Welcome to the weekend, my friends! It’s been a long (and delicious!) week of cooking and photographing new recipes to share with you. As a result, our fridge is packed full of awesome leftovers and I have no plans at all to cook for at least the next day or two. 

There are a whole lot of new ice cream recipes in the works too and that means our freezer is jam-packed too. (Rough life, right?) I’ve been sharing a new ice cream recipe every Friday for a couple of months now and I don’t see that changing anytime soon. Ice cream is just plain fun to make.

ON THE BLOGS this week:  Kick off the weekend with a stack of fluffy strawberry banana pancakes. They are great all by themselves, snacked on out of hand, but they get even better with a bit of butter and syrup on top.

This simple mushroom spaghetti sauce trumps anything you can buy in jars or cans at the grocery store. After just a few minutes of hands-on effort, you’ll be free to walk away while this sauce simmers on its own, making your house smell fantastic in the process.

The spaghetti sauce works well as a vegetarian or vegan meal when made without ground beef. For a low-carb variation, or simply because it’s delicious this way too, scoop the sauce over a bowl of roasted broccoli or sauteed cabbage ribbons.

When I first saw a recipe for microwave lemon curd, I will admit that I was skeptical. I adore lemon curd, but I am such a slacker about making it. Having tried this method now, I may never make lemon curd on the stove again. 

Fluffy, creamy, sweet and tangy lemon dip served with fresh berries, graham crackers, or shortbread cookies is a light summery dessert that is perfect for sharing with friends.

Shrimp and sausage fried rice has officially been added to the list of our favorite dinners. This easy recipe is a “two thumbs up,” kid-approved, hearty-as-can-be skillet meal; perfect for a quick and easy weeknight dinner! 

With a bright berry flavor, a stunning red color, and a smooth velvety texture, homemade strawberry sauce beats anything you can buy at the store.

Strawberry cheesecake ice cream is a sweet and tangy combination of smooth, creamy cheesecake ice cream and fresh strawberry swirls.

Let’s get this out of

Strawberry Cheesecake Ice Cream is a sweet and tangy combination of smooth, creamy cheesecake ice cream and fresh strawberry swirls.

Cheesecake Ice Cream

This ice cream tastes exactly like cheesecake. It’s such a unique flavor that I’ve actually confused guests a time or two when serving this cheesecake ice cream. Have you tried cheesecake ice cream?

In this recipe, the cream cheese and the sour cream provide plenty of tang and that is balanced by the sweet strawberries and the sugar. A squeeze of lemon brightens the flavors and ties it all together.

Turtle cheesecake popsicles are swirled with caramel, then frozen into popsicles. Once frozen, they’re dipped in chocolate and sprinkled with nuts. I absolutely love these and my kids can’t get enough of them.

Strawberry Cheesecake Ice Cream

With a quick strawberry puree that can be made from fresh or frozen berries, strawberry cheesecake ice cream is a treat that can easily be enjoyed year-round. I absolutely love the flavor, the texture, and even the look of this ice cream.

Strawberry Puree Ingredients

• strawberries
• sugar

Ice Cream Ingredients

• cream cheese 
• sour cream
• lemon
• heavy cream
• milk
• sugar
• vanilla extract
• kosher salt

This ice cream can be made with fresh or frozen berries. If you are us

With a bright berry flavor, a stunning red color, and a smooth velvety texture, homemade strawberry sauce beats anything you can buy at the store.

Homemade Strawberry Sauce

Even though I look forward to berry season all year, this sauce can (and frequently does) get made with frozen berries too. So, if you can’t get your hands on perfectly sweet ripe berries right now, don’t worry.

There’s still a batch of homemade strawberry sauce in your future. Making the sauce is as simple as combining berries, a bit of sugar, and a squeeze of lemon in a saucepan. Easy peasy!

Bring it to a boil and then simmer it for a few minutes. It’s as easy as can be to make and you’ll be enjoying it all year long.

Fresh Strawberry Sauce

Once you’ve tried your hand at making a fresh strawberry sauce (and have tasted it!) you’re going to be hooked. Luckily, it’s a fabulously versatile sauce, you’ll find yourself pouring it over all kinds of things.

Drizzle fresh strawberry sauce over pancakes or waffles for a brunch that will leave everyone smiling. Add a spoonful to a bowl of yogurt with granola for a great weekday breakfast.

Warm the sauce and turn it into a strawberry ice cream topping, as we do with this simple berry sauce. Strawberry sauce for cheesecake can be poured over individual slices of cheesecake, or swirled into the batter before baking.

Try using the strawberry sauce as a glaze for grilled chicken or salmon, the savory options are great as well.

Strawberry Sauce

Shrimp and sausage fried rice has officially been added to the list of our favorite dinners. This easy recipe is a “two thumbs up,” kid-approved, hearty-as-can-be skillet meal; perfect for a quick and easy weeknight dinner! 

Shrimp and Sausage Rice

Okay, let’s just admit it. I’m fried rice obsessed. Ever since I tried my friend Julie’s tips for perfect fried rice, I’ve been making different versions at least once a week.

In case you’re wondering, oh yes, we still love the Fried Rice with Ham and Vegetables that I shared a while back. All three of my kids have declared fried rice to be one of their favorite meals now.

I love shrimp fried rice, as evidenced by this older classic shrimp fried rice recipe. I have tweaked it so much over the years, it is past due for an update. (Especially now that I’ve learned just how much better fried rice can be?!)

Sausage Fried Rice

Recently, I had some kielbasa sausage in the refrigerator and shrimp in the freezer calling my name, so this became the latest variation of fried rice that we’ve fallen in love with.

As soon as I tasted it, I knew I needed to share it with you. Sausage or kielbasa with shrimp is always a great combination.

The first thing to know when making fried rice is that you’ll need a large deep-sided skillet. Trying to use a shallow or smaller pan will just leave you frustrated and likely with a mess on your

Creamy Lemon Dip served with fresh berries, graham crackers, or shortbread cookies is a light summery dessert that is perfect for sharing with friends.

Lemon Fruit Dip

I made this dip for a pool party with friends a while back and it disappeared lightning-fast. Kids and adults happily scooped it up with the dippers and then nearly licked the bowl clean.

The fluffy sweet fruit dip is tempting enough straight off the spoon, but when you serve it with graham crackers, fresh strawberries, or shortbread cookies? I can tell you for a fact that no one is able to resist it.

For the lemon curd in this dip, I used my 5-Minute Microwave Lemon Curd. It turns out perfectly every time and it’s honestly easier than going to the store to buy lemon curd.

That recipe will make more than you need just for this lemon dip, but you won’t be sad about that.

Easy Fruit Dip Recipes

Fruit dips and plenty of fruit to dip into them are some of my kids’ favorite snacks. I’ll happily find any excuse possible to make and eat all of these dips.

Thick and creamy, cinnamon spice yogurt takes about 10 seconds to stir together and it makes a great dipping sauce for apples. It’s also a terrific breakfast with a sprinkling of granola and berries.

Crunchy peanut butter apple dip is simple and slightly sweet, perfect to enjoy with apples, pretzels, or about anything else you might want to dip into it.

This creamy cranberry jalapeno dip is lightly sweetened and balanced with just a hint of heat from the peppers. Served with crackers and pretzels or spread on toast, this is an unforgettable holiday treat.

This peanut butter and honey yogurt dip was “officially” named a favorite snack in our house when my boys were little. I made it on repeat for months! Who knew that yogurt would be such a great match for peanut butter? It makes the dip smooth and creamy and adds a slight tang that is balanced nicely by a bit of honey.

Read more