No-Bake Cannoli Cheesecake Shortcake

Looking for an elegant, yet fuss-free dessert perfect for ringing in the new year? Then you are going to love this recipe for No-Bake Cannoli Cheesecake Shortcake... 

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Save-A-Lot. The opinions and text are all mine.

When it comes to New Year's Eve, my family and I like to keep it low key, fuss free, yet still fun and festive each year. We usually stay home to ring in the new year with a little bubbly (sparkling wine for my husband & I and sparkling grape cider for the kiddos), lots of tasty appetizers, and a classy dessert. 

We may not be painting the town at some swanky party when the clock strikes midnight, but we still like to do something special at home as a family to celebrate the beginning of a new year.

This December 31st my family and I will be indulging in these easy to make No-Bake Cannoli Cheesecake Shortcakes. And to make them even more fun, I plan on setting up a toppings bar so everyone can garnish their shortcakes with their favorite fruits and candies... :)

Orange & Chinese Five Spice Tea Brined Chicken

A southern favorite gets a citrus spiced twist perfect for wintertime in this flavorful Orange & Chinese Five Spice Tea Brined Chicken...

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Lipton. The opinions and text are all mine.

I know that when folks usually think of tea brined chicken they think of summertime grilling or classic Southern fried chicken. But I wanted to give this family dinner favorite a citrusy & warm spiced twist for the holidays and for the colder months ahead. I paired iced tea sweetened with maple syrup with fresh orange slices and Chinese Five Spice. Chinese Five Spice is a warm and flavorful blend of cinnamon, cloves, fennel, star anise, and peppercorns. It pairs perfectly with the bright citrus notes from the orange.

So why tea brine your chicken? First of all, it makes the chicken crazy moist and tender. Secondly, it adds amazing flavor to your chicken. And the maple syrup sweetened tea ensures that your chicken caramelizes beautifully as you grill it.

Easy Apple Pie Trail Mix

Whip up this fall inspired Easy Apple Pie Trail Mix in just minutes with only 4 simple ingredients...

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Post Consumer Brands. 

All opinions are entirely my own.

Between cross country practices and meets, a preschooler who is always "starving" the second she gets home from school, and my son & I's more frequent weekend hikes, I am always trying to come up with tasty & satisfying snacks that are also perfect for my on-the-go family. 






Lately, we have really been into trail mixes. I can throw a few scoops of trail mix into plastic baggies for quick snacks for my son to munch on during meets or to toss into my backpack before a Sunday hike. 






Recently I discovered Malt-O-Meal® bagged cereals (like my family's new favorites- Cinnamon Toasters, S'Mores, & Golden Puffs) at my local Food Lion, and the wheels began to turn. Crunchy, delicious cereals make the perfect base for homemade trail mixes. 

And with 34 family-favorite flavors available to choose from, just think of all the trail mix possibilities, folks! ;)

Establishing a Preschool Bedtime Routine in 3 Easy Steps

Make sure your little one gets plenty of rest for a full day of fun & learning with these 3 Easy Steps for Establishing a Preschool Bedtime Routine...

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of ORAJEL. The opinions and text are all mine.

I will be honest with you all- when it comes to my 4 1/2 daughter, I have been pretty lax with her bedtime routine. We have let her follow her natural sleep patterns, falling asleep & waking up when she needed to. When my son was younger, I had an established, well oiled bedtime routine that went off most nights without a hitch. If someone would ask me why such the huge difference between how I have handled bedtime between my two kiddos, I would say it is being a work-at-home mother now versus being a full-time working single mom then. Staying at home and working from home has given me the luxury of not having to establish a strict bedtime routine with my youngest... up until recently. ;)

My daughter has officially started her first year of Pre-K at a public school. That means she has to be up at a certain time so she can be on time for school, which in turn means she needs to get to asleep at a certain time each night to ensure she gets up early and gets plenty of rest for a full day of fun & learning. The easiest way to make sure this happens each and every school night is to establish an easy and simple bedtime routine...

Easy Banana Cinnamon Peanut Butter Waffles

You all won't believe how incredibly easy it is to whip up these Easy Banana Cinnamon Peanut Butter Waffles...

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of The J.M. Smucker Company. The opinions and text are all mine.

One of my longtime favorite flavor combinations has always been peanut butter with banana. I love adding them both into smoothies or enjoying them together over toast for a quick snack. But I am here to tell you all that Jif has managed to take my peanut butter/banana obsession to a whole other level of peanut butter happy with their new Jif Cinnamon Peanut Butter. :) You heard me right, folks. Cinnamon + peanut butter + bananas= my new #peanutbutterhappy.

You all won't believe how incredibly easy it is to whip up these Easy Banana Cinnamon Peanut Butter Waffles using my new favorite Jif flavored spread...

The 20 Best Audiobooks for a Family Road Trip

Keep every member of the family happy & content in the car this summer with these 20 Best Audiobooks for a Family Road Trip...

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Audible. The opinions and text are all mine.

Summer road trips with a preschooler and a teenager can get interesting at times. While my youngest would be happy spending an hour or two playing "I Spy", my oldest would be most content with his headphones on doing his own thing. I always try to leave the house well prepared for long road trips to avoid any major meltdowns, but the inevitable always happens- the dreaded "I'm bored".  And let's face it- sometimes even the adults get a little bored on the longer road trips. That is why I am glad for our Audible account, the leading provider of premium digital spoken audio information and entertainment! :)

We can connect up to four devices at a time to our Audible account which means every member of the family can enjoy their audiobook of choice from their laptop or MP3 player. And even better yet, you can connect up to 11 mobile devices using the Audible mobile app. The oldest can listen to his favorite audiobook from his laptop, the youngest from her tablet, and my husband & I can listen to our summer reading picks from our cell phones. 

So which Audible audiobooks are on my family's reading list for family road trips this summer? See below for mom's top picks, the preschooler's must-reads, dad's top recommendations, and the teenager's can't miss audiobooks for this summer...

The Best Resources for Planning a Summer Family Vacation

From deciding where to go, how to get there, & how to get the most bang for your buck, here are The Best Resources for Planning a Summer Family Vacation...

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Scholastic. The opinions and text are all mine.

Another school year is quickly coming to a close, and soon the kiddos will be home for summer school break. Time for long summer days at the pool, s'mores around the fire pit, weekend road trips, and the annual summer family vacation. 

Okay, so maybe you hadn't really thought about that last bit quite yet. But there is no need to panic, folks. I gathered up some of the best resources for planning a summer family vacation to share with you all today. So whether you need a little help deciding where to go or maybe you just need some tips for the actual traveling part, I got covered in today's post!

Deciding Where to Go.

If you haven't already pinpointed just where you and the family will be packing up and heading off to this summer, then this is where you need to start. 

Now you can either close your eyes and throw a dart at a map (hey, I am not necessarily ruling that one out ;) ), or you can start by asking yourself a few key questions-

Sweet Honey BBQ Peach-Ginger Pork Chops

Sweet, juicy peaches come together perfectly with the bite of a good ginger beer and the smoky sweetness of KC Masterpiece BBQ Sauce Mix & Dry Rub Sweet Honey in these tender, flavorful slow cooked pork chops...

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of KC Masterpiece. The opinions and text are all mine.

While I have been grateful for the warmer weather here lately, we just can't seem to catch much of break with the rain. I seriously think it has rained almost every day of the week for the past few weeks save a day or two here and there. Needless to say, it has put a slight damper on our springtime grilling. Ever tried barbecuing in a downpour? It never works out very well for the person grilling or for the meat being grilled. ;) 

So what is a girl to do when it just. won't. stop. raining, and I am craving some good BBQ? I break out my slow cooker and one of my new favorite KC Masterpiece BBQ Sauce Mix & Dry Rubs, & get down to work creating a slow cooked dish that has all the smoky goodness of backyard barbecue without the outdoor charcoal grill. Everyone stays nice & dry, and we still get to satisfy our barbecue cravings. I call that a win-win, folks. 

For these Sweet Honey BBQ Peach-Ginger Pork Chops, I went all sweet and smoky with these babies. Sweet, juicy peaches come together perfectly with the bite of a good ginger beer and the smoky sweetness of KC Masterpiece BBQ Sauce Mix & Dry Rub Sweet Honey in these tender, flavorful slow cooked pork chops... :)

Slow Cooker Chipotle Chicken & Poblano Street Tacos

Tender, flavorful, and juicy, these Slow Cooker Chipotle Chicken & Poblano Street Tacos have a delicious smoky flavor with just a little kick of heat...

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Sargento®. 

The opinions and text are all mine.

One thing that this home cook loves is a good challenge, folks. Especially when said challenge involves food. ;) When Sargento® asked me to participate in their Chopped At Home Challenge, I didn't hesitate to jump right in with a resounding heck yeah. 





I have been a HUGE fan of the Food Network's Chopped cooking show for years now. If you haven't seen Chopped before, it is wild, you all. 

Each contestant is given a basket of the same ingredients and challenged to create a course of a meal using all of the ingredients in their baskets. And sometimes they get some crazy ingredient combinations! Each course is judged resulting in one of the chefs getting "chopped" each round until only one chef is left standing at the end of show.





For the Mexican round of the Food Network Chopped At Home Challenge, I was asked to create a recipe using chicken thighs, poblano peppers, corn tortillas, and Sargento 4 Cheese Mexican Blend Shredded Cheese. I am not going to lie- I was pretty excited to see this ingredients list! 





I knew instantly that I wanted to slow cook the chicken thighs because it happens to be my favorite way to prepare this budget friendly cut of chicken. The slow cooking not only allows the flavor from the bone to really permeate the meat, but it makes the meat so tender & juicy that it literally just falls right off the bone. 





But it was the corn tortillas that made me decide on a street tacos recipe. I mean, corn tortillas are a must for making perfect street tacos. And I have had a mild obsession with street tacos ever since my husband and I's visit to an amazing little taco shop near Harpers Ferry last month... ;)

Easy Nonpareil Kettle Corn

This Easy Nonpareil Kettle Corn combines two movie time favorites into one sweet & salty (& practically guilt-free!) treat...

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Weight Watchers®. The opinions and texts are all mine. 

I have chatted with you all a little before about how I am trying to make healthier swaps happen here and there on the daily lately. With the weather warming up, there is no denying that shorts and swimsuit season is bearing down on us all, right? But one thing that I have learned over the years when trying to eat healthier and better is that denying my cravings completely is just a recipe for disaster. Why? Because I end up binge snacking, and that is slightly counterproductive with my summertime goals, you know? ;) So instead of denying my cravings, I choose to go ahead and indulge them. But in more guilt-free ways. Like this Easy Nonpareil Kettle Corn recipe that I am sharing with you all today. 

My biggest guilty pleasure when going to the movie theater is to sit down with a bag of buttery popcorn and a box of nonpareils (aka, Snow Caps) and enjoy them together by the handful. I just love the sweet & salty combo! Thanks to Weight Watchers® Endorsed Jolly Time Healthy Pop microwave Kettle Corn I have found a way to enjoy my favorite movie time treat minus much of the guilt (and the extra calories and butter). You too can whip up this Easy Nonpareil Kettle Corn in less than 5 minutes using only 4 simple ingredients...

Easy Diet Dr Pepper® Brownies

You only need 3 simple ingredients to whip up these fudgy & practically guilt-free Easy Diet Dr Pepper Brownies...

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Diet Dr Pepper®. The opinions and text are all mine.

I think we all deserve a sweet reward every now & then. Don't you all think so too? ;) 

And though I love treating myself to a Diet Dr Pepper served over ice every now & then, I have also discovered a little secret about my new favorite diet soda- it makes practically guilt-free fudgy brownies! Seriously, folks. You only need 3 simple ingredients to make these moist & thick brownies! And the best part? They are packed full of that Diet Dr Pepper flavor that we love...

5 Reasons to Travel with Your Preschooler Now

Come find out why there is no time like the present to get traveling with your little ones with these 5 Reasons to Travel with Your Preschooler Now...

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Disney. The opinions and text are all mine.

I speak from experience when I say that traveling with younger ones can be challenging and downright exhausting at times- we started traveling with Little Miss when she was about 5 months old. :) But even with all it's challenges (disrupted routines, missed naps, car sickness, etc), we have always believed that traveling with our kiddos from a young age was definitely doing them much more good than harm. 

You can only show and teach so much to your children from books or a television show. Sometimes you just have to take them to the source, let them get their hands in it all (yep, and sometimes that means getting a little dirty ;) ), and experience the world around them hands-on and in-person. 

While I am not really going to touch on solutions for the challenges and obstacles that traveling with a preschooler (and younger) can present, I am going to chat with you all about why you should shove those fears and concerns aside, pack up the car, and hit the road or head to the airport with your little ones. 

I will just let Scholastic.com and their Ultimate Preschool Travel Guide handle all of those other tips and advice on traveling with your younger kiddos for you. You can click on over to those once I have convinced you all that there is no time like the present to get traveling with your little ones with my 5 Reasons to Travel with Your Preschooler Now... 

Rising & Shining with Jimmy Dean® Breakfast

Have a hot and protein-packed breakfast in front of your kids in just minutes with these easy to make Jimmy Dean® breakfast favorites...

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Tyson®. The opinions and text are all mine.

School mornings in our house are not your typical weekday mornings. My 17 year old son's start time to his day is considerably earlier than when my youngest needs to be up for preschool. And while I sometimes get up with him in the mornings, he is usually on his own to grab a quick breakfast and head down to catch the bus to school each day. Since we all have staggered start times to our days, finding hot breakfast solutions that can work for both my kiddos during the school week can be challenging.

Thus, I am always on the look out for convenient breakfast ideas that both my teenage son and my preschool daughter can agree on and that I can get on the breakfast table quickly with little fuss. Not only do these breakfasts need to be quick and easy, they also need to be hearty and filling to fuel my both of my kids on through to lunch. That is why I was practically jumping for joy when I discovered these protein-packed Jimmy Dean® Sausage Bowls, Jimmy Dean® Sausage, Egg and Cheese Croissants, and Jimmy Dean® Sausage, Egg and Cheese Biscuits at my local Walmart last week... :)

Conversation Heart Frosted Brookies

Fudgy & chewy brownie cookies are topped with an easy to make conversation heart frosting in these Conversation Heart Frosted Brookies...

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of The J.M. Smucker Company. The opinions and text are all mine.

I know that when most people think of Valentine's Day that they think of it as a romantic holiday filled with roses and fancy dinners out with your significant other. But Valentine's Day has always been more of a family holiday to me. 

When I was growing up, my parents always made sure that my younger sister and I were included. We always received a card, a little red foil heart filled with chocolates, and other little goodies from them. And this is a tradition that I have continued on with my kiddos as well. 

In fact, I have already went out and bought all their Valentine's Day goodies for next Sunday. ;)

My youngest is now finally old enough to give her mama a helping hand in the kitchen, so this Valentine's Day we decided to whip up some special cookies for our family and her preschool classmates. 

At first we were thinking brownies, but then she suggested cookies. I happened to have a box of our favorite Pillsbury™ Chocolate Fudge Brownie Mix in the pantry, so I thought why couldn't we have both? 

With just a few simple ingredient tweaks, you can turn your favorite Pillsbury™ boxed brownie mix into fudgy & chewy cookies or what I like to call brookies (Get it? Brownies + cookies = brookies). ;) 

And to make these brookies perfectly festive for the Valentine's Day holiday, we topped them with a simple frosting made from Pillsbury™ Creamy Supreme® Frosting in Vanilla & crushed conversation hearts. I mean, what says Happy Valentine's Day better than pastel colored candy conversation hearts?

Chocolate Fudge Football Brownie

This easy to make & fudgy Chocolate Fudge Football Brownie is the perfect family friendly sweet treat for the big game... 

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of The J.M. Smucker Company. The opinions and text are all mine.

Game day happens to be family time in our home. It doesn't matter which teams are playing or who wins or loses (okay, my husband just may disagree with me on that one depending on who is playing exactly ;) ), the big game is always the perfect opportunity to invite family over and to hang out. 

It also happens to be the perfect excuse to whip up a tasty game day menu, and what game day menu is complete without a sweet treat to share like this very appropriate Chocolate Fudge Football Brownie?

Not only is this fudgy football brownie the perfect dessert for your game day party, it is also crazy easy to make thanks to a little help from Pillsbury™'s Chocolate Fudge Brownie Mix & Creamy Supreme® Frostings! :) 

So easy in fact, that I got my husband and daughter in on the brownie making fun. Usually it is just me in the kitchen prepping the game day menu, but we thought why not mix it up a little & start the game day fun a little early with a family baking session?

Cranberry Orange Creamsicle Floats

Fresh cranberries & oranges give a classic ice cream treat a festive holiday twist in these Cranberry Orange Creamsicle Floats...

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of AMP AGENCY. The opinions and text are mine alone.

It is safe to say that my family and I do quite a bit of entertaining during the holiday season. Whether it is a cookie baking get-together, a little informal shindig with friends, or a full blown Christmas dinner, our home is always full and busy each weekend of December. 

No matter the reason or theme of the holiday get-together, one thing is definitely guaranteed- everyone will get thirsty at some point. 

That is why I made it a point to head to my local Walmart early on in December and stock up on some of everyone's favorites in 2 liters and 0.5 liter 6packs - A&W®, 7UP®, Canada Dry®, Sunkist®, Sun Drop®, RC Cola®, & Squirt®.

One of my favorite festive flavor combinations for the holidays is cranberry and orange, so I decided to whip up an easy and creamy float perfect for the holidays using the Sunkist®. I mean, who doesn't love an ice cream float? ;) 

I used fresh cranberries and oranges in a simple, no churn ice cream recipe to create these delicious & refreshing Cranberry Orange Creamsicle Floats...

Sparkling Snowflake Rice Krispies Treats

Classic Rice Krispies Treats get a winter wonderland makeover just in time for the holidays with these Sparkling Snowflake Rice Krispies Treats...

Kellogg Company sponsored this blog post. The opinions and text are all mine.

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

During the holiday season I end up spending quite a bit of my time in the kitchen whipping up tasty goodies for holiday get-togethers, classroom parties, and for family & friends. 

Oftentimes, I like to get the kiddos involved whether it is just them helping to cut out the cookies, decorating them with sugars or sprinkles, or helping me give a classic treat a fun & festive twist for the holidays. 

Rice Krispies Treats happen to be a year-round go-to sweet treat for my family and I. But for this holiday season, we decided to give them a sparkling makeover perfect for that next holiday party or get-together with these Sparkling Snowflake Rice Krispies Treats! :)

We started with the classic simple, 3 ingredient recipe for Rice Krispies treats, but transformed them into a sparkling winter wonderland treat with a snowflake cookie cutter, a little white chocolate, and some pretty sparkling sugars...