Natural Homemade Living

Dad's Ham and Bean Soup Add this delicious soup recipe to your meal plans. This is one of our favorite soups. It's especially great if you have leftovers from a bone-in ham otherwise you can also use cubed ham. You can freeze your leftovers. This recipe makes 8-10 servings. Directions 4 cups chicken stock 4 cups water 1 ham bone and 2 cups cooked ham 2 cups sliced carrots 1/2 medium onion, diced 1 jar great northern beans with liquid 1 tsp celery seed Salt and pepper to taste If you are starting with a ham bone, add it to the stock and water in a large pot over medium high heat. Bring it to a boil then reduce heat and simmer for 1-2 hours. Remove the ham bone from the liquid, cut off the ham from the bone and add it back to the soup. Add more ham chunks if you'd like. (If you are using cut ham pieces you can cook all of the ingredients at the same time). Add the rest of the ingredients, stir occasionally and simmer for at least an hour. I like to simmer m

These adorable cupcakes are perfect for birthday parties. I let the kiddos pick out the little candies and the flavors and colors for the cupcakes. One of my favorite things about kids is that the little things bring the biggest smiles. This includes piñata cupcakes. Directions: Make the cupcakes by using your favorite cake mix or make the cupcakes from scratch.  After the cupcakes have cooled, using a sharp knife, cut a round section (about an inch) out of the top of each cupcake and cut about halfway into the cupcake. Use the knife tip to gently lift out the small circle of cake.  Save your cake circles and trim some of the cake off the bottom of each circle. You can add more candy that way! Mix your little candies together in a bowl and spoon about a tablespoon of candies into each cupcake hole.  The kiddos chose sprinkles, mini M&Ms and nerds for their candies. Place a cake circle on top of each cupcake once they are filled with candy. Frost your cupcakes wi