Kahlua Vanilla Cream Soda

Made simply with Kahlua, whipped cream, pure vanilla bean paste, and a little club soda, this creamy Kahlua Vanilla Cream Soda is just pure bliss...

A big thank you to Nielsen-Massey Vanillas, Bob's Red Mill, Silpat, Quirk Books and Dixie Crystals/Imperial Sugar for providing the prizes free of charge. These companies also provided the bloggers with samples and product to use for #VanillaWeek. All opinions stated below are my own.

This Kahlua Vanilla Cream Soda is not your run-of-the-mill cream soda, folks. It is a kicked up adult version of the cream sodas you probably loved as a kid. ;)  This cocktail also happens to be my second (and last recipe) for Vanilla Week. If you happened to miss it, I posted a recipe for some amazing Vanilla Glazed Cinnamon-Raisin Biscuits on Monday. 

It's food blogger confession time- not all of our recipe ideas actually work out the way that we want them to all of the time. I know, I know... you can't believe it, right? Originally, I had planned to post a delicious bread pudding for my last vanilla inspired recipe of the week. But that ended up being a big fat fail. Like a gloppy mess of weirdness.

But lucky for you all that meant that I had to go back to the drawing board, and this Kahlua Vanilla Cream Soda was concocted instead. So, it ended up being a win-win all around. :)

Made simply with Kahlua, whipped cream, pure vanilla bean paste, and a little club soda, this creamy cocktail is just pure bliss...

Vanilla Bean Chia Pudding

A simple healthy recipe gets a kick of intense vanilla flavor in this Vanilla Bean Chia Pudding...

Okay, you all- I finally jumped on the chia seed bandwagon, and now I am wondering why I ever waited so long. I may have had a little bit of a prejudice against them before because all I could think of when someone mentioned chia seeds were chia pets. Do you all know what I am talking about? (And now that jingle from the television commercial is stuck in my head- Chi, chi, chi, chiaaaa... ;) )

But nevertheless I had been kind of curious about chia seeds for the past few months, but I had no clue where I would even buy them here in small town West Virginia. Then lo and behold, one day I was shopping at my local ALDI and there they were on the shelf- a bag for less than $3! I mean, what did I have to lose really? So I grabbed a bag and started asking around to my fellow food bloggers what were their favorite ways to enjoy and prepare them. Many said that they loved sprinkling them over yogurt (which is yum, by the way) or mixed into smoothies. But again and again, they mentioned chia pudding.  

The first couple of times that I tried making chia pudding I got the ratios off, and my pudding ended up more like a slurpy mess.  But this latest attempt? I nailed it! :) I decided that I want to stick to a simple chia pudding recipe, but added a kick of intense vanilla flavor. By stirring in a simple teaspoon of vanilla bean paste, this healthy and easy to make pudding becomes almost like a creamy vanilla dessert. You could also substitute a teaspoon of vanilla extract, but trust me on this- splurging a little for some good quality vanilla bean paste is so worth it for this recipe. Enjoy this Vanilla Bean Chia Pudding simply as is or feel free to top it with your favorite fruits, berries, or nuts... 

Cara Cara Orange & Vanilla Bean Curd

Sweet vanilla and juicy Cara Cara oranges come together perfectly in this creamy & easy to make Cara Cara Orange & Vanilla Bean Curd...

So I have a confession, you all- I sort of am having a love affair with all the citrus things right now. (Shhhhhh... don't tell my husband! ;) ) I can't seem to get enough of bright, fresh lemons, but my most current addiction has been with sweet Cara Cara navel oranges. I have no clue how it is that I am just now discovering these juicy citrus gems! 

As much as I have been loving fresh citrus the past few weeks, the acidity in most citrus fruits usually wreaks havoc on me. But Cara Cara oranges are a hybrid navel orange that is lower in acidity than the average naval orange. They also happen to be seedless, folks. Yep, no seeds to dig out which makes them perfect for juicing and snacking on. And last but not least, just look at the color when you slice one of these babies open! Can you say gorgeous? :)

Cara Cara oranges happen to be in season through the end of this month, so I have been picking up a bag of them almost every week at the grocery store. I mean, how can I not when they are only $3-5 a bag? ;) 

While I love just peeling them and snacking on them or throwing a few slices on top of a little vanilla yogurt, I have been playing around with them a bit and developing a few new recipes to share with you all on the blog. First up is this amazingly creamy Cara Cara Orange & Vanilla Bean Curd! If you happen to be a fan of orange creamsicles, then you are going to to be heaven with this easy to make curd... ;)

Hard Root Beer Float Bread

This Hard Root Beer Float Bread is dense and moist with the tasty flavor of root beer that is complemented perfectly with the vanilla glaze...

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So, can we chat for just a sec about my newest obsession? Hard. Root. Beer. I know some of you all already know what I am talking about here, but for those of you who don't know today's post is about to enlighten you. ;) 

It is like the root beer you love from your childhood, but with a boozy kick. I have tried a few different ones now, but I have to say that most hard root beers start out tasting exactly like regular root beer with a slight beer taste on the end notes. Ever since I took my first sip of it I have been itching to bake with it. 

The first thing that comes to mind for me when I think of baking with beer is obviously beer bread. I love beer bread because it is so simple to make- it takes just a handful of ingredients, has no rise time thanks to the yeast in the beer, and you are less than an hour away from having fresh baked bread on your table. 

But hard root beer is sweet, folks. Just like you would expect it to be. So, I decided to use the hard root beer to make a super simple & sweet quick bread. In this Hard Root Beer Float Bread, a simple vanilla glaze is drizzled over top to act as the "float" part of this bread...

Orange Creamsicle Danish Muffins

These easy to make, 4 ingredient Orange Creamsicle Danish Muffins can be on your breakfast table in less than 30 minutes...

So, I told you all last week when I posted my recipe for an easy to make Cara Cara Orange & Vanilla Bean Curd that I would also be sharing a recipe or two with you all using this creamy, dreamy yumminess. I wasn't lying, folks. In fact, I went right to work on these irresistible & moist Orange Creamsicle Danish Muffins! :) 

They are a take on one of my more popular recipes on the blog- my Cherry Cream Cheese Danish Muffins, but I simply switched out the cherry preserves for my orange & vanilla bean curd. The results? Quick & easy 4 ingredient muffins that taste just like an orange creamsicle! 

These muffins pair perfectly with a cup of your favorite tea or a light roast coffee, and they would make a delicious addition to your spring breakfast or brunch table. From start to finish, these muffins only take around 30 minutes to make, so need to save these just for the weekend! They are totally weekday morning friendly too... 

Peanut Butter Stuffed Crescent Rolls with Caramelized Bananas

Flaky crescent rolls are stuffed with creamy peanut butter, baked golden brown, & then topped with perfectly caramelized bananas in this decadent breakfast treat...

This content was created in partnership with Kroger Family Stores using free products provided by Kroger.

Every once in a while when I am out & about traveling, I will order a dish at a restaurant or inn that is so delicious that I know I will have to find a way to recreate it as best I can as soon as I get home. The peanut butter stuffed croissant French toast I had at the Redbook Restaurant at Hillbrook Inn & Spa during our blogger retreat last month was one such dish. 

The chef stuffed a flaky croissant with natural peanut butter and then topped it with perfectly caramelized bananas, whipped cream, & fresh blueberries. (Wanna see a pic of it? ;) Then be sure to check out my review of our stay at the Hillbrook Inn for the Sip, Dine, & Shine 2016 blogger retreat.)

For my at-home version, I went simple & easy by using a roll of my favorite refrigerator crescent rolls. While not exactly a croissant, crescent rolls are light and flaky mimicking the texture of a fresh baked croissant. I stuffed each crescent roll with a dollop of natural peanut butter before baking them up golden brown and then topping them with ooey, gooey caramelized bananas...

Sweet Dreams Chamomile Latte

Add this creamy, quick, and comforting Sweet Dreams Chamomile Latte to your nightly bedtime routine...

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

I am truly blessed to be able to stay at home with my youngest and to be able to work at home.  Every day I get do what I love which happens to be this little blog here- creating recipes, photographing delicious dishes & products that I love, writing, and sharing my world with you all.  

And while working at home and being able to stay at home with my three year old definitely has it's perks- aka, I don't have to worry about cleaning off a car or commuting to work in the snow, and I am able to be here for all those little moments with little miss- it also have it's downfalls.

For instance, I never really get to leave my "workplace".  I sleep, eat, breathe, and live where I work. Sometimes I miss being able to have that punch the clock mentality. When I worked outside the home, I rarely brought the job home with me. I would come home and was just able to be with no obligations that evening or over the weekend other than my family and home. 

I have always struggled somewhat with insomnia. I have that brain that all of a sudden powers up as soon as my head hits the pillow. New recipe ideas come to mind. I will remember two other things I need to add to my to-do list for the next day. And unlike when I worked outside the home, I know I can get up out of bed and go do the things that are keeping me awake. My "office" happens to be just feet away in the kitchen.

One way that I have been tackling my nighttime insomnia is by trying to implement a consistent and relaxing routine about an hour before I plan to go to sleep each night that includes a RESCUE Liquid Sleep Melt and a mug of this creamy & comforting Sweet Dreams Chamomile Latte... :)