Posts

Banana Bread Oatmeal There is something almost magical about stirring very ripe mashed banana into oatmeal—it becomes so incredibly sweet and rich with banana flavor that totally reminds me of banana bread. I love making this easy recipe to share with my family, especially since it works for any age of kiddo at the table. The beauty of this oatmeal recipe is that you can set the timer and walk away from the stove without needing to stir the pot....

Christmas Cookies for Kids Every year when the holidays are in sight, we make at least one batch of cut-out cookies. (Okay, usually we make a few batches!) And this recipe, which doesn’t require a hand held mixer or stand mixer, is our favorite recipe to make together. I love that the dough is forgiving and is hard to mess up, and that it rolls out easily without a ton of chilling (or any if you want to just fast forward the recipe a little)....

Be sure to also enjoy our Peach Ice Cream, Peach Cobbler and award winning Peach Pie during peach season. When summer hits and fresh peaches come into season, our local farmer’s market always has the BEST peaches. Every year I buy loads of yellow peaches, which get devoured before I even get a chance to make something with them and I have to go back for more. There is nothing better than a juicy peach!...

Pasta salad is one of our favorite light lunch options and is perfect for bringing to a potluck or backyard bbq. This Greek pasta salad with feta cheese can be thrown together with minimal effort in less than 15 minutes! It tastes light and refreshing, with the classic tastes of feta, olive, cucumber, and tomato that are the signatures of Greek cooking. You can always bulk it up by adding some grilled chicken or shrimp to make for a satisfying, cool dinner all on its own on hot nights....

If you have never had pumpkin dump cake before it’s basically like a cobbler & pumpkin pie met up and had a child. The combination of pumpkin pie filling with a buttery, crunchy topping creates a texture and taste that’s hard to beat! It’s a great dessert to share during the Fall season, especially for a Thanksgiving dessert that is way easier than making a pumpkin pie. Pumpkin dump cake is a great recipe to impress your guests without spending hours in the kitchen....

This luscious pineapple pie is one of my favorite pie recipes and a delicious summertime treat! But you can really enjoy it all year round as it’s a fun pie to bring to any occasion since most people have never had it before. Pair it with a scoop of our homemade Coconut Macadamia Nut Ice Cream for a dreamy tropical dessert and people will go wild for it. Or just serve it with whipped cream or creamy vanilla ice cream and it’s just as delicious....

Vegetarian Burrito Bowls Rice and beans are two meal components I always keep in my pantry since they are so easy to vary. They’re affordable and nutritious—and are also just a yummy base for easy meals like these burrito bowls. These bowls are easy to prep ahead (should you have the time) and easy to serve family style so everyone can decide exactly how they want their bowl. Just like Chipotle … sort of!...

Feeding babies and toddlers is exhausting, no matter how you do it. I know that I’ve always felt that nourishing myself in the postpartum days was more challenging than I expected, and I needed to eat frequently in order to avoid feeling shaky or unwell. I always tried to keep easy to eat snacks on hand that would fill me up and offer plenty of nutrients. And this has continued into the toddler years because, quite frankly, being a parent is exhausting work and we often don’t take enough time to nourish ourselves....

Toddler Balance Bikes Balance bikes are, quite simply, small bikes that don’t have pedals. Kids as young as two—or even younger, if you opt for a tricycle version!—ride them by pushing off with their feet and then gliding (almost like a seated scooter). These are a great first-bike option because they really teach kids to balance (hence the name, of course!), as opposed to a traditional two-wheeler with training wheels that can be clunky and act as a crutch....

Strawberry Pancakes We have long loved our Yogurt Pancakes as a delicious and filling breakfast option, and this strawberry version—which you can make in a pan or in a sheet pan—is our favorite variation yet. I love including both freeze-dried and fresh berries here for max flavor, but just fresh work if that’s what you have. (Using both gives them the best strawberry flavor, so try it if you can.) They are super moist and so easy to dice up for a baby breakfast or 1-year-old recipe....

When it comes to pies, Paul prefers cream pies while I’m usually all about the fruit pies. But I will never say no to a slice of this French silk pie! It’s like heaven on a plate with it’s deep chocolate flavor and sweet mound of whipped cream on top. We love creamy, cool desserts, especially when they have piles of homemade whipped cream on top. If you like this French Silk Pie recipe, you will also want to check out our Easy No-Bake Blueberry Delight, Strawberry Pretzel Icebox Pie, or our Arkansas Possum Pie, which has layers of chocolate pudding and no-bake cheesecake in a pecan crust!...

We make lots of pico de gallo during the summer when fresh tomatoes are in season. Some of our other favorite ways of using a bounty of fresh summer-ripe tomatoes are in Southern Tomato Pie, Four Cheese Pizza with Tomato Basil Arugula Salad, and Bruschetta. Even better, there is no cooking involved in making this pico de gallo recipe so it’s especially good during the summer when it’s too hot to cook much!...

Icy cold Fresh Lemonade: a family favorite! During summer when it’s hot and the sun is blazing, one of our favorite treats is a glass of icy cold, fresh squeezed homemade lemonade! It is so simple to make and there is nothing quite like sitting on the porch in the shade, drinking that sweet-tart stuff out of a glass filled with ice and sunny slices of lemon. All it takes to make fresh squeezed homemade lemonade is a bag of lemons, a simple syrup made in less than 5 minutes, and a pitcher full of water and ice....

Ice Pops Recipe Blending fresh (or frozen) fruit into a simple puree and freezing the mixture into homemade ice pops is both easy and rewarding—the result is so yummy and refreshing. This method works with almost any fruit, you can add optional ingredients for flavor or creaminess, and it’s a really fun way to offer fruit to the kids. We love these for snack and dessert—they are great for ending easy summer meals—but we also sometimes have them as part of breakfast....

We are all about easy, simple recipes that are always a hit with friends and family and these cinnamon-sugar tortilla chips never fail to impress, especially when you use them to scoop up a mouthful of fresh fruit! Some other super easy crowd-pleasers like this are these fun 2-ingredient Lemon Sticks or Raspberry Pretzel Salad. Fruit Salsa with Cinnamon Chips When the weather starts to warm up and it’s strawberry picking season, it’s time to break out the food chopper and make a batch of fruit salsa!...

It’s such a treat when restaurants give out those little Andes mints after every meal. I don’t know about you, but I’m always tempted to ask the server for some extras. With that smooth, minty layer sandwiched between the rich dark chocolate, how could I resist? This recipe takes those iconic after-dinner mints and turns them into a batch of ultra-fudgy brownies. A single bite is enough to leave you stunned and speechless!...

Healthy Oatmeal Raisin Cookies I love baking and sharing cookies and treats with my kids, and these have been a staple Christmas cookie for kids—and in our everyday baking—for years. They have less sugar than conventional Oatmeal Raisin Cookies, so the cinnamon and raisin flavors really come through. The flavor, taste, and chewy texture is exactly as it should be. This is a soft cookie, so it’s a great texture for toddlers and delicious enough for the rest of us, too....

There is nothing like a good condiment or sauce to really take your meal to the next level. And even better, I love making them homemade. Some of my favorites are our Homemade Basil Pesto, Rhubarb BBQ Sauce, and our Carolina Mustard BBQ Sauce. This Ranchero Sauce Recipe elevates your favorite Mexican dishes If you really want to take your recipes up a notch, especially your Mexican recipes, this Ranchero Sauce is a must-have....

How to Freeze Muffins Knowing how to freeze muffins is key to ensuring your family gets to eat all of those delish muffins you bake—whether you bake them ahead or just wind up with a few left over. This method is easy and keeps the muffins fresh in the freezer until you’re ready to enjoy them. Supplies You Need To freeze muffins, you need a freezer bag. You can use disposable plastic freezer bags or you can use a reusable silicone or plastic bag....

Easy Roasted Red Peppers I know that there are a few ways to make roasted peppers, but this oven-roasting method is by far my favorite because it’s the easiest and the most reliable. The peppers become sweet and soft, and you don’t need to stand over them to make sure they don’t burn—which, when you’re cooking for a family, is totally key! TIP: We add these peppers to tacos, burritos, scrambled eggs, pasta, and also have them as a simple side dish....