Winstead Wandering

Prone to Wander

Homemade Balsamic Vinaigrette

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Homemade Balsamic Vinaigrette is super easy to make, it’s cheaper than store-bought, and it can be used as a salad dressing, a marinade, a dip, and more!

Homemade Balsamic Vinaigrette is super easy to make, it's cheaper than store-bought, and it can be used as a salad dressing, a marinade, a dip, and more!

A while back I shared my recipe for Cucumber Salad with Homemade Balsamic Vinaigrette, but the recipe is just too good to not share in its own post.

This dressing has always been one of my favorites– tied with ranch — and it’s so much tastier when made at home.

Homemade Balsamic Vinaigrette is super easy to make, it's cheaper than store-bought, and it can be used as a salad dressing, a marinade, a dip, and more!

With only six ingredients, Homemade Balsamic Vinaigrette is super easy to make. The best part? It can be so much more than a salad dressing. It makes a great marinade for chicken and veggies, plus it’s perfect as a dip.

What’s your favorite salad dressing?

Homemade Balsamic Vinaigrette is super easy to make, it's cheaper than store-bought, and it can be used as a salad dressing, a marinade, a dip, and more!

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Free Mother’s Day Printables (for Grandma, too!)

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These adorable and FREE Mother’s Day printables make perfect inexpensive gifts! They’re a thoughtful keepsake Mom or Grandma will treasure, and they’re perfect for creating an annual tradition.

These adorable and FREE Mother's Day printables make perfect inexpensive gifts! They're a thoughtful keepsake Mom or Grandma will treasure, and they're perfect for creating an annual tradition.

Mother’s Day is this Sunday!

I created these fun and free Mother’s Day printables (with a grandma version, too) as a cute way to memorialize my kids’ thoughts about me and their grandmothers. It’s true that kids really do say the darnedest things, and who appreciates that more than moms and grandmas? Probably no one, which is why these printables make such great gifts.

These adorable and FREE Mother's Day printables make perfect inexpensive gifts! They're a thoughtful keepsake Mom or Grandma will treasure, and they're perfect for creating an annual tradition.

The pages are great for giving on their own, especially if you don’t usually buy Mother’s Day gifts for grandmas. They make wonderful gift-giving inspiration, too; let your child’s response to one of the blanks (“she loves to wear…”) serve as a starting point when it’s time to shop for presents.

To get this free Mother’s Day printable, as well as free access to all my printables, simply sign-up below for my free newsletter. If you’re already signed up, the link and the password you received in the original email are all you need.

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Pin these Free Mother’s Day Printables for later!

These adorable and FREE Mother's Day printables make perfect inexpensive gifts! They're a thoughtful keepsake Mom or Grandma will treasure, and they're perfect for creating an annual tradition.

Classic Homemade Cream Puffs

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Don’t be intimidated! Classic Homemade Cream Puffs, with their fluffy dough and their lighter-than-air filling, are surprisingly easy to make and totally worth the effort!

Don't be intimidated! Classic Homemade Cream Puffs, with their fluffy dough and their lighter-than-air filling, are surprisingly easy to make and totally worth the effort!

Caution: the words in the following paragraphs are potentially hazardous to your kitchen and your waistline. You’ve been warned.

Y’all, Classic Homemade Cream Puffs are way easier to make than you might think. The dough doesn’t have any finicky steps, and the cream filling is literally just whipped cream (it’s also called Chantilly cream; use that term if it makes you feel fancier).

The dough is made on the stove top, which at first glance makes it seem a little trickier than most doughs, but there’s nothing to it. No thermometer or special gadgets required. Just a little bit of stirring and, voila, you’ve got your dough (called pâte à choux, another fancy term) faster than it takes to whip up a batch of chocolate chip cookies.

Don't be intimidated! Classic Homemade Cream Puffs, with their fluffy dough and their lighter-than-air filling, are surprisingly easy to make and totally worth the effort!

The puffs bake for under 25 minutes and then, because they’re light and airy, they cool quickly. The whipped cream filling, which you can totally customize based on your own preferences, comes together in just a few minutes. Fill those little beauties with cream and your done!

So if you’ve been avoiding making your own classic homemade cream puffs because you feared they were far too difficult for the average home cook to pull off, let me tell you, you’re wrong.

Like I said, you’ve been warned.

Don't be intimidated! Classic Homemade Cream Puffs, with their fluffy dough and their lighter-than-air filling, are surprisingly easy to make and totally worth the effort!

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Homemade Lemon Curd

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The recipe possibilities are endless and the flavor is unbelievable. You won’t regret taking a little extra time to make your own Homemade Lemon Curd.

The recipe possibilities are endless and the flavor is unbelievable. You won't regret taking a little extra time to make your own Homemade Lemon Curd.

My mom has been making her own homemade lemon curd for as long as I can remember. She makes these to-die-for shortbread cookies – I’ll share the recipe one day – and stuffs some with chocolate ganache and some with lemon curd. She uses it in other recipes, too, and of course it’s amazing straight from the spoon.

I’ve used my homemade lemon curd to make Baked Lemon Hand Pies and Lemon Meringue Pie Bites. I’ve also got about a dozen more ideas brewing that I’ll hopefully get to share sometime soon.

What would you make with homemade lemon curd?

The recipe possibilities are endless and the flavor is unbelievable. You won't regret taking a little extra time to make your own Homemade Lemon Curd.

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Instant Pot Refried Beans

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Forget the can, and forget sweating over a hot stove. Instant Pot Refried Beans have that smooth restaurant-style texture you love, with the perfect hint of spice.

Forget the can, and forget sweating over a hot stove. Instant Pot Refried Beans have that smooth restaurant-style texture you love, with the perfect hint of spice.

It all started with a bag of frozen Green Chile Chicken Taquitos. Two bags, actually. We had two bags, 14 taquitos in total, in the freezer at church. They were too old to give to people (“Congratulations on the birth of your baby! Here’s a bag of slightly freezer-burnt taquitos to help you out.”), but not too old to feed to the Wednesday night crowd.

14 taquitos wouldn’t be enough to feed everyone, of course, so I volunteered to make more. I volunteered before I was told just how many more would be. 100+, as it turns out. By that point I was all in, though, so I brainstormed a side dish, too. I’ve been making slow cooker refried beans for ages, so I knew immediately I had to replicate that recipe for the instant pot.

I’m used to having beans cooking all day when I make them in the slow cooker; it was so nice to have these guys ready in a fraction of the time, with the added bonus of not needing to stir them occasionally. The group at church Wednesday nights is mostly kids, so I wasn’t sure how refried beans would go over, but they were a hit! Several of the kids came back for seconds. At the end of the night, there hardly any left in the pot.

Forget the can, and forget sweating over a hot stove. Instant Pot Refried Beans have that smooth restaurant-style texture you love, with the perfect hint of spice.

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How to Make Slow Cooker Caramelized Onions

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With their deep color and they’re surprisingly sweet and appealing taste, you really need to know how to make slow cooker caramelized onions!

With their deep color and they're surprisingly sweet and appealing taste, you really need to know how to make slow cooker caramelized onions!

I distinctly remember the first time I tried onions. My brothers and I were spending the summer at my grandparents house in Mississippi and, like a lot of nights, we were gathered around their large table eating supper. Like any self-respecting southern woman, Granny had prepared cornbread. I remember Gramps using his to scoop up onions; I turned my nose up at the combo.

He gave me the same response I’ve now given my own children a few hundred thousand times: “How do you know you don’t like it if you’ve never tried it?” I wasn’t a particularly adventurous eater as a kid (okay, fine, I was ridiculously picky), but for some reason I grabbed myself a serving of diced onions and ate a bite. Yup, just onion. No cornbread. I was surprised to discover I actually liked them.

It wasn’t until years later, though, that I first tried caramelized onions. They’re surprisingly sweet and mild, the opposite of the sometimes harshness onions are known for. That unexpected flavor is the perfect way to win over the onion haters in your life.

With their deep color and they're surprisingly sweet and appealing taste, you really need to know how to make slow cooker caramelized onions!

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Homemade Green Enchilada Sauce

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Making homemade green enchilada sauce is easier than you think, and it’s the perfect way to turn up the volume on your favorite enchiladas recipe.

Making homemade green enchilada sauce is easier than you think, and it's the perfect way to turn up the volume on your favorite enchiladas recipe.

I’ve never been a fan of enchiladas made with red sauce. I do like them better when I use homemade sauce, but I much prefer enchiladas made with a lighter, green sauce. Plus, I’ll basically eat anything with roasted peppers, so there’s that.

Roasting fresh peppers gives them a depth of flavor that you just can’t find in a canned sauce. By combining the peppers with garlic and onions, you get a result that, in addition to being the perfect Homemade Green Enchilada Sauce, can be used as a salsa or a marinade.

Making homemade green enchilada sauce is easier than you think, and it's the perfect way to turn up the volume on your favorite enchiladas recipe.

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Dr Pepper Barbecue Sauce Grilled Chicken + Tailgating Tips

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This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #GrillGatingHero #Grillgating

Dr Pepper® Barbecue Sauce Grilled Chicken is a fun, unique twist on a favorite game day dish. This sweet and tangy sauce is guaranteed to be the MVP of your tailgate.

Dr Pepper Barbecue Sauce Grilled Chicken is a fun, unique twist on a favorite game day dish. This sweet and tangy sauce is guaranteed to be the MVP of your tailgate.

I love just about everything about fall, but I especially love that it brings college football season. This is The South, so you know we value our football as much as we value our food. In fact, I’d say the two are synonymous for a lot fans. Any self-respecting southern college football fan has been to, and likely hosted, a tailgate. It really isn’t too hard, but it’s important to strike that balance between having enough fun, football-worthy food and doing so much that you don’t get a chance to enjoy your own party.

Dr Pepper Barbecue Sauce Grilled Chicken is a fun, unique twist on a favorite game day dish. This sweet and tangy sauce is guaranteed to be the MVP of your tailgate.

Today I’m spilling all my best tried-and-true tailgating tips, including my recipe for – gasp! – Dr Pepper® Barbecue Sauce Grilled Chicken. You might be tempted to scroll right to the bottom for that gem, but I promise you there’s plenty of goodness up here, too.

Tailgating Tips and Tricks

Don’t underestimate the power of simple sides

A few more time-consuming sides, like Brown Sugar Bacon-Wrapped Sausages or Cheesy Mexican Corn Dip, are great. Don’t forget to rely on the classics like carrots and Hidden Valley® Ranch or sliced cheese and RITZ® crackers. They’re both classics for a reason, and your guests won’t care that they required minimal prep time.

Dr Pepper Barbecue Sauce Grilled Chicken is a fun, unique twist on a favorite game day dish. This sweet and tangy sauce is guaranteed to be the MVP of your tailgate.

MVP Tip: Top RITZ crackers with shredded Dr Pepper Barbecue Sauce Grilled Chicken (recipe below) and a drizzle of extra sauce. The combination of the salted cracker and the sweet and tangy sauce is a certain touchdown.

[Read more…]

Free Father’s Day Printable (for Grandpa, too!)

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This free Father’s Day Printable is the perfect substitute for a boring store-bought card. Record and commemorate the hilarious memories for years to come.

This free Father's Day Printable is the perfect substitute to a boring store-bought card. Record and commemorate the hilarious memories for years to come.

 

Printables like this first gained popularity several years ago on Pinterest. I didn’t have kids at the time, but I knew this was something I wanted to do when the time came. Now it’s here!

I’d seen plenty of free versions around the internet, but as often happens, I decided to make my own in order to get the exact look I wanted.

This free Father's Day Printable is the perfect substitute to a boring store-bought card. Record and commemorate the hilarious memories for years to come.

Free Father’s Day Printable (can be used for a grandfather, too)

You can get the completely free downloads below!

Dad Version

This free Father's Day Printable is the perfect substitute to a boring store-bought card. Record and commemorate the hilarious memories for years to come.

Grandpa Version

This free Father's Day Printable is the perfect substitute to a boring store-bought card. Record and commemorate the hilarious memories for years to come.

How to use the Printable

The printables themselves are self-explanatory, but what should you do with them after they’re completed? The simplest option is to give to dad in lieu of a store-bought card. Trust me, this substitute will make dad way happier than a $6 card.

You can easily turn it into a complete gift by purchasing something to go along with your child’s answers (if they’re accurate). Did she remember her dad loves root beer? Buy his favorite brand. Does he know Dad loves to wear goofy socks? Let him pick out a few pairs he thinks his dad will love. Combine the cute questionnaire with a thoughtful child-inspired gift and you’re good to go.

I also suggest preserving the interview. Dad will love reading back over each year’s interview every time Father’s Day rolls around. You could stick them all in a small binder, or you could frame page from the most recent year, storing the pages from each previous year behind it in the frame.

Even if you only manage to get your child(ren) to complete the page, their father or grandfather is sure to love the sweet personalized gift.

Join Winstead Wandering’s email list for access to a bunch of other fun free printables! Subscribe below:

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Don’t forget to pin this Free Father’s Day Printable for next year!

This free Father's Day Printable is the perfect substitute to a boring store-bought card. Record and commemorate the hilarious memories for years to come.

Free Teacher Appreciation Printables

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These adorable printables are perfect for showing teacher appreciation any time of year. There are a ton of cute gift ideas, too!

These adorable printables are perfect for showing teacher appreciation any time of year. There are a ton of cute gift ideas, too!

Free Teacher Appreciation Week Printables

Did you know next week is Teacher Appreciation Week? It definitely is.

If, like me, you’re super grateful for everything your children’s teachers do and, also like me, you want to show them even a small measure of that gratitude, I’ve got you covered.
I made nine cute, fun printables that I’m giving away for free. I even added a list of inexpensive gifts to go along with each printable, as well as my best tips for getting prints for cheap.
All you have to do to get access to all nine teacher appreciation printables is subscribe to my email list below:

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Once you’re subscribed, you’ll get an email from me with easy-to-follow instructions for accessing the printables library.
Free teacher appreciation printables in a bunch of fun colors. Inexpensive gift ideas included!

But wait, there’s more!

I’ve got more printables on the way in the next few months. Subscribing to Winstead Wandering’s email list one time gets you access to all the printables in the library.

Not interested?

If tangible gifts aren’t in your budget, or if you don’t have the time to make them happen this year, know that you child’s teacher isn’t expecting to be showered with presents. Obviously being recognized for working hard feels good, but you can show your gratitude in other ways. As a teacher, the sweetest gifts I’ve received have been handwritten notes of appreciation from students.

If you’re child is old enough, consider having him write a thank-you note. If he’s too young (or even if he isn’t), you can write one yourself. Be sure to mention anything specific your child’s teacher may have done, like showing extra patience with a personality quirk or providing additional remediation or enrichment. Chances are your child’s teacher pours her heart into her work; recognizing that is one of the kindest gifts you can give her.

These adorable printables are perfect for showing teacher appreciation any time of year. There are a ton of cute gift ideas, too!