class reunion is this summer, so of course the first week I begin to truly focus on fitness and weight loss, I make this decadent dish. Did I…
Crock Pot Hearty Beef Ragu
We do a good job of choosing family-friendly recipes here at Crock Pot Thursday, but sometimes we make something that knocks it out of the park. This Crock Pot Beef…
Tips for Taking Kids to Church
“I’ll go to church when the kids are older.” “I’m too busy keeping them quiet to get anything out of it anyway.” “People give us looks when we bring the…
The Long Winter
We are halfway through February, and my kids have had it up to here with the weather. “Is winter almost over?” they ask hopefully. Every morning they come downstairs, rubbing…
Valentine’s Day Cards for Real Couples
Happy Valentine’s Day! If you’re like me, you spent some time this week searching for the perfect card for those you love. You opened and closed countless cards that declared…
Crock Pot Zuppa Toscana
Valentine’s Day is this week, and everywhere you turn there is declarations of love. Not even on a blog post about soup are you free from Cupid’s influence, because I…
Crock Pot Chicken Doritos Casserole
I love Doritos. One time in college, I was chowing down on a bag of Cool Ranch Doritos and my neighbor offered to buy the crumbs from the bottom of…
Crock Pot Sausage and Peppers
Oh, boy, you guys! These Crock Pot Sausage and Peppers are so simple, and so, so, so good! I’m a huge fan of sandwiches the size of my head, and…
Easy Homemade Stain Remover
Yesterday, both of my kids came downstairs dressed in white – a white tee for Graham, and all white for Lily. They looked like they were ready for a day…
Crock Pot Clam Chowder
Sometimes we choose a recipe for Crock Pot Thursday that is an all out winner. Everyone loves it, and even with a few modifications based on the whims of the…
Making the Case for New Year’s Resolutions
I think New Year’s resolutions get a bad rap. Sure most people don’t follow through with their plans, and sure I’m one of those people, but there is something wonderful…
Making Friends and Strangers Jealous in One Easy Step
Do you like making people jealous? Of course you do! What if I told you that for just a few dollars you could make both friends and strangers green with…
Crock Pot Spaghetti and Meatballs
We’re big meatball fans around here. We frequently bring sweet and sour meatballs to potlucks, we like to hit up the Swedish meatballs at our local IKEA, and I actually…
Crock Pot Chex Mix
With Thanksgiving behind us, you may be tempted to put your chubby pants away, but not so fast! We’ve got an entire month of holiday eating on our plates (see what…
Crock Pot Turkey Stock
Happy Thanksgiving! I am writing this from my couch, with a full belly and an even fuller heart. The kids are singing show tunes from Annie, with Thanksgiving twists like…
Crock Pot Steak and Gravy
This Crock Pot Steak and Gravy recipe is for anyone who needs to be able to throw dinner together in the morning, and who only has about ten minutes to…
The Time I Almost Died on My Way to Target
The rain that was still falling had turned the roads dark and shiny, and the rush hour traffic was hitting the brake lights pretty hard. But that’s not how I…
Crock Pot Easy Beef Pot Roast
For how “meat and potatoes” our family is, we have very few pot roasts under our Crock Pot Thursday belt. Pot roast isn’t the sexiest of dishes, but really, it’s…
Cooking With Kids
Back in the spring, one of the preschool mothers compiled a cookbook of my daughter and her classmates’ favorite recipes. It was an adorable mix of real recipes and the…
Crock Pot Stuffed Bell Pepper Soup
It’s a beautiful time of year. The weather is crisp, I’m able to wear scarves without sweating, and all I can think about is soup. Slow cookers and soups are…
Hurricanes and Snowstorms on Halloween? Oh, My!
Halloween falls at a time of year that is known for wild, unpredictable weather for many parts of the country, and we need to be prepared for anything. Last year…
Easy Crock Pot Applesauce
Ah, fall. The season for sunglasses and scarves, soccer and homework, and apple picking and slow cookers. I have a hard time picking a favorite season, but like having to…
Be Your Own Tree
One of my favorite things about living in Connecticut is watching the leaves change color in the fall. The phenomenon is gorgeous, and an entire industry is built here in…
Crock Pot Beef and Beer Stew with Bacon
I’ve said it before, and it should come as no surprise, that I love preparing recipes that call for booze. The best ones ask for one cup of wine, or…
The Time I Lost My Fitbit
If you’ve noticed that I’ve gained some weight recently, thank you for keeping it to yourself, and no, I’m not pregnant. I’d just taken a break from worrying about the…
Crock Pot Orange Chicken
My kids love orange chicken, and I love it when they order orange chicken, because then I can sneak a bite or four. The crispy breaded chicken bites, smothered…
Does Back to School for Kids Mean Back to School for Mom?
I have always loved to read and write. As a child, I devoured as many books as I could get my hands on, and I wrote my first opinion piece…
Marital Squabbles and a myCharge Giveaway
All couples have those few consistent battlegrounds. In some households, it’s socks on the living room floor, and for others it’s whether or not putting dirty dishes in the sink…
Perfect Chocolate Chip Cookies
I’ve been holding out on you guys, and I really need to apologize. Every week I share a recipe with you, and all the while I’ve been keeping this perfect…
Crock Pot Baked Potatoes Without Foil
The weather may still be hovering near the 80s, but the air is beginning to feel crisp around the edges. Fall is coming, which means boots, and soups, and after…
Date Night
Yesterday my husband and I celebrated our 11th wedding anniversary. It was on a Saturday, and friends had agreed to watch our kids for the evening, so yeah, I…
Crock Pot Grape Jelly Meatballs
Today I’m taking on a topic near and dear to my heart. It’s meatballs, people. I don’t remember a time when I didn’t love meatballs. I love them on pizza,…
Going Beyond “How Was Your Day?”
Last week my kids went back to school. My son entered second grade, ready to learn “multiplication, division, and pretty much lots of math stuff.” He was hopeful that there…
Crock Pot Red Thai Chicken Curry
If you have kids, do they like curry? Mine don’t. It’s” too spicy,” or it” tastes weird,” and I’m always kicking myself for dialing down the spice factor for their…
I Know My Kids
I know my kids. I’m not telling you this because one of them has done something naughty, like taken someone’s lunch money or pantsed a kid on the bus, and I’m…
Exercise: What Not to Do
I started exercising again today. I’m bragging right now, because exercise, and also because I planned on recommitting to working out after the kids went back to school, and they don’t…
No White Flags
Are you weary of the Ice Bucket Challenge for ALS? I was. No one close to me has suffered from ALS, and how many times can I watch my Facebook…
Very Best Crock Pot Recipes from Crock Pot Thursday
It has been two years since my family began selecting, making, and reviewing a weekly Crock Pot recipe, and in that time we have collected over 100 slow-cooked meals. Everyone…
Helping a Heart
I have a friend. No really, I do! Tara and I became close in middle school, and our friendship remained strong through high school. We drifted apart in college, heading…
20 Things Overheard While Vacationing with Family
Last week, we descended upon a cabin in the woods with my husband’s family. Our group of 30 took over the main cabin and guest house, and we spent six…
Crock Pot Creamy Salsa Chicken
I have something to tell you guys, and maybe you’ve already heard. School is starting soon, and the lazy days of summer are coming to an end. In the fall.…
MomAssembly is Saving Our Summer
I love my kids. I like spending time with them, and they make me laugh every day. Those two also make me crazy, what with the way they ignore my…
Crock Pot Sweet and Sour Pork Wraps
I have a confession. If you wrap anything in a tortilla, I’ll eat it with a smile. Many of our Crock Pot Thursday choices are a reflection of that love,…
20 Things I Say When Traveling with Kids
Once, I took a trip alone. It was glorious. I only had to pack for myself, I was able to nap and read, and I didn’t once have to worry…
Crock Pot Green Chile Chicken Enchiladas
I like to share recipes that are pretty much “Dump stuff in the Crock Pot. Turn it on. Come back later and eat the deliciousness.” These Crock Pot Green Chile…
Were you at da’ club? No, those are Sunscreen Bands!
Raise your hand if you’re spending more time outside now that it’s summer! Raise your hand if you want to make sure your family’s skin is protected from the sun!…
A Rookie Gardener Greens Her Thumb
Not to brag, but I have (so far) been successful in growing two kids without major incident. I have protected them from the elements, fed and watered them, and resisted…
Crock Pot Little Smokies
My husband is a good cook. I’ve shared a few of his recipes on here, but every time I do, he gets annoyed. He hates the million questions I have,…