Summer Fruity Ice Pops

I don't know about you, but I'm ready for SUMMER!!  This was a long winter and spring has proven to be a damp and dreary one.  I'm soaking up these warm days, as few and far between as they are, until those lasting summer days emerge!  I'm always looking for a freezer pop recipe because the ones in the store... even the fruit ones... are just so dang packed with sugar, sugar, and more sugar!  Is it just me or do they have a weird aftertaste? Why would you need to sweeten already sweet fruit??  So, I was pleasantly surprised to find this little gem of a recipe.  It is a breeze to prepare and delightfully refreshing without all the extra BLAH.

Frosted Mint Brownies

Welcome to December!  I can't believe it's here already.  We go from Thanksgiving to BOOM. Christmas.  I must say, I kind of like it, but it makes me feel a little more rushed this holiday season.  I have been craving sweets....... but with Little Two I've been diagnosed with gestational diabetes, so I can't have sweets (or just have to enjoy them in VERY VERY limited quantities).  These gems are already packaged up and ready to send off with DH to work.  I've had a little bite.  And can I tell you that little bite was AMAZING!!!!! Ahh.  Even better than how they taste is how simple and easy they are to come together!  

Just look.  Yes.  Just look.

Mama & Baby Love's Healing Chicken Soup: Freezer Friendly!

We're supposed to get a blizzard tonight.  Yes.  You read that right!  There's just something about the warning of snow that makes me crave soup.  I made this soup from Mama and Baby Love's ecookbook - you can find yours here!  It's the first ecookbook I've ever purchased and I wasn't disappointed.  All of her recipes are freezer friendly and 95% of her recipes are grain-free, gluten-free, and dairy-free.  Annnnnd it's only $9.99.  Totally worth the splurge in my book!

Try this recipe of hers and you'll be hooked.  Although hers called for making it with a whole chicken, I used some cubed frozen chicken breasts I had on hand.  It was hearty, made the house smell heavenly while cooking all afternoon, and most importantly was scrumptious to eat.  Love. 

Mama and Baby Love that is ;)

Chocolate Frozen Banana Pops

Or I like to affectionately call them "Hello Summer - I miss you - Please come back - Chocolate Frozen Banana Pops" ;)   I don't know about you but these frigid days lately have been a little too much.  And today it's 60 degrees?  Saturday, yep, it's gonna be 30.  Weird.

Alas.  Make these SUPER easy fun treats.  And pretend.  Just pretend.  You may have to crank up the heat in the house, but pretend you're on a tropical paradise!  DH and I were looking for some sweet, easy on the wallet and waistline, dessert options.  These fit the bill!  Yum.

Lasagna Roll Ups & Homemade Marinara Sauce

I made these roll ups on January 16th.  Today is January 28th and I'm just now blogging about it.  Can you tell I'm SO ready for February?  New month.  New start.  Do you want to know a secret?  FRIDAY is February 1st!!  This Friday.  Does it amaze you as much as me that this year is flying by already?!?  Let's all do a small celebratory dance... drum roll please... because I've sold THREE orders in my Etsy store.  Y'all.  That is just amazing.  Thank you to everyone who has backed my projects with your support!  As a sign of thanks - I'm doing a giveaway! Check out my Facebook page and comment before 8 pm tonight to be entered in the drawing :)  You just don't know how much I've needed your sweet faces this past month.  You are truly a gift from God!!

Now, let me tell you another secret.  

These beautiful things are in my freezer right now!  Topped with my homemade marinara.  Waiting on February 14th.  8 pm.  Dinner date at home with the DH after Little One is in bed.  I'm so excited!  We won't have to fight the crowds.  Won't have to worry that Little One will decide to be cranky on that one night we want to eat in peace.         I won't have to be flustered and running all around wondering what I'm going to fix.  These are 4 leftovers from my meal we had mid-January.  Frozen.  Ready to go.  All I have to do is add a salad and some garlic bread.  And boom.  Valentine's Dinner - ah-hem - a homemade Valentine's dinner is made!  

I'll be the first to say these do take a little prep time - or maybe it's just me. Those blasted lasagna noodles gave me a little trouble because I didn't have a pot big enough to really cook them.  Maybe you are better at this than I!  Now I know why I usually stick to the Crockpot Lasagna ;)  Buuuut.  This is worth the effort.  Especially to dote on your special ones with.  What else says love like good, homemade food.  Only you and I have to know you pre-made it, froze it, and it only took 35 minutes to reheat on a weeknight! 

Chocolate Peanut Butter Oatmeal No-Bake Cookies

Happy Holidays!!  Yes.  The season has officially begun - it's my favorite time of the year!  We are having our first ever cookie swap.  So excited!  My wonderful DH was more than happy to be the guinea pig for my new recipe ;)  Let me tell you... we ate pretty much the entire recipe in one weekend.  I made these Friday night - Monday night there are 3 left.  Yep.  Good thing they're calorie free on the weekends... ah hem.  Haha!  Needless to say these scrumptious cookies are the ones I'm taking to the cookie swap.  Hope you have a happy and healthy holiday season - take some time to enjoy the small things this time of year!

Breakfast Burritos: Freezer Friendly

Y'all.  Let me tell you what.  I made these babies last night and was so stoked when I calculated the costs... $1.50 each.  And in one cooking session, I made enough to have 14 breakfast burritos for DH and I to have in the mornings.  If you're like us, any extra way to stretch a buck is always appreciated.  Imagine my surprise this morning when I heated mine up and found that Little One also enjoyed this breakfast treat!!  I ended up making it with organic hash browns, organic uncured bacon (no nitrates), and organic eggs.  So I was stoked that they only cost $1.50.  And boy, were they yummy!  You should totally make these... soon!  Help keep your wallet and tummy full with these filling and delicious burritos :)

Wonton Dessert Stacks

A super simple dessert to go with a super simple supper!

The idea of this dessert could totally be built and made into whatever flavor combination you like!  (Hint: I'm thinking next time adding a chocolate element... mmmm... mouth watering!)  

Spaghetti for a Crowd! Freezer Friendly :)

My last and final recipe to make one / take one and it sure was a crowd pleaser!!  I hope the sweet family enjoyed it as much as we did last night!  This Spaghetti for a Crowd recipe (the way I make it) would feed 6 adults easily.  I was amazed at how much it made.  You're taking one jar of spaghetti sauce and stretching it in unbelievable ways! Haha!  DH and I both had huge servings, have enough for both of us to have lunch... and we still have a hearty serving left over that I'm going to stick in the freezer for one of those nights that you need dinner ready real quick - you know like 5 minutes ago? ;)  A big huge plus is Little One enjoyed the sauce!  He's not big on the texture of pasta - weird, I know! - but gobbled up the sauce since it is hearty.  It's super easy to throw together!  I love meals like these.  I hope you enjoy it too!  

Macaroni & Cheese with Tomatoes: Freezer Friendly

This week I've been making some recipes to take to another sweet family with a new addition!  There must be something in the water because babies are popping out around here like crazy.  Rest assured, I drink milk!  Haha :)  I stumbled on a great website with some freezer friendly meals and this recipe sure didn't disappoint.  It was creamy, a little sweet from the tomatoes, and crunchy from the breadcrumb topping.  It was very satisfying and would make a great main or side dish.  This recipe is also easily doubled - which I did - and it made FOUR 8 x 8 inch dishes of macaroni and cheese.  My kind of recipe for sure!  I baked one, froze one for me, and froze two to take!  You've gotta give this one a try ;)

Egg & Cheese Breakfast Sandwiches: Freezer Friendly!

Hello August!  Where did July go?  In honor of "Back to School" month, here is a quick, easy, and freezer friendly breakfast option for those busy mornings. I've mentioned that I'm on a quest for better, quicker, healthier breakfasts.  I found this one and have been meaning to try it for quite some time.  I fiiiinnnnaaalllllly made time this week and boy, they didn't disappoint!  These little egg (and anything else you want to put in them :) cups are made in the oven in muffin tins.  It does make a little bit of a mess, but it makes mornings SO much easier - it's worth it!

Frozen Fruit Smoothie

I've made a few smoothies before and never with such consistent success. They're usually too runny, or too thick, or two tart, or two sweet.  This one is just right :)  Once you have all the ingredients it is quick and easy to throw together and comes out perfect every time (I've made it on two different occasions now).

Pita Pizzas

This was a surprise hit for our family!  It's a versatile and delicious little bite of goodness.  You have to try these.  Yes, totally go get the ingredients and make them tomorrow! Look how cute they are!  Pardon the weird lighting in the pictures - I guess that's what sticky baby fingers on the camera lens does for you ;)

Italian Sausage and Greens with Gorgonzola Polenta

We had this recipe the other night and we fell in love with Gorgonzola and Polenta.  Think upscale cheesy grits.  Mmmm.  My mouth is watering now thinking about it!  So what is polenta you ask?  It's super easy to make - and really similar to the texture of grits - combine 4 parts liquid to 1 part cornmeal.  Whisk until smooth and season.  Endless possibilities here folks!

The salty kick from the Italian sausage combined with the crunchy green broccoli and creamy polenta made for the perfect bite.  And the best part is this delicious dinner was on the table in 15 minutes.  For real.  Perfect for a busy night... aaaaaannnnnnndd in less time than it takes to cook a frozen pizza!

"Lazy Chicken" Salad

I made this recipe Wednesday.  Have I mentioned how crazy it is to get Little One back on schedule after being gone?  Oh yeah, and we're moving in a few weeks.  Why do I like to do all the crazy life events at one time?  Haha!  Anyway... I was wanting something light, quick, and easy.  So this recipe hit me and it is in honor of Auntie Lo.  We were talking about chicken salad while we were at home and she likes hers with grapes.  I didn't have any grapes on hand, but I certainly substituted an alternatively sweet fruit... apples.  Hope you enjoy this crazy easy, refreshing, sweet and savory recipe! Homemade, gourmet chicken salad - and it couldn't be easier!

Cinci's Chili

Are you still out there?  Sorry for the lack of posts lately.  Little One is sick with his first bad cold and it's been slow going around here.  Lots of coughing and sneezing - I'll spare you the details ;)  So needless to say, I haven't been trying a ton of new things lately.  We are all off of our schedules and Little One is trying to give up his afternoon nap to boot.  Hopefully he'll kick the worst of it soon! Three nights ago, yes, it's taken me that long to find some time to post, I made an old trusty stand by - my mother-in-law's Cinci's Chili.  It's a busy season for us! So what exactly is Cinci's chili you ask?  It's a type of chili from Cincinnati "characterized by unusual seasonings such as cinnamon, cloves, allspice, and chocolate."  Traditionally, in restaurants, you can order it several ways: Bowl: chili in a bowl Two-Way: chili and spaghetti Three-Way: chili, spaghetti, and cheese Four-Way: chili, spaghetti, cheese, and onions Five-Way: chili, spaghetti, cheese, onions, and beans Source: Wikipedia Today, we'll be making it Five-Way!!  You can keep these ingredients on hand for a busy night and it takes a snap to whip it up!  And look how delicious it looks:

Melt in Your Mouth Chicken

I tried this recipe tonight based on a recommendation from a dear friend.  And I must say, it didn't disappoint!  It was simple and easy even if I didn't follow the directions exactly... surprise surprise!  I thawed out some chicken breasts I had frozen in the freezer and the other ingredients I already had on hand - so preparation was a snap.   I added it with some asparagus risotto and dinner was ready in 45.  Oh yeah, and there's enough for lunch tomorrow.  Super stoked! (In your best Homer Simpson voice)  Mmmm.... meeeellllltt in your moooouuuuutttthhh.

Couscous Salad with Salmon

Enter Daylight Savings time and you'll get a big fat helping of laziness on my part around here!  So much so that I let the tomatoes I bought on Wednesday go bad... I had planned out a freezer friendly recipe to cook on Thursday.  Yeah, I froze the chicken thighs and used the ingredients I'd bought for other things.  I was going to use the tomatoes tonight in the couscous salad.  Boo.  Anyway... it turned out quite tasty this time around!  You really can add just about anything to couscous to make it your own.  And that is exactly what I did.  The best part... it took just minutes to have dinner together thanks to some salmon I had already cooked on Friday.

Cheese "Cookies"

This is quite possibly one of DH's most favorite recipes on the planet.  I *try* to make them for all his special occasions... birthdays, father's day... and they're a great "thinking of you" snack too.  His mom made them for him growing up.  I will never forget the first time I had these cookies - at his high school graduation party.  It was the first time I was actually meeting his family and to try the much talked about cheese cookies.  I popped one in my mouth thinking "Oh, they're going to be sweet because they're 'cookies'."  I almost choked because they are buttery, cheesy, and flaky.  Haha!  Since that moment, I've seen them called Cheese Straws when they're out or you buy them in the store.  These are called "cookies" because of their round shape.  So... I tried making them for the first time in college.  I hand shredded a block of cheddar cheese, mixed them diligently, and they were terrible!  I couldn't get the batter to stick together.  I anxiously called his mom to ask what I was doing wrong.  It would have definitely fallen into the "disaster" category.  But, still, he stood by me :)  Haha!  Over the years, I've continued to make the beloved cheese cookies and have fiiiiiinally perfected the recipe to nothing short of a quick and easy and most importantly, reliable, recipe! Hello buttery, cheesy, salty, savory cookies.

Crockpot Vegetarian Lasagna

Little One and I made our first solo airplane trip to see the grandparents this weekend.  So sorry for the hiatus - we were feverishly getting ready and making the DH's favorite foods to eat while we were gone.  {Score 1 point in the good wife column :) }  I finally have time to sit down and share some of those recipes with you.  The first one, is not necessarily a favorite of his, but it is a favorite of ours because it's quick and easy!  Great for a hurried week with lots to do!!