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MY MOM TAUGHT ME TO PLAY WITH MY FOOD

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Sunshine Kisses

Here’s another recipe coming at you from the one and only Valerie Evans. Well, technically I guess there are like, a lot of Valerie Evans(es?) but this one is my Valerie Evans. I googled her name. Yeah. There’s lots of you out there named Valerie Evans. Hey, y’all! Then I got curious and googled my name …. and Taylor Swift popped up. I was like, *shoulder shrug* Anyway… let’s talk cookies! These cookies make me kind of happy. Because they are yellow and easy and fast and deli

Chocolate Cheesecake with Pecan Praline Topping

I’ve had a TON of interest in this recipe since I posted a little iPhone teaser pic over a week ago so I figured I’d better post the recipe before I started getting any hate mail. After today you guys are going to be sending me love letters up the wazoo. That’s inappropriate. Please don’t send love letters up my wazoo. Don’t get me wrong. I adore the love letters… but I mean c’mon, guys. I could get paper cuts. Enough talk about my wazoo. This is a food blog after all. A fami

Poppy Seed Bundt Cake

Fun fact: eating poppy seeds can make you fail a drug test. True story. I always thought it was just a rumor until I watched a Mythbusters episode about it, and it’s totally true! (Because everything we see on TV is totally true). Seriously though, guys. I totally believe it. Plus, if we can’t believe the Mythbusters than who can be trusted?! WHO?! I remember in high school we all used to tease each other about eating poppy seeds when we would be drug tested by the athletic d

Cutler’s Mint Chocolate Cookies

Happy St. Patrick’s Day, my friends! St. Patrick’s Day has this weird way of making me want to eat a lot of green stuff. But not like, good for me green stuff like vegetables and salads. But, bad for me green stuff like Key Lime Pie (check this one out!!) and these Mint Chocolate Cookies. It also coerces me to turn foods that shouldn’t be green, green. Like eggs? Eggs should NOT be green. But… but… I wanna!! My toddler would freak out if her eggs were green! But then, of cour

Fruity Pebble Cupcakes

How darling are these little cupcakes for Spring? I love cupcakes and these cute little guys just make me extra happy because they would be DARLING for a St. Patrick’s Day fiesta. WOAH. I think I just invented something awesome. An Irish/Mexican fusion holiday. There would be so much drinking. And so many piñatas. That’s probably not the greatest combination, but whatev. Anyway… your kids will LOVE these little cupcakes. The actual cake is almost like a funfetti style cake, b

Cutler’s Cookies

Cutler’s Cookies, yo! They are insanely delicious and I think it’s insanely cool that they posted this insanely awesome recipe on their insane web-site. Their website isn’t actually insane but I just had this thing going, and I didn’t really want to ruin it. These cookies are made with cake flour instead of all-purpose and it makes the cookies super soft and fluffy and delicious. The peanut butter chips in these suckers are like little gooey pockets of heaven. And seriously,

Raspberry Jam Bars

Alright, you guys are going to love me. But your butt is totally going to hate me. Your butt is bigger than your heart, so that makes me feel a little bit bad, but not really at the same time because this recipe is AWESOME. And it is WAYYYY too easy for how good it is. P.S. If your heart is bigger than your butt , you should probably go get that checked out by a doctor. I think I’m safe though, because my butt is AT LEAST ten times bigger than my heart. I don’t mean to brag o

Practically Pre-Made Fruit Pizza

This dessert tastes like my childhood. When I was young, I used to eat all the fruit off the top first, and then eat the sugar cookie and frosting alone. Now that I’m an adult and have a more refined palate, I just stuff my face with it the way that it is. I keep the face stuffing to a minimum most of the time because I’m like, a lady and stuff. And stuffing your face with fruit pizza isn’t super lady-like. But sometimes, you just gotta go for it. Ya know what I mean? In my b

Salted Chocolate Chip Cookies

Heaven knows I love a good chocolate chip cookie recipe. I have been on the hunt for the BEST chocolate chip cookie recipe in the world, and I have come to the conclusion that while it totally exists, it only exists on a personal level. It varies from person to person. I don’t think it’s possible to have one chocolate chip cookie recipe that is universally favored by everyone. In fact, there was a study done about this, and they found that people were more likely to lean towa

Banana Cupcakes with Peanut Butter Frosting

Watch out world. Bananas everywhere were just left to ripen on the counter for a few more days. I can almost hear them ripening. No big deal. I have ears like a hawk…. ‘s eyes? What expression am I looking for here? Anyway, it’s basically a super power of mine. I can be dead asleep and the pitter patter of my children’s feet on the carpet will wake me up. Take that murderers! You know what murderers love? Cupcakes. How would I know that, do you ask? Because everybody loves cu

Cranberry White Chocolate Bread Pudding

Merry Christmas Eve, peeps!!! I’m so super stoked for Christmas this year. Baby Girl has been so fun and obsessed over Santa. Like, full on fangirling every time. Until he tries to talk to her, then she clams up and stares straight at her feet. She thinks EVERY dude that has a white beard is Santa. Pretty sure that every dude with a white beard thinks he is Santa as well, though. Anyway, whenever Santa sees Baby Girl he usually likes to come and talk to her. She is so shy if

Chocolate Chip Coconut Cookies

This time of year is my fav. And this year has been especially magical now that Baby Girl knows what’s going on. I mean, don’t get me wrong. She got it last year ON Christmas day… but the build up is half the fun and this year she’s making every minute count. Like, literally. She asks me about thirty times per day if she can open up her presents now and I’ll say, “Not until Christmas my perfect, beautiful little cherub.” And then she says, “Okay. Five minutes.” And because it

Milk Chocolate Cream Pie

Oh, month of pies how I love you. This month is giving me the opportunity to try making things that I’ve never made before, and believe it or not… a chocolate pie is one of those things. I have always LOOOOOVED chocolate cream pies, but had never attempted to make one myself. Well, that has now changed, everybody. And seriously, they are kind of embarassingly easy to make. I am slightly ashamed that I’ve never made one before… And now I’ve just admitted it for the whole world

No Fail Pie Crust

For the first installment of our month of pies, I thought it would be useful for you to know how to make a pie crust. Because, you know. That seems kind of vital to making pies. Would you like to know the secret to a flaky pie crust? Be gentle while kneading! Also, vinegar. And, you will probably never hear me say this ever again for the rest of your lives, but do not, I repeat, DO NOT use butter. You HAVE to use shortening or the lard. But just saying lard makes me feel like

Chocolate Cupcakes with Peanut Butter Cream Cheese Frosting and Candy

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!! Halloween has never really been my FAVORITE holiday per say, but now I have kids and it’s like new life has been breathed into me about how fun this holiday can be. I pretty much only liked Halloween before because it was the beginning of the holiday season and I LOOOOVE the holiday season. Maybe it’s because I don’t love candy. Even as a kid, I would stash my Halloween candy away for a time when I REEEEEALLLY wanted it… and then that time would never come.

Caramel Apple Slices

I love eating caramel apples. I’m being sarcastic. I hate eating caramel apples. Now, don’t get me wrong. I love the TASTE of caramel apples. But the actual EATING of caramel apples is horrendous. I never know where to take the first bite, the caramel gets so stuck in my teeth I’m pretty sure a filling came out the last time I ate one and the toppings usually end up everywhere BUT in my mouth. But here we are. Loving caramel apples yet hating eating them. And that’s where the

Pumpkin Cake with Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting

DUDE. This pumpkin cake is probably the best pumpkin cake I’ve ever had in my entire life… and I’m not exaggerating even a little bit, because that would be irresponsible. It is FREAKING moist *shudder*, PERFECTLY spiced with all of your favorite fall spices and the cinnamon cream cheese frosting… ah, man… it’s perfection. It’s the literal icing on the literal cake. If you make only one pumpkin thing all fall, make this cake. Seriously. I’m not joking. You have to roll all th

Better Than Swig Sugar Cookies

I’ve done it. I’ve made Swig sugar cookies better than Swig. I adore these cookies. I’m kind of sad that I don’t have one in my mouth right this second, actually. I have never been a huge fan of sugar cookies because if I wanted to lick a giant bowl of straight sugar then I would just lick a giant bowl of straight sugar instead of eat a sugar cookie. These actually have FLAVOR. The frosting on top is a perfect accompaniment to the not so sweet cookie. These are seriously a dr

No-Bake Pumpkin Oreo Ice Cream Dessert

I’m pretty sure everyone in America is digging pumpkin right now. I know I am. Are people in other countries as obsessed with pumpkin as we are? No? GET WITH THE TIMES, WORLD. I don’t know where you live, but where I live we’re still cookin’ at about 90 degrees some days. I’m wanting to break out my scarves and boots and my cocomotion only to step out my door and melt Indiana Jones style. (If you know what I’m talking about, good on ya. If you don’t, YouTube it. Or don’t YouT

Peach Tart

HOOOOOONNNEEEYYY!! I’m HOOOOOOOMMMMEEE! Seriously though, guys. I’m back. My newest addition is already TWO MONTHS OLD. And can I talk about her for a quick second? Girlfriend is the best baby in the ENTIRE HISTORY OF THE LIVING UNIVERSE {knock on wood}. She makes me want to have like 17 more just like her. She is literally perfect. And I mean LITERAL PERFECTION, PEOPLE. I should actually probably call it quits right here and now and end on a high note but we all know that I

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