Blog - Inside BruCrew Life

Behind BruCrew Life

Hey, guys! I thought it would be fun to get back to sharing all the extra pictures and activities behind BruCrew Life. I used to do this behind the scenes look and a top ten post more regularly. For some reason it just kind of slowed down to a few times a year.

But this week I had the urge to get back to some of the things that I used to share before doing recipes full time. It's a fun way to just show some of the randomness of life that happens in our house and how normal we are. Or maybe how abnormal we are. LOL!

Last month the kids were out of school for MLK day, so we headed to Universal for some rides and Butter Beer. Islands of Adventure is so pretty at night.

The kids decided that since the line for the Jurassic water ride was only 5 minutes that they wanted to go on it. It was like 57 degrees that evening, but that didn't stop them from going down 5 times in a row. The first few times they just got a few drips, but by the last ride they were soaked. Crazies!

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Dark Chocolate Latte

Skip the coffee shop lines and save money by making your own drink at home. Two times the chocolate makes this Dark Chocolate Latte the perfect afternoon pick-me-up.

My morning routine almost always involves a cup of coffee, a healthy breakfast, and some quiet time. It just gets me going and on the right track for the day. I can always tell the days that I don't start the day out this way because things seem to bug and bother me more. I'm definitely a creature of routine.

Even my warm hot sunny days start this way. I know, I know! Half of the US is covered in cold frigid snow, and I'm here talking about warm days.

Well...I do live in Florida, so I'm walking around in shorts and tank tops and going kayaking and going to the beach in 80 degree weather. It's a rough life, but someone has to live here. LOL!

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M&M's Brownie Batter Muddy Buddies

Make a bowl of this M&M's Brownie Batter Muddy Buddies for your sweethearts this week. This easy Valentine's snack mix is the perfect way to say I love you to your loved ones this week.

Say hello to my snacking downfall. Any type of easy snack mix that sits on my counter is dangerous. It's dangerous because it's too easy to just grab a handful every time I walk by.

If that snack mix is coated in chocolate and powdered sugar and loaded with little candies, one handful usually turns into two or three handfuls. Or more.

I try to hide it by putting it in a container that I can't see in or putting bread on top of the container, but it doesn't help because I know that sweet goodness is inside.

I'm pretty sure that's why it's been two years since the last muddy buddy creation! Two years!!!! I can't even believe that it's been that long since I made this pretty pink strawberry shortcake muddy buddies.

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Red Hot White Chocolate Cheesecakes

Two times the cinnamon candies make these Red Hot White Chocolate Cheesecakes a fun and spicy treat to make for your favorite Valentine.

I may have come down with something. The other day, my daughter and I went into Target for a few things. We left our house at 6 p.m. to drive to the store, and we pulled back into our driveway at 6:42 p.m. I know what you are thinking.

Did you forget something like your phone or wallet? Did something happen on the way to the store that made you turn around?

Nope. We actually went to the store, got what was on my list, and drove home in 42 minutes. That has to be some record for sure. Either that or I'm extremely ill and have no idea what I'm doing.

I'm pretty sure I've contracted some sort of illness because my trips to Target are never that short. We usually have to do one lap around the store, meandering through all the departments to see what is new. My cart usually has a few shirts, a few things from the $1 spot, earrings, bowls or mugs, and lots of candy.

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32 Pizza Inspired Recipes

Add these 32 Pizza Inspired Recipes to your meal rotation and watch your family smile. Pizza related food always gets two thumbs up around our table.

A collage of 12 different pizza appetizers.

Our kids request pizza at least five out of seven nights a week. Seriously! And I really think they would be ok with eating it that often too. Now obviously we don't, but I love finding ways to include those pizza flavors into their after school snacks or our dinners.

Over the years I have added pizza toppings to soups, cheese balls, sandwiches, pasta, and so many more things. I have a feeling that I can find more ways to add it to a few more recipes, so that's my goal this year.

Today I thought I would share these 32 pizza inspired recipes from our blog and others with you. There are quite a few recipes that would be awesome on your game day food tables if you still need savory ideas for the big game on Sunday. I know the only reason I show up for game day parties is to see what goodies I can fill my plate with.

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Peanut Butter Fluffernutter Cookies

Soft toasted marshmallows and candy bars make this batch of Peanut Butter Fluffernutter Cookies the perfect after school snack or cookie jar treat.

Well, it's Monday, and we are back to another week of work and school. Our kids are so funny. If you ask them what day tomorrow is they are going to say Friday no matter what day it really is.

They live for the weekends and sleeping in. Not that I blame them. I'm a big fan of lazy mornings where the alarm doesn't rule the day too.

But I also love the fresh start of a new week. It's like a brand new slate every single week just waiting to be filled with exciting things. Of course, I absolutely love my job.

I mean I get to stay home, work in comfy clothes, and make and share awesome things like Banana Caramel Cupcakes each week. Who wouldn't love that kind of job? You can see why I kind of enjoy Monday's, right?

One day maybe the kids will share my enthusiasm for the start of the week. Until then, I will have to bribe them with some goodies to get through the day. [Read more...]

Pepperoni Parmesan Chicken Rolls

Pepperoni Parmesan Chicken Rolls: gooey cheese, pepperoni, and chicken tenders wrapped inside a crescent roll makes an awesome little snack or quick dinner.

Two crescent rolls sandwiches on a white plate filled with gooey cheese, pepperoni, and chicken tenders.

"What's for dinner?" and "I'm hungry." are the most over used phrases in our house. You would think we starve our children because they are ravenous when they get home from school each day.

Of course, I would be hungry too if I had lunch at 10:30 am, and then didn't eat again until after 2:30 pm. We try to get the kids to take cappuccino chip granola bars and fruit in their bags because they are allowed to eat in most of their classes.

But they never do. So part of me isn't too worried about them. I figure if they are hungry enough they would probably start taking extra food with them.

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Sweet and Spicy Chicken Salad Crescent Bites

Chicken salad and melted cheese inside a little Pillsbury Crescent Roll cup makes a delicious little appetizer or snack. These Sweet and Spicy Chicken Salad Crescent Bites will disappear in a hurry when you bring them to game day parties.

*I am partnering with Pillsbury™ this month to bring you this recipe. As always, all opinions are 100% my own.

2 crescent appetizers stacked on top of each other on a white plate.

This month I have the awesome opportunity to share a recipe that I created for the Pillsbury Made At Home campaign using crescent rolls. These refrigerated rolls were a staple in our house as I was growing up, and now I keep them in our fridge for easy dinners like this chicken BLT ranch pizza.

I jumped at the opportunity to create a fun little appetizer that we could eat while playing games. Little snack cups are no stranger in our house. These little tropical meatball crescent cups and these blackberry brie bites are a few of my favorites.

Of course, just making the crescents as directed on the package and filling them with cherry walnut chicken salad or loading them with cherries and brie is also an easy dinner for busy nights.

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Loaded Cauliflower Soup

A bowl of this Loaded Cauliflower Soup is the perfect meal to warm you up on a cold winter night. A healthy dinner that looks and tastes like comfort food is a major dinner win.

I have decided that cauliflower is the most magical vegetable I know. You can eat it raw with a creamy ranch dip, or you can drizzle it with olive oil and seasonings and make roasted veggies.

You can throw it into a food processor and make this easy cauliflower rice that looks and works in most recipes just like white rice. Mind blown right there! Substitute it for potatoes in this Zuppa Toscana soup and you have a deliciously low carb version of Olive Garden.

And this week we boiled a head of cauliflower and then pureed it to make this creamy "potato" soup. Our kids had absolutely no idea that they were eating cauliflower for dinner. They were absolutely shocked when we shared our little cooking secret. [Read more...]

Peanut Butter Cup Lava Cakes

The gooey center in these Peanut Butter Cup Lava Cakes will have you reaching for another plate of dessert. Add a scoop of ice cream and chocolate drizzles for a decadent ending to any meal.

Most days I do pretty good at eating healthy. I have reached the age where I just can't eat all the things that I want to when I want to. Oh, to have the metabolism of a teenager again. Our kids can pretty much devour anything they want and never gain an ounce. I remember those days.

Although, the healthy habits that we have been setting for our kids is starting to sink into them. Yesterday our kids had off school, so we headed over to Universal for a day of fun and rides. The kids had sugar cookies for breakfast, Chick-fil-A for lunch, and a cup of butter beer in the park.

As we headed to dinner later that night, our daughter asked for salad. She knew that her body needed some healthy veggies to balance out her food choices from earlier. Yay for healthy habits forming young. I wish I had known those things when I was younger. It would have made my later years a little easier in the weight department. [Read more...]

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