Inside BruCrew Life

bake. eat. repeat.

Behind BruCrew Life

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Last month was a crazy month of traveling and adventures for the BruCrew family. And of course, as soon as we got home it was right into work and getting ready for school.

So it has taken me a while to go through all the photos from our trips to be able to share the fun things we did and found in July.

Summer in Florida usually means lots of storms and rain in the afternoons. But that also means quite a few gorgeous skies and rainbows after the fact. We were headed into Sam’s one afternoon after a rainstorm, and we got to witness this pretty rainbow. It was actually a double rainbow, but I didn’t get a very good picture of that.

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Three Cheese Macaroni and Cheese

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Three kinds of cheese make this Three Cheese Macaroni and Cheese a winner at the dinner table every single time.  The creamy macaroni and cheese recipe will have everyone licking their plate clean.

Add this Easy Slow Cooker Pulled Pork to your plate for a delicious comfort food meal that everyone will enjoy.

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Three Cheese Macaroni and Cheese - three kinds of cheese make this pasta dinner a winner every time! Make this easy macaroni and cheese recipe and watch your family devour it. #dinner #pasta #cheese #macaroniandcheese #easyrecipes

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The other day my husband and I ran out to do some errands, and we told the kids we would be back in an hour.  Now if I tried to do that alone, I would fail miserable.

I like to look at all the things in every aisle and take my time. Plain and simple, I’m just slow!

My husband knows this about me, so he volunteers to go with me sometimes.  He likes to hurry me along.  I’m sure at times he wishes he had a cattle prod to make me go even faster. LOL!

We picked up the few things we needed at Sam’s Club, then I wanted to make a Target stop for a few ingredients we needed to make this Easy Skillet Lasagna Ravioli for dinner. [Read more…]

Chocolate Zucchini Cheesecake Muffins

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Chocolate Zucchini Cheesecake Muffins and a cup of milk is the perfect way to start out the day. Chocolate and cheesecake for breakfast always gets my vote.

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Chocolate Zucchini Cheesecake Muffins - soft chocolate muffins with a creamy cheesecake center makes a great morning treat. Make this easy recipe for breakfast or an after school snack. #chocolate #zucchini #cheesecake #muffins #breakfast #recipe

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Well, our kids successfully managed their first day back at school yesterday. Is it me or does summer seem to get shorter each year?  Maybe it’s just going by faster. Either way, it always shocks me when school rolls back around.

I love having the kids home during the summer.  Hello fun trips and house cleaners all the time. But I also love the routine of having them in school too.

Our kids are going to a new school this year, and they have a little bit later start time this year.  Not a huge difference, but enough that we had to switch our gym time to an earlier slot.

I think I’m struggling with that more than the kids are struggling going back to school. Maybe a Dark Chocolate Latte every mid-morning to keep myself awake the rest of the day is a good idea!  [Read more…]

Cinnamon Roll Pumpkin Cake

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Swirls of brown sugar and spices makes this soft Cinnamon Roll Pumpkin Cake a delicious breakfast cake to enjoy with a cup of coffee on a cool fall morning.

Cinnamon Roll Pumpkin Cake - cinnamon sugar pockets and a drizzle of glaze makes this pumpkin cake amazing! Try this recipe for fall breakfasts! #pumpkin #breakfast #coffeecake #cinnamonroll #brunch #fall #recipe

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Yes, I realize that it is the beginning of August, and I’m shoving pumpkin in your face.  At least I held out until the kids went back to school to start my crazy pumpkin baking fest. Now it’s time to #pumpkinallthethings !  Can I get a woot woot?

You guys!  This homemade coffee cake is extremely dangerous!  Dangerously delicious, that is! I might even go as far as to call it the best pumpkin cake I have ever made.

It even beats out these Pumpkin S’mores Bars and these Pumpkin Nutella Muffins. And I was in love with the gooey chocolate in both of those recipes! [Read more…]

Exploring Key West in a Day

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If you find yourself on the island from a cruise or just taking a day trip, Exploring Key West in a Day is possible. Make sure you wear good walking shoes and use sunscreen because you will be out all day.

Exploring Key West in a Day - if you have one day to explore Key West, here are a few fun places that you should visit. #keywest #florida #travel #roadtrip #sunshinestate

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A few months ago, we took a family road trip and discovered Fun Things to Do while Driving the Florida Keys. Of course, our journey took us to the end of the islands where we spent a full day exploring Key West.

There are so many things to do in Key West, but we only had one day. So we picked a few attractions and things to visit and left the rest for another trip.  [Read more…]

Cookies and Cream Chocolate Pie

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Make this easy no bake Cookies and Cream Chocolate Pie when you need a chocolate fix. The layers of cookies and chocolate pudding will make this pie your new favorite dessert.

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Cookies and Cream Chocolate Pie - a layer of no bake cookies and cream cheesecake adds a fun twist to this chocolate pudding pie. Make this easy recipe the next time you are in charge of dessert!

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Ok, I have to be honest. I am not very good at math.  My kids know that if they have math homework questions that they cannot ask me.  Well, they can ask me, but I’m not going to be much help.

It was ok when they were in elementary school.  Ha!  Not even then.  My oldest loves to remind me of the paper he got wrong in 2nd grade.

In my defense I did follow the model problem at the top of the page, so technically it wasn’t my fault.  His teacher should have caught that mistake before sending home the paper with a mistake on it.

So, I may not be a math person, but I do remember learning about Pi in school.   [Read more…]

BLT Zucchini Salad

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A bowl of this easy BLT Zucchini Salad is a delicious side dish to add to all your summer picnic and dinner plans. You are only a few ingredients away from enjoying a healthy low carb salad for dinner tonight.

BLT Zucchini Salad - add your favorite summer sandwich to a healthy green salad. Try this easy recipe for picnics and dinner. #zucchini #salad #blt #bacon #sidedish #healthy #leanandgreen #lowcarb

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Zucchini is officially my favorite veggie of this summer. It happen to be one of the most versatile veggies too. You can enjoy it in sweet or savory recipes.

Now I usually adore the green veggie hidden under layers of chocolate like in these Frosted Zucchini Brownies or in a loaf of Chocolate Chip Zucchini Bread. But this year eating shedded or spiralized zucchini in a healthy green salad has been my go to way of using up the zucchinis I keep buying.

The flavor and texture of raw zucchini is delicious. It actually absorbs the salad flavors so well this way.  [Read more…]

Spiced Zucchini Oatmeal Bites

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Grab a few of these Spiced Zucchini Oatmeal Bites as you are running out the door each morning. These little no bake snacks are loaded with flavor and nutrition making them perfect for breakfast or snacking.

Spiced Zucchini Oatmeal Bites - these little no bake oatmeal bites are loaded with flavor, texture, and nutrition. Make this recipe for breakfast or after school snacks! #oatmeal #energybites #healthy #nobake #zucchini #afterschool #breakfast #recipe

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Can you believe that school season is almost here?  We have already registered our kids for school, bought uniforms, and scheduled eye appointments. The only thing we have left to do is head to the store with a list of supplies that they need before classes start in a week.

Thank goodness that high school students do not need as many things as elementary students do. Although, I think I would prefer the cart of crayons, paper, folders, pencils, and rulers instead of the laptop we need to get.

I realize that online schoolbooks are the way to go, but I don’t like paying the price for technology.

Of course, with all this back to school prep going on, we are also on the hunt for delicious, yet healthy after school snacks. We need to be prepared for the hungry monsters that will be walking through the door at 3 o’clock each day.  [Read more…]

Fun Things To Do While Driving the Florida Keys

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One of our first family trips this summer was to find Fun Things to do while Driving the Florida Keys. We packed our bags, loaded up our vehicle, and set out to find food and adventures along the islands.

Fun Things to do While Driving the Florida Keys - these are so many fun places to see, restaurants to eat at, and activities to do while driving through the Florida Keys #travel #Florida #roadtrip #sunshinestate

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Earlier this summer we decided to take a big week long family vacation. Our kids love cruising, so we booked one that had four stops in the Western Caribbean. Four days before the boat was to set sail, we found out that the boat had to have maintenance, and the itinerary had changed to two ports.

When we are paying that much money for a 7 day cruise, we were not ok with spending 3 days in Tampa.  Especially since we live close to there and can go any time we like.

Since driving the Florida Keys has been on my husband’s bucket list for quite some time, we scrambled to cancel that particular cruise and planned a quick road trip through the Florida Keys and a short three day cruise from Tampa.

It wasn’t what we were planning, but hey, we are learning to roll with the punches and not get bent out of shape when things don’t go the way we plan.   [Read more…]

Chocolate Caramel Cheesecake Tart

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Adding a layer of caramel cheesecake makes this gooey dessert a delicious way to end any meal.  Try this Chocolate Caramel Cheesecake Tart the next time you need a dessert to wow everyone with.

Sweet and salty desserts always get my vote!

Chocolate Caramel Cheesecake Tart - caramel cheesecake, gooey caramel, and chocolate chips come together to make one amazing dessert tart! Make this recipe and watch it disappear!

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By now I think that it is safe to say that I am kind of crazy for cheesecake.  I am always looking for ways to include it in every dessert that I make.

Over the years cheesecake has made its way into icebox cakes, cupcakes, and cookies.  I’m pretty sure I will keep finding new ways to enjoy the creaminess that is cheesecake.  My list of ideas is still pretty long! [Read more…]