If you follow my blog you know that I’m a big fan of Cinnamon Buns and my family often has them on Saturday mornings.   I was craving something with cinnamon in it but I didn’t have time to make homemade cinnamon buns.    I decided on these Cinnamon Krispie Treats because my husband is a huge fan of the vanilla flavored ones and I knew I could whip these up pretty quick.

I once tried using the cinnamon-flavored marshmallows but I found they lacked in flavor and the treats turned out hard and crumbly.  I could picture how good they might be if I could recreate the recipe myself so I attempted once more.  I’m so glad I did because these were so tasty, chewy and had the perfect amount of cinnamon.  My husband and kids gave them two thumbs up and I’m pretty sure I’ll be making them again!

If you enjoy cinnamon like I do, you might want to check out some of my other recipes like Cinnamon Buns with Cream Cheese Frosting, Cinnamon Roll Donuts or my Red Velvet Cinnamon Buns.  Enjoy!

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Now that the nice weather has finally arrived, I really wanted to get out and have a picnic with the family.   This weekend was the first long weekend of the summer so it was a great time to get out and enjoy the fresh air.  I made these individual Strawberry Cherry Crisps so that we could just pack them in the cooler and go.

We started off the weekend by taking the kids to one of Legoland’s new Discovery Centers.  Since we were going to be gone most of the day we packed a picnic for our lunch.   Packing picnics is something our family always does to save a bit of money while traveling.   That way we can enjoy the nice weather and save our money to do the fun stuff.

I always end up throwing in a little sweet treat for our dessert and we were all excited to try these! Making them in jars was the perfect thing for a picnic because I just put on the lids and away we went.  Everyone got their own little jar to enjoy!  There wasn’t any complaining that one person got more than the other. Actually, I didn’t hear anything while they were eating them, they were enjoying them so much!

I added some whipped cream to a few of them but they are definitely just as good without.  I put the crumble mixture on the bottom and top of the fruit mixture and then added some sliced almonds on the top.  Since I couldn’t find fresh cherries in the grocery store I added some dried cherries, that I soaked in some water, with the strawberries.  They gave the fruit mixture a hint of tartness which we all loved.

Since it’s almost the end of the school year, I think having picnics at the park, at the beach, or even in the backyard will be something we’ll be doing more often.  What better way to enjoy spending time with your family in the beautiful weather.  Plus, having desserts like this one at your picnic will be the best part of the meal!

What are some of your family traditions for the summertime?  Do you like to go on picnics?  Let me know!  I’d love to hear some of your stories!

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With schools being nut-free I’m always trying to make things without nuts, even though my kids love peanut butter.   Finding granola bar recipes that don’t use some form of nut butter is pretty tricky.   That’s why I decided to skip the granola bars this week and made another batch of cookies.   I’m so glad I did because the coconut oil added so much flavor and the kids loved them.  Plus, anything with chocolate in it and my kids are all over it!

This past week, while reading some other blogs, I’ve noticed that some of the schools in the US are almost finished for the summer. I’m so jealous!   Since hubby and I both work in a school we’re pretty excited for school to come to an end too.  Unfortunately, our school doesn’t finish up until the end of June.  I’m looking forward to packing away the lunch bags and backpacks and finally being able to eat outside on the deck.   The winter here has been long and the sunshine and warm weather have been missed.  I can’t wait to have the freedom to do what we want all summer long.  Summer days will be welcomed back with big, open arms!

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Since it was my husband’s birthday (May 9th), I want to dedicate this post to him.

Dear Hubby,

Happy Birthday!   Ever since I met you, almost 15 years ago, my life has never been the same.  I finally met my best friend and soul mate and we’ve made a beautiful family with our three kids.  You’ve taught me to become a more patient person, not only with people, but with myself as well.   You inspire me to do my best in everything that I do, even if there’s an easier or faster way to do it.  I am more present with people and give them my full attention because I’ve learned that from you.   You make me proud of your hard work and dedication to your career as a teacher and fire fighter, all while trying to do your Master’s degree.  I know you will succeed in everything you do because of your passion for learning and helping others.  As a father, you drop everything to do things with our kids, even in the bitter cold of the winter, when I can’t stand to go outside.  You work hard to give our family a nice home and we appreciate it.  I know that as long as you’re with us, I feel safe and loved.  I hope I’ve made this birthday a special one because you always make me feel special everyday!

I love you!

Lime Cake recipe slightly adapted from Food Network, Lime Curd recipe from Allrecipes

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I’ve been thinking about making these muffins since March Break when we had lunch at Panera Bread.  My oldest son doesn’t like raisins so  I kept them out and added extra apple.   These Apple Cinnamon Cobblestone Muffins are probably my family’s new favorite treat.

 These muffins remind me of individual monkey breads.  Instead of using pre-made biscuits for the dough, this dough is made from scratch.   I used my stand mixer to make the dough and then waited for it to double in size to start making the muffins.  Once the dough was ready, the process is almost the exact same as making monkey bread.  The only thing I didn’t do was the icing part.  I’m not a fan of icing sugar glaze and they were just as good without it.

I found the parchment paper liners at my local grocery store but you could make your own.  I loved how big they were and how they held everything together.  I don’t think regular paper liners would cut it for these babies!  So, if you’re a fan of cinnamon, apples, and sweet dough, then you definitely need to make these.  You can share them with family and friends or you can hide them and keep them for yourself!   Well, that would be a little much, right?!

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We started off our Girls Weekend by heading to the spa.  After an hour-long massage and 2 hours relaxing in the pools we were ready to start the weekend.  There was 12 of us who rented a cottage and we were so fortunate to have beautiful, warm and sunny weather.   Some of us took in some shopping while others caught up with old friends.  It was nice to get away from all the distractions that life can throw your way.

Each of us paired up with someone to prepare one meal or snacks for the weekend.  That was probably one of the best parts!  You could sit and relax (and not have to do dishes) until it was your one meal to make.   It was perfect!

I think getting away once in a while with your girlfriends is the best way to feel rejuvenated and relaxed.  I think we need to do it more often!  Oh, and eating these Oreo Cheesecake Bites helped too!

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I love this time of year when the bird’s are singing, the buds are coming out on the trees and the daylight lasts well after the kids have gone to bed.   I can still enjoy some time outside with my husband before dark or until the mosquitoes come out.   This year we’ve already had those pesky little insects in our backyard.   If anyone knows how to ruin a little quiet time outside, it’s them!

Another thing I like about this time of year is strawberry picking.  Where I live it’s not usually until the end of June.  Every year I take my two boys to help me fill up enough baskets to make jam and freeze some for the winter months.   I think every year I’ve taken them they eat about as much as they pick!   It’s a sure sign that the berries are good and I know that they’ll enjoy every last one of them!

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I’ve always admired people who have the courage to get up in front of complete strangers and belt out a tune.   Mind you, some of the folks who show up on American or Canadian Idol need to record themselves before even thinking about getting in line for the show.  I mean, come on people, did they even hear themselves?  Who tells them that they’re such great singers that they should stand in line for  hours and compete for a spot on national TV?   Those people, I feel bad for.  Really, I do.

I feel bad because they should have some friends who tell them the truth.  That maybe singing on national TV isn’t something they should pursue right now.  That singing at the local karaoke bar should be the first step in seeing if your voice is made for bigger and better things.   But, to each their own.  I’ll just eat my donuts and say no more.

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When Natrel contacted me to come up with a lactose-free recipe for their Lactose Free Campaign I immediately said yes.  I always drank regular milk growing up but for the last year or so I’ve made the switch to lactose-free milk.   Natrel’s lactose-free milk is smooth, creamy and delicious.  I actually enjoy drinking milk again!

This Maple Vanilla Rice Pudding is the perfect dessert served warm or cold.  I took advantage of the fact that it was made with lactose-free milk that I had two servings while it was still warm!  It was the perfect afternoon snack.

Can you see all those vanilla beans in there?  I love how such small things can add so much flavor.  I also topped mine with some Maple Sugar Spice (which is optional).  Since I’ve found an amazing lactose-free milk, I know I’ll be making this Rice Pudding many more times!

You can check out my recipe on Natrel’s website here.  Enjoy!

Disclosure:  I was compensated for contributing this recipe to Natrel but this post and opinions are my own.

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I originally shared this post on What’s Cooking with Ruthie when I was on my cruise in March.   Since the weather on my cruise was so much warmer than it was here, I may have indulged in a few margaritas during happy hour!  I was inspired to make these Margarita Macaroons to incorporate my love of sweets and my love of a good margarita!

These macaroons are made with my favorite citrus fruit, lime, but I’m sure they would taste just as good with lemon, orange or grapefruit.  Now, there is a bit of tequila in these macaroons but it’s not, in the least, overpowering.  I added 1 Tbsp. but you can certainly add more if you want more of the tequila taste.  I wanted the lime to shine through and I think I found the perfect balance.

I’m not sure if you can tell from the picture above but these macaroons are very moist and chewy.  Just the way I like them!  I liked how they toasted perfectly on the top and bottom and the centers stayed soft and gooey.  Because they’re Margarita Macaroons you can also add some salt sprinkled over the top to give them that sweet and salty taste.  If you’re a tequila fan, you might also like my Tequila-Lime Peach Galette I made last summer.  It was a nice, light dessert using the season’s freshest peaches!

Here’s hoping these will get you in the mood for warm weather, sunny skies, and relaxing with your feet up!  Cheers!

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