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Category: Meal Prep

Bowl of creamy Apricot Jalapeño Popper Dip served with a side of corn chips, ready for game day or party snacking.

 Apricot Jalapeno Popper Dip

Posted on July 19, 2025July 20, 2025 by Katie

Football season is basically an excuse to gather, graze, and cheer—and this dip fits right into that rhythm. I threw it together one weekend with a few cheap staples I already had in the fridge: cream cheese, a jalapeño, and some leftover apricot preserves. It takes minutes to mix, travels well, and tastes like you…

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Close-up of cinnamon-glazed apple slices glistening in syrup, served in a white bowl—warm, buttery, and one of the most comforting things to make with apples for easy fall recipes and holiday sides.

Things to Make with Apples: Easy Fall Recipes

Posted on July 19, 2025August 8, 2025 by Katie

I grew up in New England, where apple season wasn’t just something you marked on the calendar—it was a whole feeling. Crisp mornings, fog rolling off the hills, and the unmistakable smell of apples baking somewhere nearby. Every fall, we’d pile into the car and head to a local orchard, filling up bags with more…

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Apple cider donuts coated in cinnamon sugar on a cooling rack with a bowl of spiced sugar—perfect for fall baking and a fun idea for what to make with apples.

Things to Make with Apples: Easy Fall Bread Recipes

Posted on July 14, 2025August 8, 2025 by Katie

Every year when the mornings turn crisp and the leaves start to crunch underfoot, I find myself reaching for that first bag of fresh apples—sometimes from a roadside stand, sometimes just from a good sale at the store. Either way, that first bite always reminds me: it’s baking season. For me, fall baking has always…

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Cheeseburger Ranch Dip served in a white bowl, filled with chopped burger, shredded cheese, green onions, sour cream, and mayo. A creamy, no-cook appetizer shown with tortilla chips in the background—perfect for parties, potlucks, or budget-friendly snacking.

Tailgate Food for a Crowd (on a Budget!)

Posted on July 13, 2025July 20, 2025 by Katie

There’s something magical about a tailgate morning—the clink of coolers being loaded, folding chairs tossed into trunks, someone yelling, “Don’t forget the mustard!” before the convoy pulls out. The food might not come from a five-star kitchen, but that’s part of the charm. Tailgating is where paper plates and touchdown dances collide—and honestly, some of…

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Cheeseburger Ranch Dip served in a white bowl, filled with chopped burger, shredded cheese, green onions, sour cream, and mayo. A creamy, no-cook appetizer shown with tortilla chips in the background—perfect for parties, potlucks, or budget-friendly snacking.

Cheap & Easy Cheeseburger Ranch Dip

Posted on June 20, 2025June 20, 2025 by Katie

This recipe started with a few leftover burger patties and zero desire to cook. After a long day, I opened the fridge looking for something—anything—that could come together fast. I had sour cream, a bit of mayo, some ranch seasoning, and the last of the green onions from the weekend. What I ended up with…

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Homemade chocolate caramel coffee creamer in a vintage glass pitcher next to a cream-colored coffee canister with black lettering, styled on a wooden tray with a floral napkin.

4-Ingredient Homemade Chocolate Caramel Coffee Creamer

Posted on June 19, 2025June 20, 2025 by Katie

I still remember the first time I treated myself to one of those dreamy coffee-shop lattes—ribbons of chocolate and caramel, a cloud of whipped cream on top. It felt like a small escape from the chaos of the day. But now? Even a basic bottle of store-bought creamer can feel like an indulgence, with prices…

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person holding an american flag

Easy Make-Ahead 4th of July Appetizers to Keep Your Party Simple

Posted on June 9, 2025July 20, 2025 by Katie

Every year, I tell myself the same thing: This time, I just want to keep it simple. A backyard BBQ that’s easy, fun, and doesn’t have me rushing around while guests are already digging into the chips. I want to be present, not stuck behind the stove—and that’s where prepping ahead makes all the difference….

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Gouda, tahini, and cream cheese dip topped with chopped green onions, served with round crackers on a bright pink plate, alongside vintage glassware and a floral napkin.

Warm Gouda & Tahini Cream Cheese Dip

Posted on May 13, 2025May 24, 2025 by Katie

Sometimes the best ideas come from cleaning out the fridge. This warm, melty dip was born out of a “use-it-or-lose-it” moment during my pre-move fridge cleanout.  I had blocks of cream cheese stacking up like Tetris pieces, a hunk of Gouda I forgot I bought, and just enough tahini left at the bottom of the…

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A bowl of creamy egg salad with celery served alongside a bowl of round crackers, displayed on a wooden tray with a floral napkin and a drink in the background.

Pickled Onion Egg Salad

Posted on April 23, 2025May 14, 2025 by Katie

This recipe didn’t come from a moment of inspiration—it came from a fridge in mild chaos. I’d somehow ended up with an entire jar of pickled onions (okay, maybe two), a tub of yogurt teetering on the edge of expiration, and enough hard-boiled eggs to supply a neighborhood potluck. It started as a “let’s just…

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Stacked shrimp salad tea sandwiches made with whole wheat bread, cut into neat squares and arranged on a floral plate, perfect for brunch or party appetizers.

Creamy Shrimp Salad Sandwich Spread

Posted on April 20, 2025April 20, 2025 by Katie

There’s a kind of magic in the quiet rituals of a special gathering, the way the light filters through the curtains, the clink of teacups, the soft hum of conversation, and the little bites that say more than words ever could. Tea sandwiches, especially the delicate ones made with care, feel like an invitation to…

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Hi there!

My name is Katie and I'm excited you are here!

In 2016, I set out on a mission to learn every strategy, tip, and technique related to budgeting, saving, and debt reduction. That journey not only helped me crush my financial goals but also made it possible for me to buy my first home.
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