Coffee, Caramel & Cream

•   3/4 yard outer fabric
•   3/4 yard fabric for lining

Wash, dry, and iron your fabric. This helps to prevent any shrinkige after you are done.

You're done!!! You just made an adorable trick or treat tote bag!

With lining!

Before you know it, I bet you will be sewing up a bunch of these as gifts.

"Mommy, I want something to eat!"

Does anyone else hear this every 15 minutes? I sure do. I guess the girls got their appetites from me. I really think sometimes I'm feeding teenage boys instead of a 4 and almost 2-year-old.

I'm always searching for quick, easy, and healthy snacks for my girls, plus something that I can send along in my pre-schooler's lunchbox. An apple, banana, yogurt, or these granola bars are my usual go-to snack.


These homemade granola bars are perfect! My recipe is inspired by this one from The Gracious Pantry Blog. They are packed with protein, fiber, and healthy omega-3s. Plus they are mostly sweetened naturally with honey and applesauce. They only added sugar is in the chocolate chips.

They are super easy and quick to make. This recipe makes about 24 bars.

Ingredients:

• 2.5 cups of quick oats
• 1.5 cups peanut butter (try for no sugar added)
• 3/4 cup honey
• 3/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 5 tbls. chocolate chips
• 3 tbls. chia seeds
• 2 tbls. cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp. nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp. ground cloves
• 1/4 tsp. ground ginger

Directions:

Place oats on a tinfoil covered baking pan. Roast them in the oven at 375 degrees for 15 minutes. (Do not use oil)




Let them cool for about 20-30 minutes.

Mix together the oats, spices, peanut butter, honey, chia seeds and applesauce.

Once that looks well blended, fold in the chocolate chips.

                                                                                        
Place your mixture back onto your foil covered baking sheet. With a spatula, spread and shape into a rectangle.



You can shape it to the thickness you want.


Bake at 350 degrees for about 20 minutes.

When you take them out of the oven, let them cool for about 3 minutes, then slice them while they are still warm. You can slice them into square bars, like I did, or into traditional rectangular ones.
                                        
                                                                               



Transfer them to a cooling rack. Once completely cool they can be stored in a sealed container in your pantry.

You're done! Super healthy, super yummy.

Even my husband, who doesn't exactly like "healthy" food, thinks these are tasty. Plus my girls gobble them up and I don't have to feel any mom guilt. You know the guilt you get when your child comes running up to you begging for something to eat, and out of desparation you tell them, "here just eat a cookie".

Yeah, I know that feeling.


               Thanks for stopping by!
                             <3
                     

                First, let me introduce you to one of my favorite couples, Heather and Jason.
                         (Isn't she one of the most beautiful brides you've ever seen?!)

 I sat beside Heather on the first day of beauty school and talked her ear off. She wondered if I would ever shut up.  LOL  What?!  I had first day jitters! We became housemates (with our other good friend, Jenn) and the three of us had fantastic adventures going to Dunkin Donuts at 1 in the morning and watching Newlyweds on MTV (remember Nick and Jessica?   wow, how long ago was that?!)

Heather was a bridesmaid when I got married in 2007 and I was a bridesmaid in her wedding in 2009.

A few months down the road Heather and Jason found out they were expecting a baby girl. As soon as I got off the phone with her, inspiration struck me.

You see, I was just starting to get into sewing and at that time had just finished making a quilt for my oldest daughter, and one for my mom. I was a quilting maniac.

                                                 So I did something ballsy.......
                      


                                        I cut up my bridesmaid dress from her wedding.
                                               
My idea was to use the fabric from my dress as blocks in a quilt for their baby girl.

I had never done anything like that and was seriously sweating it. I felt like I had Tim Gunn over my shoulder saying "Make it work, Angela".

No one wants to let Tim Gunn down.

I purchased a few other fabrics in soft, baby, flannel then cut them in squares.


                          Thanks for stopping by, I hope you come back and visit soon!
                                                               <3
                        
and  

    


    My crock pot and I have become BFFs.

                                       

       I LOVE putting the ingredients in at noon while my girls are eating lunch, and then at 5:00 all I have to worry about getting together are the brown rice and veggies I serve as sides. Plus your house smells yummy for hours while your dinner is cooking away. It's almost like having an in house chef ... ok not really .... but it does make your life easier, and let's face it.... we all need a little help some time.

     This recipe has become a fast favorite in our house.

     What you need:

• 4 chicken breasts
• 1 pack of mushrooms (rinsed)
• 1 tub of Philadelphia Cooking Cream in Italian Herb and Cheese (or a regular block of CC plus a packet of dry italian dressing mix)
• 1 can cream of mushroom soup
• 2 tbls. butter
• 1/3 cup dry wine (I used Cabernet)

     Place everything in your crock pot. Cook on high for 5-6 hours or low for 8-9 hours. After about 3 hours I give everything a good stir to make sure the sauce blends.

    This recipe could easily be doubled to serve more. I think this would be a huge hit at a dinner party. You'd be able to spend more time with your guests, drinking wine.

    You're welcome  ;-)


                                                   Thanks for stopping by!
                                                                  <3

    
       I woke up today and was cold. Could it be? Is fall really here to stay? Yippee!!! The leaves have begun to change into a beautiful ombre of burgundy, orange, and gold. I flanked my front door with bountiful mums. I retired my sundresses and replaced them with cozy jeans, boots, and sweaters. I'm so ready for fall.

     I slipped on my fuzzy slippers and padded downstairs to make some coffee and pumpkin.....anything! How about some pumpkin pie pancakes? How about if I make them with no sugar and whole wheat flour so they are healthy and still taste yummy?

• 2 cups whole wheat flour
• 1.5 cups pumpkin 
• 2 tsp. baking powder
• 2 tsp. baking soda
• 4 tbsp. honey
• 2 eggs lightly beaten
• 1 3/4 cup milk 
• 2 tsp. unsalted butter (melted)  plus one slab for frying
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 tbsp. cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp. nutmeg
• 2 tbsp. chia seeds  (optional)

                                                                <3