Mom Hacks & Frugal Finds

No flour. None. And nobody will miss it — this is a dense, rich chocolate cake with peanut butter running through it and a glossy ganache top with that pretty feathered pattern. It happens to be gluten-free; it eats like pure indulgence. Ingredients 6 oz bittersweet chocolate, roughly chopped 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter 1/2 cup plus 3 tbsp smooth peanut butter 1 cup granulated sugar 4 large eggs 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (Dutch process if you have it) 3/4 cup chocolate chips 6 tbsp heavy cream Instructions 1. Heat the oven to 350°F and coat an 8-inch springform pan with cooking spray. 2. Set a heatproof bowl over a pan of simmering water (the bowl shouldn't touch the water). Put the chopped bittersweet chocolate, the butter, and 1/2 cup of the peanut butter in the bowl and stir until everything melts together smooth. Take the bowl off the heat. 3. Whisk the sugar into the warm chocolate mixture, then whisk in the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each one. 4. Add the co...

All the pumpkin flavor of the pie, none of the oven time. This comes together in about ten minutes and tastes like the best part of pumpkin pie turned into a cloud. Make it the day before and it's one less thing on Thanksgiving Day. Ingredients 1 package (3.4 oz) instant vanilla pudding mix 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice 1/2 tsp cinnamon, plus more for the tops 1/2 tsp kosher salt 1 can (15 oz) pumpkin purée 2 tbsp maple syrup 1/2 tsp vanilla extract 1 cup whole milk 1 1/2 cups heavy cream Instructions 1. In a big bowl, whisk the dry pudding mix with the pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, and salt until they're evenly blended. 2. Add the pumpkin purée, maple syrup, vanilla, and milk. Beat it all together until it's smooth and thick. 3. In a second bowl, whip the heavy cream until it holds stiff peaks — about 3 to 4 minutes with a mixer. 4. Fold about two-thirds of the whipped cream into the pumpkin mixture, gently, until no streaks remain. 5. Spoon or pipe the mousse into small serv...

The decadent one. Creamy, buttery sweet potatoes under a praline pecan topping that bakes up like candy. This is the side dish that eats like dessert. Ingredients 3 cups canned sweet potatoes, drained and mashed 1/2 cup butter, melted 1/3 cup milk 3/4 cup sugar 1 tsp vanilla 2 eggs, beaten 1/2 tsp cinnamon 1/4 tsp nutmeg Pinch of salt Topping: 5 Tbsp butter, melted · 2/3 cup brown sugar · 2/3 cup flour · 1 cup chopped pecans Instructions 1. Mix the base. 2. Pour into a greased 9x13-inch baking dish. 3. Crumble the topping over it. 4. Bake at 350°F for 25–35 minutes. Make it gluten-free: use a gluten-free 1-to-1 flour in the topping. Shopping list (copy & paste) You probably have: salt, ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg, vanilla extract Canned sweet potatoes — two 29-oz cans (about 3 cups drained and mashed; you may have a little left over) Butter — 13 Tbsp total (1/2 cup for the base + 5 Tbsp for the topping; 2 sticks covers it) 1/3 cup milk 3/4 cup sugar 2/3 cup brown sugar (t...

Same potatoes, same cream cheese — because yes, BOTH versions have the cream cheese. The only real choice here is how your day looks. One version cooks all day in the crock while you do everything else. The other is the full stovetop production. Pick your fighter. And one mom hack before we start: your meat chopper is also your potato masher. It says so right in the product's name — "Non Stick Potato Masher Utensil." The tool you brown taco meat with mashes potatoes exactly the same way. Ingredients — the EASY one (slow cooker) 5 lbs Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces 1 1/2 cups vegetable or chicken broth 1 cup sour cream 4 oz cream cheese, cut into cubes 1 stick (8 tbsp) butter, divided — the more butter, the better 1 tsp salt 1/4 tsp black pepper 1/2 tsp garlic powder or onion powder Ingredients — the FULL STOVETOP one (mine) 5 lbs Yukon Gold or Russet potatoes, peeled and cubed 1 1/2 sticks butter, softened 8 oz cream cheese (1 standard block),...

Three ingredients, one bowl, five minutes to stir together. This is the dip that sits in the middle of the table and works with everything around it — bread for the dippers, and every crunchy vegetable on the tray. Ingredients 1 small container (8 oz / 1 cup) sour cream 1 jar mayonnaise (you'll use 1 cup) 1 jar or packet dill seasoning 1 loaf bread for dipping, or red peppers, carrots, and cucumbers for the tray Instructions 1. Put equal parts sour cream and mayonnaise in a bowl — one cup of each makes a good-size batch. 2. Stir in dill seasoning to taste. My go-to is the Pampered Chef dill seasoning, but any dill dip seasoning works. Start with a spoonful, stir, taste, and add more until it's as dilly as you like it. 3. Cover and chill for at least 30 minutes so the flavors settle in. An hour is even better. 4. Set it out with bread for dipping, or a tray of red peppers, carrots, and cucumbers. Gluten-free as written — just check your labels like always. (The dip itself i...

The perfect little appetizer, and they disappear fast. Ingredients 1 package (16 oz) little smokies 1 lb thin-cut bacon 1 bag brown sugar 1 box toothpicks Instructions 1. Grease a baking dish or sheet pan (or line it with foil) and preheat the oven to 350°F. 2. Pat the smokies dry. Wrap each one with a piece of bacon and secure it with a toothpick. 3. Put the brown sugar in a large zip-top bag, add a few wrapped smokies at a time, and shake to coat. 4. Set them on the pan and bake 30–35 minutes, until the bacon is browned. Broil a few minutes at the end if you like it crispier. Gluten-free as written — just check your labels like always. Shopping list (copy & paste) 1 package (16 oz) little smokies 1 lb thin-cut bacon 1 bag brown sugar 1 box toothpicks You probably have: nonstick spray Helpful item The sheet pan set for recipes like this — three nonstick pans, small, medium and large: As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. 👉 https://link.amazon/B0e1lCOw...