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Oh my, oh my did I find something absolutely delightful.  The other day I was looking through my fridge and freezer to see what to make for dinner (and face it what I had forgotten was in there). Well I stumbled across some cream cheese goodness from these amazing muffins and the wheels in my brain just started turning. You see cream cheese is a must have in my house--just like always having butter around.  You never know when you are going to need some cream cheese so I always have several spares in my fridge.  Plus my hubby says it's the universal food--it can go in desserts, side dishes, and main dishes.  Sweet!  And when there is only a tiny bit left (like from the muffins or from crepes ) we have to save it because you never know when you are going to find a use for it. Well after I found this lovely goodness I knew I had to try it in cookies because it was amazing in the muffins--that sweet surprise in the middle.  These turned out absolutely fantast...

Are your costumes ready for the big day? The kids costumes are all put together, the trunk is ready (our church is doing a trunk-or-treat), and the goodies are all made for the 3 parties we are scheduled to attend. Phewwww.... Now I feel like I can move on to the rest of the things on my list.  Yep I'm a list person and I am so much more less stressed out when I have everything written down. Speaking (or writing) of that, I always try to have some fun things to make on my to do list.  Some are new (I will be sharing those later) and some are old favorites.  Here is what we have been making lately. We love caramel apples.  Especially dipping them in all the candy that is around this year.  Every year my apples get a lot cuter and this year I used this tutorial and they turned out better than ever.  Plus this caramel recipe works fantastic for these beauties. To make them more fun, we stuck sticks from the backyard in the top.  The kids thought that wa...

Sometimes I like to have special breakfasts in my repertoire for those special occasions in life. There is just something about a yummy, delicious breakfast on a special day or when company is visiting. I love the smell of it baking, especially cinnamon in the fall. On birthdays my kids get to pick their favorite breakfast and their favorite dinner.  All four of them always pick crepes with all sorts of delicious fillings.  So I have been on a mission to introduce them to some other special breakfasts so they don't have to pick the same thing every year. This is one breakfast we hardly ever have.  We have "normal" french toast often but not the oven-baked overnight kind.  I was very curious to see how my kids liked it.  They all ate everything on their plates and they even said "it was very yummy".  I mean how could it not be with caramel running down the sides (not to mention they added maple syrup to it too!). I loved the flavors of your classic caramel a...

I know, I know Halloween is next week and I haven't posted anything Halloweenie. I just haven't felt in the mood for any of it.  I would so much rather be making anything pumpkin.   Oh the things to make with pumpkin.  I dream at night of things to make with that delicious stuff.  I love it.  My house constantly smells like pumpkin and cinnamon--heavenly! And the pies.   I am so excited to get to November so I can share all the amazing pies I have been trying. I even have one cooling right now.  I can't wait to eat it. Anyways.... Back to Halloween.  I made these for my kids and their friends and they absolutely loved them.  They are so easy and cute and very fun! Candy Corn Parfaits (click here for printable version) 1 large box of instant chocolate pudding 1 large box of French vanilla pudding  Cocoa Puffs Whipped cream Candy corn Orange gel color Halloween sprinkles Clear cups 1.  Get all of the components ready.  Make the c...

 Remember how I went berry picking?  Doesn't that just sound so Anne of Green Gablesish (I know, I know, not a word but hey how else do you say that)? Speaking of Anne of Green Gables, does any one else love those movies as much as I do? I still remember the first time I ever watched them.  I was babysitting for my cousin in San Francisco (it was a sweet deal because they flew me out there to watch their kids while she recovered from surgery and I got to ride on a plane for the first time ever and see that amazing city).  I would tend the kids during the day until their dad would get home from work...I was eleven by the way and the early nineties were in full swing. Anyway, at night I was free to watch TV, movies, drink pop, read books, and basically do whatever I wanted.  Well these cousins had Anne of Green Gables and Anne of Avonlea.  I was in heaven!  I couldn't wait for it to be evening so I could watch more of it. I would sit with a pop (Dr. Pepp...

 Now that the cooler weather is officially here my oven is on constantly. I am loving trying all sorts of new things--especially ones I have been drooling over all summer. This was one of those.  My husband L.O.V.E.S enchiladas. In my family, birthday tradition says that the birthday person gets to have his/her favorite meal (within reason of course).  My hubby's first birthday that we celebrated together he requested enchiladas.  So I made some the way my mom always made them, which by the way are very delicious. He was smitten and talked about them constantly--sweet guy!  He has then requested them every year now for 11 years.  Now he says it's time to change. One bite of these lovely ladies and he says they are now number one.  I guess I know what I am making him this year :). Honey Lime Enchiladas ( click here for printable version ) 1 small sweet onion, peeled & diced  3 chicken breast halves 1/2 c. chicken broth 1 Tbsp. chili powder 1 ts...

 There are many in my house that have a berry obsession.  Including me. There is just something amazing about raspberries, blueberries, blackberries, huckleberries (which Idaho is famous for and they are really, really good in ice cream) and pretty much every berry you could think of. Because we love them so much I am always looking for berries to pick.  This year I found the sweetest older couple that lives in our area that grows an entire, massive row of blackberries.  I was so excited to  go get some.  They were absolutely beautiful and taste amazing. I have been having a grand ole time making all sorts of things; blackberry jam, blackberry sauce, blackberry pie filling, and all sorts of desserts including this deliciousness. My son really wanted a pie but I really didn't want to make some pie crusts.  So after a quick search on Pinterest I found this.  We loved it.  It had great flavor and it was so much easier than making a real pie. ...

 There are a few kinds of food that I just can't have around my house. And if I do there better be a lot of people around so I feel the social pressure of not eating so much. I'm serious!   I just know that I can't bring in or make certain things or the result will be 5 lbs on each hip, a crazy wicked stomachache, and several extra hours at the gym. Do any of you have foods like that? One of mine is muddy buddies (ie: puppy chow).  I swear it's the peanut butter chocolate combination that calls out to me and won't leave me be.  If this is ever in my house I am in so much trouble.  I just know I don't possess the self control to stay away (same thing with peanut butter m&ms.  I just can't even buy them). Well then I thought what if you put it on popcorn (mostly because we were out of chex mix and the kids wanted something sweet)?  Would I love it as much as the chex version?  Would I have the same problem with it? Well the answer is no and no. ...

I don't know about you but we just finally got our garden cleaned out.  In between all the raining and a possible chance of freezing soon, it was about time. I've shared with you before how much I love to be outside, work in my yard, and take care of my garden. Well that feeling lasts at least through July and then...I just can't find the time to pull weeds or the energy to be that hot. Needless to say, when we get around to cleaning out the garden we usually have lovely surprises.  Mostly they are vegetables that we haven't picked for awhile.  I love being able to have meals made almost entirely from our garden.  This one is pretty close.  The only thing I had to buy was the chicken.  Sweet! One of the veggies we found a lot of was cherry tomatoes.  Sarah, my oldest daughter, LOVES  tomatoes.  We always plant one cherry tomato plant just for her (and she can usually be found sitting outside eating them straight off the vine).  The extra...

Is any one enjoying the fall weather? I was until it started raining 3 days ago and hasn't stopped.  I know, I know Jenny, it's nothing like Seattle but still how do you guys stand the constant rain? It does make my grass so beautiful, everything smells great, and my allergies have been non-existent for those days  but I sure miss my sun. I love how the sunshine is so warm in the fall and the shade is tad bit chilly.  I love the leaves falling down.  I love the pumpkin and gingerbread recipes. Oh man, do I love the soup! Since it has been so cold (for Idaho anyway) I have been making soup almost every night. It sounds absolutely fabulous to me but I kid you not, every time my kids come to the table for dinner they ask what we are having and I say, "Soup" they immediately dissolve into a puddle of tears. They are not soup eaters but boy do the hubs and I love it.  So amid the groaning and crying of dinner we sit there and enjoy the rain beating against the window...

If you saw last month, I participated in Mom's Crazy Cooking challenge .  This month our challenge is Chocolate Chip Cookies. I was excited for this one because if you have noticed there is not one chocolate chip cookie recipe on my blog.  There is a reason for that, not a very good one, but one none the less. You see, I am not a huge fan of chocolate chip cookies.  Never have been.  I seriously could take them or leave them, doesn't matter to me. I've thought a lot about it and I think I don't like them because there was never enough chocolate in them.  It was cookie dough with a chocolate piece here and there. Not my cup of tea! Because of that I never make them.  Once in a while the hubby will make cookies but then he usually ends up making peanut butter chocolate chip so I can have the peanut butter--my favorite. Well I was on a mission to change that with this challenge.  I wanted to find a chocolate chip cookie recipe that I absolutely loved. ...

Two years ago yesterday, I wrote my very first post.   Grandma's Apple Crisp .  (I would encourage you to click on the link and look how vastly improved my pictures are--you know just to make me feel better :) A lot of you are recent addition to my blog (like in the past 6 months) but some of you have been with me since the beginning.  You guys are all awesome!  But because a lot of you are new, I thought I would share some random facts with you about me and about my blog. First, this is my family. Aren't they so cute!  This is our most recent family picture and now you can put my name with a face--I know, I know I don't share many family or personal pictures with you.  I just don't like seeing myself all the time :) I started this blog as a side hobby mostly because I would get at least 2 phone calls a week asking for specific recipes.  I hate writing down recipes so I thought most people did too and hence this blog.  Now I can always say, "It's ...

Did you know that October is Popcorn month? Why you might ask.  Because that's when the popcorn is harvested every year (random fact I know but hey those come in handy sometimes!) I have mentioned before the popcorn addiction in my family.  We grew up with popcorn every Sunday night--rain, snow, or shine.  Mostly it was buttered and salted and every once in while my Mom would make peanut butter or caramel. Because of this I L.O.V.E. popcorn. It reminds me of growing up.  Of being secure and in a house that was comforting and safe.  It reminds me of my parents and hanging out with all my brothers and sisters (the ones that still live by my parents continue to go over Sunday nights to see them--I think it's just for the popcorn, sorry Mom and Dad :). But I also love to find new popcorn recipes.  I have found several that we have loved and I will be sharing them throughout this month to celebrate popcorn month. This one is a dream!  It came from my mom w...