Top Posts of 2015
I always love reflecting back on the year. My family still has not slowed down a bit! We are going and going bouncing around to various activities mostly gymnastics, soccer and volleyball. Haley had another minor brain surgery (so much better then the first) but the results were not great so we have some decisions to make. Once again I learned brain tumors are not fun and I will be an advocate for her my entire life. But I get to learn so many new things that I never would have learned. I am SO ...
Bacon Wrapped Water Chestnuts
My Grandma came into town this Christmas and make these Bacon Wrapped Water Chestnuts. I love spending time with my Grandma and my kids love playing with their Great Grandma as well. She is willing to try just about anything! My Dad got her out snow shoeing! How great is that! Grandma made these as part of a dinner one night instead of an appetizer, but either way it is an easy recipe with 3 ingredients; bacon, water chestnuts and honey BBQ sauce. A few years ago my Grandma made a cookbook ...
Roasted Brussels Sprouts
Roasted Brussels Sprouts are created in the oven until they are carmelized. This easy recipe makes the perfect side dish. Cut each sprout in half and cut out the choke which is the bottom inner part,see the "v" cut in the picture. Add the halved sprouts to a bowl with the remaining ingredients to season them before placing them on a lined baking sheet. Make sure each half is placed cut side down to achieve maximum carmelization. When the sprouts are brown and crisp they are done and ready to ...
Bacon Deviled Eggs
Bacon Deviled Eggs is a twist to the classic. This easy recipe adds in bacon, hot sauce and jack cheese. Whenever I make these they go very fast. This is a great appetizer for New Years, the Super Bowl, Easter, Summer BBQ's or Christmas. To make this recipe even simpler use bacon bits instead of frying and crumbling your own.
I love filling a zip top bag with the egg mixture and then cutting the corner to pipe the filling into the egg white cups. You can use a piping tip, just make sure ...
Butterscotch Fudge with Pecans
We love all types of fudge! This Butterscotch Fudge got the stamp of approval from my mom this Christmas season. This is a soft fudge which means it will melt in your mouth. The pecans give a contrast to the smoothness of the fudge. My kids love to help create this recipe. They stir and stir while the ingredients boil, then watch as the butterscotch chips melt away before adding in the pecans and vanilla. Package this easy recipe for friends or neighbors for a special treat. If you love fudge ...
Loaded Baked Potato Casserole
Loaded Baked Potato Casserole is a favorite Sunday side dish. It is an easy recipe to put together with bacon, cheese, green onions, potatoes and more. I love baked potatoes all loaded up but I have discovered they are not kid friendly. Whenever we have them my kids need help making their own so it is a lot of work. This Loaded Baked Potato Casserole has all the toppings mixed in before placing it on the dinner table. Everyone can serve themselves and eat right away.
Just a few tips:
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Lemon Pepper Green Beans and Potatoes
Lemon Pepper Green Beans and Potatoes are surprisingly easy to put together. I love this easy recipe because I steam the beans and the potatoes separately in the microwave at the same time I'm making the sauce. Then all I need to do is toss it all together gently and it is ready to serve. My mom showed me these really neat Steam Cooking Bags. So many side dishes can be cooked in them. It is easy to scale for however many you are serving. We reuse the steam bags a few times to get more use out ...
Vanilla Peppermint Hot Chocolate
Snow is so fun to play in but having Vanilla Peppermint Hot Chocolate to warm me up is exciting too! Yesterday we woke up to a winter wonderland. Everything was covered in inches of snow. Throughout the day we still had snow flurries but then it became heavier. We woke up again to inches of snow today. As fun as it is to go outside and play in all that snow it is also fun to come inside and warm up with some vanilla peppermint hot chocolate. This easy recipe comes together quickly. The half and ...
Kitchen Gift Ideas and Giveaway Winners!
As much as I love spending time in the kitchen there are a few things I really like which make prep work and clean up much quicker. These would make for great Christmas gift ideas.
Reynolds Slow Cooker Liners - My mom has been using these for years! Place a liner in your slow cooker (one size fits most), use non stick spray and then add your food. When your meal is finished just throw the bag away and wipe down the crock pot. It is as simple as that!
Strawberry Slicer - Cut the ...
Chocolate Peanut Butter Fudge
We love fudge when it gets close to Christmas time. Christmas candy and treats are the best. Some of our favorites are Candied Pecans, and Eggnog Cookies. My 7 year old has been asking to make this easy recipe since the middle of November. Peanut butter is also a favorite flavor among many in my home. Combining the two we came up with this peanut butter fudge that is going to be just as requested as our plain chocolate fudge. It is so smooth and soft. It is hard to eat just one piece. Package ...
Christmas Recipes and Neighbor Gifts
I'm starting to get knocks at my door with friends delivering gifts. This year we are giving homemade vanilla in cute little jars. Here is a collection of easy christmas recipes you can make and package up as wonderful neighbor/friend/family gifts.
Candied Pecans - These are always a favorite because they can be eaten alone or are even better on salads or pecan pie.
Eggnog Cookies - These are so moist and packed with flavor. Package them in a cellophane bag or box with parchment paper in ...
Christmas in Color & Easy Christmas Snack Mix
I am so excited to be working with Christmas in Color this year. The creators from the Midway Ice Castles have made something else spectacular this year called Christmas in Color. It is a mile long light show in Kearns, Utah created by world-renowned lighting artist and Utah native Richard Holdman.
The location is literally right next to the Olympic Oval in an empty lot. When we showed up we were asked if we had tickets before getting in line. It is very important to buy your tickets online ...
