Deliciously Easy Recipes
This Classic Cornbread recipe is made with buttermilk & butter for an AMAZING buttery flavor that’s extra moist, with tender crumbs.
Do you all love a good piece of cornbread? It goes so well with so many dinner recipes. I grew up on Marie Callendar’s – we would go there all the time when I was growing up.
But when I was married & moved out but still living in the O.C. my mom & I would meet there to catch up.
Don’t miss our Mexican Cornbread Recipe!
I can’t believe I have yet to share these with you. Have you ever had Cream Cheese Mints? They are awfully good & just melt in your mouth. I decided that since it’s clicking down to Valentine’s Day I would make these in the shapes of hearts & kisses. So cute & perfect for a little Valentine’s Day party or a special little gift for your sweetheart. I know my hubs sure loves wintergreen. So whenever I can make treats with that flavor he’s sure happy.
You can shape them however you like with any piping tip that is your favorite. Normally I would use a star tip on my piping bag – but I thought making them in the shape of hearts & “kisses” would be cute.
Red Velvet Bundt Cake w/ Kahlua Ganache
To see where I am linking today- visit HERE
I think I’m on a shortbread kick here. I mentioned before that I kept meaning to make some shortbread through the holidays but never got around to it. So I was whipping up some Yummy Bar Recipes & came across a jar of Dulce de Leche in the freezer that needed to be used. It was just calling for me to make these Dulce de Leche Shortbread Bars. The light buttery flavor of the shortbread combined with the richness of the dulce de leche. Heaven – absolute heaven.
Like I mentioned yesterday – shortbread is so easy to make. It takes just a couple ingredients & you are in business. I love that this recipe does call for an egg while my recipe I shared yesterday does not. So depending on your mood, ingredients on hand or a food allergy- you have something for everyone.
The hubs is always so amazed that I think of recipes that I want to make & I can just go in the kitchen & make them. I just tell him that it’s the benefit of having a well stocked pantry. I buy most everything in bulk so that when the mood strikes I always have whatever I could possibly need at that moment. He just thought I was hoarding food I guess. Now he understands why I do what I do. 🙂
No Bake Chocolate Caramel Oat Bars
To see where I am linking today- visit HERE
What do you think of shortbread cookies? I love their light buttery flavor. Add to that some chocolate – or how about some white chocolate too & maybe some M&M’s & then you have these super cute Valentine Shortbread Bars. Yup – that’s what I’m talking about. They definitely belong on my Yummy Bar Recipes list. Mmmmm mmmmm! Maybe you have a little Valentine gathering coming up for the kids. Or possibly a church pot luck. Or maybe you just like to surprise your family with a little treat on Valentine’s Day. These are perfect for that.
The ease of shortbread bars is fantastic. I mean – eggless is great. That means I can eat the dough- which I am known to do more often than not. Do you eat cookie dough too? The hubs gives me grief every single time. But I do it with every batch of dough I make – eggs or not. I can’t help myself – I grew up doing it. It was what my mom & I would do. Sort of like the little treat before the treat. I have very fond memories of those special times with my mom – many of them center around baking with her. More often than not those memories involve eating raw dough or batter. So it’s great with shortbread because I can just say “no eggs – no problem”. Hehehe – gotta love that.
Chocolate Gingerbread Cookie Bars
To see where I am linking today- visit HERE
Hello everyone!!! Are you ready for February? Can you believe we are actually talking about February? WOW! So are you starting to think of a fun & cute little treat you can make for Valentine’s Day? I have just the thing…Red Hot Kisses & Hugs Cookies. These are so easy with a classic shortbread but then cut into x’s & o’s & sprinkled with red hots – well that makes them the perfect Valentine treat.
Do you love shortbread cookies? Oh I sure love them. I had them on my list of things to make all though the holiday season – I never had a chance to make them. So having them mixed with red hots for Valentine’s Day pretty much makes up for that- don’t you think?!
You could make these 2 – ways. Either mix the red hots into the dough & then they are inside the cookie – which I did here. Or you can place them in the top of the cookie once it’s done baking but still hot. Because I chose to mix in- it made the red hots melt & some of them oozed out onto the pan. This wasn’t all bad. It made the cinnamon flavor of the red hots disburse through the cookie more. But if you want a more uniform look- add them immediately after removing from the oven. That’s probably what I will do with these on future batches.
Looking for more Valentine’s Day Ideas?
Red Velvet Bundt Cake w/ Kahlua Ganache
To see where I am linking today- visit HERE
Are you in organizing mode? We definitely are. I love keeping things tidy & clean. Clutter is not my friend. Not only does it physically fill up space but it clutters my mind as well. So I decided to take something that I have on hand all the time & make these little Desk Organizer’s for my daughter. They work perfectly for all her crafting supplies & make her tiny desk look clean. This project comes together quickly – which is great for you busy moms out there. Plus, repurposing things is something I absolutely love to do- so this project just makes me smile.
You see – since I really go through the coffee creamer I don’t like throwing out the bottles. Yes I can stick them in my recycle bin. But if I can make a good use for it- then it saves me from having to go buy something that would work just the same. So I save them & use them for things like making these desk organizers for my daughter’s room.
I picked up several of these International Delight Fat Free & Sugar Free creamers. I love it because given the new year I am trying to find new ways to eat a little healthier & do things that are better for me. But I never want to feel deprived. That’s a sure way to fail. So things like swapping out my regular International Delight Creamer with this Fat Free & Sugar Free versions is just what I am looking for. This Chocolate Almond Biscotti flavor was what was available in my store. However there are also flavors like Toasted Hazelnut, French Vanilla, Caramel Creme & Caramel Marshmallow too. I CAN’T WAIT for those to finally hit my store- they sound amazing. Knowing that they are all Fat Free & Sugar Free is really great.
So I started with cutting off the top of the bottle & the carton.
Then I used hot glue to attach the burlap to the bottle. I finished it off with a little sisal wrapped around. EASY!
As you can see I have some square ones. Those are from my Iced Coffee Cartons.
For the carton- I coated the outside with Mod Podge & then pressed the fabric firmly all around.
Then I folded in about 3/4 inch at the top to finish off the edge.
Finally I gave it another coat of Mod Podge over the top of the fabric to seal it all.
– Again – very simple & takes very little time.
These cartons work great for the larger things like the paint brushes.
She absolutely LOVES them. She has been begging me to use this fabric on something for her room.
Simple & useful. Can’t beat that.
The best part is that I’m always picking up new creamer – so I will have plenty more to make.
Be sure to head over & play HAZELNUT BLITZ!
It’s a fun game where you play to WIN GREAT PRIZES – Daily packs will be awarded as well as coupons.
There are multiple ways to be entered into the sweepstakes.
Play the game – upload International Delight creamer receipts – answer delightful quiz questions & more!
PLAY HERE
For product availability – visit International Delight
For more information see International Delight’s creamer page
Want more great repurposing projects?
Wasp Control with DIY Wasp Trap
First Aid Kit and Printable Checklist
To see where I am linking today- visit HERE
This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of International Delight. The opinions and text are all mine.
I love appetizers & snacks. Those of you who have been with me for a long time know that I’m all about the game time dishes. I especially love it when the things I’m making can actually work as a meal as well.
I definitely love to put out a spread when we are watching the game or on race day. One thing that is a family favorite – José Olé® snacks & this Chipotle Mayo dipping sauce I made to go along. Looking for Easy Family Dinner Ideas?
The kids & I really love these Taquitos. They are available in both chicken & beef. I always make both. I like that they are made with real meat & cheese & the tortillas are crunchy. To me that’s the perfect taquito. What an easy way to feed a crowd.
The chipotle mayo– my son’s new favorite spread. He fell in love with spicy food when he was less than a year old.
He was so thrilled to try this on more than just his taquitos. It is simple, versatile & not too spicy. It’s a mild initial flavor with a little afterburn.
Black Bean Jalapeno Pepper Queso
How about these Soft Pretzel Bites?
This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Jose Ole. The opinions and text are all mine.
Have you ever sat in a space & it just hits you… this furniture is SO NOT ME anymore? Yeah- right before the holidays we were having our morning coffee & look at each other & said, “we need to update this space”. While we have a coastal feel going for the most part we also love the look of the industrial furniture. It’s quite popular & thus also quite expensive. So we decided to make our own Industrial Cart Coffee Table for a fraction of the cost. It wasn’t all that hard – let me show you how we did it.
We started with this giant pallet. This thing is the mother of all pallets. I think our siding was delivered on it during the construction of our house. It was left behind & I was MORE THAN THRILLED. This baby will be the key piece in a whole lot of projects coming up.
First thing we did was measure our space & decide where we wanted to make the first cut.
*Note – we had a completely different living room set when we started this project. You can see my first post on our Coastal Decor Living Room that I did about a month after we moved in to see what I’m talking about. So we initially cut this to be a square table. Then we decided one weekend that we would finally make the leap & buy the sectional we have been talking about for YEARS. Now that the kids are bigger we needed something we could all fit on comfortably for all our weekend homegating. Besides- we really had no seating if we had guests – so a change had to be made.
These are the wheels I chose. 8 Inch Swivel Caster
I wanted this table to be as tall as the seating – so I chose the largest wheels I could find.
While the hubs worked on cutting & lightly sanding the pallet, I decided to start painting the wheels with this paint.
Oil Rubbed Bronze to give them a nice worn look.
It was positively frigid outside so we then moved the pallet into the tandem part of the garage so I could start staining. I originally started with the leftover stain from our mantle, however I ran out after the top side. Did you know they really can’t match stain like they can paint? I never knew that. Sooooo – we had to find another one that was close to what we were already working with. I think this was Minwax Jamocha Bean or something like that. I brushed on & then rubbed off the excess with a paper towel. Afterwards we decided it needed to be darker & so I added another coat.
We knew we wanted the finished table to be higher than just the pallet & wheels together. So the hubs picked up this beam 2×4 – we cut 4 pieces off for the corners & used some wood glue & clamps to give it some grip.
Then we placed the wheels on each part to mark with a sharpie where we wanted to drill the holes to bolt it altogether.
You can see the marks where the holes for the casters will go. We drilled the holes & then added our giant bolts.
I then painted the ends of the bolts with a little brush & black chalk paint just sort of dabbing so it would look like old grease.
I added a little of this ultra matte finish varnish on just the top to make sure there wasn’t a shine.
Most of the house has a coastal feel since I grew up on the beaches of So Cal. It’s my taste of home. However – we have always had an eclectic feel because of all the antiques we have acquired from the family. So I like that the table fits well with all of that & has an imperfect look. It isn’t some mass produced piece I could find in 1000 other homes.
This table is sturdy & quite heavy due to the casters. That was really the most expensive part of the whole project. I am still in search for a less expensive place to pick those up. If I find a place- I will update this post to let you know.
My apologies – we didn’t get the curtains up before I snapped these images. We have been here 6 months & I there are more projects than there is time. I have a million & one things I plan to do before I consider this space done enough to take a breather. But with each little project I’m just that much closer.
As you can see – with the shape of the new sectional, we had to change the table to a rectangle. I was sort of bummed about that – but I think it all worked out. We like to roll it out & pop the ottoman in that space for movie nights so we can all lounge around.
Finding ways to blend my beachy vibe with the hubs love for rough & rugged pieces has been both a challenging & fun.
It was a really fun project. It’s great to be able to make an idea come to life.
Want to see more Easy DIY Projects from our home?
Change Can Lights to Pendant Lights {in less than 10 minutes}
To see where I am linking today- visit HERE
Tender & juicy Barbecue Tri-Tip Roast – super easy, positively delicious – any time of year. Perfect for weeknight dinners, summer bbq’s & parties.
Do you grill in the winter? I grew up in the mild climate of So Cal – so I’m used to grilling year-round. So just because we now live in North Idaho there is snow on the ground that doesn’t mean that I pack my BBQ away.
Well- we do tuck it away in the garage for storage to protect it from the weather. However, nothing really stops us from shoveling the snow off the porch & moving the grill back out to make some amazing recipes.
One of our favorites – BBQ Tri-Tip Roast. It’s great right off the grill with a side of baked potatos. But my favorite is the leftovers that I can use for a delicious sandwich the next day.
Scroll to the bottom for the Printable Recipe
Hello all my bloggy friends! I have a special Valentine’s Day themed hop for you all today. I have teamed up with an INCREDIBLE group of bloggers to bring you a one stop shop for all your Valentine Gift needs!! Yay – check out all these fabulous Valentine Ideas being shared by so many AMAZINGLY talented ladies. If you are looking for Valentine gifts – this is your place to be!
When I’m gearing up for Valentine’s Day – my thoughts are always on homemade gifts. Coming up with great Valentine Ideas is so much fun- especially when it comes to Valentine Gifts for Him. I know that my hubs appreciates thoughtful gifts that are useful, practical & budget conscious. We are not the sort of couple that spends a whole lot on holidays or gifts for one another. We prefer to cook together or do something sweet than spend a lot on something just for a specific occasion. So I decided to make him a little Nuts for You Valentine gift jar stuffed full of one of his favorite snacks – toffee covered peanuts.
I also created this free printable to go with it – so you all could create your own little Valentine gift too.
I can’t wait to give it to him. Simple & Sweet!
Valentine Nuts for You Printables – Download here
[inlinkz_linkup id=487426 mode=1]
To see where I am linking today- visit HERE
This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of RO*TEL & VELVEETA . All opinions are 100% mine.
I know I have mentioned on more than occasion how much I’m obsessed with carnitas. If you know me on a more personal level then you really know how deep that love for carnitas is. Now add to that some delicious queso. I love queso. I could live on it pretty much all the time. Which is great because we make it for nearly every homegating event. It’s simple, takes only a couple ingredients & EVERYONE loves it. So it’s so easy to make it the “go-to” snack. Then I had the AMAZING idea to add a little bit of my leftover carnitas from my tacos to my queso & Carnitas Queso was born. It was a match made in heaven if I do say so myself. Looking for Easy Family Dinner Ideas?
Just these two ingredients & some of my favorite carnitas makes the most INCREDIBLE game day snack EVER!
The combination of RO*TEL and VELVEETA make a Queso dip that is so good it will be the star of your next tailgating party. Zesty, creamy, yummy, and easy – Queso made with RO*TEL and VELVEETA is a real crowd pleaser.
Queso is a quick, easy and zesty recipe with just two ingredients, VELVEETA and RO*TEL.
The recipe is the perfect addition to any occasion’s entertainment spread.
The family & I joke that if they want to see me during the game – then they need to head on over to the snack bar. That’s where I’ll be – which is why I set up our game time spread facing the media room. That way I can snack without missing a moment of the game.
This queso is great not just with chips & pretzels. I like to cut up some french bread & eat it like a fondue too.
You really can’t go wrong. It’s the perfect game day snack.
Be sure to check out the Queso For All page for more inspiration on creating the simple RO*TEL and VELVEETA Queso.
So many ideas to spice up your next tailgate or party.
<
Be inspired and get the latest ideas by following Ro*Tel Facebook and Velveeta Facebook pages too.
So what will I be making to dip in my Carnitas Queso?
You know it’s great topped on a Gourmet Hot Dog
To see where I am linking today- visit HERE
We moved in to this house about 6 months ago & I have been dragging my feet on a lot of projects for our home to make it complete. We have been far more deliberate with each & every hole we put in the walls. So we are taking our time when choosing what we will do for the finishing touches like curtains & art. Some walls are still bare. Some windows are too. I want to make sure I am taking my time & choosing things that I know I will love for a long time & that I won’t be changing out soon after putting it up. So before the holidays the hubs was traveling & I decided that the Grain Sack Curtain idea I had in mind for the kitchen window was a good project to whip together while he was gone. I love the vintage feel of old french grain sacks. So I used some of my stencils left over from another project along with some old scraps of muslin that my mom used to make rag dolls out of & it turned out perfectly.
It’s really quite simple. I measured my window & calculated how long I wanted it to hang down before I gathered it. Then I added another 3/4 inch on the bottom & sides for the rolled hem & 2 inches on the top for the casing. Then I stitched it all & was ready for paint. (please forgive the phone pics of the process. I tend to work on projects in the middle of the night when the hubs travels so lighting isn’t always great)
I obviously wanted the stripes to be center. So I folded the curtain in half & then measured a ruler’s width from the fold & placed my tape. Then I flipped it over & taped the other side so that when I opened it I would have the center stripe taped perfectly down the center of the curtain.
Then I used my ruler along the side of the tape to mark off for the other narrow stripes on each side.
I used Americana Decor chalk paint – color is called Vintage. It’s a gray/blue. I probably wouldn’t have used chalk paint for this – however I really love this particular color & it was the only tub I had of it. I need it by the gallon – I have so many things I would paint in this color.
I measured down from the top to where I wanted my letters & numbers so that they wouldn’t be too close to where I would place the gathers at the bottom. Then I used my stencil to paint the numbers & letters. Simple.
Once I hung it above the window I used some jute to just gather it up to the right length. That’s it.
This really didn’t take too long. The hardest part was waiting for the paint to dry so I could move on. I have very little patience when it comes to projects. They need to move quickly or I tend to lose interest & want to abandon it altogether. Fortunately I had that deadline of the hubs returning & I wanted it done before he walked in the door. Nothing like a little time constraint to push me to wrap it up quick.
Want to see more projects from our home?
To see where I am linking today- visit HERE
Hey there!! Did you know that this month I’m celebrating my blog birthday? Yep!! For the last 8 years I have been on this blogging journey. I can’t believe it’s been that long. But since it’s a milestone to celebrate I have joined up with some of MY FAVORITE bloggers who are also celebrating their blog birthday’s too to bring you this Blog Birthday Bash with a $500 Cash Giveaway!!!
You may have noticed – I’m sort of in party food mode around here. It’s probably my favorite thing to make – other than treats of course. But with the playoffs happening & the big game right around the corner- it’s on my mind all the time. I find myself waking at 2am & having to get up to write down ideas that pop into my head. I love love love appetizers & snacks. One of my all time favorites that we have been making for at least the last 15 years are these Parmesan Tortilla Chips.
Making homemade tortilla chips is super simple & in my opinion- WAY better than anything you can buy in a bag. So when it comes to making homemade nachos or having something to dip into our favorite taco dip – these are my go-to thing. We like to use sea salt & popcorn salt & then parmesan cheese. I know it sounds strange. But many years ago we used to visit this little hole in the wall taco stand. They had the best food there & they added parmesan to their tortillas. So not only do we do that with our homemade taco shells – but with these chips too. SO GOOD!
Today I’m also participating in this Tailgate Party Hop!
Check out all these other amazing tailgating recipes!
Want to see more of the recipes we like to make for game day?
Chocolate Chip Cookie Cup Sundae
To see where I am linking today- visit HERE
Fry Sauce is a simple dipping sauce blending the tangy flavors of ketchup and mayo. Commonly found in Utah, southern Idaho & rural Oregon- it’s a favorite!
It’s no secret that we love our Game Time Grub in this house. Homegating is a weekly occurrence & it almost always includes Fry Sauce.
Now- being that I grew up in So Cal – fry sauce wasn’t something that I grew up with. If it didn’t come from In & Out Burger – I didn’t really know it existed.
Then we moved here to North Idaho & we had a little place specific to the North West literally smell distance from our little rental at the time. The hubs picked up burgers, several tubs of fries & this stuff called fry sauce to feed our hungry crew while we unloaded the moving truck.
I reluctantly tried some- I’m just like that about new things. We all were absolutely amazed & it has become my “can’t live without” condiment. I used to be able to run on over & pick up a few tubs for our homegating events because it was literally so close to our house.
But now that we have bought this house & moved to a new town – the closest location is quite a little jaunt.
So – being that I love to find ways to make it myself, I decided to try my hand at it. 5 recipes later – THIS IS THE ONE! Looking for Easy Family Dinner Ideas?
I love it even more than the original. I have to admit- I add this stuff to everything- it’s not just for fries. It was great on these onion rings. I also love it on chicken tenders, hash browns, home fries, burgers, hot dogs & so much more.
If you have never had fry sauce before- you HAVE TO give it a try. I think there is something similar in the South called comeback sauce. I can see why it’s called that. It’s definitely a regional thing.
I know that Utah is known for it. The family was happy about that during our trip to SLC last April. They didn’t have to go without their favorite dipping sauce while we traveled.
Because of the mayo this won’t freeze well. But the portion that this makes is small enough that you could reasonably get through all of it within the 7 days that it should stay good for in the fridge. You can always cut the recipe in half if needed instead.
You can, and we do it often. In fact, a double or triple amount is perfect for a large family.
Just keep it refrigerated for up to 7 days. As long as you don’t let it sit out at room temperature for too long, this should keep well when chilled.
We love this fry sauce so much that we like to use it on just about everything. Here is a list of our favorites
If you love this Easy Fry Sauce recipe, you’re going to love these other recipes too. Please click each link below to find the easy, printable recipe!
Hello there my friends! Looking for Easy Family Dinner Ideas? Are you getting excited for the big game? We love this time of year – even if our team isn’t in the playoffs. We love football & we celebrate it each weekend with a spread of appetizers. Homegating is our thing & coming up with tasty new snacks is part of the fun. We like to let the kids help come up with these new snack ideas, which usually means they are centered around their favorite foods. For instance, this Peperoncini & Salami Appetizer is on top of their must make list.
You see – my son REALLY loves peperoncinis. When he was about a year old he would grab them out of the salad bowl when we would dine out & just munch on them whole. We would always wait for the heat to get to him & expected him to cry. But he never did – he just wanted more. Needless to say – all these years later & they are still a favorite snack of his. He will add them to just about anything – which is why he loves this appetizer so much.
Now my younger daughter – she loves salami. She loves it so much that she asked for her very own that she didn’t have to share. Yep – right on her Christmas list – a salami. I know- I thought it was strange too. She just had to write it on the grocery list. But she wanted her own. So when it comes to this snack – it’s hard to make enough for everyone. The kids just can’t get enough.
Looking for more great party recipes?
Here are some SUPER YUMMY recipes we will be making on game day.
To see where I am linking today- visit HERE
A while back my friend Andi shared a peak into her day with her post A Day in the Life of The Weary Chef. I LOVED seeing how my friend spend their days & vowed to do a similar post here on Kleinworth & Co. Well – many months later, I’m finally getting around to sharing A Day in the Life of Kleinworth & Co. It’s just a little snippet into my lifestyle blogger life behind the scenes. Oddly enough this particular day didn’t involve recipe creation or recipe pics even though that is a huge part of my work here. But this day what I captured shows a whole lot of all the other things that I do here to keep things humming along. Then this week – in the midst of all this – we started back with school again too. So add in there homeschooling a 6th, 8th & 11th grader & all the teaching, checking & test giving among all the nuttiness of my day. So anyhow- here is just a little bit of what happens here at Kleinworth & Co.
The alarm goes off at 5am. By the time I got my sweater & socks on, pulled my hair back & checked my phone for anything urgent it was 5:12 & time to snap the first pic of the day. I headed downstairs with the hubs to grab some coffee & have a little couple time.
So the hubs & I spend each morning down in our pub room catching a little news & discussing our day ahead over a nice hot cup of coffee. It’s a great way to get my brain on the same page as my to-do list.
Then by 5:30 or so I’m up in my studio & ready to get to work. I take a look at my planner, check my task board & go through anything else that was dumped on my desk to deal with that day. This particular day the priority is to wrap up some edits on some client work & get those pics delivered to her.
So after checking my blog post of the day & promoting & doing all my social media I clean out the 100-200 emails in the inbox. Then I get started on processing 150+ images for my client who sells party & gift type products.
I take a break – get myself pulled together for the day & I’m back in the studio.
Next task – new session for more products from the same client. I get each product staged, captured & then I go through & pick the best images for the final shots to be delivered.
On a regular blogging day, this would normally be the time when I get in the kitchen & start creating. Then with the completion of each recipe I truck it all upstairs to the studio & capture it. Styling & props are the part when I usually call in the kids to help with things like holding a spoon or a reflector. Then depending on the recipe -they sometimes get to eat the “famous piece” as they put it.
Then I get back to processing more of the original images I started on earlier in the morning. I finally wrap them all up & send them on over to her. Now my head is clear & I can focus on blog stuff.
Like I mentioned – I didn’t spend this day doing any recipe creation or images. That’s because I did all that the day before & so I had a ton of things to process & get posted. So I started with edits.
By now I’m ready to really get going on writing. Unfortunately my internet had been spotty all day. After a call to find out what was going on – I found out that I was not the only one. It was a widespread issue. Not that it made it any better – since I had a ton I wanted to get done- but I did feel better that it wasn’t an internal issue & that I could expect things to be back to normal soon. So I just wrote out my posts in word while I waited so I could just copy & paste in when I was finally connected again.
Well – all that time not being wasted really paid off. I was able to get everything scheduled out in time. Since this was New Year’s Eve – I really wanted to get everything dialed out so I could walk away from the office on New Year’s Day – and potentially the rest of the weekend. I wasn’t sure if the hubs would be staying home or not – so I thought it was good to be prepared.
I decide to take a couple minutes to look for dinner ideas on Pinterest before the hubs gets home.
Now during this time the hubs came home & we made some dinner. Then all the clean up from that. Sometimes he comes home & we head to the gym for a few hours as a family. But since it was New Year’s Eve – they were closing early for the night. So we stayed in & made some yummies instead.
We try to have a policy of not picking up the phones during this time because it’s our time to go over everything that happened through the day. Plus – dinner time is so busy – I rarely even think to pick up the phone to take pics anyhow. So unless something urgent & work related comes through – we try to leave the phones alone.
In the evenings we like to have a little time relaxing/work between dinner & bed. I usually curl up on the chaise & go through messages & do a little planning on the editorial calendar. The hubs usually curls up next to me & gives me ideas on things he thinks I should post about. It’s his little contribution to what you all see here.
Then – just like that – a call comes through & he’s off to go help with whatever emergency is happening. This particular night – a possible structure fire. I was happy that we didn’t already head to bed. These sorts of things usually happen at 3am. So since he’s going to get called away from our evening- I would rather it happen during our down time. However – we can’t control when emergencies happen- it’s the nature of what he does.
The hubs finally comes home & we shut down the house & say goodnight to the dog who guards the entry.
Then it’s upstairs to get a little rest before we do it all again.
So there you have it- a little glimpse into a random day here.
Want to see more behind the scenes?
To see where I am linking today- visit HERE
From the looks of things around here I have been on quite an oat kick lately. That’s okay. Oats are so versatile. You can make them super healthy or really go all out with them & make an amazing treat. I have mentioned before that I like to keep everything in moderation. That means that just because I’m sharing healthier recipes with you to kick off the new year – I’m not abandoning my favorite goodies. I’m just keeping them more for the weekends now. One of my favorite little things to make are these Kit Kat Oat Bars. No bake- whip together in minutes – well that has my name all over it.
These literally come together in just moments. I love that they are no bake – because it takes that big ol’ oven a while to heat up. So if I’m baking I try to make it worth my while & do a few things at a time when it’s on. But I don’t always have the time for that & that’s where these come in.
The hubs can mention that he’d like a treat while we are having dinner. I can whip these up before I do the after-dinner clean up & pop them in the freezer (instead of the fridge- to chill faster) while I wash dishes. They are set & ready to enjoy by the time I’m ready to relax.
Want more easy no-bake recipes?
No Bake Chocolate Caramel Oat Bars
Banana Marshmallow Fudge Parfait
To see where I am linking today- visit HERE
Just because we went through the holidays doesn’t mean we weren’t going gangbusters around here behind the scenes doing projects for the house. I have something to share with you all. Way back in September we changed out some of our can lights in the kitchen to pendant lights on a whim. I wanted to share the super quick & easy process & the final result. But with all the holiday posts to share- I didn’t get to it. Until now. Today I’m going to share with you all How to Change Can Lights to Pendant Lights in less than 10 minutes because it was really just oh so simple.
Here is what it looked like before we got started.
We started out one weekend wanting to change out the light above the island & the two above the sink. We actually began with pulling out the cans & completely rewiring them with the kit lights that you purchase in pieces. I captured it all & was going to share it with you here. Unfortunately the lights we chose were all wonky & didn’t hang perfectly straight. We have a house full of people with OCD – so bent cords & lights not hanging perfectly straight just wasn’t an option for us. So we tore them out & put the old can lights back in while I waited for new lights to be delivered.
We decided to just give in & spend a little more & buy the handy “screw in a light bulb easy” kit instead.
About 10 days later we got home from the gym in the evening & there they were waiting for us on the front porch.
We couldn’t even wait until after we made dinner. We opened the box & got started.
We chose ones similar to these Bronze Pendant, CONVERSION KIT
The process was so quick. Just remove from packaging & determine how far down you want the pendant to hang. In our case we had to measure all 3 to be sure they were all exactly the same length. Then wrap the cord around the hook at the base of the socket screw.
Then take out your existing light bulb & screw in the new light.
Push the mount cover carefully up the cord & flush to the ceiling. Tighten the piece that keeps it all together.
Then add your light bulb & you are done. We then repeated the process for the other two lights above the sink. That simple. We chose the cool vintage style bulbs since they show in the open cage.
See – I told you it was so EASY! I love how it makes my new kitchen so much more personal than before.
Stay tuned through 2015! We have some great projects to share with you. Some already completed that I have been just dying to share. Others I’m just itching to get working on. I have so many things I want to do to this house or create for it. The hubs & I joke that I need a whole second blog just for projects because I could easily let them take over if I were to share them all here. So I will keep them sporadic for now until I figure out a better way of sharing it all.
Want more simple home projects?
2nd Master Bath Vanity
To see where I am linking today- visit HERE
Oh how I love a great healthy breakfast that tastes fabulous. Just a little cup of goodness that keeps me going all morning long. That’s what we all want right. Something that tastes so good that we look forward to having it when we wake up. Yep – this Raspberry Pretzel Parfait is just the thing. I find when creating things like this I have to be sure to make it in quantities of 3. If one of my little taste testers gets left out it’s no fun. They all really enjoyed this easy recipe & were definitely adding it to the menu board for future mornings.
We started with this new Yulu yogurt. It’s a new extra creamy, honest Australian yogurt. Then I decided to get creative with the mix ins. Typically I would start with some homemade granola & then top with some fruit. But I wanted something a little different. Adding fun things like pretzels & raw honey were the perfect little match made in parfait heaven.
Yulu is smoothed twice for extra creaminess. Unlike greek yogurt – Yulu lacks the too-sour quality some find. Just honest ingredients & real fruit. It has 9 grams of protein in every cup – so it’s healthy & delicious.
You can find Yulu in vanilla, strawberry, raspberry, honey & blueberry.
Connect on Twitter @YuluYogurt Find out more on their Website.
Want more great ideas for your yogurt?
Double Berry Cheesecake Frozen Yogurt
To see where I am linking today- visit HERE
This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Yulu. The opinions and text are all mine.
I think many couples are at opposite ends on various different things – some small, some huge & some really don’t matter. One thing for the hubs & I – granola bars. He absolutely LOVES those crunchy granola bars that come in the little 2 pack & are all filled with that sweet honey flavor. Me- I really could take them or leave them. I’m more of a “if I’m going to eat a granola bar – I want it to be soft & chewy & packed full of chocolate chips” sort of person. Well – in my little list of nice things I’d like to do for the hubs has been the task of making him Homemade Granola Bars. The plan- make them just like he loves & then toy with the recipe to figure out how to make my perfect granola bar later. So this past week – that’s exactly what I did. He was BEYOND THRILLED.
Once in a while I make something that has him so over the top excited that I can completely change his tune about the store bought version. These granola bars are one of those things. He was quite impressed that I was able to make them & in his words “make them better than the store bought ones” he loves so much.
The kids loved them too. I did have one- for quality control you know. Don’t tell him – but I was pretty impressed myself & will probably enjoy a few before they are all gone. Don’t get me wrong- I’m still on a mission to make my version of perfect. But these really are quite tasty.
Want more great snack ideas?
Blackberry Whole Wheat Mini-Donuts
To see where I am linking today- visit HERE
The kids have been asking for some new breakfast recipes to add to some of their everyday favorites. I like to keep things homemade. So coming up with a variety of options that are also time friendly can be challenging at times. So when I tried whipping up these Peanut Butter & Banana Breakfast Cookies in just a couple minutes – I was thrilled. They are soft & moist & packed full of heartiness to keep the kids full through the morning.
I love that these are simple enough that the kids could actually make them on their own. Just whip up the batter – NO EGGS & bake for a few minutes. The batter looks like very little in the bowl but ends up making about 15-16 cookies. That works out great when you have 3 very hungry teens just waiting to get their hands on these. They are the perfect thing to use up those over ripe bananas too. However – you don’t have to wait for them to get past their prime. I made these with a green banana & they still turned out great.
Want more breakfast ideas?
To see where I am linking today- visit HERE
You all know how much I love Easy Family Dinner Ideas like soup. Make it tomato based & I’m all over it. Even better, add some meat, a little pasta or maybe even some spinach or other veggie & I’m in heaven. I love, love, love tomato based soups any time of year. But these chilly months really give me the excuse I need to cave into those cravings & whip up a big ol’ stockpot of hearty goodness. Really – I crave it almost as much as I crave pulled pork. Even just telling you about this soup makes my mouth water & I have to really fight the urge to head to the kitchen & make some more. This particular Macaroni & Sausage Soup was one that made me truly sad when I tried to stick to my “no going back for seconds” rule. I so wanted another helping.
This was so hearty & filling. I really did want more – then I waited just a couple minutes & the fullness started settling in. Then I was happy I didn’t stuff myself. However I was quite excited knowing that we had plenty of leftovers for the next night. I literally looked forward to it all day long. Don’t you just love recipes like that?!
Want more soup recipes?
Jalapeno Cheddar Chicken Soup – in the crock pot
To see where I am linking today- visit HERE
Are you ready for an awesome snack? I am totally focused on revamping some of our favorite recipes & making them better for us. Are you with me?! So I decided to create these Cinnamon Raisin Energy Bites – because they are loaded with peanut butter & oats to keep us all feeling full & give us energy PLUS the addition of a favorite flavor- cinnamon.
Since it’s almost January I thought I would get a jump start on cutting the calories on some of my favorite foods & beverages that I enjoy. I have mentioned before that I like everything in moderation. It works well most of the time. But I always like to see just how close I can get a recipe to the original while shaving off some of the added calories that sometimes aren’t really necessary. Now there are certain things that should never be messed with. But then there are others that are not a NEED to begin with – like my afternoon iced mocha. I like having it – but I don’t like the added calories in my daily intake for something that is just a “nice thing to have”. So I created this Skinny Iced Mocha which is about 50 calories. Not too bad. If I have been good & not indulged on ice cream the night before with the hubs- then I have a little room to accommodate & enjoy.
It doesn’t taste like a “skinny” that’s for sure. The bittersweet mocha sauce is fabulous.
Want more “skinny” recipes?
To see where I am linking today- visit HERE
There are a few recipes that I can’t seem to get enough of. One is beer bread. My mother-in-law’s recipe for beer bread is one I have been making since she first gave it to me almost 20 years ago. It’s great on the side of soup. Since it’s cold & dreary outside we have been making an awful lot of soup & so the old beer bread recipe has made an appearance several times already this season. So this past week I wanted to change it up just a tad. I created this Cheddar & Chive Beer Bread which was oh so perfect with the soup I will be sharing with you all later this week. My mother-in-law would be so proud that I am still using her recipe & twisting on it to make it even better.
Oh that little bit of cheddar & chives makes all the difference with this bread. So GOOD!
Want to know what I would pair with this?
To see where I am linking today- visit HERE
Have you had enough treats for the season? Are you thinking about what you can do to get back on a better track this New Year? You are in luck. Today I’m going to share with you my “go-to” breakfast recipe that always makes me feel great. This Simple Green Smoothie is just the thing I love to have when I feel I have been overdoing it with all the yummies I share here with you all. I’m a firm believer in an “everything in moderation” approach when it comes to food. So I don’t deprive myself of treats nor do I go heavy on any one thing – be it healthy or not so healthy. So I like to enjoy a healthy little smoothie that keeps me full all day long. Then I don’t feel so bad when I have a nibble of something I created earlier in the day. I have to taste test what I share with you all here – so this green smoothie helps keep me full of the good stuff so I’m not tempted to over-do it.
I love it’s ease when it comes to making it.
With just 3 simple ingredients – I have everything I need on hand most of the time.
Want more great smoothie recipes?
To see where I am linking today- visit HERE
Welcome to the delightful world of Bloody Mary cocktails! This isn’t just a drink; it’s a brunch staple, a conversation starter, and for many, the perfect remedy after a night out.
The Bloody Mary is a classic cocktail known for its unique combination of savory, spicy, and tangy flavors, making it a favorite choice for those who love a little adventure in their glass.
View postA Very Merry Christmas to you all!
You all have brought me immeasurable joy this past year. I can’t thank you enough for all your love & support! I wouldn’t be here doing what I do & loving each & every day I work if it were not for you all.
Thank You!
I hope your day is blessed!
Gina
I’m on such a huge chocolate & peppermint kick right now. I can’t seem to get enough of that wonderful combo. The family sure isn’t complaining. The hubs waits all year for all the peppermint stuff to come on back. So when I start making all sorts of goodies with chocolate & peppermint- he’s one happy guy. So I just couldn’t wait to share this Candy Cane Oreo Pie with you all. I originally shared this over at Jen’s place about a week ago but just had to share it here with you all too. It’s rich & decadent & INCREDIBLY EASY to make. Isn’t that the best part??
It really is so simple & makes a huge impact. Chocolate, oreos & a hint of peppermint. I was so thrilled to find these holiday Oreo’s – Candy Cane mini’s. I don’t think I have ever found an Oreo flavor I didn’t fall in love with. It’s the one store bought treat (aside from candies) that we buy in bulk. So good.
The white chocolate drizzle on top is completely optional. You could add whipped cream instead. I decided on the white chocolate because I wasn’t sure how quickly we would get to enjoy this pie. It’s great when you need to make ahead & stores well in the freezer for a couple days. If you want whipped cream instead of chocolate drizzle – it’s best to add it right at serving time.
That’s it & look how pretty too!
Want more chocolate & peppermint?
Peppermint Chocolate Truffle Pancakes
To see where I am linking today- visit HERE
So what do you do after the kids go to sleep on Christmas Eve? I have mentioned before that I am usually in our room (& have been all night) wrapping gifts until the kids wake the next morning. Not this year. I finally started ahead of schedule & didn’t wait to wrap. So this year I plan on taking Christmas Eve to sit & relax with the hubs a little. Maybe we will make a couple of these Gingerbread White Russian cocktails to have before bed. It’s the perfect little Christmas drink with all that wonderful gingerbread flavor. Add some of those cookies we will leave out. Much better than a glass of milk to go with cookies. Perfection I tell you.
Really – I’m so looking forward to setting out the gifts & stockings, curling up on the couch with the hubs & enjoying this with some Christmas sugar cookies. It’s the perfect holiday flavors all in one night.
Want more great holiday beverages?
To see where I am linking today- visit HERE
This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #WaysToWow #CollectiveBias
Looking for Easy Family Dinner Ideas? Anchovy lovers – have I created the appetizer for you! My family LOVES anchovies. Actually the word LOVE (in all caps) doesn’t even quite describe just how they feel about them. The hubs can’t seem to buy enough- the kids can’t get enough. They enjoy them on pizza & then they really love to have some on a cracker as a snack. Well since we are inching ever so close to New Year’s, I promised I would create a new appetizer for them using anchovies & create some new party favorites. This Anchovies & Olive Appetizer did not last long with my gaggle of taste testers. They were fighting over them & they can’t wait for our New Year’s celebration when I will make more.
I picked up some Town House Crackers at Target. (They were actually located in 2 different places in the store) I literally ran in there just for the crackers since we were in the area. I ended up walking out carrying 7 bags & spending over $100. Honestly – I’m shocked it wasn’t double that. That store is dangerous- I want everything. But anyhow- back to the recipe.
These are really simple to make.
Start with Town House crackers, spread on a little chive & onion cream cheese, top with anchovies & 1 large green olive.
These are our favorite crackers – we use them for all our appetizers. Definitely a party favorite.
Literally – my entire family LOVES these little snacks.
I know what we will be making for every party & homegating event in the future.
So tell me about your favorite party appetizer this time of year!
Want more appetizer ideas?
Prosciutto & French Onion Tea Sandwiches
To see where I am linking today- visit HERE
