Candy Corn Pudding Parfaits

How cute are these pudding parfaits from Baked Bree (spotted via Tangled and True)?  What a great holiday treat!  I happen to love pudding, though I rarely ever make it.  I have a bunch of pudding packets in my pantry...maybe I ought to put them to good use!

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And on the homefront, we are finally (mostly) unpacked.  Let me tell you, I dread the day we actually move.  I apparently cannot handle living in a messy, transient state.  I feel much better now that I can see my floors.  All that's left is some laundry and organizing my craft/sewing area so I can get to work.  I've missed creating these last few weeks!  Oh, and we are finally getting some grass in our front yard.  After 2 summers of dead weeds and grass, we will no longer look like the abandoned house on the block.  Yippee!  With that getting done, I can think about more projects.  Projects on the horizon include a bedroom makeover, a new kitchen, a revamped photo wall and some small improvements here and there.

Granola Cookies

I started off my morning yesterday with my favorite breakfast of cottage cheese, yogurt, fruit and some granola.  I was looking at the back of the box for the granola and saw a recipe for cookies.  They sounded too good to pass up so Rilo and I made them together.  Well, Rilo watched while I made them.  They have a nice texture and just a touch of the maple flavor.  The recipe called for nuts, but I'm not a fan of nuts in cookies...so I added chocolate chips instead.

Granola Cookies

1 c butter
3/4 c brown sugar
3/4 c sugar
1 tsp vanilla
2 eggs
2 1/4 c flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
4 c granola (I use Cascadian Farm Organic Granola Maple Brown Sugar)

optional: chocolate chips, nuts

Combine butter, sugars, vanilla and eggs until creamy.  Add in flour, baking soda and salt.  Mix in granola and chocolate chips (or nuts).   Bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes.

Delicious!

Fruit

I took some photos yesterday of some fruit that I picked up at this little produce market down the road. It has great produce for dirt cheap...10 peaches for $1!  I love summer for all of it's fresh fruits!  Yum!

And speaking of food, I want to make homemade bread...Do you have any recipes you love?  I've only ever made banana bread.  Please share if you do!

Once There Was A Snowman...

It seems like winter is long gone here. The snow has melted and I've been going without a jacket. But I couldn't help but post this cute little snowman. I saw this on OhDeeDoh and have it filed in my "Things to Do As a Mom" section of my brain.

{image via OhDeeDoh via The Shabby Nest}

We always had Mickey and Minnie Mouse pancakes growing up (Minnie was defined by placing M&M's or chocolate chips on her ears for earrings), but I love this fun variation as well!

The Perfect Fall Dessert

{image via Rookie Cookie}

I saw a post over on Rookie Cookie, for Baked Apples with Granola Pecan Streusel. The picture looked so delicious, I made them tonight! And guess what? They were just as delicious as the picture looked. And easy too! The ingredients are pretty simple....most things you probably already have on hand. I'm not embarrassed to admit that I did have to look up what a pastry blender was though. It's this, in case you didn't know either.

{image via Crate & Barrel}

Don't worry...you probably got it as a wedding present, and if not, you can get one for like 2 dollars and then feel great because you now own/know/used a pastry blender! I followed the exact recipe, except I threw in chocolate chips because dessert is not dessert without chocolate for me! You can check out the recipe here. It's the perfect fall dessert. Next on the dessert list...whoopie pies! And yes, I'm being serious. Gotta love PA!