dishing up creative goodness
Planning an Easter egg hunt followed by a delicious brunch? Or simply looking for a recipe to serve after church on Easter Sunday? Well look no further! These Easter brunch recipes are the perfect way to celebrate this holy holiday!
From simple ideas to creative dishes, each of these recipes have one thing in common: they’re all deliciously perfect! Read ahead to find some great ideas on what to serve for brunch this Easter.
I love oatmeal. The hearty rich taste that keeps me full until lunchtime paired with the never-ending possibilities of flavors and creations you can make with it. Plus, it takes about 5 minutes to make on the stove top. And homemade tastes way better than the packets.
This cinnamon raisin oatmeal is my answer to a craving for a cinnamon raisin bagel. And I just didn’t have enough time to make those! The perfect amount of sweetness and the deliciously tasty raisins that plump as they cook in the oatmeal. This is definitely the perfect spoonful for breakfast.
If you’re looking for more tasty oatmeal goodness why not try my coconut oatmeal or peanut butter oatmeal? Both are crowd-pleasers around here!
Our family absolutely loves waffles. It’s about the only breakfast item I can get my husband to eat with us on the weekends and it’s my kids go-to choice on the weekdays. Most of the time I do admit to using Trader Joe’s baking mix. It’s fast, simple, and tastes good. But sometimes I get a hankering for homemade waffles.
This recipe is easy and I usually have most of the ingredients on hand. When I don’t have buttermilk I simply add some apple cider vinegar to milk and let it sit for about 5 minutes. I give it a good stir and than use it as I would buttermilk.
Since our family of four still can’t eat a whole batch I make up everything and freeze the extras for a quick breakfast I can pop in the toaster for the kids. It’s simple and costs less than purchasing the frozen waffles at the store.
With Valentine’s Day right around the corner love is filling the air! And that means planning a fabulous day for my husband and I. Since we’re on a bit of a budget I’ve started to plan a Valentine’s Day menu that won’t break the bank. And that starts with this delicious easy strawberry compote with champagne.
Not only is this compote the perfect topping for the whole grain waffles pictured above, it’s also a great filling for cupcakes, tastes fabulous mixed in with a little creme fraiche and topped over a nice dark chocolate mousse, and does fabulous things to an angel food cake.
Sometimes I just have a hankering for something sweet. But not too sweet. This classic coffee cake is the perfect solution! And it’s wonderful for any time of the day.
I love pairing it with my new International Delight Light Iced Coffee in the afternoon for a tasty treat. I’ve also subbed the vanilla light iced coffee in the recipe! But it also tastes wonderful in the morning with a nice hot cup of coffee or tea. The best part? It takes very little time to make.
If you need a great dish to bring in for a potluck, to surprise a friend, or to simply have on hand as a quick breakfast option, I highly suggest trying this classic coffee cake recipe!
Want to reach me quickly? Shoot me an email at simmworksfamily@gmail.com. I look forward to chatting with you!
Thank you for your interest in A Crafty Spoonful! I love sharing our family’s favorite recipes, crafts, and more and am thrilled that our blog has become a resource for others. I’m honored to have been featured on platforms such as the Step 2 blog, Metro US, Delish, Country Living, the Sioux City Journal, and local Fox channels. I was recently listed as one of Cision’s Top 50 U.S. Mom Bloggers. I spoke on creating great video content at SoFabCon 2014 and I’ve also been hired as a contributor for family-focused sites like Someday I’ll Learn and Formula Mom and have received rave reviews from sponsors I’ve worked with.
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Welcome to our blog and thank you for your interest in A Crafty Spoonful! My name is Danielle and I am a work at home mom in San Diego who enjoys raising three young children, a son born in February 2009, a daughter born in December 2010, and a second daughter born in February 2015. I’m married to Joseph (resident IT guy and DIY & Home expert) We love to share the activities and crafts we love, delectable recipes tested on the family, and our favorite DIY projects around the home and garden.
CONNECT WITH ME:
Should you have any questions, comments or concerns please feel free to contact me at danielle@acraftyspoonful.com.
We love to share the activities and crafts we love, delectable recipes tested on the family, and our favorite DIY projects around the home and garden and are thrilled that our blog has become a resource for others.
FEATURED
We’re honored to have been featured on platforms such as the Step 2 blog, Metro US, Delish, Country Living, the Sioux City Journal, and local Fox channels. We were recently listed as one of Cision’s Top 50 U.S. Mom Bloggers. I spoke on creating great video content at SoFabCon 2014 and I’ve also been hired as a contributor for family-focused sites like Someday I’ll Learn and Formula Mom and have received great reviews from clients we’ve worked with.
I also am the Sponsorship Coordinator for my son’s school PTG here in San Diego. With 200+ families in grades Preschool-8th, its a great target audience for your business.
Should you have any questions, comments or concerns please feel free to contact me at danielle@acraftyspoonful.com.
As I mentioned before, I’m a bit obsessed with pumpkin. And as soon as I got a whiff of coolness in the air I got to baking. I’ve been craving these cupcakes since the first time I made them a few years ago and with a few minor tweaks I think I’ve perfected my recipe.
These were delicious! And even better when left in the fridge overnight and eaten for breakfast the next morning with a hot cup of coffee 😉 But if you can’t wait that long to savor the goodness just make sure to allow the cupcakes enough time to cool before frosting them. You won’t be disappointed!
Pumpkin Cupcakes With Maple–Cream Cheese Frosting
Cupcakes
Frosting
Preheat the oven to 350° (175°C). Line a cupcake pan with 18 liners.
Cupcakes:
Pour the milk into a measuring cup and add vanilla.
In a stand mixer, beat the butter and sugars on medium speed until fluffy, about 5 minutes. Meanwhile, sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, salt, and pepper into a medium bowl.
Add the eggs one at a time to the mixer, scraping down the sides after each addition. Alternate adding the flour and milk mixtures, beginning and ending with the flour. Beat in the pumpkin until smooth. Scoop the batter into the cupcake liners, about 3/4 of the way up. Bake the cupcakes until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 20 to 25 minutes. Cool the cupcakes on racks completely.
Frosting:
In a stand mixer beat all the ingredients on medium until fluffy but firm. Frost the cupcakes using either a spatula or a pastry bag w/ a large tip. Refrigerate the cupcakes for 30 minutes to set up frosting.
We just celebrated our 5 year anniversary at the end of June.
How does that happen? Time just wooshing by like it was nothing. All of a sudden we’re 5 years into our marriage and two kids deep. I just am in awe of how lucky we were to find each other and create this amazing family.
In celebration of this awesome milestone we knew we wanted to do something special.
So I thought long and hard and decided that an anniversary staycation would be the best solution to celebrating in style! And what better place to do that than the place we spent our wedding night at?
The Hilton San Diego Resort and Spa is the perfect place to experience all of San Diego’s beauty in one place. From beautiful bayfront views to relaxing paths that wind through the resort, this resort has all of the amenities you are looking for when searching for the perfect place to stay.
When we first arrived at the resort we were pleasantly surprised to find a relaxing lounge area right outside the registration desk.
So while I was taking care of securing the room keys and confirming our dinner reservation, my husband was sipping some cool, cucumber water and relaxing on one of these awesomely padded wicker chairs. He was ::this close:: to asking where he could buy some for our patio!
We walked around a bit after getting our room keys and checked out the pool area. We weren’t going to be doing any swimming that night but planned on coming by in the morning with our kids.
We were also able to check out the Olive Bar and the hotel’s restaurant, Acqua, as well as scout out other dining options.
Once we opened our hotel room door we knew we were going to enjoy our evening. The view alone was breathtaking! And the cool breeze that enveloped the room as soon as we opened our sliding glass doors to the balcony were heavenly.
We loved the size of the room. It could easily accommodate a roll away bed or crib if we were traveling with more family.
I have a thing for hotel toiletries. Although as of late I’ve been quite picky about what hotel’s toiletries I use. The Hilton San Diego did not disappoint. As soon as I opened up the lotion and smoothed it on my arms I knew I’d love the other products offered!
The size of the bathroom was perfect! More than enough room for 2 people to move around comfortably to get ready for a night out.
And I found out later that night that the water pressure in the shower was perfect. I was able to take a hot shower with great pressure after we returned from our dinner out. I also didn’t feel claustrophobic either, which can happen at some hotels.
Once we were dressed up and ready to go out we headed to the resort’s restaurant, Acqua, for a special Anniversary meal.
Stay tuned for my post on our dinner experience on Date Night 411 coming soon!
After we wrapped up dinner we heading back to our hotel room to meet our daughter. Along the way we enjoyed the sunset and the gorgeous waterfront surrounding us.
A few moments after our daughter arrived, the fireworks show at Sea World San Diego started. We were amazed at how bright and clear the fireworks were from our balcony and enjoyed the whole show without interruption. We might have to book a room next year just for the 4th of July celebration!
After a very restful sleep on our large king bed we woke up and put on our bathing suits to take advantage of the quiet, sunny morning.
We arrived at the pool and were greeted by a family of ducks coming out of the water. My daughter immediately wanted to get in the pool and be just like the baby ducks. We splashed and played in the gradual entry side of the pool before heading over to the kiddie pool.
My daughter happily ran to the balls and pool noodles that filled the kiddie pool. What kid wouldn’t want to play in such a fun area? I absolutely loved the surrounding views of the pool. We were able to see the beach, the bay, and the boardwalk easily from the pool while laying out and drying off. And the sound of the waterfall in the background made everything perfectly serene.
We worked up quite an appetite swimming so as soon as we were (mostly) dried off we headed to the restaurant again for breakfast.
The Hilton San Diego also has a great cafe, Aroma, that’s perfect for the coffee and pastry on the go while you head out to check the San Diego sites around you. I highly recommend trying one of their delicious lattes. Perfect for that morning pick-me-up!
All in all we had a wonderful stay at the San Diego Hilton Resort and Spa. The laid back, relaxed atmosphere added to our celebration and the fabulous kid-friendly service made us want to come back with the whole family soon!
Next time we’ll definitely be planning a whole weekend away so that we can truly enjoy all of the resort’s amenities.
Interested in booking a few nights away?
And don’t forget to like the San Diego Hilton on Facebook and follow them on Twitter to get the latest in deals, discounts, and events!
Have you stayed at a Hilton? What was your experience like?
Disclaimer: I received a discounted rate on our room and complimentary dinner for review purposes only. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. All opinions are my own and are not influenced by monetary compensation.
Over the past few months I’ve come to realize the importance of girl time.Not only does it bring me out of the house and away from the kids but it also allows me to form and build on relationships with my peers. I’m able to have adult conversations without wiping a nose or chasing a kid. And I get to meet new people too!
So how do I make this happen. It’s simple!
This past week I was able to attend an awesome launch party for The Pulse SD at Whiskey Girls. Not only were there delicious Pulsetinis from Smirnoff, but the entertainment from Lucient Dossier Experience was amazing to say the least.
I was able to sit back, have a glass or two of wine, and enjoy some girl time with my good friend Kari and her sister (not to mention the fabulous ladies we also hung out with). We had fun, danced, acted silly and Kari even managed to talk her way into scoring a swag bag. What that girl will do for free stuff! I kid, I kid!
And I always make time for SD Mom’s Night Out. Not only are these events fabulous, they’re always at a different venue and feature different companies as well. The most recent event at Bliss 101 had chair massages, wine from Whole Foods, Skinny Shots, swag bags, and more. Plus the famous raffle! This time if you purchased $20 worth of tickets you got double the amount!
These events are definitely networking in disguise. Not only do I get to spend time with my girlfriends but I get to branch out and network with other moms and businesses as well all in one location. Much easier than trying to talk via email or online.
Then there are fun events that I get to partake in. Recently I won tickets to the advanced screening of What to Expect When You’re Expecting. We got some pretty nifty shirts, boxes of prenatal vitamins and some hemorrhoid wipes. Never know when you’re going to need those, right?
Aside from the goodies, I got to chat with friends beforehand and enjoy a hilarious movie! Usually I go to the movies with my husband so going with girlfriends is a much different experience!
Perhaps some of the most fondest moments of getting out with the girls is gathering with friends who come to visit San Diego after moving away. Whenever any one of our book club buddies comes back we always make a point to schedule something awesome to spend at least a few hours chit chatting like they never left!
Breakfast at Snooze? Heck yes! Good friends who’ve been together for 5!! years already? Do you really have to ask?!
She enjoys sharing her family life in San Diego and features everything from delectable recipes to sharing DIY tips around the home and garden, what she's crafting and more.
