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Patriotic Cheesecake Pretzel Bites

2013-06-18T19:51:00.001-07:00

When holidays come around I really love making easy holiday themed foods. These Patriotic Cheesecake Pretzel Bites are a great treat for the 4th of July. They are no-bake cheesecake that are stuffed in a pretzel and partially covered with white chocolate. I found this great idea from Shugary Sweets and adapted it for the 4th of July.

I used Duncan Hines Frosting Creations to flavor the cheesecake. I used the Cotton Candy and Bubble Gum flavors. These flavors are so fun for kids, but they are sweet. If you rather have a traditional cheesecake flavor you can also use berry blue or strawberry flavored jello.

I think that these pretzel bites are so cute and are the perfect snack for your 4th of July or red, white, and blue party. I can't wait to make these great and easy cheesecake pretzel bites for the 4th. I hope you enjoy these great pretzel bites!

Patriotic Cheesecake Pretzel Bites

(Recipe adapted from Shugary Sweets)

4 ounces cream cheese, softened

1/2 teaspoon bubble gum Duncan Hines Frosting Creations mix (or 1 teaspoon strawberry Jello)

1/2 teaspoon cotton candy Duncan Hines Frosting Creations mix (or 1 teaspoon berry blue Jello)

3 cups powdered sugar

Mini Pretzel Twists

1 cup white chocolate chips, melted

Red, White, and Blue sprinkles (optional)

1. In one bowl add the cream cheese, bubble gum mix, and 1 1/2 cups of powdered sugar and beat until combined into a dough.

2. In another bowl add the cream cheese, cotton candy mix, and the rest of the powdered sugar and beat until combined into a dough.

3. Roll the red and blue dough into one inch balls and press each ball between two pretzels. Half of the pretzels should be made with the red dough and half with the blue dough. If the dough is too soft to work with, refrigerate it for about 15-30 minutes before pressing between the pretzels.

4. Once the pretzels are assembled, refrigerate for about 30 minutes. Then dip half of each pretzel into the melted white chocolate and then add the sprinkles on top. Allow the chocolate to set (you can refrigerate if you want) and store in an airtight container.

*Alyssa*

Linked to these parties

Check out these other recipes for the 4th of July:

Patriotic Bundt Cake

Red, White, and Blue Poke Cake

Patriotic Pretzel Hugs

Funfetti Monkey Bread

2013-06-14T04:00:00.000-07:00

Today I am participating in a virtual birthday party for Meghan at The Tasty Fork. Make sure to stop by Meghan's blog to check out all the great recipes from the virtual birthday party. I decided to make this fantastic Funfetti Monkey Bread to help Meghan celebrate her birthday.

This monkey bread is made using refrigerated cinnamon buns that are covered in funfetti cake mix. The monkey bread was so good and it even tasted like cake. This would be great for breakfast, dessert, or for a snack and would be perfect for any birthday celebration. I also love how easy it is to make the monkey bread. I really loved the combination of the cake flavor with the cinnamon roll flavor. I hope that you enjoy this delicious monkey bread!

Funfetti Monkey Bread

3 cans Pillsbury refrigerated cinnamon rolls with icing

1 cup funfetti cake mix, dry
1/2 cup sugar
2 tablespoons rainbow jimmies (sprinkles)
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup butter
1/2 teaspoon funfetti cake mix, dry (optional)

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

2. Combine the funfetti cake mix and sugar in a large zip bag and shake to combine.

3. Separate each can into 8 cinnamon rolls and cut each cinnamon roll in half and roll each half into a ball. Place half of the balls into the zip lock bag and shake to coat with the funfetti cake mixture.

4. Place the coated cinnamon rolls into a greased bundt pan.

5. Then place the remaining cinnamon roll balls into the plastic bag and shake to coat. Place the remaining coated cinnamon rolls on top of the first layer of cinnamon rolls in the bundt pan. Sprinkle the rainbow jimmies over the coated cinnamon rolls.

6. In a small bowl add the brown sugar and butter and microwave for one minute. Stir until the sugar is dissolved. Pour the butter mixture on top of the coated cinnamon rolls in the bundt pan.

7. Bake the monkey bread for 20-25 minutes or until the top is golden brown. Cool for five minutes then invert the monkey bread onto a plate. Add the 1/4 teaspoon of the funfetti cake mix into two separate containers of the cinnamon roll icing and stir to combine. Melt the icing for 10 seconds in the microwave. The drizzle the icing over the monkey bread.

*Alyssa*

Linked to these parties

Happy Birthday Meghan! Make sure you stop by Meghan's Party to see all the great treats brought to her birthday celebration!

Check out these other great recipes:

Chocolate Cinnamon Monkey Bread

Cinnamon French Toast Bake

Strawberry Margarita Bundt Cake

Showcase Your Talent Thursday #64

2013-06-12T17:48:00.001-07:00

Welcome to

Showcase Your Talent Thursday!!

I hope that everyone is having a great week! I hope that everyone has a great Father's Day this weekend! We have a busy weekend and week. My son's 2nd birthday party is on Saturday and his actual birthday is next Wednesday. Father's Day is on Sunday and our 7th wedding anniversary is on Monday.

If you haven't already make sure to enter the giveaway I am currently co-hosting. As part of the Snap it or Bake It giveaway, we are giving away your choice of a Canon Rebel T3 DSLR Camera or a KitchenAid Standup Mixer and a $100 Amazon gift card. This is a great prize, I wish that I could win!

Thanks to everyone that linked up last week! I loved looking at all the great projects that were linked up! There were so many great ideas, I always have a hard time picking the features! I can't wait to see what you have to share this week!!

Most Viewed Link:

Cookie Dough Layer Cake by Tastes of Lizzy T. This cake looks absolutely fantastic. I love cookie dough and love all the cookie dough in this cake, especially the frosting and the cookie on top!

My Favorites:

Popsicle Cake Pops by Pint Sized Baker. These cake pops are so cute. These would be great for any summer party or gathering.

Slow Cooker Lasagna Soup by Queen Bee Coupons. This soup looks great and I really like how it is made in the slow cooker.

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Free Download Father's Day Cards by Allons-y Kimberly. These cards would be great for any dad on Father's Day. I have to print some out for the dads in my life.

{Skinny} Rainbow Ice Cream Cake with Fresh Fruit by Life, Love and Sugar. This cake is beautiful. I really love how each layer is made with fresh fruit.

Thanks for linking up and feel free to grab a button if you were featured.

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Link up as many of your recipes, crafts, tutorials, ideas, projects, or fun posts as you would like to share.

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Patriotic Bundt Cake

2013-06-11T19:47:00.000-07:00

The other day I posted a delicious cake that would be great for the 4th of July, a Red, White, and Blue Poke Cake. I decided to make another delicious 4th of July cake, because you can never have enough cake. I have been slightly obsessed with making bundt cakes lately, because I love how easy they are and I really like the way they look. Plus I think the frosting or glaze on the top looks so pretty. Due to this I decided to make a Patriotic Bundt Cake, with red, white, and blue colors.

This Bundt cake is made using Strawberry and Berry Blue Jello to flavor the red and blue layers. I loved the taste of the different flavors together, the cake was so delicious! My favorite part though, was the look of the cake, I loved how all the layers swirled together.

This cake tastes just as good as it looks. I made the cake using a red, white, and blue layer. With the second layer, the red layer, I did not completely cover the bottom layer and that created the great swirl effect. The frosting was also colored with the Strawberry and Berry Blue Jello. I loved the strawberry and blueberry flavors of this cake. This is a great cake for summer and is so festive for the 4th of July. I hope that you make this cake for your celebration!

Patriotic Bundt Cake

1 box (15.25 ounces) white cake mix + ingredients on box

1 box (3 ounces) Strawberry Jello

1 box (3 ounces) Berry Blue Jello

1 container white frosting

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

2. Make the cake batter according to the directions on the box. Then pour 1/3 of the cake batter into a greased bundt pan. Then split the remaining cake batter in half, pouring half into another bowl.

3. Reserve two tablespoons of Strawberry Jello and mix the remaining Strawberry Jello into one bowl of the cake batter until combined. Then pour the strawberry cake batter on top of the white layer. (If you want to make a swirl pattern, pour the red layer more in the center of the bundt pan).

4. Reserve two tablespoons of Berry Blue Jello and mix the remaining Jello into the remaining 1/3 of cake batter until combined. Pour the blue cake batter on top of the red and white layers, making sure to cover both layers.

5. Bake the cake for 40-45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow the cake to cool for 20 minutes then invert the cake onto a plate and allow to completely cool.

6. Once the cake is completely cooled, frost the bundt cake. Microwave the frosting for 15-30 seconds or until a little bit melted. Then split the frosting into thirds. Stir one tablespoon of the reserved strawberry jello into 1/3 of the frosting. Stir one tablespoon of the reserved berry blue jello into 1/3 of the frosting. Leave the other 1/3 of frosting white. Spoon each 1/3 of frosting into a small ziploc bag and cut the corner off with scissors. Then drizzle the frosting onto the bundt cake, alternating the red, white, and blue colors.

*Alyssa*

Linked to these parties

Check out these other patriotic desserts:

Red, White, and Blue Poke Cake

Red, White, and Blue Muddy Buddies

Patriotic Pretzel Hugs

Snap It or Bake It Giveaway

2013-06-10T06:05:00.003-07:00

Today I have got a great giveaway for you!

Have you been dreaming of owning a new DSLR Camera? Perhaps you want a brand new KitchenAid Standup Mixer. Well, you are in luck! Now you have your chance to enter a giveaway to win your choice of a Canon Rebel T3 DSLR Camera or a KitchenAid Mixer plus a $100 Amazon eCard! This giveaway is great for everyone!. If you aren't a baker, you can choose the camera! If you're a baker who already has a DSLR camera but are in the market for a standup mixer, you can choose the mixer and the Amazon ecard. Already have both? One of these would make a great gift for one of your family members or friends. Whatever your situation, we have you covered.

Say hello to the lovely gals who made this giveaway possible:

Before we get to the fun stuff, we'll need to cover some basic legal stuff with you. For the full disclosure, please see the rafflecopter.

This giveaway is open to all US and International residents. However, international residents will receive a $450.00 Amazon eGift Card in lieu of the camera or mixer.
The winner will choose either a Canon Rebel T3 DSLR Camera ($450 value) or a KitchenAid Mixer ($350 value) plus a Amazon eGift Card. The gift card only comes with the Mixer.
The winner will have 48 hours to respond to Julie from This Gal Cooks via email. If the winner fails to respond within this time frame, another winner will be chosen.
The winner will be announced on Monday, June 24th.
This giveaway is not open to anyone participating in the giveaway (the hosts) or their immediate family members.

Now for the fun part. Enter to win! Remember, you can come back and complete the Tweet entry once per day. Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Showcase Your Talent Thursday #63

2013-06-05T18:03:00.001-07:00

Welcome to

Showcase Your Talent Thursday!!

I hope that everyone is having a great week! The next few weekends will be really busy for us as we have two birthday parties this weekend. The weekend after that is my son's 2nd birthday party and Father's Day. I hope that everyone is enjoying the summer and that they have a great weekend!

Thanks to everyone that linked up last week! I loved looking at all the great projects that were linked up! There were so many great ideas, I always have a hard time picking the features! I can't wait to see what you have to share this week!!

Most Viewed Link:

Cake Mix Rolls by Busy Mom's Helper. These rolls look great and I love that they are made using a cake mix.

My Favorites:

Frozen Coconut Limeade by Dessert Now, Dinner Later. These frozen drinks look perfect for a hot summer day!

7 Layer Taco Dip by Little House Living. Wow, this dip looks fantastic! I think this would be a great appetizer.

Ruffle Pillow by Adventures of a DIY Mom. I love this pillow, the ruffles are so cute. I really liked the colors she used too!

Caramel Apple Salad by A Pinch of Joy. This Caramel Apple Salad looks delicious! I have to try this!

Thanks for linking up and feel free to grab a button if you were featured.

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Link up as many of your recipes, crafts, tutorials, ideas, projects, or fun posts as you would like to share.

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Link up to your post and not your main blog.

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Red, White, and Blue Poke Cake

2013-06-05T07:19:00.002-07:00

I have seen poke cakes all over the Internet lately, so I decided that I needed to make one. I am now hooked, poke cakes are so delicious and SO easy to make. It is a great way to add some flavor to a regular cake. Also I really liked how I can make this the night before and stick it in the refrigerator and it is all ready to serve the next day. This is especially important to me because one of the only chances I really get to spend in the kitchen is when my son goes to bed.

My favorite part about poke cakes is the taste. I love how the sweetened condensed milk and other flavors seep into the cake to make it incredibly moist and flavorful. Yum! I decided to make a poke cake for the 4th of July. This Red, White, and Blue Poke Cake is a great 4th of July treat with sweetened condensed milk, strawberry pie filling, and blueberry pie filling poured into the cake. I really loved the combination of the sweetened condensed milk with the strawberry and blueberry flavors in the cake.

I made this great cake using a chocolate cake box mix because I love the combination of fruit and chocolate, but feel free to use a white box cake mix if you prefer. Since the top of the cake is covered in whipped cream, I decided to decorate the top of the cake like an American Flag to make it even more festive. You can also make this for any occasion and forego the flag decoration on top.

This cake was so moist and I really liked the combination of the sweetened condensed milk and fruit with the chocolate cake. I hope you make this fabulous dessert for the 4th of July or it would be perfect for any occasion.

Red, White, and Blue Poke Cake

1 box chocolate cake mix + the ingredients on the back of the box.

1 can (14 ounces) sweetened condensed milk

1 cup strawberry pie filling

1 cup blueberry pie filling

1 container (8 ounces) Cool Whip

strawberries (optional topping)

blueberries (optional topping)

1. Prepare the cake according to the directions on the box.

2. Once the cake is completely cooled, use a wooden spoon to poke holes evenly throughout the cake, making about 25-30 holes.

3. Pour the sweetened condensed milk evenly over the cake, trying to fill up the holes.

4. Spread the strawberry pie filling on top of the cake, trying to get some in the holes. Then spread the blueberry pie filling on top of the strawberry pie filling. Then spread the Cool Whip on top.

5. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight. When ready to serve if desired, make an American Flag on top of the cake using strawberries and blueberries. This makes about 12 large pieces.

*Alyssa*

Linked to these parties

Check out these other great desserts:

Strawberry Margarita Bundt Cake

Red, White, and Blue Muddy Buddies

Patriotic Pretzel Hugs

Grilled Honey Balsamic Carrots

2013-06-03T19:17:00.004-07:00

With the nice weather we have had here lately, we have been grilling a lot. We are always looking for new recipes and things to grill, especially side dishes. We have been grilling a lot of vegetables, and love to grill asparagus. I decided to look for a different vegetable to grill and thought that it would be good to grill carrots, which we had never grilled before.

These grilled carrots were so delicious. They had a great honey balsamic glaze that added a great flavor and sweetness to the carrots. The carrots were tender but the grill also gave them a little crispiness. This combined with the great balsamic honey glaze made this a great side dish. Plus these carrots are easy to make and give such a great taste to the carrots that your whole family will love them.

Grilled Honey Balsamic Carrots

(Recipe adapted from Patio Dad BBQ)

6 carrots, peeled and sliced in half horizontally

1/2 cup balsamic dressing

1/4 cup honey

1 tablespoon brown sugar

1. Combine the balsamic dressing, honey, and brown sugar in a small bowl.

2. Put the carrots in a ziploc bag and pour the balsamic honey glaze over the carrots. Refrigerate and marinade for about 30 minutes.

3. Grill the carrots on a medium-high grill for about 15-20 minutes, turning a few times. When turning the carrots brush them with some of the leftover balsamic honey glaze. Cook until the carrots are tender.

Note: If you want to cook the carrots faster microwave for a few minutes and then grill until tender and to obtain the grilled flavor.

*Alyssa*

Linked to these parties

Check out these other great grilling recipes:

Bacon Wrapped Asparagus

Honey Chicken, Pineapple, and Zucchini Kabobs

Grilled S'mores Banana

Showcase Your Talent Thursday #62

2013-05-29T16:55:00.001-07:00

Welcome to

Showcase Your Talent Thursday!!

I hope that everyone is having a great week! I hope that everyone had a great Memorial Day. We spent a lot of time with family and had a really nice weekend. I just realized that this is my 300th post! I can't believe that I have that many posts. I hope that everyone has a great weekend. It's going to be hot here, so we plan on going swimming.

Thanks to everyone that linked up last week! I loved looking at all the great projects that were linked up! There were so many great ideas, I always have a hard time picking the features! I can't wait to see what you have to share this week!!

Most Viewed Link:

The Ultimate Carrot Cake by Tastes Better From Scratch. This carrot cake looks fantastic! I really like all of the nuts on the side.

My Favorites:

How to Make Peanut Butter by Home Cooking Memories. I have never tried to make my own peanut butter. This looks so easy and looks delicious. I can't wait to try it!

Pinwheel Cookies on a Stick by Hoopla Palooza. These are adorable! These would be great for any summer party.

Photo Coasters by Peanut Life Adventures. I love the idea of making your own coasters using your own photos. These would also make great gifts!

Little Debbie Swiss Roll Milkshakes by Chocolate Chocolate and More. I loved Little Debbie snacks as a kid and used to always get them in my lunch box. This sounds like an amazing milkshake!

Thanks for linking up and feel free to grab a button if you were featured.

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Link up as many of your recipes, crafts, tutorials, ideas, projects, or fun posts as you would like to share.

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Peanut Butter S'mores Granola

2013-05-29T07:18:00.004-07:00

As a mother to a 2 year old I am always looking for healthier snacks to give to my son. Especially in the summer time when we go to different places it is nice to bring snacks with us instead of having to buy snacks. We have season tickets to Hershey Park and we have been going to the park almost every weekend. It is nice to be able to bring a great snack along with us so that we are not spending a lot of money and I know what my son is eating.

I decided to make this granola to bring with us a few weekends ago and it was delicious. I had never made my own granola before and it was easy and I think it tasted better than what you can buy in the store. I really liked the peanut butter flavor of the granola combined with the graham crackers, chocolate chips, and marshmallows to give it a great s'mores flavor. This would also be great for breakfast or served with yogurt. I hope you enjoy this delicious treat!

Peanut Butter Smore's Granola
(Recipe adapted from Chocolate, Chocolate and More)

3 cups old-fashioned oats
1 cup graham crackers, broken into pieces
3/4 cup peanut butter
3/4 cup honey
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon vanilla
2/3 cup mini chocolate chips
2/3 cup marshmallow bits

1. Preheat the oven to 300 degrees.

2. In a large bowl combine the old-fashioned oats and the graham cracker pieces.

3. Combine the peanut butter and honey in a small bowl and microwave for about 30 seconds or until the peanut butter is melted. Stir to combine, then add the vanilla and cinnamon.

4. Add the peanut butter mixture to the oats and graham crackers and stir until the oats and graham cracker pieces are coated.

5. Spread the peanut butter granola out on a greased cookie sheet. Bake for about 30 minutes or golden brown, stirring after 15 minutes. Once the granola is completely cooled put into a bowl and add the chocolate chips and marshmallow bits. Store in an airtight container.

*Alyssa*

Linked to these parties

Check out these other great snacks:

Reese's Peanut Butter Muffins

Parmesan Ranch Chex Mix

Andes Muddy Buddies

Spinach Bacon Dip in a Bread Bowl and Tyson Foods Bacon Pieces #WhatsYourTopping

2013-05-24T06:00:00.000-07:00

I am a member of the Collective Bias® Social Fabric® Community. This shop has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study for Collective Bias® and Tyson. All thoughts, opinions, recipe, and photographs are my own. #WhatsYourTopping #cbias #SocialFabric

I always love trying new products and finding new products to use to make great recipes. Tyson Foods makes new Tyson Foods Toppings which are sold at Walmart. They make different toppings, such as bacon pieces, salami, and pepperoni. These toppings are great for use as toppings in pizza, salad, or other recipes.

I decided to use the Tyson Foods Bacon Pieces to make a Spinach and Bacon Dip. Dips and appetizers are one of my favorite foods to make. I love making appetizers and sharing them with all of my family and friends at a get together. This Spinach and Bacon Dip in a Bread Bowl is a great and delicious appetizer for any party.

I really love that the Tyson Foods Bacon Pieces because they are ready made bacon toppings but they are made using real bacon. Also they are so versatile and can be used in any recipe that calls for chopped bacon. I plan on keeping them on hand at home so that I can have them to readily top pizza or salad. For example, tonight we had leftover bread and we decided to make pizzas using the bread. We used the bacon pieces to top the pizza and it was delicious.

The Tyson Food Bacon Pieces can be found near the packaged lunch meat section of Walmart. These bacon pieces tasted great in the dip. I loved how there was bacon in every piece. Also the best part was that we didn't have to worry about cooking any bacon and didn't have to deal with any grease. We had ready made great tasting bacon pieces.

This Spinach Bacon Dip tasted so delicious. I really loved the combination of the bacon and the spinach. This dip looks great served in the bread bowl and tastes great with bread, tortilla chips, or pita chips. This is a great appetizer for any party and I plan to make it for Memorial Day weekend. I hope you enjoy it!

Spinach Bacon Dip in a Bread Bowl

1 1/2 packages (3 ounce package) Tyson Foods Bacon Pieces

1 package (10 ounces) frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained

1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened

1 cup mayonnaise

1 cup grated parmesan cheese

1 1/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

Round loaf of bread
Loaf of bread, cubed for dipping

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

2. Mix all of the ingredients together, except 1/4 cup mozzarella cheese, until combined.

3. Take the round loaf of bread and cut a small circle out of the top of the bread. Save the lid for use during cooking. Cut away the bread inside the round loaf to make a hollow space. Save this bread for dipping.

4. Place the dip inside the bread bowl. Sprinkle the remaining mozzarella cheese over the top of the dip. Then put the lid back on the bread bowl. Place the bread bowl on a cookie sheet to bake. If there is extra filling that will not fit in the bread bowl, place it in a casserole dish and bake beside the bread bowl.

5. Bake the dip for 1 hour and serve hot. Bake any extra dip in a casserole dish for only 20 minutes or until heated through. Serve with the extra bread from the inside of the bowl and the cubed bread. It also tastes good with tortilla chips or pita chips.

*Alyssa*

Linked to these parties

For more information on Tyson, check out Tyson on Twitter and Facebook.

Showcase Your Talent Thursday #61

2013-05-22T17:35:00.001-07:00

Welcome to

Showcase Your Talent Thursday!!

I hope that everyone is having a great week! I hope that everyone has a great Memorial Day. We are going to try to go to Hershey Park sometime over the weekend and otherwise we are going to grill out and enjoy the nice weather.

Thanks to everyone that linked up last week! I loved looking at all the great projects that were linked up! There were so many great ideas, I always have a hard time picking the features! I can't wait to see what you have to share this week!!

Most Viewed Link:

Coconut Cheesecake by Will Cook for Smiles. I love this combination of coconut and cheesecake! It looks so delicious!

My Favorites:

Key Lime Cake with Cheese Cake Pudding in a Jar by My Litter. This cake in a jar would be a great gift. I might do this the next time I need to make a bunch of gifts!

Dry Erase Board Desks by If It's Not Baroque. I love this idea and think it would be great to have a dry erase board under my desk so that I can jot down random ideas.

Tequila Lime Shrimp Tacos by This Gal Cooks. These look fantastic. I need to add this to our meal plan.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Lava Cakes by Mostly Homemade Mom. Yum! I love lava cakes and I like the fact that these are made using chocolate chip cookies. I bet they taste fantastic!

Thanks for linking up and feel free to grab a button if you were featured.

Copy and Paste Code

Link up as many of your recipes, crafts, tutorials, ideas, projects, or fun posts as you would like to share.

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Link up to your post and not your main blog.

Make sure to visit some of the other links and most of all HAVE FUN!!!

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Red, White, and Blue Muddy Buddies

2013-05-22T04:00:00.000-07:00

I cannot believe that this weekend is Memorial Day already, this year is going so fast! Memorial Day is a great way to celebrate our country but also to spend time with family. With Memorial Day this weekend and Fourth of July coming up I decided to make a red, white, and blue treat.

Muddy Buddies or Puppy Chow are one of my favorite snacks and they are so easy to make. I though that Red, White, and Blue Muddy Buddies would be a great and easy treat for Memorial Day or the Fourth of July. Also the red or blue muddy buddies alone would be great for a baby shower.

Not only are these Muddy Buddies easy to make, they also taste delicious. The Rice Chex are coated with white chocolate. The white version is then coated with powdered sugar, while the red version is coated with Cherry Jello, and the blue version is coated with Berry Blue Jello. I really like the combination of the vanilla, cherry, and berry flavor when they are combined together or they also taste great individually. I hope you try this delicious and festive treat!

Red, White, and Blue Muddy Buddies

6 cups rice Chex cereal

1 bag (12 ounces) white chocolate chips, melted

1 cup powdered sugar

1 box (3 ounces) Cherry Jello, dry

1 box (3 ounces) Berry Blue Jello, dry

1. Add 1/2 powdered sugar into a plastic bag. Add the Cherry Jello and 1/4 cup powdered sugar into another plastic bag and shake to combine. Add the Berry Blue Jello and 1/4 cup powdered sugar into a third plastic bag and shake to combine.

2. Put the Chex cereal in a large bowl.

3. Melt the white chocolate chips in the microwave for 45 seconds and stir until smooth. If not melted, microwave for additional 10 second increments until melted and smooth.

4. Pour the melted white chocolate over the Chex cereal and mix until the cereal is coated. Add about 2 cups of the cereal to each plastic bag. Working quickly, shake until the cereal is completely covered.

*Alyssa*

Linked to these parties

Try these other great Muddy Buddies:

Red Velvet Muddy Buddies

Andes Muddy Buddies

Biscoff Muddy Buddies

Chocolate Chunk Cinnamon Coffee Cake

2013-05-20T19:16:00.001-07:00

I started this blog because I always loved to cook and make desserts for our family and friends. One of my favorite desserts that I made frequently was this Chocolate Chunk Cinnamon Coffee Cake. My husband is a big fan of coffee cake but I always love desserts that have lots of chocolate in them. This chocolate coffee cake helps to appease both of us because it combines coffee cake with my love of chocolate. When I realized that I never posted this coffee cake on the blog, I knew I had to make it immediately.

This Chocolate Chunk Cinnamon Coffee Cake is so delicious! This coffee cake is not only moist it contains cinnamon and chocolate chunks in the middle and on top. The addition of the sour cream helps to make this coffee cake more moist.

This is really great warmed up because the chocolate melts and makes it even better. We like to make this and then have it for breakfast for the rest of the week. This is my favorite type of coffee cake, once you make coffee cake with chocolate you won't ever make regular coffee cake again!

Chocolate Chunk Cinnamon Coffee Cake

(Recipe adapted from Allrecipes.com)

1 package (12 ounces) semi-sweet chocolate chunks

3/4 cup pecan pieces

2/3 cup brown sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon

2 2/3 cups flour

1 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

3/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup sugar

3/4 cup butter, softened

4 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 cup sour cream

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

2. In a small bowl mix the chocolate chunks and pecan pieces together. In another small bowl mix the brown sugar and cinnamon together. Set the bowls aside.

3. In a medium sized bowl mix together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.

4. In a large bowl beat the butter and the sugar until combined. Then add the eggs one at a time and then the vanilla. Then add the flour gradually, alternating with the sour cream and beat until combined.

5. Pour half of the batter into a greased 13x9 baking pan. Then add half of the chocolate chunk mixture on top and add half of the cinnamon mixture on top of the chocolate.

6. Then pour the rest of the batter on top and top with the remaining chocolate chunk mixture and the remaining cinnamon mixture.

*Alyssa*

Linked to these parties

Try these other great recipes:

Chocolate Cinnamon Monkey Bread

Reese's Peanut Butter Muffins

Cinnamon Smores Cookie Cups

Showcase Your Talent Thursday #60

2013-05-15T17:42:00.001-07:00

Welcome to

Showcase Your Talent Thursday!!

I hope that everyone is having a great week! I hope that everyone had a great Mother's Day. We had a great day. We went out to brunch and then we decided to take Aaron to the aquarium. It was a great day and I loved spending it with my family.

If you haven't already make sure to enter the giveaway I am currently co-hosting. As part of the Pre-Summer Gift Card Extravaganza we are giving away $400 worth of gift cards. This is a great prize and would be great for some summer shopping!

Thanks to everyone that linked up last week! We had way over 200 link ups! I loved looking at all the great projects that were linked up! There were so many great ideas, I always have a hard time picking the features! I can't wait to see what you have to share this week!!

Most Viewed Link:

DIY Del's Lemonade (Frozen Soft-Serve Lemonade) by Soliloquy Of Food & Such. This lemonade looks so refreshing and would be great on a hot summer day!

My Favorites:

Cheddar Parmesan Bread by Mostly Homemade Mom. This bread would be great paired with a pasta dish and I bet it tastes delicious!

Nutter Butter Peanut Butter Cake by Tastes of Lizzy T. I love nutter butter cookies and anything peanut butter. This cake looks so delicious and I really like the nutter butters on top!

DIY Milk Glass Vases by Krysta Steen. I really like how great these vases look and how easy they are to make!

Rocky Road Cheesecake by Butter With a Slice of Bread. Wow!! This cheesecake looks fantastic! Looking at it is making really hungry, wish I had a piece right now!

Thanks for linking up and feel free to grab a button if you were featured.

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Link up as many of your recipes, crafts, tutorials, ideas, projects, or fun posts as you would like to share.

Please do not link up any etsy shops, giveaways, or advertisements.

Link up to your post and not your main blog.

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Please feel free to take a button and post it somewhere on your blog

Bacon Wrapped Asparagus

2013-05-14T19:29:00.000-07:00

We have been using our new grill a lot because the weather has been really nice. We love to grill in the spring and summer. I love the flavor that grilling gives to the food. Along with meat, we also like to grill vegetables. One of our favorite vegetables that we liked to grill is asparagus. I love the flavor that the grill gives to the asparagus.

We decided to grill bacon wrapped asparagus. The combination of the bacon and the asparagus was delicious and made even better by the fact that it was cooked on the grill. This is a great appetizer that would be great to serve at any summer barbecue.

Bacon Wrapped Asparagus

(Recipe adapted from Food.com)

1 1/2 cups Italian dressing

24-36 smaller asparagus spears, washed and split in half

12 slices bacon

1 garlic clove, minced

toothpicks

1. Place the asparagus in a ziploc bag with the Italian dressing and minced garlic. Make sure to coat the asparagus with the dressing and garlic. Then marinate the asparagus and refrigerate for at least one hour.

2. After the asparagus is done marinating, wrap 2-3 asparagus spears longways with a strip of bacon. (How many asparagus you put in each bacon strip depends on how thick your asparagus is). Place a toothpick on bottom and top of each asparagus spear to keep the bacon on during cooking.

3. Turn the grill to 350 degrees and grill the asparagus for 4 minutes with the cover closed. Then turn the asparagus and grill for another 4 minutes. Then move the asparagus to the top grill rack and grill for another 4 minutes.

*Alyssa*

Linked to these parties

Check out these other great grilled dishes:

Grilled Asparagus

Ranch Turkey Burgers

Chicken Bacon Ranch Grilled Cheese Sandwich

Mini Crab Cakes and Kraft Fresh Take #FreshTake #cbias

2013-05-13T06:00:00.000-07:00

I am a member of the Collective Bias® Social Fabric® Community. This shop has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study for Collective Bias® and Kraft Foods. All thoughts, opinions, recipe, and photographs are my own. #FreshTake #cbias #SocialFabric

When we get together with my in-laws for a special occasion we always like to make a great appetizer. I decided to make something when we got together this past weekend for Mother's Day. We all love seafood so I decided to make an appetizer using crab.

I decided to use Kraft Fresh Take to make a great appetizer. Kraft Fresh Take is a meal kit that provides you a fresh take on meals. The meal kit contains a packet of cheese and a packet of breadcrumbs. This meal kit can be used to make great meals, such as to coat chicken or pork. The nice thing about Kraft Fresh Take is that it is so versatile, not only can it be used to make dinner great but it can also be used to make appetizers or to coat vegetables to make a great side dish.

Kraft Fresh Take can be found in the cheese aisle of the grocery store and it comes in some great flavors such as Italian Parmesan, Classic Four Cheese, Rosemary and Roasted Garlic, Cheddar Jack and Bacon, and Savory Four Cheese to name a few.

I really liked using the Kraft Fresh Take and thought it was easy to use. I love how it combines different flavors of breadcrumbs and different types of cheeses to make a number of meal combinations. I loved the Italian flavor it added to the crab cakes and I really liked using the fresh Parmesan cheese as I usually use grated Parmesan cheese. The pre-measured amounts also made the meal easier. I will definitely be using this product again.

I decided to make Mini Crab Cakes using the Italian Parmesan Kraft Fresh Take. I loved how all the breadcrumbs and cheese I needed for the recipe were provided. I used the breadcrumbs and some of the Parmesan cheese to create a crust and the also included some of the Parmesan cheese in the crab filling.

These Mini Crab Cakes were delicious. They reminded me of delicious crab dip sitting on top of a crust. This recipe makes 24 Mini Crab Cakes. We brought them over to my in-law's house for Mother's Day and everyone devoured them. This would be a great appetizer to make for any party. They seem really fancy but are made simply with the help of Kraft Fresh Take. I hope you make these delicious appetizers for your next get together or party!

Mini Crab Cakes

1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened

1 package Kraft Fresh Take - Italian Parmesan flavor

1 egg

1/2 cup mayonnaise

1 teaspoon lemon juice

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

1 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning

1 teaspoon parsley

1 can (6 ounces) lump crab, drained

1/4 cup butter, melted

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

2. In a medium sized bowl beat the cream cheese, egg, and 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese from the Kraft Fresh Take until combined.

3. Then stir in the mayonnaise, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, Old Bay, and parsley. Gently fold in the lump crab meat.

4. In a small sized bowl add the breadcrumbs and remaining Parmesan Cheese from the Kraft Fresh Take and the butter and toss with a fork until it is evenly blended.

5. Place 1/2 tablespoon of the breadcrumb mixture in each muffin well of a greased 24 mini muffin pan. Press the breadcrumb mixture down to form a crust. Spoon 1 tablespoon of the crab mixture on top of each breadcrumb crust. Then sprinkle the remaining breadcrumbs evenly on top of the crab mixtures.

6. Bake for about 30 minutes or until golden brown. Garnish with additional parsley if desired.

*Alyssa*

Linked to these parties

For more information on Kraft Fresh Take check out their website. Watch for the Kraft Fresh Possibilities Tour truck which will be making stops across the country from March until the end of July. To see if they are making a stop in your town check out this website: Fresh Possibilities Tour.

Also there will be an immediately redeemable coupon stuck on packages of chicken in the meat department of Walmart. The coupon takes $1.00 off the price of one (1) chicken item with the purchase of Kraft Fresh Take. The coupons runs from 5/1/13 to 7/31/13.

Sugar Free Caramel Apple Popcorn and Werther's Original Sugar Free Candy

2013-05-10T19:30:00.000-07:00

Over the winter months, I always seem to gain weight. This winter was no exception, but it was worse than usual, I gained about 10 pounds in 6 months. This was a lot for me to gain and I have been trying to shed some of that weight. The problem is that I am a food blogger and I love to cook and bake. Another problem is that I love sweets, I can't seem to get enough. I have an extreme sweet tooth and I always seem to be hungry.

During the work week I don't have as much of a problem eating better. I bring healthy snacks into work and try to eat healthier lunches. However, when I get home, I have a much harder time controlling myself. I have been giving myself a break on the weekends, which is when I make most of my desserts. Plus I try to make the desserts for others so that I can share them and only have a little bit for myself.

I am always looking for healthier ways to satisfy my sweet tooth. When I heard that Werther's Original made Sugar Free Candy I knew this would be a great way to satisfy my sweet tooth. The candies are a great way to satisfy my sweet tooth, without all the extra calories, they are only 8 calories a piece. Plus, they taste great. I keep some of these at work now so that when I am hungry I grab a piece and it helps to satisfy my hunger.

There are four great flavors of the Werther's Original Sugar Free Candy: Caramel, Caramel Cinnamon, Caramel Apple, and Caramel Coffee. I thought they were all delicious but I think I liked the Caramel Coffee and Caramel Apple the best. Plus these candies are great for diabetics. My father and grandfather are both diabetics and sugar free candies are a great way for them to satisfy their sweet tooth. The nice thing about the Werther's Original Sugar Free Candies are that they taste fantastic and taste just like the original variety.

I decided to use the Caramel Apple flavor to make a delicious sugar free snack. I made Sugar Free Caramel Apple Popcorn. This is a great snack and is healthier than traditional Caramel Popcorn. The popcorn was really easy to make. I used a bag of microwave popcorn. Then I crushed the Werther's Original Sugar Free Candy and melted them and poured the melted candy over the popcorn.

This was a delicious snack, plus it was really easy to make. I really liked the Caramel Apple flavor of the popcorn. This would be a great way to satisfy your sweet tooth, without being incredibly unhealthy.

Sugar Free Caramel Apple Popcorn

1 bag Single Serve Popcorn (I used 94% Fat Free Butter Popcorn), popped

1 bag (2.75 ounces) Werther's Original Sugar Free Caramel Apple Candies, crushed

3 tablespoons heavy cream (soy milk is a healthier alternative, but contains some sugar)

1 tablespoon butter

1. Melt the butter over medium heat. Then add the heavy cream and Caramel Apple candies. Stir constantly until melted.

2. Pour the melted Caramel Apple candies over the popcorn and stir until coated.

*Alyssa*

Linked to these parties

For more information on Werther's Original Sugar Free Candy visit their Facebook page.

I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls Collective, and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.

Showcase Your Talent Thursday #59

2013-05-08T17:26:00.000-07:00

Welcome to

Showcase Your Talent Thursday!!

I hope that everyone is having a great week! I hope that all of the Mother's have a great Mother's Day. We don't have any plans yet, but I am excited to spend the day with my son and husband.

Also make sure to enter the giveaway I am currently co-hosting. As part of the Pre-Summer Gift Card Extravaganza we are giving away $400 worth of gift cards. This is a great prize and would be great for some summer shopping!

Thanks to everyone that linked up last week! I loved looking at all the great projects that were linked up! There were so many great ideas, I always have a hard time picking the features! I can't wait to see what you have to share this week!!

Most Viewed Link:

Peanut Butter M&M Oatmeal Brownie Bars by Axell's Kitchen. These brownies look fantastic and I really like the combination of the chocolate and the peanut butter!

My Favorites:

Blackberry & Lemon Coffee Cake by Love Bakes Good Cakes. This coffee cake looks so delicious, this would be great to make for Mother's Day!

Chicken Satay Bites by Mom's Test Kitchen. These look delicious, what a great appetizer!

DIY Huge Chalkboard Menuboard by 2 Crafty 4 My Skirt. This is such a great idea and would be great hanging in the kitchen so everyone knows the menu for the week.

BBQ Chicken Pizza (7 PP) by Lulabelle. I am always looking for healthy recipes that still taste great, this looks fantastic and I can't wait to try it!

Thanks for linking up and feel free to grab a button if you were featured. These look absolutely delicious. Anything with chocolate and peanut butter combined is going to be great!

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Link up as many of your recipes, crafts, tutorials, ideas, projects, or fun posts as you would like to share.

Please do not link up any etsy shops, giveaways, or advertisements.

Link up to your post and not your main blog.

Make sure to visit some of the other links and most of all HAVE FUN!!!

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Funfetti Cake Cheese Ball

2013-05-08T05:00:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago we had some friends over and I wanted to make a really great dessert appetizer. One of my favorite appetizers that I have made is a Chocolate Peanut Butter Cake Cheese Ball. I decided to make a different version of the Cheese Ball, using Funfetti Cake. This would be a great appetizer for a birthday party, it looks really festive and is a really fun appetizer.

All of our friends loved this dessert Cheese Ball (the cheese is cream cheese). It tastes fantastic and tastes just like cake, in a dip form. My friend commented that it tasted just like the Dunkaroos dip. I remember Dunkaroos from when I was little, it was a little snack pack of cookies and a dip that tasted like cake. I used to get them in my lunch box all the time. It used to be one of my favorite snacks. This dip tasted just like Dunkaroos, so if you want to reminisce this would also be a great snack.

This Funfetti Cake Cheese Ball tasted amazing. It tasted great with Vanilla Wafers. It can also be served with graham crackers or fruit. I really liked that you can make this the night before and have it ready for the party the next day. You can't go wrong with an appetizer that tastes like Cake!!

Funfetti Cake Cheese Ball

1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 1/2 cups funfetti cake mix, dry
3 tablespoons sugar
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/2 cup rainbow jimmies (sprinkles)
Vanilla Wafers, graham crackers, fruit, or other cookies for dipping

1. In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese and butter together until combined. Then add in the Funfetti cake mix, sugar, and powdered sugar and beat until combined.

2. Place the mixture on a large piece of plastic wrap. Bring up all the corners of the plastic wrap and wrap into a ball. Freeze the ball for about 1 1/2 hours or until it is firm enough to keep its shape.

3. Place the rainbow jimmies on a flat plate and roll the unwrapped cheese ball in the jimmies. Make sure to press the jimmies into the cheese ball until it is fully covered.

4. Place the ball on a serving dish, cover with plastic wrap and freeze the cheese ball for another 2 hours or overnight. If frozen overnight, thaw for 20-30 minutes before serving. Serve with Vanilla Wafers, graham crackers, fruit, or other cookies.

*Alyssa*

Linked to these parties

Check out these other great dessert appetizers:

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cake Cheese Ball

Nutella Dip

Chocolate Strawberry Dip

Pittsburgh Salad with Tyson Chicken Fries #ChickenFryTime

2013-05-07T03:49:00.000-07:00

My husband and I both work full time and we are always busy and running around. By the time we get home and get my son from daycare there isn't much time to spend together before it is my son's bed time. Even though we don't have a lot of time, I think it is extremely important for all of us to eat together and have a great homemade dinner. My goal is to have a great dinner without spending a lot of time in the kitchen. This allows me to spend more time with my family.

Tyson helps families to be able to eat meals together with their great tasting chicken that can be used to make easy, yet fantastic, meals. I went to Sam's Club to pick up some great food for dinners. Sam's Club is great because you can buy a lot of great food in bulk at great prices, plus you can get a bunch of free samples. I bought a bag of Tyson Chicken Fries. Tyson Chicken Fries are great for putting together an easy and tasty meal.

My son loved the Chicken Fries. They can be put together into a sandwich, are great plain, or are great with dipping sauces. My son is a big fan of dipping sauces, so he had his Chicken Fries with ketchup and ranch dressing.

I decided to make a tasty salad with the Tyson Chicken Fries. The Chicken Fries are great to add on top of a salad. I decided to make my take on a Pittsburgh Salad. I went to college about an hour away from Pittsburgh and I grew up and currently live about 4 hours from Pittsburgh. I have visited the city a number of times but had never heard of the Pittsburgh salad until my husband mentioned it about a month ago.

In Pittsburgh they like to add French Fries to sandwiches and even salads. A Pittsburgh Salad contains chicken or steak and French Fries over the salad. Because the Chicken Fries are in the shape of a French Fry, I thought they would be perfect to combine with the French Fries and put on top of a salad.

The Pittsburgh salad was delicious. I decided to use spinach because I like darker greens, but you can use lettuce or your favorite type of green. I added cucumbers and tomatoes, added the hot Chicken Fries and French Fries, added shredded cheddar cheese, and then ranch dressing to top it all off. The nice thing about the salad is that you can add as much lettuce as you want and use any vegetables your family likes. We like tomatoes and cucumbers, so we decided to add those.

The Pittsburgh Salad was so delicious. I really loved the Chicken Fries on top of the salad with the combination of the French Fries. This makes a great filling meal and it is so simple to make. I hope you try this easy and delicious salad and enjoy dinnertime with your family!

Pittsburgh Salad

Spinach or lettuce

Tomato, diced

Cucumber, sliced

5-10 Tyson Chicken Fries (per salad)

10-15 French Fries (per salad)

Shredded Mozzarella Cheese

Ranch Dressing

1. Cook the Tyson Chicken Fries and French Fries according to package directions.

2. Meanwhile start to assemble your salad. Put as much greens as desired on the bottom of your plate and add as much tomato and cucumber as you want. (Feel free to add vegetables or use any vegetables you like)

3. When finished cooking add the hot Chicken Fries and French Fries on top of the lettuce and vegetables. Sprinkle the shredded mozzarella cheese on top of the hot fries. Allow the cheese to melt. Once the cheese has begun to melt drizzle the ranch dressing on top.

*Alyssa*

Linked to these parties

For more information on Tyson, check out Tyson on Twitter. Make sure to stop by Tyson's Facebook page as you will soon be able to enter to win free Six Flag tickets for your family vacation!

Pre-Summer Gift Card Extravaganza Giveaway

2013-05-06T06:17:00.000-07:00

Good morning! It's a gift card extravaganza! The fabulous ladies who bring you the blogs listed below and I have come together to bring you the chance to win four fantastic gift cards (that's right, winner takes all!) What would you do with $200 to Amazon.com? Or how about $100 to Target? Need a coffee fix? (and we all need one of those on Monday morning.) We've got you covered with a $50 Starbucks card. And breakfast, lunch and/or dinner is covered too! With all of the fantastic choices at Panera Bread and your $50 Panera Bread gift card, you won't starve!

These gift cards would be great for some summer shopping! I wish that I could enter to win, this is a great prize. Good Luck!

Please note, if you live outside of the US and are selected as the winner, you will be given a $400 gift card to Amazon.com. Please see terms and conditions in the rafflecopter. Thank these wonderful ladies and then enter to win this FANTASTIC prize pack!

This giveaway runs from 8am est, Monday, May 6th and ends on Sunday, May 19th at 11:59pm est. A winner will be announced on Monday, may 20th. Good luck! The winner's entry will be verified. Please enter the giveaway using the rafflecopter below.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Showcase Your Talent Thursday #58

2013-05-01T17:11:00.000-07:00

Welcome to

Showcase Your Talent Thursday!!

I hope that everyone is having a great week! I can't believe that it is May already, this year is going fast. We haven't been up to much here, just enjoying the nice weather we have been having. I hope that everyone has a great rest of the week and a great weekend!

Thanks to everyone that linked up last week! I loved looking at all the great projects that were linked up! There were so many great ideas, I always have a hard time picking the features! I can't wait to see what you have to share this week!!

Most Viewed Link:

17 Winning Copycat Recipes by Pretty Providence. This is a great round-up of copycat recipes. There are some great recipes on there and now I can make some of my favorites at home!

My Favorites:

Boston Cream Whoopie Pies by The Brunette Baker. I really like that The Brunette Baker made these in tribute to the victims at Newtown and in Boston. Plus these whoopie pies look fantastic!

How to Make a Label with Microsoft Word by A Typical English Home. This is a great tutorial. I will need to use this the next time that I make labels.

Crumb Snatchin' Chicken Tenders by Pint-Sized Treasures. These chicken tenders look fantastic! I love how crispy they are, I can't wait to try them.

Strawberries and Cream Bars by Mandy's Recipe Box. These Strawberries and Cream bars look absolutely delicious and they are really pretty too!

Thanks for linking up and feel free to grab a button if you were featured. These look absolutely delicious. Anything with chocolate and peanut butter combined is going to be great!

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Link up as many of your recipes, crafts, tutorials, ideas, projects, or fun posts as you would like to share.

Please do not link up any etsy shops, giveaways, or advertisements.

Link up to your post and not your main blog.

Make sure to visit some of the other links and most of all HAVE FUN!!!

Please feel free to take a button and post it somewhere on your blog

Grilled Pineapple Pork Chops

2013-04-30T19:18:00.000-07:00

Once the weather starts to get nice we like to grill a lot. We love making dinner on the grill, we like how the grill flavors the food and I think it tastes better than cooking the same thing in the oven. At the end of last summer our grill broke and we were not able to grill all fall and winter. A few weeks ago we finally bought a new and upgraded grill and we have been grilling at least twice a week.

Last year was the first time that I tried grilled pineapple and I loved the sweet flavor of the pineapple and the flavor the grilling gives to it. I decided to make Grilled Pineapple Pork Chops. This pork was delicious and the grilled pineapple on top tasted fantastic and really added to the flavor of the pork chops. This would be a great meal for summer!

Grilled Pineapple Pork Chops

(Recipe from Food.com)

6 pork chops (can use boneless pork as well)

1 can (20 ounces) can pineapple slices, in juice

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup Italian dressing

1/4 cup pineapple juice

3 tablespoons soy sauce

1. Drain the pineapple and reserve 1/4 cup of the juice for use in the marinade. Combine the brown sugar, Italian dressing, pineapple juice, and soy sauce to make the marinade. Use 2/3 cup of the marinade to marinade the pork and reserve the rest for basting. Place the pork chops in a ziploc bag and pour the marinade on top. Refrigerate and allow the pork chops to marinade for at least 1 hour.

2. Grill the pork chops on medium heat for 8 minutes on each side. Grill the pineapple separately for 5 minutes. While grilling make sure to baste the pork chops and the pineapple with the reserved marinade. Once the pork chops and pineapple are done, place one piece of pineapple on each pork chop.

*Alyssa*

Linked to these parties

Check out these other great grilled meals:

Smokehouse Chicken

Ranch Turkey Burgers

Chicken Bacon Ranch Grilled Cheese Sandwich

Peach Lemonade Smoothie

2013-04-29T19:29:00.002-07:00

I love that the warm weather is here. When I think of warm weather I think of cold drinks, especially lemonade. Drinking lemonade on a hot summer day is so refreshing. Another great drink for summer is smoothies. We make smoothies a lot in this house, especially for dessert. They are a sweet and refreshing drink that is also healthier.

I decided to make a smoothie using lemonade and decided to add peaches to it. I decided to use frozen peaches because peaches are not in season right now (I couldn't even find fresh peaches in the grocery store), but the frozen peaches make the smoothie thicker. Feel free to use fresh peaches, if you do you may want to add more ice.

This Peach Lemonade was so refreshing and had great flavor. I love the combination of the sweetness of the peaches with the lemonade. I used store bought lemonade but you can also use fresh squeezed lemonade. This is the perfect drink for a hot summer day. I plan to make a lot of these over the summer. Enjoy!

Peach Lemonade Smoothie

2 cups lemonade (store bought or fresh lemonade)

10-15 frozen peach slices

1 cup ice cubes

1 tablespoon sugar

1. Blend all the ingredients together until combined. Stir in between if needed.

*Alyssa*

Linked to these parties

Check out these other great smoothies:

Layered Strawberry Mango Smoothie

Chocolate Strawberry Banana Smoothie

Mocha Peanut Butter Strawberry Banana Smoothie