Happy National Ice Cream Day! Recipe Roundup + Food Photography Inspirations

While I didn't get a chance to create any ice cream recipes for you, I wanted to share some of the most mouth-watering ice cream I have ever seen! I am so inspired by the food styling, backgrounds, lighting, and overall layout of these recipe hero images. Which one will you be trying to make today? Happy #NationalIceCreamDay!!!

Roasted Blueberry Balsamic Goats Cheese Ice Cream - via The Kitchen McCabe

Cereal Milk Soft Serve Ice Cream Recipe - via Erin Made This

via Pinterest

Roasted Strawberry Ice Cream - Via The Novice Housewife 

Matcha Mint Chip Ice Cream - via Bojon Gourmet

No-Churn Ice Cream (5 Ways) - via Half Baked Harvest

Tahini Ice Cream With Caramel Sauce - via Butterlust

Backyard Mint Ice Cream - via For The Love Of The South

Bacon & Sweet Corn Ice Cream Sandwiches - via My Name Is Yeh

Blueberry Cheesecake Ice Cream - via Take A Megabyte

Peanut Butter Happy ~ Waffle "Cake" Recipe + A Quick and Easy Lunch Idea

I love peanut butter. I could eat it on a spoon straight out of the jar for a snack just about any time. When I had the opportunity to create a fun recipe inspired by Jif Spreads, I jumped on the opportunity! Our household definitely prefers Jif to any other Peanut Butter on the shelf! Also, I was recently introduced to Jif Bars, which are also some of the best granola style bars I've ever eaten. Really, though, add Peanut Butter to just about anything, and I'm a happy woman! Just the thought makes me peanut butter happy! #peanutbutterhappy

Since I wanted to showcase the Peanut Butter as a spread, rather than inside the recipe, I opted to layer up homemade chocolate waffles, Jif Spread, and also a bit of cool whip, and created the most amazing Waffle "Cake" to date. I also realized that this fun recipe was not complete without chocolate syrup drizzled over the whole creation.

- 1 box chocolate cake mix

- water

- vegetable oil

- 3 eggs

- Cool Whip (2 containers)

- Jif Creamy Peanut Butter

- Chocolate Sauce

- Waffle Iron

- Non Stick Spray

TO MAKE THE WAFFLES:

I used a super simple recipe to make the homemade chocolate waffles. Simply mix 1 box of cake mix, 1 C. water, 1/3 C. vegetable oil, and 3 large eggs. Alternately, you can substitute about 1/3 of the cake mix with other waffle batter so they are more fluffy, because the cake mix waffles can be a bit dense. Heat the waffles for about 3 minutes each, and set them aside on a cooling rack if you have one - this way, the waffles won't get soggy while you're working on them. I used 5 waffles here.

After making the waffles, it's time to create your waffle "cake"! Place one waffle on the plate, then add a layer of Cool Whip all across the first waffle, to create a thick layer. I like scooping the Cool Whip into a Ziploc bag, and then cutting off the tip to create a sort of pastry bag. Next, layer another waffle, Jif Creamy Peanut Butter, waffle, Cool Whip, waffle, more Peanut Butter, then your last waffle.

I topped the dish with a big dollop of Cool Whip, and then drenched it in chocolate syrup!

This would be such a fun way to surprise someone on their birthday, or even if they're just having a bad day. Really love how this divine creation turned out!

Here is an Iobatta link where you can find the products I am sharing in this post:

Jif Spread -https://ibotta.com/app/retailer/any/offer/51534

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

These Jif Bars inspired me to show you a quick and easy lunch idea, that you can prepare in just a few minutes. A jar salad is a great way to jump start your mid day hunger. I also love the idea of bringing a fruit like cherries or grapes in a jar, so they won't get squished or make a mess. And, a classic PBJ (featuring Jif PB of course), and my favorite raspberry jelly. And, I love packing the Jif Bars as my dessert, because they're portable and taste seriously SO good!

These Peanut Butter Chocolate Bars were the bomb! There are other flavors as well, like Crunchy Peanut Butter, and Creamy Peanut Butter.

I found the Jif Bars right above the Peanut Butter at Walmart, and their prices are some of the best I've found for these items.

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

Amazing Homemade Meatballs Recipe

Want a great recipe for someone special? I think this would make an awesome Father's Day recipe for Dad, grandpa, husbands, boyfriends, or whatever guy is special in your life, deserves this amazing dish!

INGREDIENTS:

- 1 lb. ground pork

- 1 egg

- 1 C. breadcrumbs

- Seasonings: salt, pepper, garlic powder, Van Zandt's seasoning mix

INSTRUCTIONS:

1.) Preheat oven to 425 degrees F, and line a baking sheet with foil. 

2.) Spray a cooling rack with non-stick spray, and place it onto the foil lined baking sheet.

3.) Let's make the food! Combine sausage, breadcrumbs, parmesan cheese, egg, and seasonings in a medium bowl. Mix with hands (I always use rubber gloves), until well-combined.

4.) Roll mixture in hands to form 1"-1.5" balls, and place each one on the rack. Space them apart a bit, they won't change in shape, so you can bake quite a few at once.

5.) Bake for 16-20 minutes, and more if they aren't done yet. 

6.) While baking, boil your noodles, and heat your sauce separately. 

7.) To Serve: Place noodles on a plate, add meatballs, and then cover with sauce! Garnish with more parmesan cheese, and dinner is served! These are so incredibly easy to make, and reheat well. 

Other ideas for these meatballs:

- Meatballs, Peppers, and Penne Noodles

- Meatball Sandwiches

- Slice meatballs thin to put onto pizzas

- Dip them in sauce, without noodles

- Make ahead of time, and freeze these for dinner in advance! 

Savor Your Summer Recipe With Aidells® Sausage + The Wine Group's Cupcake® Wines

I had an amazing time creating this delicious summer recipe, featuring tasty ingredients like mozzarella chicken sausage, colorful peppers, and basil pesto. I then paired the dish with two styles of wine! How could things get any better? I tend to like lighter wines in the summer, so I chose to feature two varieties from The Wine Group's Cupcake® - Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc. For this recipe, I used Aidells® Sausage. I chose Italian Style Smoked Chicken Sausages with Mozzarella Cheese - they were absolutely perfect!

I originally tried this recipe with friends, and they went up for seconds and thirds, so I know this one goes over well with a crowd! I loved it too, and I also thought the sausage and peppers mixture would taste incredible in an omelet for breakfast. This dish is so versatile! Make it for two, make it for lunch or dinner, or incorporate it into your next party menu!

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

- 1-2 Packages of Aidells Italian Style Chicken Sausages

- 1 Box Penne Noodles

- Red, Green, and Yellow Pepper (1 each)

- 1 Onion

- Green Pesto (either store bought or homemade)

- Olive Oil

- Fresh Grated Parmesan Cheese

TO MAKE THE NOODLES:

Boil noodles as directed. Drain them, and return them to the pot you boiled them in. Add 2-3 tablespoons of olive oil, and also stir in around 4-5 tablespoons of pre-made or homemade pesto. Stir until well incorporated, and then top with parmesan cheese. These noodles compliment the sausage and peppers so well!

Below, the perfect mix of ingredients. Italian Style Chicken Sausage, peppers, and onions! YUM!!!

TO MAKE THE SAUSAGE & PEPPERS

1.) Cut up chicken sausages into thin slices, around 1/4" thick or less.

2.) Chop onions into tiny pieces (or larger if you like)

3.) Chop peppers into small pieces and set aside.

4.) In a skillet, heat 1-2 tsp of olive oil, and add onions. Salt and season, and continue cooking and stirring onions until they are soft.

5.) Time to add the sausage! Add your sausage slices to the pan, and stir. I used tongs to turn the pieces, and continually check the status of the sausage. I let them brown on both sides before I decided they were done. They taste SO good!

6.) Turn down the heat to very low, and add peppers into the sausage mixture. Stir, and cover with a lid, to just basically steam the peppers. They should be done in 4-5 minutes. Stir again to incorporate one last time.

7.) Place noodles onto a plate, and then top with sausage and pepper mixture. This could also be served atop rice of any sort! Enjoy!! Scroll down to learn more about these wines.

Some great things about Aidells® Sausage:

* Each sausage is made with naturally smoked, all-natural chicken, real fruits & vegetables, and herbs & lively spices
* Gluten Free
* No Nitrites
* No Added Hormones
* All sausages are hand-crafted with real, hand-picked ingredients in small batches with care
* Fully cooked and ready in just 8-10 minutes: sauté or grill over medium heat or bake at 375 degrees F.

The Wine Group's Cupcake® Wines are great! Both styles featured in this post are under $10 per bottle (I got them at Kroger - in fact, I got all of my ingredients there). I really do prefer white wine to red wine any day, but especially in the summer. I opted to get the Chardonnay and the Sauvignon Blanc because they are not overly sweet, and are very well-balanced.

Luscious, creamy, silky, zesty, intense, elegant, complex wines!
Great for celebrating the good and genuine things in life & simply making life delicious!

What sorts of dishes do you prepare during the summer months? And, what is your favorite style of wine? Do you prefer white wine or red wine? Let us know in the comments!

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

Cave Creek, AZ - The Grotto Cafe At Red Truck Trading

We found The Grotto through TripAdvisor (as we do with most places we eat on vacations), and loved the food and atmosphere here! We could bring Cabbie, our Chocolate Lab,  onto the patio area, and she has a great time just checking all the people and other dogs out as we enjoyed our lunch. 

The food was out of this world, and the setting was even better. Finding a spot in the shade to eat outside in Arizona is a dream, and this place was one of the loveliest places we ate while in Arizona this past March. 

Find the Grotto Cafe at 6501 E Cave Creek Rd #8, Cave Creek, AZ 85331.

The BBQ Pork sandwich was amazing! 

The Grotto Cafe is very dog friendly. In fact, most of the patrons had pups with them. One woman had THREE :) There were free dog treats on the patio, which were in this cute  mailbox, below.  

My grilled cheese panini was just right. I liked the chips and pickle that came on the side, and that strawberry smoothie cooled me off on a rather warm afternoon - it was really, really good!

The residents of Cave Creek are sometimes called Creekers, and some of them are talented artists. 

Just look at this Cobb Salad! It tasted even better than it looked, and was so filling. 

This little guy, below, was a good sport. His mom said he was a rescue dog and generally very timid. But he put on a big smile for me and my camera. See, dogs love this place! 

Effortless Mini Pies - Frozen Key Lime Mini Pies Recipe

It's a wonderful time for frozen treats, so check these out! This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #EffortlessPies #CollectiveBias #Walmart

You're going to love these mini pies! They're incredible!

INGREDIENTS:

Reddi-wip® (13 oz.)

Oikos® Key Lime Greek Yogurt (4 count package)

Keebler® Ready Crust® Mini Graham Cracker Pie Crust (6 count package)

Magic Shell (Optional)

Limes To Garnish Mini Pies

Make Delicious & Effortless Mini Pies With 3 Simple Ingredients!!

Be sure to visit the Effortess Mini Pies Page For more ideas and inspirations.

And, visit the Ibotta Coupon Page To Save Money On These Ingredients Here

I really enjoy the taste of this Greek Yogurt. It's sweet, tart, and tastes like fresh key limes. It's literally like eating a piece of the real thing, but far healthier for you.

Prep The Pies...

Fill a quart sized freezer Ziploc®  bag with the Oikos®  Greek Key Lime yogurt (2 yogurt cups filled about 3 mini pie crusts). Cut one corner off of the bag, and carefully fill each mini pie crust about 2/3 full. 

Freeze the pies overnight, on a baking sheet. Once they have frozen, get ready to decorate them!

Once frozen, you can add some Magic Shell drizzle! The more chocolate the better, to balance out the lime flavor. After I drizzled the chocolate onto these mini pies, I put them back into the freezer to prepare for the final steps. 

Look how beautiful these frozen yogurt mini pies are!!! 

Let's Top These Mini Pies!

Slice your limes into thin slices.

Top with a generous amount of Reddi-whip® . Literally my favorite part...

Add the lime slices onto the Reddi-wip® so they sit up on their own. You can serve them now! Enjoy!

I wound up finding my ingredients at Walmart, which was great, because I could find everything in one place (and of course a little more!). Isn't that always how it goes :)

I found the Reddi-wip® in the back coolers neat the milk, the Oikos® Key Lime Greek Yogurt by the other dairy items, and the Keebler® Ready Crust® Mini Graham Cracker Pie Crust in the baking aisle. I also found the limes in the front of the store by the fresh produce. 

I really hope you have enjoyed this recipe! 

Milkshakes Inspired By M&M’s® New Flavors!

It's that time of year again when ice cream sounds good in just about any form. Check out these amazing milkshakes, inspired by M&M's® flavors! This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #MMSFlavorVote #Walmart #CollectiveBias.

Here's How It Works.

You can help choose the next flavor of M&M's®!!! 

• Throughout the voting period of March 1 to June 17, you can purchase and taste each of the new flavors for yourself, and then cast your vote, once a day until June 17.
• Once you cast your vote for your favorite new M&M's® Peanut flavor, you are entered for the chance to win $100,000 and earn the title of the official M&M's® Taste Tester. The winner will be announced in August, along with the winner of the 'Flavor Vote,' which will remain on retailer shelves nationwide.
• Vote for your favorite flavor using the hashtag #MMSFlavorVote across social media!

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Be sure to visit the M&M's® Flavor Vote page on Facebook to vote for your favorite flavor!

Find The Flavors Here:

M&M's® Coffee Nut
M&M's® Chili Nut
M&M's® Honey Nut

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Note: The jars used in these recipes hold a bit over 4 Cups each, so all recipes are formatted to these jars.

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THE CHOCOLATE MOCHA SHAKE - INSPIRED BY M&M’s® COFFEE NUT

Ingredients:

M&M’s® Coffee Nut Flavor

2 1/2 -3 C. Chocolate Ice Cream

1/2 C. Cool Whip

1 C. Coffee of any sort (Mine was pre-packaged)

1 Packet of Hot Chocolate Mix (Optional)

Dash of Milk - Optional

FOR THE COOKIES...

Ingredients:

Pre Made or Home Made Chocolate Chip Cookies

Melting Chocolate + Brush To Spread It Onto Cookies

Instructions:

These are so easy! Simply melt chocolate in a double boiler or microwave until smooth. Carefully brush chocolate onto half of the front of each cookie.

In a zip top bag, use a rolling pin to crunch up some of the M&M’s® Coffee Flavor candies. Top half of your cookies with M&M’s® Coffee Nut candy pieces, or chocolate sprinkles. They stick super well to the chocolate. Let cool, and eat separately, or add to your milkshake.

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THE HONEY NUT PEANUT BUTTER SHAKE - INSPIRED BY M&M’s® HONEY NUT

Ingredients:

M&M’s® Honey Nut Flavor

2 - 2 1/2 C. Vanilla Ice Cream

1/2 C. Peanut Butter

1 1/4 C. Milk

1 C. Cool Whip (And more for on top)

1 -2 Tbsp Honey (depending on how strong you want the flavor)

Yellow Sprinkles

Get ready, this tastes amazing!!

Instructions:

Blend ice cream, peanut butter, milk, honey, and Cool Whip together until smooth. Add M&M’s® Honey Nut Flavor either as whole pieces, or crushed up into smaller pieces. Stir with a spoon.

Pour into a large glass, and top with whipped cream, yellow sprinkles, and crushed up M&M’s® Honey Nut. 

This one wound up being my absolute favorite!! Enjoy!!

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THE CHILI CHOCO SHAKE - INSPIRED BY M&M’s® CHILI NUT

Ingredients:

M&M’s® Chili Nut

3 C. Chocolate Ice Cream

1 C. Milk

Red Sprinkles

Red Chilis For Garnish - Optional

Luckily I got some of the last of the new flavor M&Ms at Walmart! Looks like just about everyone in town wanted a piece of the voting action! 

My local stores were almost sold out, but I found them near the front of the store by the registers. 

Instructions:

Mix together chocolate ice cream, milk, and Cool Whip until smooth. Feel free to add a dash of Cayenne pepper for some heat if you want. Also, add some M&M’s® Chili Nut candies, and mix with a spoon.

Pour the mixture into a jar, and top with whipped cream, M&M’s® Chili Nut candies, and red sprinkles. 

To create a fun garnish, take two red chilis (I used ones that weren't spicy, because these candies have some heat), and poke holes in them to make room for the straw to pass through. Love how these turned out!

Thanks so much for checking out these fun recipes, inspired by M&M’s® new flavors! 

Summer On-The-Go & Entertaining With Black Box Wines! - Plus 2 DIY Wine Party Tutorials

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #BlackBoxSummer #CollectiveBias The following content is intended for readers who are 21 or older.

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I would like to share some adorable DIY party ideas for a cute summer party on-the-go with you today! Black Box Wines are the perfect summer party pal, because they are extremely portable. Black Box Wines are amazing for a camping party, that is a little bit more upscale. Why not add a little wine-tasting to your camp out!

Be sure to visit the Simple Entertaining Social Hub for more details about ways to entertain this summer.

These wines are eco-friendly, because the bag and box are recyclable! Black Box Wines taste good, and they are about half the price of bottled wines. Also, they can stay fresh up to 6 weeks, and contain 750 ml - the equivalent of 4 bottles. Imagine trying to carry 4 bottles of wine, which is way more to juggle than this one awesome box of tasty goodness! 50 gold Metals for quality can't be wrong!

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A SUMMER PARTY RECIPE - WINE & CHEESE PAIRING SKEWERS

I love the idea of a wine and cheese party, but if guests can carry the appetizers around, it prevents anyone from being left out, or everyone having to hover over one plate of food. Instead, offer guests skewers, and a plentiful plate of meats and cheeses, and let them decide what they want! I also like the idea of having grapes and as many fresh fruits and veggies as possible. I liked using these cardboard food containers I got at a craft store. They hold so much, and are coated to avoid any messes. 

Cut up salami, summer sausage, and various cheeses and let guests use skewers to create their own Wine & Cheese Pairing Skewers!! 

Let your guests choose their own adventure, and add whatever type of meats and cheeses they want! Less food will be wasted with this method, which saves money.

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Be sure to visit the Simple Entertaining Social Hub for more details about ways to entertain this summer.

FABRIC WINE GLASS MARKERS

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INSTRUCTIONS:

1.) These are super simple and can be made for FREE! Just cut your fabric strips that are 12" long x 1" wide. I just freehanded these, but a rotary cutter could always be used.

2.) Now, to get the rough edges on the fabric pieces, pull them and stretch them as much as possible. Keep pulling from both ends until you get a more frayed look. 

3.) Tie the distressed fabric strips around the top of the wine glass stem, and double knot. 

4.) I found that cutting about 1" off of each of the long ends at a diagonal was best. That's it! 

WINE PARTY TIP! 

To ensure guests can reach the boxes of wine, elevate them onto something like a glass vase or metal box. This also adds visual interest to your party table. 

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DIY WINE SIGN TUTORIAL

This little project came together so well! It was one of the easiest party decor projects ever. 

WHAT YOU NEED:

All you need is a few materials and about 15 minutes, and you can make this cute DIY Wine Sign! Perfect for summer parties On-The-Go!

4 Galvanized letters - found at a fabric store, Birch Round (or Rectangle) - found at that same fabric store, and a hot glue gun with glue. Super Glue / Krazy glue did NOT work at all, just a warning :) 

1.) Plug in your glue gun, and begin to do a sample placement of your letters onto the birch round. This birch round actually has a twine hanger attached, but you can cut it off. 

2.) I found that the best way to securely attach the letters was to mark where each letter went with a dot of pencil, then apply hot glue and quickly re-attach your letters. 

3.) Glue all letters in place and you are DONE! This project only took about 15 minutes!

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For a wonderful Summer On-The-Go party, consider providing your guests with Black Box Wines! Enjoy!

Baked Chicken & Tomato Taquitos Recipe

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #YesYouCAN #CollectiveBias

This recipe turned out extremely well! These taquitos are absolutely delicious, and would be the perfect way to incorporate Hunt's Canned Tomatoes into a Mexican-Inspired dish for dinner or even a party. 

First, I will start off with a kitchen hack! Read the instructions below the photo. This was such a great way to make shredded chicken. 

A BONUS KITCHEN HACK

Using a roaster chicken for shredded chicken is genius! I absolutely loved using this method, compared to spending literally hours waiting for chicken breasts to slowly boil, then become soft enough to shred. This seriously saved me many hours of prep work, and tasted incredible! 

Check out more Mexican inspired recipes here

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INGREDIENTS:

3/4 Can Hunt's Tomatoes

1 Roaster Chicken 

1/2C. - 1 C. Cream Cheese

1/4 - 1/2 Onion

2 Cloves Garlic 

Olive Oil 

Mexican Seasonings and Salt

1/4 - 1/2 Bunch Cilantro

1 C. Shredded Mexican Cheese or Cheddar.

Tiny Bit of a Jalapeno (Optional)

Small sized corn or flour tortillas (I used corn)

Sour Cream For Dipping

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INSTRUCTIONS:

1.) To shred the chicken - (make sure chicken has cooled, and use your hands (I used rubber gloves), to begin to tear apart all of the meat on the roaster chicken. Set aside, and discard bones and anything you can't use.

2.) Chop onions and garlic, and set aside.

3.) Simmer a tablespoon or so of olive oil, in a medium saucepan (I used one with sides). Once warm, add chopped garlic and onion. Also add about 1/4 tbsp or more of the Mexican seasoning. and a pinch of salt if desired. Stir. Optionally, add a tiny bit of the jalapeno pepper - this added SO much flavor and wasn't even really spicy. 

4.) Add shredded chicken to the onions and garlic mixture.

5.) Strain some of the excess juices out of the Hunt's Tomatoes, and add 3/4 or 1 whole can to the chicken mixture. Stir until combined, and again, season the chicken tomato mixture.

6.) Turn off heat, and add the cream cheese and shredded cheddar, and a little bit more seasoning if you like. Stir until combined well. 

7.) Chop leaves off cilantro, and add that to the rest of the ingredients.

8.) Preheat oven at 350-375 degrees, use PAM on Pyrex dish or baking dish.

9.) Warm corn tortillas in the microwave or on a warm stove. 

10.) Spread a small amount of the chicken mixture onto the centers of each tortilla. Wrap the tortillas around the mixture. Practice first, because the corn tortillas can easily split and break.

11.) Bake at 350-375 Degrees for about 25 minutes, and serve with a side of sour cream. These taste amazing!! Enjoy!

Look how beautiful this filling turned out! You can use this as dip with chips. or fill any type of burrito quesadilla, or taquitos with this. 

This is a good amount of filling to use! Roll these up and bake them in a glass dish at 350 Degrees for about 25 minutes. 

Serve with a side of sour cream, they are incredibly tasty!!!

WHERE TO FIND THESE INGREDIENTS...

The great thing about this recipe, is that most of the ingredients were easy to find at Walmart. They have great prices on these ingredients, which is great if you're serving these to a crowd, or just making them for family. The Hunt's Tomatoes were found in the Tomato Sauce aisle. The organic yellow onions and garlic were found right in the front of the store by the fresh produce, too! 

And, here is that DIY project I promised you :) Check out the Cactus DIY below. 

Papago Brewing Co. - Scottsdale, AZ

Another stop on our quest for craft beer was Papago Brewing Co. 

7107 E McDowell Rd, Scottsdale, AZ 85257

We drove a little ways to get to this place, but it was really nice. We almost couldn't find it, because it was one of the few businesses still operating in this strip mall. Nonetheless, I am really happy we went! The food was decent too, not a huge menu but the Nachos with pork added were good, the Caprese Salad was fresh, and the Thai Chicken Wrap was great! 

Their food was a nice addition to the amazing beer selection! And, it is a bottle shop where you can have the bartender open any bottle in the cooler and drink it on sight! They also had quite a few beers on draught, including their own beers, 30 taps with various, rotating selections. I took a pick your 6 pack home. 

We tried the Transatlantic Kriek beer from New Belgium / Lips Of Faith. It was amazing!!! Love the tart cherry flavor and the beautiful red color of this beer. 

THE BEER

"We feature 30 beers on tap. And every time a keg runs out, a different one takes its place. You will never see the same lineup twice. We also offer over 500 different bottled beers to drink on site or to take home. We love beers from all over the world, and you can choose from a wide selection of Belgian, German, and English beers from our coolers and on tap. But our pride and our specialty is kick-ass American craft beer. We love to drink local, and we love to offer the best of the best from microbreweries around the country."

The Thai Chicken Wrap, Potato Salad, and a Pickle. 

The nachos were also good. we added pork to them, and there were all sorts of good toppings. 

Learn more about the Transatlantique Kriek Ale here. It's sour and delicious! 

About This Beer: "In a never-ending quest to create new beers and defy category, New Belgium Brewing and Old Beersel of Belgium have partnered to create TRANSATLANTIQUE KRIEK, a spontaneously fermented lambic ale made with sour cherries. The 2016 edition of Transatlantique Kriek began life in the oaken vessels of Gert Christiaens’ Oud Beersel, a 130-year-old Belgian lambic brewery. After time spent aging in wood, Oud Beersel’s lambic was blended with tart cherries and shipped across the Atlantic to New Belgium. In concert with Oud Beersel’s cherry lambic, or kriek, we blended in a portion of our own sour Felix from our foeder forest, and created a golden brew to mix in, and round out, the engaging beer. The intense cherry nose leads to a pleasing tart, sweet flash across the palate. Crisp and effervescent, Transatlantique Kriek is a trip worth taking."

I thought it was really neat that families gathered here either before or after their kids' baseball games. I saw lots of families in Papago. 

Tune Up Cafe - Santa Fe, New Mexico

We headed further west after we left the Denver area, and stayed at a hotel about an hour from Santa Fe. We decided to grab lunch on the way through town, and so I Trip Advisored the highest rated restaurants in Santa Fe.

There were SO many to choose from, and I thought the Tune Up Cafe looked good. Well, it was!

Their portions were huge, though, so we had leftovers for days following :) I would even recommend that two people split a dish here. I'd also love to try their breakfast foods, which I always regret not getting. 

And, even though it was pretty warm outside, I still got myself a hot chocolate. It was wonderful, probably the best thing I had that day. 

And, although the front part of the restaurant was packed and bustling, the back part was completely open. Looked like they had some pretty good beers on tap. 

Bobby got his current go-to menu item, the Cuban Sandwich. Their fries were also pretty darn good. Just look at all of those layers of goodness! Ham, Swiss, BBQ Pork, Mustard, Onions, and Pickles...odd but incredible combo! 

ACROSS THE STREET...

I love the architecture of the homes in the southwest. The tan adobes and the washed out and faded colors that have been blasted by the sun for years. It's ALWAYS bright here, so bring your best sunglasses! 

ALSO IN NEW MEXICO

- Hangar Bottle Shop in Albuquerque. This was a pretty small place, and had only been open 10 months, but they had a great selection for the size of the store. I wish we could have spent more time downtown, because it was really cute. Seems like there are a few great places to catch a concert, have dinner, or grab a drink in this college town.   

Cool Stuff To Do In Denver - Mostly Beer + Food

We recently stopped in the Denver / Lakewood, CO area for a few days on our way out to Arizona, and had a blast! Check out all of our stops below, and comment if you have been to any of these :)

Crooked Stave Brewery / The Source (Website)

This place was absolutely incredible! This building used to be an old steel factory, and it appears that they gutted it down to the bare bones. This building contains several different businesses with a communal and very open area in the middle. The ceilings are super tall, and there is natural light pouring in from everywhere. This sits in a rather industrial area, which is surrounded by lots of new apartment buildings and other breweries and restaurants, and of course a bit of construction. I would assume that this area of Denver will be finished in no time! 

Crooked Stave brews/creates mostly sour beers, which I am a big fan of these days. Their beers are definitely pricey, but worth a try! 

Great Divide Brewery (Website)

We had passed by Great Divide on the way to Crooked Stave. In fact, it was almost right across the street. The thing that really caught our eye at this place was the massive amount of barrels on display (and in use) here. They have a really amazingly decorated barrel bar, which they decorated with lots of pieces of wood from past barrels. We had a good time sampling lots of different beers, and it was fun comparing all the different styles and flavors. 

The beers are decent here, and the prices are incredible. Their samples of regular beers are $1 for 3 oz, and $3 for their barrel aged and more rare stuff. 4 of us got out of there for under $20!

Sample Beers at Great Divide. 

Our friends at Great Divide!

Some of the beers available at Great Divide.

- Mockery Brewing (Website)

I'm sure this happens a lot, but as we were sitting in Great Divide, I saw yet another brewery in the back of the parking lot called Mockery Brewing. Another impeccably designed brewery, with a smaller yet very open feel, as well as copper and cool signage behind the bar. Their beers were only $5 each and very strong! 

The Wheat Around The Bush Boysenberry Wheat Wine 

- Wynkoop Brewery (Website)

This place was pretty nice. We sat on the upper level, which had about 15+ pool tables, and lots of nice open area. This place was a bit more expensive than we would usually go for, but it was a nice place to meet friends in downtown Denver. The exposed brick (which was a theme for literally every place we went in Denver), was just beautiful. I loved the photos they displayed in this building, by photographer Patrick Andrade. He uses tin type to capture modern brewers and their process. Learn more.

- Denver Biscuit Co (Website)

My, oh my! What a great way to start the day! Everything on the menu pretty much revolves around these luscious biscuits, and they're amazing. I got biscuits and gravy, and I think everyone else got a biscuit sandwich of some sort. Each plate looked better than the last and I definitely hope to visit again soon! 

While in Denver, we also checked out Teller's and Rock Fire Pizza. Both really great! 

---

And, we didn't stop there! Colorado has the absolute best beer selection of literally anywhere we have ever visited, so we found a few other places to find things to take home. Some of the places we would definitely recommend include: Mondo Vino, Grapevine Wine & Liquor - (make sure to check out the Beer Cave!!), and Applejacks near Lakewood. 

Coaltrain (Colorado Springs) (Visit Their Site)

Keep up with our travels on Instagram {here}! We have lots more of this adventure to go...

Amazing Baked Chicken Drumsticks Recipe

Wow, these turned out SO well! This was our first time cooking any bone-in chicken, and it went really well. I looked up various recipes, and once I realized you could just bread them (duh!), and then bake them, I would just do that!

INGREDIENTS:

12 Chicken Drumsticks

4 Eggs

Flour

Bread Crumbs

Parmesan Cheese

Seasoning To Taste

Olive Oil

INSTRUCTIONS:

- Preheat oven to 425* F. Gather your ingredients. Cover a baking sheet in foil, then place a baking grid on top, and spray with non-stick spray. I guess this is also called a Cooling Grid, but I use it in the oven al the time! 

- Find 3 separate dishes (shallow pyrex work well). In one each, place flour with salt and other seasonings, in the next one put your eggs with seasoning, and then in the last dish, mix up 1 1/2 C. breadcrumbs, and 1/2 C. freshly grated parmesan cheese. 

- Now, get your drumsticks onto one plate, and et ready to coat them. Coat your drumstick in flour, then in egg, then into the breadcrumbs. Place it on the grid, and make sure to place it towards the edge. These 12 drumsticks will fill the whole tray.

- Repeat this for each drumstick, flour, egg, and then breadcrumbs. 

- Bake for about 15 minutes and enjoy1 These are amazing by themselves, or dipped in BBQ sauce or honey mustard. These reheat extremely well in my toaster oven, leave then in for about 10+ minutes at 350* F. 

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Peanut Butter Puppy Chow

Pepsi Glazed Bacon

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Peanut Butter + Chocolate Valentine's Day Puppy Chow Recipe

I never really loved Puppy Chow back in jr. high when everyone else was freaking out about buying it from our bake sales at school. I love chocolate, but for some reason, it was always way too rich for me and I never got into it.

Until now! This recipe primarily tastes like peanut butter, white chocolate, and of course, powdered sugar. 

INGREDIENTS:

4 1/2 cups Rice Chex™ cereal (or any brand will do!)

1/2 cup white vanilla baking chips - I like the white chocolate chips from Ghirardelli.

1/2 cup peanut butter

2 tablespoons butter or margarine

1 cup powdered sugar 

1/4 cup red, white and pink candy-coated chocolate candies (like M&M's)

2 tablespoons festive sprinkles

INSTRUCTIONS:

- In a double boiler over medium heat (or in the microwave), melt the butter, white chocolate chips, and peanut butter until combined and smooth. 

- Pour the peanut butter mixture over the cereal and mix as thoroughly as you can, coating all of the cereal. 

- Now, sift the powdered sugar over the cereal mixture, using a metal strainer works well! Mix as much as you can, and add more powdered sugar as needed to coat the cereal!

- Lastly, add the sprinkles and chocolate candies, and serve! 

SERVING & PACKAGING IDEAS:

- Carry the Puppy Chow in a festive tin to the office, or your party! Encourage guests to grab a little scoop of the treats in these heart-themed cups.

- If you want individual party favors, put the puppy chow into the heart cups, and slide them into a clear treat bag. Tie with ribbon, then add a metallic heart doily to the ribbon and tie into a bow! (See below)

What is your favorite Valentine's Day snack or memory? Let me know in the comments below! 

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Soft Gingerbread Cookies Recipe

I know this post is a few days after Christmas, but I absolutely LOVE how these turned out! I could eat them all at once, but they do have a bit of a stronger taste to them than most of the cookies I make, so I have to pace myself :) These cookies were also a little bit involved, so just a warning! They took us working on them throughout the evening, but it was so fun! And the dough need to chill for about 3 hours, so you could let the dough chill overnight if you want. Original Recipe Found Here. 

These hardly need any decorating or icing, they are perfect just the way they are! They were so fun to make, and I have always been so enamored by the beautiful color of gingerbread dough. What a beautiful color! 

That amazing color I'm talking about comes from one of the main ingredients - Molasses! This was our first time ever using this stuff in anything, and it was very easy to use.  I found it at our local Co-Op, for about $5.99, but here is the best price I found online. 

INGREDIENTS:

3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly milled black pepper
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/4 cup vegetable shortening, at room temperature (I used more butter here)
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
2/3 cup unsulfured molasses
1 large egg

INSTRUCTIONS:

Position the racks in the top and bottom thirds of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F.

Sift the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, allspice, cloves, salt and pepper through a wire sieve into a medium bowl. Set aside.

In a large bowl, using a hand-held electric mixer at high speed, beat the butter and vegetable shortening until well-combined, about 1 minute. Add the brown sugar and beat until the mixture is light in texture and color, about 2 minutes. Beat in the molasses and egg. Using a wooden spoon, gradually mix in the flour mixture to make a stiff dough. Divide the dough into two thick disks and wrap each disk in plastic wrap. Refrigerate until chilled, about 3 hours. (The dough can be prepared up to 2 days ahead.)

To roll out the cookies, work with one disk at a time, keeping the other disk refrigerated. Remove the dough from the refrigerator and let stand at room temperature until just warm enough to roll out without cracking, about 10 minutes. (If the dough has been chilled for longer than 3 hours, it may need a few more minutes.) Place the dough on a lightly floured work surface and sprinkle the top of the dough with flour. Roll out the dough 1/8 inch thick, being sure that the dough isn't sticking to the work surface (run a long meal spatula or knife under the dough occasionally just to be sure, and dust the surface with more flour, if needed). For softer cookies, roll out slightly thicker. Using cookie cutters, cut out the cookies and transfer to nonstick cookie sheets, placing the cookies 1 inch apart. Gently knead the scraps together and form into another disk. Wrap and chill for 5 minutes before rolling out again to cut out more cookies.

Bake, switching the positions of the cookies from top to bottom and back to front halfway through baking, until the edges of the cookies are set and crisp, 10 to 12 minutes. Cool on the sheets for 2 minutes, then transfer to wire cake racks to cool completely. Decorate with Royal Icing. (The cookies can be prepared up to 1 week ahead, stored in airtight containers at room temperature.)

For The Icing - I only had a tiny bit of powdered sugar. So, I basically mixed a few Tbsp of powdered sugar with a splash of milk and a bit of corn syrup to thicken it up. It was more like a glaze, though. For the decorations, I used three sprinkles as buttons. 

Well, I hope you enjoy these cookies! They took a lot of work, but wow, did they turn out well! Enjoy!

Frozen Hot Chocolate Pie Recipe

I am writing this as I eat a piece of this magical pie! I love how it turned out, and now I have a chocolatey treat for days to come. The best part is that this pie was incredibly easy to make, and the ingredients cost less than $5! 

INGREDIENTS:

1 Pie Crust, Cool Whip, Chocolate Pudding (Instant), Milk

INSTRUCTIONS:

Mix 2 Cups milk into pudding and stir, Let sit for about 5 minutes. 

Add 1 Cup of the Chocolate Pudding into the bottom of the pie crust, and smooth out. 

Mix 1 Cup Cool Whip into the rest of the pudding and stir until well combined. Add this mixture to the pie crust and smooth out.

Now, put some of the extra Cool Whip into a small Ziploc bag and cut end off. Practice first, but dollop little dots of Cool Whip around the edges of the pie. Feel free to decorate with sprinkles for a more festive look! Freeze for 1 hour, and slice yourself some chocolate pie! If you freeze it overnight, it will be more the consistency of a pudding pop. So good either way! Enjoy!!!

Amazing Oatmeal Raisin Cookies Recipe

These cookies tasted beyond good, and made the house smell like a cookie candle :) I wanted to share some of my favorite ingredients, so you can make your Oatmeal Raisin cookies the very best ever!

INGREDIENTS (WET):

• 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup dark brown sugar, firmly packed
• 2 large eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla

INGREDIENTS (DRY):

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon
• 3 cups oats (not instant)
• 1 1⁄2 cups raisins (I used 2 small boxes)

INSTRUCTIONS: 

1. Preheat oven to 350°.
2. Melt butter in heat safe container. 
3. Whisk dry ingredients; set aside.
4. Combine wet ingredients with a hand mixer on low.
5. To cream, increase speed to high and beat until fluffy and the color lightens.
6. Stir the flour mixture into the creamed mixture until no flour is visible.
7. (Over mixing develops the gluten, making a tough cookie.) Now add the oats and raisins; stir to incorporate.
8. Use a silicone Tablespoon measuring spoon, and scoop out dough
9. Drop 2-inches apart onto baking sheet sprayed with nonstick spray.
10. Bake 11-13 minutes (on center rack), until golden, but still moist beneath cracks on top.
11. Remove from oven; let cookies sit on baking sheet for 2 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool.

Awesome Oatmeal Cookies! YUM! - The melted butter and the sugar, eggs, and both sugars.

Here is the cookie dough before the dry ingredients are added.

I hope you have enjoyed my process of creating some incredible Oatmeal Raisin Cookies! If you make some, I'd love to see them! Put your link below in the comments! 

7 Can Soup Recipe

Here is a super easy soup recipe, and requires 7 cans of soup and tomatoes, and a few other ingredients. It tastes amazing! 

INGREDIENTS

- 2 - 28 oz. cans of diced tomatoes

- 1 - 15 oz. can black beans

- 1 - 15 oz. can pinto beans

- 1 - 15 oz. can garbanzo beans (I used half the can in this recipe)

- 1 - 15 oz. can corn

- 1 - 15 oz. can sweet peas

- 1 or 2 - 32 oz. containers of beef broth - depends on how much broth you like in your soup.

- 1/2 Lb. bacon

- 1 medium yellow onion

1 Lb. ground beef

- 3 Tablespoons olive oil, salt and seasoning to taste.

- sour cream and finely shredded cheese to top soup.  

INSTRUCTIONS

1.) In a large soup pot, begin to heat oil. Add chopped onions, bacon, ground beef, and salt/seasoning. Open and drain cans EXCEPT FOR TOMATOES - while you are waiting. Stir often. 

2.) Once beef has browned, add in all 7 cans, and broth, and stir. everything together and add more seasoning. Taste as you go! 

3.) Let simmer for about 30 minutes, and you're ready to serve! The house smelled amazing because of this soup! 

4.) Serve with a dollop of sour cream and freshly grated parmesan cheese. Crackers would also be good! 

A Halloween Party With Skype!

My friends at Skype asked me to share some amazing Halloween Party DIY Ideas! I have a few amazing ideas for a party that would appeal to kids and adults! Below you will find Chic and Cute Halloween Decor, Ping Ping Ghost Lights, and also a Tasty Candy Halloween Centerpiece. 

GHOST LIGHTS - I absolutely love these cute little ghosts! I created them with a few simple materials. The other fun part of this project, was that I was able to use Skype to help share this project with my friend, who absolutely LOVED them :) It's great being able to connect with people who live far away, and Skype made it easy. 

MATERIALS

- 1 Strand of white lights (with white wires). I used a strand of 50, but 25 would be great also.

- 10 Ping Ping Balls

- Modge Podge (any type will do)

- Foam Brush for Modge Podge

- Cheesecloth (found in the fabric/notions section at Hobby Lobby)

- Permanent Marker

- Egg Cartons and Painters Tape 

- Drill and Drill Bit - 5/16" - Or a large nail will be good - to poke holes in ping pong balls

- 4" x 4" squares of cheesecloth (x10)

INSTRUCTIONS

1.) Drill holes in all ping ping balls. You can also use a large nail to poke the holes in them. Make sure you poke the hole where the logo is.

2.) Draw spooky ghost faces on all ping pong balls. I searched for "Ghost Faces" online, and all sorts of ideas came up. 

3.) Grab your egg cartons and use the painters tape to create little cones, so your ping pong balls can sit up in the egg cartons. Use the sticky side of the tape on the outside. 

4.) Drape the cheesecloth squares over the ping pong balls, and use your foam brush to paint the Modge Podge over the cloth, to adhere to the ping pong balls. They will definitely begin to look like ghosts now!

5.) Let them dry for 4-5 hours, and place a ping pong ball ghost to every third or fourth Christmas light! That's it! Please comment below if you make these! 

HALLOWEEN CENTERPIECE

I used a big assortment of Halloween candy for this one! It turned out SO cute and I think kids would just love it. This would make the ultimate conversation piece at a Halloween party, too! 

MATERIALS 

- Large Glass Vase with straight sides

- 1 large bag of mini marshmallows and 3-4 other types of Halloween candy and Halloween Peeps

INSTRUCTIONS -

1.) Pour 2 inches of marshmallows into vase

2.) Layer Halloween Peeps around edge of vase, and fill center with more marshmallows

3.) Layer alternating colored candies all the way up, and top off with more marshmallows and Halloween suckers of your choice! 

THE ULTIMATE CHIC HALLOWEEN PARTY DECOR

I am in love with the look of a Monochromatic Halloween Party! Here, I used mostly black dishes, tablecloth, and Creepy Cloth to drape over the setting to really add a spooky element. Just let your food add some pops of color, and your guests will be so happy they came to party! 

I was able to use Skype to let my friend know the party was all set up and ready! 

Happy Halloween! And a special spooky thanks to Skype for hosting the best Halloween party ever in NEW YORK CITY! I will blog about that soon!!! 

Ooey Gooey Marshmallow Cones

Bonfire season is in full swing! I have a yummy treat that just about anyone will enjoy! You can either make these over a campfire, or even in your oven at home, suer easily. This recipe was featured on the Missouri Department of Tourism Blog! So honored to collaborate with them!

INGREDIENTS:

Hershey's Candy Bars (roughly 1 candy bar per cone or a bit less)

Mini Marshmallows

Waffle Cones (store bought works perfectly)

Foil 

CHECK OUT MY MISSOURI DEPARTMENT OF TOURISM PORTFOLIO HERE.

INSTRUCTIONS:

1.) Break the Hershey's Bar into pieces, and set aside. 

2.) Take one cone in your hand, and fill the bottom 1/3 with mini marshmallows. Add a couple of pieces of chocolate, then more marshmallows. Once you get towards the top, fill the rest of the way with marshmallows, then put a few more pieces of chocolate on top. 

3.) TO HEAT: Wrap the whole cone (and luscious filling) in a couple of layers of foil. Place near campfire (not directly on the flame - you're just trying to melt the filling.), for about 8-10 minutes, being extremely careful to remove from the embers/coals. Once cooled a bit, unwrap the foil and behold the most wonderful thing you can eat while you're camping!

- If you want to easily make these in the oven, fill the cones with marshmallows and chocolate as described above, and wrap in foil. Preheat the oven to 300 degrees, place each foil-wrapped cone in a heat-safe coffee mug (ceramic go glass only). Make sure the pointy end of the cone is facing downward into the mug. Bake for about 7 minutes, carefully remove from the oven, and once cooled, unwrap foil to see if everything has melted enough. Enjoy!!!