Blog - Inside BruCrew Life

Caramel Apple Cider Iced Tea

Make a pitcher of this Caramel Apple Cider Iced Tea and take some time to relax on the porch with your family this fall.

Time seems to just keep going by faster and faster each year. We keep adding more projects and events to our calendar, and before we know it the year has passed us by...again.

One thing that our family has always tried to do over the years is to eat dinner together. Obviously, there are the occasional nights where someone may miss out because of work or sports, but at least 5 out of 7 days we sit down and catch up around the dinner table.

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Banana Caramel Coffee Cake

Try a piece of this Banana Caramel Coffee Cake warm out of the oven. That crumble topping and sweet glaze will have you going back for another piece in a hurry.

CLICK HERE TO PIN THIS RECIPE FOR LATER!

I think fall may have officially arrived. Maybe. Maybe not. After all, the last time I thought that, the 80 degree weather came back with a vengeance. Not that I mind this Texas weather. As much as I love the cooler fall days, I would much rather take an afternoon nap in the warm sun.

If the weather cooperates with me, I like to take a 30 minute break from my chores, baking, blogging, or whatever it is that I'm doing that day and sit in the warm sun. That little break gives me the boost I need to get the rest of my work done for the day.

Well, most days. There have been a few days that I just wanted to do nothing after that little pause in my day because I was so sleepy. [Read more...]

BruCrew Top Ten

Well, hello to the end of the month...again. I know I always say how shocked I am that the months are flying by so fast, but I guess that's just life.

I also realized that it has been months since I have done a BruCrew Top Ten post. If you follow us on Instagram, some of these are just repeats for you anyway. This is just a fun way for me to share some of the things we have done for the month or the fun finds that I come across while shopping.

1. Sea Salt Caramel Chips!!! I know, right? If you can find these in your store...buy them! Buy them all! I bought a few bags...ok, fine 5 bags...the first time I saw them.

Then after eating half of a bag in one sitting, I went back and bought a few more. Not sure if that was a smart move, but I don't even care. These are absolutely amazing!!! I'm thinking fudge, cookies, brownies... [Read more...]

Ghost Brownie Cupcakes

Add these Ghost Brownie Cupcakes to your Halloween treat table and watch everyone gobble them up. The hidden cookie in the bottom of each one is such a fun surprise to find!

Do you ever look back at things you did when you were younger and think, "What was I thinking?" I have a few of those moments. Like the time when I cut my hair really short because I thought it would be cute.

I have really curly hair, so you can imagine how this must have looked. It was long year while I waited for those curls to grow back.

Or the time when I was in high school and a group of my friends and I decided it would be fun to play ghosts in the graveyard in a very secluded cemetery in the country. That probably wasn't the smartest thing in the world to do. My mom must not have known what we were doing because if my kids ever told me they were going to do that, I would be taking their keys away.

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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.

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?

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