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the skinny on cornbread
If you were to ask The Hubby what his favorite all time side is you might be surprised what his answer would be…some might say mashed potatoes (Ok I would say mashed potatoes), some might say rice or broccoli but The Hubby would say cornbread. He LOVES cornbread!! There is just one problem…cornbread can be crazy fattening and not very conducive to a healthier eating plan, so I have been working on a lightened-up version of The Hubby’s favorite…only in muffin form! So why muffins…two reasons really. They make it easy for portion control and they are cute….so its a win all the way around. If you do not want to make…
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have I mentioned I LOVE pink velvet?
Valentines is one of my most favorite holidays…it has lots of chocolate, pink, and hearts everywhere…what could be better? OK, now I know Christmas has it’s beauty as well, but there is just something so special about all the pink & red hearts and celebrating love. BTW…it is also my Mammaw’s birthday so it is a special day just for that…and it calls for these pink velvet cupcakes for sure. In my world Valentines Day is all about pink everything and these pink velvet cupcakes are AMAZING! Not only is the cupcake itself pink but I also tinted the icing making it a darker pink than the cupcake…giving it the perfect…
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fryin’ up a super yummy onion strings
What are you serving up this weekend for the Big Game? Are you doing all appetizers, BBQ, pot luck, or burgers and hot dogs? Whatever you are serving these onion strings are amazing and will be a hit with all your guests for sure! Ok, now I know I have been trying to eat healthier and post healthier recipes but sometimes you just have to splurge a little and for me Super Bowl Sunday is always one of those days. Now I am not saying you have to go crazy but a little splurge here and there will be ok. For me a splurge is either going to be…
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slow going spinach artichoke dip
The Super Bowl is just a few days away, no matter who you are rooting for, or even if you know who is playing (lets be real you only watch the commercials)… it is time to start thinking about all the yummy party food you get to eat! Now if you are watching what you are eating this time of year can be a little hard…but don’t worry I have a lightened-up slow cooker spinach artichoke dip that everyone is sure to love and you won’t have to feel guilty indulging a little. My favorite thing about spinach artichoke dip is the creamy, rich, cheesy part. I love how the…
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cocoa a new way
I still can’t believe Christmas is later this week. I don’t know about you but I still have a ton to do and one of the things on my list is to make this fudge one more time. There is just something so special about fudge around the Holidays…and especially this cocoa inspired version. Growing-up we always had tons of treats around our house especially sweet treats, especially FUDGE! This fudge is so easy to make and it is so cute it is perfect for this Holiday season. To start with the bottom layer is a rich dark chocolate layer topped with a white chocolate fudge layer and then to make it…
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a little snowball fun
No matter where you live you can have snowball fun…even with no snow. Growing up in Southeast Texas it is rare (like never) that we have enough snow to make a snowball…so this year I decided to make my own snowballs…COOKIES that is. These cookies have been a favorite of my mom’s for years but I had never made them until just recently. I was getting ready for my annual gift baskets and I knew I wanted a cookie that light & buttery with nuts and these immediately came to mind. To make them perfect I decided to search through some of my grandmother’s old cookbooks and came across…
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Gluten Free has never been so fun
Chocolate is a must have in my house at all times. I usually have a chocolate bar, a brownie, peanut butter cup or a cookie to satisfy my daily chocolate need. For brownies and cookies the fudgier and richer the better for me. My sea salt caramel brownies are super fudgy but finding a cookie to meet that criteria has been difficult, and I never imagined a gluten free option would give me the perfect chocolate cookie…but I am so glad it did. I have been making gift baskets and I wanted to have a gluten free option in each basket and so I went on the hunt for a…
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a little naughty (and nice) snack mix…
Ok I have to admit something…I have a secret love for snack mix, the sweet and salty snack mixes. I love the mix of sweet and salt in each bite in really anything but for snack mix I am especially a fan, and this particular mix is a FAVORITE of mine for sure. Now I know when you look at the ingredient list it may seem a little strange, but trust me when you take your first bite you will totally understand why I love it. The oatmeal cereal mixed with the cheetos, peanuts and pretzels all by themselves make for a great mix but when you add in…
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a new Holiday treat…yes it’s fudge
Do you have a favorite treat that you only have at Christmas? For me family it was always my MeeMaw’s sugar cookies and english toffee, for my mom is is white chocolate peppermint candy, for The Hubby it is a broccoli & cheese casserole that his mom makes and for my dad it is fudge. Now I am pretty good in the kitchen and can handle most everyones favorites but fudge has always been a little intimidating. There is just something about candy thermometers that scare me just a little bit…but this year I was determined to find a fudge that he would love and that did not require any…
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dreams are made of this new pumpkin love…
Obviously pumpkin is on everyone’s brain this week…and my brain is defiantly no exception. Really to be honest pumpkin is all I can think about…I just love pumpkin everything. Now the traditional pumpkin desserts are perfect for your Thanksgiving table but this year I wanted to change things up a bit and create a lighter dessert but with all the best it had to offer. The first layer is a delicious graham cracker crust, it is buttery and a little crunchy. Next there is a cheesecake layer that is light with the added whipped cream but still very rich. Next comes the pumpkin layer that is a wonderful pudding like layer loaded…
