Good morning, peeps! I'm popping in here quickly to share some very simple ideas for cute Easter treats! I don't think there's anyone who doesn't get excited at the first sighting of Easter Peeps each spring. I'll tell you a secret though: I don't really love eating the peeps, but I do have a lot of fun using them in what I call "food crafts". First up, fruit skewers with peeps gets some healthy fruit in the kids' diets but with a small sugary treat that says "Easter"! My girls and I made these precious bunny peep cars one year with Twinkies for the car body, pretzels for the steering wheel, and jumbo marshmallows for the tires. These were a hit with all our little cousins. Aren't ... Read more
Easy Crudité and Charcuterie Boards for New Year’s Snacking
Anyone else getting tired of eating? I think one of the best and worst things about the holidays is the food! We love it, until it's too much. After Christmas we're ready for some healthier eats, but there's still New Year's to go. Crudité and Charcuterie boards are a healthier option that still looks and feels all fancy-schmancy for New Year’s! A Crudités Board is typically veggies and dips only. I’ve been adding just a little fruit and nuts to ours lately, but the emphasis is still very much on the veggies.Veggies can include just about any you like and are usually served raw, but for the firmer veggies such as green beans, asparagus, carrots, snap peas, etc., I blanch them in ... Read more
Scarecrow Treats and a Fall Bible Lesson
The following post is one I put together last year but did not get worked into my posting schedule before the fall season was over. I've just about missed it for this fall too! Today I have couple of fall goodies that my son and I have been working on for his friends and cousins. I started doing these when my girls were younger so it’s been a lot of fun to repeat with my son. Candy scarecrows are so cute to pass out to the kiddos for a fall treat! You just need a box of raisins for the torso, Smarties for the legs, Tootsie Rolls for the arms, a round candy for the head, and some raffia for the neck straw. Use hot glue to attach candy pieces together in the shape of a scarecrow. Of ... Read more
Whole Wheat Banana Muffins
I sure hope I didn’t just lose anyone with the words whole wheat, because you’ll be missing out on a tasty (and, yes, healthy) breakfast treat! If you’re still with me, hang on for just a minute. Is anyone else tired of eating from the holidays? I can enjoy the junk for only so long, and then I’m glad to get back to fresh fruits, veggies, whole grains, and WATER! Despite the many desserts and goodies I post here on the blog, for the most part, I really try to feed my family healthy meals. The goodies are just our splurge days (holidays, Sunday lunch, etc), but through much of the week, we go fairly healthy. This magical muffin gives you a healthy little carb fix by way of whole grain, ... Read more
Pepperoni Pizza Rolls
We hosted a Christmas party for our Bible study group last night. Everyone brought their favorite finger foods and the assortment of savory goodies was outstanding, followed by yummy desserts and a s’mores bar! I’m still quite filled this morning, from both food and fellowship! We love our small group so much. One of the party foods I prepared was Pepperoni Pizza Rolls. Think of it as the pizza version of a cinnamon roll. Pepperoni Pizza Rolls Ingredients: 1 frozen loaf bread dough, thawed but not risen Pesto Shredded mozzarella Parmesan Pepperoni Preheat your oven to 375 degrees. Roll the dough out into a rectangle, about 12-x-18” (doesn’t have to be exact). Spread a layer of pesto in ... Read more
Smoked Salmon Spread
Smoked Salmon Spread is a tasty appetizer I like to sit out as guests are arriving when we hosts Christmas parties. I also take this to the Christmas supper my mother-in-law hosts on Christmas night where we all bring party foods (we eat Christmas lunch at my mom's). I love this stuff! It's great year around, but I find myself mostly making it during the holidays. Smoked Salmon Spread This recipe is from Ina Garten. I purchase my smoked salmon from Costco, and usually double this recipe so we have plenty left to snack on for a few days after Christmas. Ingredients: 8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature 1/2 cup sour cream 1 Tbsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice 1 Tbsp. minced fresh dill 1 ... Read more
Thanksgiving Week in the Kitchen
Happy Thanksgiving week! I've had several recipe posts in mind leading up to this week, but with our busy school schedule and a computer crash, I just haven't been able to make them happen. However, I'm excited to report this week that not only are we on our holiday break from school, but I'm also sporting a new computer. So, hold on to your seats because you're about to get several recipe posts in one! The table above is from last year's Thanksgiving gathering. We hosted my husband's side of the family and enjoyed so many blessings from the time together. This year, we'll be eating with my side of the family at my parents' home and are expecting a large crowd. My parents have always been ... Read more
Apple Cheesecake Dip
Good morning! I was working on a different post for today, but it’s not ready, so I’m going cheat a little and offer a quick recipe instead. But I think you’ll like it! Apple Cheesecake Dip! This recipe came from the Real House Moms blog several years ago (I need to check and see if they’re still around!), and I love serving it as a snack, appetizer, or dessert during the fall season. It’s sooo good! Country Girl and I whipped up a big ‘ole batch last week for our Bible study group, and because we doubled the recipe, we enjoyed snacking on it throughout the weekend. Apple Cheesecake Dip 10 ounce apple pie filling 8 ounce cream cheese, softened 1/4 cup plain yogurt 1/4 cup sugar 1 tsp ... Read more