Blog - Inside BruCrew Life

Apple Cranberry Coffee Cake

Fresh fruit, crumble, and a drizzle of glaze make this Apple Cranberry Coffee Cake an impressive coffee cake to share at breakfast.

*This post was sponsored by Crunch Pak apples. I am partnering with them as a blog ambassador creating delicious apple recipes.

Can you believe that we are down to one week until Christmas? Ok, that totally just freaked me out when I wrote that. I always think that I'm going to be on top of things when December gets here, but in reality I'm still scrambling to get things finished up.

Cards were ordered two weeks ago, but they are still sitting here waiting for addresses and stamps. There are presents to buy and wrap for our kids and family. Good thing I waited until a week before because it's not going to be crazy in the store now, right? What was I thinking?

Oh, and let's not forget about packing up anything and everything we have accumulated over the years. Moving over the holidays is not the best idea we have had, but it had to be that way, so we are rolling with it. That just means I had to make all my holiday desserts a month early this year. At least I'm ahead on one thing... [Read more...]

Chocolate Mint Truffle Snowball Cookies

These Chocolate Mint Truffle Snowball Cookies have a fun hidden candy center inside. Adding a chocolate coating and sprinkles will make them stand out on the holiday cookie trays.

Our winter has been very mild so far this year. We are talking 50-60 degrees mild. Totally strange for a midwest winter, that for sure.

Although, you will not hear me complaining at all. I'm not a winter/cold weather fan at all. The only day I am cool with snow is on Christmas day. There is something so relaxing about a white Christmas morning. After that it can melt and stay away until next year. Yes, I'm a snow grinch!

My husband was singing about dreaming of a white Christmas this morning on the way home from the gym. Nope, not me. The only snow I dream about is in the shape of a cookie. These Peppermint Snowball Cookies are on my holiday baking list every single year!

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Chocolate Peppermint Wafers

These no bake Chocolate Peppermint Wafers are an easy treat to make and share with friends at all your holiday parties.

Hi, my name is Jocelyn, and I cannot stop with the peppermint. Seriously, nothing is safe in our kitchen! I have been dipping and peppermint-ing all the things! My family is starting to look at me like I'm a crazy woman. Ok, that might be true...

Adding peppermint is just how I am celebrating the holidays this year. This month we are packing up to make a major move, so we are not decorating anything because everything is in boxes. It doesn't feel like much of a holiday month right now. Maybe a few more mugs of peppermint mocha hot chocolate will help!

My way of making our house feel holiday ready is to keep the peppermint goodness flowing out of the kitchen. I may have started in the middle of November and haven't stopped yet.

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Red Velvet Donuts

These Red Velvet Donuts with a sprinkle of candy canes are a fun and festive holiday breakfast treat. Go ahead and make them for Christmas morning.

As I was growing up, one of my sisters and I had a pact every year. If we knew what the other one was getting for Christmas, we would spill the beans to each other. Of course, we knew where our mom hid the presents, too, so we would sneak around and see what we could find in her closet and drawers.

I'm pretty sure if my mom had wrapped presents early, I would have slit the tape to look inside and then taped it back up. Yes, I'm a snoop. I think she knew the kids were not to be trusted, so she never wrapped our presents until the night before.

We have also done this "tradition" of wrapping gifts the night before with our kids. There is something magical about coming out to packages all around the tree on Christmas Day. Plus, I know my kids are just as sneaky as I was growing up, so there is no way I am putting packages out early for them to figure out.

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Peppermint Mocha Hot Chocolate

Sipping on a big mug of Peppermint Mocha Hot Chocolate is a delicious thing to drink in the winter. Chocolate, coffee, and peppermint swirl together and make you feel warm and toasty, no matter what it is doing outside.

One thing that I have been doing with my daughter since she was younger is a coffee date. We used to go for coffee and shopping more often, but she started expecting it, and all those coffees start to add up over time.

Now I randomly choose a night every few months, and she is surprised when we go for a cup of coffee and some quality shopping time together.

Shopping and coffee time is definitely the way to my daughter's heart. I'm so glad she enjoys the same things I do. It makes mother/daughter bonding so much easier for both of us. Just the other day she said she wanted to take me out for coffee. I can't wait for that date! Yay for her getting old enough to pay!

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Chocolate Peppermint Oreo Cookie Cups

Hiding little cookies inside these Chocolate Peppermint Oreo Cookie Cups will get smiles from everyone this holiday season. Chocolate and peppermint is a combo that everyone is sure to love.

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

These easy Chocolate Peppermint Oreo Cookie Cups have a hidden cookie center and are topped with peppermint frosting and candy pieces. Great holiday treat!

Peppermint and chocolate treats are still going strong in our kitchen. I'm not tired of them yet, but I think I'm getting a few looks from my family when they see all the peppermint pieces on everything. I suppose I should make another batch of these Eggnog Sugar Cookie Bars to keep them off my case.

Putting peppermint in everything totally keeps me in the holiday spirit though. Does anyone else feel that way about that festive red and white candy?

Let's just say I hope you are as excited for peppermint treats because I have a lot of delicious ones to share with you this month. Seriously...a lot. I hope you are ready!!!

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White Chocolate Peppermint Oreo Cake

This White Chocolate Peppermint Oreo Cake is loaded with cookies and peppermint candy cane pieces. It is an easy cake that looks impressive. Show off your baking skills at all the holiday parties with this awesome treat.

Falalalala...it's time to peppermint all the things. And I do mean all the things!!! As soon as December hits, I can't wait to add candy cane chunks to EVERY.SINGLE.THING that I bake in our kitchen.

Yes, I'm kind of obsessed with peppermint everything right now! I hope you don't mind, but I have quite a few treats to share this month with my beloved flavor.

And I realized as I was looking through all the things I made so far, that I paired most of these treats with Oreo cookies. It's apparently a flavor combo I can't stop making. I mean these Oreo Peppermint Crunch Cookies are still going strong, so why not, right? I hope you are ready for some peppermint cookie goodness!!!

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White Chocolate Peppermint Cookies

These jazzed up White Chocolate Peppermint Cookies taste like Christmas in every bite. Peppermint, chocolate chips and a drizzle of white chocolate make them so pretty for the holiday cookie trays.

*I am partnering with Challenge Dairy as a butter ambassador for the year creating delicious recipes.

These White Chocolate Peppermint Cookies are loaded with chocolate chips and peppermint. White chocolate drizzles make them so festive!

Every Christmas we make a list of about 10 cookies and candies that we want to make for the holidays. This is something that we started as newly weds and have continued on with our kids.

After we make our list of must make cookies, we let the kids choose one cookie from the list that they want to make from start to finish. When they were younger this obviously was a lot messier and time consuming, but it was fun to watch them learn how to bake.

Now that they are older, they can pretty much do all the work alone on their cookie. Although, I do still have to watch for missing candy. Good thing I always buy plenty of extra to account for all the snacking that happens while kids bake.

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Roasted Red Pepper and Garlic Cheese Ball

This Roasted Red Pepper and Garlic Cheese Ball is just the appetizer you need for those holiday parties and events coming up. The cheese and veggies rolled in nuts is perfect for cracker and pretzel snacking.

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Most days my brain thinks in sugar non-stop. It starts first thing in the morning at the gym. Yes, I think about cookies and cake while doing bench presses and pull-ups. Today I couldn't stop thinking about an this easy candy bar cookie treat that I want to make. I'll keep you posted on that one.

Visions of cake and pie fill my head as I get ready for the day. As I do my work, I see more sugary goodness from my friends, and it gets me inspired to make something from my many lists of sugar coated sugar visions.

Then before I drift off to sleep at night, I start to day dream about brownies and chocolate peppermint fudge. Seriously, this is my life. Hello, my name is Jocelyn, and I'm a dessert freak. Please tell me I'm not alone in this sugar madness. Ok, maybe I am, but I'm cool with it. [Read more...]

Red Velvet Peppermint Cupcakes

I am so excited that it is time to share all the peppermint treats. Believe me, I have some delicious ones you need to make. First up are these Red Velvet Peppermint Cupcakes topped with marshmallow PEEPS®.

*I am partnering with PEEPS® this December as part of their "24 Days of Peepsonality" program.

Red Velvet Cupcakes topped with Peppermint frosting and a Red Velvet PEEPS® chick. Perfect holiday party treat!

Christmas is one of my favorite holidays. We look forward to all the lights, smells, and sounds of the season. Every year we pull out our tree the day after Thanksgiving and put on our Santa hats, while we hang our ornaments on the tree.

I have to admit that I am a little picky about where some of those ornaments end up. (There have been a few that I may have moved the next day.)

As the kids are getting older, they are doing such a good job at spacing out the snowmen and snowflakes for me, so there aren't as many that needed "re-arranged" these days.

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