Keeping things simple with a smidge of Southern charm
When we think about Valentine’s Day, most people think about heart shaped boxes of chocolate, flowers, oversized stuffed animals, and those weird candy hearts that are made out of sugary chalk. But when I think about Valentine’s Day, my mind goes in a different direction. First, I think about love, and then I think about my love for these fabulous strawberry brownies. Keep your chocolates and flowers! I’ll take a batch of these, please! 😉
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When Fall rolls around each year, I always break out this recipe and make a few batches. It is one of my favorite things to have for breakfast in the morning. It also makes a wonderful afternoon snack! This yummy bread is so delicious, you just might have a hard time sharing!
To lighten this recipe up a little bit, I used Greek yogurt and stevia in place of sugar. This bread is rich, moist and absolutely heavenly with a little butter smeared on it. This recipe will make two loaves of bread. I’ve found that this freezes nicely if you’d like to save the second loaf for another time.
This delicious banana nut cranberry bread is made with greek yogurt and stevia, making it a great low(ish) calorie snack! Would be perfect to make during Thanksgiving!
Do you have any delicious bread recipes that you love to snack on or share with others? I’d love to hear about it!
It’s a beautiful thing, y’all. When I count my blessings, I count cheesecake twice. It’s basically the 8th wonder of the world if we want to get real here. At least, in my mind it is. 😉
You’d THINK a girl like me who loves cheesecake more than most would’ve been to The Cheesecake Factory a time or two. But nope! I really haven’t. Sadly, the closest I’ve gotten to The Cheesecake Factory is an episode of The Big Bang Theory. Weep not for me, my cheesecake lovin’ friends. I will go forth into the golden gates of cheesecake heaven one glorious day, and I will indulge. Hard.
In the mean time, I’ll just make my own! Now, I don’t know that this could hold a candle anywhere near to what The Cheesecake Factory cranks out, but this pumpkin layered cheesecake recipe is pretty ding dong good if I do say so myself! Right on time for Thanksgiving, too! 🙂
You may have seen me share my love of all things pumpkin before. It’s something I just can’t keep a secret! I recently shared a delicious recipe for Glazed Pumpkin Praline Mini Cakes, which would also be an AH-MAZING addition to the Thanksgiving dessert table. Just sayin’.
Right now, though, I’m all about this cheesecake. It’s pretty simple to make, and it only calls for 1/2 cup of pumpkin puree (which means you can totally use the remaining pumpkin puree to make those mini cakes I just shared.) #Yourewelcome
Here’s what you’ll need for this dish:
Let’s just say you’re looking for something sweet to make for a holiday party or to give as a gift this season, but maybe you’re facing a few challenges. Maybe you’re terrible at following a recipe. Maybe looking on Pinterest for something great to make stresses you out or makes you feel overwhelmed. Maybe you’re strapped for cash. Maybe you realized 5 minutes ago that you’re supposed to bring something to an event, and that event is in half an hour and it takes you 15 minutes to get there. I get it. I’ve been there.
Fret not, my friends. I have a simple, quick, inexpensive and yummy solution for you! You can thank me later. 😉
Peppermint bark is the perfect festive snack to satisfy a sweet tooth. It has just 3 ingredients, and it’s actually pretty fun to make! Here’s what you’ll need:
That’s it, y’all! It’s insanely easy to make, and it makes for a really sweet gift to give during the holidays. Just wrap it up in a holiday candy tin (You can frequently find them in a 3 pack for around $3), put a bow on it and you’re done!
I’ve definitely been on a peppermint kick here lately. I’ve been having so much fun buying stocking stuffers and Christmas gifts for my 6 month old this week, and it’s just really put me in the holiday spirit! While I’m not ready to start decorating my house yet (that absolutely comes AFTER Thanksgiving in this house), smelling and using peppermint essential oil certainly makes me want to!
I recently posted a delicious recipe for double mint brownies using peppermint essential oil. I mentioned how it would be a great gift to package up and give to family members or friends for the holidays. I then started brainstorming some other ways that I could use peppermint oil in the kitchen. I wanted to think of some yummy treats that would also be great to share with others as a gift. Then I thought of these:
Say hello to my little friends!
I was so excited to try my hand at making these. They’re pretty darn close to real peppermint patties as far as taste goes. They’re just missing that perfectly pressed/processed round shape that the real ones have. But who needs that anyway, right?! These are also a little bit healthier that the real deal, too. Here’s what you’ll need to make these:
While these can sit out, they are best stored in the refrigerator. Coconut oil can quickly melt if it is ever at a temperature slightly hotter than room temp.
If you’re making these to give as a little DIY gift, you can put them in a cute little Christmas tin or put in a cellophane bag and tie with a ribbon like I did! These are so yummy and just melt in your mouth. Anyone who loves chocolate and mint together would love these for sure!
Christmas is right around the corner, y’all! It’ll seriously be here before we know it. It always has a way of sneaking up on me! I’ve already been pulling out my Christmas gift list (and checking it twice) and making notes here and there of what I’d like to give my friends and family as gifts this year on the big day. It’s always fun to make sweets and package them up and give to others. It’s also fun to receive sweet treats (just in case you needed an idea of what to get me!) 😉
One of the first things I associate with the holidays is food – particularly sweet treats. I’ve always loved to be in the kitchen, but I especially love to be in the kitchen during this time of year. Once Thanksgiving has come and gone, I start putting away the pumpkin and break out the peppermint! I’ve always loved chocolate and peppermint together. My husband is not a fan, but that doesn’t stop me from digging in! 😉
One chocolatey and pepperminty dish that’s so easy to make is Double Mint Brownies. They’re so delicious, and they are perfect to wrap up to give as a little gift to someone on your Christmas list! I think instead of baking Santa cookies this year, we might be leaving him and his reindeer some of these beauties. Who knows, maybe he’ll leave us a little something extra special!
Double Mint Brownie Recipe using Young Living Peppermint Essential Oil
I have been using essential oils for over a year now. I’m always amazed at how many different uses each oil has! This time of year, I really love to use peppermint essential oil when baking. In this recipe, I use it in place of mint extract.
Note: If you would like to learn more about essential oils, my sister has a really informative post that may help you out! You can find it here.
Just FYI – If you’re in a time/ingredient crunch, you can also accomplish this pepperminty awesomeness by buying a box of brownie mix and just adding the peppermint to it. I won’t judge! Don’t you ever let anybody tell you that store bought isn’t fine. 🙂
To give these brownies as a gift, put them in a cute little holiday tin and put a bow on top! I actually stacked them and placed them in a clear plastic cup. I covered the cup with cellophane, tied it together with ribbon, and added a name tag. Easy as pie, y’all!
I have a problem, y’all.
When Fall rolls around each year and I see that the grocery store has moved the pumpkin puree to the end cap or center aisle (hello impulse shoppers!), it’s like moths to the flame. Every time. No lie. There is no buying just one can. I’ll buy seven! There’s just something about this time of year that sends my mind in a tizzy. If you could hear the voices inside my head, they’d probably sound something like this:
I mean, I don’t mean to be THAT girl, but I cannot deny my love for pumpkin. There’s just so many things you can do with it. What’s not to love?!
I found this recipe scribbled down in a 3 ring binder in my recipe collection. I made it several years ago and actually forgot all about it! I did a little tweaking and turned it into something new that I am absolutely loving. These little cakes are so stinkin’ delicious. Make sure you have a tall glass of milk on hand, because you’re gonna want it after you have one of these bad boys!
What are some of your favorite fall sweet treats? I absolutely love cooking with pumpkin and am always looking for a new way to use it in the kitchen! If you try this recipe for glazed pumpkin praline mini cakes, I’d love to hear your thoughts on it!
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