Inside BruCrew Life

bake. eat. repeat.

Orange Creamsicle Poke Cake

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Orange Creamsicle Poke Cake is the perfect dessert for warm days.  This cool, creamy and delicious orange cake will not last long when you share it at parties or picnics this year.

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Orange Creamsicle Poke Cake - this easy orange creamsicle cake has orange Jello stripes and a fluffy vanilla mousse frosting. Great recipe to share at parties and picnics! #cake #orange #summerdessert #recipe #Jello #jellocake #pudding #creamsicle

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(Post and photos updated and republished February 21, 2019)

What can I say? I couldn’t help myself. I love a good poke cake!!!

This one is my current favorite, but of course, that will change as soon as I make another one.  A few weeks ago one of my cute scrapbooking friends was talking about this Orange Creamsicle Poke Cake, and since she doesn’t live close enough for me to just go eat hers,  I HAD to make one the very next day.

I didn’t have an exact recipe for it, but Jello poke cakes are pretty easy to figure out.

[Read more…]

Strawberry Cheesecake Lemon Bars

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These Strawberry Cheesecake Lemon Bars have a sweet cheesecake swirl in the center that adds a creamy texture to these easy lemon bars.

Strawberry Cheesecake Lemon Bars - a creamy cheesecake center with strawberry jelly makes these lemon bars so delicious. Try this cake mix recipe the next time you need an easy dessert. #lemon #lemonbars #cakemixrecipes #springdessert #cheesecake #strawberry

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Warmer weather is here!  Can I get a woot woot from the crowd? Well, from the Florida crowd that is.

Time to open the windows, air out the house, clean those corners, and wipe down the fridge.  There is something so exciting and fun about warm weather and the newness it brings.  

The other day as I ran outside the birds were chirping like crazy.  It put a smile on my face to hear how happy they sounded.  I am now waiting excitedly for tree buds and spring flowers to start popping up.    

Yes, I do realize that half the country is still under snow and dealing with cold blasts of wind.  But here in Florida the weather is perfect.  Give it a few more months and the humidity will return with a vengeance, and then I won’t be as excited. [Read more…]

Oven Roasted Cauliflower

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This easy Oven Roasted Cauliflower is delicious and so simple to make. The caramelized crispy edges make it a great side dish to serve with any meal.

Oven Roasted Cauliflower - the crispy caramelized edges on this easy side dish will have you reaching for another scoop in a hurry. Great recipe to make for healthy dinners! #cauliflower #leanandgreen #healthy #roastedveggies #roastedcauliflower

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Did you know that cauliflower is the new super food?  Ok, so maybe it’s not technically a “superfood” but it sure is magical because you can substitute it for most things, and it still tastes great.

It’s amazing pureed in this Loaded Cauliflower Soup.  A batch of this Easy Cauliflower Rice is delicious in dishes like this Coconut Curry Shrimp.  You can also mash it and serve it with these Low Carb Chicken Stroganoff Meatballs.

Now I absolutely love all those healthy dinner ideas using cauliflower, but there is just something about roasted vegetables.  It brings out so much flavor and texture.

Plus, it’s so easy to toss the veggies with some oil and seasonings and dump them onto a pan when you are in a hurry. I’m all for easy, peasy dinners that do not take very long to make.  [Read more…]

Blueberry Banana Bread

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Looking for a way to start the day off with a healthy breakfast?  This loaf of Blueberry Banana Bread is made with yogurt, fresh fruit, and oats. It’s a delicious way to start any day.

If you like this bread, you will enjoy these Blueberry Coconut Scones for breakfast too.

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Blueberry Banana Bread - fresh berries, ripe bananas, and yogurt give this classic banana bread a healthy twist. Make this easy recipe for breakfast or an after school snack. #banana #blueberries #sweetbread #healthy #breakfast #bananabread #recipe

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After eating candy non-stop this past weekend, I am ready for something a little bit healthier to eat.  This easy banana bread recipe with blueberries, oats, and yogurt sounded like a great way to detox this week.  Although, if you have candy to get rid of, this Java Twix Banana Bread is delicious option too. Just saying.

I tend to buy bananas all the time. It’s a great snack to eat when you are short on time.  Although, I have to admit I’m a green banana eater. Once they actually ripen, I won’t get near them.  Unless it’s to bake Banana Nut Cinnamon Rolls or Banana Coconut Muffins.

Bananas are probably the most used ingredient in our kitchen. Mainly because we always have them on hand.  The bananas we don’t eat get frozen for Peanut Butter Banana Ice Cream. Gotta love a bowl of creamy banana ice cream loaded with peanut butter swirls, right?

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M&M Blonde Brownies

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These soft, chewy M&M Blonde Brownies are a fun snack any time of day.  Try packing them into your kid’s lunch boxes or snacking on them after school with a glass of milk.

M&M Blonde Brownies - these easy and delicious blonde brownies are filled with lots of M&M candies. Make this easy cookie bar recipe for parties, picnics, or bake sales! #blondebrownies #candy #easydessert #cookiebars #bakesaletreats

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(Post updated and republished on February 15, 2019)

Today I am slightly dragging a little.  I have discovered that boys are much louder than girls.  And by boys, I really mean grown men.

Last night my hubby had game night at our house.  Seriously I think 5 grown men huddled around a board game are much louder than any group of women for sure.  Loud voices and laughing do not make going to sleep very easy.

Usually they set up the game in the basement, but last night it was upstairs in the dining room.  Of course, it was the room without carpet, so it just echoed through out the entire house.  I did stay up for a bit doing some computer work in the office.

All I heard was laughing and talking about which army was going to destroy the rest.   I finally waved the white flag and went to bed even though they were still going strong on their game at midnight.  Thank goodness the closed door blocked some of the sound. [Read more…]

Chocolate Banana Powdered Sugar Donut Holes

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These Chocolate Banana Powdered Sugar Donut Holes are an easy and delicious breakfast treat that can be ready in 30 minutes.

The powdered sugar coating and soft chocolate center will have you reaching for a few more in a hurry. Trust me!

Chocolate Banana Powdered Sugar Donut Holes - these easy chocolate donuts holes can be ready for breakfast in 30 minutes. Try this easy recipe when you have ripe bananas to use up. #breakfast #donutholes #bakeddonuts #donutmuffins #chocolate #banana #powderedsugardonuts

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Want to know something sad?  Our kids have become desensitized to sweet treats.  Oh, they still eat some occasionally.  But after years and years of having sweets and and treats readily available, our kids really could care less about them.

Now quite honestly that’s kind of a good thing.  I’m really glad that all the sweets in our kitchen hasn’t turned them into crazed dessert lunatics.  There is only room in our house for one of those, and I’ve already claimed that title.

But the one thing that can convince them to down an entire batch in a day are mini donut holes.  That’s exactly what happened when I made these little Cinnamon Sugar Apple Donut Holes a few years ago.  The kids walked in the door from school, and in 12.984756 seconds the donuts were gone. True story.  [Read more…]

Strawberry Rice Krispie Treat Hearts

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A batch of these Strawberry Rice Krispie Treat Hearts will bring a smile to everyone’s face. Chocolate and strawberry adds a fun twist to a classic marshmallow treat.  

Perfect for Valentine’s Day parties or just because you want to say “I love you” to your family.

Strawberry Rice Krispie Treat Hearts - add a fun flair to the classic Rice Krispie treats by adding chocolate and strawberry. Make this easy recipe for Valentine's Day parties! #ricekrispietreats #strawberry #chocolatecoveredstrawberry #chocolate #easyvalentinesdaytreats

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One of my all time favorite treats are Rice Krispies treats.  Something magical happens when you combine marshmallows, butter, and crisp rice cereal in a pan.  

I’m all for a decadent dessert like these Cherry Cheesecake Brownies or this Strawberry Mousse Brownie Cake most of the time.  But those simple chewy treats call my name more often. They don’t stand a chance in our house. Everyone here is just as crazy about these easy treats as I am.

A few years ago I made these White Chocolate Reese’s Krispie Hearts as a fun Valentine’s treat for our kiddos.  Who am I kidding?  I ate my fair share of them too.  [Read more…]

Chocolate Sprinkle Kiss Cookies

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Chocolate lovers will go crazy for these sweet little Chocolate Sprinkle Kiss Cookies. Chewy brownie cookies covered in sprinkles will make everyone smile at. Perfect treat for Valentine’s Day.

Chocolate Sprinkle Kiss Cookies - these easy and chewy brownie cookies get a fun twist from the colorful sprinkles and the chocolate kiss. Easy recipe to make for Valentine's Day parties this year! #chocolate #cookies #kisscookies #valentinesday #sprinklecookies #recipe

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I absolutely love to bake fun treats for holidays. Well, quite honestly I love to bake treats any time of the year, but that’s besides the point.

There is something so fun and satisfying about making a themed treat or dessert. Since Valentine’s Day is so close, I had to urge to make more few pink and red treats this past week.  

Now usually I try to have a reason like a party, life group, or Bible study when I’m going to make new desserts.  This Maple Pecan Banana Bread  and this Cinnamon Apple Icebox Cake are a few of the things that I have taken and shared with the ladies in my group for feedback.

Last week I had a bag of the new Hershey’s Lava Kisses, so I made these easy chocolate cookies and a new Rice Krispie treat recipe for our Bible study.  

If you can find those new kisses, I recommend buying a few extra bags.  They are stinking amazing!!! But honestly, any kiss will taste good on these sprinkle cookies. [Read more…]

Cherry Chocolate Chip Cupcakes

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Cherries and chocolate add a fun surprise to these Cherry Chocolate Chip Cupcakes. Two kinds of toppings give these easy treats a fun bakery touch.

Cherry Chocolate Chip Cupcakes - an easy doctored up cake mix will result in a fun bakery style cupcake that everyone will love! Make this easy recipe for parties this month! #cupcakes #cakemix #doctoredupcakemix #cherry #chocolate

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Whenever we travel we look up different restaurants and bakeries to visit while we are there.  We will usually buy a few things to sample.  

But honestly just stopping and looking at the treats is what I enjoy the most.  There are so many different and fun ideas in those shops.

If you ever see me in one of these shops, you might see me typing away on my phone.  No, I’m not texting.  That usually means I saw a unique flavor combo or decorating idea that I don’t want to forget to try in my kitchen.  

There are so many ideas swirling in my head that I just can’t remember all of them these days.  Thank goodness for cell phones with list apps, right?   [Read more…]

Healthy Chocolate Lava Cake

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This easy one minute Healthy Chocolate Lava Cake is the perfect dessert for the chocolate lover in you. Make two and enjoy them on Valentine’s Day with your sweetheart.

Healthy Chocolate Lava Cake - this easy microwave mug cake is full of chocolate and is still good for you. Great recipe to enjoy when you are eating low carb but still want chocolate! Easy recipe for Valentine's Day! #healthydessert #lowcarb #mugcake #lavacake #chocolate #microwavecake

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Since it is the month for all things chocolate, I had to find a way to make a delicious gooey chocolate dessert that was healthy too.  And let me tell you, this is one gooey chocolate mug cake that you are going to love. 

One of my favorite desserts of all time is the chocolate melting cake that you get onboard a Carnival cruise.  In fact, if you ask our youngest son what his favorite dessert is he will say Homemade Brownies and lava cake.

Now don’t get your hopes up thinking that this molten chocolate mug cake on your screen is just like the cruise dessert.  It’s kind of close, but Carnival will win every time. I definitely don’t want you comparing them at all.

But if you are someone that is eating healthy and looking for a good low carb chocolate dessert or you just want a simple chocolate dessert in a minute, I have just the dessert for you!!!

Now if you want all the calories, sugar, and carbs, and just want a delicious gooey dessert, I suggest making these Chocolate Lava Cakes or these Peanut Butter Cup Lava Cakes right away.  [Read more…]