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

Candy Cane Ice Cream

Peppermint bark just might be the most genius holiday treat ever created. Candy canes and chocolate go together so perfectly. So it only makes sense to add chopped-up peppermint bark or swirl some chocolate sauce into the candy cane ice cream.

I am a bit of an extract and flavor purest. I read the labels VERY closely to make sure they are pure extract for whatever flavor I am looking for. That’s a lesson I learned the hard way after a peppermint extract debacle a few years ago.

Once upon a time, I accidentally bought a Pure “Mint” Extract a while back and it was a blend of spearmint and peppermint. Lovely fragrance, but unfortunately, it left my chocolate bark tasting like a pack of chewing gum.

Peppermint Ice Cream

Homemade Peppermint Ice Cream is some of the creamiest ice cream I have ever made and for the record, it is worlds away from the mint-flavored ice creams you can find in a store.

This candy cane ice cream is based on that recipe. The addition of extra candy cane pieces and peppermint bark makes this a really fun holiday treat.

Learn from my mistake and be careful to use PURE Peppermint Extract, read the ingredients and make sure there is only peppermint in the extract.

Now that we are clear on that front, in addition to using peppermint extract, I wanted this ice cream to REALLY taste like candy canes. To do that I use my blender or food processor to blend candy canes and milk together.

Yes, you can just crush the candies up and mix them in. However, doing this turns the candy canes into a fine powder that then dissolves into the ice cream mixture and delivers smooth, creamy ice cream as a result. If you don’t have candy canes, Starlight mints work nicely.

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Creamy Artichoke Dip [+ Video]

This is the best creamy artichoke dip we’ve ever had, at home or in a restaurant. Plus, it’s super easy and can be made in the oven or slow cooker.

This creamy artichoke dip comes from my Mom’s best friend. This is definitely one of the most meaningful recipes we have, which is why my mom will be guest posting further down.

I remember everyone raving about it at every gathering we went to growing up. I have never once brought this dip to a party or gathering without someone requesting the recipe. In fact, many times I have quite a few people requesting the recipe. It’s just that good. In fact, out of all the dips I have ever had, including restaurant versions, this one remains my favorite. Is it healthy? Heavens no, but you’ll be quite happy with how delicious it is and let’s be honest, a little applause from your thighs as you walk couldn’t be all that bad, right?

I love how a good recipe can immediately flood you with memories of a person, loved one or event. I sincerely believe that recipes should be shared and passed on between family and friends. They are just as important as stories in our family history.

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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

Queso Blanco Dip is a creamy, spicy, perfectly smooth and cheesy dip just like they serve at your favorite Mexican restaurant. Queso blanco is a melted cheese dip that’s delicious every which way you eat it.

I’ve had a lot of pretty good queso dip in my life. I mean, we’re talking ooey gooey melted cheese with Mexican flavors. What’s not to like about that?

Still, I have no qualms saying that the Queso Blanco recipe I’m sharing today is the BEST Queso Blanco Dip I’ve had. It’s not just a fine-tasting easy dish to set out with a bag of chips for parties. This Queso Blanco recipe is so tasty that I found myself wanting to add it to just about everything.

Smother a burrito with this queso, pour it on a burger, drizzle it across roasted potatoes, pour it over Spanish rice, layer in into nachos or dip your chips in it. However you enjoy this Queso Blanco Dip, it’s sure to knock your socks off.

Queso Blanco Dip

There is just enough heat in this Queso Blanco Dip to keep you coming back for one more bite.

The heat in the cheese comes from the addition of pickled jalapenos and green chiles. It’s easy to adjust the amounts of each ingredient to suit your spice preferences and tolerance.

If you like your queso extra hot, double up on the peppers. I’ve made this dip exactly as written and I’ve made it twice as hot. We all loved it as written below and my husband and my oldest son especially enjoyed it with the extra heat.

I promise it’s not overwhelmingly spicy as written, but you could also reduce the peppers by half if you prefer a mild Queso Blanco Dip. It’ll still be creamy, flavorful, and completely delicious.

My family has always enjoyed the queso we’ve had at Mexican restaurants. I’ve tried over the years to recreate our favorite restaurant-style Queso Blanco to no avail.

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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.

Caramel Pecan Turtle Cheesecake

I make this cheesecake only once or twice a year and it is always by request. Just the smallest sliver really is a serving.

Decadent, rich, and worthy of any special occasion, this is a masterpiece of a cheesecake. It steals the spotlight at any dessert table and has been known to cause more than one person to sigh with joy.

Turtle Cheesecake

The cheesecake starts with an Oreo cookie crust that is covered in caramel sauce, then a layer of creamy cheesecake. Once cooled, it is sprinkled with toasted pecans and drizzled with both caramel and chocolate.

This Turtle Cheesecake beats just about any cheesecake I’ve had from a bakery. No exaggeration at all, my friends.

The crisscrossed swirls of caramel and chocolate drizzle make this cake look especially stunning. And it tastes even better than it looks!

Chocolate Caramel Cheesecake

Served for dessert with a strong cup of coffee, this is pure chocolate caramel cheesecake bliss. This is the dessert to bring when you want to wow a crowd!

While this cheesecake looks gorgeous and tastes even better, it’s not a fussy recipe at all. I’m happy to tell you that this dessert is much MUCH easier to make than you might expect.

Can’t get enough of that chocolate and caramel “turtle” flavor? Flourless Chocolate Turtle Cookies happen to be naturally gluten free yet still decadently tasty.

I make at least a couple batches of Shortbread Turtle Cookies and Read more