Welcome to the weekend, my friends! The storms in Ohio have been almost non-stop this week, but there are plenty of signs that spring is on the way. It’s looking beautiful and green all around us these days. (Technically, it’s green everywhere that isn’t currently muddy or flooded, but I’m looking for the blessing in all the rain this week.)

If you’ve never lived somewhere without changing seasons, the wonder of it all is likely not something you notice. But having lived most of my life in the Southwest, I don’t take the different seasons for granted. I love each one so much (yes, even mud season) and I’m looking forward to the crisp mornings, warmer days, and beautiful flowers that spring always brings.

ON THE BLOGS THIS WEEK:  Skip the store-bought spice mixes and stir together a batch of homemade Cajun seasoning! Cajun seasoning is a blend of herbs and spices often used to add a kick to dishes running the gamut from popcorn to veggies to meat! Most of your favorite Cajun-style recipes likely call for some version of a Cajun seasoning mix.

Steak bites are a weeknight mainstay of our meal-planning rotation. And these Cajun Steak Bites have just enough kick to please both my spice lovers and less adventurous eaters.

Tender chicken, salsa, green chile, and black beans are simmered together in the crock-pot and then scooped into warm tortillas to create the easiest, tastiest, salsa chicken tacos and burritos. Salsa Chicken is also tasty when served over rice, wrapped in tortillas, or tossed into a salad.

Dive into this timeless combination of flavors with savory chicken, gooey mozzarella, and marinara sauce, nestled in tender-crisp squash, and topped with toasted bread crumbs. Chicken Parmesan Zucchini Boats are a big hit!

Creamy, buttery, Cheesy Mashed Potatoes are what food dreams are made of. I suggest making extra, to avoid arguments over who gets seconds.

Soft, tender cookies filled with bursting blueberries and topped with a tangy sweet lemon glaze, these Lemon Blueberry Cookies have been an enormous hit with everyone who tries them.

Apple Crisp Ice Cream, the name alone sounds pretty amazing, doesn’t it? That’s before I tell you that this ice cream is made with the creamiest of homemade vanilla ice creams, then completely loaded with bits of cinnamon sweet baked apples, and crunchy streusel topping.

What I’m CRAVING: Do you remember Pillsbury’s Orange Rolls? (Are they still a thing?) Oh, how I us

Apple Crisp Ice Cream, the name alone sounds pretty amazing, doesn’t it? 

That’s before I tell you that this ice cream is made with the creamiest of homemade vanilla ice creams, then completely loaded with bits of cinnamon sweet baked apples, and crunchy streusel topping.

There is nothing about this ice cream that I did not love. (Except perhaps the fact that I ate way too much of it.)

The idea for this ice cream popped into my mind a few weeks ago. I tried a couple of different versions using the same ingredients, but not with a real apple crisp. They lacked the authentic apple crisp flavor I wanted.

Apple Crisp Ice Cream

I finally caved and decided to bake an actual apple crisp just for the ice cream. As soon as my apple crisp finished cooling last week, I was chopping it into bits and folding it into this ice cream.

I don’t know when I’ve been more excited about an ice cream recipe. (Spoiler alert – that excitement was fully justified.)

I initially thought of this recipe as “sacrificing” an apple crisp for the ice cream, but after one bit