Blog - Inside BruCrew Life

Red White and Blue Parfaits

Layers of cookies, white chocolate cheesecake, and fresh fruit make these Red White and Blue Parfaits perfect for 4th of July picnics. This delicious no bake dessert is easy for anyone to make in minutes.

Be sure to add a batch of these chocolate cheesecake parfaits for the chocolate lover in the group too.

Cheesecake parfaits made with a layer of fresh fruit.

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Cheesecake is our go to dessert when we need something fancy and delicious to take to dinner parties. But sometimes it is just too hot to turn on the oven, so that's when no bake desserts come in handy.

No bake cheesecake parfaits are so easy to make because you do not need to have any baking skills. Some of our favorites are these peanut butter and pina colada parfaits.

Since 4th of July is just around the corner, I decided to make a white chocolate parfait using red and blue fruit.

Why Make Cheesecake Parfaits

Red white and blue parfaits are the perfect patriotic treat. They are easy to make, and everyone loves how fancy they look.

Layers of white cheesecake, red strawberries, and blue blueberries are the perfect way to show your American pride at dessert. These cheesecake cups will be the hit of any 4th of July party or picnic.

Chocolate covered strawberries decorated with star sprinkles and a little paper flag add the perfect extra touch to the top of each parfait.

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Visiting Grand Canyon National Park

Visiting Grand Canyon National Park is a must when you travel to Arizona. The vast canyon is one of the world's natural wonders and will take your breath away every time you step up to the edge.

Our family has had the opportunity to visit the Grand Canyon twice in the past 6 months. Last fall my husband and I headed to Arizona with our oldest son as he got ready to start his first year in college.

We decided to take a two day detour to see the natural canyon wonder and to do a little hiking with him before we dropped him off.

I can't even begin to describe the enormous amount of awe that comes over you when you see the Grand Canyon for the very first time. It is seriously one of the most beautiful things I have ever seen in my life.

One of my favorite things about it was seeing how it changed from different angles and different light. The colors in the layers of rocks could go from muted to vibrant in a short time frame. It all depends on the time of day you get there and how much sunlight is shining down. [Read more...]

Dark Chocolate Buttercream Frosting

This rich and smooth Dark Chocolate Buttercream Frosting will satisfy any chocolate lover. It's the perfect topping for cakes, cupcakes, or cookies. You will never buy store-bought chocolate icing again after trying this homemade frosting recipe.

A bowl filled with a swirl of dark chocolate frosting.

When it comes to chocolate desserts, I say the darker the better. Of course, that's my personal opinion. I do realize not everyone shares this love for rich dark chocolate goodness.

In fact, I used to be an all milk chocolate kind of girl. Hello, M&M's. Those sweet little milk chocolate candies are still my favorite. But then my husband introduced me to dark chocolate, and my world was changed.

Dark chocolate takes some time to get used to. The difference between dark chocolate and milk chocolate is that there is more cocoa bean content in the dark chocolate. Milk chocolate has sugars and creams added to it to sweeten the flavor.

Honesty, I'm not picky, though. I'll eat any chocolate you put in front of me.

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Blueberry Pineapple Slushies

These easy three ingredient Blueberry Pineapple Slushies are a delicious way to cool off on a hot summer day. Frozen berries and sorbet come together quickly in the blender with Sprite or sparkling water to create a fast and refreshing drink.

*This post is sponsored by Wish Farms in conjunction with a social media campaign through Sunday Supper LLC. All opinions are my own.

Summer has officially hit. Ok, ok, so it's not actually officially here because the kids are still in school. But they have made it to single digits in their countdown, so it's almost here.

The weather feels like summer though. This past week it has been hot and humid. I like hot. It's the humid that I'm not a big fan of. Working out in our garage gym isn't as much fun or productive when the humidity is high. I'm kind of nervous for the next few month.

Although, as long as I keep frozen fruit in my freezer, I can whip up these quick and easy fruit slushies in our blender every single day for a refreshing snack. Knowing a frozen treat is just minutes away will keep me motivated to finish doing those squats and burpees. At least I hope so... [Read more...]

Lemon Pistachio Crescent Twists

Waking up to a batch of the Lemon Pistachio Crescent Twist is a very good idea. No one has to know that you made breakfast the day before.

I love finding fun ways to change up breakfast treats. If I'm being honest, I actually love finding ways to make breakfast the day before because we all know that I'm not a morning person. At all.

Making banana pancakes, muffins, or pastries has to happen the day before, or they won't happen at all. Well, unless it's Saturday, when making breakfast after 10 am is acceptable.

Every once in a while, our kids can convince me that they need hot, fresh pancakes first thing in the morning. Usually, that only happens if it is their birthday, though.

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Chocolate Covered Peanut Butter Apple Rings

A chocolate coating and peanut butter filling add a fun flair to these Chocolate Covered Peanut Butter Apple Rings. They make a fun and delicious no bake treat to share with family and friends.

Use your extra bags of apples to make this easy Crock Pot Cinnamon Strawberry Applesauce this summer. It's a delicious cool snack on a hot summer day.

*This post was sponsored by Crunch Pak apples. I am partnering with them as a blog ambassador creating delicious apple recipes. All opinions are 100% my own.

CLICK HERE TO PIN THIS RECIPE FOR LATER!

I have come to the conclusion that I should not attempt to care for live plants. My thumbs are seriously so black that I have killed multiple cactuses. Yes, plants that doesn't need much water have died on my watch.

Every year at this time, my family likes to buy me plants for Mother's Day. Now most of the plants that we have put in the ground have survived because we used a sprinkler. Most of them lived that is. I actually did really well at keeping the plants we planted in our backyard garden alive last year too.

The cactus on the dining room shelf though didn't have the same fate. And the herbs I purchased earlier this year for our kitchen window died a tragic death too.

Every single time we have purchased live plants for the inside of our home, I have managed to kill them. I'm pretty sure plants know that they are going home to die when I pick them up because they seem to wilt when they walk through our door. Maybe I'm just imagining that though. [Read more...]

Simple Moments

It's the little things that matter most. Those simple moments add up over time to create a life time of change. I want to continue to do the little things in life that matter most. Time spent with family or on others will always trump work and success.

Little things like game nights, Nerf wars, family time, and even family pictures will be treasured moments in our children's life. Maybe not now, but over time they will understand how the little things were important.

It's easy to get caught up in the busyness of life and the desire to be and do bigger and better things, but sometimes the small things are what we need to be focusing on. Being faithful in the small things brings about change for the big things. [Read more...]

Pulled Pork Burrito Bowls

I could eat these pulled pork burrito bowls every week! Tender slow-cooked pork, fresh veggies, cauliflower rice, and a creamy avocado lime dressing make these bowls filling, fresh, and so good. Plus, they're easy to customize, so everyone can build a bowl they love.

A pork burrito bowl piled with meat, veggies, cheese, and dressing.

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One of our favorite places to grab dinner is Chipotle. When our youngest was little, he ordered the same veggie bowl every time, while I always went for the pork carnitas. There's just something about that tender pork piled high with veggies that I can't resist.

One week, I was craving a big, loaded bowl but didn't feel like going out to eat. So I started this slow cooker pulled pork first thing in the morning, and by dinner, the whole house smelled amazing. I chopped up all our favorite toppings, made some cauliflower rice, and an avocado lime ranch dressing to go with it.

We loved these bowls so much that we ate them two nights in a row, and nobody complained. That's a win in my book!

I also love that everyone can make their bowl exactly how they like it. Just put all the toppings out and let everyone build their own. It's an easy dinner when everyone has different tastes!

Why You'll Love These Pork Burrito Bowls

Set it and forget it. Get the slow cooker going in the morning, and dinner practically takes care of itself. Best feeling ever on a busy night!
Light but filling. Cauliflower rice and plenty of fresh toppings make dinner satisfying without feeling heavy.
Everyone gets what they like. Put out all the toppings and let everyone create their own bowl. Even picky eaters can make something they love!
Great for meal prep. Keep everything in separate containers and enjoy easy, delicious bowls throughout the week.

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Matcha Green Tea Cheesecake

These sweet little Matcha Green Tea Cheesecakes are a refreshing treat on a warm, sunny day. The creamy and delicious sweet green tea flavor with a crunchy cookie crust will have you smiling in no time at all.

Not sure green tea is your thing? I suggest trying these Hot Chocolate Cheesecakes for now.

Matcha Green Tea Cheesecakes - these sweet and creamy cheesecakes have a delicious green tea flavor. A chocolate cookie crust adds a fun flair to the treats. Make this awesome recipe for summer parties and picnics. #cheesecake #matcha #greentea #minidesserts #summer #picnic #recipe

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Say hello to my newest "favorite" thing. Green tea is my new favorite in our house. Please tell me your favorites change all the time too.

Whenever I say something is my favorite, my husband rolls his eyes because he knows it will usually be short-lived.

My first introduction to green tea was an iced matcha latte from my favorite coffee shop. If you haven't tried this flavor yet, let me assure you. It does taste like green tea because that's the main ingredient. There is no hiding that flavor.

To be honest, I wasn't sure what to think after my first sip. Before you know it, though, the drink was gone, and I was sold on the flavor.

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Blueberry Orange Crumble Cake

A slice of this Blueberry Orange Crumble Cake and a cup of coffee is the perfect breakfast or snack. It's a wonderfully soft cake loaded with lots of fresh berries, spices, and orange goodness.

When you are done baking with all the fresh berries, use the rest to make a batch of this Honey Blueberry Sauce. It's a delicious topping for pancakes, pastries, and ice cream. Or just eat it by the spoonfuls.

Blueberry Orange Crumble Cake - this soft coffee cake is loaded with fresh blueberries and orange zest. The streusel and glaze give it a sweet topping. Make this easy recipe for breakfast or brunch. #coffeecake #blueberry #orange #breakfast #brunch #mothersday #homemade #recipe #easy

I grew up picking strawberries and blueberries every spring and summer. My mom would always take my brother and sisters and I to the local berry farms to pick berries for our family to eat or freeze.

Of course, I'm pretty sure we all ate way more than we picked because you just can't resist a warm berry. Am I right?

Then as we had kids I did the same thing with them. I'm pretty sure I enjoyed it way more though, and I picked most of what we brought home.

So, when I realized it was blueberry season here in Florida, I may have dragged my husband with me to pick a big bucket of fresh blueberries. The younger two kiddos were perfectly content to just sleep in while we went to the farm.

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