Blog - Inside BruCrew Life

Glazed Apple Butter Bars

A sweet frosting and a white chocolate swirl give these glazed Apple Butter Bars a fun fall flair. This is a great shortbread cookie to enjoy with a cup of hot or cold apple cider.

Cookie sticks drizzled with white chocolate on a black tray.

Apple Butter Shortbread Bars

I have been burning fall candles daily, trying to convince myself that fall is here. The calendar says fall has arrived, but the weather outside does not say the same thing. I'm ready to wear jeans and sweatshirts and drink hot coffee all day because it's almost November.

The weather outside is not cooperating with my desire to be warm and toasty in a sweatshirt. Hot sunshine during the day means shorts, tank tops, and iced coffee are still happening here. At least the cool, crisp air after the sun goes down has me reaching for long-sleeved shirts and pants.

Those cool nights are the perfect time for a campfire. My husband and I have been enjoying sitting around a fire after the kids go to bed, as it's so much more enjoyable that way. The smell of the burning wood is putting me into full-on fall mode. Something about the smoke from a campfire says fall to me.

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Pumpkin Banana Muffins

Pumpkin Banana Muffins are just the thing to warm up your fall mornings. They're perfect for enjoying in the car on the way to school.

Pumpkin Banana Streusel Muffins - soft muffins with a crunchy topping and sweet glaze make the perfect fall breakfast. Great recipe to use up those ripe bananas.

Ok, people. What is up with all the kids flipping water bottles all over the place? All summer long…flip, flip, flip! Flip the bottle during the car ride, flip it during dinner, and flip it while watching TV. It's enough to drive a parent mad!

I guess I should be glad my kids have found something to do besides playing video games all the live long day, right? But I tell you if they flip another bottle one more time…

I guess I really should look at it as a skill. Plus, as I mentioned, it serves as a distraction from the electronics that usually capture the kids' attention. And it doesn't cost that much money. Well, that is, until I start to count up all the water bottles lying around their rooms that are not completely finished. Ok, never mind. It's time to put a stop to all the flipping bottle madness!

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Chocolate Pumpkin Cheesecake Bundt Cake

A creamy pumpkin center and chocolate frosting adds a fun fall flair to this Chocolate Pumpkin Cheesecake Bundt Cake.

*This post was sponsored by the J.M. Smucker Company. I am partnering with them this fall as a brand ambassador creating recipes from products they send me.

Fall has kind of arrived here in west Texas. Ok, so the days are still warm, but the nights are getting cooler. That cooler night air makes it just right for sitting around a bonfire. Crackling wood, flaming logs, and s'mores are just a few of the reasons we love sitting around a good fire.

The past two nights we have sat around a fire just enjoying each other's company and talking about the things we have been learning over the past few months. It's always a good thing to reflect and share the life lessons that happen day to day because it helps us realize how much good is in our life. [Read more...]

Chocolate Chip Banana Streusel Baked Oatmeal

A crunchy topping on this Chocolate Chip Banana Streusel Baked Oatmeal will have you ready for breakfast in the morning. Enjoy a warm square with milk and drizzles of honey.

CLICK HERE TO PIN THE RECIPE FOR LATER!

You know those bananas on the counter. The ones you bought last week with the good intentions of eating them as a healthy snack each day. Yeah, they are still sitting there, but now they are a lovely shade of brown. Oh, wait. That's what happened on my counter.

You guys know how I feel about bananas. There is only a very short window where I can enjoy eating one. I try to buy the greenest bananas at the store, so they will last for a few days. After they turn yellow, I just can't do it. Yes, I know. I'm a strange one. It's ok...at least I know it. [Read more...]

Peanut Butter Fudge Cheesecake Parfaits

Layers of chocolate and peanut butter in these easy No Bake Peanut Butter Fudge Cheesecake Parfaits will have you licking your cup clean. Great mini dessert recipe for parties.

CLICK HERE TO PIN THIS RECIPE FOR LATER!

*This post is brought to you in partnership with the American Dairy Association Mideast. Thank you for allowing me to bring you brands and products that we use and love. As always, all opinions are 100% my own.

Chocolate and peanut butter is my kryptonite. No matter how hard I try to resist this dessert combo, I cannot do it. A few weeks ago I decided that I was going to try to do the whole sugar-free thing. Why? I'm not really sure. I mean, you guys see all the recipes I share here, right? Just imagine that times 100...that's my kitchen and pantry 24/7.

With all the cookies, brownies, and treats that I feel the urge to bake, going sugar-free isn't really the best option. But hey, it's either watch what I eat or say goodbye to those skinny jeans in my closet. And since I just bought 2 new pairs, it's bye bye sugar.

Or at least I thought it was... [Read more...]

Peanut Butter Banana Popsicles

These Peanut Butter Banana Popsicles are a great protein-packed snack to have on hand when your kids get home from school each afternoon.

CLICK HERE TO PIN THIS RECIPE FOR LATER!

*This is a sponsored post written on behalf of Yoplait. Thank you for letting me share products and brands that we use and love. All opinions are 100% my own.

Well, we are now four weeks into school, and I think we are getting into a good routine with everything. Our kids are getting up and getting ready for the day pretty much by themselves now. I usually get up a little later and help them get their lunches together if they need it.

There are mixed emotions with all of this back to school prep. For the most part, I am excited to have a quiet house for 8 hours a day, so that I can bake cookies, photograph, and write. Although, there is a little part of me that gets distracted when it is so quiet...aka...I lose track of time way easier when no one is yelling for mom every minute of the day.

Maybe I should start playing some music in the background, and setting a timer for my daily tasks. That should help, right? [Read more...]

Banana Caramel Cupcakes

Caramel drizzles, candies, and frosting give these Banana Caramel Cupcakes a delicious sweet and salty taste. Great dessert recipe to use up those ripe bananas.

Over the past few years we have been doing more and more CrossFit. I actually hated it when we first got started. The best part of my day was when it was all over and I could eat breakfast. But the more we went, the more I started to like doing the different moves. Ok, fine. I liked the way my body looked when I was actually consistent with exercise and eating right.

Did you know that working out can be dangerous? If you are not lifting weights properly and are not doing the moves correctly you can injure yourself very easily. I'm looking at you box jumps...my leg will probably always have a slight indent from when I hit the side of that box.

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Banana Bread French Toast

Banana Bread French Toast is a fun way to enjoy the classic treat. Add a cup of syrup so your kids can dunk each one.

Now that school has been in session for over a month, the newness of "back to school" has worn off. Our kids were getting up extra early each morning, eating breakfast, and leaving with plenty of time to spare. The past week, they have been hitting their snooze buttons more and more each day, trying to get a few extra minutes of sleep.

I have a feeling that one of these days, all of them will turn off the alarms, and they will get tardy marks. I guess I'd better make sure my alarm is set early, too. Now that all three of our kids are older, we don't have to get up as early to help them get ready.

As much as I hate that they are growing up, I do enjoy certain aspects of having older kids. Not having to get up early is a definite perk. Since I'm not a morning person, I make sure to have breakfast goodies on the counter or in the freezer the day before.

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Chocolate Pumpkin Cream Filled Cupcakes

The hidden cream center in these Chocolate Pumpkin Cream Filled Cupcakes will make everyone smile when they find it. These easy cupcakes are great for fall holiday parties.

Now that it is past Labor Day, it's fair game on all things pumpkin. Now, I know you are probably thinking, "Girl, you shared a cinnamon roll pumpkin cake two weeks ago, so you were on the pumpkin train already." Ok, you are right, I did. I couldn't wait to share that one with you. It was sooooo good!!!

But I held off until September to start sharing the other couple of pumpkin recipes I have. In the past, I usually start making pumpkin treats at the beginning of August, but this year I just couldn't get into the pumpkin mood. Maybe the Texas sun and the zucchini banana cake were keeping me in summer mode. Until now...

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Berry Cookies and Cream Fluff Salad

This easy Berry Cookies and Cream Fluff Salad is loaded with plenty of berry flavor and cookie chunks. Perfect sweet salad for picnics.

*I am partnering with Lucky Leaf again this year as a blog ambassador bringing you delicious recipes using pie filling.

CLICK HERE TO PIN THIS RECIPE FOR LATER!

Yes, I know when you hear the word salad you probably expect green leaves and veggies. But around here I have a thing for dessert salads. Now you are probably rolling your eyes at me right now because there is no way dessert and salad belong in the same sentence, let alone the same recipe.

But hear me out. What exactly is a salad? It is a base (lettuce) with lots of ingredients (veggies) mixed in or placed on top.

So, let's look at the bowl of fluff in front of you. The base is made up of cream cheese and pie filling, and the mix-ins are marshmallows, cookie chunks, and fresh fruit. The way I see it, that's a salad. Yes, a sweet dessert salad, but still a salad. Don't try to argue with me. My mind is made up on this one. Wink, wink! [Read more...]

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