Search Results for: pie

Fun Things To Do While Driving the Florida Keys

By Jocelyn · PUBLISHED August 4, 2018 · UPDATED April 8, 2022 · 3 Comments

One of our first family trips this summer was to find fun Things To Do In FL Keys. We packed our bags, loaded up our vehicle, and set out to find food and adventures while driving the Keys.

Earlier this summer we decided to take a big week long family vacation. Our kids love cruising, so we booked one that had four stops in the Western Caribbean. Four days before the boat was to set sail, we found out that the boat had to have maintenance, and the itinerary had changed to two ports.

When we are paying that much money for a 7 day cruise, we were not ok with spending 3 days in Tampa. Especially since we live close to there and can go any time we like.

Since driving the Florida Keys has been on my husband's bucket list for quite some time, we scrambled to cancel that particular cruise and planned a quick road trip through the Florida Keys and a short three day cruise from Tampa.

It wasn't what we were planning, but hey, we are learning to roll with the punches and not get bent out of shape when things don't go the way we plan. [Read more...]

Coffee Ice Cream Cake

By Jocelyn · PUBLISHED July 26, 2018 · UPDATED July 21, 2020 · Leave a Comment

Two layers of ice cream and a fudgy cookie center make this coffee ice cream cake a delicious and stunning dessert. It's also easy to customize with your favorite flavors.

The humidity officially found us. Oh, it's been hot and humid here in Florida for a while, but this week seems extra sticky to me. Maybe it's just because we were traveling for a few weeks, and I just "forgot" about the humidity.

Whatever the case, I'm cranking our air conditioning and staying inside until this heat wave passes. Oh, and I think stocking the freezer with another ice cream cake sounds like an awesome plan.

Although that would require me to leave the house because the kiddos have devoured all the ice cream. Hhhhmmm! Maybe I'll make another batch of this brownie batter coffee ice cream instead, because I think we have all the ingredients at home. [Read more...]

Chocolate S'mores Pudding Cake

By Jocelyn · PUBLISHED July 17, 2018 · UPDATED August 23, 2020 · 94 Comments

A graham cracker crust, chocolate pudding, and a marshmallow topping make this Chocolate S'mores Pudding Cake the perfect summer dessert for picnics and parties.

A white plate with a piece of chocolate s'mores pudding cake on it with graham crackers, chocolate bars, and marshmallows on top

By now you know that I love all things s'mores, but I still do not love the sticky mess that comes from kids roasting marshmallows.

Even with older children comes the scariness of a pointy stick and fire. It must be the mom in me that cringes when those two things get together. I realize that I am not alone in this aversion to how s'mores are made when I talk with friends.

But there is something about the summer, and the need for all things s'mores. I have been having fun creating s'mores that do not need campfires to be enjoyed this summer.

These S'mores Cookie Cups were one sweet treat that I can't wait to make again.

[Read more...]

No Bake Nutella S'mores Granola Bars

By Jocelyn · PUBLISHED July 13, 2018 · UPDATED September 19, 2020 · 79 Comments

Chocolate chips and marshmallows add a fun twist to these No Bake Nutella S'mores Granola Bars. S'mores for breakfast will have everyone smiling as they start the day.

Overhead picture of a row of nutella s'mores granola bars lined up on wax paper

Lately we have become obsessed with making all things granola. Homemade granola and granola bites have been happening every single week for the past month because we love them so much.

I'm trying to space them out sharing them here because I'm sure you are not as obsessed as we are. But, seriously, skip the store bought snacks and make your own chewy granola bars.

Our granola obsession all started with these Peanut Butter Granola Bites a few years ago and has just spiraled out of control with this Chocolate Covered Strawberry Granola.

Let's just say that the big container of rolled oats in the cupboard is down to the last few oats. Mental note: add more old fashioned oats to this week's grocery list.

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Behind BruCrew Life

By Jocelyn · PUBLISHED July 6, 2018 · UPDATED August 5, 2018 · 7 Comments

The past two months have been full of fun, food, and family. We have been so busy that I got a little behind on sharing these little life posts, so be prepared for lots of pictures and events in this post.

Our kids finished up the school year at the end of May, so we took a family vacation, ate lots of good food, and enjoyed some lazy summer days together.

My husband was out of town on Mother's Day, so the kids decided to surprise me with flowers and lunch.

For some reason I was craving some sort of eggs, so we headed to a little cafe downtown called Station 400 after church.

It's actually an old train station from Indiana that they moved down to Florida and turned into a cute breakfast/brunch spot.

The inside is long and narrow with room for a few tables, so they utilize the outside with a patio to one side and tables around the front and other side.

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Patriotic Glazed Funfetti Donuts

By Jocelyn · PUBLISHED June 27, 2018 · UPDATED July 20, 2019 · 3 Comments

These fun Patriotic Glazed Funfetti Donuts will brighten any morning. The swirls of red, white, and blue and lots of sprinkles will make anyone smile first thing in the morning.

Add a batch of Chocolate Covered Strawberry Donuts to give everyone some options with their coffee.

Patriotic Glazed Funfetti Donuts - these easy baked donuts have a fun swirl of red, white, and blue on top and sprinkles inside. Make this recipe for Fourth of July mornings! #donuts #homemade #funfetti #redwhiteandblue #galaxydonuts #patriotic #4thofJuly #summer

I love making desserts for the holidays. In fact, here is a list for my top 20 patriotic desserts.

This year I got this idea to swirl a red, white, and blue glaze on top of donuts for the 4th of July. And of course, I couldn't rest until I got into the kitchen and tried it out ahead of time.

Have you seen all the different galaxy donuts floating around the web? This is a fun patriotic variation of those homemade donuts.

To give the patriotic donuts even more color, I added red, white, and blue sprinkles to the donut batter. Then after they were baked, I added some gold glitter stars to the top of the glaze. It make them look kind of like a swirled flag donut.

Best idea ever! It upped the awesome factor at least by ten notches. Well, in my head that is.

[Read more...]

S'mores Marshmallow Fluff Dessert

By Jocelyn · PUBLISHED June 11, 2018 · UPDATED July 23, 2022 · 4 Comments

This summer make a big bowl of this Marshmallow Fluff Dessert for picnics. It's creamy and sweet with the perfect s'mores flavor. Chocolate bars, marshmallow, and graham crackers make this fluff salad disappear in a hurry.

Love dessert salads? Check out this awesome banana split fluff. All your favorite sundae toppings in one big dessert salad.

A blue bowl filled with a fluffy marshmallow salad.

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Marshmallow Fluff Dessert

Over the years, I have made quite a few different fluff salads. A creamy pudding salad loaded with mix-ins is never a bad idea. Plus, a sweet treat that you can call a "salad" is awesome!

Chocolate lovers always go crazy for this chocolate salad, and lemon lovers enjoy this lemon fluff salad.

Last week, I realized that I needed to add s'mores fluff to my list of delicious dessert salads. Instead of using pudding, I used cream cheese to give it a creamy texture.

Why You'll Love This Recipe

Marshmallow fluff dessert is the perfect sweet treat for s'mores lovers. It has chunks of candy bars, mini marshmallows, and graham cracker pieces.

It is easy to make in minutes and even easier to eat. Serve it with spoons or graham cracker squares.

You will be the hit of any picnic when you show up with this s'mores fluff. It's creamy, chocolatey, and absolutely irresistible.

Bonus: If you love S'mores, check out this list of 31 of the best s'mores recipes!

[Read more...]

Salted Caramel Reese's Popcorn

By Jocelyn · PUBLISHED June 5, 2018 · UPDATED January 19, 2020 · 4 Comments

Add this Salted Caramel Reese's Popcorn to your movie night plans. Two kinds of Reese's candy and a sprinkling of sea salt creates a sweet and salty treat that will disappear in a hurry. I suggest making a double batch.

Try this S'mores Popcorn for a fun treat this summer. Perfect way to get your chocolate and marshmallow fix without the work of a fire.

Salted Caramel Reese's Popcorn - this easy snack mix is loaded with salted caramel and two kinds of Reese's candies. Make this recipe to munch on during movie nights! #popcorn #saltedcaramel #peanutbuttercups #reesespieces #snackmix #nobake #sweetandsalty

Recently we joined a new gym. I thought I was in shape from working out and lifting weights in our garage gym. Apparently when you work out alone, you don't push yourself as much because I was dying the first week.

The weight days have been fine. My muscles are pretty strong from keeping up with my 5x5 lifts, but my cardio is totally lacking. I was gasping and breathing so hard on the first couple of cardio days. Who am I kidding? I'm still struggling. But the plan is to keep going and to keep toning my dessert loving body and to eat more lean and green meals.

I would much rather be munching on things like Salted Caramel Chocolate Sugar Cookie Bars and Banana Chocolate Chip Cheesecakes instead of being so dedicated to clean eating, but then my shorts and jeans get mad at me. All things in moderation, right? A little dessert and a lot of greens and workouts keep me going strong!

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Milk Chocolate S'mores Fudge

By Jocelyn · PUBLISHED May 30, 2018 · UPDATED May 3, 2022 · 1 Comment

Chocolate candy bars, graham crackers, and mini marshmallows add a fun flavor and texture to this S'mores Fudge. Such an easy no bake dessert for summer.

A white plate with squares of chocolate marshmallow fudge on it.

Something about summer says s'mores. There is just something about that chocolate, marshmallow, and graham cracker combo. It's a treat I could enjoy every night.

The problem is that in the middle of summer, it really is too hot to sit around a bonfire and make s'mores. My solution is to create these fun chocolate marshmallow treats in the kitchen far, far away from a blazing fire.

Some of our favorites so far are these s'more granola bars, this s'mores popcorn, and these peanut butter s'more bars.

Yummy sweet s'mores without the mess and danger of a fire in summer. Now that's the way I like it.

Why You Will Love It

S'mores fudge is a great option for hot summer months because it requires no baking or cooking. So, it is perfect when you do not want to heat up your house with the oven.

Frosting fudge is easy to make in minutes without using a candy thermometer. It is the perfect quick and easy treat for summer. You can even make fudge with potatoes. You might be surprised to find out how good potato fudge is!

In under 20 minutes you can have a pan of fudge cooling on your counter.

So whether you enjoy your s'mores made over a crackling fire or in the comfort of your kitchen, this easy chocolate fudge recipe is for you.

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Balsamic Caprese Veggie Salad

By Jocelyn · PUBLISHED May 27, 2018 · UPDATED March 3, 2021 · 4 Comments

A big bowl of this Balsamic Caprese Veggie Salad is a refreshing side dish that goes with any meal. It's a great healthy option to bring to all those summer picnics and potlucks.

Drizzle this Homemade Honey Balsamic Vinaigrette on top right before serving and watch it disappear.

Balsamic Caprese Veggie Salad - this fresh and easy veggie salad is a healthy option to enjoy all summer long. Make this recipe to have with chicken or burgers. #salad #healthy #tomatoes #cucumber #picnic #sidedish #veggies #leanandgreen

At the moment I could eat this veggie salad for every meal and be happy about it. Ok, ok, I would probably not be as happy eating it for breakfast. But you know what I mean, right?

We are still going strong with our healthy eating around here. Well, for the most part. Every so often we indulge and make these Mini Strawberry Pies or these White Chocolate Mochaccino Chippers. The sweet tooth has to have something every once in a while as a reward for hitting it hard in the gym and eating right.

Although, with swim suit season here, I am trying really hard not to eat all the sweets in the house. Trust me, I really do want to hide in my baking pantry and eat chocolate chips by the handfuls. But I'm resisting that urge because I just bought new summer clothes that I want to be able to still fit in.

[Read more...]

Privacy Policy

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We may change this policy from time to time, so please check this page occasionally to ensure that you are happy with any changes. By using our website, you are agreeing to be bound by this policy.

If you have any questions regarding this policy and our privacy practices, please email Jocelyn at insidebrucrewlife@gmail.com

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Red White and Blue Parfaits

By Jocelyn · PUBLISHED May 22, 2018 · UPDATED June 1, 2023 · Leave a Comment

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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Dark Chocolate Buttercream Frosting

By Jocelyn · PUBLISHED May 17, 2018 · UPDATED August 30, 2020 · 33 Comments

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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Chocolate Covered Peanut Butter Apple Rings

By Jocelyn · PUBLISHED April 30, 2018 · UPDATED August 19, 2020 · 2 Comments

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...]

Behind BruCrew Life

By Jocelyn · PUBLISHED April 18, 2018 · 2 Comments

Our family has been busy the past few weeks. We enjoyed some family down in Florida for a week. Our oldest was home from college for a week, and then we flew out to Arizona for a week of spring break fun. In between all of that here are a few moments we enjoyed here in Florida.

I was scrolling through Facebook mindless a few weeks ago, and an ad for a local blueberry farm popped up. I don't know how FB knew that I wanted to make these Blueberry Scones again.

The next Saturday morning my husband and I got up and drove down to this blueberry farm for a bucket of berries. All he wanted to know was why we were picking blueberries when we can buy them at the store?

Did you know that blueberry plants in Florida are grown in pots? I have never seen blueberries grown this way. Maybe it was just this particular farm? Anyone know why? I guess I will have to go back for more blueberries, just so I can ask.

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No Bake Strawberry Daiquiri Cheesecake Parfaits

By Jocelyn · PUBLISHED April 9, 2018 · UPDATED February 7, 2022 · 2 Comments

These pretty pink No Bake Strawberry Daiquiri Cheesecake Parfaits are the perfect easy dessert for spring and summer parties or picnics. The creamy strawberry filling on a hot day is delicious and refreshing.

No bake desserts with layers of no bake cheesecake and cookies make a delicious treat that everyone will love. Add a batch of these No Bake Peanut Butter Fudge Cheesecake Parfaits and watch everyone go crazy for these mini cheesecake parfaits.

I realized this weekend that I missed strawberry season here in Florida. This past weekend I saw an ad pop up on Facebook for a u-pick blueberry farm. So my husband and I headed out Saturday morning to pick berries.

After we got home, I remembered that blueberries usually ripen later than strawberries. I guess I'll have to rely on the grocery store or farmer's market if I want to make more strawberry cheesecake parfaits this month. At least now I know for next year, right?

I'm not used to thinking about berry picking until late May or June because we lived in the midwest for over 16 years. It was always one of my favorite things to do with our kids when they were little. This year, they were not about to get up early to pick berries though.

Thank goodness for a loving husband who went and picked berries, even though he thought it would be easier to just go buy them at the store. [Read more...]

No Bake Shamrock Shake Cheesecake Cones

By Jocelyn · PUBLISHED February 28, 2018 · UPDATED February 22, 2022 · 5 Comments

These No Bake Shamrock Shake Cheesecake Cones are a fun and easy dessert that comes together in minutes. Green sugar and a cherry makes this mint treat look just like the popular shake.

3 ice cream cones filled with green shamrock cheesecake topped with a cherry.

It's crazy how fast time is going these days. I mean it's the end of February already, and I feel like the new year just started. And it's not just this year that's going by fast. I feel like it was just yesterday that our kids were tiny, and now they are teenagers.

The other day we were driving home from church, and our son started playing one of his very first videos that he made playing computer games online. It took my husband and I a second to realize that it was actually him speaking.

The little voice on the video was so cute and young sounding. Now his voice is much deeper. It was crazy to listen to the younger one and then hear one from recently. Like I said time is flying!!!

I also feel like I just made these fun Shamrock Shake Sugar Cookie Bars, but that was a year ago too. Where has the time gone?

[Read more...]

Behind BruCrew Life

By Jocelyn · PUBLISHED February 17, 2018 · 4 Comments

Hey, guys! I thought it would be fun to get back to sharing all the extra pictures and activities behind BruCrew Life. I used to do this behind the scenes look and a top ten post more regularly. For some reason it just kind of slowed down to a few times a year.

But this week I had the urge to get back to some of the things that I used to share before doing recipes full time. It's a fun way to just show some of the randomness of life that happens in our house and how normal we are. Or maybe how abnormal we are. LOL!

Last month the kids were out of school for MLK day, so we headed to Universal for some rides and Butter Beer. Islands of Adventure is so pretty at night.

The kids decided that since the line for the Jurassic water ride was only 5 minutes that they wanted to go on it. It was like 57 degrees that evening, but that didn't stop them from going down 5 times in a row. The first few times they just got a few drips, but by the last ride they were soaked. Crazies!

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32 Pizza Inspired Recipes

By Jocelyn · PUBLISHED February 2, 2018 · UPDATED December 31, 2021 · 1 Comment

Add these 32 Pizza Inspired Recipes to your meal rotation and watch your family smile. Pizza related food always gets two thumbs up around our table.

A collage of 12 different pizza appetizers.

Our kids request pizza at least five out of seven nights a week. Seriously! And I really think they would be ok with eating it that often too. Now obviously we don't, but I love finding ways to include those pizza flavors into their after school snacks or our dinners.

Over the years I have added pizza toppings to soups, cheese balls, sandwiches, pasta, and so many more things. I have a feeling that I can find more ways to add it to a few more recipes, so that's my goal this year.

Today I thought I would share these 32 pizza inspired recipes from our blog and others with you. There are quite a few recipes that would be awesome on your game day food tables if you still need savory ideas for the big game on Sunday. I know the only reason I show up for game day parties is to see what goodies I can fill my plate with.

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Loaded Pizza Cheese Ball

By Jocelyn · PUBLISHED January 4, 2018 · UPDATED January 21, 2022 · 5 Comments

A plate of pretzels and this Loaded Pizza Cheese Ball is the perfect snack to munch on during game days. It is so easy to customize this easy appetizer with your favorite pizza toppings!

*I am partnering with Red Gold® as a brand ambassador this year creating recipes using canned tomatoes. As always, all opinions are 100% my own.

CLICK HERE TO PIN THIS RECIPE FOR LATER!

It has been absolutely frigid here the past few days. Ok, so maybe frigid isn't the word I should be using when I live in sunny Florida. We went back home to Indiana over the holidays, and it was definitely a whole lot colder there.

The other day I was snuggling under the warm covers scrolling through Instagram, and I saw quite a few people braving the -degree weather to enjoy things like running and football games. I am definitely a fair weather fan. If it's cold outside, I'm not leaving my house. For anything. Well, maybe for a quick run to the grocery store, then it's back to my blanket and cup of hot coffee.

During the cold winter months, my favorite way to watch any kind of game is on my couch wrapped in a big fuzzy blanket with a table of food just within in arms reach. Game days are a whole lot more fun when I can feel my fingers and stuff my face with appetizers. I mean veggies... [Read more...]

Top Ten BruCrew Recipes From 2017

By Jocelyn · PUBLISHED December 29, 2017 · 2 Comments

It's always fun to look back over the year and see all the fun recipes we have shared here on the blog. Thank you so much for another awesome year! I appreciate all the support from each and every one of you. It's always fun to get emails and comments from those of you who have tried recipes.

One of my favorite things to do at the end of the year is to see what recipes were the most popular. This year the top ten BruCrew recipes from 2017 were desserts. I have to admit some of these were some of my favorites too.

It was also interesting to see that most of these recipes were ones that we made a short how to video for as well. Are you guys loving these easy videos? I'm excited to continue making them.

CLICK HERE TO PIN THESE RECIPES FOR LATER!

Did your favorite recipe make this list? I would love to hear if you have made any of these recipes and what one was your favorite. Also, are there recipes that you would love to see on the blog next year? Send me a message or leave a comment with your requests.

If you missed these the first time around, here are the links to the top recipes of 2017. [Read more...]

Spiced Apple Waffles

By Jocelyn · PUBLISHED December 21, 2017 · UPDATED August 19, 2020 · 4 Comments

Serve these warm Spiced Apple Waffles with maple apple cranberry sauce and whipped cream. Make this homemade waffle recipe for weekend breakfasts or holidays.

A few weeks ago my husband was out of town for a work trip, so the kids and I were on our own making dinner. If you have been around here very long, you know that meant our main dinner maker was gone. I don't mind making dinner, and I'm not bad at it. But given the choice between making dinner or dessert, I'm going to go for dessert every single time.

I decided to let the kids choose what things they wanted for dinner that week. Our youngest absolutely loves this Spicy Chicken and Rice Soup with slices of cheese on the side, so I knew he would be asking for that again. Don't tell him that I substituted this Easy Cauliflower Rice in it though. Making it lean and green can be our little secret.

Our daughter doesn't mind eating healthy foods, but her choices for the week were Spicy Parmesan Ranch Chicken Tenders with fries and breakfast for dinner. Total comfort food both nights! [Read more...]

Peanut Butter Avalanche Fudge

By Jocelyn · PUBLISHED December 19, 2017 · UPDATED October 20, 2020 · 1 Comment

Pockets of fluffy marshmallows, chocolate chips, and crunchy cereal makes this easy no bake Peanut Butter Avalanche Fudge a must make treat for the holidays.

It's that time of year. Time to make and eat all the fudge! The funny thing is that I love to make (and eat) fudge all year long. At one point I was trying to make a new fudge recipe every month because why should winter get all the fudge fun, right?

There are so many good ones out there like potato fudge and fantasy fudge! But then I got distracted and started making cake mix cookies and cheesecake.

Why do most people think fudge is just a holiday treat? Probably because fudge and cookies are the perfect thing to make for dessert exchanges or for giving away as gifts.

I actually have been holding out on a few fudge recipes. This peanut butter avalanche fudge was one I made this past summer for a church activity, and then I promptly forgot to share it with you.

[Read more...]

No Bake Peppermint Cheesecake Bars

By Jocelyn · PUBLISHED December 7, 2017 · UPDATED December 22, 2021 · 2 Comments

Bright colors and lots of sprinkles make these easy No Bake Peppermint Cheesecake Bars stand out on your Christmas dessert table. The bright colors make it the perfect dessert for all the elves in your life.

No Bake Peppermint Cheesecake Bars topped with a chocolate covered pretzel star on a white plate.

So, I did something scary last night. My husband and I did a live post on my Facebook page. Honestly, I thought I would be more nervous as it got closer to our start time, but it wasn't until right before he pushed the play button that I forgot everything I wanted to say.

The video started sideways, so it totally made me more relaxed because that's just life. Nothing is perfect, and you just have to roll with it, right? We shared some family holiday traditions and then answered some questions about blogging and baking. It was so easy and fun, that we are planning on doing more in the upcoming year. Does that sound good to you?

This fun, bright, colored, crazy cheesecake is another thing I just had to roll with. Earlier this year I made these fun no bake rainbow unicorn cheesecake bars, and everyone has gone nuts for them. The original video got a lot of views, and the pictures have been pinned tons of times on Pinterest. Well, that got me thinking. How could I turn those fun cheesecake bars into a holiday treat?

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Chocolate Mint Oreo Fudge

By Jocelyn · PUBLISHED December 1, 2017 · UPDATED March 1, 2022 · 2 Comments

Cookie chunks and mint chips make this Chocolate Mint Oreo Fudge a creamy no bake treat that will disappear off your holiday dessert tables in no time at all.

*Sign up for the free BruCrew Life email to have these delicious recipes sent to your inbox.

3 pieces of chocolate fudge loaded with green mint cookies and mint chips on a white doily.

I'm trying really hard this year to get into the holiday spirit. This is our first winter living in a very warm climate. Not going to lie. It's kind of strange to look over at our decorated tree by the patio door and see the open blue pool and bright sunny skies behind it.

It's also so strange to be driving around town and see all the holiday decorations around the beach and palm trees. We are totally loving beach life, but I think this first Christmas will feel different no matter what we do.

So in order to keep our holiday spirits up, I am taking it upon me to keep the air conditioner blasting cold air while I make tons of festive treats. It's a mission I think I am up for.

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Frosted Mocha Shortbread Cookie Sticks

By Jocelyn · PUBLISHED November 27, 2017 · UPDATED October 29, 2018 · 3 Comments

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...]

Apple Turkeys

By Jocelyn · PUBLISHED November 2, 2017 · UPDATED August 19, 2020 · 1 Comment

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.

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How to Make Easy Cauliflower Rice

By Jocelyn · PUBLISHED November 1, 2017 · UPDATED August 14, 2022 · 9 Comments

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.

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Chocolate Cookies and Cream Cheesecake Bars

By Jocelyn · PUBLISHED October 30, 2017 · UPDATED August 29, 2020 · 5 Comments

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

By Jocelyn · PUBLISHED October 24, 2017 · UPDATED April 5, 2019 · 3 Comments

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...]

Cauliflower Stuffed Peppers

By Jocelyn · PUBLISHED October 19, 2017 · UPDATED March 4, 2021 · 4 Comments

Make a pan of these Cauliflower Stuffed Peppers to feed your hungry family. Each pepper is loaded with lots of meat and veggies and is a delicious option when you are choosing better food options.

Healthy Stuffed Peppers - this healthy dinner is loaded with meat and veggies. Easy nutritious recipe to make for dinner!

The first thing out of our kids' mouths when they walk in the door is, "What's for dinner?" You would think they hadn't eaten in weeks with their hunger. But I know better because every morning, my hubby or I get up and make sure they have lunch to grab as they walk out the door.

Yes, our kids are teenagers and can make lunches, and some days they do. But I love sending them to school with a lunch hand-packed with love. Hmmmm, I wonder what they would think if I started adding little notes and messages like I used to when they were little.

They might start making their lunches, and I would get a few extra minutes of snoozing. Just kidding. I would do it again if they told me how embarrassed they were because that's our job as a parent, right? Embarrass them with lots of love!

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Puff Pastry Apple Tart

By Jocelyn · PUBLISHED October 9, 2017 · UPDATED August 19, 2020 · 5 Comments

Drizzles of caramel and chocolate add a fun flair to these easy Puff Pastry Apple Tarts. Enjoy plain for breakfast or add a scoop of ice cream for a delicious fall dessert.

The weather here is not cooperating with my desire for fall. It's hard to stay in the fall mood when you are wearing shorts and tank tops because it is 80 million degrees outside with 150% humidity. Ok, so maybe I'm exaggerating slightly.

Our fall decorations up on the shelves, and the air conditioner has been set to low. I'm trying to trick myself into believing that fall has come to FL. As long as I never leave the house again, I will never know that it's still summer here. Sounds like a plan to me.

Oh, but then I can't go shopping for more baking supplies. Hhhhmmm, this could pose a problem. Maybe it's time to invest in a grocery delivery service because food and hair spray are necessities here. [Read more...]

Best Vanilla Bean Cheesecake

By Jocelyn · PUBLISHED September 27, 2017 · UPDATED October 27, 2020 · 7 Comments

This Vanilla Bean Cheesecake is the perfect canvas for your favorite pie fillings or toppings. It's also an awesome base recipe for so many different flavor combos.

Vanilla Bean Cheesecake - creamy vanilla cheesecake with a vanilla cookie crust is a great base for your favorite pie filings or topping. Perfect cheesecake recipe to share after any dinner or party!

So today we are talking all things cheesecake again. It's book release week, so I'm going to go a little bonkers in sharing cheesecake recipes with you. Lots to share...and to eat. Yum!!!

You would think after making an entire book about cheesecake, that we would be totally over the creamy goodness.

Nope. You see when you write a book, it actually takes forever for it to be edited, printed, and published. We are talking like a year and a half. Yup, I turned the manuscript in last April. So I had plenty of time to recover from eating all things cheesecake.

Now I'm ready to make and eat my weight in more cheesecake! Who's with me??? Because I didn't even put a dent in my list of cheesecake ideas...

[Read more...]

Cheesecake Love is Here

By Jocelyn · PUBLISHED September 26, 2017 · UPDATED August 27, 2020 · 113 Comments

Woo hoo! It's finally here!

The day when Cheesecake Love is available for purchase in stores! Some of you may have preordered it and may have gotten it in the mail already!! Are you excited to get in your kitchen and cheesecake all the things???

I cannot believe that this day is finally here. It seems like so long ago that I was baking all things cheesecake and writing this book. I can't even tell you how many hours and how many pounds of cream cheese, sugar, and butter went into making this book. Trust me it was a lot!

Now the actual day everyone else can enjoy it is finally here. I was seriously in awe when my copy came, and I got to flip through the pages.

[Read more...]

Brownie Cheesecake Breakfast Tarts

By Jocelyn · PUBLISHED September 25, 2017 · UPDATED July 15, 2019 · 7 Comments

These easy Brownie Cheesecake Breakfast Tarts are a delicious pastry you can make yourself. A sweet brownie center, chocolate frosting, and sprinkles will get the morning started off right.

This post was brought to you by the makers of Promised Land Dairy for the #FarFromOrdinaryMilk campaign. I received compensation to write this post through the Far From Ordinary Milk program. All opinions expressed are 100% my own.

I can remember my parents buying us boxes of store bought pastries to grab on our way out the door for school many, many years ago. Back then there were only a few flavors to choose from on the store shelves.

Of course, I always grabbed the chocolate ones. To this day, I will always go for anything chocolate over fruity.

Our kids are no different. If we have strawberry pastries and s'mores pastries in the pantry, can you guess which one will still be sitting there a week later? [Read more...]

Biscoff S'mores Pudding Cookies

By Jocelyn · PUBLISHED August 10, 2017 · UPDATED January 16, 2020 · 8 Comments

Fill your cookie jar with a batch of these chewy Biscoff S'mores Pudding Cookies. The soft, puffy cookies are great for lunch boxes or snacking on any time!!!

Biscoff S'mores Pudding Cookies - awesome chewy cookies loaded with cookie butter, chocolate, marshmallow, and graham chunks. Awesome dessert recipe for after school snacking or lunch boxes!

Bonus - If you love Biscoff, don't miss out on this Biscoff Cheesecake!

We are counting down to the start of school here. Our kids only have 4 more days of summer vacation until that first day of classes begin. The high school that our daughter is attending this year starts at 7:30 am. She says she needs to make the most of sleeping in for the next few days because she is not ready to be up that early. Her school last year didn't start until 9 am. That's going to be an adjust for her (and us) because she is not a morning person. At all!

Who am I kidding? I'm not much of a morning person either. Although this past summer I really tried to get up by 7 am, so that I could get my quiet time, work out, and odds and ends work stuff done before the kids got up. The past few weeks though we have been up late trying to unpack all the boxes and figure out where things can go, so I have definitely been sleeping in a bit more. Time to get back on schedule with work and baking. I miss baking crazy things like this chocolate s'mores pudding cake.

But hey, there are only 4 more days to enjoy all the summer things, right? Sleeping in happens to be one of those things, so maybe I'll just enjoy a few more late mornings after all. All things s'mores is another thing that says summer to me. Since we were so busy with moving stuff this summer, we haven't enjoyed as many s'mores treats in the backyard.

[Read more...]

Cherry Apple Crumble Bars

By Jocelyn · PUBLISHED July 20, 2017 · UPDATED June 24, 2021 · 2 Comments

The spices and fruit filling in these Cherry Apple Crumble Bars work so well together. Eat one of these cherry cobbler bars warm with vanilla ice cream for a delicious summer dessert.

Cherry Apple Crumble Bars - the sweet fruit filling and spice crumbs make these easy treats a fun summer dessert. Try the recipe warm with ice cream!!!

The past few weeks we have been slowly packing boxes as we get ready to move across the country again. As I pull things out of closets and drawers I keep asking why. Why do we have so many towels for 5 people? Why did I keep all the jewelry making supplies from when I was in the "make your own" phase? I haven't made anything new for almost 2 years. Maybe it is time to let go.

Why are there 15 jillion bottles of curly hair product in my closet and under the sink? Oh, yeah curly girl problems. I like to try every single product out there for curly hair because you never know which one might work the best.

The problem with that theory is that you end up with a lot of bottles of product that just sit there because it didn't make your hair look as good as you hoped. This week I am making myself use the old stuff up. If you see me wearing a hat, you will know why.

[Read more...]

Cookbook

Hello, cheesecake lovers of the world! I am so excited to share my cookbook Cheesecake Love with you!!

After two years of preparing, baking, writing, photographing, and sometimes crying in a closet because writing a cookbook is extremely hard word, my book is finally on shelves nationwide. I never knew how much work and time went into creating a cookbook until I was deep in the process.

Thank goodness I have a loving husband and sweet friends who kept me focused and motivated to finish strong.

This fun cookbook is filled with so many delicious cheesecake recipes. Over the years I have incorporated cheesecake into so many different desserts and have learned that cheesecake doesn’t need to be hard. So when I was approached about writing a cookbook, cheesecake was the natural thing I wanted to dive into. Every dessert in our kitchen became a blank canvas for cheesecake love!

In this cookbook, you will find something for everyone. There are fruity cheesecakes, chocolate cheesecakes, and even cheesecake for breakfast. Yes, you read that right. We brought your favorite dessert to the breakfast table, so you can start the day off with cheesecake. How's that for some fun?

The recipes in the book has been tested and are a true reflection of the recipes you find daily here on our blog. Each recipe comes with a little story about the recipe or how it was developed and most of the recipes have full color photos, so you can see what your recipe should look like when you are done!

Now for some sneak peaks into the book…

Chapter 1 – Full-Sized Cheesecakes: Triple Chocolate Cheesecake (above)

Chapter 2 – Mini Cheesecakes: Nutella Mousse Cheesecakes (below)

Chapter 3 – Cheesecake Bars and Bites: Turtle Cheesecake Cookie Bars

Chapter 4 – No Bake Cheesecakes: No Bake Strawberry Cheesecake Parfaits

Chapter 5 – Cheesecake Brownies: White Chocolate Raspberry Cheesecake Brownies

Chapter 6 – Cheesecake Pies: Apple Crumble Cheesecake Pie (below)

Chapter 7 – Breakfast Cheesecake: Cherry Lime Cheesecake Braid

Chapter 8 – Out of the Box Cheesecakes: Cookies and Cream Cheesecake Cake Roll

It is my desire that these easy and fun recipes in Cheesecake Love will inspire you to get in your kitchen and to experiment with fun flavor combos and to "cheesecake" to all the things as you bake your way through the book.

This book is seriously a dream come true! All the work from the past few years has been worth it. I am so excited to share the cookbook information with you. Hopefully the sneak peaks have you convinced you need this book in your kitchen.

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Small Batch Cherry Preserves

By Jocelyn · PUBLISHED July 7, 2017 · 5 Comments

Small Batch Cherry Preserves will harness all the summer flavor you love in one little jar. What are you waiting for? It only takes half an hour!

Small Batch Cherry Preserves - use those fresh summer berries to make a small jar of preserves. Great recipe to use on cream cheese bagels or on toast.

At the moment I can't stop buying fresh berries. Blueberries, blackberries, and strawberries have been making their way right into my cart every time I go grocery shopping.

It's not a bad problem to have. I guess there could be worse things that could jump into my cart.

Oh, wait. I have a seriously large sweet tooth so there are always cookies and candies jumping into the cart too. I should probably try to stick to the sugar in the fruit instead. Thank goodness all three of our kids love fruit.

[Read more...]

Seven Places to Visit in San Francisco

By Jocelyn · PUBLISHED June 26, 2017 · UPDATED July 5, 2018 · 3 Comments

We only had a few days to check out the sites of the city, so here are Seven Places to Visit in San Francisco that we enjoyed. Bring comfortable shoes because you will be doing a lot of walking.

A few months ago my husband had a conference in San Francisco. I was able to fly out and join him for a few days after his conference was over. Since we only had a few days to explore, we tried to hit some of the most popular places.

Now I realize that there are WAY more than seven places that you could visit in San Francisco. But we only had 3 days and our legs to get us there. We did rent a car one of the days because we wanted to visit the redwood forests outside the city, but most of our exploring was done by walking and an occasional Uber.

The first two days we were exploring it was cloudy and raining, so we didn't see things as well as we would have liked, but hey, it was still fun.

[Read more...]

Pina Colada Cheesecake Parfaits

By Jocelyn · PUBLISHED June 23, 2017 · UPDATED October 27, 2020 · 3 Comments

Grab a spoon and a spot in the shade while you enjoy a few of these No Bake Pina Colada Cheesecake Parfaits! These creamy cups are the perfect treat for summer picnics or parties!

This past week our family enjoyed some time away at the beaches in Florida. A week of sunshine, waves, and sunsets was just what we needed after a busy year of school and work. If you follow us on Instagram, you may have seen some of the fun things we were doing.

We decided to make most of our meals in our room since it had a mini kitchen. It's nice to have food in the fridge for quick and easy meals after a long day in the sun.

Of course, vacations also call for a few meals out. My favorite thing to order are shrimp tacos, and there is nothing better than a shrimp meal on a beach. [Read more...]

No Bake Nutella Oreo Icebox Cake

By Jocelyn · PUBLISHED June 12, 2017 · UPDATED October 27, 2020 · 5 Comments

Layers of cookies, chocolate cheesecake, and strawberries make this easy No Bake Nutella Oreo Icebox Cake the perfect summer dessert. Chocolate and no bake always get my attention!

Up until this past week, we have had hot days and cool nights. That cooler weather was perfect for having a campfire in the back yard at night and for working out in the early morning.

Then this week hit and we have had more humidity during the day than usual. The hotter days have been carrying over into the evening. That doesn't stop us from lighting up some of the wood in our backyard though. S'mores are a must have during the summer.

Who am I kidding? I could do s'mores all year long. Give me that gooey chocolate and marshmallow any day! [Read more...]

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