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I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas.
After church we relaxed all day in our jammies!
Some days you just need to.
Thank you so much for a great year
with the BruCrew.
I cannot believe that 2011 will be over
in just a few short days.
Bring it on 2012!!!
I have enjoyed sharing
my crazy recipes with you here.
And I have made so many new friends
through this blog.
You guys are great!!!
Here is a roundup of the most popular posts this year.
If you are a new reader, some may be new to you.
You may even find a new favorite!
Faithful readers...have you tried any of these???
This is a recipe from last year that still is at
the top of the stats thanks to Pinterest...
you all love your pumpkin and oreo!!
This delicious goodie was inspired
this fall by a drink at Starbucks.
I love a good coffee treat.
Another post from 2010 that is still going strong.
Have you made your own yet?
This was one of my first posts in 2011.
Who knew you would be so crazy for
these cute parfaits:-)
A chocolate chip cookie surrounded by a brownie
and then dipped in chocolate?
Yes, please.
Starbucks to the rescue again
for these delicious coffee treats!
You guys like coffee stuff just as much as I do:-)
I totally understand why this is still in the top 10!
Pumpkin, marshmallow, and chocolate...
definitely one of my fav combos too!!!
I came up with this recipe in the fall of 2010
but Pinterest has kept it alive and thriving!!!
Who can resist a brownie with a surprise inside!
(use the caramel kiss when you can't find these seasonal kisses)
Girl Scout cookies inside cupcakes
is a good way to create a killer recipe!!!!
(no GS cookies...Keebler cookies work well too:-)
Yup it's official.
You are addicted to coffee flavored desserts!
Again thank you for your support.
It means so much to me.
Keep leaving the sweet comments...
I can't wait to share more sugar crazed treats with you in 2012!

Cappuccino Fudge

This easy Cappuccino Fudge is made with just a few ingredients and only takes minutes to make. The creamy layers in this coffee fudge make it a pretty and tasty dessert.

Three squares of fudge stacked on a paper.
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My favorite part of my day is my morning coffee. I love finding ways to incorporate that drink into recipes. Some of our favorites include a mudslide pie, coffee cream brownies, and this easy tiramisu recipe.

Years ago, on vacation, I tried a cappuccino fudge from a little shop. It had layers of chocolate and coffee swirled into little squares and tasted amazing.

I decided to make that flavor by jazzing up my simple frosting fudge. It was the perfect way to get my coffee fix for the day.

Why This Coffee Fudge Recipe Works

The main reason this fudge works is because it is foolproof. There is no need for candy thermometers or endless stirring over a hot stove. All you do is melt it all together and let it chill.

This coffee fudge recipe has all the things you want in fudge. It has a creamy and smooth texture that melts in your mouth, and the layers of dark chocolate and coffee create a delicious mocha flavor.

I like to add coffee beans on top to make it pretty. Plus, that lets everyone know the fudge is caffeinated.

With just 15 minutes of prep work, some chilling, and a few ingredients, this pretty layered fudge will deliver coffee joy to anyone who tries it.

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Chocolate Mojo Bars

These easy no bake Chocolate Mojo Bars are loaded with pretzels, nuts, and chocolate. Great snack or breakfast treat to enjoy.
 
 
 
Do you get inspired by things you are eating?
 
A couple weeks ago I was on my way to pick up
our kids from school, so I grabbed a Cliff Mojo bar
as I ran out the door.
 
I was just driving along minding my own business
munching away on my bar.
There are quite a few red lights on the way

and as I sat at one of them

a lightbulb went off!!! 
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Homemade Little Debbie Cherry Cordials

These easy Homemade Cherry Cordials are a sweet copycat of the store bought treats you find at Christmas and Valentine's.

Homemade Cherry Cordials - a copy cat recipe of the Little Debbie's that are only available at the holidays

Today is National Cookie Day, and I couldn't let a day like that pass me by, now could I?

Who comes up with these fun little "national" days? Not that I am complaining. Any day that celebrates more sugar is worthy of a national day by me!!!

Have you had a Little Debbie Cherry Cordial cookie? They are a seasonal item that only comes out at the holidays.

Homemade Little Debbie Cherry Cordials

Well, if you are a cherry and chocolate kind of person, I came up with a copycat cherry cordial just for you!!!

Two vanilla cookies, filled with a cherry marshmallow cream, AND drenched in chocolate!

What's not to like??? (well, unless you have a thing about fruit in your dessert:-)

I did make these for our church Life Group, but I am thinking about hiding them and just putting out the Oreos.

Homemade Cherry Cordials - a copy cat recipe of the Little Debbie's that are only available at the holidays www.insidebrucrewlife.com


Then again with all the cookies and candies that come at this time of year, my jeans might protest at me eating that many!

Better go get them out of hiding!

Homemade Little Debbie Cherry Cordials recipe:

Recipe

Homemade Little Debbie Cherry Cordials

Homemade Little Debbie Cherry Cordials

Yield: 22 cookie sandwiches
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes

Homemade Little Debbie Cherry Cordials. These vanilla cookies are filled with a marshmallow cherry frosting and dipped in chocolate.

4.4 Stars (23 Reviews)

Ingredients

For the Cookies

  • 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
  • ½ cup packed brown sugar
  • ½ cup granulated sugar
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • pinch of salt
  • 3 cups all purpose flour

For the Cherry Marshmallow Frosting

  • ½ cup shortening
  • ¼ cup unsalted butter
  • ½ cup marshmallow cream
  • 1 Tablespoon cherry juice
  • ½ cup chopped cherries
  • pinch salt
  • 2 Tablespoons all purpose flour
  • 2 ⅓ cups powdered sugar
  • 2 - 10 ounce packages chocolate melting wafers

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 400°.
  2. Cream the butter and sugars until fluffy. Beat in egg, vanilla, baking powder, and salt.
  3. Slowly add the flour. The dough will be very stiff, so you might need to stir in the last cup by hand. Divide the dough into 2 balls.
  4. On a floured surface roll each dough ball to about an ⅛″ thick. Use a 2 ½ inch cookie cutter to cut out about 44 circles total.
  5. Bake on a cookie sheet for 5-6 minutes. Cool on a wire rack.
  6. Cream butter and shortening. Add marshmallow cream, cherry juice, cherries, flour and salt and cream again.
  7. Slowly add the sugar until well blended.
  8. Spoon frosting on half the cookies and top with another cookie.
  9. Melt chocolate according to package directions. Dip each cookie in the melted chocolate using a fork to hold it and a spoon to cover the top.
  10. Carefully tap it on the side of the bowl and then place it on wax paper to set up.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 22 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 435Total Fat: 23gSaturated Fat: 13gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 9gCholesterol: 45mgSodium: 69mgCarbohydrates: 53gFiber: 1gSugar: 36gProtein: 4g

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

Did you make this recipe?

Please leave a comment on the blog or share a photo on Pinterest

© Jocelyn
Cuisine: American / Category: Cookies

Chocolate Mint Donuts

Hi there friends.  Grab a cup of coffee and some Chocolate Mint Donuts and let's talk shopping...mostly "Black Friday" crazy shopping!!!

3 chocolate donuts stacked with one standing in front all on a green and white polka dot background.

Last week I looked over all the "Black Friday" specials while my husband drove us to visit family for Thanksgiving.  We found a crazy good deal on a certain item and just couldn't pass it up!!!

I mean surely we can battle the crowds and stand forever to save $150!

My husband's response... "How bad can it be?" Isn't he cute? Obviously he has never shopped on that particular Friday before.

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Caramel Coconut Bars

It's a sad day when you earn the "Mother of the Day" award!!!

Our  youngest has been telling me about this little program that they were having in class. He had a small part and they made pillowcase Indian costumes.

Then one of the moms called me last week and asked if I could possible make cookies for the party afterwards.

Caramel Coconut Bars 1

"Um yea! I am totally all over baking! Of course I would love to have a good reason to make more sugary goodness!" I gushed.

ACTUALLY I simply said yes I can and I will see you on Monday.

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Wooden Spool Yarn Turkeys

This month's cyber crafting got a change up...
my sister and I actually got to make our craft
together!!!
 
Jenni and my mom came out to watch my
not-so-little monsters while we went to Haiti.
Then they stayed an extra day to hang out with me:-)
I feel extra special:-) We had a good day...
crafting and shopping good will.
 
She even humored me when I told her my idea for a yarn turkey!
Last year I made this yarn snowman, 
so I got to thinking that maybe it could be
transformed into a yarn turkey.
I think it turned out freakishly cute,
don'tcha think???
Even if Jenni thought he was a little strange!
Something about the googly eyes kinda makes
him look a little deranged.
Haha! I love the googly eyes!
Supplies you will need:
 
*a wooden spool
*brown fuzzy yarn
*round ball for the head (with a flat bottom)
*bag of different size oval wood pieces (7 large, 2 medium)
*wooden heart for the feet
*orange/red felt
*paint
*googly eyes
 
Everyone I want you to meet my crafting partner:
my sister Jenni!
I am so thankful for her being willing to come out
and watch my kids while we were away!!
 
And I am thankful she likes to do fun crafty stuff like me:-)
(now if I can just convince her to move closer to me:-)
Let's get started:
1. Paint the spool and ball brown. Paint the 7 large ovals different fall colors. Paint the 2 medium ovals brown. Paint the heart orange. Let dry and repeat.
2. Paint fun designs on the 7 large ovals.
3. Wrap the spool with yarn making a rounded ball. Hot glue the ends of the yard down to the spool.
4. Glue the heart to the bottom and the head to the top.
5. Arrange the tail feathers (ovals) how you want them. Hot glue together, then glue to the back of the yarn. Glue the medium ovals on the side for wings.
6. Cut out a small beak and wattle from felt. Glue in place.
7. Place 2 small dots of glue above the beak and carefully place the googly eyes on the glue dots.
8. Sit back and enjoy your funny little turkey.
 

Italian Sausage Stew

Stir Fry Soup | Inside BruCrew Life
One of the rules at our dinner table is
NO SLURPING!
 
We have other rules that we enforce as well.
Such as: sit up, use a napkin regularly, no talking with food in your mouth, no reaching in front of others...all your basic food etiquette that you try to get your kids to remember.
 
But them slurping is the one that drives us the most batty.
 
Yesterday I had to be a slurper:-(
 
 
You see, I had to visit the dentist.
Now I am not afraid of this place,
but it is most definitely not my favorite place.
 
I mean 4 hands with instruments in my mouth...for two hours.
Yea, not going on my list of "places I like to visit".
 
This is why I put off having cavities filled.
 
Who wants to sit with a bite block in your mouth for hours on end
with your head pointing down
while hands poke and prod like crazy?
 
And I don't know about your dental assistants,
but mine is not the most gentle.
Although they are pretty good at giving me a break
from the bite block from time to time.
 
Now usually cavities being filled doesn't take that long...
but lucky me.
I had a crown that needed prepped.
 
Extra goop and prodding for me!
 
Needless to say, that by dinner time
my jaw was in no mood to open...or chew for that matter.
 
I must have known that was going to be the case because
while I was grocery shopping after leaving
the tooth torture room,
I bought ingredients for 3 soups yesterday.
 
(I may have bought ice cream too because it is a proven fact that ice cream heals all pains)
 
So you can see why I had to be exempt from the slurping rule last night.
My jaw was refusing to open wide enough for the spoon to fit in.
I tried to slurp quietly but the kids heard it every time,
prompting them to think they could as well.
 
The new rule in the house is...
You can only slurp at the table if you have been to the dentist that day.
 
Maybe the kids will get more excited when they have to go again:-)
 
 

Recipe

Stir Fry Soup

Stir Fry Soup

Yield: 8 servings
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes

Sausage and stir fry vegetables make a delicious soup choice.

No Ratings

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons Italian dressing
  • 1 pound Italian sausage
  • 1 - 32 ounce carton chicken broth
  • 1 -16 ounce package frozen stir fry veggies (use what you like)
  • 1 can white kidney beans, rinsed
  • 1 can Italian style diced tomatoes, undrained
  • 1 cup macaroni noodles, uncooked
  • dash of oregano
  • cheese for topping if desired

Instructions

  1. Place sausage and dressing in a large saucepan and cook on medium heat until meat is cooked, stirring occasionally.
  2. Add oregano, broth, frozen veggies, beans and tomatoes and bring to a boil on high. Stir in macaroni.
  3. Reduce heat to medium and cook for 8-10 minutes.
  4. Serve topped with cheese. Makes 8 servings.

Notes

Slightly adapted from Kraft Recipes

Nutrition Information:
Yield: 8 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 355Total Fat: 21gSaturated Fat: 7gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 15gCholesterol: 38mgSodium: 1369mgCarbohydrates: 24gFiber: 5gSugar: 4gProtein: 19g

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

Did you make this recipe?

Please leave a comment on the blog or share a photo on Pinterest

© Jocelyn @ Inside BruCrew Life
Cuisine: American / Category: Soups
 
 
 

Lessons from Haiti

I am so thankful to have been given the opportunity to visit Haiti a few weeks ago with an awesome group from my church. I was also blessed to experience this trip with my husband.
I went in with a very hesitant heart. This was something that was putting me completely out of my comfort zone...something that God likes to do over and over to me. I usually like to fight back and get back into my safety box, but then I don't get the chance to learn something new. What a great way to jump out of the box without a safety net. There were plenty of things to not like there...spiders, outhouses, dirt, and cold showers.
But those were actually the easiest things to overcome. The thing that I liked the least of all was seeing the devastating amount of poverty with my very own eyes. There is something so different to seeing it right in front of you where you can actually reach out and touch it. Totally doesn't compare to seeing it on tv from the safety of a warm house and comfy couch. But the smiles and the joy on the people's faces totally made up for it!!!!
Throughout all the poverty and things that I thought seemed terrible, the constant theme I was reminded of was God's overwhelming joy from His people. People who had absolutely nothing but the love of Christ to keep them going each day, and yet they had complete trust that God knew what He was doing and that He loved them enough to provide for them.
Ouch!!! What a painful jab to my heart. Here I am with everything I need and want and I can't say that I have that kind of trust. What a convicting thing to come home with.
Another thing that everyone in our group felt was helpless. We saw so many needs around us, yet we couldn't fix all the problems. One night we sat around and talked about it and came to the decision that God knows we can't help every single need that we see. But He does ask us to do what we can do that day when a need crosses our paths. That may just be a bag of rice and beans that will only last one day. It may not seem like enough to do, but it could be the answer that person was praying for that day. God will send more answers to their prayerson the following days. We just need to be willing to be used on the day He calls us. I know personally I was challenged to really see the needs that are around me and to act on those instead of waiting for someone else to come along and do it.
They all sing in Haiti, from the youngest to the oldest. The joy of Christ just comes out of them while they are singing. Sunday morning we visited a local Haitian church and it was thrilling to listen to them sing in another language and still know that we were worshipping the same God.
Amazing!!!!!!
Overall the trip was a lot of fun. We sang, visited homes, painted classrooms, helped in classes, handed out glasses, visited a local bread bakery and just had fun being used of God to minister to those in need. Thank you so much for all of you that mailed glasses to me for Haiti. They were a huge hit and it was exciting to be a part of that. It was neat to see the light go on in their eyes when we were able to find a pair of glasses that helped them see better.
If you ever have the opportunity to go, do it. You will come back with such a better appreciation for even the smallest of the small things that you have been blessed with.
Would I go again? I don't feel the call to pack up and move there. But I also want to be open to God asking me to visit again. So maybe sometime in the future!!!

Nutella Pumpkin Bread

Swirls of chocolate and marshmallow make this Nutella Pumpkin Bread a sweet treat.  Start the day with a slice and a cup of coffee!

Nutella Marshmallow Pumpkin Bread - sweet pumpkin bread with swirls of Nutella and marshmallow cream. Great fall breakfast recipe!

It is great to be back from Haiti. Our team had an amazing time serving there. It was fun and sad all in one.

Fun because we were able to work together and meet some needs, but very sad because there were so many needs that we just could not feasibly meet.

Thank you so much for all of you that prayed for our safety as we traveled and ministered for the past week. I will try to get some other pics and things from the trip up later this week. 

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