Welcome to the weekend, my friends! I’m in Buffalo, NY today to see Rowan Lindamood dance in The Nutcracker and I couldn’t be more excited! My oldest son is here with me and we’ll be enjoying the ballet tonight along with all the tasty foods that we can cram into the weekend.

ON THE BLOGS THIS WEEK:

Baked Parmesan pork chops are tender and juicy with a crispy Parmesan crust. Pair them with a quick rice pilaf and some sauteed asparagus for a dinner everyone will enjoy. When I can make the whole dinner in 40 minutes or less, that’s a win in my book!

The sweet heat of honey sriracha Brussels Sprouts will have everyone devouring these little bites before they make it to the table.

Spiced ground beef, black beans, and cheese top these stuffed sweet potatoes to combine sweet and savory flavors in the best possible way. Each bite of these Taco Stuffed Sweet Potatoes blends the creamy, sweet potato with the boldness of a beefy taco, creating a delicious, wholesome fusion of Southwestern-inspired goodness.

Crisp and buttery on the outside, fluffy on the inside, this easy waffle recipe is perfection. Included are loads of options for sweet or savory waffles, plus all the toppings you could ever desire.

How many waffle toppings can you think of off the top of your head? My family has a well-established weakness for waffles and with that comes a weakness for all the awesome ways that you can top a hot crisp freshly made waffle.

Hi friends! Happy Friday! How was the week? I hope you’ve had a great one. Ours went by quickly — part of it was spent in Arkansas and then we flew back home to Tucson.

We had a wonderful time with family and enjoyed so many fun adventures.

Some highlights:

the alligator farm was a HUGE hit

a beautiful hike,

strolling around and shopping in Hot Springs,

Read more

In each scoop of this chocolate chip ice cream, the delightful crunch of chocolate creates a fun contrast against the smooth vanilla backdrop. This ice cream has been a kid-favorite in our home ever since I first churned it.

With miniature chocolate chips swirled through every bite of this ice cream, the tiny bursts of chocolate will have you coming back for “just one more bite” until it is gone.

Ice Cream with Chocolate Chips

Do you love chocolate chip ice creams as much as we do? There’s something extra special about bites of chocolate that create a contrasting texture and different flavors in creamy sweet homemade ice cream.

Whether it’s chocolate Nutella swirls or chocolate flakes that melt on your tongue, or chunks of chocolate chip cookie dough, they all have a place in our freezer.

This recipe starts with a creamy sweet vanilla base (no eggs or cooking required). Just stir the base together in a bowl and pour it into your ice cream maker.

Ice Cream Ingredients

Please note that this recipe calls specifically for miniature chocolate chips. This isn’t negotiable. If you add full-size regular chocolate chips to ice cream and then put it in the freezer, each bite is going to feel as if you are chewing rocks.

Double-check your ingredients and make sure you have teeny tiny mini chocolate chips for this ice cream before you add them to the churned ice cream. For an unexpected treat, try adding some toffee bits for a fun new ice cream combination.

That chocolate chip and toffee ice cream has been one of my favorites for several years. And almost every time I make it my youngest son asks me to PLEASE make it with just the chocolate chips for him next time.

So, here you go, kiddo. Your own favorite ice cream. Enjoy!

Weekly Menu Plan – Dec. 4 to 10

Here is your weekly menu plan for the week! Use up those last Thanksgiving leftovers…

Monday: Leftover Turkey and Stuffing Acorn Squash

Tuesday: Scrambled Eggs with Leftover Cranberry Sauce Muffins

Wednesday: Roasted Pork Tenderloin

Thursday: Shepherd’s Pie

Friday: Chicken Artichoke Pasta

Saturday: Leftovers

Sunday: Smoked Meatloaf

READ: Weekly Menu Plan – Dec. 4 to 10

Hi friends! How’s the week going? We’re off on a little staycation – check out my IG stories for pics and adventures! – but for today’s post, I thought I’d share some fun activities to do with the kids while they’re home for Christmas break. 

Insert MAJOR sigh of relief and all the cheer for Christmas break. I love having the kiddos home, and especially love zero alarms (except for the days I have to teach), slow mornings, and seeing where the day takes us. Our weeks are pretty busy around here between school, gymnastics and dance team, horse lessons, and soccer, so having a couple of weeks off lovely. (Not months off. I’m not putting that out into the universe.)

While I still have to work while the kiddos are home, I’ve been trying to pre-write as much as possible and book calls into time blocks so we can have some fun adventures while they’re home. I thought I’d share some of my top ideas here and would love to hear what you’re doing with the fam this winter break!

Winter Break Activities with Kids

Please keep in mind that these are just ideas and a brainstorming list, and there’s no way we’ll do all or most of the things here. I’m really most excited about just CHILLING, but it will be great to have the lists on the afternoons when we’re looking for something to do!

Ideas for home:

Camping in the living room

This was a huge hit when the pandemic first hit, and a way for us to distinguish the weekend from all of the other days that blended together. We’d roast s’mores, watch a movie, and sleep in a tent downstairs. I learned very quickly that I hate air mattresses lol but it was worth it for the memories for the kiddos.

Make slime

This is our go-to recipe and you can add glitter to the mixture for a sparkly snow slime

Bake something

We rarely have time to bake while the kids are in school, so this is a special opportunity to bake together

Simple In-home Science Experiments

Did you know that learning can be as entertaining as it is enlightening? With a touch of scientific flair, you and your little ones can embark on a journey through the wonderful world of winter. From creating frost on a can to making your own snow, there are countless experiments that will make their eyes sparkle brighter than a starlit winter sky. Not only will these activities engage their curious minds, but they will also provide an opportunity for you to bond with your children and share some memorable moments together. So, gather your lab coats and safety goggles – it’s time for some educational fun!

Teach them a recipe

This is one of my goals for this Christmas break! We have a gas stove, so I’m not quite comfortable with them using it yet, but I want to teach them how to make eggs and pancakes on our large griddle. It’s electric, so it will be perfect for them to make breakfast (with supervision, of course).

Go on a scavenger hunt

While it is a bit chilly, we still bundle up and take walks with Maisey each day. Create a scavenger hunt list before you head out.