Tulip Spring Wreath

I love creating wreaths for the seasons! I've already made a Halloween Wreath and a Holiday (Christmas) Wreath, but I haven't made a wreath yet that can stay up seasonally. This wreath could even stay up through September.

The best part about this wreath? Less than $20! Most of my items came from the Dollar Store, with the exception of the foam circle. I believe some locations carry them though!

You Will Need:
15 bunches of flowers, I used tulips in white, red, and pink
1 foam wreath (about 12 inches in size)
2 spools of ribbon

Decorations if you choose... Like my little birds!

Additional Tools:
Wire Cutter
Hot Glue Gun

Start with your foam wreath. Hot glue gun the ribbon to the back of the wreath and allow to cool.
Wrap the ribbon around the wreath, leaving the edges about 1 inch apart, like so...

When you get to the end of the ribbon, and the wreath has been completely wrapped, glue the end of the ribbon down, hopefully to the back of the wreath.

Cut individual flowers with your wire cutter, leaving about 2 inches of stem. Tuck each flower stem into the opening of the ribbon, tucking them in firmly, fitting about 3 flowers across.

Pattern the flowers as you go and I randomly substituted some of the pink flowers on the insides and outsides with red tulips.
Continue until the entire wreath is filled and accesorize.

Hang the wreath and enjoy this little touch of Spring!

Mango Coconut Lemonade

With the weather (hopefully) starting to warm where it live, it's now time time to introduce Summer friendly dishes.

And what is better on a hot day than an ice cold class of lemonade? That's right, nothing.

This lemonade is easy to whip together and... healthy!

Just poking my kiddo in the eye with a mango spear... Don't mind me.

You will need:
2 Tablespoons honey
1 Tablespoon granulated sugar
2 cups coconut water
1 ripe mango, cubed
juice of 2 large lemons
ice

Place honey, sugar, coconut water, mango chunks, lemon juice, and ice into your blender. Blend until smooth. Taste. You may need to add more sugar if you like it sweet. Strain if you like, we didn't do this and serve by itself or over ice. Top with sliced lemons or mango spears (ya know, for playing ninjas after)!

Enjoy this refreshing drink!

PS: Have you all seen Bubble Guppies? "Coconut water very nice, shake it up with lot's of ice"?
Of course you haven't...

That 'stache really wants some ice cold lemonade

Classic Carrot Cake

Well, another Easter has came and went. I love that my boys are getting older and they enjoy these Holidays more. Easter egg hunting with them was a blast. I love their pure excitement and genuine intrigue.
It teaches me to be a different adult, that's for sure.

While the joys of Easter baskets and eggs are no longer my main focus at Easter, I still love all things food related. For any Holiday really.

So, I asked on my Facebook page what everyone was planning to make for Easter dessert and carrot cake was definitely a favorite.

And the surprising part? As much as I love carrot cake, I don't think I've ever made one at home! What have I been waiting for!?

Spicy moist cake studded with pecans and carrots. Thick layers of velvet cream cheese frosting that is studded with toasted pecans. Heaven. On a plate.

The best part? It is relatively easy! Long gone are the days of the feelings of overwhelming layer cakes. I will definitely be keeping this cake in my Holiday rotation!

For the Cake:
2 cups all purpose flour, plus more for coating the pans
2 cups granulated sugar
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt
4 eggs
1 1/2 cups vegetable oil
3 cups grated carrots
1 cup chopped pecans

For the Frosting:
2 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
1 stick unsalted butter, softened
1 (16-ounce) box powdered sugar (I used slightly less than a whole box)
1 teaspoon vanilla

1 cup chopped toasted pecans

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease 3- 9" baking pans with cooking spray and flour. Cover the bottom with parchment paper and spray lightly again with cooking spray, set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk together the 2 cups of flour, sugar, baking soda, cinnamon and salt.
Beat in the eggs and vegetable oil with a hand mixer until incorporated.
Stir in grated carrots and pecans.
Evenly distribute between the three pans (about 1 1/2 cups of batter each).
Bake for 30-35 minutes or until golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Cool completely before inverting on to cooling rack.

In the bowl of you stand mixer, combine the cream cheese and butter until creamy. Add in the powdered sugar, start with half of a box and go from there, until desired consistency is reached. Add in the vanilla and beat until combined. Set aside.

In a small skillet, lightly toast your chopped pecans until fragrant and slightly darker. Transfer to a bowl to cool.

On your cake stand or serving platter, place one cake upside down, so the smooth side is facing up. Spread about 1/3 cup of frosting over the top. Place another layer of cake, smooth part facing up as well, on top of the frosted cake. Top with another 1/3 cup of frosting. Top with the remaining layer of cake, slightly rounded side facing up

.
Frost tops and sides evenly with frosting. Use lightly more on the top as the sides with be covered with nuts.
Turn your cake stand or serving platter as you go and slightly press toasted pecans on to the sides.

Pipe decorations on the top if you choose, slice, and serve!

This cake is amazing!

*recipe adapted from Paula Deen

NY Style Cheese Pizza

My Dad grew up in the New York and New Jersey areas.

He definitely instilled in me a love for a good thin crust pizza smothered in bubbly cheese and fold-able.... Totally fold-able (please don't eat your pizza with a knife and fork.... ever).

I know there are debates about pizza all over the world; stuffed crust, thin crust, covered in meat, deep dish. It's all about personal preference, really. And mine is a classic, thin crust pizza, oozing with 3 cheeses, fresh basil, and a homemade sweet tomato sauce.

If you're a fan of thin crust pizza, this one is definitely for you.

And Dad? This post is for you :)

For the Crust:
(makes enough for 2 pizzas)
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup warm water
1/2 teaspoon Active Dry Yeast
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons olive oil

For the Sauce:
1 (28-ounce) can whole peeled tomatoes
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1 Tablespoon unsalted butter
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon dried oregano
dash of red pepper flakes
salt
2 basil leaves, chopped
1 medium yellow onion, quartered
1 teaspoon sugar

For the Topping:
(topping is enough for 1 pizza, double if using both crusts)
2 cups shredded Mozzarella cheese
1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1/4 cup shredded Parmesan
2 basil leaves

Start by making your crust:
Place water in the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the kneading attachment.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the water, dry yeast, salt, and sugar. Slowly add into the water and turn mixer on to medium speed. When the dough begins to come together add in the olive oil. The dough will be sticky, if the dough is too sticky, add more flour. DO NOT OVER MIX.
Remove dough and divide in half. Place dough pieces into a large zip lock bag and place in your refrigerator for 8 hours to overnight (which is best).

Now it's time to make your sauce. In your blender add the whole tomatoes (with juice),basil, and quartered onion. Blend for 30 seconds or just until the tomatoes are mashed and the basil and onion have been incorporated. Set aside.
In a sauce pan, melt the butter and olive oil together until small bubbles form. Add in the garlic, oregano, pepper flakes, and pinch of salt and cook until fragrant but not browned, around 2-3 minutes.
Add tomato puree and sugar and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Once boiling, reduce to low and cook, stirring occasionally for 1 hour. Sauce should be reduced by about half.
Remove thickened sauce and set aside to cool.

Remove dough pieces from the refrigerator and allow to come to room temp slightly, this makes the dough easier to work with.

On a lightly floured surface roll out pizza to about 12 inches in diameter or large enough to fit your pizza circle. Do not beat the dough, gently roll or stretch with hands.

Place pizza circle on center rack in oven and preheat to 500 degrees.

Spread a thin layer of sauce on top of the pizza leaving about an inch around the edges for crust.

Sprinkle with 3 cheeses evenly and sprinkle the top of the cheese with chopped basil. 

Carefully remove pizza circle from oven and lightly grease with olive oil and a sprinkle of corn meal. Transfer pizza with a large spatula to dough circle and place back in the middle rack of the oven. The hot circle ensures a crispy bottom.

Bake in preheated oven for 10-12 minutes or until the cheese is melted, the crust is crisp, and the bottom has browned.
Remove, slice, and serve!

I just love the hints of fresh basil, the gooey cheese, crispy thin crust, and sweet sauce.

This is the pizza of my dreams, y'all!

*sauce recipe from Serious Eats

Pot Pie Soup

Even though the weather is warming up there are still random days of cold and rain.

"April showers bring May flowers." Am I right?

So for those cold days, where you are craving a warm pot pie with flaky crust, but are too lazy to wait an hour for it to bake, this soup is for you.

It has all of the flavors of a pot pie and is amazing dunked with these pie crust "crackers".

For the Soup:
4 Tablespoons butter
1/4 cup onion, diced
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
dash of garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
3 cups 2 % milk
1 cup heavy cream
1 cup water
2 Tablespoons chicken bullion
2 cups cooked chicken (I used 2 breasts), diced
2 cups potatoes, peeled and diced
2 stalks of celery, diced
2 carrots, diced
1/4 cup frozen peas

For the Pie Crust:
1 cup all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup plus 1 Tablespoon shortening
3-4 Tablespoons cold water

Start by making the pie crust:
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour and salt. Cut in the shortening until the size of peas. Slowly add in water, 1 Tablespoon at a time, until the dough comes together. Wrap in plastic wrap and place in fridge until ready to use.

In a stock pot or dutch oven, melt butter over medium heat. Add onions and cook until softened. Add the seasonings to the onions and cook for 1 minute.
Add in the flour and whisk until bubbly, usually 2 minutes.
Gradually whisk in milk, heavy cream, and water until the lumps are smoothed and incorporated.
Add in the chicken bullion and continue to whisk until liquid comes to a simmer. Turn heat to low and add in the chicken and veggies. Continue to simmer, over low heat, for about 20-30 minutes or until the potatoes are tender and soup is thickened.

While the soup is simmering, remove pie crust from the fridge and preheat oven to 400 degrees.
On a lightly floured surface, roll out pie crust to 1/4" thickness.
Cut out circles of the crust with cookie cutters, fun little shapes, or simply slice into squares with a pizza cutter.
Lightly grease a large cookie sheet and place cut pie dough on top.
Bake in preheated oven for 10-13 minutes or until golden and crisp.
Remove and allow to cool slightly.

Scoop bowl fulls of soup and top or serve with pie crust "crackers".

Enjoy this warm and filling soup... An ode to pot pie!

Apple Fritter Bread

You know the Cookie Monster right? That cute little blue monster who demolishes cookies in an almost violent manner? Well yeah, that's my family with donuts.

First: My boys bite off the tops of the chocolate donuts and put them back (totally sacrilege)
Second: If they're glazed, they will polish off 2 in a sitting
And Third: If its cream filled anything I will eat two before the box is even set on the table.

I have no shame.

When I was pregnant with my first son though, and still working, I would stop every afternoon before work and pick up an apple fritter. Have you tried them from 7-11? Best apple fritters you will ever have... trust.

I've fallen away from my everyday love affair of them (my thighs say AMEN) but when I stumbled across this recipe (I even posted it on my Facebook) I knew I wanted to make it. ASAP.

It comes out more cake-like than bread-like but the cinnamon/sugar mixture paired with apples mimics an apple fritter perfectly. It just isn't fried.... So there's probably like only 20 calories a slice, am I right or am I right!?

For the Cake:

1/3 cup brown sugar

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 apple, peeled and diced then coated with 1 Tablespoon sugar and 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened

2/3 cup granulated sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla

2 large eggs

1 1/2 cups flour

1 3/4 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 cup milk

For the Frosting:

1 cup powdered sugar

1 Tablespoon milk

In a small bowl mix together the brown sugar and cinnamon, set aside.

In another small bowl, mix together the diced apple with 1 Tablespoon sugar and 1/2 tsp cinnamon, also set aside.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line a 9x5" loaf pan with parchment paper, spray with cooking oil, and set aside. You should now have bowls and loaf pans piling into a shunned corner of your kitchen.

In a large bowl, beat the sugar with softened butter with your hand mixer just until smooth and creamy. Add in the vanilla and mix to combine. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, until incorporated. 

Add in the flour and baking powder and beat just until the flour is mixed in. Stir in milk.

Take half of the batter and pour it into your prepared loaf pan. Top with half of the apple mixture and half of the cinnamon/brown sugar mixture. Top with remaining batter, smoothing the top. Press the remaining apples lightly into the batter and sprinkle with remaining brown sugar mixture. Swirl gently with a skewer.

Bake in preheated oven for 50-60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool completely on a wire rack. 

In a small bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar and milk until combined. Adding more powdered sugar or milk to achieve desired consistency.

Drizzle over the top of the cooled bread.

Slice and serve. 

The flavors mimic an apple fritter and the cake is soft and moist. Enjoy with a cup of hot coffee!

*recipe adapted from Rumbly In My Tumbly 

Homemade Cookie Crisp Cereal

Little cookies that can be counted as breakfast? Yes please.

After I tried my hands at homemade Cinnamon Toast Crunch, I knew there were other cereals I wanted to give a go at home. I found both recipes, and adapted them, from Half Baked Harvest.

And instead of just miniature sizing regular cookie dough, these feature Oats, so they are healthy... I promise.

They bake up crisp and hold up well throughout the week when sealed in an airtight container. The last sip of chocolate-y milk with little leftover cookie crumbs is so, so delicious.

You will need:
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/8 cup sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 large egg
1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1/2 cup old fashioned oats
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup chocolate chips (I used regular sized, although mini might be better for this recipe)

In a large bowl, whisk together the wheat flour, oatmeal, baking soda, and salt. Stir to combine and set aside.
In the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together the butter, sugars, and vanilla until creamy, about 3 minutes. Add in the egg and mix until combined. Slowly beat in the flour mixture until incorporated. Stir in the chocolate chips.
Divide the dough in half and on a large surface of wax paper, roll the dough into a 2 foot log, about 1 inch thick. Continue with other half of dough.
Seal both logs up in plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for 30-45 minutes, or just until the butter has solidified.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Remove from the fridge and unwrap. Slice log into 1/4" pieces. If you like thinner cookies, place the sliced rounds on a parchment lined cookie sheet (this is what I did) or roll into balls and press lightly on to the cookie sheet for rounder-puffier cookies.

Bake in preheated oven for 10 minutes or until cooked through and lightly golden.

Cool completely before transferring to an airtight container.

Serve in a bowl with ice cold milk or crumbled on top of yogurt or ice cream.

The little cookies are packed with flavor and taste amazing as cereal! Enjoy!