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

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

Ham and Cheese Biscuits

I’ve been making these Ham and Cheese biscuits for about four years now and they are frequently found tucked into our freezer. While they’re delicious on their own, they also make a terrific egg sandwich and pretty amazing biscuits with gravy too.

We are huge fans of “leftover” recipes. Anytime I can cook a meal and then use the leftovers in another meal, that makes my day.

Ham is one of my favorites for making multiple meals. This Balsamic and Dijon Glazed Ham is frequently the main player in my ham recipes.

I often make Old Fashioned Ham Balls and this amazing Stir Fry with our leftover ham. Next on my list is this Cheesy Potato, Ham, and Egg Breakfast Casserole.

These Ham and Cheese Biscuits were originally made with leftover ham and they turned out so well, I made them again the very next day because my boys begged for more of them.

Since then, the biscuits have been more frequently made with chopped-up deli ham than anything else, because I crave these biscuits far more frequently than we happen to have leftover ham available.

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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.

I served these Brussel sprouts and sweet potatoes with balsamic glazed meatloaf (a family favorite!) and this easy creamed corn. The whole family loved this meal!

If I’m lucky enough to have any of this recipe remaining after a meal, I very happily call it my lunch the following day.

I’m always in favor of using as much fresh produce as possible for pretty much every meal. Sweet potatoes are a favorite with my family and we use them in as many recipes as possible.

Roasted sweet potatoes are my middle son’s favorite potatoes. I frequently use sweet potatoes in breakfast skillets. Topped with an egg, that’s a savory breakfast that always makes me smile.

Last but not least, these Vanilla Bean Whipped Sweet Potatoes have been Sean’s favorite Thanksgiving dish ever since we were dating. (With no added sugars and just the sweetness of the potatoes, Sean chooses a second serving of these potatoes over dessert most of the time.)

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Spiced pear oatmeal full of rolled oats, cooked pears, cinnamon, brown sugar, and butter is a weekday breakfast delight.

Pear Oatmeal

A steamy bowl of fragrant oatmeal is a must on a cold morning. Oatmeal is the breakfast equivalent of a hearty soup when it comes to warming your entire body and fueling the belly when the temperature drops to chillier temperatures.

We have always been a family that enjoys waking up to a pot of oatmeal simmering on the stove for breakfast. But it wasn’t until moving to the midwest from Arizona that I fully understood its warming powers.

Warm spiced pear oatmeal with cinnamon, nuts, and brown sugar has the power to pull my flannel pajamaed kids out of bed. It is an easy oatmeal to make on the stovetop and leftovers heat right up in the microwave.

When making pear oatmeal I tend to go light on the brown sugar. Depending on the variety, pears have so much natural sweetness to them.

I wait until just before serving and top each serving with a teaspoon or two of brown sugar to melt with the butter for a delicious combination to mix into each bowl.

For most fruit desserts, pears included, I rarely peel the fruit. I’ve found that in most cases, the peels soften enough they don’t bother us a bit and we are happy to include them in the recipes.

Check out the best-ever peach cobbler and this peach oatmeal for proof of that.

However, in this recipe, because I like the pears to retain their fresh flavors, I don’t cook them in the oatmeal for more than a few moments to warm them. It’s worth a few minutes of effort to quickly peel them and avoid any tough peels in the oatmeal.

That said, if pear peels don’t bother you a bit? Feel free to skip that step.

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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 to make rice crispy treats that turn out perfectly every time!

Gooey Rice Krispie Treats

Which is it? Rice Crispy Treats or Rice Krispy Treats? Rice Crispies or Rice Krispies? I go back and forth as I’m guessing you all do as well. Luckily, we all know how delicious they are, regardless of how you spell the name!

If you spend any time with me on Instagram, you may have noticed that I’ve been on a wee bit of a homemade rice crispy treats kick lately.

Chocolate-drizzled peanut butter cup rice crispy treats, coconut rice crispy treats, even rice crispy treat ice cream – yes, I went there and it was AMAZING!

Add some chocolate-covered pretzels or really mix things up with these chocolate peanut butter bites, classic rice crispy treats, and ooey-gooey marshmallow-filled soft rice crispy treats; it’s hard to find home style rice crispy treats that I won’t eat.

I like Rice Krispie Treats that are soft enough to pull apart with my fingers, the day after making them, after they’ve been sitting out on the counter. 

Gooey rice krispy treats aren’t complicated. You probably made the original rice Krispies treat recipe at least a time or two when you were a kid. While I’d never turn down anyone else’s rice crispy treats recipe, I’m kind of picky about my own.

This gooey recipe krispie treats recipe delivers soft and chewy rice crispie treats with plenty of ooey-gooey marshmallow goodness. I want to taste the sweet and sticky marshmallows in each and every bite of my treats.

I’ve tested this recipe by leaving the sliced rice krispy treats on a plate for 48 hours and they remained chewy and not at all hard. (The only thing hard was not eating the entire batch in the first 24 hours after baking them. Lord knows how little self-control I have when it comes to Rice Crispy Treats of all kinds.)

I don’t like my rice krispy treats to scrape the roof of my mouth or become crunchy. So, in short, gooey rice crispy treats = my happy place.

How to Make Rice Crispy Treats

This recipe–it is THE recipe, the only Rice Krispie Treats recipe you ever need. Once you learn how to make rice crispy treats like these, you’ll never go back. No other recipe can compare, I promise.

Have I convinced you yet?

In a nutshell, take the original recipe off the side of the cereal box, add more butter, add way more marshmallows, and there you have it. It isn’t complicated, but oh, it makes me so very happy to have perfectly soft rice crispy treats