Blog - Inside BruCrew Life

Blood Orange Bars

The buttery cookie crust and a sweet orange filling make these Blood Orange Bars a pretty and delicious treat to enjoy for dessert.

Orange Bars

Have you ever had a blood orange? They are kind of freaky when you first cut into them. Even though I know they are going to be red inside, it still makes me do a double take every time I slice into one.

I really enjoy the sweet flavor of these bright red oranges. It's definitely orange, but there is a slight hint of raspberry in them.

We picked up a few blood oranges at the grocery store the other day because I really wanted to make these Best Lemon Bars with the red orange juice. It's not the first time I have given that recipe a fun twist. It's so easy to change out the juice for whatever fruit you are craving.

A few years ago I made these Key Lime Bars, and I loved the bright green color, so I knew the burgundy red of the blood oranges would be so pretty in these sweet bars.

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Chocolate Chip Cheesecake Cookie Bars

Enjoy chocolate chip cookies AND cheesecake in these easy to make Chocolate Chip Cheesecake Bars. These delicious cheesecake cookie bars come together in minutes and will be a hit at every party or picnic.

Chocolate Chip Cheesecake Bars

These cheesecake cookie bars combine two favorite desserts into one easy to hold cookie bar. The combination of chocolate chip cookies and vanilla cheesecake will have you going back for another slice in a hurry.

One of the best thing about these cheesecake cookie bars is that everything bakes all at once. No scooping and baking pans of cookies. They are always a big hit every time we bring them to dinner parties or picnics.

When I first started making this chewy chocolate chip cookie bar recipe years ago, I used a roll of refrigerated cookie dough. But since I don't always have that on hand, I started making the cheesecake bars with homemade chocolate chip cookie dough. In my opinion, the homemade ones are better!

Cheesecake bars are also so easy to customize. You can change up the cookie dough with different chips, nuts, sprinkles, or candies. One of the favorites in our house are these Oreo Cheesecake Cookie Bars.

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Strawberry Cheesecake Lemon Bars

These Strawberry Cheesecake Lemon Bars have a sweet cheesecake swirl in the center that adds a creamy texture to these easy lemon bars.

Warmer weather is here! Can I get a woot woot from the crowd? Well, from the Florida crowd that is.

Time to open the windows, air out the house, clean those corners, and wipe down the fridge. There is something so exciting and fun about warm weather and the newness it brings.

The other day as I ran outside the birds were chirping like crazy. It put a smile on my face to hear how happy they sounded. I am now waiting excitedly for tree buds and spring flowers to start popping up.

Yes, I do realize that half the country is still under snow and dealing with cold blasts of wind. But here in Florida the weather is perfect. Give it a few more months and the humidity will return with a vengeance, and then I won't be as excited. [Read more...]

M&M Blonde Brownies

These soft, chewy M&M Blonde Brownies are a fun snack any time of day. Try packing them into your kid's lunch boxes or snacking on them after school with a glass of milk.

Today I'm feeling a bit sluggish. I have discovered that boys are much louder than girls. And by boys, I mean grown men.

Last night, my hubby had game night at our house. Seriously, I think 5 grown men huddled around a board game are much louder than any group of women for sure. Loud voices and laughing do not make going to sleep very easy.

Usually they set up the game in the basement, but last night it was upstairs in the dining room. Of course, it was the room without carpet, so it just echoed throughout the entire house. I stayed up for a bit to do some computer work in the office.

All I heard was laughter and chatter about which army would destroy the rest. I finally waved the white flag and went to bed, even though they were still going strong on their game at midnight. Thank goodness the closed door blocked some of the sound.

Laura Kate says, "I'm always skeptical of new recipes as my search for a dense, tasty brownie has been met with continual disappointment. This recipe however is AMAZING!!! Exactly what I've been looking for!"

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Chocolate Banana Powdered Sugar Donut Holes

These Chocolate Banana Powdered Sugar Donut Holes are an easy and delicious breakfast treat that can be ready in 30 minutes.

The powdered sugar coating and soft chocolate center will have you reaching for a few more in a hurry. Trust me!

Want to know something sad? Our kids have become desensitized to sweet treats. Oh, they still eat some occasionally. But after years and years of having sweets and and treats readily available, our kids really could care less about them.

Now quite honestly that's kind of a good thing. I'm really glad that all the sweets in our kitchen hasn't turned them into crazed dessert lunatics. There is only room in our house for one of those, and I've already claimed that title.

But the one thing that can convince them to down an entire batch in a day are mini donut holes. That's exactly what happened when I made these little Cinnamon Sugar Apple Donut Holes a few years ago. The kids walked in the door from school, and in 12.984756 seconds the donuts were gone. True story. [Read more...]

Keto Microwave Lava Cake

This one minute Keto Microwave Lava Cake is a delicious and ketogenic dessert for chocolate lovers. Making a lava cake in a mug is easy to do in minutes. Plus, it is sugar free and low carb, so it is the perfect dessert that will not ruin your health goals.

A white cup with a chocolate lava cake in it and a spoon lifting out a gooey bite.

About This Recipe

Since it is the month for all things chocolate, I had to find a way to make a delicious gooey chocolate dessert that was healthy too. And let me tell you, this is one gooey chocolate mug cake that you are going to love.

One of my favorite desserts of all time is the chocolate melting cake that you get onboard a Carnival cruise. In fact, if you ask our youngest son what his favorite dessert is he will say chocolate chip brownies and lava cake.

Now don't get your hopes up thinking that this molten chocolate mug cake on your screen is just like the cruise dessert. It's kind of close, but Carnival will win every time. I definitely don't want you comparing them at all.

But if you are someone that is looking for a good low carb chocolate dessert or you just want a simple chocolate dessert in a minute, I have just the dessert for you!!!

Now if you want all the calories, sugar, and carbs, and just want a delicious gooey dessert, I suggest making these lava cake cupcakes or these peanut butter lava cake right away.

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Tomato Basil Pizza Dip

A pan of this gooey Tomato Basil Pizza Dip and a box of crackers makes a great after school or game day snack. This is one appetizer that won't last long at parties.

The down fall of being a dessert blogger means there is always sugary goodness lurking somewhere in our house.

One of our house rules from last year was that our kids could only have fruits or vegetables as an after school snack.

If I'm not careful they head right to the cookies and cakes that are always on our counters and in the fridge. Because they all have inherited their mama's sweet tooth we have had to institute that same rule again this year.

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Easy BLT Chicken Braid Recipe

This BLT Chicken Braid is a great lunch or easy dinner idea for busy days. Bacon, lettuce, and tomato wrapped in a flakey crust with gooey, melted cheese will get smiles from everyone.

A white plate with a slice of blt chicken braid on it topped with lettuce and tomatoes and the rest of the sandwich behind it

Want to know a secret? Can I tell you it without getting smacked or things thrown at my head? There was a part of my life when I did not like bacon.

Ok, I guess that is not entirely true because I have always loved eating BLT sandwiches in the summer. Well, as long as the bacon is super crispy that is. If the bacon is chewy, I'm out.

And I have been adding it to all the pasta dishes like this Cheddar Bacon Macaroni and Cheese. Maybe I just thought I don't like bacon, but I really did. Hhhhmmmm....

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Neapolitan Brownie Ice Cream Cake

Enjoy a slice of this easy Neapolitan Brownie Ice Cream Cake for dessert tonight. Layers of homemade brownies, strawberry ice cream, and vanilla ice cream makes this cake look so pretty!

Ice cream is one of the treats we like to eat year round. Homemade ice cream, store-bought ice cream, frozen yogurt, "healthy" Peanut Butter Banana Ice Cream...we don't discriminate in our ice cream love.

The ice cream monsters in our house stage mini revolts when there is no available ice cream to snack on, or if there is ice cream in the freezer that is off limits.

Ok, so revolt might be a strong word. They do give me "the look" though when I say the ice cream has other plans. Yes, even ice cream goes on my list of "do not eat unless mom gives the ok".

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Chicken Caprese Cauliflower Nachos

Satisfy your nacho cravings with a pan of these healthy chicken caprese Cauliflower Nachos. This low carb appetizer is a delicious and healthy option for big game days.

An overhead picture of a cast iron skillet with cauliflower nachos topped with cheese, chicken, and basil in it.

With the big football game just a few days away, I know everyone is eagerly counting down the minutes to cheer on their favorite team.

Or are you just counting down the minutes until you have a giant table of snacks, appetizers, dips, and desserts to choose from? I always bring a pan of these football shaped cookies to share with everyone because they are so fun and delicious.

Quite honestly, I only pretend to be a football fan because I want to be invited to a game day party. For the food, of course.

A big plate of nachos loaded down with toppings is one of my absolute favorite game day snacks. In fact, if said nachos are so loaded that I have to use a fork, that's even better in my opinion.

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