Popular Tiramisu Blondies

Tiramisu probably has to be my hands down favorite dessert... like maybe, ever.

If I could be "cursed" with only being able to enjoy just one dessert for the rest of my life, it would be tiramisu.

This past summer I attended my father's very Italian family's reunion & wanted to bring a sweet treat that they all would appreciate.  But I also wanted it to be potluck friendly and portable.  If you have ever enjoyed traditional tiramisu, you already know that it is indeed not very portable and requires at least two hands to consume.  

These Tiramisu Blondies are the perfect solution! No utensils required to enjoy this one, folks. ;) And they are already cut and ready to go, so no one has to fumble with a serving spoon or knife.

No-Bake Cinnamon Tiramisu

A traditional Italian dessert gets a tasty cinnamon spiced twist perfect for fall in this No-Bake Cinnamon Tiramisu...

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

I am a self-proclaimed tiramisu addict, and I have no shame in admitting that, folks. ;) There is just something about that creamy mixture of mascarpone cheese, rich coffee, & delicate ladyfingers that I just can't resist. While I can always go for a slice of good ole traditional tiramisu, I often find myself playing around with the flavors in my homemade versions. Since fall has finally arrived, I thought why not try my hand at a warm & cozy cinnamon spiced version?

I left out the cocoa powder entirely in this no-bake version and replaced with it layers of sweet cinnamon flavor. The coffee that the ladyfingers are soaked with has been steeped with a whole cinnamon stick. Then ground cinnamon is whipped into the creamy filling. And for good measure, each slice is served with a little sprinkle of cinnamon over top. The perfect dessert for the cinnamon & tiramisu lover alike!

Mini Tiramisu Chocolate Cakes {A Guest Recipe from Busy Mom's Helper}

I am so excited for Day 2 of guest post recipes in celebration of my Birthday Week!  Danielle from Busy Mom's Helper whipped up these amazing little bites of Tiramisu heaven to celebrate.  Tiramisu is my all-time favorite dessert... like ever.  It even trumps pumpkin cheesecake, folks. ;) Thank you so much, Danielle for being a part of the celebration! 

Happy Wednesday Ya'all! I'm so excited to be here at Frugal Foodie Mama today, and especially glad to help celebrate Carrie's upcoming birthday - woohoo!!! It's really neat to make friends in the blogging world, and Carrie is such a wonderful friend with one of my absolutely favorite blogs, so it truly is a delight to share this week with her!

So, in case you didn't know, one of Carrie's favorite desserts is Tiramisu (delish!). In honor of her upcoming fun-day, I've shared not only ONE but TWO Tiramisu recipes on my blog today! Now, these aren't your normal pieces of Tiramisu.....and I'm only going to tell you about one of them here (ya, I'm a tease).....Mini Tiramisu Chocolate Cakes. 

What says Birthday better than cakes? (food-wise, so no balloons and presents) These little morsels are packed with that flavorful Tiramisu cake, then coated with chocolate for a little extra YUM! Oh - and did I mention they're SUPER easy to make? Well, they are! Head on over to my blog today to check out the recipe, plus see the OTHER delicious Tiramisu treat. Toodles!

Make sure you CLICK ON OVER to Danielle's blog and get the recipe for these Mini Tiramisu Chocolate Cakes!  (I am about to click on over there myself... the second recipe is a total birthday surprise & I can't wait to see what else this talented lady came up with! ;) )

Triple Chocolate Tiramisu

Whether you are a chocolate addict or a tiramisu lover, this Triple Chocolate Tiramisu is sure to become your new favorite dessert...

This Triple Chocolate Tiramisu has been in the making for a couple of weeks now. Tiramisu happens to be my absolute favorite dessert. And when I heard about the 2015 Dixie Crystals Chocolate Dessert Recipe Contest for the Food & Wine Conference this July in sunny Orlando, I knew exactly what I wanted to make- a chocoholic's dream of a homemade tiramisu. 

I knew that I wanted this dessert to have chocolate in every layer and component, including the espresso soaked ladyfingers. But I was posed with a problem- where could I buy chocolate ladyfingers? Since specialty bakeries are very few and far between around here, I decided to embark on making my own chocolate ladyfingers. 

My first attempt at baking my own chocolate ladyfingers ended up being a complete baking fail which I shared over on my Instagram. I ended up with what looked more like small flat chocolate pancakes than ladyfingers, so it was back to the recipe drawing board. Not wanting to deal with that whole piping of the ladyfinger batter mess again, I decided why not make the batter into a sheet cake instead? And folks, that plan worked perfectly.  The chocolate ladyfinger cake turned out exactly like I had hoped that it would! :)

From the chocolate ladyfinger cake to the mocha coffee it is soaked in, to the chocolate mascarpone topping, and then the finishing touch of a cocoa powder dusting and a sprinkle of mini chocolate chips, this Triple Chocolate Tiramisu is a chocolate lover's dream dessert...

Pumpkin Chai Tiramisu

Combining the flavors of a creamy pumpkin latte & warm chai spices, this no-bake Pumpkin Chai Tiramisu is a must-make dessert for fall...

In case you all haven't noticed it already, I have been on a little bit of a chai spice kick the past week. ;) 

I updated a long-time reader favorite, my Overnight Pumpkin Pie Chai French Toast, with pretty new pics. And I posted a delicious and creamy Chai Tea & Pear Oatmeal recipe to the blog last Friday. I mean, when it comes to chai spices, 'tis the season! 

The toasty flavors in warm chai spices not only make me think of cozy fall recipes, but this mix of comforting spices is something I can incorporate into my holiday baking and cooking right on through to Christmas. 

That is why I decided to whip up my own DIY Chai Spice Mix last fall. I always have a jar of it in my pantry ready to go for my holiday baking, or to mix into my oatmeal or a warm cup of hot cocoa. 

Skinny Tiramisu Smoothie

This creamy, low fat Skinny Tiramisu Smoothie is a guilt free way to satisfy your craving for a classic Italian dessert...

Call me cliche, but I may have overdone it just a little over the holidays. It is hard for me to say no to the cookies, and fudge, and my grandmother's apple sauce cake.  And just like most of you all, I am ready to get back to better and healthier eating once I break out that new 2015 calendar on the first day of January.  

I have no problem swapping out potato chips for hummus and baby carrots, and those decadent cinnamon rolls for a bowl of whole grain cereal. 

What I do have a problem with is giving up the sweets.

In fact, I just can't give up the desserts.  Anyone else also have a mean sweet tooth that seems to always thwart your best efforts at healthier eating?

That is why I have come up with an arsenal of healthier, low fat sweet treats to tame that sweet tooth without the guilt.  Like this Skinny Tiramisu Smoothie...

Pink Lemonade Tiramisu

A bright, lemony ladyfinger cake is frosted with a light & fluffy lemon mascarpone topping in this Pink Lemonade Tiramisu...

I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.

With over 250,000 people being diagnosed with breast cancer each year in this country alone, you would be hard pressed to find someone that you know that has not been affected by the disease. Everyone knows someone who has been directly or indirectly affected by it. Many have lost someone to it. And even more are supporting, caring for, and loving someone diagnosed with breast cancer right now. 

It is a cancer that does not discriminate. From a famous actor to the your next door neighbor, from a corporate CEO to a stay at home mother, breast cancer can affect every single one of us.  

Even with so many people out there directly affected by breast cancer and with all of the research that has been done to date, it can still feel daunting and overwhelming to receive a diagnosis of breast cancer. So many questions, so many decisions, and there are often more options available than what is immediately being presented. 

Allstate recognized this need and is on a mission to help every person diagnosed with breast cancer by offering a free Silver Lining Companion Guide. The guide is designed to help them and their families through the experience that too many of us have to unfortunately endure...

Strawberry Cannoli Tiramisu

Sweet summer strawberries & two classic Italian desserts come together perfectly in this no-bake Strawberry Cannoli Tiramisu...

Now that summertime is pretty much in full swing, I am ready to break out all the no-bake recipes. I try to avoid turning on my stove top or oven as much as possible in the summer months. 

I mean, 80+ degree temps + a hot kitchen = no bueno, am I right? So from late June right on through the end of August, we are grilling, slow cooking, and no baking every chance we get. 

While I definitely have a pretty deep arsenal of slow cooker recipes & grilling favorites, I have realized that I really need to step up my no-bake desserts game on the blog. 

Inspired by the sweet summer strawberries that are just now starting to come into season around here & a two of my favorite Italian desserts, I came up with this easy to make Strawberry Cannoli Tiramisu. And the best part? It is 100% no-bake, folks! :)

Why You Need to Make the Food & Wine Conference Happen in 2016

As a brand ambassador for the 2015 Food & Wine Conference, I was provided a conference ticket at a discounted rate. All opinions (and occasional droolings) stated below are my own.

When it comes to which food blogger conferences I chose to attend, I would like to say that I am pretty picky. I really have to justify the expense of the conference and the traveling involved as well as the time that I will be spending away from my family. That is probably why in my over 3 years of blogging I have only attended 3 food blogger conferences so far. Would I like to attend more of them and travel more and learn more? Well, yes! :) But like I said above, they cost money and have to be worth the stress of finding child care for my youngest while I am away and my husband is at work. So far, I can say unequivocally that all 3 blogger conferences I have attended have been 100% worth it. 

After hearing so many good things about the Food & Wine Conference from many of my food blogger friends online, I decided to apply for a brand ambassadorship with the conference. I had no idea if I would make the cut, but I decided that if I did I would find a way to make this conference happen this year. And let me tell you all something- I am so glad that I landed a spot as a brand ambassador! Not only did I get to attend an amazing food blogger conference, but I also was able to be a brand ambassador representing Wisconsin Cheese. I mean, you all know me by now. I love my cheese, so it was a match made in heaven.

10 Chocolate Recipes Perfect for Fall

From perfectly spiced to pumpkin infused to chocolate candy filled, you are sure to find a chocolate dessert recipe today to celebrate fall in these 10 Chocolate Recipes Perfect for Fall...

Today is National Chocolate Day so it only seemed appropriate that I share this collection of chocolate recipes perfect for fall with you all today. But today's post isn't just about celebrating and sharing my love for all things chocolate with you all. 

Today's post is also about celebrating the life of my friend and fellow food blogger, Joan of Chocolate, Chocolate and More. 

When Joan died suddenly of a heart attack last week, the food blogging community I am a part of was shocked and shattered. Joan had been a pillar of our community, a friend, a smart business woman, and a bright light to all who knew her. 

Though I had known Joan from the online food blogger groups I am part of for years, I finally had the pleasure and honor of meeting this southern firecracker in person at the Food & Wine Conference this past July. 

In fact after coming back late from a break between sessions on the Saturday of that weekend, I found myself quickly grabbing an empty seat near the back of the room. It wasn't until after I sat down that I realized my new neighbor was Joan. THE Joan from Chocolate, Chocolate and More. 

I have to admit that I found myself a little starstruck. Joan had reached a level of food blogging that had inspired so many of us. She was one of those "bigger bloggers". 

I had no doubt that she would at least say hello to me, but I didn't expect much else. I mean, I wasn't even close to being in her league as far as blogging was concerned. 

Much to my surprise, Joan started chatting with me like we were old friends. She knew exactly who I was and was familiar with my blog. Wait... my blog?? 

Joan didn't see bloggers as big or small, successful or new. She just saw us all as food bloggers, recipe creators, photographers who loved the food that we made and had a passion to share that with the world....

McAllen, Texas: An Unexpected Foodie Destination

McAllen, Texas has become an unexpected culinary incubator in southern Texas- melding traditional Tex Mex & Mexican cuisine with a Texan twist on the farm to table dining experience...

This post was created in partnership with Visit McAllen. As always, all opinions & thoughts expressed below are 100% my own.

This post may contain affiliate links. Purchasing through them helps support this website.

When I traveled to to the city of McAllen in the southern tip of Texas last November, I expected to find some amazing local Tex Mex & Mexican restaurants. After all, McAllen is located in the Rio Grande Valley of Texas, just a short 10 minute drive from the Mexican border. And while I did sample some amazing traditional Tex Mex fare during my stay, I was truly surprised by the number of restaurants in this city that had embraced the farm to table concept in new, exciting, & delicious ways. 

I was introduced to a bodega that proudly cures it's own meats. To a restaurant & bar in the New American style of dining that prides itself on it's cocktails inspired by locally sourced ingredients. To a wine bar & bistro that is redefining fine dining in the Rio Grande Valley area by bringing the freshness of the valley to each and every one of their dishes. 

The local food scene of McAllen, Texas definitely far surpasses the expectations that you may have of a just north of the border Texan city. This bustling metropolis, which attracts about 18 million visitors each year, has become somewhat of a culinary incubator- melding traditional Tex Mex & Mexican cuisine with a Texan twist on the farm to table dining experience...

Blueberry Ginger Mojitos

A classic summertime cocktail gets a delicious twist with the addition of fresh blueberries & ginger ale in these refreshing Blueberry Ginger Mojitos...

Post updated 7/9/17- This tasty Blueberry Ginger Mojito post deserved some updated photos. I did leave one of the originals below just so you all can see for yourself why this recipe so desperately needed a little face lift. ;)

Lemon Layer Cake with Lemon Curd Buttercream

Super moist layers of lemony cake are frosted in an amazing homemade buttercream flavored with lemon curd & fresh lemon zest in this Lemon Layer Cake with Lemon Curd Buttercream...

Who else seems to be stuck in spring limbo (aka, what I am deeming as sprinter) where you live?? It is almost mid-April, & we have had snow flurries off & on over the past few days. Tomorrow it will finally feel like spring here in West Virginia with some sunshine and temps in the 60's. 

The weather man is predicting a high of 79 for both Saturday & Sunday (sprummer, anyone?), and then we are headed right back into the 40's with possible snow by the beginning of next week. I really wish Mother Nature would get it together already! 

In the meantime, I am just going to go ahead and create a little sunshine of my own with this luscious and bright Lemon Layer Cake with Lemon Curd Buttercream. ;) I actually made this cake for Easter dessert this year, and it was a huge hit with my family. 

You just can't go wrong with these super moist layers of cake bursting with lemony goodness, all frosted in an amazing buttercream flavored with homemade lemon curd & fresh lemon zest...

10 Unique Apple Desserts for Fall

Whether you are looking to get out of that apple recipe rut or are looking for an apple dessert that is sure to wow, then this collection of 10 Unique Apple Desserts for Fall is definitely for you...

Now don't get me wrong, you all. I love a good classic apple pie or apple crisp as much as the next gal, but sometimes (especially when we have been weeks into apple season) I need some new & out of the box recipe ideas for apples. 

I have whipped up a batch of my Homemade Crock Pot Apple Butter, baked a couple of pies, made a crisp or two, but I still found myself with quite a few apples leftover from our annual apple picking pilgrimage. So, I decided to scour some of my favorite food blogs and gathered up some unique apple desserts for fall to share with you all today. 

Whether you are looking to get out of that apple recipe rut or are searching for an apple dessert that will really wow them at the Thanksgiving table this year, I have you covered with these 10 Unique Apple Desserts for Fall...

Pumpkin Pie Angel Food Cake with Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting

I hope you all are ready for everything pumpkin because I am not holding back with this simple, yet delicious Pumpkin Pie Angel Food Cake...

I know today is technically the start of the last weekend of this summer, but honestly? I have been ready for all the pumpkin things since like.... last month.  

I broke out the cans of pumpkin puree around mid-August and started whipping up some perfectly pumpkin recipes for you all.  First up? These airy, yet moist Pumpkin Pie Angel Food Cake with a Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting...

Top 16 Recipes of 2016

These are the Top 16 Recipes of 2016 on Frugal Foodie Mama as clicked on, pinned, and shared by you...

I am still finding it hard to believe that we have just flipped the page to the start of a new year a few days ago. In fact, I just now bought a brand spanking new binder with tabs and calendar sheets for my blogging editorial calendar. Yes, I am a little old-fashioned like that. No Google calendars or a streamlined online planner for me. There is just something about putting the ink to a fresh calendar page that is so personally satisfying to me. Even though I have definitely went full-on digital in many other aspects of my life, I have a feeling that I will always stay low-tech when it comes to my yearly planner and stick to paper & ink. ;) Can anyone else relate to me here?

I think the start to a new year always prompts most of us to look back on the year past. Which goals did we meet and which ones did we fall short of in the past 365 days? Blog-wise, I had set 3 goals for myself at the beginning of 2016- 1. To grow to 10,000 followers on Instagram. 2. To foster more of a community with my readers and followers on social media by becoming more engaged & present. & 3. To learn & embrace Snapchat. The first one I fell short of by a little less than 2,000. With the second goal, I feel that I have made great strides with it, but I do feel I can still improve on this community of ours even more over the next year. And the last goal? Well, let's just say I didn't even start it. As much as I tried, I just couldn't make myself love Snapchat. And then Instagram came out with their Stories feature, and I didn't see much of a point in learning yet another social media platform. ;) 

25 Cozy Chai Spiced Recipes for Fall

Enjoy the warm & comforting blend of cinnamon, cardamom, ginger, nutmeg, & cloves in these 25 Cozy Chai Spiced Recipes for Fall...

I know that when most of you all think of chai spices that you automatically think of lattes, but this warm & toasty blend of spices is absolutely amazing in some of your favorite fall recipes as well. Chai spices make the perfect addition to soft & fluffy cinnamon rolls, warm & cozy cocktails, perfectly spiced desserts, and so much more. 

The spicy & comforting blend of cinnamon, cardamom, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, & a touch of black pepper complements your favorite flavors of fall (think apple, pumpkin, pears, even chocolate) perfectly.

Each & every fall, I whip up a jar of my DIY Chai Spice Mix & use it in place of just plain ole cinnamon for the entire season. I sprinkle it over toast with butter & a little sugar. I add a teaspoon of it into pancake & waffle batter. I stir a little bit of it into into my morning oatmeal. 

This warm blend of spices instantly gives everything a tasty fall makeover. This DIY spice blend will also work perfectly in each of these 25 cozy chai spiced recipes for fall that I am sharing with you all today. :)

From breakfast to dessert to happy hour, I got you covered with the most cozy & comforting chai spiced recipes to enjoy all throughout fall & the holidays...