Blog - Inside BruCrew Life

Peppermint Whipped Cream

Trust me and keep a batch of this Peppermint Whipped Cream in your refrigerator at all times this holiday season. It's the perfect topping to just about every Christmas dessert!

Well, it's official. I am completely smitten with all things peppermint at the moment. It's funny how quickly my flavor of the month changes. It seems like just yesterday I couldn't get enough pumpkin.

It's like a switch in my head (or stomach) gets flipped, and my tastes change just like that. Mostly it's just a seasonal thing.

Does anyone else crave specific things at certain times of the year? Of course, since the tree is up and Christmas songs are on repeat, all I want in life is peppermint goodness.

[Read more...]

Peppermint Cheesecake Brownies

Peppermint Cheesecake Brownies: layers of homemade brownies, holiday cookies, and peppermint cheesecake will put a smile on your face this Christmas.

Do not forget the swirl of peppermint whipped cream because it adds just the right touch of holiday love!

A square of peppermint cheesecake brownie on a plate with whipped cream.

It's the most wonderful time of year. Christmas decorations are up, and everywhere you go, Christmas music is playing or bells are ringing. I don't know about you, but hearing those ringing bells outside most stores gives me the warm fuzzies. It's the sound of people giving back because they care.

The church we have been attending for the past few months held a large donation drive earlier this month. We participated in shopping for children from other countries with our two youngest children. They had fun picking out items for each box.

They also host various food drives and workdays throughout the year, so we are looking forward to helping out even more. We want our children to see how much it means to help and give back to those in need. My desire is that they remember these giving moments rather than the gifts under the tree each year.

[Read more...]

Frosted Mocha Shortbread Cookie Sticks

These easy Frosted Mocha Shortbread Cookie Sticks are a pretty treat to add to your holiday trays this year. Lots of fun sprinkles make them stand out and disappear first.

*Stevia In The Raw® sponsored this post. I am partnering with them to create recipes for the fall season. All opinions expressed are 100% my own.

Frosted Mocha Shortbread Cookie Sticks - sweet chocolate cookies topped with white chocolate and lots of sprinkles will stand out on your cookie trays. Easy recipe for holiday parties!

Every year, right before the holidays get busy, I like to make a few lists of treats and sweets that I want to make for the holidays. Some of these desserts get made ahead of time because I like to test each recipe a few times to see if they will make the final list.

Right now I have a list that includes fudge, cheesecake, popcorn, pie, cookies, and a tart. I have a feeling I better get a move on testing recipes because the holidays will be here before I know it.

This past week I decided to test a few cookie recipes. Shortbread cookies always make the final list of treats that we make, and these peppermint snowball cookies are one of my all time favorite cookies for Christmas. They are always on the trays of cookies that we make and give away.

[Read more...]

24 Must Make Pie Recipes

Here is a list of 24 Must Make Pie Recipes that are worthy of bringing to any dinner party. Here is a list of fruit, cheesecake, chocolate, cream, and mini pies that need to happen in your kitchen right away. Grab a fork and get ready to dig in!

It's that time of year again. The time when everyone is making their Thanksgiving day menu. Or do you already have your list finished up? Maybe I'm the only one that has waited until the last minute to put together my menu. Actually, we haven't been at our own home for Thanksgiving in forever, so I never make a full list. Usually I just bring dessert and a side dish to where ever we are eating.

This year we will be spending the day with some of my husband's family. He has some aunts and uncles that usually spend a few months out of the year here in sunny Florida, so we will be joining them for a turkey feast. I am still trying to decide which dessert to bring and share. My brain tends to overthink these kind of things. I know I want to make pie, but which one?

As I was looking through all my pie recipes, I decided to put together a list of pies that I thought were worthy of sharing at dinner. Here are a few of my favorites that I have made over the years and a few delicious pies that I found as I was looking online too. I hope you find one or more that you just have to make for your family dinners this year. It's not too late to add another pie to your must make list!

[Read more...]

Cinnamon Toffee Pecan Banana Bread

A loaf of this Cinnamon Toffee Pecan Banana Bread is a delicious addition to your morning routine. Enjoy a slice with your coffee or milk for breakfast or for your afternoon snack.

I went from buying bananas all the time to hardly buying them at all now. I'm not really sure what happened. Usually every time we did some grocery shopping, I would grab a bunch of bananas for our fruit bin.

Oh, wait! I do know what happened. Our oldest son went to college a few months ago, and without him around the bananas just sit there all lonely like. He was usually the only one who would eat the fresh bananas I would buy.

We had a good system going on. I would eat the green bananas, then he would eat the ripe bananas. Anything that turned brown was then fair game for making banana pancakes or the best banana cake. I do really love baking with bananas. It's probably one of my favorite ingredients to use. Of course, nothing will ever top chocolate and peanut butter. [Read more...]

Pass the Pork Tour in Sioux Falls, South Dakota

About six weeks ago I had the awesome opportunity from the National Pork Board to go on the Pass the Pork tour in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.

Over the years I have visited a few dairy farms, a chicken farm, and strawberry fields. So, I was excited to add pig farm to that list. I love that my job as a food blogger gives me opportunities to see more about the food we eat.

CLICK HERE TO SAVE THIS FOR LATER!

*The National Pork Board sponsored this trip. I am working with them to provide you this post.

Our first night there we walked along the famous Sioux falls to visit the Stockyards Ag Experience. Here we enjoyed some pork appetizers and had an opportunity to see pictures and displays showing the heritage of agriculture in the area. Then we headed to dinner where we met some of the people who have developed the Pipestone System for pig farmers.

As I listened to the different farmers, veterinarians, managers, and pork specialists on this trip, I heard the same love, care, and concern that I have heard before for the animals they take care of. Farmers across the board really do love the animals or plants that they provide for us to consume as food. They know that healthy animals provide healthy sustainable food for the world. [Read more...]

Apple Turkeys

Cookies and sprinkles make these chocolate covered Apple Turkeys a fun Thanksgiving craft. Perfect no bake treat to keep the kids busy before dinner.

Chocolate Covered Apple Ring Turkeys - cookies and sprinkles turn these apples into the cutest turkey treat. Easy no bake recipe for kids to create on Thanksgiving day.

Thanksgiving Turkey Craft

Do you ever have those moments where you wake up from a dream and remember it vividly? Usually, it's because of something scary happening, right? Well, about a month ago, I was halfway awake in the morning, but I decided to lie down for a few more minutes before working out.

The next thing I know, I sat up with a start. In my dream, I was photographing the cutest little turkeys made out of apples. It was such a random and funny thing to be dreaming about.

My guess is that even after spending an entire week making these puff pastry apple tarts, this caramel apple upside down cake, and these Halloween apple slices, I needed more apple fun in my life.

[Read more...]

How to Make Easy Cauliflower Rice

This Easy Cauliflower Rice is the perfect healthy substitute. It's so easy to make and tastes just like regular rice, but without all the carbs. You can use cauliflower rice as a side dish or even as an ingredient in your favorite recipes.

A red bowl on a wooden cutting board filled with homemade cauliflower rice.

This easy cauliflower rice recipe is the perfect low carb alternative to your favorite carb-heavy foods. It's easy to make and tastes delicious too.

You can use it as a base for fried rice, in place of potatoes, or even as a side dish with dinner. You won't believe how much this simple recipe will change the way you look at cauliflower.

Why Make Low Carb Rice

Whether you want to replace carbs with cauliflower rice or simply want to eat more vegetables, this cauliflower rice recipe will help you do it easily.

Once I learned just how easy it was to make homemade cauliflower rice, we started incorporating it in our lean and green meals. And in quite a few dishes, you can't even tell the difference.

I made this healthy stuffed peppers recipe a few weeks ago, and our kids didn't even know that I substituted a batch of this easy cauliflower rice in place of the instant rice. I call that a dinner win.

Plus, cauliflower has lots of health benefits that will help you feel great while eating healthy delicious food.

[Read more...]

Chocolate Cookies and Cream Cheesecake Bars

Four layers of creamy goodness make these Chocolate Cookies and Cream Cheesecake Bars a pretty and delicious dessert that everyone will love.

Well, I finally got to experience fall weather here in Florida. Yesterday it dropped to a chilly 65 degrees. It was definitely time to bust out the jeans and sweatshirts from the storage boxes! The cooler weather was a very welcome change from the hot humidity.

I grew up in Pennsylvania, so I love fall weather the most. There's something about a slight chill in the air, changing leaves, the smell of a bonfire, and getting to wear layers that makes me smile. I'm happy that we got to have two out of four on that list yesterday.

Today is bright and sunny, but the chilly weather persists. Yay for flannel pants, sweatshirts, and a Salted Caramel Mocha Latte for another day.

When it gets cooler, I find myself heading to the kitchen more often to bake cookies or brownies. Lately, though, I have been finding myself wanting to bake all things cheesecake. I think it's because my cookbook Cheesecake Love finally came out after 2 years of work, and now I can share about it. [Read more...]

Chocolate Chip Cookie Cheesecake

You are going to love all the layers in this decadent Chips Ahoy Cheesecake. Chunks of cookies and chocolate chips in every bite make this a must-make dessert.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Mousse Cheesecake - layers of creamy cheesecake, chocolate chip cookie mousse, and chocolate chips makes this a must make cheesecake recipe. Perfect dessert to end any meal!

You guys! I haven't even begun to put a dent in all the cheesecake ideas that I have swirling in my head. And that's after writing Cheesecake Love. There are 75 cheesecake ideas in the cookbook, and I probably have another 75 ideas still waiting to be made.

A friend of mine suggested that book number 2 might be necessary, given that I had so many more ideas. Or I could start making a new cheesecake every week and share it right here on the blog. That sounds like a much easier idea.

Since it took about three years from start to finish in the cookbook process, I'm not interested in doing another one, at least not for now. Of course, that could all change if the right offer were to come along.

[Read more...]

« Previous Page