Strawberry Coconut Bread Pudding

The sweetness of strawberries comes together perfectly with the creaminess of coconut in this easy to make Strawberry Coconut Bread Pudding...

So, one of my favorite things about us going from late spring to early summertime is those first of the season strawberries. There is just nothing quite like them- wouldn't you all agree? Not only do they seem to be at their very best, but the prices drop dramatically and you can snag a big ole package of them for just a few bucks. 

But unfortunately when there are only two people in your house most of the time, a big ole package of strawberries doesn't seem to get consumed quickly enough. Not wanting to see them go to waste, I brainstormed what I could do with them. I also happened to have on hand a loaf of locally baked sourdough bread I needed to use and some leftover canned coconut milk from when my boyfriend made me homemade Indian food from scratch a few days before. 

Fresh strawberries + sourdough bread + coconut milk? It was a no-brainer, folks. It was time to whip up a new homemade bread pudding recipe! ;)

Sweet & Spicy Sriracha Almonds Trail Mix

You only need 4 ingredients to whip up this easy to make & addictive Sweet & Spicy Sriracha Almonds Trail Mix... 

This post is sponsored by BabbleBoxx.com on behalf of Huy Fong Sriracha Almonds.

Who else just loves getting their snack on? Personally, I am a big fan of anything sweet, salty, & crunchy with a little kick of heat. Who else is with me on this one? ;)

That is why I was crazy excited when I got the chance to try the one and only Huy Fong Original Sriracha Almonds. These California roasted premium almonds are flavored with the official, full-flavored taste of the authentic Huy Fong brand Sauce. It's just like having your favorite Sriracha sauce in a perfectly snackable form! 

Peanut Butter Oreo Cake Mix Cookies

These easy to make peanut butter cookies start with a cake mix and are loaded with chunks of chopped Oreos...

So, we are on like what? Day #1,525,123 of the stay at home/quarantine life now? And yes, like everyone else I am starting to feel a little restless and antsy & long for some of the normalcy from my life pre-virus...

For one, I miss my gym workouts something fierce, you all. Specifically, cardio machines like my beloved elliptical and stair climber. Yeah, I know I could go out and run, but A. I kind of hate running and B. Mother Nature hasn't really been cooperating weather-wise. I mean, one day it is sunny and in the 60's and the very next day it is flipping snow here. Or it is raining. Or just plain cold.

I also miss getting my hair cut. And since I went much shorter with my hair in the fall, I had been stopping in to see my stylist about once every 3 weeks before all of this went down. I made the decision a few weeks ago to just go with it and started growing it out. 

My hair is presently in that super awkward stage of having ducky feathers and sticking out in weird places, so I am super thankful for my stretchy, wide headbands right now. And baseball caps. And the fact that I can't go out socially (because no one wants to witness this, lol). But hey- what better time to decide to grow it out than now? 

Lavender Tom Collins

A classic gin cocktail gets a floral, springtime twist in this bubbly Lavender Tom Collins...

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

Okay, I won't lie to you all. I am pretty sure my alcohol consumption has maybe slightly increased since this who stay at home order business started. I mean, there really isn't any rules anymore for when it is acceptable or not to enjoy a little boozy concoction- am I right? 

Just like everything else in my life, I have finally accepted the fact that I am living a new "normal" for now. Like realizing that my youngest is still wearing her pajamas as dinner time is fast approaching & shrugging my shoulders because she will just be taking a shower in a few hours & changing into a new pair of PJ's. 

Or the fact that I have now become a hard core FaceTimer when I hardly ever used the app on my iPhone before. I mean, what better way is there to chat with my sister than with a unicorn or a kitty filter on? Also, how am I just now discovering how insanely fun that is?? ;)

I have also learned to appreciate the value of a well stocked fridge and liquor cabinet through all of this. Because sometimes a whiskey & ginger or a little gin and lime is just what I need at the end of the day. We have been fortunate here in West Virginia that our liquor stores have remained open throughout all of this. I can't say the same for our neighbors up north though (sorry, Pennsylvania!). 

Mesquite Beer Can Chicken

This flavorful Mesquite Beer Can Chicken is a smoky take on a classic grilling recipe...

This post is sponsored by McCormick Grill Mates & Soapbox Influence.

I can't even tell you all how excited I am about the arrival of grilling season. I mean, I have been looking for just about any reason to get outside of the house and out on my back deck at this point. Any reason. Not that doing a little grilling is a hard sell for me at all.

One of my absolute favorite recipes to make on the grill is a classic beer can chicken. It is so easy and simple to make. A little olive oil, a good seasoning mix, a can of beer, and a hot grill are all that you need to pull off this impressive whole grilled chicken recipe.

Recently, I discovered McCormick Grill Mates Seasonings & Marinades at my local Walmart. With flavor profiles like Roasted Garlic and Herb, Brown Sugar Bourbon, and Mesquite, I thought why not take my usual beer can chicken recipe to a whole other level of seasoning?

Chicken with Mustard Tarragon Sauce

This flavorful Chicken with Mustard Tarragon Sauce is a single serving take on a classic French dish...

I was provided with a copy of The Ultimate Cooking for One Cookbook for review. I was not compensated for this post in any other way. All opinions & thoughts expressed below are 100% my own. This post may contain affiliate links. Purchasing through them helps support this website.

With my son being in college and living on campus most of the year and my daughter being with her dad a least a few days each week now, I find myself needing to only cook for one a little more often these days. I actually don't mind it. Evenings to myself allows me to whip up some of my personal favorite dishes for dinner- you know, the ones that the kids won't touch with a 10 foot pole and crinkle up their noses at in disgust. ;)

I reserve those kid-free evenings to saute a salmon filet or tuna steak for myself. To serve quinoa as a side dish. To roast all the veggies and throw them on my plate. Neither of my kids are big seafood fans. They think quinoa is weird. And they are very specific about the types of vegetables they will allow on their dinner plate. 

But I can only make the fish/quinoa/veggies combo or heat up leftovers for dinner so many evenings each week. That is why I was so happy when my food blogger friend, Joanie Zisk of One Dish Kitchen contacted me about checking out her new cookbook, The Ultimate Cooking for One Cookbook.

Edible Springtime Slime

You only need 4 ingredients to make this super fun Edible Springtime Slime! Easy to make & guaranteed to keep the kiddos entertained for at least a couple of hours...

So, today I am sharing a "recipe" with you all that is a little out of my norm for the blog. But hey- what is normal these days anyways? Am I right, you all? I mean, normal is pretty much out the window for the next couple of months (at least), so why not share something a little different with you all this week? ;)

My daughter has been obsessed with making slime for the past couple of years now. Me though? Not so much. I mean, making & having glue based slime in my house has been an absolute pet peeve of mine. I really do hate to be that mom, but UGH. I most definitely am.

My daughter has a knack for getting slime in all the wrong places. My living room sectional? Check! Smeared (and then dried!) onto my kitchen table? Check! In her hair? Check! I could keep going on and on, but I think you all get my drift by now. I don't know how many times I have had to google, "how to get slime out of - fill in the blank".

And let's not talk about the countless containers and ziploc baggies of homemade slime I have randomly found around the house that should have been thrown out weeks ago. Eeeeewwww...