-
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…
-
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…
-
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…
-
whipped cream for days
I LOVE HOMEMADE WHIPPED CREAM!! Ok there I admit it…I LOVE homemade whipped cream. The first step is admitting it right?? Well there you go…I admit it…I not only love it but I am kinda obsessed with it a little bit. My mom would always make homemade whipped cream for special occasions and I was always so excited. The problem was she would always have to leave the gathering and pull out the mixer and whip it up while her guests were enjoying their drinks because it would deflate if she made it before they arrived…so over the years I have been experimenting with several different stabilizing options to…
-
a little something sweet for (almost) everyone
A sweet potato casserole is a MUST HAVE on all of our Holiday tables. There is just something so wonderful about the rich, creamy and fluffy casserole that makes the Holiday’s something super special. In the past most of our casseroles have just had a brown sugar crumb topping because some of my family likes marshmallows and some like pecans and some like both and even a few that don’t like any so it was just easier to keep it minimal…well this year I decided to try and make (almost) everyone happy. I made a traditional sweet potato casserole loaded with brown sugar, butter, half & half and then topped with…
-
a little punkin butter fun
OK it is no secret that I LOVE pumpkin anything and everything…I love pumpkin pie, pumpkin muffins, pumpkin cookies, pumpkin pasta, but I especially LOVE pumpkin butter. My obsession with pumpkin butter started several years ago on a quick trip to Williams Sonoma to pick-up some kitchen towels (they are he only towels I use) and I was asked to try their pumpkin butter. I, of course, agreed immediately and gobbled up (yes it was like a gobble…it was pumpkin people) and I was instantly in love. It was so pumpkiny (that is is a word in my world) with a perfect hint of spice and then the bite…
-
Dessert made easy (as pecan pie)
** Making pie can be so intimidating but with these bars are the best of a favorite pie without all the pie crust and intimation factor…love desserts like this!! Growing up my sweet MeeMaw made the best pecan pie. The crust was flaky and buttery while the filling was sweet and gooey…the only problem was I could not stand the pecans. Being the best MeeMaw in the world she started making us kids a pecan pie without the pecans each time she would make a normal pecan pie. It was so good and so perfect without those pesky pecans messing everything up. Well as I grew up I started to…
-
green beans all bundled up
***If your looking to make your Holiday Green Beans something to remember then these bundles are a MUST MAKE! I have updated the recipe to reflect a slight change I made the last time I made them…the addition of Worcestershire sauce adds a richness to this already wonderful side (updated November 2015) Several years a go we had a pre-Thanksgiving lunch at work and a coworker brought the most amazing green beans. They were these cute little bundles wrapped in bacon, and I just couldn’t stop eating them. That year I decided I would make them for our family Thanksgiving and ever since then they have been a staple at…
-
Turkey Time folks!!!
*** This is one of my most favorite ways to cook turkey…it comes out super juicy with tons of flavor and the gravy is AMAZING!! I have made a few slight updates to this tried and true recipe. (updated November 2015) With less than a week until Turkey Day, it is finally time to Talk Turkey. One of the biggest challenges with big Holiday meals is the fact I only have 1 oven, as do so many people, but as you probably know it can make it hard to manage all the dishes at the same time and have everything ready and hot all at once…that is until now. Roasted turkey…
-
BBQ pork in the winter (no grill needed)
As the weather cools down using your gill outside is not so easy but don’t worry you can still have your favorite BBQ all made inside and even better it is made in your slow cooker! Break out a freezer favorite! So pork tenderloin is something I always have in my freezer. It thaws quickly, it cooks quickly and you can do almost anything to it and it takes great! Just last week I made this roasted pork tenderloin with root veggies that is a great Fall inspired dish and it is perfect for a quick weeknight dinner…but there is just something about a BBQ pork sandwich that transports me back to…
