Stop and Smell the Chocolates

Homemade Larabars and an Easy Centerpiece

noreply@blogger.com (Lisa @ Stop and Smell the Chocolates) — Thu, 24 May 2012 18:30:00 +0000

Wow - it's obvious that I haven't taken the class "Catchy Titles 101", isn't it?! :) I'm in 2 places at once today - well 3 now if you count this post - LOL!

I'm sharing easy centerpiece ideas over at Pennies & Blessings. You can click over to see what I did for Easter. Here's one of my simple faves on the table from last Summer:

And I made Homemade Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Larabars!! Yes I did! Just peanuts, sea salt, coconut oil, dates, and chocolate chips. Yum!

My sweet friend Katie from Frugal Femina made me do it. :) Do stop over there for the recipe and tell me what you think of it {and while you're at it, read a few of Katie's posts - I think you'll really enjoy them}!

Thanks for following me around the blogosphere friends! Hey - maybe it burns a few extra calories - LOL! :)

Have a fabulously blessed day friends!

Time For Teacher Gifts

noreply@blogger.com (Lisa @ Stop and Smell the Chocolates) — Wed, 23 May 2012 17:30:00 +0000

As we approach the end of the school year (for most), it's time to start putting together gifts for teachers! I shared some ideas for teacher gifts over at Pennies & Blessings - check them out! Leave a comment there and share your ideas as well!

But since I homeschooled this year - what do I do? Make myself a favorite treat? Take myself out? Surprise myself?! LOLOL!!!

Have a blessed day friends!! And don't forget to enter my Keeplets {bracelet & key fob wristlet} giveaway!

White Chocolate Lemon Cheesecake

noreply@blogger.com (Lisa @ Stop and Smell the Chocolates) — Tue, 22 May 2012 17:00:00 +0000

For Easter, I had a hard time deciding on desserts to make {I even asked you to help me choose from this list}, but I ended up trying a new cheesecake recipe that combined a couple flavors I was wanting. I had saved this recipe from an ad years ago.

Though the lemon flavor is mild in this cheesecake, it's a yummy traditional-type cheesecake. I didn't like how the top was looking after I took it out of the oven, so I topped it with a sour cream topping - helps hide imperfections and it's yummy!

White Chocolate Lemon Cheesecake

Crust
6 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup sugar
1 1/4 cups flour
1 large egg yolk
1/8 teaspoon salt

Cheesecake
2 cups (12 oz. pkg) white chocolate chips
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
2 pkg (8 oz each) cream cheese, softened
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 teaspoons grated lemon peel
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 large egg whites
1 large egg

Sour Cream Topping
1/2+ cup sour cream
Powdered sugar to taste

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease 9-inch springform pan.

Crust:
In small mixing bowl, beat butter and sugar until creamy. Add flour, egg yolk, and salt and beat until combined. Press mixture onto bottom and 1 inch up side of prepared pan. Bake for 14-16 minutes or until crust is set.

Cheesecake:
Microwave white chocolate chips and cream in uncovered bowl on medium-high power (70%) for 1 minute. Stir. If necessary, microwave in additional 10-second intervals and stir until smooth. {Or gradually melt in bowl placed over pot of boiling water.}

In large mixing bowl, beat cream cheese, lemon juice, lemon peel, and salt until smooth. Gradually beat in melted white chocolate chips. Beat in egg whites and egg. Pour into prepared crust.

Bake for 35-40 minutes or until edge is lightly browned. Run knife around edge of cheesecake. If desired, add sour cream topping {Stir sour cream and sugar until smooth and spread evenly over top.} and bake additional 5 minutes. Cool completely on wire rack. Refrigerate for several hours or overnight. Remove side of springform pan.

I do love cheesecake - do you? Though I really enjoyed this one, I think my fave is still the Creamy Baked Cheesecake. What's your favorite cheesecake?

This post linked to:
~ Tempt My Tummy Tuesday at Blessed With Grace
~ Tasty Tuesday at Balancing Beauty and Bedlam
~ Chic & Crafty Party at The Frugal Girls

You can stop and smell every recipe with me - just subscribe here! :)

Have a fabulous day friends!!

Keeplets ~ Wear and Keep God's Word {Review & Giveaway}

noreply@blogger.com (Lisa @ Stop and Smell the Chocolates) — Sun, 20 May 2012 05:00:00 +0000

**Giveaway closed.**

I get to share a little more about one of my May sponsors with you today - Keeplets!

Keeplets are bracelets, key fobs, and key fob wristlets that hold small cards with Scripture verses. They come with a set of Scripture verse cards so that you can swap them out whenever you like!

Jennifer from Keeplets blessed me with a bracelet and key fob wristlet to review. And she sent me pink, which just so happens to coordinate with my blog. :) They are both well-made and the bracelet is adjustable with the snaps, which ended up working great for my small wrist. It's a very comfortable bracelet and it's simple to put in a favorite Scripture verse card. I decided to start mine out with Galatians 6:9 to encourage myself not to weary in homeschooling for these last couple weeks! :)

The key fob wristlet is definitely a great help for a busy mom with her hands full. Keep your keys on your arm so you don't lose them while keeping your hands free for all your other mom duties! Of course you don't have to be a mom to find a great use for Keeplets! The bracelets are also a great idea for homeschooling kiddos, youth groups, VBS and more to help each child memorize Scripture verses.

Guess what?! I get to give away one set of a Keeplets bracelet & choice of wristlet or key fob - winner chooses the print for both!! So one of you will get to try these lovelies out for FREE!! Thank you to Keeplets! But you don't have to wait - you can purchase your own right now and take advantage of the 1 of Each Special {Get a key fob AND a bracelet for just $18!!}!

**Giveaway Closed.** How to Enter:

~ Stop over at Keeplets and come back to leave a comment telling me which product ~or~ print ~or~ pack of verse cards are your favorite.

Extra Entry {optional & maximum of 1 extra entry}:

~ Share about the giveaway using your favorite form of social media and come back to leave 1 comment letting me know.

Giveaway will remain open through 9pm PST Thursday 5/24. Winner will be chosen by Random.org.

Be sure to "Like" Keeplets on Facebook to hear about current offers and specials {no extra entries given, but maybe virtual hugs - LOL}!!

Disclosures: Keeplets is currently a sponsor on my blog. I received a free Keeplets bracelet and key fob wristlet in order to provide an honest review. As always, opinions are my own!

Have a blessed day friends!

At The End of My Rope {One Beautiful Thing}

noreply@blogger.com (Lisa @ Stop and Smell the Chocolates) — Fri, 18 May 2012 05:00:00 +0000

At the end of my rope...is an excellent display of whipping skills! :)

That my friends, is some genuine, hand-made in the USA, functional yet "pretty" rope! It's my One Beautiful Thing this week because I watched my favorite Boy Scout troop make it!

My son's troop had a display at a local event and demonstrated rope-making. I watched this piece of rope being made on the...well...rope-making contraption and I admired it because of the color added to it. One of the youngest scouts asked if I wanted to have it, but I told him somebody else might want to keep it since it was such an interesting piece. After the rope was properly whipped on the ends, my young scout friend coiled this piece up very nicely and presented it to me. He thought I should keep it. So.adorable. :)

Not only do I love Boy Scouts and the skills they teach young men, but I love that our troop is affiliated with our Christian school. The families we are with are also involved in shaping the character of these young men and helping them grow into godly men.

And really, what mom couldn't use a little extra rope in her purse? :)

Join Brooke each Thursday for One Beautiful Thing and link up - it's not too late to link up even now!

What's one beautiful thing from your week?

Have a blessed day friends!

Wordless Wednesday ~ Cozy Buster

noreply@blogger.com (Lisa @ Stop and Smell the Chocolates) — Wed, 16 May 2012 08:00:00 +0000

When it's raining, dogs want to be cozy too. :)

This was after Buster, our Basset hound, got all wet during the last rainstorm. I thought you should know just how difficult his life is with us. :)

Stop over at 5 Minutes For Mom to see more great Wordless Wednesday pics {most of which are not actually wordless!}!

Subscribe here to stop and smell the chocolates {it's better than actually smelling Buster} with me all the time!

Have a wonderful day friends!

Another May Sponsor!

noreply@blogger.com (Lisa @ Stop and Smell the Chocolates) — Tue, 15 May 2012 17:30:00 +0000

I have a new sponsor for the rest of May - I'd love for you to meet Jasmine Mansfield and Lilla Rose! You can find the Lilla Rose button on my sidebar and I've updated my May Sponsor Post with more info about Jasmine and Lilla Rose. I know you'll love the pretty and feminine hair jewelry they offer!

Be sure to stop by and say hello to my other wonderful May sponsors: Keeplets, Joyful Living Media, and Frugal Femina!

Have a wonderful day friends! :)

Roasted Rosemary Potato Salad

noreply@blogger.com (Lisa @ Stop and Smell the Chocolates) — Tue, 15 May 2012 07:00:00 +0000

I have a few recipes that I posted in the past on another blog and have wanted to repost here. I just had to post this one for you now - it's a great option for a Memorial Day picnic and it happens to go with TidyMom's Salad Social!

Roasted Rosemary Potato Salad

slightly adapted from a Weight Watcher's recipe

1 1/2 lbs red potatoes, scrubbed and cut into 1-in. pieces
2 1/2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
1 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary
1 medium red bell pepper, chopped {can use green or yellow pepper too}
1 medium onion, chopped {I use this onion shortcut}
1/4 cup mayonnaise
2 teaspoons white balsamic vinegar {can use regular balsamic}
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/8 teaspoon fresh-ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Spray large baking sheet with nonstick spray.

Place potatoes on baking sheet; add 2 teaspoons oil and the rosemary. Toss to coat. Arrange potatoes in single layer and roast until bottoms are deep golden and crisp, about 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, toss bell pepper, onion, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon oil together in medium bowl. Add to baking sheet and bake, turning occasionally, until potatoes are crisp and pepper and onion are tender, 15-20 minutes longer. Let cool 20 minutes.

Whisk mayonnaise, vinegar, mustard, salt, and pepper together in a large bowl. Add the potato mixture and toss to coat.

My friend Kim made her own version of this recipe - you can check that one out at Homesteader's Heart.

This post is linked to:

~ The Salad Social at TidyMom

~ Tempt My Tummy Tuesday at Blessed With Grace
~ Tasty Tuesday at Balancing Beauty and Bedlam
~ Chic & Crafty Party at The Frugal Girls

Come join The Salad Social at TidyMom sponsored by The International Olive Council’s Add Some Life!

What is your favorite salad recipe?

Have a terrific day friends!

Don't miss out on a recipe - subscribe here to stop and smell the chocolates with me all the time!

Teaching Your Son What Not To Say To a Lady

noreply@blogger.com (Lisa @ Stop and Smell the Chocolates) — Mon, 14 May 2012 07:00:00 +0000

Aaaahhhh...the good old days. That is my silly but adorable son when he was in 1st grade! But that has turned into this...

...goofy preteen with just enough photo editing skillz to create disturbing pics. LOL! :)

He is quite fond of joking around and really does make us laugh quite often. But he is still in the process of learning which jokes are appropriate and which jokes go too far.

We were getting our fave "fast" food - Chipotle {yum} - about a week ago. As we were getting our utensils, etc., son said something to me.

"Mom, you know, you look sooooooo old."

After I regained consciousness, I didn't quite know what to say, but my son quickly smiled, laughed and told me he was just joking. In true "girl" fashion, I obsessively questioned him all the way back to the car.

What made you say that?

Did something about how I looked or what I was wearing make you think up that comment?

Have you always thought that?

Do I really look old?

Are you embarrassed to be seen with me?

He assured me that the only reason he said it was because he knew it would bug me. Nice. Now the whole thing didn't really bother me - I mean, obviously I forgot all about it and never wrote a blog post about it or anything. *ahem*

Okay, truly I laughed, BUT I had a talk with him explaining that this is *not* the sort of thing that a man of any age should say to any lady. And most especially, he should never say such a thing - no matter how well he thinks the joke will be handled - to his future wife!! :)

Got any kid quotes that have made you shake your head lately?

Enjoy the everyday moments - subscribe here to stop and smell the chocolates with me!

Have a fabulous day friends! :)

Our Son Plays Tennis {One Beautiful Thing}

noreply@blogger.com (Lisa @ Stop and Smell the Chocolates) — Fri, 11 May 2012 06:30:00 +0000

I'm linking up with Brooke at Surprised By Life (her new blog!) for her first #OneBeautifulThing link-up! Stop by her blog to see what it's all about and to share a little beauty from your world.

Is this really a beautiful picture? Not by any photographer's standards. It was taken with my phone through a fence and zoomed in quite a bit - barely catching our almost 13 year-old son standing tall in the center.

But this is my beautiful thing for the week. Our son has tried a few sports over the years. He played soccer for a couple years and decided it wasn't his thing. He played baseball for 3 years and enjoyed it, but not enough to go into the more competitive level. And despite his height, he didn't want to play basketball {he was traumatized by a basketball class I took him to in 2nd grade - sigh}. Kiddo wanted to try something new. Tennis was one of my suggestions though I do not play. He tried a beginner class and was hooked.

Side story here: After completing the first beginner class last year, we bought our son his own racket, tennis balls, new and much larger tennis shoes, and a racket for hubs. Off they went to play their very first match together! 15 minutes later I received a phone call to get ibuprofen and son's Kaiser insurance card ready - they were on their way home before heading to the emergency room. Our son had broken his arm by tripping over his own feet running back to hit a ball! Awful!! No more tennis for quite some time. But he recovered nicely. :)

After completing another beginner class, our son wanted to move on in tennis. Now we go to a local club that offers lots of tennis lessons. He's in an intermediate class and improving all the time. But the best part? He LOVES it!! He wants to keep playing! He can't wait to get to his lessons, learn new things and improve! That hasn't really happened before with past sports. Whether or not our son ever plays tennis competitively, he finds joy in the sport and I know he will continue playing it into his adult life.

I find beauty in my son finding the sport that brings him joy and makes him want to strive to improve. His joy and enthusiasm bring me joy! So if you ever hear me grumbling about running him to tennis lessons or watching him out in the wind/cold - remind me that THIS was my One Beautiful Thing.

What's one beautiful thing from your week?

Have a beautiful day friends! :)

Irish Cream-and-Coffee Pound Cake

noreply@blogger.com (Lisa @ Stop and Smell the Chocolates) — Wed, 09 May 2012 20:00:00 +0000

I wanted to try a new cake recipe last month for my birthday and decided on this one. Yum! Though I wish I would have chosen something more gooey for that occasion, this is a fantastic pound cake. Everyone that tried it really liked it! And oh-so-good with a cup of coffee. In fact, since it has coffee in it - couldn't we go ahead and have it for breakfast? :)

Isn't it lovely? I found the recipe in a cute little cookbook that my dad passed on to me: Cafe Nervosa: The Connoisseur's Cookbook from the show Frasier.

Mixing up all that deliciousness.

Toast the sliced almonds.

After applying glaze, almond slices will "stick" to the top.

Here you go - have a slice! :)

Irish Cream-and-Coffee Cake

1 1/2 cups butter, softened
3 cups sugar
6 large eggs
1 1/2 tablespoons instant coffee granules {used Starbucks Via}
1/4 cup boiling water
1/2 cup Irish cream liqueur {used this homemade version}
4 cups flour
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon almond extract
3 tablespoons sliced almonds, toasted

Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. Grease and flour a 13-cup Bundt pan.

In electric mixer bowl, beat butter at medium until soft and creamy - about 2 minutes. Gradually add sugar while beating at medium, for 5-7 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating just until yellow disappears.

Dissolve coffee granules in boiling water. Stir in liqueur. Add flour to butter mixture alternately with coffee mixture. Begin and end with flour mixture. Mix at low speed after each addition, just until blended. Stir in extracts.

Pour batter into prepared Bundt pan. Bake for 1 hour and 40 minutes or until wooden pick comes out clean. {I think my cake took less time - start checking at 1 1/2 hours.} Let cool in pan on wire rack for 10-15 minutes. Remove from pan {carefully - I lost a chunk to the pan and "glued" it back in place with the glaze} and cool on wire rack for 30 minutes. Brush all over with Irish Cream Glaze {recipe below}. Sprinkle toasted almond slices over top. Cool completely.

Irish Cream Glaze
1 teaspoon instant coffee granules {used Starbucks Via}
2 tablespoons boiling water
1 1/2 tablespoons Irish cream liqueur {used this homemade version}
2/3 cup powdered sugar, sifted* {or whisked to get lumps out}

Dissolve coffee granules in boiling water. Add liqueur and powdered sugar. Stir until blended and smooth.

*Raise your hand if you own a sifter {I do not.}. I know it gets out lumps and puts air into the powder, but I am just too lazy. :)

This post linked to:
~ Tasty Tuesday at Balancing Beauty and Bedlam
~ Tempt My Tummy Tuesday at Blessed With Grace
~ Chic & Crafty Party at The Frugal Girls
~ I'm Lovin' It at TidyMom

Do you have a favorite recipe with coffee in it?

Have a blessed day friends!

Welcome to My May Sponsors

noreply@blogger.com (Lisa @ Stop and Smell the Chocolates) — Mon, 07 May 2012 18:30:00 +0000

I'm so happy to introduce you to my May sponsors! I do hope you'll stop by and say hi to thank them for supporting me in my blogging journey.

Welcome to my sweet friend Katie at Frugal Femina!! Katie has been gone from the blogosphere for about a year, but this past Friday {5/4} she relaunched her blog. I know you'll want to follow along as her posts will cover faith, homemaking, cooking, and more. In fact, today she posted her Menu Plan for the week which has some dinner recipes that have combined freezer cooking and crock pot cooking - how cool is that?! Keep up with Frugal Femina by subscribing by RSS, subscribing by e-mail, liking Frugal Femina on Facebook, following Frugal Femina on Twitter, and/or following Frugal Femina on Pinterest!

Welcome to Keeplets! As the site says: Wear it...Read it...Learn it...Keep it...then...Swap your verse!! Keeplets offers affordable bracelets, key fobs, and key fob wristlets that come with Scripture cards. You put a verse in the window of your bracelet or key fob where you can read and memorize it easily. When you're ready for a new one - just swap it out! Not only is this a great way for us busy moms to learn and keep Scripture, but it's a great way for your kiddos to memorize verses! There are several colors to choose from and bulk orders are available for youth groups, camps, VBS, etc. I'll have a Keeplets review and giveaway coming for you later this month! Act fast and you can take advantage of the MOM and ME sale through 5/8 for 20% savings and free shipping! Be sure to Like Keeplets on Facebook to keep up with all the latest products and specials!

Welcome back to Joyful Living Media! Christin has a desire to help Christian women with their blogs and to do it for an affordable price. She offers blog consults and critiques, writing critiques, and social media consults/critiques. If you want to see what others are saying about her services, check out the endorsements! If you're interested in Joyful Living Media's services, I recommend signing up soon as the prices are introductory and even more affordable right now! Be sure to subscribe to Joyful Living Media as Christin offers great advice on how to get a sponsor and more. You can follow Christin on Twitter and Like Joyful Living Media on Facebook!

Added on 5/15 **Welcome to my latest May Sponsor ~ Jasmine Mansfield and Lilla Rose. Jasmine recently became a Lilla Rose Independent Consultant to help supplement her husband's income while staying home with their children. Lilla Rose has been in the hair goods business since 1992 and has produced some of the loveliest hair products throughout the years. You can browse Jasmine's website and view the style and sizing videos for great information on which Flexi-Clip is right for you. You can visit Jasmine and Lilla Rose on Facebook for more on hair jewelry and accessories. Subscribe to her Newsletter for the latest on discounts, sales, and free shipping. And you can follow Jasmine on Twitter and connect with her on her blog Far Above Rubies.

Thank you so much to Frugal Femina, Keeplets, Joyful Living Media, and Jasmine from Lilla Rose for partnering with me this merry month of May! :) If you stop by, be sure and tell them Stop & Smell the Chocolates sent you!

If you'd like more info on being a sponsor - check out my Advertising page.

Have a blessed day friends!

It's the 2nd...Got a Second?

noreply@blogger.com (Lisa @ Stop and Smell the Chocolates) — Wed, 02 May 2012 05:30:00 +0000

Well this might take more than a second, but if you remember this every month on the 2nd - you can take a little time and accomplish something you've been putting off. Something that you need to do because you should be taking good care of yourself - your family needs you! What could that be??

I'm talking about making appointments for yourself - and maybe other family members too. I'm good at making all my son's appointments and reminding hubs to make appointments, but me? Not so good. I do have my dentist appointment every 6 months because we set that appointment up at each cleaning. And I do have my hair appointment (priorities - LOL) regularly - though I also set up the next one when I'm there each time - it works out so much better!

These are the appointments I've been putting off:

~ Eye appointment {might be something like 5-6 years -oops}
~ Mammogram {was due in Feb}
~ Dentist appointment to get a crown {a couple months overdue}
~ Female checkup {maybe a year past due}
~ Physical {had a general checkup & bloodwork beginning of last year}

Since it's the 2nd and I've "got a second" - here's what I did:

~ Eye appointment {Set for 5/7.}
~ Mammogram {Did it yesterday -woo hoo!}
~ Dentist appointment to get a crown {Set for 5/8.}
~ Female checkup {Set for 5/30.}
~ Physical {Not yet - still need to pick a new Dr. since mine relocated.}

I did not expect that I would be able to set all these appointments for this month - so much for putting them off a little longer - LOL!

Now it's YOUR turn! You don't have to do all of them today {hey - I know there are deductibles and co-pays to worry about} but do at least ONE today - right now - don't stop to think about it or be anxious. I mean it - and I can be bossy {'cause I'm the oldest child}. Then each month - on the 2nd - maybe you'll remember "Got a Second?" and force yourself to set one more appointment!

And it's OK to reward yourself for going to the tough appointments. I *might* have done that since a local cupcake shop was having a BOGO deal. :)

OK - what appointment(s) did you set today? *Ahem*...I better see lots of comments here so I know that you really did it. :)

Linked up today with WFMW at We Are THAT Family {and you can still enter to win a copy of That Works For Me right here!}.

We can work on stopping and smelling the chocolates together every day - you're welcome to subscribe here!

Have a great day friends!!

Green Bean Salad With Bacon

noreply@blogger.com (Lisa @ Stop and Smell the Chocolates) — Mon, 30 Apr 2012 07:00:00 +0000

Sometimes I have to give you something other than dessert and/or chocolate - for a more balanced diet - LOL! I recently tried this recipe for a potluck and it was yummy! It was nice to have something a little different to do with green beans. As the weather gets warm, I love having a new salad to try.

Green Bean Salad with Bacon

adapted from Cooking Light

2 pounds green beans, trimmed

5 bacon slices

2 1/2 tablespoons finely chopped shallots

1/4 cup red wine vinegar

1 1/2 tablespoons honey

1 1/2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

3/8 teaspoon kosher salt

Cook beans in boiling water 5 minutes. Drain and plunge beans into ice water. Drain. Place beans in large bowl.

Cook bacon slices in skillet over medium until crisp. Remove bacon from pan, reserving about a teaspoon of drippings in pan. Crumble bacon and set aside. Add chopped shallots to drippings in pan. Stir frequently and cook for 1-2 minutes. Add red wine vinegar and cook for 30 seconds while scraping pan to loosen browned bits. Drizzle mixture over beans.

Combine honey, mustard, pepper, and salt. Stir with whisk. Pour over green bean mixture and toss to coat. Sprinkle with crumbled bacon.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Yum - are you going to give it a try? If you prefer your green beans as a warm side dish - you can try my friend Kim's Bacon Green Bean Recipe.

This post is linked to:

~ Tempt My Tummy Tuesday at Blessed With Grace

~ Tasty Tuesday at Balancing Beauty and Bedlam

~ Chic & Crafty Party at The Frugal Girls

Have a blessed day friends!

That Works For Me {Review & Giveaway}

noreply@blogger.com (Lisa @ Stop and Smell the Chocolates) — Sat, 28 Apr 2012 07:30:00 +0000

**Congrats to the giveaway winner - Kim from Homesteader's Heart!!**

By now, you may have heard about the new e-book: That Works For Me ~ Tried and True Tips from Works for Me Wednesday.

If you haven't heard of Works For Me Wednesday - it's a linkup that occurs every Wednesday at the blog We Are THAT Family. I've linked up many times myself. There are hundreds of helpful tips, new ideas, great recipes, and so much more! You can find just about anything you might need to know there!

The great thing about the book That Works For Me is that hundreds of the best tips {over 800 in fact!} have been pulled together and organized {by Kristen Welch & Jennifer De Groot} so you can have the info you need right at your fingertips! I am honored to have a couple of my tips included in this book! I love the way the book is laid out - the tips are organized into 24 different categories. The categories include Baby, Blogging, Garden, Travel, and Recipes, just to name a few.

Every tip listed tells you what category it belongs in, has a brief description and a link directly to that post. You can also look through the list of tip titles by category to find the page number for each one. Very easy to use! I recommend purchasing the PDF of this book and downloading it to your computer. Take some time to browse through lots of great tips and then keep it on hand to be your go-to tip finder before you even have to "google" how to do something. And you already know these tips are tried and true - even better!

If you stop by thatworksfor.me right now, not only can you get more info about the book plus a sample page, but through 4/30 you can enter a contest to win free housecleaning - woo hoo! :)

**Giveaway Closed.** I get the privilege of giving away a copy of That Works For Me to one of you!! Yay!!

To enter:
~ Leave a comment on this post!

For 1 extra entry:
~ Follow It Works For Me on Twitter, Facebook, and/or Pinterest {follow any or all, but only 1 extra entry permitted} and leave a separate comment!

Giveaway open through Wednesday 5/2. Winner will be selected using a random number generator.

Save $1!! If you'd like to go ahead and purchase a copy of That Works For Me right now {$8} - use code SAVE1 to get $1 off your purchase! You'll be helping a charity at the same time as a portion of the proceeds go to Mercy House.

Disclosures: I received a free copy of That Works For Me to give an honest review and received a copy to give away. All opinions are my own, as always! The links to buy the book are affiliate links and I'll receive a small percentage if you choose to buy the book through me.

Have a blessed day friends!!

Cocoa Crispy Bars

noreply@blogger.com (Lisa @ Stop and Smell the Chocolates) — Tue, 24 Apr 2012 07:30:00 +0000

I originally published these bars on my healthy blog a long time ago, but wanted to put them here. Found them in a Weight Watchers magazine years ago - but they're yummy whether you're a dieter or not. It's a nice variation on rice crispy treats - and well...there's chocolate involved so that's always a plus - LOL! :)

They're easy to make - try them out and let me know what you think!

Cocoa Crispy Bars

2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 ounce unsweetened chocolate, finely chopped or grated
1 (7 oz.) jar marshmallow creme
2 tablespoons unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
6 cups crisped rice cereal

1. Spray a 13x9 in. baking pan with nonstick spray.

2. Melt the butter and chocolate in a large saucepan over low heat. Add the marshmallow creme, cocoa, and vanilla; stir until smooth. Remove from heat and add the cereal, stirring until well-coated.

3. Spread the mixture into the prepared pan. Spray your hands with nonstick spray and press the batter down evenly. Let cool 10 minutes, then cut into 24 squares.

Bonus - if you are a WW person, the "old" points were only 1 pt per piece {if cut into 24}! These are best {freshest} when eaten in a couple of days - but is that really going to be an issue? ;)

Keep up with all the recipes at Stop and Smell the Chocolates - just subscribe right here!

This post linked to:
~ Tempt My Tummy Tuesday at Blessed With Grace
~ Tasty Tuesday at Balancing Beauty and Bedlam
~ Chic & Crafty Party at The Frugal Girls

Have a terrific day friends!

Ultimate Blog Party Wrap-Up

noreply@blogger.com (Lisa @ Stop and Smell the Chocolates) — Mon, 23 Apr 2012 17:00:00 +0000

Wasn't that a fun party?! I want to thank all of you who stopped by and hope you enjoyed peeking around here! Also - thank you for so many sweet birthday and blogaversary wishes!! Welcome to my new followers and readers too!

I have been so blessed by the lovely people that have stopped by and commented! I do look forward to getting to know you all better. That's the fun thing about parties - making new friends! I ended up having company all week and could not party it up UBP12 style like I thought I would. I will gradually be making my way around and saying hello!

I suppose you want to know who won the $10 Starbucks card?! Drumroll...

Congrats to LaVonne @ Long Wait For Isabella !!!

If you're sad about not winning, I do have an ebook giveaway coming up later this week. :) Does that help - LOL? Thanks again for coming by!

Be sure to stop and smell the chocolates in your day ~ subscribe here so we can do it together!

Have a marvelous day friends!

Thursday Thoughts

noreply@blogger.com (Lisa @ Stop and Smell the Chocolates) — Thu, 19 Apr 2012 08:00:00 +0000

Sometimes I just need a post full of random things to get you caught up and get my own brain on track! This is just such a post - LOL! Think of it like this - we're sitting across from each other at my table with a cup of coffee or tea and some sort of pastry, chatting about our week.

~ My dad is here visiting this week which is nice, but causes everything in my home to get a bit further behind {TOTALLY worth it though!!} so please excuse my lack of online presence. We are enjoying hanging out, playing games, shopping, running errands, taking kiddo to his activities, and eating...a LOT of eating! :)

~ I posted a fun little recipe at Pennies & Blessings a couple days ago. It's an Individual Rice Crispy Treat! You can whip 1 up for yourself in a couple minutes - soooo easy!

~ I have another post up at Pennies & Blessings right now as part of the Budget Bootcamp series. It's a caution about student loans and I'd love your input! Stop by and say hello!

~ You have through Friday 4/20 to stop by my Ultimate Blog Party post and enter to win a $10 Starbucks card! By the way, congrats to Lisa from The Cozy Nook for winning the 1 lb box of truffles I gave away a few days ago!

~ I made an impulse purchase in Costco today {hubs gave the OK though I didn't exactly "ask" if I could buy it}. They had an awesome sale on an item I have often thought of purchasing and I was further convinced by the input of a customer in the aisle {*was* she just a customer or a Costco "plant" to get people to buy more of this item - LOL}. Yes, I am guilty of a few impulse buys, but in my defense, is it even possible to walk out of Costco without at least 1 impulse buy??! Soooo...you want to know what I bought. I finally bought the Magic Bullet! Why yes, we did have "4-second" chocolate mousse. :) And I'll probably try some version of this Magic Bullet frappuccino recipe posted at Money Saving Mom. If you have a Magic Bullet, what's your fave thing to make in it?

~ I'm getting sleepy {Hey - I write at night!} so I better stop chit-chatting. But you just sit, relax, finish that cup of coffee and catch your breath before going back to your busy day!

What's going on in your world this week? Do share!

Have a lovely day friends!

Chocolate-Pecan-Cranberry Cake

noreply@blogger.com (Lisa @ Stop and Smell the Chocolates) — Mon, 16 Apr 2012 20:30:00 +0000

Because there needs to be more cake in the world. :) Or maybe just in my world!

I saved this recipe out of a magazine ages ago, but never made it. Found it again recently, made a few changes, and took it to a church potluck. It was so moist and yummy!! Loved it and I will definitely make again!

I did have a problem with the middle sinking and being too goopy, which may have been due to my using coconut oil or I may have added a bit too much moisture {not measuring carefully} to the cake. This is what it looked like with the sunken middle...

Had to get my pics in the church kitchen, so I didn't get very good ones. I was going to cut out the soggy middle and put a little dish with pecans and craisins in the middle (LOL), but the ladies at church told me to keep the middle there! I had already planned on topping it with powdered sugar, so I did my best to camouflage the unevenness of the cake by putting the pecans and craisins all around the outside of the cake and some on top. :)

Chocolate-Pecan-Cranberry Cake
adapted from Cooking Light

1 2/3 cups flour
1 1/2 cups sugar
3/4 cup Dutch process cocoa {What's Dutch cocoa?}
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup Pear Sauce {or apple sauce}
1/2 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk {or plain almond milk}
1/4 cup coconut oil {or canola oil}
1 cup sweetened dried cranberries
1/2 cup chopped pecans, toasted
Powdered sugar for topping

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

2. Combine flour, sugar, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in large bowl and whisk together. Combine pear sauce, almond milk, and oil in small bowl. Add to flour mixture, stirring just until moist. Add cranberries and pecans. Stir until combined. Spread in 10-inch greased springform pan {I put foil on the outside to prevent any leakage while cooking}.

3. Bake at 350 for 45 minutes or until edges begin to pull away from sides of pan. {I baked mine even longer and still had a goopy center for some reason.} Cool on wire rack. Sprinkle with powdered sugar.

This cake is great for dessert but would also be wonderful with a cup of coffee in the afternoon - mmmmm. And hey - chocolate antioxidants with the addition of fruit and nuts - makes this cake practically a health food. Yes. Yes it does. :)

Do you have a favorite kind of chocolate cake?

This post is linked to:
~ Tempt My Tummy Tuesday at Blessed With Grace
~ Chic and Crafty Party at The Frugal Girls
~ I'm Lovin' It at TidyMom

Have a wonderful day friends! And subscribe right here if you haven't so you don't miss out on any recipes here at Stop and Smell the Chocolates!

Ultimate Blog Party 2012

noreply@blogger.com (Lisa @ Stop and Smell the Chocolates) — Fri, 13 Apr 2012 06:00:00 +0000

It's just one big party around here! Monday was my 4-year Blogaversary and today (Friday) is my birthday!! It's SO nice of 5 Minutes For Mom to have this huge Ultimate Blog Party just in my honor - LOL!! And I'm glad you stopped by to party with me! :)

Whether you're new here or an old friend, I hope to get to know you a little better! I'm Lisa - child of God, wife for almost 20 years, mother of a soon-to-be 13 year-old son, and quite the Imperfect Homemaker. I like to stop and smell the chocolates in life. Now that doesn't always mean actual chocolate! I'm talking about noticing and appreciating those little blessings in your everyday life. Blessings that come from faith, family, food, friends, and fun!

This is not a food blog, but I do love finding and sharing recipes with all of you! Just check out how long my Recipe Index is now! *Ahem*...you might notice that the biggest sections are Cakes and Cookies & Bars, if that tells you anything. :)

I blog about all sorts of subjects - my son, Encouraging Bloggers, chocolate, Wordless Wednesday, and more. You won't find a niche here! Expect a little bit of everything. Variety is the spice of life, right?!

And just for fun - let's celebrate with a little giveaway! **Giveaway Closed.** It's a gift card for a little place I like...a lot. You might have heard of it. It's called Starbucks. :)

**Giveaway Closed.** Enter to win a $10 Starbucks gift card by leaving a comment on this post and telling me about one of the blessings in your day! This giveaway will be open through 4/20 and the winner will be chosen by a random number generator. Please make sure that I am able to reply by e-mail to your comment or leave your e-mail in the comment in case you win!

If you like to stop and smell the chocolates too, you can subscribe to my blog, follow me on Twitter, or like me on Facebook!

Party on friends and have a blessed day!

Party, Party, Par-tay!

noreply@blogger.com (Lisa @ Stop and Smell the Chocolates) — Wed, 11 Apr 2012 09:00:00 +0000

Congrats to Lisa from The Cozy Nook - my See's Candy truffles winner!!

It's definitely time to celebrate! Monday was my 4-year Blogaversary {4 years - amazing!} and Friday is my birthday - woo hoo!! That means we need to party it up! Go ahead - have some cake! :)

It's hard to believe that it's been 4 years since I started blogging. Now that doesn't mean I've blogged the entire 4 years - I took a few breaks along the way and even "quit" for 4 months last year. But I've been back to it for a solid year and feel like I'm just now really getting back into the groove. I've also been a Contributor at Pennies & Blessings for a year now which has helped me stretch myself a bit {I just shared Chicken Enchilada Casserole over there}.

The Blogosphere has changed a lot in that time and it gets harder all the time to figure out my place in this online world. It's definitely a journey and I'm so glad you've been along for the ride! I do appreciate all of you sweet readers - thank you for being here with me. I hope to do a better job connecting with all of you in the near future.

**Giveaway Closed** In celebration of you lovelies - I have a special giveaway for you! And yes, it's chocolate - so one of you can literally stop and smell the chocolates! :) For those few of you who can't have chocolate, I can almost guarantee that you have family members or friends who would love you forever if you handed them this box of chocolates - so be sure to enter! :)

That my friends, is a 1 pound box of See's Candy Truffles. Oh yesssss. I will be happy to ship it off to one of you after I manage to pry my fingers off the box - LOL!

**Giveaway Closed** How to enter {mandatory}:

~ You must be a subscriber for this giveaway so I can reward an actual reader! You can be subscribed in a feed reader, through e-mail, through Facebook, or some other method {yes you can subscribe right now and it will count}. Leave me a comment and tell me how you are subscribed to my blog!

Extra entries {optional}:

~ Follow/Like me on Twitter or Facebook and leave a comment telling me about it!
~ Reader Shout-Out - leave a comment telling me where you're from {as general/specific as you wish}!

Giveaway not sponsored by See's Candy or anybody else but me. Giveaway open through 9pm PST Monday 4/16. Winner will be chosen by Random Number Generator.

Thank you again friends for sticking with me and blessing me with your friendship!

I'll continue the partying later this week by joining up with the Ultimate Blog Party hosted by 5 Minutes For Mom {and there'll be another giveaway - woo hoo!} - see you there!

In the meantime, don't forget - my sweet sponsors not only have great prices, but some special discounts for my readers!

Have a fabulous and blessed day friends!!

Sponsors & Discounts, Oh My!

noreply@blogger.com (Lisa @ Stop and Smell the Chocolates) — Tue, 10 Apr 2012 08:00:00 +0000

In my Rewind & Renew post, I mentioned that I would start having sponsors on my blog - and now I do!! I want to introduce you to my sweet April sponsors {all of whom I have "known" online for quite some time}!

Christin from Joyful Mothering has just launched a new business: Joyful Living Media ~ cultivating your blog for growth. As Christin says on her site,"The birthing of Joyful Living Media came from a desire to help fellow Christian women bloggers get started with or fine tune their blog and their vision for blogging." She's offering blog critiques and consulting along with writing critiques at very affordable prices.

Are you new to blogging or looking to change directions with your blog? Have you been blogging for a while but feel stuck or want to experience new growth on your blog? Then I highly recommend Christin's services! She truly has a heart for helping others and has some excellent knowledge to pass along. Since Christin just launched the business, her prices are introductory - take advantage now before they go up! If you do sign up for Joyful Living Media's services, please let Christin know that you were referred by Stop and Smell the Chocolates! You'll help us both to track how well the advertising is doing - thank you!

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Kelsey from A Ray of Sunshine opened her own Etsy shop - A Ray of Sunshine {The Shop}. I've actually hugged Kelsey in real life - and I can tell you that she's super sweet {She's Homesteader's Heart's daughter - how could she be anything but fabulous?!}! She started out making mainly earrings, but now she has many more adorable things in her shop - like crocheted slippers, coffee cozies, rings, necklaces, and even some baby items!

The prices at A Ray of Sunshine {The Shop} are already very reasonable, but Kelsey has a generous offer for my lovely readers! With the code CHOCOLATE20 you will receive 20% off your purchase! Just in time to get an early Mother's Day gift or two!

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Christy recently started her new online shop - Christy Klein Originals. She was originally a blogger but later devoted herself to making jewelry and opened an Etsy shop. As her jewelry-making skills developed and demand increased, she was able to open her own business website. I've known Christy for quite a while, especially through Twitter. She makes amazing jewelry in the midst of homeschooling and surviving the adventures of life with her sweet family, a good sense of humor, and a lot of coffee. :)

Christy is offering my readers a generous 20% discount through May 5th! Enter the code Chocolate20 at Christy Klein Originals to get your discount. These beautifully made pieces would be lovely Mother's Day gifts or even something special for a graduate!

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I hope you'll all do me a favor - visit my sponsors and look around! Thank you Christin, Kelsey, and Christy for partnering with me this month!

Are you interested in being a sponsor here at Stop and Smell the Chocolates? Or do you know somebody with a business or blog that might want to be a sponsor? Check out my sponsor referral incentive and click on the Advertising Page for more info!

April Sponsor Referral Incentive:

- Refer a sponsor who pays for a 3-month ad package for May-July 2012 and receive a $5 Starbucks gift card. The referred sponsor will receive 3 extra mentions each month on social media - sponsor's choice of FB or Twitter. {Yes, you *can* refer yourself!} This offer is good through April 30th or until all ad spots are filled, whichever occurs first.

Thanks friends for all your support! Have a terrific day!

Be sure to click right here and subscribe so you can stop and smell the chocolates in your day {*whispers* ...and so you don't miss out on upcoming giveaways!}! :)

Rejoice ~ He Is Risen

noreply@blogger.com (Lisa @ Stop and Smell the Chocolates) — Sun, 08 Apr 2012 07:00:00 +0000

Matthew 28:1-10

In the end of the sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week, came Mary Magdalene and the other Mary to see the sepulchre.
2 And, behold, there was a great earthquake: for the angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat upon it.

3 His countenance was like lightning, and his raiment white as snow:

4 And for fear of him the keepers did shake, and became as dead men.

5 And the angel answered and said unto the women, Fear not ye: for I know that ye seek Jesus, which was crucified.

6 He is not here: for he is risen, as he said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay.

7 And go quickly, and tell his disciples that he is risen from the dead; and, behold, he goeth before you into Galilee; there shall ye see him: lo, I have told you.

8 And they departed quickly from the sepulchre with fear and great joy; and did run to bring his disciples word.

9 And as they went to tell his disciples, behold, Jesus met them, saying, "All hail." And they came and held him by the feet, and worshipped him.

10 Then said Jesus unto them, "Be not afraid: go tell my brethren that they go into Galilee, and there shall they see me."
~ Verses from King James Bible

Have a blessed Resurrection Day!

Resurrection Day Dinner Menu

noreply@blogger.com (Lisa @ Stop and Smell the Chocolates) — Fri, 06 Apr 2012 07:00:00 +0000

AKA Easter dinner menu. :) Yes, I just finally completed my menu and will be shopping today! Here's what I've decided on serving:

Chicken Caesar Lasagna

Marinated Vegetable Salad

Either - Rustic Italian Bread Salad

Or - Winter Salad with Apples and Walnuts

Beer Bread {'Cause it's SO easy!}

Lace Cookies {from my friend Knit1Kids4}

And I know I posted 10 Easter dessert choices last week - but I couldn't decide on any of them! So...I'm making something new and I'll post the recipe sometime this month. I wish I could make all of my favorite desserts, but we don't have a big enough group for that - LOL!

What are you making this weekend? Or are you having a special meal somewhere else?

Have a blessed Resurrection Day friends!

Stop and click to subscribe to keep smelling the chocolates with me!

More Encouraging Bloggers Resources

noreply@blogger.com (Lisa @ Stop and Smell the Chocolates) — Thu, 05 Apr 2012 20:00:00 +0000

For those of you who followed along with my Encouraging Bloggers series, I have a couple more resources to share with you!

Have you stopped by the Allume blog yet? So many good things happening there, but one that you will appreciate is the Smaller Bloggers series on Thursdays. Christin and Trina are writing the series to "...equip you, encourage you, and cheer you on." Go. Read. Be encouraged!

If you're looking for some help with your blog, my friend Christin from Joyful Mothering has just launched a new business: Joyful Living Media. Christin is offering blog critiques and consults along with writing critiques. Her prices are very affordable! This could be just the thing to help your blog get off the ground or to help you move forward if you're feeling stuck. Go check it out!

Remember - if you need a little assistance with fixing up your blog, you can check out my Blog Tips pinterest board. I just used one of the tutorials linked on there a couple days ago!

Resist the temptation to compare yourself to others and don't let the blogosphere get you down! You have a voice and a purpose - keep on blogging!

May you be blessed and encouraged today friends!

You can stop & smell the chocolates with me everyday - just click and subscribe right here.

Stop and Smell the Chocolates

Homemade Larabars and an Easy Centerpiece

Time For Teacher Gifts

White Chocolate Lemon Cheesecake

Keeplets ~ Wear and Keep God's Word {Review & Giveaway}

At The End of My Rope {One Beautiful Thing}

Wordless Wednesday ~ Cozy Buster

Another May Sponsor!

Roasted Rosemary Potato Salad

Teaching Your Son What *Not* To Say To a Lady

Our Son Plays Tennis {One Beautiful Thing}

Irish Cream-and-Coffee Pound Cake

Welcome to My May Sponsors

It's the 2nd...Got a Second?

Green Bean Salad With Bacon

That Works For Me {Review & Giveaway}

Cocoa Crispy Bars

Ultimate Blog Party Wrap-Up

Thursday Thoughts

Chocolate-Pecan-Cranberry Cake

Ultimate Blog Party 2012

Party, Party, Par-tay!

Sponsors & Discounts, Oh My!

Rejoice ~ He Is Risen

Resurrection Day Dinner Menu

More Encouraging Bloggers Resources

Teaching Your Son What Not To Say To a Lady