February 2023 - Families With Grace

The best baked mac and cheese with Ritz cracker topping

Posted on February 28, 2023September 25, 2023 by Stacey A. Shannon

You’ll never have a better baked mac and cheese than this one inspired by a restaurant in St. Louis!

Nearly two years ago, we took a family vacation to St. Louis. We had a great time exploring the city and making lots of family memories. We also tried some incredible food. The hamburger from Hi-Pointe Drive-In was fabulous. Cookies from Insomnia Cookies hit a sweet spot. Floats from Fitz’s Root Beer were in their own category of sweet treats.

But, hands down, the most memorable for me was Salt + Smoke BBQ. My daughter and I went there solo while the boys ate elsewhere. The barbeque was good. Stupidly good. However, the baked mac and cheese with Ritz cracker topping stole my heart.

I literally said to my daughter as we were eating, “If I wasn’t already married to your dad, I’d marry this mac and cheese.” That may sound dramatic, but the mac and cheese really was that good. (I’m not even a big mac and cheese fan.)

Since we live a few hours away from St. Louis, I knew my odds of having that baked mac and cheese with Ritz cracker topping again were slim. If we go back someday, I’ll definitely hit it up. But until then, I’ve found and tweaked a recipe that tastes incredibly similar.

This baked mac and cheese with Ritz cracker topping has become a regular for Thanksgiving dinner at my house. I’ve served it to up beside sloppy joes. Most recently, I made it as a main dish and enjoyed every single bite of it. So much so that I seriously debated having its leftovers for breakfast the next day. You have got to try this simple recipe that only uses six ingredients (besides a bit of salt and pepper)!

Baked mac and cheese with Ritz cracker topping ingredients: triple cheddar shredded cheese, heavy whipping cream, flour, pasta shells, butter and Ritz crackers

Stovetop prep for the baked mac and cheese with Ritz cracker topping

Salt the water in a large pot and let it come to a boil, then add the pasta and cook until al dente, about 12 minutes. While the pasta cooks, preheat the oven to 300-degrees (F). The Salt + Smoke mac and cheese uses pasta shells, so that’s what I have used. You could use any pasta shape you prefer.

About four minutes before the pasta is finished getting, melt 2 tablespoons of butter into a medium saucepan over medium/high heat.

Butter for the baked mac and cheese with Ritz cracker topping melting in a medium saucepan over medium/high heat

When the pasta is finished cooking, strain it and return it to the pot, removed from the heat. Once the butter has melted, stir in 2 tablespoons of all-purpose flour. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Here’s how it will look start to finish:

The flour and butter starting to be mixed for the baked mac and cheese with Ritz cracker topping — Add the flour to the melted butter.

Part way through mixing the flour and butter for this baked mac and cheese with Ritz crackers recipe — Stir the flour and butter constantly for 1 to 2 minutes.

The flour and butter mixture completely mixed together after cooking for 2 minutes over medium/high heat — How the butter and flour mixture looks when it is finished cooking.

Once the flour and butter are well combined and cooked together, begin adding in the heavy cream about 1/4 cup at a time. Let it mix in each time completely before adding more. It will go from a texture of runny oatmeal to mashed potatoes to pudding to sauce.

Starting to stir in the heavy cream for the baked mac and cheese with Ritz cracker topping — Adding the first 1/4 cup of heavy cream into the flour and butter mixture looks a bit like runny oatmeal.

Continuing to gradually stir the heavy cream in for this baked mac and cheese with Ritz cracker topping — As you keep adding, the cream, it starts to be more of a mashed potato consistency.

Once the cream is completely stirred in and the mixture is more sauce-like, continue cooking it over medium/high heat, stirring frequently. When it just starts to move around a bit, remove it from the heat. Do not let it boil. It will look like this:

The cooked sauce removed from the heat for this baked mac and cheese with Ritz cracker topping

Next, stir in 8 ounces of shredded cheddar cheese. Salt + Smoke uses white cheddar, I think, but I use triple cheddar blend because it’s easier for me to find. Add a dash of salt and pepper.

Stirring the cheese into the sauce for this baked mac and cheese with Ritz cracker topping — Pour the shredded cheese into the sauce.

Stir well until the cheese melts completely.

Getting it ready to bake

Once the cheese sauce is totally together, pour the sauce over the cooked and strained pasta.

The cooked pasta with the cheese sauce poured over the top of it for this baked mac and cheese with Ritz cracker topping

Stir together the sauce and pasta so it is well mixed and all the pasta is covered.

The pasta stirred together and coated with the cheese sauce for this baked mac and cheese with Ritz cracker topping

Transferred the coated pasta into a 9×13-inch baking dish, lightly sprayed with non-stick cooking spray. Use a spoon to spread it evenly throughout the dish.

The prepared mac and cheese being spread into a 9 x 13-inch baking dish

Crush the Ritz crackers for the topping and spread over the top of the prepared mac and cheese. I use about 8 to 10 Ritz crackers for this. I have store brand ingredients for everything except the crackers, because the buttery flavor of Ritz really does work best for this recipe. (Please note that I am in no way affiliated with or sponsored by Ritz crackers.)

The baked mac and cheese with Ritz cracker topping ready to go into the oven

Bake it in the preheated 300-degree oven for about 12 minutes until heated through. I often serve this with additional crackers on the side for added crunch if people want. Be sure to refrigerate any leftovers.

I promise this will become your favorite baked mac and cheese recipe! Look at this cheesy, yummy goodness!

A finished dish of the baked mac and cheese with Ritz topping — The cracker crust gives just a hint of crunch and extra buttery-ness!

Baked mac and cheese with Ritz cracker topping

This baked mac and cheese with Ritz cracker topping recipe is the best ever. With only 6 ingredients, it will quickly become a favorite!

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 12

Total Time 32

Course Main Course, Side Dish

Cuisine American

Servings 8 people

Ingredients

1 pound medium pasta shells
2 tablespoons salted butter
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cups heavy whipping cream
8 ounces shredded cheddar cheese
8-10 Ritz crackers crushed
salt & pepper to taste

Instructions

Bring a lot pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook until al dente, about 12 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 300-degrrees (F).
About four minutes before the pasta is finished cooking, melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a medium saucepan over medium/high heat.
Add 2 tablespoons of flour to the butter and cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly.
Drain the pasta and return it to its pot off the heat; set aside.
Slowly add the heavy cream to the butter and flour mixture. Stir in about 1/4 cup at a time, waiting until it's completely mixed in to add more.
Once the cream is all added, continue cooking over medium/high heat, stirring frequently, until the liquid starts to move. Do NOT let it come to a boil.
Remove the pot from the heat and stir in the 8 ounces of shredded cheddar cheese until completely melted and smooth. Add a dash of salt and pepper. (If you use unsalted butter, you may need to add more salt.)
Pour the cheddar cheese sauce over the cooked and drained pasta. Mix well so the sauce covers all the pasta.
Spritz a 9×13-inch baking dish lightly with non-stick cooking spray. Pour the pasta into the baking dish and spread it out evenly.
Crush the Ritz crackers by hand and sprinkle evenly over the top of the pasta.
Bake for 12 minutes until heated through. Serve immediately, and enjoy!

Keyword baked mac and cheese, carry-in, carry-in recipe, Christmas, family dinner, family friendly, family recipe, kid friendly, mac and cheese, macaroni and cheese, potluck, salt + smoke mac and cheese, Thanksgiving, weeknight dinner

Find more delicious family recipes like this one in the “Favorite Recipes from Families with Grace” cookbook. Download your FREE copy today!

The best microwave baked potato recipe

Posted on February 21, 2023September 25, 2023 by Stacey A. Shannon

Using the microwave and the oven for baked potatoes speeds up cooking time without compromising texture!

The best microwave baked potato recipe Pinterest image 2

I haven’t met a potato I didn’t like from cheesy party potatoes to mashed potatoes to potato soup to to french fries to potato chili, I love them all. When it comes to baked potatoes, I like them soft and tender. But baking them for hours isn’t really my jam. I don’t have time for that! Instead I take a trick from my mom using this microwave baked potato recipe. Because you start the potatoes in the microwave and finish them in the oven, they cook faster and you still get that nice oven-baked texture.

These microwave baked potatoes are incredibly easy. They’re perfect for weeknight or weekend dinners!

Microwave the baked potato

Turn your oven on to 450-degrees (F) to start preheating.

Before you put your baked potatoes in the microwave, you need to poke holes in the potatoes or else they will explode. I usually stab mine all over in random places with a fork. I don’t know that I need to make as many holes as I do, but I figure better safe than sorry. After all, I don’t want to clean up an exploded potato mess!

Raw potatoes on a plate being pierced with a fork

Put the potatoes on a microwave-safe plate, and then place them in the microwave. I cook them in the microwave at 100% power for about three minutes per potato. You can probably get away with two minutes per potato if they are smaller potatoes, but I usually do this with large ones and serve them as our main dish.

So, I cooked these three potatoes in the microwave for 12 minutes.

Prepare for the oven

A couple of minutes before the potatoes are finished in the microwave, I get set up to transfer them to the oven with a baking sheet, sheets of aluminum foil, vegetable oil with a tablespoon and coarse sea salt.

Set up to move the baked potatoes from the microwave to the oven with a baking sheet, aluminum foil sheets, vegetable oil with a tablespoon and coarse sea salt

When the microwave stops, take the potatoes out. The potatoes will be hot, so use oven mitts to pick them up one at a time to transfer them to the foil sheets.

Using an oven mitt to pick up a hot potato from the microwave

Once the potato is on a foil sheet, drizzle one tablespoon of vegetable oil over it.

A baked potato being drizzled with vegetable oil

Next, sprinkle the potato with the coarse sea salt, if desired.

A baked potato that has been drizzled with oil and sprinkled with coarse sea salt

Wrap the foil around the potatoes and place them onto a baking sheet. Cook them in the oven at 450-degrees (F) for 20 minutes.

Three potatoes wrapped in foil on a baking sheet and ready to go into the hot oven

Enjoy the potato

When the potatoes are finished cooking, take them out of the oven. Carefully open the foil to let them start to cool.

Cut the potato open carefully and use a fork to mash the inside a bit, if you like it that way. (I sure do!)

A fully cooked baked potato with a soft center

Add your favorite toppings and you’re good to go! We usually have baked potatoes as our main dish, so I loaded this one up with butter, cheese, sour cream and bacon bits. On the night I took these photos, we had a total carb fest. I also served up this delicious homemade french bread! Another great pairing for these baked potatoes is my mom’s meatloaf with ketchup glaze.

A finished baked potato loaded with butter, cheese, sour cream and bacon bits

Microwave baked potato

This is the best microwave baked potato recipe because it starts in the microwave to cook faster but ends in the oven for a better texture.

Print Recipe

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 52

Total Time 1 2

Course Side Dish

Cuisine American

Servings 3 people

Ingredients

3 large russet potatoes
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 teaspoon coarse sea salt optional
baked potato toppings as desired like butter, sour cream, cheese, bacon bits, etc.

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 450-degrees (F).
Scrub your potatoes until they're clean. Pierce each potato in numerous places with a fork to make holes.
Put the potatoes on a microwave-safe plate and cook in the microwave for 3 minutes per large potato. (For three large potatoes, cook for 12 minutes.)
Just before the potatoes finish in the microwave, get out sheets of aluminum foil to hold the potatoes along with a baking sheet, the vegetable oil and the salt, if desired.
Carefully transfer one potato at a time to a sheet of aluminum foil. (I use oven mitts for this because the potatoes are hot!)
Drizzle the potatoes with 1 tablespoon each of the vegetable oil. Sprinkle with the salt, if desired.
Wrap the potatoes in the foil, place them on a baking sheet and cook in your preheated oven for 20 minutes.
Carefully peel back the foil from the baked potatoes, cut them and serve them with your favorite baked potato toppings.

Keyword baked potato, family dinner, family friendly, microwave cooking, potato, weeknight dinner

Meatloaf recipe with ketchup glaze

Posted on February 14, 2023September 25, 2023 by Stacey A. Shannon

My all-time favorite meatloaf recipe

There are so many different ways to make meatloaf. I’ve seen it with brown gravy over the top. Sometimes it’s dry. Other times it’s spicy. But, my all-time favorite meatloaf recipe topped with ketchup glaze comes from my mama. It’s one of my favorite dishes she makes.

I hadn’t made meatloaf myself until more recently. My husband and son won’t eat it. They don’t eat much meat. But after trying various meal kit delivery services, I learned making two different dinner options was sometimes worth it. I tried out some meatloaf recipes, and they were good enough. However, they weren’t my mom’s.

For just over a year, my parents have lived states away from me instead of five minutes away from me. So when they were here for a visit in the fall, I asked my mom to make meatloaf. She not only made it, but also froze some meatloaf patties that my daughter and I enjoyed later on for dinners. When my parents were back for my son’s recent birthday, I knew I had to write down her recipe, take photos and share it with you guys as well!

This meatloaf recipe is home-cooking at its finest. It’s not fancy, but it’s hearty and delicious. Serve it up with mashed potatoes or cheesy party potatoes and oven-roasted vegetables for a complete meal.

Figure out the meat

So the issue here is what kind of meat to use. You can use all ground beef (we use chuck at 80/20 fat) or a mix of ground beef and ground pork or sausage. It’s good all the ways! This particular time, we made it with the mix of ground beef and ground pork, because I had some leftover ground pork I wanted to use.

If you do use a mixture of meat, you want to use 3/4 ground beef and about 1/4 ground pork or sausage. We used 2.5 pounds of meat total for five adults (with leftovers), which broke down to 2 pounds of ground beef and 1/2 pound of ground pork.

The fresher your meat is, the better the meatloaf will be. If you have a butcher or butcher’s case at your grocery store, go with ground meat from there. You don’t need it to be all-organic and grass-fed (unless that’s your thing). You just want fresh. However, this time around, we used frozen meat I had, and it was still incredibly good.

Mix up your meatloaf

Switch your oven on to 350-degrees (F) to get it preheating, and then start mixing your meatloaf. Put all of the meat into a large mixing bowl. Add 1 egg, 1 teaspoon of sage (unless you use sausage, in which case omit this), salt, pepper, 1/2 cup diced onion, 3 tablespoons of ketchup and 3 tablespoons of honey barbeque sauce.

The meatloaf ingredients (minus the glaze ingredients) in a large mixing bowl ready to be combined

Cut up about three slices of bread into small pieces. You an use whatever bread you have. This time, I had leftover french bread from serving slow cooker potato soup for dinner a couple of nights prior, so I used that. But regular sandwich bread works. In a pinch, crumbled crackers can work as well.

Chopped bread crumbs ready to go into the meatloaf recipe

Add the bread pieces into the meat mixture and mix it all together well. You can use a spoon for this or your clean hands to do so. I think using your hands is easiest, but do what works for you.

The meatloaf ingredients all mixed together and ready to go into the pan

The next step in this meatloaf recipe is putting the meat into a 9×13 baking dish. My mom’s tip is to make a bit of a “well” around the meat in between the meat and the pan. The grease will collect there and be easier to drain off.

The meatloaf in the pan, with a small amount of space between the meat and pan, that's ready to go into the oven

After your meatloaf is in the pan, top it with the 6 ounces of tomato paste. Cover the pan with aluminum foil and place the meatloaf in your preheated oven for 45 minutes.

Finish the meatloaf

About five minutes before the 45-minute mark, mix up your glaze. The ketchup glaze in this meatloaf recipe is probably my favorite thing about it! Mix together 2 tablespoons of brown sugar, 2 tablespoons of ketchup and 2 tablespoons of honey barbeque sauce.

Pull the meatloaf out of the oven. The tomato paste will have baked into the top a bit and grease will have gathered around the sides.

The meatloaf after having baked covered for 45 minutes with the grease around the edges

If you want, an optional step for this meatloaf recipe is to drain off some of the grease. That’s what we chose to do. Here is what it looked like after we drained the grease.

The meatloaf after draining some of the grease out of it

Next, it’s time to spread the ketchup glaze over the meatloaf. Spread the mixed up glaze right on top of the tomato paste.

The meatloaf recipe topped with the ketchup glaze and ready to finish baking in the oven

Put the meatloaf back into the oven, uncovered, for 15 more minutes. Let it set for about five minutes and then slice and put onto a plate for serving. (You want to move it to a plate to serve from because baking the second time will create more grease that you don’t want the meat sitting in.)

Serve up with some cheesy party potatoes, oven-roasted vegetables or mashed potatoes and enjoy!

A slice of delicious meatloaf with ketchup glaze alongside some mashed potatoes

Meatloaf recipe with ketchup glaze

This meatloaf recipe with ketchup glaze is my mom's long-time recipe that makes the best meatloaf hands down. You've got to try it!

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 1

Total Time 1 15

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Servings 6 people

Ingredients

2 pounds ground beef
0.5 pounds ground pork
8 ounces tomato sauce
3 slices bread chopped
1/4 teaspoon sage
1 egg
1/2 cup onion diced
5 tablespoons ketchup divided
5 tablespoons honey barbeque sauce divided
6 ounces tomato paste
2 tablespoons brown sugar

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350-degrees (F).
Put the ground beef and ground pork into a large mixing bowl. Add in the tomato sauce, bread, sage, egg and onion.
Add 3 tablespoons of ketchup and 3 tablespoons of barbeque sauce, and mix the ingredients well.
Put the meat mixture into a 9×13 baking dish. Flatten it out to the same thickness throughout and leave a small space between the sides of the dish and the meat.
Spread the tomato paste over the top of the meat. Then cover with aluminum foil and baked for 45 minutes.
About 5 minutes before the meatloaf is finished with the first round of baking, mix together 2 tablespoons brown sugar, 2 tablespoons ketchup and 2 tablespoons barbeque sauce to form the ketchup glaze.
Remove the meatloaf from the oven. If desired, drain some of the grease from the meatloaf. Then spread the glaze over the top of the tomato sauce.
Put the meatloaf back into the oven, uncovered, for an additional 15 minutes.
Remove the meatloaf from the oven and let it set for five minutes before slicing and transferring to another plate to serve.

Keyword family dinner, family recipe, ketchup glaze, kid friendly, meatloaf, traditional recipe

How to start a new business as a new mom

Posted on February 13, 2023November 10, 2023 by Stacey A. Shannon

Ideas for mompreneurs to get started while welcoming a baby

I’m excited to share this blog post about how to start a new business as a new parent. Charlotte Walker of HomeSafetyHub.com has some great insights for mompreneurs to get started in a business or side hustle. Charlotte herself has been passionate about safety her whole life and enjoys writing about topics related to homes and home life.

When you make the decision to start or grow your family, you have so many exciting milestones to look forward to. At the same time, though, it can be a period of overwhelming responsibilities. To meet your evolving financial goals, you might come to the decision to start a new business. While doing so can make this period of your life even more turbulent, it is a challenge worth undertaking for the sake of your family’s well-being. By keeping a few helpful tips in mind along the way, you can lay a strong foundation of support that will help keep your new child happy and healthy for years to come.

How to start a new business as a new mom Pinterest image 1

Start with a great business plan

You can reduce the stress you place on yourself during this hectic time by having an actionable business plan that removes some of the uncertainty from the situation. A well-written plan outlines the goal of your business, as well as the processes you will follow to attain that goal and the funding options available to you.

Your business plan should also describe the structure you will choose for your enterprise. For example, you might decide to establish a limited liability company or LLC to protect yourself from potential litigation issues and excessive tax obligations.

Develop Marketing Strategies

In outlining a successful marketing plan as you start a new business, consider both long and short term goals, analyze current market trends, set a budget and define a target audience. You’ll want to identify what platforms you will use to reach potential customers and develop an argument that creates conversions by emphasizing the value of your product or service.

Content marketing entails creating and sharing meaningful content that resonates with the target audience of that business. With a well-thought-out strategy, an effective content marketing program can generate more leads and establish trust with potential customers while helping a new business develop its brand image. Content creation is essential when you start a new business.

Prioritize Work-Life Balance

Mental health experts claim that as many as one in four Americans feel the stresses of a poor work-life balance. The ability to strike this balance should be a given, not a luxury. As a parent welcoming a new baby, finding that work-life balance is a necessity for ensuring your family gets the attention they need.

The best way to find a healthy balance is by building out a schedule or routine that accounts for all of your responsibilities while also being sustainable for your own wellness. As another idea, consider setting up a space for your new baby close to your home office so you can respond quickly when parental action is required.

Invest in Comfortable Clothing

New moms need comfortable clothing that can easily transition from a busy day of running their new business, to feeding a baby and then to some much-needed rest and relaxation. Finding clothing that is both stylish and supportive isn’t always easy, but with the right combination of items it is definitely possible! Look for relaxed fits like ultra-soft T-shirts, tunic tops, easy pants, and drapey yoga sets that provide plenty of air ventilation and don’t cling in any areas.

Save Time With Efficient Business Practices

Using the best tools and methods available will help you cut down on your daily workload, giving you more time to spend with your family. Premium accounting software and other examples of cutting-edge tech may seem like unnecessary investments at first, but the amount of time and money you can save in the long run can make these solutions absolutely necessary.

Another way to save yourself some precious time is by implementing a thorough document management system. This is especially important if you need to share files with clients, employees or collaborators. Keep in mind that PDFs are often the preferred file format. A PDF converter will allow you to streamline your filing and recordkeeping by converting files that are in different formats.

Find Help When You Need It

If you find yourself in a situation where you simply cannot give your young children the attention they deserve, it may be time to seek outside help. Hiring a reputable babysitter or childcare service can give you peace of mind in knowing your child is safe and cared for at all times.

There are few things as fulfilling as starting a business or becoming a parent. Experiencing both at the same time can be uniquely challenging but also unparalleled in creating a sense of accomplishment. Write a business and marketing plan, purchase some comfortable clothing, prioritize work-life balance, learn about efficient business practices and find childcare help to become a successful mompreneur.

Looking for more resources to start a new business as a mom? Join me this year at the Monetizing Mompreneurs Summit!

Monetizing Mompreneurs Summit information for 2023

Advice to my younger self

Posted on February 9, 2023March 17, 2025 by Stacey A. Shannon

Words of wisdom for tweens and teens

When I think about whether I’d go back and tell my younger self anything if I could, sometimes I think I would. Other times, I think I wouldn’t.

After all, the life I’ve lived has formed me into who I am today. However, as my daughter is officially in the teen years, I have been thinking more of advice to my younger self.

Advice to my younger self Pinterest image 3

These nuggets of wisdom garnered over four decades of life have been hard-earned and oftentimes hard-learned. I want to pass along words of wisdom as much as I can to my children.

I know they won’t always listen. Some lessons they’ll have to learn the hard way. And they’ll learn lessons that weren’t even relevant to me as a teen, especially as it relates to social media. As a xennial, social media wasn’t on the scene for me in middle or high school.

I also realize that neither of my children are replicas of me. I see parts of myself in both of them, but they are fully and uniquely their own people.

So in thinking of advice to my younger self, I stayed away from specifics. Instead, I came up with 10 main points I wish all tweens and teens could embrace and take in.

Affiliate links are used in this post, if you make a qualifying purchase via my link, I receive a small percentage of the sale at no additional cost to you. It helps support my blog, so thank you for your support! Read my full disclosure here.

1. Don’t take everything so personally.

Honestly, at the root of not taking everything so personally is more this message: Not everything is about you.

Here’s what I mean. If you have a friend who isn’t as talkative one day, chances are he or she probably isn’t mad at your. Most likely your friend is tired or having an otherwise off day.

If your mom snaps at your for something small, she is most likely just juggling multiple things or having a rough day. It doesn’t mean you’re awful.

I’ve always been incredibly good at taking things personally. I see the same attribute in one of my children, especially.

But really and truly I’ve learned at least 90% of the time, the action or words I take so personally don’t really have anything to do with me specifically.

I wish I would have learned that sooner. I could have saved myself a lot of grief and anxiety.

2. Learn to speak up for yourself.

It took me into adulthood to find my voice. And even now, I still struggle to speak up for myself. Advocating for yourself is important.

If someone is treating you poorly, speak up for yourself and let them know it’s not OK before it’s too late.

In fact, I had a friend I was close with through middle school and most of high school. She would often say hurtful things that I let slide. And then one day, I’d had enough. I decided we were done.

Our friendship ended (for this and other reasons) when it might not have had I spoken up for myself and worked out the issues sooner.

Being a people pleaser never leads anywhere good. You can’t make everyone happy all the time.

Don’t be afraid to respectfully speak up for yourself and your needs.

And remember nobody can read your mind. If you have an issue with someone, talk to them plainly instead of passive aggressively.

3. Know you’ll find your people.

Some people make lifelong friends early on in life. My husband, for example, has a great friend who he met in fifth grade, and they have been friends ever since.

But not all of us are those kind of people. When it comes to friend “luck,” in fact, I’ve struck out more often than not. If I were to give advice to my younger self, I’d tell her to hang in there.

During the tween and teens years, you’re mostly just with the kids you know from school. Maybe you’ve found your people during these years — and that’s awesome.

But maybe you haven’t. Or maybe they are sort of your people but not quite. Know you will eventually find your people who “get” you and accept you for who you are.

As you get older and into college and work, you’ll meet more people. Some will be part of your life for a season; others will remain for a lifetime.

Don’t worry if you’ve not found your lifetime friends, yet. You still have plenty of time.

4. Stick with friends who stand by you.

Friendships are constantly shifting and changing when we’re in middle and high school. I have a plethora of stories just from my own middle and high school days! But, if you find a friend who sticks with you during hard times, keep them.

I will never forget the day in my senior year of high school when a group of “friends” spent the entire lunchtime talking negatively about me. One of my friends got up and left the table. She didn’t engage in the conversation and came to find me instead. She gave me support and encouragement.

To this day, she is still one of the only people from high school I see on a regular basis. When you identify your true friends, hang on tight.

5. Ignore other people’s opinions of you.

During middle and high school, I was very aware of other people’s opinions of me. I think that’s pretty normal. But sometimes we need to just ignore what other people think and live our lives.

Don’t be so busy worrying about what other people think of you that you let it shape the decisions you make. I know that can be easier said than done. I wish I would have learned sooner to not care about other’s opinions too much, though.

A great piece of advice I see floating around online is to not take criticism from people who you wouldn’t go to for advice.

6. Remember everyone has a story and a struggle.

To some degree, I think we all are aware everyone has more going on than we know about. Yet, we can easily forget that in the midst of dealing with our own challenges.

In giving advice to my younger self, I’d remind her she doesn’t know everyone’s story. Some people need more grace than anyone gives them. Some people need to be loved. Others need someone to call them on their actions.

Remember if you’re going through a difficult time, it doesn’t mean your friends aren’t. We can be very good at acting like everything is fine when it isn’t.

Sometimes the people who seem the happiest and most bubbly at school are the ones who cry themselves to sleep each night. Give grace, compassion and love to the people around you. Do they always deserve it? Nope. But, that’s what grace is – giving someone something they don’t deserve.

Give grace, compassion and love to the people around you. Do they always deserve it? Nope. But, that's what grace is – giving someone something they don't deserve.

7. Don’t be so stressed about academics.

Growing up, I put so much pressure on myself to do well in school. I have theories about why I did this, but they don’t matter.

What I’ve learned is nobody in my life as an adult cares what my high school GPA was. Did having a great GPA help me land a full scholarship to college? Absolutely. But, did I need to stress as much as I did over it? Definitely not.

My advice to my younger self would be to just let it go sometimes. To do well, do her best and get good grades, but don’t make that such an important part of life.

I completely missed my 16th birthday because I had a band concert that night. My band director threatened to dock my grade to a “C” if I didn’t go to the concert.

So instead of celebrating with my family as planned (and as I wanted to), I went to the concert. I didn’t want to risk my GPA. Looking back, I should have just stayed home and celebrated. And that leads to…

8. Relax and enjoy life.

I know life seems stressful and busy when you’re a tween and teen. I do remember that, but I can also promise you are in a phase when you can choose to just enjoy life.

You have some responsibilities, sure. However, you aren’t in charge of everything in your life. While that is sometimes frustrating, it’s also freeing.

Middle and high school are the perfect times to enjoy life. Try new things. Take up a new hobby and see what you think. Spend a Saturday reading through an entire novel.

Don’t get so caught up in the stress of life that you forget to also enjoy it!

9. Life will never go according to plan.

Poor younger me. She was a planner. In fact, I still am a planner. I love to have a plan and to-do lists. They make my heart sing.

But my best advice to my younger self is to know that life won’t go according to plan, and that’s OK. Your tween and teen years are a great time to learn to embrace the unpredictability of life. Get upset about the change in what you had planned if you need to.

However, don’t get stuck there. Move forward into a plan B, C, D or however many letters it takes!

One day, you’ll look back and understand why your original plan not working out was for the best. Or at the very least, you’ll see lessons you learned as a result.

And more times than you would guess, you’ll be thankful your original plan fell through because the alternative was so much better. Make plans, but know they won’t always turn out exactly as you envisioned, and it really is OK.

10. Give yourself grace.

Yep. I do harp on this a lot, but it’s something I wish my younger self knew sooner. I’ve spent a lifetime excelling at being hard on myself. I’m nice to people around me. In fact, I love encouraging other people and always have, even as a tween and teen.

But, whew! I am mean to myself. My inner voice says awful things and has no patience for mistakes.

I’m continually learning to quiet this voice and remind myself I’m doing the best I can. I truly wish I had learned this lesson from a younger age. It would have saved me from so many negative feelings and given me self-confidence.

See the video of this post here and on the Families with Grace YouTube channel:

Edible chocolate chip cookie dough you can make in minutes!

Posted on February 7, 2023June 18, 2024 by Stacey A. Shannon

A delicious cookie dough dessert without any raw eggs

I love chocolate. A lot. A super lot. My favorite cookies are chocolate chip cookies. And I definitely enjoy some chocolate chip cookie dough when I’m baking them.

But, I don’t eat it otherwise, because the risk of salmonella. My son loves chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream. So when I discovered an easy recipe for edible chocolate chip cookie dough, I knew I had to try it.

Edible chocolate chip cookie dough Pinterest image

I first made it in 2020 when we were spending lots of time at home thanks to COVID-19. Since then, I’ve made this edible chocolate chip cookie dough multiple times and learned a few things along the way.

The first being that I need to double the recipe. Making just the amount for the original recipe isn’t nearly enough for my family!

I’ve made a couple of other tweaks to the recipe and it’s the absolute best. I just made a couple of batches for my son’s 10th birthday and knew I had to share the recipe for this edible chocolate chip cookie dough. I can’t keep the deliciousness to myself!

Prepare the flour

My concern in eating raw chocolate chip cookie dough used to be just the salmonella in the eggs. However, I’ve more recently learned raw flour also poses a risk.

Processing grains into flour doesn’t kill the bacteria in the flour. So this recipe starts with cooking the flour to get rid of the bacteria.

The good news is that you can do this easily in your microwave. Pour two cups of all-purpose flour into a microwave-safe bowl and microwave in 30-second increments, stirring after each 30 seconds, until the flour reaches 165-degrees (F). My microwave usually does this in two run-throughs.

A bowl of flour to heat-treat for the edible chocolate chip cookie dough recipe

I grab my kitchen thermometer and really do measure the temperature for this process to be sure. If you don’t have a kitchen thermometer, then just heat the flour for at least 1 minute in 30-second increments.

Mixing the cookie dough

Once your flour is all prepped and ready to go, you just need to mix together all the ingredients. I use my beloved stand mixer, Dorothy, for making this edible chocolate chip cookie dough, but you can also use a hand mixer or spoon.

Put your prepared flour to the side and beat the 2 sticks of room temperature butter with 2 cups of packed brown sugar.

The butter and brown sugar in a mixing bowl ready to cream together for this edible chocolate chip cookie dough recipe

You’ll know it’s creamed when it is thoroughly combined and fluffy.

The creamed butter and brown sugar in the mixing bowl

Next, add in 1/4 cup milk, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract and 1 teaspoon of salt. Mix the ingredients together. (Be sure to slow down your mixer before adding in the wet ingredients to avoid getting splashed by them. Yes, I speak from experience!)

The mixture should be thick, but still wet and clumpy.

The mixture with the milk, vanilla and salt added into it

Now you’re ready to put treated flour to work. Mix it into the mixture in stages. I usually put it in with a heaping tablespoon at a time.

The mixing bowl with a tablespoon of flour ready to pour into the mixer and begin combining it for this edible chocolate chip cookie dough recipe

Once the flour is all mixed in, you should have the consistency of chocolate chip cookie dough that is thick and soft.

The thick, but soft "dough" that forms for this edible chocolate chip cookie dough recipe

Finally, it’s time to stir in the chocolate chips. You could use full-sized semi-sweet chocolate chips for this recipe, but the mini ones work better and are easier to eat.

I use my stand mixer’s “stir” setting to stir in the chocolate chips, but you could also do it by hand. You want to avoid a higher setting that will break up the chips.

The finished edible chocolate chip cookie dough in the stand mixer

Transfer the edible chocolate chip cookie dough into an airtight container and store it in the refrigerator. I can’t tell you how many days it lasts in the fridge beyond two or three, because my family doesn’t keep it around for long!

The edible chocolate chip cookie dough in an airtight container ready to go into the fridge

Serve it by itself, alongside fudgy brownies, with ice cream or however you think sounds best!

Edible Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough

This edible chocolate chip cookie dough recipe is delicious and easy. Eat it by the spoonful, with ice cream or with any other dessert!

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Total Time 15

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Ingredients

2 sticks salted butter room temperature
2 cups brown sugar packed
1/4 cup milk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups flour heat treated (see instructions below)
1 cup mini semi-sweet chocolate chips

Instructions

Heat treat the flour to kill any bacteria contained in it by placing it in a microwave-safe bowl and "cooking" it in the microwave for 30 seconds at a time, stirring between each 30 seconds, until the temperature throughout reaches 165-degrees (F). Set the flour aside.
In a stand mixer or using a handheld mixer, add the butter and brown sugar. Beat together until well combined and fluffy.
Turn the speed down and add in the milk, vanilla and salt. Mix until combined.
Slowly add in the heat-treated flour at low to medium speed until it is well mixed into a soft, thick "dough."
Stir in the chocolate chips.
Put the edible chocolate chip cookie dough into an airtight container and store in the refrigerator. Enjoy!

Keyword chocolate chip cookie dough, easy dessert, edible chocolate chip cookie dough, no bake dessert

The best tunic tops for moms under $30

Posted on February 2, 2023June 5, 2024 by Stacey A. Shannon

20 Tunic tops for leggings that moms will love!

Leggings are incredibly comfortable and these 20 tunic tops for moms under $30 will have your rocking your leggings and looking good! #TunicTops #Leggings #MomFashion #FamiliesWithGrace #Style #MomStyle #womenstunictops #affordablefashion

I was slow to the legging trend. It took a couple of years after leggings became popular for me to really get into the groove of wearing them. Now they’re pretty much all I wear and work for casual and dressy times. But, as a mom who is also fluffy, I’m all about having the right top to go with it. Sometimes finding the best tunic tops for moms can be difficult, but lately I’m coming across all kinds of them.

While I’ve found tunic topics in a variety of places, my favorite place to find them is on Amazon. Most stores offer free returns that I can drop off unpackaged at my local UPS store if something doesn’t work. I love tunic tops that are comfortable to wear and comfortably long.

I also refuse to spend more than $30 on a tunic top to wear with leggings, because I’d rather spend the money on my kids or something else. So, I’ve pulled together some of the best tunic tops for moms that are under $30. I have most of these tunic tops myself and love the way they fit, feel and cover. Even better, none of them need special washing or get super wrinkly.

(And if you don’t like the color or designed shown, rest assured that all of them come in various designs and/or colors! Many of the styles come in both long and short sleeves as well.)

Long-sleeved tunic tops for moms

A tunic top with a black and white plaid top that has a cowl neck and a solid black bottom

A ruby tunic top for moms with a heathered look and lace trim on the bottom front of it

Tunic top for moms that has three solid horizontal stripes or color blocks. Shown in black, green and gray.

A tunic top for mom that is longer and more of a dress style. It is knit with pockets and large buttons down one side. It is shown in orange.

This tunic top for moms is a sweater style top with a solid body and striped sleeves. It's shown in a dark teal body with orange, gray, green and purple striped sleeves.

A sweatshirt style tunic top for moms that is dark gray with a blank animal print.

A cozy tunic top for moms that is a muted color with the cuffs, hem and color being darker. Shown in red.

A solid color tunic top for moms that has a scoop neck. It is shown in a deep purple.

A v-neck tunic top for moms that has a different color of cuff, neck and hem from the body of the top. Shown in light pink with gray trim.

A solid gray tunic top for moms that has a ruffle hem line

This tunic top for moms is a solid color (show in blue) with a hem line in the front that looks like it has a different shirt of a similar color underneath.

Short-sleeved tunic tops for moms

This tunic top for moms has a rounded neck and is a solid color. It is shown in green. — This is one my all-time favorite tunic tops! I have it in multiple colors.

A dress style tunic top for moms that has pockets. It is shown in black with white lines that are spaced apart and have a tie-dye look.

A solid color tunic top for moms with a round neck and an uneven hem. The trim of the sleeves and the hemline are in an accent color. Shown is a purple tunic top with black trim.

With a rounded neck and pleated bottom, this tunic top for moms is flowing and has a variety of patterns. It is shown in black with white dots and accents.

A tunic top for moms shown in a solid olive green with stitching (of the same color) around the sleeve trim, hem and collar.

A solid tunic top for moms with a round neckline and swing style. Shown in steel blue.

This tunic top for moms has crochet trim details on the sleeves. It is shown in a sage green with black and white polka dots.

This tunic top for moms is a henley style with three buttons on the collar. It is shown in black with a blue floral pattern around the bottom third.

This tunic top for moms has a more open neck and is henley style with three buttons on the collar. It is loose fitting and is shown in black, red and white floral pattern.

Looking for leggings to wear with your tunic tops? Check out these leggings my daughter and I love. They fit well, feel great and wash up well!

Helping Christian moms create homes filled with grace, love & faith

You’ll never have a better baked mac and cheese than this one inspired by a restaurant in St. Louis!

Stovetop prep for the baked mac and cheese with Ritz cracker topping

Getting it ready to bake

Baked mac and cheese with Ritz cracker topping

Ingredients

Instructions

Using the microwave and the oven for baked potatoes speeds up cooking time without compromising texture!

Microwave the baked potato

Prepare for the oven

Enjoy the potato

Microwave baked potato

Ingredients

Instructions

My all-time favorite meatloaf recipe

Figure out the meat

Mix up your meatloaf

Finish the meatloaf

Meatloaf recipe with ketchup glaze

Ingredients

Instructions

Ideas for mompreneurs to get started while welcoming a baby

Start with a great business plan

Develop Marketing Strategies

Prioritize Work-Life Balance

Invest in Comfortable Clothing

Save Time With Efficient Business Practices

Find Help When You Need It

Looking for more resources to start a new business as a mom? Join me this year at the Monetizing Mompreneurs Summit!

Words of wisdom for tweens and teens

1. Don’t take everything so personally.

2. Learn to speak up for yourself.

3. Know you’ll find your people.

4. Stick with friends who stand by you.

5. Ignore other people’s opinions of you.

6. Remember everyone has a story and a struggle.

7. Don’t be so stressed about academics.

8. Relax and enjoy life.

9. Life will never go according to plan.

10. Give yourself grace.

A delicious cookie dough dessert without any raw eggs

Prepare the flour

Mixing the cookie dough

Edible Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough

Ingredients

Instructions

20 Tunic tops for leggings that moms will love!

Long-sleeved tunic tops for moms

Short-sleeved tunic tops for moms