Category Archives: Recipes

Chocolate Raspberry Cheesecake Dip – Easy Cookie Platter

This Chocolate Raspberry Cheesecake Dip & Easy Cookie Platter shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #MyItalianMoment #CollectiveBiasChocolate Raspberry Cheesecake Dip

It’s officially The Holidays! I’m one of those people who refuses to start her Christmas *stuff* until after Thanksgiving. But, once the turkey and stuffing are gone, I am ready for candy canes and tinsel and Santa and magic elves and Christmas cookies!  (Not the music, though. I still don’t like Christmas music)

What I love most about this season are the many opportunities to get together with friends and family.  Some of those gatherings are planned well in advance, and others are spur of the moment.  Even in those spur of the moment times, I like to have a nice snack or treat to share with friends.  Something quick and easy to put together with items I have in the house (or can quickly grab at the store) that doesn’t require much prep or planning is essential!

During the holidays I always keep some “fancy” cookies on hand. We love Mulino Bianco cookies, which we purchase at Shaw’s. Mulino Bianco at Shaws

They are Italy’s #1 cookie brand and come in a variety of flavors (Dave loves the Baiocchi and Pan Di Stelle. The Cuoricini and Galletti are my favorites!) We enjoy them with coffee (or milk for Avery!) and they are perfect for holiday cookie platters!

Mulino Bianco

The first step for the perfect cookie tray, is finding the perfect cookies! Since I don’t always have time to bake, I use Mulino Bianco to impress my guests! (They’ve been baking cookies since 1877, so I think they know what they are doing!)

Next I create a special dip for the cookies (and fruit!) One of our favorites is Chocolate Raspberry Cheesecake Dip! With just 4 simple ingredients this recipe is as easy as it is delicious!
simple chocolate dip ingredients

Ingredients:

-4 packets hot cocoa powder

-8 oz cream cheese

-1 8 oz tub of whipped cream

-1/2 cup seedless raspberry preserves
whip it Add all ingredients to a large mixing bowl, and blend well using an electric mixer.

That’s it. You’re done. It is that easy!!

Whipped Chocolate dip
Now to make that cookie platter…

cookie platter

Since I didn’t have a holiday tray, I used our wooden cutting board, and lined it with wax paper.

First, lay out your cookies in any sort of pattern or design you’d like. How to make a cookie tray

Next, fill in the spaces with some fresh fruit! The strawberries are also delicious with the dip!
cookies and fruit

Share with your family and friends, and enjoy! Mulino Bianco Italian cookiesMulino Bianco cookies make a great gift! Teachers, mail carriers, neighbors, friends and family…everyone loves cookies, right? You can even save $0.75 off any ONE (1) Mulino Bianco item when  you use the coupon found HERE

cookie platter for partiesWhat are your tips for last minute holiday gatherings?  Any quick recipes or planning tips? Share them in the comments below!

How to make chocolate dip for cookies

Easy dessert tray

raspberry dip

dip for cookies

Cookie dip

Batocchi
Chocolate Rasberry dip for cookies and fruit

Black & White Halloween Movie Party

This Black & White Halloween Movie Party shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and the Coca-Cola Company. All opinions are mine alone. #FrightAndDelight #CollectiveBias

This Black & White Halloween Movie Party is sure to fright and delight your guests! Enjoy simple party snacks while watching your favorite classic Halloween films!

Black & White Halloween Movie Party

Sing it with me… It’s the most wonderful time of the year…. That’s right! It’s Halloween! You guys know how much I LOVE this time of year! We’ve got our yard decorated with our growing “family” of skeletons, we have our costumes ready to go, and we’ve made fun plans for trick-or-treating, and we had a fun Halloween party when my cousin came to town! Yeah, this is OUR season!

Let’s talk about that Halloween party, shall we?  It was a lot of fun, while still being simple and laid back.Halloween Designs Fanta

I was inspired by the Fanta Halloween packaging, featuring Noma Bar designs inspired by Universal’s new Mummy and their other classic monster characters.  I loved the black and white designs so much, I thought it would be fun to create a Black & White Halloween Movie Party!  The orange Fanta was the perfect pop of color in our spooky tablescape!

IMG_9196When I saw the Fanta’s Halloween packaging at Shaw’s I knew it would be perfect for our little get together! The designs are really cool! I love the classic Halloween film characters!

Fanta at Shaws I grabbed a 2-liter bottle to use in a punch recipe and a 12-pack of cans for party guests to enjoy. Fanta OrangeFanta’s irresistible fruity flavor and fun, bold colors bring scary movie night to life (and put mom in the director’s chair of creating a moment her family will love).

The punch was the centerpiece of the food table. All of the food was black and white, so the orange of the Fanta really popped!

Fanta and punch This punch recipe is super simple and only calls for 3 main ingredients (+2 if you’re adding eye balls!)

-1 2L bottle of Fanta Orange

-1 bottle (approximately 2 quarts) of Pineapple Mango juice (or other tropical pineapple juice)

-3 cups any flavor sherbet (I used Lime-Orange-Lemon)

Pour the Fanta and juice into a large punch bowl, and stir. Add the “eyeballs” if desired, and  then add in your sherbet! Done!

Fanta Halloween PunchIMG_9196

spooky punchNow, about those eyeballs…

There are a few ways you can make them. The easiest is to use lychee, and pop a blueberry in the middle. I didn’t have lychee, but I did have apples (because it’s fall in New England and we’re all up to our eyeballs in apples *pun intended* haha)  I used a melon baller to carve out little balls of apple. Then with a knife, I carved a smaller hole in the middle, and pressed the blueberries in.  If you don’t have apples  or lychee, you could also use melon or pears. apple eyeballs

I also made a yummy Black & White popcorn mix! pop secret popcornFor this I used:

-1 bag Pop Secret microwave popcorn

– 1 cup crushed chocolate sandwich cookies

– 1 bag black candy coated chocolates

–  marshmallow sauce ( 4 heaping tablespoons marshmallow cream and 3 tablespoons water. Combine in a saucepan and cook over low heat, stirring continuously, until smooth)

Black and White Popcorn MixPop popcorn according to package directions and pour into a large bowl. Pour the marshmallow sauce on top and mix well.  Add crushed cookies and candies and mix again. halloween tablescapeI set up our food and drink on the buffet which sits just below the TV. It was the perfect spot. Our guests wouldn’t miss a minute of the movie if they got up to grab more snacks!

I had picked up some white and black gauze material to use at the table cloth. Small black and white skulls, pumpkins and trees made up the rest of the decor. black and white party decor

I had a lot of fun coming up with ideas for black and white snacks! I grabbed a bag of blue corn tortilla chips and paired those with queso blanco, served in a spider web bowl! black and white theme

black and white chips and dipI also made some cookies and cream marshmallow pops and white chocolate covered cookies.

black and white desserts

The punch, snacks, and sweet treats were a hit! Avery was thrilled that we let her stay up and hang out with the “big girls”
watching movies

What do you think of our Black & White Halloween Movie Party?  What is YOUR favorite Halloween film?

 

Black & White Halloween Movie Party Black and White Halloween Movie Party Easy Party Plan

Find Fanta on:

Facebook

Instagram

Twitter

Blueberry Lemon Shortcake

Blueberry Lemon Shortcake

Avery experienced quite a few “firsts” this summer.  Once of those was her first time going blueberry picking! She loved it! She loved it so much that she picked pounds, and pounds, and pounds of blueberries.blueberry pickingAnd then she refused to eat them. Because of course she did.  So what do you do with pounds and pounds of blueberries? Well, you could make pancakes, and muffins. You could eat them as they are. You could bake a pie. Or, you could do what I did, and make blueberry sauce to put on top of waffles and shortcake!

Dinos blueberries

You will need:

3 cups blueberries (fresh or frozen)

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1/4 cup water

1/2 lemon (you’ll use the juice and some of the peel)

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 tablespoons of cornstarch (dissolved in 3 tablespoons of water)

delicious blueberry sauce

Step 1. Wash the blueberries and make sure to remove any stems.

Step 2. Add blueberries, sugar, water, and vanilla to the pan, and stir.lemon Blueberry shortcake

Step 3. Give the half lemon one good squeeze over the pan, and stir the juice into the mixture.

Blueberry Shortcake

Step 4.  Cook over medium heat, stirring continuously, until sauce comes to a low boil.

Step 5. Add cornstarch mixture and bring mixture up to a rolling boil.Bite of blueberry dessert

Step 6. Turn down the heat and let the sauce simmer for a few minutes, until sauce reaches your desired consistency.  (You can add more cornstarch if needed, or water if you need to thin it down) Blueberries ad whipped creamFor my shortcakes I used delicious southern style biscuits.  I poured the blueberry sauce over the bottom half of the biscuit,  followed by a layer of whipped cream (homemade is best!) the top of the biscuit, more blue berries, and more whipped cream! I topped it with fresh blueberries and a little lemon peel.

Blueberry Sauce Recipe

What do you think?  How would you use this blueberry lemon sauce? Pancakes? Waffles? Ice cream? Let us know in the comments!

Blueberry Lemon Shortcake with homemade blueberry sauce

Tomato Soup Chicken Pot Pie with Grilled Cheese Crust

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

Easy Tomato Soup Chicken Pot Pie with Grilled Cheese Crust FB

This Tomato Soup Chicken Pot Pie with Grilled Cheese Crust is an easy recipe that your family is sure to love! With just 6 simple ingredients, all available at Walmart, you can create a delicious meal in 30 minutes or less!

If you want to shop for these delicious Campbell Soup Company products right now, just hover over the photo to click through to Walmart.com and purchase them!

With Avery starting Kindergarten in a few short weeks I have been trying to get us into a really good routine. We’ve always sort of had one, but now, with her being in school full time, we really need to buckle down. I also want to make sure that we have dinner as a family every night. In order to make that happen with our busy schedules, I need to plan meals in advance, and make things that are quick and easy.

One of the recipes I tried is Tomato Soup Chicken Pot Pie with a yummy grilled cheese crust! (Because grilled cheese and tomato soup go together like…grilled cheese and tomato soup!) It’s super simple, and can be made in less than 30 minutes. You can also make the soup ahead of time (and freeze it!) making dinner prep a breeze!

So let’s get right to it!

For the soup you will need:

  • 1 Family Size (23.2oz) Can Campbell’s® Condensed Tomato Soup
  • 1  12.5oz  Can Swanson® Premium Chicken
  • 1 package Mixed Veggies – Frozen or Canned (if using frozen, cook according to the package instructions)
  • 1 Large Potato, peeled and diced (cook the potatoes in water, for about 5 minutes to soften them just a bit.)

For the crust you will need:

  • 1 package of crescent roll dough
  • ½ to 1 cup Shredded cheese (I used a cheddar blend)

Serves 4

Simple Ingredients

In a large pot, combine the Campbell’s® Condensed Tomato Soup (with one can of water, as directed on the can), vegetables, potatoes, and Swanson® Premium Chicken.  Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for about 10 minutes.

Tomato Soup with Chicken and Vegetables

Remove from heat, and pour soup into oven safe mugs, bowls or ramekins.

Drape one triangle of the dough across the top of the bowl, securing it at each end.

Load it up with the shredded cheese! Really, use more than you think you need. You want it extra cheesy!

Layer another triangle of the dough on top, and using a fork, press it onto the first layer.

Grilled Cheese Crust

Place in the oven and bake at 350* for about 10 minutes (or until the crust is golden brown) Remove from oven and serve!

Tomato Soup Chicken Pot Pies with Grilled Cheese Crust

Don’t forget to pour yourself a glass of Deliciously Fruity, Wonderfully Refreshing V8 Splash®!! Avery picked the Watermelon Cherry flavor, and I was a-ok with it because it’s made with real fruits and vegetables and a good source of essential antioxidant vitamins A & C!

Tomato pot pies

Campbell’s® Condensed Tomato Soup is a traditional family favorite and has been loved by our family for generations. It really brings us back to our childhood!

spoonfull of soup

I also loved the ease of using Swanson® Premium Chicken! It’s already cooked and ready to use making it perfect for nights when I don’t have a lot of time.

Cheesey crust

You can find everything you need for this recipe at your local Walmart store.

Walmart

This meal was a hit with our whole family! It was quick and easy to make, and filled everyone up (some members of the family even asked for seconds!)

Making the grilled cheese crust was so much easier than toasting up 3 grilled cheese sandwiches, and each bite was filled with cheesy goodness!

Grilled Cheese pot piecrust

What is your “go-to” quick meal for busy school nights?  For some Kid-friendly recipe inspiration click HERE

Tomato Chicken Vegetable soup

Tomato Soup Chicken Pot Pie with Grilled Cheese Crust

Easy Tomato Soup Chicken Pot Pie with Grilled Cheese Crust Simple Dinner

Lemonade Stand Party & 3 Simple Lemonade Recipes

This Lemonade Stand Party shop/post has been compensated by Collective Bias, INC. and The Coca-Cola Company, all opinions are mine alone. #SummerRefreshment #Peapod  #CollectiveBiasLemonade Stand Party sweetlilyou FB

“Get your dead leafs! Dead Leafs! Free Leafs! Come and get ’em! Get your dead leafs here!!”

We were outside working on the front yard. Dave and I were weeding and planting flowers.  Avery was trying to sell dead leaves to our neighbors and becoming increasingly upset when nobody stopped for their free “leafs”

“What about a Lemonade stand?” I asked.  “I guess, maybe, but I don’t understand why nobody wants these leafs!” Avery said, sadly.

So, we got to work planning a Lemonade stand, which turned into a whole party with different flavors of lemonade and snacks and decor!

First we had to get the supplies.  I had so much running around to do between summer camp, work, picking up decor and supplies, that I wasn’t sure when I’d have the time to get to the market. Fortunately, a couple weeks ago, my friend Kate told me about how she uses Peapod  and how it has changed her life.

I decided to give it a try, and I was really blown away! It’s so easy, and convenient!

You just sign up on the website, and start shopping! Shop with peapodOne of my favorite features is the Express Shop feature! You just type your list of  ingredients for a specific recipe, meal plan, etc.   into the notepad; click Start Shopping and the products matching your first item will be displayed!  There is also the Order Genius feature which will auto-fill your cart with the items you buy most frequently and even recall shopping history from Stop & Shop and Giant loyalty reward cards! It’s easy, and very cool.  You receive the same discounts as you would by shopping in-store, and you can even double your manufacturer coupons (up to $.99!)peapod checkoutOnce you’re done shopping, you choose either store pick-up or home delivery! Since I knew I’d be short on time, I tried the delivery option. I was abe to select the day and time window that would work best for me!  Our delivery arrived, and while the driver offered to bring everything in to our house, Dave and I met him at the truck and carried the bags in.

I should also note that when you sign up you receive $20 off your first order (over $75) and FREE delivery for the first 60 days! Peapod is a simple and effortless shopping experience that meets all your weekly grocery needs! It is perfect for busy moms–because we all know that it can be pure torture going grocery shopping with a gaggle of exhausted or hyper kids!

Fuze Tea Minute Maid LemonadeThe key items for our party were Minute Maid® Lemonade and FUZE® tea 12 packs–our go-to summer refreshments!  I also ordered fresh veggies, pita chips, and pre-made appetizers to help make this party very easy to put together.

snacks

Avery was excited to help with the decor, so I let her help make the sign. I purchased large white letter stickers, which she colored in pink and yellow, and then stuck on to the banner! lemonade standWe hung it up along our fence with a few pretty pink and yellow fans.

Lemonade party snacks

We set out the food, drinks, and paper products (in pink and yellow, of course!) And I even picked some lilies from our garden! It was perfect timing for the pink and white Star Gazers to bloom! decor

The table was set with pink gingham and yellow polka dot fabric and a strip of wide burlap ribbon to give it a rustic country feel. lemons gratitudeI found this cute lemon sign for 90% off and thought it would be perfect for this theme!  Lemonade stand party

I set out three different flavors of lemonade for guests to choose from (or try all three!) and used little chalkboard signs to label each one. The flavors were all perfect for kids and adults!lemonde bar

We had a Cranberry Limeade Spritzer, Mint Lemon Tea, and Strawberry Kiwi Lemonade! Delicious and summery!lemonades

The glasses could be garnished with fresh fruit or mint, making simple drinks appear fancy and fun! Mint Lemon Tea

pouring a glass of tea  Cranberry Limeade Spritzer  sarah  Strawberry Kiwi Lemonade

This party was so easy to put together. The color scheme was fun and would work well for a summer picnic or a birthday party for kids or adults! flowersThe little details really make all the difference. The flowers, signage, pitcher filled with lemons… All were simple and inexpensive but gave the party a little something extra!

Want to make our lemonade stand party drinks at home?  Here are the recipes:

Cranberry Limeade Spritzer Ingredients for Cranberry Limeade

Ingredients:

2 cans Minute Maid® Lemonade

1 Cup cranberry juice

2 Cups Soda water

1 lime

In a large pitcher combine lemonade, cranberry juice, and soda water.  Squeeze lime juice into pitcher. Stir. Serve over ice. Squeeze the lime

Mint Lemon Iced Teahalf and half

Ingredients:

2 Cans FUZE® tea

2 Cans Minute Maid® Lemonade

Fresh Mint (about 10 leaves) fresh mint

Add mint leaves to pitcher. Using a muddler, if you have one (if you don’t a rolling pin handle or potato masher will work) gently press the mint until the aroma is strong. Pour in the tea and lemonade and mix well.  Serve over ice.

Strawberry Kiwi LemonadeIngredients for strawberry kiwi lemonade

Ingredients:

3 Cans Minute Maid® Lemonade

1/2 cup sliced strawberries

2 kiwi sliced

Blend the strawberries and kiwi

In a blender combine strawberries, kiwi, and 1 cup of lemonade and blend until smooth. Pour the remaining lemonade into a pitcher. You can add the pureed strawberries and kiwi directly into the lemonade or strain out some of the seeds if you prefer. Mix well.  Serve over ice.

 

Did you have a lemonade stand as a kid? What is your favorite lemonade recipe?

Ultimate Lemonade Stand Party and Recipes sweetlilyouLemonade Stand Party & 3 Simple Lemonade Recipes

Bread and Butter Slaw – Easy Summer Recipe

bread and butter slaw

Bread & Butter Pickle Slaw

Did you know that you can’t put cabbage through the garbage disposal?  Neither did I.

Until I did.

So, listen. The first 30 years of my life were lived without the “convenience” of a garbage disposal. I had a plastic tub in the sink that we washed dishes in, then we’d dump that into the sink and any food scraps would get caught in the strainer and we’d  bang that out into the trash to make sure food scraps didn’t go down the drain.

When we remodeled the kitchen, we put in a garbage disposal.  This week, I decided that was a mistake. You see, I *thought* that if things when down the drain, the garbage disposal would chew it up into tiny bits and everything would be fine. Well, apparently that is not the case.

I let a chunk of cabbage go through, ad the drain said “NOPE!” and suddenly the sink was backed up.  I thought it was the disposal, so I cleared that out. Nope. So I took the drain pipes apart.  Nope.

So I called Dave.

And continued to finish up this batch of Bread and Butter Slaw!

Bread & Butter Slaw Ingredients

When I visited NY a couple weeks ago (for the New Kids On The Block Concert!!) My friend and I went out to dinner, and I had a pulled pork sandwich with bread & butter slaw. It was so good, I wanted to try and recreate it at home!

I am anti-mayo, so I love when I can find a topping or condiment to give food that something extra.  This recipe is very easy, but you do need to let it sit in the fridge for a few days so definitely plan ahead! Bread and Butter salad

Bread & Butter Slaw Ingredients:
(Makes approximately 3 quarts)

  • Half a head of red cabbage
  • 2 Bell pepers
  • 1 sweet onion
  • 1 crisp apple
  • 1 large European cucumber
  • 2   carrots
  • 3 1/2 cups Apple cider vinegar
  • 2 cups Water
  • 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
  • 2 tablespoons salt
  • 1-2 tablespoons turmeric
  • 6 tablespoons mustard seed
  • 1 cup ice or cold water

Vegetables in a jar

Slice, dice, chop, your veggies, and mix together. Add the prepared vegetables to three large canning jars Pickle brine

In a large saucepan, add your vinegar, sugar, salt, turmeric, and water. Bring the mixture to a boil, and stir until the sugar and salt are dissolved. Remove from heat, and let cool.

Once the vinegar has cool down a bit you can add the ice/cold water, ad then pour the mixture into the jars.Veggies in brineNow the hard part.  Put those jars in the fridge and wait for at least 3 days. Trust me, it will be difficult, but it will also be worth it!  bowl of bread & butter slaw

And then… ENJOY! sweet pickle slawWe tried ours on top of pulled pork sliders and it was DELICIOUS!   It didn’t taste exactly like what I’d tried at the restaurant but it was close!  Delicious pork sliders with bread & butter slawI imagine it would be great on burgers or as a side to any summer BBQ dish!  Slaw on pulled pork

It’s the perfect mix of sweet and tangy, and I am thrilled to have three jars of it in my fridge to enjoy the rest of the summer! Pulled Pork with Bread & Butter Slaw

As for our little plumbing situation… We got it all resolved! It took awhile, Dave and I both lost a full day of work, were splashed with Draino and had clothes bleached instantly BUT he didn’t kill me as I expected, and I know a whole lot more about plumbing! Thank goodness I married a guy who can take care of these sorts of things, because I imaging it would have been mighty expensive! And thank goodness I married who can laugh about his wife clogging the entire drain system with cabbage. (Though we suspect there may have been something else in there, perhaps a bath toy, that was the real problem and the cabbage just exacerbated that issue) pulled pork with sweet slaw

So what do you think?  Will you try this Bread and Butter Slaw recipe? What is your favorite way to top a burger or pulled pork sandwich?

Bread and Butter Slaw

Easy Bread and Butter Slaw Perfect for burgers pulled pork or on its own

Spiked S’Mores Milkshakes

S’mores MilkshakesSpiked SMores Milkshakes

I’m sitting here, swatting at mosquitoes, waiting for the sun to set so we can set off a few “fireworks”and sipping a delicious Spiked S’Mores Milkshake!

This is an incredibly simple recipe that only uses 4 ingredients (6 if you count the chocolate sauce and graham cracker crumbs!) It’s the perfect summer treat for grown-ups. A fun twist on the classic campfire dessert!  Less mess, and less rick of burning your eyebrows off!

And you can enjoy it in the air-conditioned, bug free, comfort of your living room! Smores Milkshake

I shared a quick pic of my Spiked S’Mores Milkshake on Facebook and friends were immediately asking for the recipe.  So… Here it is!

First I rimmed the glasses with chocolate syrup and dipped them in graham cracker crumbs.  I also drizzled some of the chocolate sauce on the inside of the glasses.

Ingredients (serves 2):

  • 3 cups Vanilla Chocolate Chip Ice cream
  • 1 cup Milk or Half & Half
  • 1 tsp Cinnamon
  • 1/2 cup Bailey’s

Put all ingredients into your blender and mix.

Pour into the glasses, top with whipped cream or a dollop of marshmallow creme and serve.

If you’re entertaining and feeling fancy, you can add a real s’more  on the top like I did!smoresIf your kids get all whiny, begging for their own, after seeing you enjoying this absolutely delicious s’mores milkshake you can easily make one for them, too. Just leave out the Bailey’s!

Boozy smores milkshake

Do you prefer fruity cocktails? Check out these Watermelon Pina Coladas!Easy Watermelon Pina Colada - Summer Drink

Spiked S’Mores Milkshakes

Spiked SMores Milkshakes A perfect summer treat for grown-ups