Pina Colada Macaroons

Baking up a batch of these moist & delicious Pina Colada Macaroons is a sure-fire way to cure a case of the beach blues...

Pardon me, friends... But I happen to be going through a little bit of beach withdrawal this week. My family and I traveled to the Outer Banks with 9 other members of our family last week to take up residence in a 3 story beach house complete with a pool and hot tub for a full 7 days. If you happen to follow me on Instagram, you may have caught some of my photos from our little trip to the beach. ;)

We spent lots of time on the beach (no shark sightings or attacks for us, thank goodness!) and just hanging out together relaxing in our big ole beach house. We may have also enjoyed a frosty cocktail or two. 

Frozen pina coladas, to be exact. Once I saw that our beach house kitchen was equipped with a blender, I headed to the next little town over to seek out a liquor store. I picked up some white rum and a bottle of pina colada mix and got right to whirling away frozen and fruity concoctions for the ladies of the family. I blended up a few traditional pina coladas, and then spying the fresh fruit we had on hand I decided to make a few strawberry and banana ones as well. 

While I am glad to be home and back to the the familiar, I am missing the beach. The salty breezes, the seashell hunting, and those frosty pina coladas...

Pina Colada Banana Bread with a Buttered Rum Glaze

This incredibly moist & decadent Pina Colada Banana Bread with a Buttered Rum Glaze is a must-make boozy treat...

The first part of the year (aka, what we bloggers deem the first quarter) is usually the slowest time of the year as far as new work for bloggers goes. But I have been putting that "extra" free time to good use by updating some of my most popular posts on the blog. These posts are oldies, but goodies that were in desperate need of some pretty new photos. 

This recipe for Pina Colada Banana Bread with a Hot Buttered Rum Glaze first appeared on Frugal Foodie Mama in December of 2012 and has been directly pinned from the site over 33,000 times since then! It was definitely deserving of a fresh new makeover... ;)

Pina Colada Pull-Apart Bread

If you are looking for a sweet tropical treat that will feed a crowd, you can't wrong with this easy to make Pina Colada Pull-Apart Bread...

This post first appeared over at Real Housemoms where I’m a contributor.

In case you haven’t noticed, pull apart breads are all the rage right now. Most of the versions I have seen have seen happen to be ooey, gooey, cheesy savory ones (think pizza inspired, game day ready, etc.). And I have seen quite a few breakfast versions of pull apart breads. But even though they are not as popular (yet), I am calling it now, folks- dessert pull apart breads are about to be the next big thing in easy to make dessert recipes.

The pull apart dessert bread recipes that I have come across recently though seem to have one thing in common- almost all of them are made from scratch with actual dough making and rise times and all that jazz. And while I have absolutely nothing against homemade, sometimes you just need a few quick, easy, yet impressive go-to dessert recipes that don’t require hours of your time. Am I right? 

Cue this Pina Colada Pull-Apart Bread! You use a ready-made sweet loaf of bread that you pick up from your local grocer or bakery and in 30 minutes you have an amazing, perfectly shareable pull-apart dessert bread.

Pina Colada Smoothie {Greek Style}

Take your taste buds on a guilt free getaway to the tropics with this creamy & low fat Pina Colada Smoothie...

Our beach vacation is just one and a half months away.  And I will admit it- I want to look good in my bathing suit. Who doesn't?  

But I also have no desire to give up my sweets.  (You all have perused the recipes on my blog, right? ;) )

So, I am not cutting out all sweets.  I am still baking cookies and making homemade ice cream.

But I am trying to to replace some of the sweets that I love with some healthier alternatives here and there.

My coupon to try FAGE Total Greek Yogurt for free as a newly appointed BzzAgent came just in time. ;)

Honestly, when I took my first bite of the FAGE Total 0% Greek Yogurt I was FAR from sold. It wasn't sweet at all.  But I quickly learned it was fabulous with a drizzle of honey topped with crunchy almonds and sweet dried cranberries. ;)

And then I started baking with it.  And then I start making smoothies with it... 

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookie Banana Bread

This family pleasing Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookie Banana Bread is chock full of hearty oats, gooey chocolate chips, & crunchy walnuts...

Here is something that you all might not know about me (or maybe you do!)- I hate to waste food. Like I absolutely loathe it. If I have to throw something out because it went bad, I cringe because I literally picture myself tossing a wad of dollar bills into the trash can.

We always take leftovers home from the restaurant because they make an excellent lunch or dinner the next day. And who doesn't like getting two meals for one?? Am I right? 

If strawberries or peaches are about to go bad, I slice them up, toss them into baggies, and keep them in the freezer to add to smoothies. But the fruit that always seems to be the bane of my existence when it comes to food waste is bananas. 

It doesn't matter how big or small the bunch is, we always seem to end up with at least 2 or 3 that are too overripe to peel & eat. Sometimes I peel them, wrap them in aluminum foil, and then freeze them because they also make the perfect addition to smoothies. 

But my favorite way to prevent those mushy bananas from going to waste is to bake them up into a loaf of tasty banana bread. :)

Lime in the Coconut Banana Bread

This Lime in the Coconut Banana Bread is the perfect combination of sweet & tart thanks to creamy coconut and a hint of fresh lime...

There is no flavor combination out there that screams summer is on its way to me quite like lime with coconut. The sweet & tart combo of lime and coconut makes me think of cabanas on a tropical beach, and sipping on frozen libations on the backyard deck, and of course that super catchy song by Harry Nilsson. And I know pineapple and coconut get most of the summer lovin' (Hello, pina coladas! Duh.), but I think the coconut/lime combination deserves a little time in the limelight too (Like what I just did there? ;) ). 

I know that the official start of summer is still over a month away, but who says that we have to wait until then to get into that summertime vibe? Not me! I am diving right in with this moist and flavorful banana bread recipe. The banana bread itself is packed with lots of sweet coconut flavor and just a hint of fresh lime. But what really makes this bread something else is the super simple tart lime glaze you drizzle right over top. Finish it all off with a little toasted coconut, and you have just created the perfect taste of summer in the middle of May... 

The Top 13 of 2013 from Frugal Foodie Mama

About this time last year, I had set a few goals for myself for 2013.  A couple of these said goals were blog related.  One in particular was to reach 1000 blog followers by the end of the year.  While I had faith that it was doable, it also felt like a pretty lofty blogging goal for me.  

1000 people??

Following my little ole blog?

Well, guess what? 

I tripled that lofty goal I had set for myself last year!

I have nearly 3000 subscribed readers to my blog today!

(Say what???)

And I have to give a HUGE thank you to all of you who come back here each week to see what I have been whipping up in my kitchen & sharing my posts and blog with those that you know! :)

There is NO WAY that myself and this blog of mine would be where it is now without each of you.

No joke. 

Spiked! ~Tequila Recipe Challenge~

It is no big secret that myself and my good foodie blogger friend, Julie from This Gal Cooks  love to cook and bake with alcohol.   Don't believe me?  Then make sure to check out my recipes for Pina Colada Banana Bread with a Buttered Rum Glaze and Beer Cheese Risotto with Bacon.  Or Julie's Deep Dish Beer Crust Pizza and Irish Cream Mini Cheesecakes.  

Julie & I have teamed up to bring you all a recipe challenge with a twist (of lime or lemon, if you please ;) )- your recipe must feature the alcoholic beverage being spotlighted that month! Every two months there will be a new Spiked! Recipe Challenge with a new featured boozy beverage.  May's featured ingredient is....  tequila! (Or as we like to call it in this house sometimes, to-kill-ya. ;) )  It only seems appropriate since Cinco de Mayo is only a few days away, right?

So, let's get to the rules...

Julie and I would like for you to follow us via one of our many social media outlets.  Your choice-Bloglovin, RSS feed, Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest... you get the idea.  Plus, following us both will keep you in the loop about upcoming dates for the challenges, announcements of winners, and so on.

You need to sign up by adding a link to your blog's home page in the linky at the end of this post.  Be sure to include your email address when adding your link- this is how we will email you all updates and reminders for the contest!

You must have the Spiked! button in your recipe post to be considered as an entrant.  It would also be SUPER awesome if you included the button on your sidebar, but it is not a requirement to win. ;)

<a <span class="goog-spellcheck-word" style="background-color: yellow; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">href</span>="http://www.<span class="goog-spellcheck-word" style="background-color: yellow; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">thefrugalfoodiemama</span>.com/p/<span class="goog-spellcheck-word" style="background-color: yellow; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">spi</span>.html"><<span class="goog-spellcheck-word" style="background-color: yellow; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">img</span> border="0" <span class="goog-spellcheck-word" style="background-color: yellow; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">src</span>="http://i1163.<span class="goog-spellcheck-word" style="background-color: yellow; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">photobucket</span>.com/albums/q543/<span class="goog-spellcheck-word" style="background-color: yellow; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">jmurkerson</span>/<span class="goog-spellcheck-word" style="background-color: yellow; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">SPIKEDRECIPECHALLENGE</span>_zps72efc014.<span class="goog-spellcheck-word" style="background-color: yellow; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">png</span>" /></a>

The recipe you submit MUST BE YOUR OWN.  You can be inspired by another's recipe (and please include a link back somewhere in your post to that original recipe), but you must make that recipe your own in some way.

The recipe must feature the beverage of choice.  This month's Spiked! ingredient is tequila.  It does not have to be a high priced tequila- you can use an off brand. Your recipe can be anything BUT a drink recipe.  You must cook or bake with the Spiked! ingredient.  

You must link up your Tequila recipe when the linky goes live on May 15th, 2013 to be considered for judging.  The linky will remain open for just two days.  No entries will be accepted past that date.

All recipes will be judged by myself and Julie from This Gal Cooks.  
The winner will be announced one week after the entry linky has closed and will be emailed as well as announced on each of our blogs.  

The winner of the Spiked! Challenge will receive bragging rights of course, but there are a few other perks...

A Frugal Foodie Friends ad spot (250 x 300) with Frugal Foodie Mama for 30 days (starting June 1st)- plus a spotlight post on Frugal Foodie Mama featuring the winner, their winning recipe, and their blog!

A $10 Starbucks Gift Card from This Gal Cooks.

For inspiration for your Spiked! recipes, be sure you check out the past winners of the recipe challenges on my Spiked! Recipe Challenge page! :)  

Important Dates to Remember:
May 1st- Sign-ups start
May 8th- Sign-ups end
May 15th- Linky opens to submit your recipe entries (You will have only the 15th and 16th to link up!)
May 22nd- The Spiked! Tequila Recipe Challenge winner will be crowned!

Spread the word!  Send out a tweet about the contest... We have made it super easy with the nifty little button below:)

Tweet

Frugal Foodie Mama's ~Top 12 of 2012~

Is 2012 really almost over??  Honestly, I can hardly believe it!  What a year it has been for me personally and for my blog!  On this day one year ago, I was huge preggers with baby girl, and I was at under 50 blog followers.  Today, I have a gorgeous 10 1/2 month old daughter and 469 blog followers! :)  

I will be honest.  I initially decided to post my top 12 posts of 2012 because I was curious as to exactly which posts you all loved most.  Based on what I discovered from Google Analytics, you all would like to see more bundt cakes, crock pot recipes, and breads in 2013. ;)

So without further adieu, here are my ~Top 12 of 2012~ starting with #12...

#12.  Five Spiced Adobo Crock Pot Chicken Thighs

#11. A Better Cherry Berry Chiller

#10. Wine Cork Rudolph Ornament

#9.  Peppermint Mocha Bundt Cake

#8. Chocolate Covered Cherry Coke Cake

#7.  Spiced Pumpkin Ale Bread

#6.  Pina Colada Bread with a Buttered Rum Glaze

#5.  Candy Corn Popcorn Krispie Balls

#4.  Pumpkin Spice Mug Cake

#3.  Homemade Apple Butter in the Crock Pot

#2.  Easy Cheesy Stove Top Mac 'n Cheese

#1.  Peanut Butter Chocolate Mousse Pie

Not a shocker at all, my friends!  You can't go wrong with chocolate and peanut butter, right? ;)

Did you see your favorite Frugal Foodie Mama post in the 12 above?

What kinds of posts and recipes would you like to see more of from me in the New Year?

Swirly Cinnamon Banana Bread

Good morning, friends! You all are going to love Danielle from Busy Mom's Helper, and I am so happy to have her here on Frugal Foodie Mama today sharing her recipe for this Swirly Cinnamon Banana Bread. :) If a cinnamon roll and banana bread had a baby, it would pretty much be this recipe right here...

Hey, Y'all! I'm Danielle from over at Busy Mom's Helper, and I'm so excited to be taking over Carrie's blog today (in the nicest way)! Although I originally was going to share a different recipe, our ripened-faster-than-we-could-blink bananas had their own agenda. And what's the best thing to do with overripe bananas? Bread, of course! But this is a step BEYOND the norm...Swirly Cinnamon Banana Bread!   

Hubby was so excited when I mentioned making this (he was about to throw those dang bananas out...how dare he!). And guess what? The entire loaf didn't even last three hours. Yes, we shared with the kids (a little), but the rest we just downed ourselves. Yup, it's that good!   I mean, just look at that cinnamon swirly! 

5 Simple Tips to Get Swimsuit Ready in Less Than 4 Weeks

This shop is part of a social shopper marketing insight campaign with Pollinate Media Group® and Slimfast, but all my opinions are my own. #pmedia #14daystoslim  http://my-disclosur.es/OBsstV

So, it just dawned on me earlier this week that we will be on our beach vacation in about a month.

And that our local pool, which we purchased a summer membership to last earlier this month, will be opening THIS WEEKEND.

Anyone else realizing that crunch time for swimsuit season is like... NOW? 

But not to worry, folks.

I have a plan. ;)

And one that can get us all ready to shimmy into those swimsuits and confidently lounging on the beach and poolside in under 4 weeks.... 

12 Slow Cooker Sweet Treats

A round-up of a dozen delicious desserts you can make in your slow cooker!

We all know our slow cookers are stellar for making soups & stews, and for slow cooking meats all day until they are tender and juicy.  But have you ever used your slow cooker... for baking?  For creating sweet, sticky, delicious desserts? 

I have to admit that I have only used my slow cooker just once to "bake" a dessert.  A few months after moving into our home, our oven went on the fritz... and just when I had finished whipping up a new cookie batter recipe. 

Yes, I could have just froze the dough and defrosted it once my oven had been repaired, but I really wanted homemade fresh baked cookies that day! ;) So, I did a little research, improvised a bit, and baked my Crock Pot White Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Cookie Bars in my slow cooker and they turned out ooey, gooey and amazing. 

I have spent the past few days searching the web for more sweet treats to share with you all that you can just dump into your crock pot and come back a few hours later to find a freshly "baked", effortless dessert.  Surprisingly, slow cooker dessert recipes are hard to come by on the internet!  (Ahem... my food blogger friends, you all need to step it up in that area. ;) ) But I was able to find 12 delectable crock pot dessert recipes that will satisfy your sweet tooth...

20 Slices of Pie for July {A Summer Pies Recipe Round-Up}

Sadly, Pies in July Week is coming to a close here on the blog.  But you know I couldn't leave you all without a round-up post of some delicious pie recipes perfect for summer from some of my favorite food bloggers.  Whether they be bubbling over with summer fruit, cool & creamy, or fabulous frozen treats, I found the best of all pie worlds for you and gathered them all in one post.  ;) 

Enjoy!

SIX Summer Fruity Pies...

Salted Caramel Apple Pie from Sally's Baking Addiction

Strawberry Lattice Top Pie from Love in the Kitchen

Peach Blueberry Crumble Inside Pie from Sweet Twist of Blogging

Mango Lime Tart from White Lights on Wednesday

August Pie from Food Babbles

Classic Cherry Pie from True Blue Baking

Three Fun Frozen Pies...

Seven Layer Ice Cream Pie from Crazy for Crust

Triple Chocolate Raspberry Ice Cream Pie from Wine & Glue

Strawberry Margarita Frozen Pie from What's Cooking, Love?

Four Pies to Satisfy Your Chocolate Cravings...

Peanut Butter Chocolate Mousse Pie from Frugal Foodie Mama

Chocolate Cream Pie from Cooking With Curls

Chocolate Salted Caramel Pie from Sweet Twist of Blogging

Banana Split Brownie Pie from Inside BruCrew Life

Seven Cool & Creamy Pies...

Salted Caramel Banana Cream Pie from A Little Claireification

Key Lime Cake Pop Pie from Pint Sized Baker

S'mores Coconut Cream Pie from Frugal Foodie Mama

No-Bake Mint Chocolate Chip Pie from My Kitchen is My Playground

Pineapple Cream Pie from {I Love} My Disorganized Life

Key Lime Pie from Persnickety Plates

Pina Colada Icebox Pie from Kitchen Meets Girl 

And in case you missed all the fabulous Pies in July recipes from earlier this week...

The Ultimate Vanilla Lovers Pudding Pie

Coconut Cream Pie {A Guest Recipe From White Lights on Wednesday}

Frozen Pumpkin Latte Pie

Peach Cherry Pies in Jars {A Guest Recipe from Love in the Kitchen}

Cookies & Cream Ice Cream Pie {A Guest Recipe from Busy Mom's Helper}

I hope you all have enjoyed Pies in July Week on the blog! :) I know it has been a lot of fun for me.  The Pies in July Week giveaway ended last night and I will be announcing the winner of it VERY soon, so stay tuned! 

And make sure you check out and follow my Pies in July Pinterest board for all of these pie recipes plus DOZENS more! :)

What was YOUR favorite pie recipe shared on the blog this week? :)