Overnight Slow Cooker French Toast Casserole

August 14, 2017August 15, 2017 - Mama Leave a comment

This recipe for overnight slow cooker french toast casserole has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #HorizonHappiness #CollectiveBias

Back to school means time to get back in the swing of things… and sometimes that can be a struggle! My favorite way to beat the morning rush to get through to the school day is to have breakfast ready when my family wakes up. That’s why I’m a huge fan of using my slow cooker to get it ready. This overnight slow cooker French toast casserole is so easy and the whole family will love it! It’s even perfect for dinner time, making it versatile.

Maple Cactus Mudslide: A Frozen Mocktail

July 31, 2017August 1, 2017 - Mama Leave a comment

This maple cactus mudslide recipe may contain affiliate links.

Looking for a fun twist on your average mudslide? Here's a maple cactus mudslide mocktail, the perfect frozen blended treat! With white chocolate, maple syrup, and a splash of cactus water, it's everything you want in a mudslide and then some! This one is perfect for brunch! | Mocktail Recipe | Maple Syrup | Brunch drink |

I love a challenge. Sometimes, that challenge is to use a strange ingredient in a new recipe. And when my son found a carton of cactus water at the store, I had to use it in a fun new way. Now, I’ve been meaning to make a delicious maple drink for awhile, and this seemed like the perfect opportunity! It may sound a little strange, but prickly pear cactus water is already free of prickle (since it’s store-bought), and this mocktail is all about that white chocolate maple flavor with a refreshing hint of that cactus water. Trust me, you’ll love every element of this Maple Cactus Mudslide frozen mocktail. It’s perfect for brunch!

Fruit flavored syrups made with REAL fruit to amp up your waffle and pancake game!

April 18, 2017April 14, 2017 - Mama Leave a comment

This post for fruit flavored syrups for pancakes made with real fruit may contain affiliate links.

Literally the best part of going out to a pancake restaurant instead of having them at home is the fruit flavored syrups. See, I’m more of a homemade pancake girl, because I love mine extra fluffy and a little bit undercooked. But when it comes to those fruit flavored syrups, I always feel a little like I’m missing out when I’m eating pancakes and waffles at home. Luckily, they’re really not hard to make and they store in the fridge for weeks!

Semi-Homemade Toaster Pastries

March 14, 2017March 16, 2017 - Mama Leave a comment

This post on Homemade Toaster Pastries may contain affiliate links.

One of my favorite childhood breakfasts was Pop Tarts. I just love something grab-and-go in the mornings, especially because I’m a reluctant breakfast-eater. I know the importance of it now, but it’s taken me years to even be that excited about breakfast. Toaster Pastries just have that awesome feeling that transports you back to childhood, and there’s something nostalgic about biting into a toaster pastry in your favorite flavor. But you can actually make a homemade toaster pastry (or semi-homemade toaster pastry) that is so easy and so delicious, you may think twice about buying the store-bought ones.

So-Simple Strawberry Turnovers

February 15, 2017February 24, 2017 - Mama 2 Comments

These strawberry turnovers are so insanely easy that you might just cry a little bit. Fill, fold, bake, glaze, DONE. Breakfast in under 20 minutes, easy enough for any morning but fancy enough for Easter, Valentine's Day, and more. These simple strawberry turnovers are going to become a staple in your house-- promise.

I’m a breakfast person. Lunch, dinner, they’re great, but if I had to pick one category of food, it would be breakfast. I don’t even have to eat it at breakfast time (in fact, being so NOT a morning person, I’m notoriously bad at eating breakfast… like, at actual breakfast time). From pancakes to eggs to French toast, there’s nothing about breakfast food I don’t like. But there is one breakfast food that I cannot. ever. ever. ever say no to. Turnovers. *drool* The flakiness of the pastry. The flavor of the fruit filling (or cream, or chocolate, I don’t discriminate). And amazingly, the ease of making them. Seriously. This is the easiest breakfast dish you are ever going to make. And it might be a little dangerous for your waistline because oh my gosh, I can’t resist making these all the dang time. These strawberry turnovers are SO simple, you might cry a little. I won’t blame you if you need to grab a tissue really quickly before we keep reading.

Strawberry + Yogurt Breakfast Muffins

January 19, 2017January 19, 2017 - Mama Leave a comment

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #SpoonfulsOfGoodness #CerealAnytime #CollectiveBias

Mornings can be hard, especially at the fast pace we're expected to live them in. But that doesn't mean you can't get a great breakfast-- these Strawberry Yogurt Muffins are a perfect breakfast on-the-go, giving new meaning to cereal and milk. #SpoonfulsOfGoodness #CerealAnytime [ad]

I was watching a lecture the other day about how getting older changes your perception on the length of a year. When you turn two, one year is literally half of your life, so it seems like it took a long time. At age 5, a year is 1/5th of your life, but when you’re in your late 20s like I am, one year is just 1/28th of your life, and it seems to really fly by. So when we set resolutions for the year, one of two things usually happens: we’re too busy to take them seriously and ditch them by March, or we realize the year flew by and we forgot to really give it a proper go. It got me thinking about the importance of setting smaller goals, perhaps even daily goals. Maybe this year, instead of saying “This year, I’ll accomplish something big,” I’ll start my day off saying “Today, I’m accomplishing this.” That isn’t to say I don’t have long term goals, but sometimes having a good year is as simple as saying “today, I’m going to start my day off right with breakfast before I dive into my extensive to-do list.”

Double-Dipped French Toast (IHOP Copycat!)

January 16, 2017January 16, 2017 - Mama Leave a comment

If you LOVE double dipped french toast from IHOP, you'll love this IHOP copycat recipe you can make at home! Their double dipped french toast is seasonal, but you can enjoy this all year round! Just coat your favorite bread in an extra crunchy topping, fry, and serve! Easy-peasy. | IHOP copycat | Breakfast Recipe |

It’s no secret that IHOP is one of our favorite restaurants. The kiddo and I usually end up stopping there after his Autism therapy, or going for a late breakfast once in awhile as a fun treat. We’re such big fans, we even asked for IHOP gift cards for Christmas to fuel our little IHOP addiction. It’s also no secret that I am a huuuuge fan of their double-dipped French toast! I love the extra crunch that it has, the taste that takes it one step higher than regular French toast for me. The only downside? Double Dipped French Toast is seasonal on their menu, and I’ve found myself craving it like nobody’s business. I’ve been determined to make it at home so I can eat it whenever I want, and I think I’ve finally got the recipe down, so I’m going to show you how to make it a big platter (and then tell you how to scale down the recipe if it’s only you eating breakfast).

Chocolate Cranberry Braid (and the Science of Cranberry Sauce!)

November 17, 2016December 26, 2016 - Mama Leave a comment

Cranberry braids are really easy to make, and so delicious when you make homemade cranberry sauce, too! Plus, learn the science behind cranberry sauce and how to make it at home! It's part science experiment for kids and part delicious thanksgiving recipe!

I love cranberries. Something about that fall flavor just tastes awesome. That said, they can be pretty stinkin’ tart when you just taste one. The kiddo found out the hard way because when we cook together, he insists on tasting every single ingredient. It got me thinking about the science behind cranberries and a way we could learn by experimenting while we cook!

Cracker Barrel Fried Apples (In the Slow Cooker!)

November 2, 2016December 26, 2016 - Mama Leave a comment

In the fall, nothing beats fried apples like the ones you get from Cracker Barrel. Luckily, they're incredibly easy to make in your slow cooker! These slow cooker fried apples are perfect for serving at a fall party or enjoying with a warm winter's meal. Perfect side dish for comfort food! | crock pot | baked apples | cinnamon apple | slow cooker side |

There’s just something special about going to Cracker Barrel for lunch. No, it’s not the checkers outside or the store in the front of the restaurant. It has to be the epic side dishes you can get with your meal. It never fails… my order is the same every time I go there. Chicken and dumplings with fried apples, mac and cheese, and the hashbrown casserole. For the longest time, Cracker Barrel was my choice because I couldn’t get those darn apples anywhere else. Want to know a secret, though? I learned how to make a spot-on copycat so I don’t have to drive quite as far for that heavenly cinnamon apple goodness… without further ado, here’s how to make Cracker Barrel Style Fried Apples (in your slow cooker!)

No-Bake Energy Bites

September 29, 2016December 26, 2016 - Mama Leave a comment

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #CarnationBreakfastEssentials #CollectiveBias #sponsored

Break out of your morning rush with these super simple no-bake chocolate energy bites-- they even taste like cookies! Grab them for breakfast or enjoy them as a snack to keep you going throughout the day. #CarnationBreakfastEssentials #sponsored

I have to admit… I really like any excuse to eat cookies for breakfast. Who doesn’t? When my mom was young, she’d sometimes make a batch of no-bake cookies to enjoy for breakfast, and I have to say, it’s not a bad idea… after all, oatmeal, peanut butter, they’re a decent start to getting what you need out of the morning. With a few tweaks, I think I’ve perfected that idea… and trust me, these are an incredibly delicious Energy Bite option that tastes just like cookies for breakfast. You don’t even need to turn on your stove or oven.

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