Vanilla Cookies

It's almost Valentine's Day! I think a holiday to celebrate love is wonderful. Whether it's love for a significant other, yourself, family members or your friends, it's always important to celebrate those close to you and let them know that you appreciate them.

Valentine's is knows for all of the sweets and sugar involved. These aren't an exception, but they are small, so it makes it easier to eat one or two instead of a sugar cookie. Sugar cookies are a typical holiday treat. Even though I like them once-in-a-while, it's nice to have a break sometimes. These vanilla cookies somewhat mimic a sugar cookie, but they are a little more crumbly and not as incredibly sweet. They're a favorite of mine and they are handed down from my Grandma.

Apple Pie

I hope that everyone is ready for Thanksgiving! It's one of my favorite holidays, and I love getting together with family. Apple pie is a staple at Thanksgiving dinners, and this recipe is so easy to make! You can easily buy pie dough or a pre-made pie crust to make this even more simple. Pies take time, so make sure you start a few hours before you need it to make sure it's ready. A lot of the time is chilling in the fridge, so it's not too bad. And the measuring isn't too bad either. Just make sure that you make the pie crust correctly, not too wet from the water, but not too crumbly and dry. A pie crust should be flaky.

Dulce de Leche Cutout Cookies

I wanted to make Halloween cookies, but I wanted to try something new! So, I thought I'd try one of my favorite cookies that my sister-in-law Sarah over at High Heels and Grills makes. When I was dating my husband (her brother) we drove from Utah to her house in Fort Collins, Colorado and she made these cookies for us, I fell in love with them! And then when we got married, she made a ton of desserts and these were definitely on the table for refreshments.

Shortbread is so delicate and crumbly, and I literally carved out the faces for these cookies with a toothpick! It took longer than I'd expect it to, so unless you have a lot of time on your hands, use a Linzer Cookie Cutter and it'll be way easier. You can find different holiday ones too, but probably not pumpkin faces ;).

You can find the original recipe here from my SIL's blog. I halved it so that we didn't have cookies coming out of our ears. Best recipe for baking for two!

Pretty and Pink Cherry Chiffon Salad

This is the perfect salad to bring to a potluck or share with your family this Valentine's Day! It takes less than 10 minutes to make and everyone absolutely loves it!

We just had my younger brothers stay with us for the weekend and my eight-year-old brother thought it was great because of the marshmallows, you can always get kids to eat stuff with marshmallows haha! I had so much fun with them down here while my parents were at meetings in Las Vegas. We went swimming, hiking and made some pizza for National Pizza Day! And we watched movies and ate lots and lots of food. I wish that I didn't live over 3 hours away from them because whenever we leave it's not super fun. But, I get to see them the beginning of March, really looking forward to that! I loved sharing this dessert with them and it actually had quite a few leftovers, so you can definitely feed a lot of people with this dessert!

Caramel Popcorn

It's National Popcorn Day and I'm over here celebrating! I love love love popcorn! I can't believe how warm and dry the weather is out here in Southern Utah this year. It's kind of scary, so hopefully we'll get some moisture soon! As much as I love the movie theater, sometimes I just prefer sitting at home and watching a movie with some popcorn in my pajamas and fuzzy socks. I'm so much more comfortable and it's way cheaper too! But, I swear that my attention span is totally lost during a full-length movie unless I have something to munch on. And that's usually (okay, always) popcorn! I love the microwave stuff, picking up a bucket from the theater and bringing it home, or even air popped corn from home. But the special treat is the rarely-made caramel popcorn.


When we were first married and I discovered how good this stuff was, I made it a ton. Bad idea, surprisingly (not really) it's not that good for you. So now, we decided to make it a special treat when we want to indulge in the goodness of it. It's a sweet caramel sauce that is made perfection with the sweetened condensed milk. My in-laws make it and it's one of the best things ever! I'd say that it's part of the reason why I married my husband, but I actually never even had it until we were engaged. I'm pretty particular about food and if I haven't liked something before, I'm not very willing to try it. When I was younger, I had caramel popcorn but but it was more of a hard coating than this and I didn't like it. So, after they told me "caramel popcorn" I was pretty much thinking no way, but I took a little so I wouldn't be rude and I was hooked. Best stuff ever.

16 Sugar Cookies

These sugar cookies are so easy to make, don't need chilling, and taste amazing! And, this recipe only makes like 16-20 cookies. So it means I don't overload on cookies too much! Perfect for small get togethers, or any occasion where you want to decorate and eat but don't want too many.

Perfectly Autumn Pumpkin Bread

This is the pumpkin bread that I grew up on, and oh man, it’s amazing. The two loaves it makes wouldn’t last a day with us kids cutting it off piece by piece, loading butter on top of it (now I think how gross it is how much butter we put on there), and putting it in the microwave for 15 seconds while we cut another piece to eat before our warm piece. It was the best thing ever.

Now, I have to half the recipe or try and give some away because I know if this bread is sitting there, I could eat it all gone.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

It’s October!! So that means pumpkin EVERYTHING….right!? October is the beginning to my favorite three months of the whole entire year! I love Autumn and everything that it brings along with it. Even though it brought snow with it this year to Utah already and I think that was jumping the gun a bit there. I absolutely LOVE the chilly weather and the colorful falling leaves. I also love fall fashion: the sweaters, boots, scarves, jackets, everything!! Living in Southern Utah, it’s a bit warmer here than the rest of the state it feels like sometimes, and then it feels like it’s colder than the rest of the state from harsh winds at others haha I guess I should just be happy I’m not snowed in regularly. We enjoy hiking in Zion National Park and it’s pretty warm there in the summer, and we try to visit it more in the spring and fall since it’s cooler to hike and enjoy the weather during those times. We visited with family a couple weeks ago and hope to stop there at least one or two more times before it’s too cold to be enjoyable out there.

Basic Mini Cheesecakes

As I have said before, cheesecake is my absolute favorite dessert ever. I’d say chocolate, but my chocolate intake would be more than a dessert. So I call that more of a staple. That works...right?! My mom is a kindergarten teacher, mom of five, and one of the busiest people I know. I’ll never understand how she could teach full-time, run my brothers to sports practices, make dinner, watch me cheer and my sister play volleyball, get piano practiced and homework finished, and run other errands around town all while keeping the house clean. She is totally Wonder Woman. But, she always has some chocolate hidden in a jar in her classroom or in the toaster cupboard at home, and she taught me that helps the day go by a little bit smoother. So, I just have to keep it there in my life too! And of course, put it on top of these great cheesecakes.

I like to make flavored cheesecakes so much. I love trying new things and mixing new flavors together that I know I will always love because, cheesecake. But, sometimes you just need that classic flavor. One of the perks to a plain cheesecake is that you can add any toppings you would like to it. Perfect for a cheesecake bar or something like that. Some I’d recommend: fruit, nuts, chocolate, caramel, and candies.

Two Dozen Chocolate Chip Cookies

These cookies are great because they make 2 dozen! I have halved it and it worked out great for me, so if you're wanting to make 1 dozen cookies, do that and it will work out great! But, I like to share cookies with others, and I still want a lot for myself, so 2 dozen is perfect for us! This recipe makes suuuper soft cookies and they look slightly undercookied, but they end up being perfect! They're very rich and so it makes it a little easier to stop after eating just a couple of them.
I never really liked cookies a ton growing up, but I have come to like them a lot more recently. I don't know why exactly though? I'm a chocolate lover, and usually brownies and ice cream means more chocolate, so that's my only guess. Ice cream is still my dessert of choice, but chocolate chip cookies are coming to be a very close second. Lucky for me, cookies are a lot easier to make than ice cream is, and it's also easier to share cookies with neighbors and friends. The day before my brother left on his mission, we got together and had dinner as a family. I brought these cookies for dessert, but they were gone before we even finished cooking dinner. SO GOOD! I have a favorite recipe, but they make like 8 or 9 dozen cookies, and that's way too many for me because after sharing, I still have about half of them left. And you know, I could eat all of them.

Family Favorite Zucchini Brownies

Sunday nights in the summer always meant zucchini brownies at my house growing up. We'd eat zucchini daily over the summer. I have two zucchini favorites and one of them is these brownies. It makes a whole sheet and my family could down them in less than 12 hours, we'd eat them for dessert, before bed snack, and breakfast the next day. And then we'd eat the unwanted edges before lunch. That's how much we love them. The texture is pretty cakey, but not dry and spongy. It's like the perfect cake, all because the zucchini makes it not as dry. But, we still call them brownies instead of cake, and I don't quite get why?...haha! My other favorite is what we called "squished squash" growing up and it's stuck. I think it's technically a zucchini mousse sort of thing? It's steamed zucchini with sour cream, parm and cheddar cheese, and salt and pepper. It's amazing. And, I could eat it every. single. day. We're moving away from family soon and I'll be pretty bummed when I can't pick fresh veggies out of my family's garden.
I can't believe that summer is winding down. We have hiked all summer, hung out with family, and just hung out. My husband has been working like crazy. He is a temporary worker for the Forest Service, and hikes for 40 hours each week, plus overtime almost EVERY SINGLE WEEK! Like 50-60 hours each week, he is hiking straight up the mountains. And it amazes me because, I don't think I could do that. When we hike for 5 hours, I am pretty much dead by that point. So, I am excited to be able to spend time with him when school starts. We are wanting to do one more fun trip before school starts. I'd love to hear any ideas if you have any!

No-Bake Raspberry Lemonade Dessert

Oh my, this dessert is amazing!! My mom received this recipe from one of her co-workers and we have loved it since then. Right after I graduated from high school, I competed for Miss Utah representing our county and we had a send-off party and served this dessert there because it was such a favorite of ours! I like how easy it is to make and it can serve quite a few people too. Who would've thought that putting Ritz Crackers and frozen lemonade together would taste this amazing? It's like a Better Than Anything Cake in a light, fruity form. And if you haven't tried Better Than Anything Cake, you have to make that one too, it's the real chocolaty goodness you need in your life! This dessert is one of those that, if you make it for yourself, you keep going back to the fridge to take just another small slice, and it's gone by the end of the day. This recipe was given to my mom by one of her coworkers and has been passed around for a while, I added the raspberries for a fun little texture change!
I'm all about light summer desserts because it seems like there is always another party to go to during the summer. I'm a Mormon (you can learn more about our religion here, and no....we don't practice plural marriages) and when boys turn 18 and girls turn 19, they are given the opportunity to choose to serve a mission for our church. And since everyone is out of school for the summer, many of them leave during those months. Coming from a small town, everyone knows everyone else, and we attend a meeting where the person leaving or returning gives some remarks and then afterwards, we have a dinner and visiting afterwards. So, it seems like almost every Sunday, there is a dinner going on that you can contribute to. So, desserts and salads are on repeat for about five months, and I really don't mind.

Lemon Bread

This lemon bread is fantastic! It makes one loaf, so that's perfect for a small number of people. This is, of course, more of a dessert bread, so the one loaf works great for me so I can make sure not to overeat like crazy. Bread is one thing that Michael and I can eat a TON of (and sadly, it doesn't even matter which kind). This lemon bread has been a favorite of mine for years. One of our family friends made it for us every year for Christmas, and it was one of my favorite Holiday treats. After we were married, Michael tried some and absolutely LOVED it, and even asked for it on his birthday instead of a cake. So, it's now on repeat for our treats we choose every once-in-a-while. 

This bread is pretty simple to make. I use my KitchenAid to mix it. Honestly, I use my Kitchen Aid all of the time. For breakfast, I like to beat pancake or waffle batter in it, and it always leaves it perfect. Muffin mix in this thing is great too, especially if you're using fresh fruit, because it doesn't mash them up too much. I also use it to mash motatoes (instead of actually mashing them) and it whips them up to make them super creamy. You can also knead bread in your KitchenAid! And, of course, I use it for all of my desserts that I love: cookie dough, brownie and cake batter, breads, and cupcakes. It's my go-to, and I am always so excited to find something new to do with it. 

Patriotic Chocolate and Yogurt Covered Raspberries

Growing up in a small town, I have had now, almost 20 years of small town 4th of July celebrations. If you haven't been to a small, rural community for Independence Day, you absolutely have to do it. Even if you know nobody there, you will feel welcome. Usually, the day starts off with a 5K that my mom ran regularly growing up. After that, the American Legion puts on a breakfast where my family eats pancakes, bacon, and eggs. After this, the festivities really begin. We spend the day at the park where there are classic activities including: egg toss, three leg race, finding coins in the hay, and a dunk tank. We eat lunch and enjoy a program that runs throughout the day. After lunch, the fire truck pulls in for a big tug-of-war where everyone gets soaked. Our next stop is the local pool where there is a discount for the day. By now, everyone is pretty tired. So, we go home and take a nap until dinner. Dinner is filled with fresh food, homemade ice cream and rootbeer, and of course, watermelon. The 4th of July parade takes place on Main Street, and then we end the day with a patriotic program and fireworks at the football field. It's wonderful, and I don't think that anything will ever live up to the celebration of this holiday at home. I love supporting America and what this country was built on.

Disney Copycat Pineapple Dole Whips

It's National Pineapple Day! So, I thought that I would share with you one of my favorite pineapple treats- Dole Whips. These are some of the best things you can grab at Disneyland, so making them at home will help to hold you over until your next Disney trip. One of the great things about this recipe is that they can be healthy when you make them at home! Nothing is more refreshing than a light, citrus, frozen treat. It only takes about five minutes to make these things. I altered the recipe from Gemma's Bigger Boulder Baking for less people and also added the lemon and lime juice.

Lemon Raspberry Cheesecake

If I could choose one dessert to eat for the rest of my life, it would be either cheesecake or ice cream. I honestly think that could be one of the most difficult decisions of my life. But, since cheesecake is up there, I thought that I'd share with you my favorite cheesecake recipe. I love eating cheesecake from The Cheesecake Factory, that's my first choice for birthdays and special events- my husband even took me there to eat the day he proposed to me because that's how much I really enjoy it. I love ALL of the cheesecakes there, but mostly the chocolate or caramel flavors (favorite main dishes are the Chicken Madeira and Grilled Chicken Tostada Salad).

This cheesecake is quite a bit of a change from your typical cheesecake, it's actually very light and fluffy. I do enjoy the decadent cheesecakes with rich flavor, but this toss-up is so refreshing! I got this recipe from Dining With The Prophets (currently only $4.99!!), a cookbook with recipes from The Lion House Pantry, a cute little restaurant in the heart of Salt Lake City on page 24. It's listed as "Spencer W. Kimball's Raspberry Cheesecake". And it's so yummy!

Chocolate Peanut Butter Easter Eggs- Reece's Copycat

Reece's chocolate eggs are my weakness. I like regular Reece's but the creamy eggs just speak to me. You know how they put Easter candy out shortly before Valentine's Day and everyone is upset? I'm not because it means I can buy myself a chocolate egg. This year, I decided to bring an Easter treat home to my family and thought I would give these eggs a go. My favorite thing about them is that they're super rich so you pretty much can only eat one and then stop instead of eating a whole pack like I normally do.
I love Easter. Coming from a small town, we have a city Easter egg hunt each year, and for as long as I can remember, I have helped stuff the eggs beforehand and set them out for the kids to pick up at the local park. My family is religious, so we always celebrate the Easter Bunny and egg hunting the day before Easter Sunday so we can focus on Christ on Easter Sunday where we read in the Bible and discuss His death and resurrection. I have enjoyed this tradition because it's fun to have fun, but also a great time to love and appreciate what Easter is about. Another reason why I love Easter is because of the movies. My favorite Easter movies are: "It's the Easter Beagle Charlie Brown", "Here Comes Peter Cottontail" (original version), and "The Easter Bunny is Comin' to Town"- this one is my absolute favorite because of the colors and graphics, it's adorable! Spring is beautiful and the flowers for Easter is another highlight of this time for me.
I would definately recommend getting an egg-shaped cookie cutter before starting these. I completely forgot and ended up cutting them all individually, which was honestly a little bit of a hassle. So, get a cookie cutter and it will make this a lot easier and way more enjoyable to make. Another hint: keep them in the freezer while dipping in chocolate. Don't take the whole sheet out, just one or two at a time so they stay frozen and don't break in the hot chocolate you're dipping them in. The recipe was found from The Recipe Critic.

Valentine's Cupcakes: Chocolate Peanut Butter

One of my favorite homemade desserts right here! I’m not too much of a cupcake fan, but making these for special occasions such as Valentine’s Day, gets my cupcake fix in for the year. They are chocolate (my favorite) with a peanut butter accent. They’re rich and have the perfect texture that’s not too crumbly. These are the cupcakes that children and adults will both enjoy! 

They are really great for any occasion, just by adding Valentine’s themed cupcake tins and hearts at the top, they are perfect for this holiday of love. You could simply color the frosting or add sprinkles to make them even more festive. This is definitely not a recipe for only two people since it makes 18 cupcakes. We saved some for ourselves and shared with friends and family! 

The original recipe from Baker By Nature calls for a peanut butter frosting-they're definately the Ultimate Chocolate Peanut Butter Cupcakes! That’s a little too much for me, so I opted for a plain chocolate frosting and added peanut butter cups on top! Num’s the Word had a great Rolo Cupcake recipe, and I loved their frosting, so I decided to try that with these and it was perfect!