Welcome to the weekend, my friends! We’ve skipped right through the warm late days of summer and landed solidly in the midst of fall. And judging from the chilly mornings this week, we’re now approaching winter at a run. I’ve reacquainted myself with the furnace and the fireplace, and I’m immensely enjoying both today.

ON THE BLOGS THIS WEEK:  These Pumpkin Spice Waffles are almost like eating dessert for breakfast. But I won’t tell if you won’t. And, they come together in just minutes, making them perfect for a cozy morning whenever the temperature dips outside.

Sweet and slightly tangy, this absolutely delicious, juicy Dr Pepper Pulled Pork is perfect for sandwiches, BBQ sundaes, or (if you’re like my teenage boy) just heaped on a plate by itself with nothing else.

Tender, delicate angel hair pasta gets a carbonara-like glow up with a flavorful bacon cream sauce to make this Pasta with Peas and Bacon. It’s a weeknight dish that’s easy enough for busy evenings but nice enough to serve company.

Balancing salty and sweet flavors perfectly, this Easy Teriyaki Sauce belongs in every kitchen. And, when I say it’s easy, I mean it. You can whisk this sauce together in less time than it takes to find your takeout menus.

Sweet and savory teriyaki chicken is topped with fresh pineapple and all the classic taco fillings to make these Pineapple Chicken Tacos a major win at the dinner table.

The earthy flavors of perfectly crispy Roasted Potatoes and Broccoli create one of the simplest, most satisfying side dishes I’ve ever made. You really can’t go wrong with this one. It’s golden, flavorful, and goes with just about anything on the dinner table.

These Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars are one of the best fall desserts you can make. Who can say no to all that heavenly pumpkin cheesecake, layered between a walnut shortbread crust and a tangy, sweet frosting?

Rice Krispy Treat Ice Cream feels like summer sleepovers, Saturday morning cartoons, and pure imagination all rolled into one bowl. Enjoy all the marshmallow goodness of Rice Krispies Treats with none of the sticky fingers.

What I’m CRAVING: I made pancakes this morning for my boys and some friends, as a result, I’m now craving some serious vegetables. I already have a salad in the fridge, and I’m thinking that loaded quesadillas sound great for dinner.

My FAVORITE THING this week is this

Get into the holiday spirit with these delicious cranberry crumb bars. It is my favorite way to use up leftover cranberry sauce. Follow our step-by-step instructions and video to create a festive and tasty dessert that is perfect for any holiday gathering.

I got fed up last year with leftover cranberry sauce so for months after Thanksgiving I was testing it in all sorts of recipes to find ways to use it. This is how our cranberry sauce muffins came to be! And it’s the same story for this cranberry crumble bars recipe. I’ve been experimenting with this one and this is finally the winning recipe. They are to die for!

They are the most wonderful combination of creamy cranberry sauce and a chewy sugar cookie, tart shortbread crust!

Ingredients for Cranberry Sauce Bars

We will actually make one crust recipe and we will use it for both the base of the bars and the crumble on top! Then we will make a filling to go in the middle. I’ll include the ingredients for an optional glaze too. Here is everything you will need for each component:

Crust and Topping

• Wet Ingredients: Butter (softened), Cream Cheese (softened), Brown Sugar, White Sugar, Egg, Vanilla and Almond Extract
• Dry Ingredients: All Purpose Flour, Cornstarch, Baking Powder, Baking Soda and Salt

Filling

• Sour Cream: full fat cream cheese
• Eggs: binds the filling together
• Cornstarch: helps thicken the filling
• Vanilla and Ground Cinnamon: add flavor
• Cranberry Sauce: homemade is preferred, but store-bought would work fine too, just don’t use the canned cranberry jelly
• Whole Fresh Cranberries: adds more flavor and texture

Glaze

• Powdered Sugar: acts as the base of the glaze and adds all the sweetness
• Milk: adds richness and creates the glaze
• Vanilla: adds flavor

The measurements for each ingredient can be found down below in the recipe card. This is meant to just be an overview of the ingredients you will need.

How to Make Cranberry Crumb Bars

Let me walk you through each step of this recipe! It might seem like a lot of steps, but it’s super easy.

Crust

1. Prep: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line a 9×13 inch baking dish with a piece of parchment. Spray everything with cooking

If you’ve been searching for the very best banana bundt cake, your hunt ends here. This banana cake is impossibly moist and tender. It’s the kind of dessert that tastes like it came straight from mom’s kitchen but looks bakery-worthy.

With a soft crumb, golden edges, and a sweet frosting, this banana bundt cake is my favorite way to use up ripe bananas, and it never lasts long!

When I was in high school, My Big Fat Greek Wedding came out, and there’s this hilarious scene where someone brings a Bundt cake to a family party and no one knows what it is. Every time I hear the word “bundt,” I think of that movie and can’t help but smile.

This banana Bundt cake is incredibly moist, rich with banana flavor, the perfect amount of sweetness, and honestly, one of the best cakes I’ve ever had. It will be love at first bite! You can add cream cheese frosting if you’d like, but it’s just as delicious served plain.

Ingredients for Banana Bundt Cake

This banana Bundt cake starts with a simple cake mix, and there’s absolutely no shame in that. Sometimes the easiest recipes turn out to be the best, and this one proves it! With just a few simple ingredients, you’ll have an ultra-moist, flavorful banana Bundt cake that no one will guess came from a mix. Here’s what you’ll need:

For The Cake

• Mashed Ripe Bananas: the key to that sweet, rich banana flavor and extra moisture
• Boxed Yellow Cake Mix: keeps things simple while giving the cake a soft, tender crumb
• Instant Banana Pudding Mix: enhances the banana flavor and adds even more moisture
• Eggs: help bind the ingredients and give the cake structure
• Water: keeps the batter smooth and light
• Sour Cream: adds tang and makes the cake super moist
• Vanilla Extract: a teaspoon or two adds warmth and depth to both the cake and frosting
• Canola Oil: ensures the cake stays soft and rich (You can swap for Butter, but note it will give the cake a slightly denser and richer crumb, while oil keeps it lighter and more moist for longer.)

For The Frosting

• Cream Cheese: the base for the luscious frosting
• Powdered Sugar: sweetens the frosting to perfection
• Vanilla Extract: gives flavor to the frosting
• Heavy Cream: makes the frosting extra smooth and creamy

There’s just something about a big pot of soup simmering on the stove that makes everything feel right in the world, isn’t there? Whether you’re craving something cozy and classic, bold and flavorful, or hearty enough to count as dinner all on its own, we’ve got a soup for every mood and season. These are our favorite tried-and-true soup recipes — the ones our family makes again and again — and we know you’ll love them too!

Cozy & Comforting Classics

Warm, familiar, and totally comforting — these classic soups are like a hug in a bowl. Perfect for busy nights or lazy weekends at home.

1. Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup

2. French Onion Soup

3. Roasted Tomato Basil Soup

4. Slow Cooker Broccoli Cheese Soup

Southwestern & Mexican-Inspired Soups

Bring the fiesta to your dinner table! These soups are bursting with flavor, a little spice, and that cozy Southwestern comfort we all love.

1. Chicken Tortilla Soup

Sweet, gooey pumpkin marshmallow popcorn is the ultimate fall snack! Easy to make with pumpkin-flavored marshmallows, it’s perfect for movie night, parties, or Halloween.

Grayson saw fun marshmallows and asked if we could make something for snack Friday and knowing it was a mere bag of popcorn, butter and brown sugar I was all in! The kids and their friends polished off the entire bowl in about 5 minutes which proves— this is a recipe worth keeping!

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

This recipe is a fun way to use pumpkin marshmallows and enjoy those tasty seasonal flavors.

It is so easy to make that I let my 9 year old make it for the family. It is such a great recipe to get the kids in the kitchen.

This is an easy Halloween treat that is simple to scale up for bigger crowds.

Pumpkin spice popcorn is kid friendly and disappears right before your eyes.

Ingredients for Pumpkin Marshmallow Popcorn

• Microwave Popcorn: Provides the crunchy, salty base that balances the sweetness and carries all the gooey coating.
• Pumpkin Marshmallows: Melt into the sticky, sweet binder that holds the popcorn together while adding pumpkin flavor.
• Brown Sugar: Deepens the sweetness, adds a hint of molasses flavor, and helps create a caramel-like richness in the coating.
• Butter: Adds richness and flavor while keeping the marshmallow mixture smooth, gooey, and easy to coat the popcorn.

How to Make Pumpkin Spice Marshmallow Popcorn

1. Make the Popcorn: Pop the popcorn according to the package instructions. Pour the popcorn into a large bowl.
2. Melt the Marshmallows: Add the marshmallows, brown sugar and butter to a microwave-safe bowl and melt the marshmallows in 30 second intervals until melted and smooth.
3. Combine: Pour the melted marshmallow mixture over the popcorn and stir together to combine.

Variations and Add-Ins

If you can’t find pumpkin marshmallows, use regular marshmallows and add 1/2 teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice.

Looking to jazz this pumpkin popcorn recipe up even more? Stir in candy corns, cinnamon chips or crushed graham cracker pieces! A white chocolate drizzle would also be a tasty addition!

Do I Have to Use Microwave Popcorn?

In one bag of microwave popcorn, there are about 5 tablespoons of popcorn kernels which makes 10 – 11 cups of popped popcorn. You can pop your own popcorn using 5 tablespoons of kernels or buy pre-popped popcorn and use 10 – 11 cups for this recipe.

Storage Tips

Store leftover marshmallow popcorn balls in an airtight container at room temperature, it will keep for 2-3 days. The popcorn will definitely lose its crunch the longer it sits.

Pumpkin Marshmallow Popcorn is the kind of recipe that makes fall feel extra special. It’s simp