Halloween Tutu Wreath

Seriously, we love the dramatic eye appealing look of our tutu wreaths. Kids love the help make them and as a bonus it only takes as long to throw together as their attention span, winning. 

Valentine's Day Tutu Wreath

We love us some tutu wreaths... mostly because they are dramatic in display, kid friendly to make, and being supper easy helps too.

Joey was more excited than usual to make one for Valentine's day, mostly because it involved pink, hearts, and devil's sparkle glitter.

Bacon Ranch Dip

Tis the season for snacks and apps! 

If I've said it once, I've said it a million times, I could happily spend my time snacking on dips all day.... Which is pretty much exactly how I spend my days, this time of year. 

Although my sleeve has many dip recipes up it, sometimes I need something quick and ingredients on hand, which is exactly how this little diddy was whipped up!

Bacon Ranch Dip

1-block of cream cheese

1/2-cup of sour cream

1-packed of dry Hidden Valley Ranch mix

4-crispy slices of bacon

Cook bacon til extra crispy. Drain on paper towel. 

Mix together cream cheese, sour cream, and ranch packet.

Chop up bacon when cooled.

Throw 3/4 the bacon into bowl and stir. 

Transfer cream mixture into serving dish, top with left aside bacon. 

Serve with cracker.

Enjoy!

Addie's Addition: Tomato Basil Alfredo {One Pot Pasta Meal}

Allow me to introduce my friend Addie.

She's 12 and in 7th grade, but more importantly this girl knows her way around the kitchen. So it's only naturally that her and I are teaming up to share some of her culinary creations...

The best part, she cooks the delicious
I eat the delicious
and then her mom cleans up the dishes from the delicious.

Two outta three isn't bad for what I consider to be a win in my books.

And now that school has started back full swing Addie's first Goodnyou? Recipe is perfect for a quick, easy, one pot pasta dish. 

Perfect trifecta of sorts, if you ask me.
And wicked good too. 

Greek Dip

I have a million dip recipes, I love making dip, mostly I love eating dips, but despite having so many to choose from, most of them are heavy with cheese, warm and guilt full.

This particular one was thrown together on a hot, humid day, when I needed something cool and refreshing to offer our guest.

Since then, it has gone from being served as a dip with Pita chips at a party, to eaten in a sun-dried tomato wrap with chicken for lunch, to being brought as a side salad at BBQ's.

Either way, I'm eating it in abundance.

Apple Chicken Sausage Veggie Bake

I was having one of those days where I found myself standing in front of the refrigerator wondering what I was going to cook for supper, at an hour I should have already had supper cooked.

We needed groceries and the produce I did have, needed to be used in a hurry.

This recipe started as a chuck all, but has ended up being a sought after go to.

The simplicity of this recipes is ridiculous, the deliciousness of this recipe is extreme, and to bring it all the goodness to a full trifecta…… it's fool proof!

and healthy…

wait, what would that make it then? a quart-fecta?

Honey Sugar Face Mask

I have never been a girly girl.... Until I had a girl... Who is totally a girly girl kinda girl.... Now that I get to do girly girl stuff with my very own girly girl....that makes me want to scream with excitement.... just like a .... well ....girl.  

This morning we took on the task of a DIY facial mask and though it was just us girls this time, don't let those boys fools you, they like to be pampered just as much. 

Lucky Charm Squares

Just jumping on really quick to share this yummy St. Patty's Day treat.

They are yummy.
They are sugary.
They are easy.
They are easily consumed by the pan full.

And I'm pretty sure the more I eat, the more luck of the Irish I'll have…

Probably...

Pizza Dough

I have weird hopes attached to the food memories for my kids. 

Pizza is one of them. 

I imagine my kids, as adults, telling their own kids about Friday night pizza nights and whatever happy memories we've created along the way to go with them. 

I also imagine them complaining about how "Mom would never keep the recipe the same! never the same dough. never the same sauce. she'd make one that was great one week and then change it completely the next."

I have weird hopes attached to the list of complaints for my kid's therapist too.

But I'm getting of topic here…

Pizza dough, yes.. 

It's so versatile. 

Use beer, instead of water.

Add in pesto.

Throw some sun dried tomatoes paste into the mix.

Doesn't adding parmesan sound like a no brainer?

I'm getting ahead of myself here, lets just start with the basics and go from there.

'White' Chicken Chili

Let me frist start of by acknowledging that though this is a recipe based on the idea of White Chicken Chili, it's in fact not white… but wait, just listen…. I can explain…

Firstly, some recipes have pepper jack {or some other} cheese melted into it's broth, supporting the color assigned title, I don't see the necessity of it…. cheese base broth, isn't really chili now is it….

Secondly, what kind of "chili" doesn't have "chili powder" in it?
No chili I'm willing to attack my name to, I'll tell you that.

So with the darkness of the chili powder and the lightness of the base, it's pretty self explanatory for there.

Perhaps I could have taken the liberty to name it, "Slightly Off White, Not Quite Tan, With A Hue of Red, Chicken Chili", but I feel like that just doesn't roll of the tongue as well.

Cup O'Chore

A few summers ago, the kids were fighting far beyond my point of patience… I spent just as much time as they did fighting, separating them, loosing my temper, sending them to their rooms, "talking it out" about being kind, taking away privileges, reasoning with them, threatening them, and even making them sit knee-to-knee in the kitchen where they could only communicate by whispers.

Then I started to throwing chores at them.

game.changer.

And because I'm not always quick on my feet to think of what chores need to be done, the Cup O'Chores was created.

Quick Read-to-bake Bananas

This little tip, totally belongs to my friend Jess. She sent me a text with the descriptive words "mind blowing" attached and I have to agree, she's spot on.

Every time I buy a bunch of banana's… the kids always eat all but two…. then I wait, wait, wait, for these banana's to turn bake ready, drawing fruit flies all the while… once they are "perfect", I do one of two things…. use them… or throw them in the freezer to save, until I have enough banana's for whatever recipe I intend to use them for.

Then Jess, messaged me…. in turn, blowing my mind….

I feel like I'm so in love, I could scream it from the roof top… but because my only neighbor Bob is already desensitized to the ridiculous things I yell outside, I don't feel it will have been done the justice it deserves… nor do I get that "baker" vibe from Bob…

So instead, I will "scream" it from here…

Coconut Oil, Honey, Banana Bread

I don't bake well, so when I do bake and have something that turns out good, it's worth a stop and pause. 

This bread....worth a stop and pause. 

And in your case, worth giving it a go, too. 

Brown Sugar Bacon Smokies

I'm not sure I've ever brought these to a get together, provided them during a football game, or offered a plate during a BBQ that I've heard a complaint about their presents yet… or for that matter, lasted very long at all.

I love them because they are so easy and delicious… Nate loves them because they "man friendly" …

My first problem with them, is that they are double the protein, therefor you are able to pile in twice as many, before realizing you would have been sufficiently happier with a fourth of the amount consumed.

My second problem with them, is that for as easy as they are to make, I never think to make them…

Now that they are blog official, I hope they become one of my top 'go-to's… which I'm pretty sure they will…

Healthy School Snack: Christmas

I use to hate the school's 'no sugar' policy. 

I use the term 'use to' loosely .. 

Honestly, I sometimes.....most times.....every time... give the disapproving squirrelly-eye to the seasonal paper that reminds us parents of such sugar free shenanigans. 

I am, however, thankful for the ways it pushes me to think 'out of the box' in festivusing up any contribution I make the the school's snack table.

Seriously, I'm in love, I'm in love, I'm in looooooove, with these cheese stick candy canes and Santa belly motzorella rounds.

Partly, because they are easy, mostly, because they are adorable! 

Adult Hot Cocoa

I posted this picture, among many, during a Christmas blog 2 years ago… Since then, I've gotten e-mails, comments, and, thanks to Pinterest, many share…. Although this pictures has been used by many others and claimed as their own, it is not… but can't blame them for wanted to coat tail ride such an impressive image captured of something so great… and simple… did I mention delicious ….

So here I am…. sharing it again, giving it DIY details, and stamping the Goodnyou? name on it and claiming the photo as mine, mine, mine…

As for this idea, it's yours to give, give, give….
…. or drink, drink, drink…

Dad Dip {French Dressing Dip}

You could also call this French Dressing Dip, but it's my dad's favorite and now my kid's dad's favorite, it's rightfully earned the name Dad's Dip, so we are only honoring it as that. 

It's easy, simple, and more than likely one you'll have every ingredient on hand for. 

Plus, there aren't many dips like this, so the chances of showing up to a party with it, finding out someone has already supplied one to be gorged on, inevitably turning the party into an intense and somewhat awkward dip competition, aren't likely. 

What? No one turned duplicate party dips into a contest of who made it better? 

Noted. 

With the on coming gathering season, I highly recommend this becoming one of your go to's.

Honey Mustard Pan Fried Potatoes

I love pan fried potatoes. If I were to list my top 5 'go-to' comfort foods, they would take up at least 3.7 of the slots.

Only real butter will do and there should be as many onions as potatoes.

Cooking time should be gaged by how sore your arms are from scrapping the bottom of the pan, then they should cook, no less, than 10 minutes longer. 

Unfortunately, my pallet is not the only one that needs to be catered to, within these four walls. So from my attempt in still getting what I want, but making it look like something new and exciting, has steamed what fills up the other 1.3 of my comfort food indulgences. 

Stromboli

As a kid, I hated Stromboli. Largely because I didn't feel Swiss cheese was worth my time, I saw no appeal to it's sharp fragrance appealing, I turned my nose up at it, and with out hesitation, requested provolone instead.

As an adult, I love Stromboli. Largely because I will take any opportunity to flirt with Swiss cheese and curse my younger self for not having appreciated it's allure. I'm ashamed for ever suggesting provolone could replace it so easily. 

I have seen the error in my ways. The amount of Stromboli I dismissed… the Swiss cheese I disregarded… The regretful feelings I still harbor…I was so young…. I was such a foolish… 

Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Muffins

{a healthier, until you add butter, recipe}

-1 1/2 cup flour

-1/2 cup sugar

-1/4 cup wheat germ

-1/4 cup flax seed

-1 TBS pumpkin spice

-1 tsp baking soda

-1/2 tsp salt

-1/4 tsp baking powder

Mix dry ingredients together 

Add wet ingredients 

-1, 15 oz can pumpkin

-1/2 cup oil

-2 egg

Add 1/2 {+an extra  handful for good luck}  cup chocolate chips 

Grease muffin tin

Bake @ 350* for 20 minutes

Best eaten warm and in a large quantity, in a short amount of time.