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Our Crow's Nest I love sharing easy family friendly recipes, grocery hauls, and family travel tips!

Okay, now THIS is what I want simmering on the stove once October rolls around. 🌶️🍂There's just something about a big po...
10/09/2026

Okay, now THIS is what I want simmering on the stove once October rolls around. 🌶️🍂

There's just something about a big pot of homemade chili cooking away for a couple of hours that makes the whole house feel cozy.

And this recipe is near and dear to my heart, because I would make a large batch of this and share it with my grandpa (Daddy Joe, who has since gone onto be with the Lord) so it's very special to me 😊

This Hearty Chili Beans starts with ground beef, onion, bell peppers and celery, then I add kidney beans AND Great Northern beans, tomatoes, beef broth and plenty of chili seasonings. Then comes the important part...just let it simmer. 😂

I give mine a full 2 hours on the stove, which lets it thicken up and gives all those flavors time to come together. And honestly? I think chili might be one of those rare foods that's even BETTER the next day.

Then everyone can load up their bowl however they want. Cheese, sour cream, green onions, avocado, hot sauce, tortilla chips...there really is no wrong answer. Except maybe eating it plain. 😂

So tell me: what's the ONE topping that absolutely has to go on your chili?

Grab the full recipe in the comments!💕

It's officially that time of year when I want every dinner to be warm, cozy and preferably made in ONE PAN. 😂🍂 (even tho...
10/07/2026

It's officially that time of year when I want every dinner to be warm, cozy and preferably made in ONE PAN. 😂🍂 (even though it's 100 DEGREES TODAY! 😅)

This Creamy Chicken and Herby Potato Skillet checks all the boxes!

Tender pieces of chicken and diced potatoes simmer together in a creamy garlic sauce with Parmesan and plenty of herbs. It's warm, comforting and hearty enough that I don't have to figure out a bunch of side dishes to go with it.

And my favorite part? Everything cooks in the same skillet.
I brown the chicken first, pull it out for a few minutes while I make the creamy sauce, then the chicken goes right back in with the potatoes and herbs. Cover it and let everything simmer until those potatoes are nice and tender.

What's your favorite kind of cozy dinner: creamy skillet meals, soups, casseroles, slow cooker meals or something else?

Full recipe in the comments!💕

As if banana bread really needed an upgrade...I went and added BISCOFF! 😂If you love cookie butter, you NEED to try thi...
10/03/2026

As if banana bread really needed an upgrade...I went and added BISCOFF! 😂

If you love cookie butter, you NEED to try this one!

I took a classic banana bread and added creamy Biscoff cookie butter right into the batter, which gives it that warm, caramelized Biscoff flavor while still keeping all that soft, moist banana bread goodness.

But obviously I couldn't stop there.

The top gets covered in a homemade Brown Sugar Biscoff Icing made with butter, brown sugar, cream AND more cookie butter...then I sprinkle crushed Biscoff cookies over the whole thing for a little crunch.😍

And the banana bread itself is made in ONE BOWL, because I'm always going to choose fewer dishes when I can.

Okay, cookie butter people...are you eating this for breakfast or dessert? 😂 Coffee, milk or tea? Let me know!

Full recipe in the comments! 💕

FRIENDS, IT'S OCTOBER!! 🍎🍂 So I think we're officially allowed to bring on ALL the cozy fall desserts now. 😂 And honestl...
10/01/2026

FRIENDS, IT'S OCTOBER!! 🍎🍂

So I think we're officially allowed to bring on ALL the cozy fall desserts now. 😂

And honestly, I don't think it gets much more classic than a warm Homemade Apple Crisp.

Tender cinnamon apples underneath a buttery brown sugar and oat topping that's baked until golden and bubbly.

This one is super simple too. I dice the apples instead of slicing them (they're easier for my kids to eat that way!), toss everything together, and then use the same bowl to make the oat crumble because why dirty another dish?! 😂

And don't stress about buying some special kind of apple. I usually use whatever apples we already have in the house, although Honeycrisp is my favorite when I have them!

Okay, important question: Apple Crisp WITH vanilla ice cream or WITHOUT? 🍎🍨 Are you going to unfollow me if I say WITHOUT ice cream?? 🙈

Grab the full recipe in the comments! 💕

Anyone else choose dinner recipes based on how many dishes they're going to have to wash afterward? 😂Chicken Parmesan is...
09/30/2026

Anyone else choose dinner recipes based on how many dishes they're going to have to wash afterward? 😂

Chicken Parmesan is one of those dinners I LOVE, but I used to think it was way more tedious to make than it needed to be.

So this version keeps things simple! I bread the chicken, brown it right in my cast iron skillet, and then the whole skillet goes straight into the oven. Once the chicken is cooked, I add marinara and plenty of mozzarella and pop it back in until everything is hot and melty. 😋

And the best part? One pan.

Which makes me happy...and probably makes my husband even happier since he's usually the dishwasher around here. 😂

Serve it with your favorite pasta, garlic bread, and/or a big salad.

Who's the dishwasher in YOUR house? 😂

Grab the full recipe here! 💕
https://ourcrowsnest.com/easy-oven-baked-one-pan-chicken-parmesan-recipe/

My husband and I saw this ad while watching TV last night...I would say, most consumers see the 6g of protein on the box...
09/23/2026

My husband and I saw this ad while watching TV last night...

I would say, most consumers see the 6g of protein on the box and assume a serving is ONE tube.

But peep that fine print on the bottom 👀 it takes THREE tubes of yogurt to get 6 grams of protein.

Eating 3 tubes would also give a child 18 grams of added sugar. The American Heart Association recommends less than 25 grams of added sugar for the whole day for kids ages 2–18.

Parents are trying to make quick choices for their kids, and this is exactly the kind of thing that can fool you if you don’t stop and read every bit of fine print and I hate that.

I can make a bowl with plain Greek yogurt, homemade granola, and fresh berries that has about half the added sugar of those three tubes AND feels like a more substantial snack. But I shouldn’t have to do detective work on a TV ad to understand what its big nutrition claim means.

My kids have eaten Go-Gurt. This isn’t about judging anyone for buying it. In fact, I still have some frozen in our freezer for a frozen yogurt treat! I’m frustrated with how foods marketed to kids can make the good-sounding number loud and the sugar math quiet.

If you've ever stood over a pot stirring a roux for almost an HOUR, you know this is a labor of love. 😂This Shrimp and A...
09/23/2026

If you've ever stood over a pot stirring a roux for almost an HOUR, you know this is a labor of love. 😂

This Shrimp and Andouille Sausage Gumbo is definitely NOT one of my 30 minute dinners, but oh man, is it worth it!

This is my oldest son's FAVORITE dinner served with a side of cornbread and a drizzle of honey. When I tell him I'm making 'his' gumbo, his face literally lights up and he goes, "oooohhhhh!!" 😍

It starts with andouille sausage, then a homemade roux that gets cooked low and slow until it's a deep, dark brown. Add onion, celery, bell pepper, garlic, Cajun seasoning and broth, let everything simmer together, and then the shrimp goes in right at the end.

The hardest part is having the patience to keep stirring that roux for 40–60 minutes 😂 But that's what gives the gumbo that rich, deep flavor, so DON'T rush it!

I serve ours over white rice with cornbread on the side, and this is one of those meals that's somehow even better the next day. 😋

Have you ever made a homemade gumbo before or would stirring a roux for an hour immediately make you tap out? 😂

Grab the full recipe here! 💕
https://ourcrowsnest.com/shrimp-and-andouille-sausage-gumbo/

Have you officially transitioned into FALL yet?! 🍂😂Technically, fall doesn't even start until September 22nd but my tast...
09/19/2026

Have you officially transitioned into FALL yet?! 🍂😂

Technically, fall doesn't even start until September 22nd but my taste buds and kitchen didn't get the memo.

I've already started bringing out all the apples, pumpkin and warm fall spices, and these Pumpkin Apple Streusel Muffins have a little bit of ALL OF THAT! 🎃🍎

They're soft and moist from the pumpkin, filled with chunks of fresh apple and warm spices, and topped with a buttery streusel that might just be my favorite part. 😋

And bonus, the batter comes together in ONE BOWL, which means fewer dishes. 👏🏻

Meanwhile, it's probably still going to be ridiculously hot outside (actually it's 90 today, so not too bad!) while I'm inside baking pumpkin muffins and pretending it's sweater weather. 😂

So tell me, have you transitioned into fall yet, or are you holding onto summer until September 22nd?

Grab the full recipe here! 💕

https://ourcrowsnest.com/pumpkin-apple-streusel-muffins/

30-minute dinners are literally saving my life right now. 😅Between school, sports, music, sicknesses and everything else...
09/18/2026

30-minute dinners are literally saving my life right now. 😅

Between school, sports, music, sicknesses and everything else that seems to happen during the week, I LOVE having a few dinners I can get on the table fast.

These Mongolian Beef Noodles are one of them! They're made with ground beef and linguine tossed in a sweet and savory sauce with garlic, ginger, soy sauce and hoisin. And the whole thing is ready in about 30 minutes. 👏🏻

I like to add a little Sriracha to ours for some heat and top everything with green onions and sesame seeds. You can also throw in whatever veggies you have hanging around in the fridge to make it a complete meal!

What's your go-to dinner when you only have about 30 minutes to get something on the table?

Grab the full recipe here! 💕

https://ourcrowsnest.com/mongolian-beef-noodles-recipe/

Is there anyone who goes to Red Lobster and doesn't eat way too many Cheddar Bay Biscuits?! 😂I'll be honest, it's been Y...
09/16/2026

Is there anyone who goes to Red Lobster and doesn't eat way too many Cheddar Bay Biscuits?! 😂

I'll be honest, it's been YEARS since I've actually been to Red Lobster, but I definitely remember those yummy biscuits 😍

And apparently putting them on top of a creamy chicken casserole is also a very good idea.

This Red Lobster Chicken Biscuit Cobbler is basically my cozy twist on chicken pot pie: shredded chicken, mixed veggies and a creamy filling topped with a cheesy Cheddar Bay biscuit layer.

And this one is SO easy. It only takes me around 5 minutes to get everything into the casserole dish, and then the oven does the rest!

It's also a great way to use up leftover rotisserie chicken and definitely one to save for leftover Thanksgiving turkey later this year. 🙌🏻

Now I need to know...when was the last time YOU went to Red Lobster? And more importantly, are the Cheddar Bay Biscuits still as good as I remember? 😂

Grab the full recipe here! 💕

https://ourcrowsnest.com/easy-red-lobster-chicken-biscuit-cobbler-recipe/

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317 Pacific Coast Hwy
Huntington Beach, CA
92648

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