Chocolate Almond Donuts with Chocolate Glaze

December 11, 2013 by

Disclaimer - Review PostsChocolate Almond Donuts with Chocolate Glaze

You know when you discover a product and a ton of ideas come running to your head about how to use it? Well when I first heard about Hershey’s Spreads I knew I wanted to make donuts. And not just any donuts… chocolate almond donuts!

Since getting my new donut maker the kids and I have been trying new donut recipes hoping to find the perfect one. And I think we’ve found it!

You see, every Sunday we head to the Church hall for donuts after Mass. But sometimes they don’t have any donuts. So on those days we come home and make them ourselves. And my daughter goes crazy for chocolate donuts.  [Read more…]

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Hot White Pizza Dip with Pepperonis and Philadelphia cream cheese

December 9, 2013 by

I am a member of the Collective Bias® Social Fabric® Community. This shop has been compensated as part of a social shopper amplification for Collective Bias and its advertiser.

Hot White Pizza Dip #LoveMyPhilly #shop

I’m all about the appetizers and desserts this time of year. The one thing I always love to make for guests is a hot dip to enjoy and warm up to. And my dips almost always include Philadelphia cream cheese. Because who can say no to that creamy goodness? In an effort to combine a few of our favorite flavors, I made this delicious hot white pizza dip with pepperonis.

We just celebrated my daughter’s 3rd birthday yesterday and boy was it a blast. Good friends, good food, and good fun. While in full party prep mode the day before I made a list of all of the items I still needed to pick up for the party. Including the ingredients for this dip.

I went into the garden to see what kinds of veggies and herbs I had. Luckily I had 6 gorgeous tomatoes, a ton of small red peppers, and some fresh basil, thyme and oregano. So those were definitely going into the dip. Then I headed to Sam’s Club to pick up all of the items we needed for the party. [Read more…]

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Happy 3rd Birthday Molly!

December 7, 2013 by

Molly is 3 resized

Photo courtesy of Grin & Share It Photography.

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White Party Cake with Strawberries Recipe + Baking Tips

December 6, 2013 by

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This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of PAM Cooking Spray.

white party cake with strawberries

My baby is turning 3 tomorrow. 3 years old! How did that happen? In celebration of her birthday we baked together and made her a delicious white party cake with pink strawberry frosting. It’s a trial run for the cake I’m making for her party on Sunday and I think it’s a winner!

Every year I bake my kids a cake or cupcakes for their birthday party. We end up having both cake and cupcakes but I try and make one of them. And without fail I’m baking the night before the party and always have to re-do everything because my cakes stuck to the pan. Well not this year. I busted out my secret weapon: Baking PAM Cooking Spray. Not only is it the perfect non-stick spray, it also has flour in it so my baked goods come out perfectly every time.

The kids are slightly disappointed because they don’t get to eat up all of the cake crumbles from the broken cakes that I’ve just about ruined. But I’m happy because a cake that slides right out of the pan means less work and stress for me!

[Read more…]

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5 Tips for Slow Cooker Success

December 5, 2013 by

Campbell's Slow Cooker Success

I have had quite a few successes and failures when it comes to slow cookers. So much so that I realize I haven’t even shared a lot of my slow cooker recipes on this blog.

Well… that also may be because most of my slow cooker meals do NOT look pretty when plated. And I usually make them during the winter when I have zero light in the evenings when we eat them.

But I’ve come to realize that there’s an art to slow cooking. And when you get that down, most meals turn out amazingly well. Yes… most. [Read more…]

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Easy Weeknight Dinner: Leftover Pot Roast Pot Pies

December 4, 2013 by

I created my Pot Roast Pot Pies using Campbell’s Slow Cooker Sauce as part of a sponsored post for Socialstars. #CampbellsSkilledSaucers

Pot Roast Pot Pies #CampbellsSkilledSaucers

I have a love-hate relationship with my slow cooker. Because sometimes I have these amazing, awesome creations that everyone raves about. And other times I’m calling the pizza guy before my husband gets home because what’s in the slow cooker is definitely inedible. Luckily since I’ve found Campbell’s Slow Cooker sauce I can create an easy weeknight dinner AND create a second dinner for another night in the week with the leftovers.

Each time I’ve used these sauces I’m left with an absolutely delicious meal that the whole family loves. Lucky for me I’m stocked up on all of my favorite flavors. I love the Tavern Style Pot Roast: roasted garlic, mushrooms, cooked in it’s own gravy. Delicious. And the leftovers? They make these awesome leftover pot roast pot pies!

Creating a simply amazing weeknight dinner that can be turned into two meals is simple and easy! First you grab one of your favorite Campbell’s Slow Cooker Sauces. Then grab the meat you want to use. Feel free to add veggies as well but I prefer the texture of roasted veggies with my crock pot meals. In as little as 5 minutes your whole dinner will be prepped with the help of Campbell’s Slow Cooker Sauces.

In order to get a great texture on my roasts, if I’m cooking beef or pork I like to sear the sides of the meat first before placing it into the crock pot. 2-3 minutes per side in some olive oil should be more than enough time. But if you don’t have the time, or simply want to keep things as easy as possible, this step is not required.

Campbell's Slow Cooker Sauces tavern style pot roast and veggies #CampbellsSkilledSaucers

When my slow cooker meal is about an hour away from being done I prep the sides. Small potatoes, carrots, and parsnips go great with the Tavern Style Pot Roast. I left the potatoes whole and cut the veggies into sticks.

Then coated everything in olive oil and tossed with some salt, pepper, fresh rosemary and roasted garlic. Throw the veggies and potatoes in the oven to roast about 30-40 minutes on 375 degrees or until slightly golden and tender.

Pot Roast Pot Pies ingredients #CampbellsSkilledSaucersIf there are any leftovers from this quick and easy slow cooker recipe (and there were for my small family) save them! Because this is where the magic happens. Two dinners from one slow cooker meal! Pot roast turns into pot roast pot pies for a meal a few nights later.

Pot Roast Pot Pies without Crust #CampbellsSkilledSaucers

The only difficult thing about this second meal is the fact that I made the dough from scratch. But guess what? My food processor did all of the work!

Homemade dough takes less than 5 minutes to put together if you do have a food processor. I’m pretty sure it’s cheaper than store-bought dough too but I won’t judge if you opt to use that! Crescent roll dough would be tasty on these as well.

Grab our delicious savory dough recipe here! 

Pot Roast Pot Pies baked #CampbellsSkilledSaucers

Leftover Pot Roast Pot Pies

  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1/2 cup flour
  • 2 cups chicken stock
  • 2 servings leftover pot roast
  • 2 servings leftover potatoes & veggies
  • salt & pepper to taste if needed
  • pot pie crust
  1. Heat butter on medium in a small sauce pan until melted. While whisking butter, add flour. Make sure to break up any lumps.
  2. Cook until butter and flour mixture starts to smell nutty and is a golden brown color.
  3. Slowly add stock while whisking continuously until everything is combined. Let cook another 2-3 minutes or until sauce is thickened. A good way to check this is to dip a spoon into the sauce and put a line down the spoon. If the line fills up, it’s not thick enough!
  4. Once sauce is thickened, add diced meat, potatoes, and veggies. Let cook until heated thoroughly. Add salt and pepper if needed.
  5. Grab pie dough from the fridge and roll out to about 1/4″ thick. Trace a circle in the dough with a butter knife using the dishes you’re baking the pot pies in as a guide.
  6. Fill each dish with equal amounts of pot pie filling and cover with pie dough. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until top of pie dough is golden brown.

Pot Roast Pot Pies inside pie #CampbellsSkilledSaucers
There are a total of 5 different Campbell’s Slow Cooker sauces available on store shelves including Tavern Style Pot Roast, Sweet Korean BBQ, Hawaiian Luau, Moroccan Spiced Stew, and Mexican Red Chile Taco.

I’m definitely trying the Sweet Korean BBQ next. How amazing would that taste over rice? And maybe Korean BBQ tacos later on in the week! Yum. What would you try?

What’s your favorite slow cooker meal?

Filed Under: Dinner, In the Kitchen, Recipes, Uncategorized Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Savory Pie Crust for Pot Pies

December 3, 2013 by

Savory Pie Crust for Pot Pies

Pie crust is one of those things I get lazy with. And I so don’t know why. I mean, making a pie crust takes minutes. Sure you have to wait for the dough to chill but really… it isn’t that hard if you have a food processor.

So when I decided to make pot pies from leftovers and found myself without any refrigerated or frozen pie crust (it is the week after Thanksgiving) I decided to just whip up some savory pie crust to use to save time and money.

And don’t worry… I’ll be sharing my pot pie recipe with you tomorrow! [Read more…]

Filed Under: Baking, In the Kitchen, Recipes, Uncategorized Tagged With: , , ,

Holiday Appetizers: SeaPak Spring Rolls with Spicy Peanut Sauce

December 3, 2013 by

I made this delicious spicy peanut sauce as part of a compensated social shopper insights study for Collective Bias and SeaPak. All opinions are my own.

SeaPak Spring Rolls with Spicy Peanut Sauce #PakTheParty #shopIt is officially December and I’m in holiday planning mode. That means seeking out the best holiday appetizers and desserts for our annual get-togethers and events. This weekend will kick off the celebrations with my daughter’s 3rd birthday. Not only are we feeding a large crowd, we’re also entertaining them as well.

When I decided on the party food I wanted to serve at her birthday party, I went with simple, delicious, and crowd-pleasing. Luckily these spring rolls are just that. By making a spicy peanut sauce to pair with the chili sauce included in the packaging, I can make a store bought appetizer more homemade. And everyone loves options, right? Since I can prepare the dip ahead of time I can spend more time with my guests. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Appetizers & Sides, In the Kitchen, Recipes, Uncategorized Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , ,

What Fitbit Should I Get? {Fitbit Buying Guide}

December 2, 2013 by

Disclaimer - Review Posts
Fitbit Buying Guide

Over the past two years of being a Fitbit Ambassador one of the first questions someone asks me is what is the difference between the devices? Now I’m more than happy to sit down with someone and chat about the devices. I ask them what they’re looking for in the device and try and figure out what product would best suit them. No… I’m not paid to do this!

So I figured I’d put it all down in writing for others to see. And I was able to get some of my Fitbit loving friends to let me know why they love the device they own. Some of these friends purchased their Fitbit after chatting with me (and doing their own research) so I’m always excited to hear how much they love them.

I’ll give a brief description of each device below and include a link to my review as well as a link taking you to Amazon to purchase them. The Amazon link is an affiliate code. If you don’t want to use it, feel free to bypass it and search Amazon in a separate window. I don’t mind either way. Then at the very end of this post I’ve created a comparison chart for a quick glance at the differences between each device. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Fitness, Technology, Uncategorized Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,

Soft and Chewy Gingerbread Men Cookies

December 1, 2013 by

Soft and Chewy Gingerbread Cookies

While everyone was slaving away on Thanksgiving making beautiful turkeys, preparing casseroles, and baking bread, my family was baking something else… gingerbread men and women! My husband is slightly obsessed with the holidays and asked the kids if they wanted to make some soft and chewy gingerbread men to take with us to Thanksgiving dinner. You know, to get in the holiday spirit!

After they baked them up they turned the reigns over to me and had me make the royal icing and decorate the men and women. We threw in some turkeys and fall leaves (not pictured) to round out the merging of the holidays but most purists around the dinner table grabbed for the gingerbread men and women.

Now that we’ve found an awesome recipe for the cookies it’s time to start planning what recipe we’ll be using for the houses we construct!
Soft and Chewy Gingerbread cookies platter

Soft and Chewy Gingerbread Men Cookies

  • 3/4 cup unsalted butter
  • 3/4 cup brown sugar (packed)
  • 3/4 cup molasses
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 2 teaspoons cinnamon
  • 2 teaspoons ground roasted ginger
  • 1/4 teaspoon allspice
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 cup white whole wheat flour
  • 2 1/2 cups Unbleached All-Purpose Flour

Royal Icing

  • 1/4 cup meringue powder or egg white powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 3 1/2 cups powdered sugar (sifted)
  • 3/4 cup cool water
  1. In a saucepan set over low heat, or in the microwave, melt butter, then stir in the brown sugar, molasses, salt, and spices.
  2. Transfer the mixture to a medium-sized mixing bowl, let it cool to lukewarm, and beat in the egg.
  3. Whisk the baking powder and soda into the flour, and then stir these dry ingredients into the molasses mixture.
  4. Divide the dough in half, and wrap well. Refrigerate for 1 hour or longer.
  5. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Get out several baking sheets and line with parchment.
  6. Once the dough has chilled, take one piece of dough out of the refrigerator, and flour a clean work surface, and the dough. Roll it out as thin or thick as you like; for slightly less crisp cookies, roll it out more thickly. We go for 1/4 inch for a soft and chewy gingerbread man.
  7. Place the dough on parchment, and put a sheet of plastic wrap over it as you roll, pulling the plastic to eliminate wrinkles as necessary when rolling; this will keep dough from sticking without the need for additional flour.
  8. Cut out shapes with a cookie cutter, cutting them as close to one another as possible to minimize waste.
  9. Transfer the cookies to un-greased cookie sheets (or, if you’ve rolled right onto the parchment, remove the dough scraps between the cookies). Bake the cookies just until they’re slightly brown around the edges 8 to 12 minutes, or until they feel firm.
  10. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheets for several minutes, or until they’re set. Transfer them to a rack to cool completely. Repeat with the remaining dough.
  11. Decorate the cookies with Royal Icing.

For the Royal Icing:

  1. In a stand mixer or large bowl with electric mixer, add dry ingredients. Start the mixer and slowly pour in the cool water.
  2. Mix on low speed at first, increasing to high speed over several minutes. Beat until the icing is fluffy.
  3. Keep the frosting covered with a damp towel and some plastic wrap until you are ready to use it.
  4. Divide the frosting into smaller containers and mix with food coloring for several colors.

Soft and Chewy Gingerbread Men Cookies

What’s your favorite holiday cookie?

This recipe originally appeared on this site on December 1st, 2013

Filed Under: Baking, Desserts, In the Kitchen, Recipes, Uncategorized Tagged With: , , , , , ,


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