I’m honored to be a part of the 2013 Kraft Tastemaker Community, where I am teaming up with Kraft Foods to bring you family friendly recipes using common ingredients found in your pantry!

With the cooler temps and the constant rain, it sure isn’t feeling like summer around here. We are taking advantage of every sunny day that comes our way, though, and heading outside to play as often as we can!

I know the time is coming, soon, where I’ll have to drag my kids in from playing simply to grab a snack or eat something. The sweltering Kansas heat will be beating down on us and we will want and need a cool dessert to cool us off! If I’m complaining about the heat come July, remind me of how much I moaned and groaned about the cold temps in May and June, ok? (more…)

 This giveaway is now closed. Congrats to the winner, Renee Simmons!

I’ve been complaining a lot about the weather lately. I mean, do you blame me? Snow in May? That’s a bunch of craziness! I’m so ready for spring like weather… flip flops, warm sunshine, outdoor patio playing, chalk drawing, driving with the windows down and music blaring… all of that. Having my heater on in May is not my idea of spring! (more…)

I’m honored to be a part of the 2013 Kraft Tastemaker Community, where I am teaming up with Kraft Foods to bring you family friendly recipes using common ingredients found in your pantry!

I absolutely love this time of year… the countdown to school being out is on (13 days left for us!) and summer is right around the corner.

With all four of my kids home during the day once summer starts, I try to create fun activities and treats that will make our summer memorable. One creation we absolutely love to make is fondue… there’s nothing like having a bunch of friends over, providing a selection of things to dip, and some fun flavored fondue to make some great memories.  (more…)

I’m helping Pillsbury Funfetti mix & frostings celebrate their 25th birthday with some celebration tips of my own!

The giveaway is now closed. Congrats to Patsy! Thanks to all who entered.

When was the last time you had a celebration just to celebrate? Not for a birthday or anniversary or anything, but just because?

Right now, with the snow falling down outside, again, I can tell you *this* family is going to have one heck of a party when spring finally arrives! Want an invite? It’s going to be an epic “Welcome Spring” celebration!

Whether you are celebrating the final snow of the season, a happy birthday, or simply another day, I have some great celebration tips to share with you!

How would you like the taste of Starbucks Chocolate Cinnamon Loaf in your hot little hands but at home in 5 minutes? (more…)

I hope you all enjoyed my post about Jennifer Perillo’s new cookbook, Homemade with Love. I’m back today, sharing a cookbook by another friend: Steamy Kitchen’s Healthy Asian Favorites by Jaden Hair.

I’m sure you all know Jaden from her blog, Steamy Kitchen, and if you follow blogs at all you’ve probably seen mentions of her newest cookbook, Healthy Asian Favorites, around the internet. This is Jaden’s second book, which follows on the tails of her successful first book, The Steamy Kitchen Cookbook.  

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I’ve had a love affair with cheesecake practically my whole life, but, would you believe this is my first time ever making cheesecake? It is my absolute favorite dessert, hands down, but for some reason I’ve always left the cheesecake making up to everyone else.

I should have known that once I actually made cheesecake for the first time, it’d be a dangerous thing. And of course, in making cheesecake, I knew if I turned to the Philadelphia Cream Cheese, who has been making America’s favorite cream cheese since 1872, I would be thrilled with my results. Now that I know how easy these Philadelphia Cheesecake Minis are, I won’t likely be stopped!

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I always like to think of Easter as our official start of spring, but I also remember that each year, I become the biggest sucker around and buy my girls beautiful Easter dresses. You know the ones… the sleeveless dresses, bathed in beautiful pastel colors, created with light and breezy fabric.

In my typical ways, I buy the dresses, take the tags off, then remember I live in Kansas…the land of weather never being what it is supposed to be on Easter Sunday.  I don’t believe my girls have ever experienced searching for Easter eggs without their dresses hidden under heavy coats, mittens and scarves.

Even though our weather in Kansas may not be spring like by Easter, I won’t let that stop me from making spring like dishes for Easter.

These light and flaky Athens Mini Fillo Shells filled with creamy blueberry mousse are the most simple, springlike dessert… easy enough to make, you can get outside to enjoy that frigid Easter egg hunt!

Do you have a favorite recipe using Athens Mini Fillo Shells? If so, be certain to stop by their website to see how you can enter to win more than $10,000 in prizes. Enter your  recipe today!

Athens Foods hired me to create a recipe using their Mini Fillo Shells. All opinions expressed are my own.

I did something ahead of time for a holiday. Can you believe it? I’m feeling rather on the ball right now.

I signed up to bring treats to Leah’s Valentine’s Day party at her preschool. I don’t usually do that… I typically leave treat bringing up to the more creative, “pinteresting” moms, but I figured preschool kids are pretty easy to impress. Surely, even I, could make something easy that they would love. (more…)

Cake decorating is not my forte, at all. You might remember that when I took a cake decorating class through Wilton several years ago, I made roses that looked like cabbage heads. My skills are quite comical.

Well, my daughter, Kelly, is currently taking a cake decorating class for 4-H. She seems to be a natural, whipping out pretty designs with little effort. She obviously doesn’t take after her mom. Watching her practice has given me the bug to try and learn again, which is perfect since a couple weeks ago I received an email from Amanda with I Am Baker asking if I would be interested in participating in a Food Styling Challenge. (more…)