Though cooking sprays have come a long way in recent years, I'm still a bit leery of using them. Instead I prefer to use a Misto Olive Oil Sprayer when a recipe calls for cooking spray.

Whether you use an oil mister or aerosol cooking spray, spraying your pans can be a bit on the messy side. My solution? Lay the pan on the inside of the door of your dishwasher when spraying. All of the overspray goes on the door and gets washed away with your next load of dishes!

Check out these other quick tips to save you time and money in the kitchen.

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Breakfast tendencies run the gamut in our family. My youngest daughter would just as soon skip it, my 4 year old, 7 year old, and 10 year old lean toward sweets, while my 9-year-old son prefers more savory items. Since he's the lone savory lover of the bunch, I came up with this cheddar sausage breakfast muffin recipe especially for him.

Did he like it? Well, he ate no fewer than four of them after getting home from his baseball scrimmage tonight, so yeah, I'd say it's a resounding yes!

Having a bit of a sweet tooth myself, I used Johnsonville Vermont Maple Syrup Breakfast Links as the sausage component and frozen sweet corn as well, but the sharp cheddar cheese and sauteed onions balance them out so there's only a hint of sweetness.

Of course I think any variety of Johnsonville Breakfast Sausage Links would be delicious -- I may try the Wisconsin Cheddar variety next time...

This recipe makes 24 of these savory muffins, which is perfect for our family but may be a little much for a smaller family. Freeze half of the batch after cooling to stretch this into two meals!

I'm submitting this recipe in the Wake Up With Johnsonville recipe contest. There's still time for you to submit your favorite recipe featuring Johnsonville Sausage as well. Enter through May13th at 11:59pm CDT!

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Whether savory or sweet, light and fluffy popovers are an impressive addition to any meal. Guests will think you spent hours in the kitchen, when in reality, this easy popover recipe only takes five minutes of prep time and 30 minutes to bake!

If you're like me, you may have assumed that beautiful popovers were impossible without a special popover pan, but you can easily achieve similar results with a standard muffin pan. A popover pan will certainly produce taller, narrower popovers; however, those baked in a muffin tin will still rise beautifully and remain light and airy.

This easy popover recipe only requires five simple ingredients, and they can be endlessly customized with various cheeses, spice, or jams. We often enjoy them drizzled with honey.

Today I chose to give them a different treatment though, one worthy of a Mother's Day brunch. My kids adore cinnamon toast for breakfast, so I thought why not give them a sweet cinnamon-sugar coating on top? They were delicious! I'll admit I ate two... and then I finished what the kids left on their plates too (which was very little).

Three important tips for making popovers:

{1} Warm up your muffin pan in the oven before pouring in the batter.
{2} Fill your cups about 2/3 full.
{3} Do not open the oven door until the popovers have baked for at least 30 minutes.

Do you love your mama? Thank her by making these popovers for her this Sunday (perhaps with a pot of French press coffee?), and you can thank me later...

Disclosure: I am a participant in the Walmart Moms program. Walmart has provided me with compensation for the time and effort spent creating this post. However, my participation in this program is voluntary and my opinions are my own -- always have been, always will be.

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I happen to absolutely adore kitchen gadgets. It sounds silly, but walking into the homewares section of any store makes me a little giddy. Perhaps there are those of you that would prefer flowers and candy for Mother's Day, but that's just not me. While I wouldn't be disappointed with either of those items, my kids know that the real key to my heart is a new toy to play with in my kitchen!

However, I don't expect them to keep track of all of the items I already have and those that I want, so I spent some time this morning browsing Walmart.com to give them a few suggestions.

Figuring that there are at least a few of you that would love these items as well, I thought I'd share my list to give some other dads a little assistance. Psst... in case you forgot, Mother's Day is this Sunday!

{1} Cat Cora Silicone Cooking Utensils, $10.99 ea. -- I'm going through a bit of a green obsession, and these would be perfect in my kitchen!

{2} Two-Tone Bamboo Ladle, $19.99 -- I love the two-tone finish on this spectacular bamboo ladle!

{3} Silicone Blue Pinch Bowls (set of 4), $8.99 -- I prefer to stage my ingredients (mise en place) when cooking, so I can never have too many pinch bowls on hand!

{4} Bird-Shaped Lemon Squeezer, $17.99 -- This silver bird-shaped lemon squeezer would make juicing lemons for my lemon water much more fun!

{5} Ninja Express Chopper, $19.94 -- I think this Ninja chopper would be much easier to work with in most cases than my bulky food processor!

{6} Silicone Gripper Tongs, $12.98 -- Multiple sets of kitchen tongs are an absolute must, and these are tipped in green!

{7} Bunny-Shaped Corn Stripper, $10.07 -- I've always wanted a corn stripper, and this one is just too cute!

{8} Salad Spinner, $17.97 -- I've been kicking myself for donating my salad spinner when we moved!

{9} Bamboo and Stainless Expandable Trivet, $14.97 -- This expandable bamboo trivet will help protect my new kitchen table that's schedule to arrive any day now!

What kitchen gadget or gadgets are a must in your household?

Disclosure: I am a participant in the Walmart Moms program. Walmart has provided me with compensation for the time and effort spent creating this post. However, my participation in this program is voluntary and my opinions are my own -- always have been, always will be.

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All year long, our family meals require some mental gymnastics to ensure that I prepare at least one item that appeals to each family member -- no easy feat with five kids! So I reserve the right to make Mother’s Day all about what I want to eat...

And just what is that you might ask? My favorite Italian restaurant appetizer, of course, the popular Hot Spinach Artichoke Dip, a la Olive Garden. Added bonus -- it's simple enough that my husband and kids can throw it together!

Find my lightened up recipe on Snackpicks and treat your mom too.

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My spice were in dire need of some organization. Really, I'm not joking! Because I like to keep things real around here, I'll let you take a look for yourself.

This is the sorry state of my spices as of last week -- still tossed haphazardly in the same box I placed them in when we moved five months ago...

It's been a constant thorn in my side while trying to cook lately. It was time to get them organized, but how? I settled on creating a spice drawer using baby food jars with chalkboard painted lids, keeping things frugal yet still attractive.

I found a ginormous Pampers box full of baby food jars in the basement during the move. Given that the expiration dates stamped on many of them were in '05 and '06, I clearly put them away some time ago, and I've not a clue as to what my intentions were. But I was glad to have stumbled upon them when I started thinking about how I might solve my spice organization issue.

I decided that repurposing them was the perfect way to organize my spices in a drawer, so I headed to Walmart to pick up some Plaid chalkboard paint, paint brushes, and chalk. I also ordered a chalk ink marker off of Amazon -- it did cost more than the previous three items combined, but I wanted to be able to label the jars neatly, and it definitely did the trick.

I didn't bother with masking anything off on the baby food jar lids and just started painting. According to the instructions, only two coats are necessary on most surfaces, but I found that the metal lids didn't hold on to the paint well and therefore needed three to four coats.

Then I left the paint to cure overnight. Finally the paint needed conditioned, which was as simple as rubbing some chalk into it well before writing on it with the chalk marker.

I transferred my spices into the jars (have to say I'm ashamed to admit just how many duplicates and expired containers I tossed), labeled them, and organized them in a drawer. I love this simple, easy, and inexpensive solution. Now I can find my spices easily and keep tabs on when I need to buy more easily!

Do you have another creative and inexpensive solution for organizing spices?

Disclosure: I am a participant in the Walmart Moms program. Walmart has provided me with compensation for the time and effort spent creating this post. However, my participation in this program is voluntary and my opinions are my own -- always have been, always will be.

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I have a confession to make... I'm THAT lady -- you know, the one in the grocery store that squeals with delight when she finds marked down bananas and promptly loads up her cart.

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You see, while many people view marked down produce as spoiled and/or not worth the time and effort, I view it as an opportunity both to save money and to get a little creative. Those almost-too-ripe bananas can be frozen and used to make so-so smoothies amazing and creamy.

They're also the secret ingredient in my famous strawberry daiquiris -- and they're also a key ingredient in this banana cream pie milkshake recipe...

But the real star of this recipe is Biscoff Crunchy Spread. Perhaps you're familiar with Biscoff Cookies? You've likely tried them if you've flown Delta Airlines -- Biscoff Cookies are served on Delta flights. The spread is made with the cookies, and in addition to being totally delicious, it’s vegan, nut-free, produced in a nut-free facility and has no cholesterol or trans-fats per serving.

I should note that there's actually no ice cream used for this "milkshake". Instead, the frozen bananas and vanilla yogurt (my fave is Stonyfield Low Fat French Vanilla) combine to create a delicious refreshment that mimics ice cream, making this a much healthier alternative to a traditional milkshake.

Topped with some homemade whipped cream and a sprinkling of crushed up Biscoff Cookies, this cool and creamy treat is sure to please.

This recipe makes two one-cup serving -- or one large two-cup portion that's perfect for sharing!

Be sure not to over process the shake after adding the Biscoff Crunchy Spread. You don't want to break up all of those tasty little chunks of cookie!

Wondering where you can purchase Biscoff Spread? It's been available in Belgium for about 3 years, but it can now be found on Walmart Supercenter shelves. Pick up a jar today -- you won't regret it...

Disclosure: I am a participant in the Walmart Moms program. Walmart has provided me with compensation for the time and effort spent creating this post. However, my participation in this program is voluntary and my opinions are my own -- always have been, always will be.

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This will be the first year in a good ten years that we won't have an actual garden...

I'm so sad that we had to leave our Backyard Botanical Oasis (pictured below) behind when we moved. It provided us with a bountiful harvest year after year with minimal weeding and little hands-on watering, thanks to my handy husband who ran water lines underground to feed the soaker hose.

We'll definitely be purchasing another, but it's just not in the cards this year. So instead we're giving container gardening a try (in addition to purchasing another CSA share)!

Seeds of Change provided me with a sampling of organic seeds to get our containers started. I chose Mini Purplette Onions, Chadwick Cherry Tomatoes, and Zefa Fino Fennel (mmm, can't wait for the fennel!), which we planted to start our seedlings yesterday. I also selected the Mesclun Salad Mix and Arugula which we'll sow directly in containers in May.

One of my favorite features of their seeds is the Ziploc-style package that they come in. It makes saving them for a second planting super convenient.

My two youngest had a fine time playing in the muddy containers and helping me plant the seeds. They can't wait for our seedlings to sprout!

We also planted a Seeds of Change Herb Garden Starter Kit. Fresh basil and cilantro? Yum -- yes, please!

Addie and Drew were pretty proud of their handiwork -- although Drew was being a real stinker about getting his picture taken.

If you're not familiar with Seeds of Change, in addition to being the country’s oldest organic seed provider, they're also very active in community programs and donate 1% of their net sales to support and develop sustainable community based gardening programs. Their latest mission is the "Sowing Millions, Growing Minds" initiative in which they will be awarding schools (grades K-8) nationwide 25 million organic seeds to support and encourage sowing and growing organic gardens.

Look for the Seeds of Change display at your local Walmart, and you'll also find valuable money-saving coupons in the latest issue of All You magazine.

Have you ever planted a container garden versus a traditional garden? Just wondering if there are any major differences I should be aware of...

Disclosure: I am a participant in the Walmart Moms program. Walmart has provided me with compensation for the time and effort spent creating this post. However, my participation in this program is voluntary and my opinions are my own -- always have been, always will be.

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By the end of Spring Break my patience is typically wearing thin, so I was on the hunt for activities to keep my kids occupied. After I saw my friend share her adorable edible bird nest recipe on Facebook, I knew I'd hit upon a winner and had to ask her for the recipe.

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She generously brought me the handwritten bird nest recipe to our daughters' gymnastics practice that night. Can I just say how refreshing it is to receive a handwritten recipe in this day and age? I can't remember the last one I've received prior to this...

Anyhow, a quick glance through the recipe showed that it's just a simple variation on Rice Krispies Treats, using chow mein noodles instead.

The ingredients are simply mini marshmallows, butter, vanilla extract and dry chow mein noodles. You can fill the nests with any type of candy your heart desires.

My kids chose Peeps of all colors and Reese's Pieces Peanut Butter Pastel Candy Eggs. I've never been much of a Peeps fan, but the Reese's Pieces eggs are yummo!

The nests were super simple to make. I found that forming the balls fairly tight to start and then hollowing out the center was the easiest way to achieve a bird's nest look. Aren't they so cute?

While it didn't quite keep them occupied for as long as *I* would have liked, the kids had a blast decorating their nests -- and then eating them, of course!

How are you keeping the kiddos occupied over Spring Break?

Disclosure: I am a participant in the Walmart Moms program. Walmart has provided me with compensation for the time and effort spent creating this post. However, my participation in this program is voluntary and my opinions are my own -- always have been, always will be.

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I just love the combination of lemon and poppy seeds -- lemon poppy seed muffins, lemon poppy seed cake, lemon poppy seed bread, and so on. But what I really wanted was a recipe for lemon poppy seed scones, and surprisingly I could only find a few choices. As none of them really jumped out at me, I decided to create my own recipe.

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As you know, the litmus test for all of my recipes is how they fare with my five kids. Well, I can tell you that within five minutes of them walking in the door from school, every last scone, crumbs and all, was devoured!

Sadly I only got to sample one small scone, but I will definitely be making these again for our Easter brunch. It was flaky and tender, with just the right amount of lemon flavoring, and the lemon glaze was deliciously tart and sweet all at the same time. Even my ultra-picky five-year-old has been begging me to make more -- no small miracle.

I started with these juicy Meyer lemons. If you're not familiar with Meyer lemons, they're a cross between lemons and mandarin oranges, which gives them a unique, slightly sweeter lemon flavor than a standard lemon.

The key to light and airy scones is not to overwork the dough. Just mix it enough so that it comes together, and then form it into a round for cutting. I like to use a pastry mat with guidelines to help gauge size and prevent the dough from sticking to my counter.

If you have a dough scraper, it makes cutting the scones easier. Just press it straight down, quickly and cleanly, so you don't compress the dough, allowing your scones to rise higher.

I gave my lemon scones both a dusting of granulated sugar and a drizzle of simple lemon glaze. What can I say -- I have a sweet tooth! But seriously, the granulated sugar gives them a slightly crispier top and adds visual appeal.

I think these scones are perfect as is, but you could also serve them with some homemade butter or lemon curd or even your favorite jam.

How do you like to top your scones?

Disclosure: I am a participant in the Walmart Moms program. Walmart has provided me with compensation for the time and effort spent creating this post. However, my participation in this program is voluntary and my opinions are my own -- always have been, always will be.

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