Tag: granola

Tasty Tuesday: Sharing Some Valentine Love

Jennifer Maune: Peanut Butter Heart Cookies

I had so much fun making these cookies with my five-year-old. She’s at such a fun age. We’re just getting to the point where we can have full conversations and she’s wanting to help with everything, and wanting to go with me everywhere. She’s my little bestie. She always likes to help in the kitchen but this was the first experience where I told her the order of ingredients and she wanted to put them all in herself. We had so much fun baking together. She kept stealing bites of brown sugar, and of course, couldn’t resist the cookie dough once it was all mixed. I love experiencing these moments with her…this is everything I imagined motherhood would be. She pretty much made this batch of cookies herself (with my assistance of course) and she even rolled them into little balls in preparation for baking. They turned out so yummy and I’m excited to share this recipe for our Peanut Butter Heart Cookies. READ MORE

Anita Stafford: Tunnel of Fudge Cake

According to recent statistics, the average person celebrating Valentine’s Day in 2016 will spend almost $150 to show their affection. Of course, some will spend considerably more if they opt for the whole sweetheart package. According to the New York Post, the five items most purchased for a significant other are: a box of chocolates, diamond earrings, a dozen roses, dinner for two, and a bottle of champagne. Those five items can add up to over $500, all in the name of love.

I’m sure your sweetheart is worth the cost, nevertheless, not everyone wants to spend such an exorbitant amount of money. Perhaps a home baked cake would be sufficient to communicate your fondness for that special someone. READ MORE

Lacie Ring: Cupid Munch

This recipe is so easy and quick to throw together. I promise you that it takes me longer to snap the pictures than it does to make up Cupid Munch. READ MORE

Mel Lockcuff: Crisp Cut Out Sugar Cookies

What makes this recipe special is that my mom taught me how to make it, just like a lot of recipes I love to make. She is the best at making these yummy Christmas cookies, and she taught me everything I know about baking them.

To make these cookies special, all the Christmas cookie cutters come out, along with my old friend, the rolling pin. We roll and re-roll the dough, cutting out snowmen, Christmas trees, bells, and stars.

After the cookies have baked and cooled, it’s time to decorate, and the kids have so much fun with this. Jaden’s cookies are usually decorated to the hilt; they make my teeth hurt just looking at them. We keep the decorating simple, using butter knives to spread the icing on… Then sprinkle a few of our favorite sprinkles to add a little crunch.

These sugar cookies usually end up on a plate with a glass of milk come Christmas Eve. And they always disappear; so apparently, Santa likes them too. READ MORE

Ricci Alexis: Red Velvet Cake Batter Cookies

Well the other day I was at Target and they had all of their Valentine’s baking stuff on display and I decided to grab a red velvet cake mix fully intending on making some cupcakes to take to work for my birthday. I got home and realized I forgot the icing so I had to kill that idea, just my luck, but then I remembered all of those recipes I had seen for cake batter cookies and the idea was born! READ MORE

Amanda Farris: Valentine Trash

We’ve had a fun week of celebrating and gearing up for Valentine’s Day. As a homeschooling mom, planning crafts and activities around the holiday’s is part of the fun!

This past week we’ve had a tea party, math activity, made Valentine slime, fun snacks, and a craft.

We actually have tea parties often. The kids love it and it breaks up routine. Not to mention, I love watching their little personalities act so “proper” at our sophisticated backyard tea parties with animal crackers and sliced cheese.

For our Valentine’s tea party, part of the fun was making the snack for the party. We spend LOTS of time around our kitchen island making huge messes. It’s exactly what I had envisioned when we built our house. READ MORE

Cassie Celestain: Healthy Organic Granola Valentine’s Treat

BINGO! There it was! The kind of Valentine treat I was looking for for Ryan! An Apple Cinnamon Granola with Hazelnuts and Cranberries recipe. Ryan eats granola daily, yet he really does enjoy having variety, so why not try a new yummy granola recipe! READ MORE

It’s Tasty Tuesday {The Pumpkin Edition, Round 2}

By now you know ARWB has some really terrific cooks. When we decided to feature some of the best of the pumpkin recipes, we got so many delicious ones, we just had to expand our featured pumpkin posts to a 2-week edition.

I just know you’re going to find something tasty to try this week.

Anita Stafford: Pumpkin Roll

I know this is pumpkin season, but I have to admit I’m not a huge fan of the traditional pumpkin pie. I do, however, love a good pumpkin roll. If you’re planning to make a pumpkin roll for the holidays, THIS is it. This recipe was inspired from Trisha Yearwood’s pumpkin roll, but it has been adapted a bit. The recipe was already great, but my sister thought of adding freshly ground nutmeg and walnuts, and now it is super. But don’t take my word for it, I’ll let the pumpkin roll speak for itself. READ MORE

Keri Bucci: Pumpkin Spice Eggnog

Eggnog is one of those things that starts to arrive on store shelves and on our table around November.
It’s a truly classic drink that is rarely drunk outside of the holiday season like another favorite of mine, pumpkin spice lattes. It has a thick rich texture and a taste that is unique. It is a taste one that people either love or hate. READ MORE

Gina Knuppenberg: Pumpkin Spice Granola

I love taking granola to work. I enjoy it at my desk with some milk. It makes the milk pumpkin-y. READ MORE

Mel Lockcuff: Pumpkin Spice Gooey Butter Cake

Pumpkin Spice Gooey Butter Cake is a spinoff of one of my favorite desserts. Growing up in St. Louis, gooey butter cake was really popular. There’s just something really yummy about cream cheese mixed together with butter and powdered sugar. And then, of course, there’s the chewy crust and the crackle-y top, probably my favorite things about this dessert. READ MORE

Debbie Arnold: Pumpkin Cheesecake with White Chocolate-Toffee-Buttermilk Ganache

The filling and crust for this Pumpkin Cheesecake with White Chocolate-Toffee-Buttermilk Ganache are the same as those for my recent Pumpkin Cheesecake with Salted Caramel Praline Pecan Cheesecake. It takes on a whole new personality with a simple change in the topping. You could also change it up by using graham crackers or vanilla wafers for the crust.

It’s Tasty Tuesday {The Pumpkin Edition, Round 1}

Our posts for this week’s edition of It’s Tasty Tuesday all feature some of our favorite pumpkin recipes. If you’ve been thinking of a pumpkin as a vegetable, well it’s time you got it straight. A pumpkin is technically a fruit because it is a product of the seed-bearing structure of flowering plants; it develops from the blossom.

According to the Huffington Post, “the pumpkin is more accurately classified as a berry. A berry is defined as the fleshy fruit produced from one single ovary.” Now you can tell your kids, “eat your fruits,” even though you’ve put them on their plates as veggies. We’re smart that way.

Not to blow your mind or anything, but a strawberry isn’t a berry. Watermelons, avocados and bananas are though.

So, there ya’ have it. We don’t really care whether it’s a fruit or a vegetable just as long as we get to enjoy it’s deliciousness. So whether it’s pie or soup, stewed or candied, we’re all about enjoying the season affectionately known as Pumpkin Spice time!

Pumpkin Chili : James Moore, Busvlogger

With ingredients like pumpkin, cinnamon and corn, Pumpkin Chili sounds a little different. Well, it is; a great kind of different! It’s become one of our family traditions and it’s just so easy.

Pumpkin Muffins: Anita Stafford

Pumpkin Muffins via Anita Stafford of Sugar Spice and Spilled Milk — Click on photo to see the recipe.

Although the daytime temperatures are still summertime hot, you might want to grab a jacket for early morning or night time. The season is changing and that brings changes in what we cook and bake. One of the fall tastes most people enjoy is pumpkin. There are so many different ways to use pumpkin, and muffins are just one example. READ MORE

Lacie Ring: Easy 3-Ingredient Peanut Butter Pumpkins

And for your sweet tooth cravings, Lacie Ring of Easy Peasy Pleasy shares these cute as…well…pumpkins! Could they be any more precious?

It’s Fall Y’all! The weather may still be warm in my neck of the woods but I know it’s Fall just by looking at my yard…It’s covered with leaves.

I don’t know about y’all but in Arkansas it cools down for a couple days then heats right back up. Have you ever heard the expression “If you don’t like the weather, just wait a few minutes”? I believe that quote comes from Mark Twain and he was speaking of Arkansas. LOL! Ok, so maybe he wasn’t speaking of Arkansas but the saying definitely works for any of us in the southern states! Being that is officially fall, I am working on all kinds of Fall treats. One of those treats is these cute little peanut butter pumpkins. Read More

CINNAMON PUMPKIN CHEESECAKE: Keri Bucci

How can something sugar free and low carb be so good? Keri Bucci, our October Blogger of the Month, shows us how with her Cinnamon Pumpkin Cheesecake. Check it out on her blog, My Table of Three.

Fall is my favorite time of the year, it always has been. I look forward to Fall activities, pumpkin spice everything and most of all, cooler weather. We are starting to see some leaves falling to the ground here and there, but our daily temperatures are still in the mid to upper nineties. So typical for our weather, here in the south.

So it looks like I will be waiting a little longer for those cooler temps, but that doesn’t mean I have to wait on the pumpkin. Thank goodness, because I don’t think I could have passed up a slice of this cheesecake even if I had wanted to. READ MORE

PUMPKIN SPICE GRANOLA: BRENDA EMBRY

This is also the season for everything pumpkin. The poor pumpkin is basically ignored until October. Then, for the next three months, it’s game on.

So far this month, I’ve made pumpkin bread, pumpkin muffins and now….

Pumpkin spice granola. Read More

Gina Knuppenberg: Pumpkin Bread Pudding

So, today’s Month of Pumpkin dish is probably my most favorite M of P recipe. Well, favorite thus far ? It’s rich, creamy, and if done correctly, will leave you with pleasant dreams filled with floaty clouds and soft, furry little kittens. Okay. I made that last part up. It’s just good, is all. READ MORE

Stop by next Tuesday for even more pumpkin goodies!

Jamie Smith: Arkansas Granola

When I first decided to make granola to feature this month’s honey theme, I knew I wanted to do something unique but not so weird that no one would possibly want to make this recipe!

I realized that the perfect recipe would be something that honors my adopted home state, Arkansas. After all, this is being featured on Arkansas Women Bloggers! I started to research what flavors are known for being from Arkansas and had to discard quite a few ideas at first. After all, who wants queso granola? Not me!

I knew I wanted to celebrate the state’s history of being a major producer of various apples, especially the Arkansas Black. Those apples aren’t available right now, so I chose Red Delicious.

I also think of chocolate gravy when I think of Arkansas food so I initially tried to incorporate chocolate from Kyya, the state’s first bean-to-bar chocolate makers (full disclosure: friends of mine!). I decided that apple and chocolate would be delicious, but more of a dessert granola.

So, I called on my ARWB sisters for help. They gave lots of great ideas for incorporating Arkansas into my granola including one idea I took as a joke at first: bacon. Yes, bacon granola! I researched it out of curiosity and discovered that bacon granola is actually pretty popular, especially for the paleo crowd.

Another suggestion was pecans, which I would have incorporated anyways because I love pecans and I know it’s the state nut.

So, Arkansas Granola was born. It is quite simple and uses entirely natural ingredients with no added sugars or sodium. It uses fresh apples, Petit Jean Bacon, pecans, oats, cinnamon and nutmeg. The binding agent is good old-fashioned honey, which gives just a hint of natural sweetness that doesn’t overwhelm the rest of the flavors.

Get your recipe for Arkansas Granola right here! via @SunThruThorns for #ARWB #FoodieFriday

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Ready to try this recipe? You can check it out on my blog Sunflowers & Thorns. Let me know what you think!

Jamie Smith tells people she grew up in Kansas and became a grownup in Northwest Arkansas. A writer by profession, Jamie also loves to write as a hobby over at her personal blog, Sunflowers & Thorns. One of her most popular types of blogs are her recipes. Jamie and her husband, John, enjoy working on recipes together to make their own unique twist on familiar recipes.

Jamie and John live in Elkins with their two dogs and two cats.