Name: No Bake Fruity Pebbles Granola Bars
Prep time: 15 min
Total time: 15 min
Yield: 24
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1/4 cup unsalted butter; 1/4 cup honey; 1/3 cup packed brown sugar; 1 1/2 cups quick oats; 2 1/2 cups Fruity Pebbles cereal

Reese's Rocky Road Brownies

Reese's Peanut Butter Cups and Reese's Pieces give that extra peanut butter taste to these Reese's Rocky Road Brownies. They are ooey, gooey and delicious!

One thing that I have always done since getting married is wash and fold the laundry. As a stay at home mom, it is just one of those things you do without really thinking about it. And quite honestly, I don't mind doing laundry. Well, most days that is 🙂

When the kids were younger, I also sorted all the folded clothes into piles and put everyone's clothes into their drawers. I like neat organized piles, and I like drawers that are clean looking. As the kids got older, one of the jobs that I "gave up" was putting the folded laundry away. It was time for them to learn some responsibility and for them to take on more chores. This resulted in me having to give up control of those neat organized drawers.

Seriously I'm not sure why I still fold their clothes because when they put it away it is shoved in every which way possible. For my sanity's sake, I try not to look in those drawers. The mess drives me to want more chocolate...and more Reese's candies.

[Read more...]

Easy Mango Chicken Wraps

These Easy Mango Chicken Wraps are filled with chicken bites, onions, mangos, lettuce, and drizzled with ranch dressing. Such an easy recipe to have on the dinner table when you are short on time.

A white plate with a mango chicken wrap cut in half and propped up on its side

Sundays are one of our busiest days of the week. My husband is the worship leader at our church, I sing on praise team, and our oldest son changes slides on the screen during morning practice.

Our day begins early in the morning because we all have to be over at the church early for practice and sound checks.

The last thing I want to think about is cooking a big meal on Sunday afternoon. I have enough struggles getting to practice on time. The sad thing is that I live right next door...

[Read more...]

No Bake Fruity Pebbles Granola Bars

No Bake Fruity Pebbles Granola Bars are the perfect fun and chewy treat that kids of all ages love. Great no bake treat to make for a quick and easy after school snack.

Three fruity pebbles granola bars stacked on each other on a white doily

We love keeping granola bars on hand for a quick and easy treat any time of day. I have been making these No Bake M&M Granola Bars for a while now. I love how easy they are to put together.

Fruity Pebbles Granola Bars stacked on each other on a white doily with a box of bars behind it

When I was at the store getting the ingredients for another batch of no bake bars, I happened to see Fruity Pebbles on sale and decided to substitute those for the rice cereal that I usually use.

It was a fun and fruity twist to the granola bars. They are so fun and colorful and have that classic Fruity Pebbles taste to them.

A stack of fruity pebbles granola bars stacked together on a white doily with a box of cereal behind them

My favorite part of these bars...they are no bake. That means I can have a pan of homemade granola bars done in under 10 minutes.

A white doily with three fruity pebbles granola bars stacked on it

Then all you have to do is wait for it to set up. A quick trick is to throw the pan in the freezer for about 10 minutes, and then you can cut them into bars. My kids had no problem munching on these after school and for breakfast the next day.

Other easy after school snacks:

Recipe

No Bake Fruity Pebbles Granola Bars

Yield: 24 squares

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 15 minutes

Homemade granola bars get a fun twist from the Fruity Pebbles cereal.

Ingredients

¼ cup unsalted butter
¼ cup honey
⅓ cup packed brown sugar
1 ½ cups quick oats
2 ½ cups Fruity Pebbles cereal

Instructions

Butter an 8x8 pan.
In a sauce pan combine the butter, honey, and sugar. Cook on low heat until melted and it starts to bubble. Turn the heat down and cook for another minute, stirring constantly.
Stir together the oats and cereal in a bowl. Pour the hot butter mixture over the top and stir until completely coated.
Press the cereal tightly into the prepared pan. Let set before cutting into bars.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 24 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 68Total Fat: 2gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 5mgSodium: 32mgCarbohydrates: 11gFiber: 0gSugar: 7gProtein: 1g

Nutrition facts are an estimate and are not guaranteed to be accurate. If you need special diet advice, please see a registered dietician.

Brownie Batter Chocolate Chip Cheesecakes

Looking for a cute and easy dessert for your next event? These Brownie Batter Chocolate Chip Cheesecakes are the perfect mini dessert bites.

So, I have come to realize that as I get older, the way my kids "celebrate" my birthday is getting more technological.

Yesterday morning (and by morning, I really mean the middle of the night) I was awakened by the most obnoxious sound. Now when you are not used to hearing alarms go off at 4 am, it isn't the easiest to determine where it is coming from. The sound was coming from right beside my bed, so at first I thought it was my phone. Nope, not it. My laptop was also right there. I honestly thought the sound must be coming from it, but I had no idea how to turn it off. Like I said, I'm not used to getting up that early, so I might have been a little confused.

Now my husband already knew this was going to happen because my oldest son had told him about my birthday "present". So he turned the light on and laughed as I struggled to figure out what was happening. On the corner of the table by my bed was an old iPhone box hiding behind some books. I finally realized the annoying and very loud sound was coming from the box. As I opened the box trying to figure out why a box would be waking me up, a card fell out...along with my son's iPod.

That little stinker thought it would be funny to be the first one to say Happy Birthday to me. [Read more...]

Chocolate Reese's Cheesecake

Desserts made with chocolate and Reese's are definitely my favorite part of the meal. Don't you just want to sink your teeth into a Chocolate Reese's Cheesecake?

These chocolate cheesecake have a peanut butter mousse and Reese's peanut butter cups on top. They are delicious!

Is it bad that I can't stop thinking of new ways to enjoy more Reese's candies? It has been awhile since I made mini cheesecakes, and I had some peanut butter cups to use up.

That sounded funny because usually Reese's peanut butter cups don't last more than a day in our house. I used to have my kids trained to bring me their peanut butter cups...then they grew up and realized that peanut butter cups are like the best candy ever. They now hide their Reese's from me. Silly kids 🙂

Don't they know that I have a cupboard full of candy, and there is usually some sort of Reese's candies hiding in there. I just make sure to put the spices and baking powder in the front, so no one will ever know what is in the very back.

[Read more...]

Peanut Butter Cheesecake Cookie Bars

Eating these Peanut Butter Cheesecake Cookie Bars will send you to your sugar happy place right away. This bar cookie recipe would be a great addition to your dessert table anytime.

There is nothing that I would classify as too sweet. I am quite a dessert heavy weight (LOL literally).

Now my hubby on the other hand, he takes one or two bites and he is over it. We were at Cheesecake Factory a few weeks ago, and we both ordered cheesecake after dinner.

Now I purposefully only ate a small portion of dinner because one must leave room for cheesecake when you come to a place called The Cheesecake Factory. It is a given.

[Read more...]

10 Tips For Eating Healthy Lunches on the Go

Eating healthy at home can be challenging enough most days. It is so easy to throw out those healthy habits you have developed when you start traveling for vacations. Here are 10 tips for Eating Healthy Lunches on the Go to help you maintain your healthy eating. All you need is a plan and the right containers.

1. Bring a cooler with ice packs to store containers of vegetables and fruit. These healthy options will keep you from picking up a candy bar when you stop for gas. [Read more...]

Heath Brownies

Heath_Brownie_Pizzas, International Delights coffee creamer, Heath pieces

Mini desserts are definitely more fun to make and to eat. These mini Heath Brownies are very easy to make, but they have a great wow! factor when served for dessert.

The other day my youngest son wanted to bake something with me. Of course, any chance I get to bake with my little ones, I definitely fit it in. Now his only request was that they be plain brownies.

Now I don't know about you, but the word "plain" does not exist in my vocabulary in regards to baking...well, in anything really. I mean look at these Tiramisu Brownies and these Salted Caramel Brownies...definitely anything but plain comes to mind.

[Read more...]

Fruit Salsa Yogurt Cups

Eating healthy is all about moderation and food choices. These Fruit Salsa Yogurt Cups are a great way to enjoy a healthy dessert.

A cinnamon sugar shell on a white plate filled with frozen yogurt and topped with fruit salsa

Having a dessert blog definitely has its challenges when it comes to eating healthy. I get so many comments and emails asking how I stay healthy and fit with so many cookies and brownies in my kitchen. The biggest thing I have to say is moderation and lots of exercise.

Moderation is eating just one brownie, even though you really want to chow down on 4 more. I think that as long as you eat healthy throughout the day there is nothing wrong with a small treat, but that is definitely the key. I have found that keeping track of what I eat helps me stay on track.

Life here gets busy between work, school, sports, baking, blogging, and church activities. But I know that taking time each day for exercise and drinking plenty of water helps me be healthier and a better mom and wife. This winter, we bought everyone updated bikes, and we are looking forward to lots of trail riding this summer. It will be fun to share this "fun" exercise with our children. I want them to learn healthy eating and exercise habits early in life.

Staying active is definitely a big part of being healthy, but you also need to eat healthy foods. My metabolism has definitely slowed down as I have gotten older. That means it is even more important to watch and record what I put into my body. I have to keep my sweet tooth in check more often.

[Read more...]

Banana Caramel Cookies

Looking for a new and easy cookie recipe? Have you tried cake mix cookies yet? These Banana Caramel Cookies will satisfy the cookie monster in you.

Cookies are the one thing that we are never short on around here. They are the perfect after school snack or after dinner treat. I bake quite a few and then freeze bags of them for lunches, or for my hubby to take to his meetings. They all love to see him coming with a tray of goodies. I'm glad they are willing to be my guinea pigs for all the recipes I make up.

Cake mixes are one of my favorite go to's for a fast cookie. All you need is a cake mix, some butter, and usually an egg. But today we are substituting the egg for some BANANA. For some reason my kids are not eating the bananas on the counter, so I have resorted to making lots of Banana Bread muffins and cookies to use up those brown bananas.

These Banana Caramel Cookies are just a spin off the Banana Reeses cookies that I made last year. They are one of my all time favorite cookies. They are soft and puffy and just perfectly full of Reese's. It was so fun to see one of the ladies from our church make them for our Christmas cookie exchange!

One thing I will suggest with these caramel filled cookies is to use a Silpat or parchment paper on your baking sheet. The caramel will melt under the cookies and stick to the pan if you don't get them off quick enough. I absolutely love using my Silpat because I don't worry about things sticking any more. Another quick warning is to put them on parchment paper to cool as well. I made the mistake of putting my first batch of cookies on a wire rack. Yeah...they stuck to the wire just a little bit when I went to move them over for the next batch.

Hey, wait a minute? Who has been sneaking bites of my cookies? I better find a better hiding spot in the freezer. Wink, wink!!!

Stay up to date on all the BruCrew baking
by following here:
FACEBOOK | PINTEREST | GOOGLE+ | TWITTER | INSTAGRAM

********************************

Recipe

Banana Caramel Cookies

Yield: 30 cookies

Prep Time: 45 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 55 minutes

Caramel cake mix cookies made with bananas for a great after school snack.

Ingredients

1 caramel cake mix
½ cup butter, softened
½ cup smashed banana (about 2 bananas)
1 teaspoon vanilla
¾ cup white chocolate chips
½ cup caramel baking bits

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Beat butter, bananas, and vanilla. Add the cake mix and mix thoroughly. The batter will be very thick.
Stir in the white chips and caramel bits by hand.
Chill dough 30-60 minutes. This will help it from sticking to your hands.
Roll dough into 1 inch or 1 ½ inch balls. Place on baking sheet that has been lined with a Silpat or parchment paper so the caramel doesn't stick.
Bake for 10-12 minutes. Do not over bake. The cookies will look undone, but they will set up as they cool.
Let cool on tray for a few minutes before removing to parchment paper to cool completely.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 30 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 78Total Fat: 5gSaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 13mgSodium: 54mgCarbohydrates: 8gFiber: 0gSugar: 7gProtein: 1g