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The Over Scheduled Mom’s Dinner Table, St. John's , NL (2026)

04/06/2025

Banana Pancakes 🥞

So in our house everyone loves bananas - until suddenly nobody likes bananas. Then we make pancakes
You can make this recipe with over ripe bananas or fresh as you will be mashing them regardless of level of bruising
This recipe comes together very quickly and at a minimal cost. I will frequently buy the big bags of bruised bananas from the grocery store clearance rack and make a huge batch. Much cheaper and likely healthier than frozen waffles/pancakes

Recipe:
2 large bananas
3/4 cup milk
1 egg
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 tbsp baking powder
1 cup flour

- Mash bananas
- Add in milk and egg. Stir to combine
- Add in remaining ingredients and mix until well combined
- Heat a frying pan over medium heat and spray with non stick spray or add a small amount of butter to coat pan
- cook for about 45 seconds on each side

*once you add your batter to your frying pan feel free to add in any extras you like. We often do sprinkles or chocolate chips for a treat

Notes:
Have a large amount of bananas to use up? These pancakes freeze very well!
Use a large ziplock bag to freeze your pancakes in layers. Place a piece of parchment or waxed paper between each layer of pancakes so they do not freeze together
Reheat in the toaster for a moment (think like you would cook a frozen waffle)

01/24/2025

Sausage & Rice Skillet

This is a very cheap and very easy batch cooking recipe. Just after new years I picked up a package of breakfast sausage at Costco for half price (so $8.99 for 42 sausages)! I myself not a big fan of sausage but in this recipe we take the meat out of the sausage casing and use it as ground meat - for me that’s better lol

All ingredients in sausage ($1.54), onion and pepper ($1.25), rice ($0.86), chicken broth ($1), diced tomatoes ($1.25) and cheese ($1) this recipe comes together for $6.90!! Feeding a family of four for about $7. That’s what our grocery budget needs

Ingredients
1 lb sausage ground (about 7 breakfast sausages)
1 tbsp olive oil
1 medium onion (diced)
1 medium pepper (diced)
2 tsp minced garlic
1 cup rice
2 cups chicken broth
1 can diced tomatoes
1 tsp Italian seasoning
1/2 tsp salt
1/3 tsp black pepper
1/2 cup shredded cheese

Recipe
- coat a large skillet/frying pan with olive oil
- remove sausage from casing and cook over medium heat until browned through (break up like ground beef)
- drain any fat from your sausages
- add onion, pepper (use any colour you like), garlic and cook for 4-5 minutes
- add rice, tomato, seasonings and chicken broth. Stir to combine
- reduce heat to low, cover and let simmer for 15 minutes
- lift cover and top with shredded cheese
- replace cover and let cook for an additional 5 minutes

This recipe freezes very well. In my pictures here I have doubled the recipe so that we have one batch for supper and a second to add to the freezer
- to portion your freezer meal: after the 15 minute cook time finishes remove your freezer portion before adding cheese. Allow to fully cool, top with cheese and then wrap to place in the freezer
- to cook freezer portion: cook from frozen. Bake at 350 for 45-50 minutes (or until heated through)

01/18/2025

My least favourite day of the year lol
Today we begin defrosting the deep freeze and then I will clean it and get to stocking!

My goal is to restock the entire freezer with family friendly meals on a serious budget. As low as possible is always the goal but I’m on a mission to reduce our grocery spend by at least 30% this year and reduce our food waste

Stay tuned for more family friendly meals on a budget!

12/26/2024

Pepper Pasta Salad

This one is an easy side dish for your holiday pot luck or cold plate supper - it’s also very light for a pasta salad!

Ingredients
1/4 cup white vinegar
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/3 cup ketchup
2 cups pasta (any shape of your choosing)
Dash salt
Dash pepper
1 tomato
1 small onion
2-3 peppers (yellow/red/orange/green your choice)

Recipe
- Cook pasta until soft, drain and rinse with cold water
- Dice peppers, onions and tomato
- Combine all sauce ingredients and add to veggies, stir to coat
- Add pasta and toss to combine
- Refrigerate for 4 hours, tossing to coat multiple times throughout chill time

12/10/2024

Roasted Tomato Soup 🍅

This tomato soup paired with a grilled cheese is a winter time staple! So warm and also freezer friendly. I will often double up when I can find tomatoes on sale - and that’s exactly what I did here. Walmart had a bunch of tomatoes marked down so I doubled this recipe and now we have a batch in the freezer as well. Ready for another chilly day

Recipe
15 tomatoes
1 large onion (cut into 8 pieces)
12 cloves of garlic (1 bulb)
1 tbsp sea salt
1 tbsp oregano
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 cup vegetable stock
1/4 cup whipping cream
8 tsp basil (or if using fresh 1/2 cup)
3 tbsp olive oil

Preheat your oven to 450

Cut tomatoes in half and add to a large casserole dish. Add onion and garlic

Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt, oregano, and paprika

Bake for 30 minutes (tossing half way through your bake time)

Transfer roasted vegetables to a large soup pot, along with basil. Use an immersion blender to blend until smooth (I have also done this part in smaller batches in a blender or with a magic bullet)

Add broth and cream. Stir to combine and cook on medium heat for 10-15 minutes

Enjoy 🥣

12/04/2024

Hi Everybody 👋

I have been quiet for a while - life with little ones right? lol
I will be back in full force leading into the holidays with all kinds of new recipes and money saving tips to stretch that grocery budget!

Last week I received a message asking about the best way to peel garlic. I will say that this always frustrated me too. It can be a torment. The easiest way I have found is smash your garlic bulb on your cutting board (like you are cracking a Terry’s Orange), place it in a container (I use a bowl with a lid) and shake it like you are mixing paint lol. It will break apart and remove the majority of peel and skin itself!

New recipes incoming!!!

06/02/2024

Marinara Sauce

This weekend I had an amazing score on flashfoods. A huge box of beautiful tomatoes for just $5. I could not pass that up!! So I batch cooked a large pot of marinara sauce.
While I bottled and pressure sealed mine for shelf storage you can also freeze this sauce in batches for up to six months

Ingredients:

4 pounds of tomatoes (essentially any variety)
6 tbsp butter
4 tbsp olive oil
2 medium onions (peeled and cut in half)
4 tsp minced garlic
1 1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar
2 tbsp basil

Recipe:

-Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Fill a large bowl half full with ice cubes and cold water
-Using a sharp knife cut a 1/4 inch “X” on one end of each tomato. Place tomatoes into boiling water and cook until skins start to split (about 5 minutes)
-Using a slotted spoon, lift the tomatoes out of the pot and into the ice bath
-Let tomatoes sit in the ice bath for 2-3 minutes then transfer to a cutting board and peel off the skins
-Cut the tomatoes into small chunks and transfer them (with the juices) into a large saucepan
-Add butter, olive oil, onions, garlic, basil and sugar
-Bring to a boil then reduce heat to low and simmer (uncovered) for 2 hours (stirring occasionally)
-Remove the onions
-Use a potato masher or a blender to mash any large chunks

04/18/2024

Zucchini Casserole

I have made this as a side dish here however it can absolutely be a main as well! When serving this dish as a main I like to add grilled chicken breast to the stop when I bake the mozzarella cheese

This dish as a side comes together at a very affordable price. I purchased our zucchini 50% off so paid $2.75 for three, the large can of tomatoes for $0.99, stove top for $1.50 and will allocate an additional $4 for cheese and spices. This brings the total to $9.24 and we got 6 large servings for a total of $1.54 per serving

3 zucchini (cut in half and sliced)
3 tbsp olive oil
1 medium onion (sliced)
28oz can diced tomatoes
1 tbsp basil
1 1/2 tsp oregano
1 tsp minced garlic
1/2 tsp garlic salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1 1/2 cup stove top stuffing mix (whatever flavour you like - we like chicken)
1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
3/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

- in a skillet, over medium heat, cook zucchini in oil until tender (8-10 minutes). Drain and set aside
- in the same skillet sauté onion and minced garlic for 2-3 minutes
- add tomatoes, basil, oregano, garlic salt and pepper. Simmer for 10 minutes. Return zucchini to skillet and stir to combine
- place in an ungreased 13x9 casserole dish, top with stuffing mix and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese
- cover and bake at 350 for 20 minutes
- uncovered and sprinkle with mozzarella cheese, bake an additional 10 minutes

04/14/2024

Chicken pasta in light tomato sauce

This is a big family favourite for us! I could honestly eat the full slow cooker worth myself lol it’s so light and so creamy *chefs kiss*

When I went to take pictures of this recipe today I realized that I had already taken them back in February and simply forgot to share this deliciousness. This is another meal which can be made relatively inexpensive:
In this case chicken cost ($12.92), can of tomatoes (0.99), jar of pasta sauce ($1.25 - full jar was $2.49 but I’m only using half for this recipe), box of spaghetti ($1.49) = approximately $17 (once I add a little bit for the cream)

For $17 supper was prepared for four people with more than enough left over for lunches tomorrow.

Recipe
1 large can of diced tomatoes
1 cup tomato based pasta sauce
2 tsp minced garlic
1 tsp salt
1 tsp Italian seasoning
1/2 tsp basil
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 cup cream
2 tbsp cornstarch
4 boneless skinless chicken breast
1 box spaghetti noodles (break into thirds)

In your slow cooker combine tomatoes, pasta sauce, garlic, salt, Italian seasoning, basil, pepper, cream and cornstarch. Whisk together until well combined

Place chicken breast into slow cooker and push down to submerge in sauce

Cover and cook on high for 6 hours or low for 8 hours

When chicken is about 15 minutes from finished cook spaghetti according to package directions. Drain water from spaghetti

Open slow cooker and use two forks to shred chicken

Add your cooked spaghetti noodles into slow cooker and stir to combine and coat with sauce

*top with a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese and a day of basil if you desire

04/14/2024

Making up our two week meal plan to clear out the freezer, make our grocery list and use some of the meats I have picked up on sale recently:

New recipes will be posted this week!

Sunday- slow cooker chicken pasta in rose sauce
Monday- breakfast for supper
Tuesday- ham, twice baked potatoes & steamed broccoli
Wednesday- chicken burgers, zucchini casserole & corn on the cob
Thursday- ham and broccoli casserole
Friday- ground turkey pasta bake
Saturday- Shepards pie

Sunday- cod tacos & corn on the cob
Monday- meatballs & rice
Tuesday- bbq pork chops & salad
Wednesday- turkey roll ups & fried rice
Thursday- Mac and cheese
Friday-homemade pizza & garlic fingers
Saturday- turkey dinner

Sunday is my favourite day to meal plan so I can prepare for the week, see what fresh items may be needed and mentally prepare myself for what the week will bring

03/19/2024

Rotisserie chicken nacho casserole

So on occasion this mom falls asleep when lying down reading books with the kids at night and things don’t get taken out of the freezer to defrost for the next days supper lol

When that happens it’s a Costco (or dominion) rotisserie chicken to the rescue

Ingredients
3 cups shredded rotisserie chicken
2 large tomatoes (chopped)
1 cup shredded carrots
1 can corn
1/2 cup salsa
2 tsp minced garlic
1 tsp chili powder
1 1/2 cups crushed Tostito chips
1/2 cup cream cheese (crumbled)

Recipe

Preheat oven to 400. Spray a 9x13 casserole dish with non stick spray

In a large bowl combine chicken, tomatoes, carrots, corn, salsa, garlic and chili powder

In prepared casserole dish arrange 1/3 of your chips (1/2 cup), top with half of the chicken mixture, then half of the cream cheese. Repeat layering. Top with remaining chips

Bake for 30 minutes

Serve with sour cream if desired

Note - while this dish does not freeze well because of the shredded carrot it is a quick fix meal when you may have forgotten to plan in advance lol

This is also a great way to use up open items in your fridge (see picture of my half used tomato and cream cheese)

03/18/2024

Hi Everybody 👋
How is your meal plan looking for this week?

My top priority for saving money on our grocery bill is meal planning. I shout it from the rooftops constantly. Knowing what you have to use to avoid waste and make the most of your dollars is key!
I snagged these two boxes of potatoes on Flashfood today for $5 a box. Compared to the $6.99 the store wanted for a bag this was a great plan for our family (on inspection these boxes work out to the equivalent of four bags of potatoes). So that’s $28 of potatoes for $10

What will I do with them to work with our meal plan? Twice baked potato casserole, potato salad, topping for shepherds pie, loaded potato soup, veg for cooked dinner. The possibilities are endless! Plan your meals around the best deal possible and stretch those grocery dollars

The Over Scheduled Mom’s Dinner Table

04/06/2025

01/24/2025

01/18/2025

12/26/2024

12/10/2024

12/04/2024

06/02/2024

04/18/2024

04/14/2024

04/14/2024

03/19/2024

03/18/2024

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