January 7, 2023

Welcome to the weekend, my friends! I’m headed to Santa Fe with my sisters for a few days next weekend and I can hardly wait. It’s been far too long since our last getaway. Do you have a favorite spot in Santa Fe? Shoot me a note if there’s something new I should try.

ON THE BLOG this week: Crispy-edged baked green chile chicken burritos full of cheesy goodness are an easy-to-assemble mealtime hit, full of green chile flavor.

Potatoes, red and green bell peppers, and yellow onions are combined in a colorful and flavorful breakfast skillet that is perfect for breakfast, lunch, or dinner.

Loaded with flavor and just a hint of heat, these Italian stuffed bell peppers are filled with ground beef and rice, seasoned with plenty of Italian spices, and topped with cheese.

White bean and corn enchiladas with green chile sauce and lots of cheesy goodness serve as a meal or snacktime dip.

Naturally sweet and bursting with blueberry freshness, banana blueberry pancakes are a weekday breakfast must in our home. Are you wondering how to pull off pancakes on a busy weekday morning?? Check out all the tips in the post.

Warm slices of baked apples covered with cinnamon brown sugar streusel topping are all that’s required to make this easy apple crisp recipe.

What I’m CRAVING: This Chocolate Cream Pie by Valerie’s Kitchen is what chocolate-loving dreams are made of. I haven’t had a chocolate pie in ages and this one needs to happen soon!

My FAVORITE THING this week is the Misen vegetable peeler. (link HERE) My friend Rebecca gifted it to me a few weeks ago and if I’m honest, I wasn’t convinced I’d love it. (I’ve never been a big fan of the Y-shaped peelers in the past.) She was right though. This one is a keeper. It’s wicked sharp and comfortable to use.

What I’m WATCHING: Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery (link HERE) If I’d been asked half an hour into this movie what I thought of it, I’d have said “serious cringe” and I was about to turn it off. However, I was watching with my kids and we wanted to give it a chance. 

Luckily, it turned out to be an excellent watch. In a terrific mix of the expected a

Happy New Year, my friends! Do you remember that song, “this is the song that never ends?” It just goes on and on, my friends. I’ve had it playing in my mind on repeat all afternoon, with the word “flu” swapped in for “song.” Someone in my family has been sick with one thing or another ever since Thanksgiving and we are all sooooo over it. 

I thought we were in the clear at last and go figure, one of the boys spiked a fever yesterday. Super super fun times. However, when I think back to where we were a year ago, with Sean in the hospital and so many unknowns in our future, I’m grateful beyond words for a simple stubborn flu bug. Here’s hoping for a happy and healthy start to the new year for all of us!

“God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear though the earth gives way, though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains tremble at its swelling.” Psalm 46:1‭-‬3 ESV

ON THE BLOG this week: Roasted sweet potatoes and Brussels sprouts are pure awesomeness from start to finish. Adding salty bacon and a splash of vinegar makes this one heck of a fantastic side dish.

This simple baked spinach artichoke dip is creamy, rich, and full of great flavors. My family reminds me quite regularly that there is nothing under the sun that is not enhanced through the inclusion of bacon.

Savory ham and cheddar cheese are layered into these fluffy biscuits. Served on their own or with a plate of scrambled eggs for breakfast or alongside a bowl of soup for dinner, these biscuits disappear almost as quickly as I can make them.

This creamy, rich slow cooker potato soup with a sprinkling of rosemary and thyme simmers in the crock-pot throughout the day, until you are ready to eat. I’ve been calling this my “Busy Day Potato Soup” for years.

Spiced pear oatmeal is full of rolled oats, cooked pears, cinnamon, brown sugar, and butter. It is a weekday breakfast delight that you can make in just a few minutes. When you have a few more minutes to spare, these Banana Coconut Pancakes topped with butter and syrup are a sweet and tasty way to change up your weekend pancake routine.

Want to know how to make gooey, soft, and chewy Rice Krispie Treats? Whether you’re serving them after dinner, taking them to a potluck, or simply making them for a fun snack with your kids after school, find out how t

Merry Christmas Eve, my friends! I hope that you’re tucked in at home and ready for a relaxing weekend. I can hardly believe how cold it is outside! I’m writing this while looking out at a white Christmas wonderland. We’re looking forward to a cozy day at home and then Christmas Eve service tonight. I’m wishing all of you a wonderful Christmas weekend.

ON THE BLOG this week:  Sweet, tart, and full of cranberries, apples, raisins, and spices, cranberry chutney is sure to become a must-have on the holiday table.

Chewy coconut oatmeal cookies are the ultimate five-ingredient cookie, irresistible to any coconut lover, grab a mixing bowl and get started. Did I mention that oatmeal coconut cookies are gluten and dairy free? This is an oatmeal cookie recipe without flour or dairy.

Creamy peppermint candy cane ice cream sprinkled throughout with candy cane pieces is perfect with a brownie or topped with chocolate.

Peppermint Marshmallow Fudge is rich and creamy chocolate fudge, flavored with peppermint, and loaded with bites of marshmallow. A sprinkling of crushed candy canes on top makes this an altogether perfect holiday treat.

Creamy goat cheese, spicy jam, salty ham, and peppery arugula are combined in the best ham sandwich you’ll ever eat. Packed with delicious fillings, this is not your ordinary ham sandwich recipe.

With all the flavors you love in loaded baked potatoes, this rich and creamy, this easy Baked Potato Soup will satisfy any hungry crowd that pulls up a chair at your table. 

And this spicy beef and three bean chili comes together quickly on the stovetop or you can simmer it all day in the slow cooker. My kids are already asking for chili again, so we will be making a giant batch of this chili this week.

What I’m CRAVING: all the vegetables! I had a lot of fun baking this week, but man am I ever ready to dive back into my produce-loving happy place. A display of on-the-stalk Brussels sprouts at Trader Joe’s last week caught my eye, so naturally, I need to try roasting them on the stalk now.

My FAVORITE THING this week is the game What’s Your Price? I played this game with friends and it was a huge hit. It cracked us up to see what some of us were will

Welcome to the weekend, friends! Our boys finished school yesterday and we’re all in on Christmas vacation at last. It’s finally time for all the Christmas movies, loads of couch time, and as few chores as I can get away with for a while. Here’s to all the downtime we can manage for the next couple of weeks!

ON THE BLOG this week: When you add corn and bell peppers to a batch of the best ever queso blanco, the result is a fantastic Corn Queso Dip that you won’t be able to stop eating.

Fluffy, buttery, nutty, pecan pancakes topped with maple syrup make for a tasty and easy breakfast we all enjoy. /and speaking of pancakes, when you add crisp savory bacon to a stack of fluffy buttermilk pancakes, you wind up with the best Bacon Pancakes you’ll ever have the pleasure of eating.

Fresh cranberries and a hint of lemon are combined in this incredibly moist brown sugar streusel Cranberry Coffee Cake. Cranberry Coffee Cake is not an overly sweet or fluffy cake. It’s a richly dense coffee cake with a lovely tartness from the cranberries.

Fluffy and crisp Corn Waffles are filled with real corn, bell peppers, and cheese for the perfect savory bite. Currently, we have been enjoying them – topped with bell pepper bacon gravy. 

I kid you not, Bell Pepper Bacon Gravy, my friends. It’s a real thing and it’s delightful. I predict now that it’s about to be a family favorite for you as well.

Creamy, smooth batches of chocolate and peanut butter fudge are combined to make this chocolate peanut butter swirl fudge. It’s an unforgettable holiday treat.

This Turtle Cheesecake with caramel, chocolate, pecans, and an Oreo crust is a dessert that gets talked about long after the plates are cleaned. Sweet, decadent, and almost magically delicious, this cheesecake steals the show.

What I’m CRAVING: Steaming hot cups of Cafe con Leche – on repeat. That and peppermint tea are keeping me warm these days. If I’m lucky enough to have a few biscotti on hand? Even better. (I’ve never made biscotti, so I’ll be trying my hand at making my friend Sandra’s recipe over the Christmas break this year.) 

My FAVORITE THINGS this week are these Read more

Welcome to the weekend, friends! Just a couple more weeks until Christmas and I am so ready for it all. (Okay, I may not actually be ready, but I am certainly excited!) We’ve been enjoying our advent tree and taking turns reading a few pages from A Christmas Carol each night. I’m making plans for holiday baking as soon as the boys’ holiday break begins.

ON THE BLOG this week: Soup that is filling and flavorful is a winner every time, and that puts white bean, sausage, and cabbage soup high on the request list at our house. Buttery, cheesy, flaky drop biscuits filled with shredded zucchini and carrots are a perfect match for all the soups you’re craving.

Almost 20 years ago, I was handed one of the most delicious cookies I had ever tasted. The Pignoli Cookie is unique in flavor and texture; completely unlike anything I had tasted before that day.

Dark Chocolate Coconut Fudge is filled with sweet, chewy bits of coconut and then topped with a generous sprinkling of coconut.

Cream Cheese Mints melt in your mouth with a sweet peppermint flavor. Kept pure white or colored however you like, pressed into molds or simply rolled and pressed with a fork, however you make these mints, they’re one of the easiest candy recipes of all time.

Creamy Corn Dip is a creamy, spicy, slightly sweet snack for any time of the year. With loads of great flavor from cilantro, lime, chili powder, and cumin, this is an irresistibly dippable version of Mexican street corn.

Made in the oven or in the air fryer, these Cajun Brussels Sprouts are another crispy, flavorful snack that I just can’t stop making.

Tart cranberries and sweet apples are baked inside a brown sugar and oat crisp for a perfect not-to-sweet cranberry apple crisp.

Caramel, pecans, and dark chocolate are combined in this simple homemade caramel turtle bark candy. If you like chocolate turtles, you’re going to flip for this easy shortcut recipe!

What I’m CRAVING: Have you tried sponge candy? Until a few years ago, I’d never heard of it. But then my friend Rebecca introduced us to it and it’s become a holiday favorite. I’ve never tried making it though, so this recipe is on my must-try list this year!

My FAVORITE THING this week is the game Pun Intended. I picked this up as an advent gift for my boys and it was