Gulf Coast-Inspired Easy Shrimp Tacos

This easy shrimp taco recipe has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #SoftsoapTouch #OurCaringHands #CollectiveBias

Be ready for summer with these easy Gulf Coast style Shrimp Tacos! They're so easy to make and absolutely delicious. Feel the Gulf Island flavor-- shrimp, taco shells, and plenty of flavor. #OurCaringHands [ad]

The clock is ticking, y’all. I am just weeks away from the event that I look forward to all year long. I’d say I’m practically packed, but we all know I’ll end up doing that the night before I leave. I’m talking about summer vacation, and for me, oh, it’s so much more than just a little break. See, for almost two decades now, summer vacation has meant something a little bit different for my family. It hasn’t just meant beach, and sand, and the sun, but it’s meant a whole lot of family time.

Every summer, we make the trek down to the Gulf Coast, to a tiny island called Dauphin Island, Alabama. If you’re a long-time reader, you’ve probably even seen me talk about it every summer for the past several years. This year we will be driving about 16 hours like we do every summer. Why? To enjoy the beach with our family, who live in another state.

To save money, we split condo costs. We also make sure to cook and eat meals family-style in the condo, rather than going out to eat a lot. That doesn’t mean we never visit local restaurants…. We totally do! There are so many great options for Gulf Coast flavor. Restaurants there serve up fried fish platters, po’boys, and of course, delicious shrimp tacos.

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Teriyaki Trail Mix

This post about Teriyaki Trail Mix has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and Conagra Brands. All opinions are mine alone. #SimpleSecret #CollectiveBias

If you want plenty of Asian flavor on the go, I've got the #SimpleSecret. This trail mix is so easy to make using cereal, chow mein noodles, cashews, pineapple, coconut, and a little P.F. Chang's® Home Menu Teriyaki sauce. Your summer hikes, trips to the zoo, and road trips will never be the same because this fun snack tastes great and will keep you fueled for the journey ahead. [ad]

Our summer is booked with wall-to-wall travel this year. From our annual summer vacation to my kiddo’s birthday trip, we’re pretty much on-the-go all summer long this year. The one thing that I know we’re in for a lot of is road trip action, and when it comes to road trips, I really love a good snack to keep me focused on the path ahead. Trail mix is almost always a go-to snack of mine, but lately, I’ve been wanting to mix it up with different fruits, nuts, and crunchy items to keep me fueled up and satisfied during the long drive. Today, I’m sharing my new favorite way to shake up my trail mix game (and trust me, there’s a super, super simple secret to getting plenty of flavor without the effort).

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Semi-Homemade Toaster Pastries

This post on Homemade Toaster Pastries may contain affiliate links.

I love a good toaster pastry, especially Pop Tarts, but if you make these, you are never going to buy storebought again… flaky crust, hearty filling, deliciously sweet, tender flavor, and sprinkles in any color of the rainbow! Plus, they’re super easy to make with a semi-homemade filling! Get these yummy toaster pastries on your table in a matter of minutes (and get your kids enjoying some real fruit inside!) A homemade toaster pastry is the perfect breakfast treat for your on-the-go family! | homemade pop tarts | easy breakfast idea | breakfast pastry recipe |

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.

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So-Simple Strawberry Turnovers

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.

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Cowboy Egg Rolls

Black beans, corn, tomatoes, cream cheese... these cowboy egg rolls are so easy to make, and make the perfect appetizer for tailgating parties and for the big game! | Super Bowl Appetizer | Easy Appetizer | Vegetarian Appetizer |

I am a sucker for a good egg roll. Snack, lunch, tailgating party, it doesn’t matter. I really, really love egg rolls. I’m also a big fan of cream cheese and black beans, which is why I just had to make my own twist on egg rolls for this year’s tailgating parties. That’s how cowboy egg rolls came to be… they’re filled with the tastiest ingredients, and they’re oh-so-simple to make.

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Raspberry White Chocolate Cake Balls

Christmas, valentine's day, springtime, any time of year is a great time for these delicious raspberry white chocolate cake balls. They're a great addition to any dessert table, and they're easy to make! Add a stick, and you've got beautiful cake pops anyone will love! Raspberry, white chocolate, a drizzle of caramel... heavenly dessert, in bite-sized portions.

During raspberry season, I can’t seem to keep raspberries in stock in my house… I buy a package, and suddenly they’re gone. I equate it with one of the great mysteries of life… my raspberries keep disappearing, and I don’t know how. Except maybe it has a little to do with the fact that my entire family loves raspberries. The only downside is raspberries have a pretty short season here in Kansas, but luckily, I’ve worked some frozen raspberries into these amazing Raspberry White Chocolate Cake Balls that are a perfect treat in the middle of winter when you just want a little raspberry taste. They’ll be the hit of the Christmas party, New Year party, or Valentine’s party while you wait for raspberries to come back into season next summer.

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No-Bake Energy Bites

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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Cinnamon Apple Bake

Looking for the perfect breakfast or dessert? You'll love this cinnamon apple bake-- using storebought ingredients and fresh apples, it takes no time at all to throw together and serve at your next get together, or for a nice breakfast with the family!

I love a good hearty breakfast. I also love a great dessert. And best of all, I love those dishes that can taste great no matter when you make them! This cinnamon apple bake is the perfect dessert or breakfast dish, and it’s so easy to throw together that your family will be begging for you to make it again and again.

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Chocolate Caramel Molten Lava Cakes

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

Give into your chocolate cravings with these molten lava cakes... chocolate, caramel, more chocolate, it's sure to make you feel better anytime you need a chocolate fix (especially that time of the month!) #WhatMattersToU [ad]

Real talk… that time of the month SUCKS, doesn’t it? I mean, we’re basically walking around trying to pretend life is totally normal, taking care of the kids, spending time with friends, doing all of the normal life stuff, all the while our body is screaming at us, cramping, and generally making us feel sucky. It’s like the main event isn’t enough, we have to throw in soreness, crabbiness, and bloating… ughhhh.

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Upside Down Mini Ice Cream Cakes

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

Ahh, summertime. There's nothing better than beating the heat with ice cream! But if you want to make your ice cream something extra special, you'll want to make these delicious upside down mini ice cream cakes! They're perfect for any summer soiree! | dessert | party food | #sohoppingood | #topyoursummer | ad | @walmart | @blue_bunny

Ahh, summertime. There’s nothing like ice cream to beat the heat in the summer, is there? Growing up, I looked forward to summer solely for the ice cream… for us, it was just a part of tradition. My great grandmother wouldn’t let an evening go by without a bowl of ice cream, and that’s a standard that I love to live up to, especially in the heat of summer… with heat indexes reaching 104 around here, you have to cool off somehow! And with these mini ice cream cakes that are upside down, you’ll have the whole family ready to cool off in no time!

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