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Where to go for Easter Brunch in Dallas

March 29, 2023

If you are trying to decide where to go for Easter brunch, I’ve got you covered. Get your cutest pastel dress or best suit out, we’ve got a brunch to attend!

This post was originally published in March 2017. Last updated in April 2024.

This post may contain affiliate links.

Easter is a time for family, friends, and of course, great food. If you're in Dallas, Texas, and looking for the perfect place to enjoy a delicious Easter brunch, there are plenty of options to choose from. Here are some of the best places to go for Easter brunch in Dallas:

The Mansion Restaurant

Located in the iconic Rosewood Mansion on Turtle Creek, The Mansion Restaurant is one of Dallas' most elegant dining destinations. The restaurant offers an assortment of gourmet dishes, including roasted lamb, chilled seafood, and a wide variety of desserts

The Rustic

For a more casual and laid-back Easter brunch experience, head over to The Rustic. This popular spot offers a brunch menu featuring classic dishes with a Texas twist, such as chicken and waffles, brisket tacos, and bacon-wrapped quail. Plus, you can enjoy live music on the restaurant's outdoor patio.

Fearing's

Fearing's, located in the Ritz-Carlton hotel, offers a luxurious Easter brunch buffet with a wide selection of gourmet dishes, including an omelet station, smoked salmon, crab claws, and a carving station with prime rib and ham. Plus, you can enjoy live music in the restaurant's stunning courtyard.

Del Frisco’s Grille, Plano

The food and service is consistently good at Del Frisco’s Grille . The Easter brunch menu will feature crab cake Benedict and prime rib. My family and I have visited a number of times and it's become one of our regular spots.

The Omni Hotel, Frisco

The Omni Hotel Frisco, is another great option for Easter brunch. Indulge in a festive brunch featuring melt-in-your-mouth Beef Tenderloin and the exquisitely seasoned Herb-Crusted Lamb. The made-to-order Omelet & Waffle Bar is a canvas for your culinary creativity, offering a delightful array of fresh ingredients and toppings. Secure your reservation for a memorable Easter experience.

Gaylord Texan, Las Colinas

The Gaylord always does the absolute most for every holiday. During Christmas it is like a Winter Wonderland, and Easter will be no different. Their Easter brunch buffet will feature a seafood station, a taco station, carved to order leg of lamb and ham, as well as traditional brunch items. There will also be an Easter Bunny on site for photos.

Chamberlain, Addison

Chamberlain’s will feature a three course menu with mouth watering options for each course selection. Some of the featured items include filet mignon, shrimp lobster and asparagus mac and cheese, salmon, and the desserts look incredible too.

There is no shortage of options for where to enjoy Easter brunch in Dallas.

No matter where you choose to go for Easter brunch in Dallas, you're sure to find delicious food and a festive atmosphere. So gather your loved ones, make a reservation, and enjoy a wonderful Easter brunch in the heart of Texas.

Easy Easter Cocktail | Strawberry Frosé

March 28, 2023

Looking for an easy Easter cocktail? Strawberry frosé is a great for your Easter or Spring brunch at home.

With Spring here and Summer just around the corner a fruity frozen cocktail is the perfect compliment for an Easter or Mother’s Day brunch. You can change out the garnish to suit the occasion.

This post was originally published in April 2022. Last updated on March 2023.

This post may contain affiliate links.

Other Summer
Cocktail Recipes

Ocean Water Cocktail

Cherry limeade

Watermelon Granita

Adult Popsicles

What is a frosé?

A frosé is really just a wine slushy, but I feel like frosé sounds fancier to say! We’re going to use our favorite rose wine to create a fun cocktail that is the perfect shade of pink. So girly! This drink would be great for a bridal or baby shower.

What better way to celebrate the season than with a refreshing and delicious strawberry frosé cocktail? This cocktail is perfect for sipping on a warm day, and the sweet and fruity flavors of strawberries and rosé wine make it an ideal Easter drink.

Ingredients for Strawberry frosé

Strawberries - These can be fresh or frozen. This is going to give our cocktail that pink color and the fruity flavor.
Rosé - use whatever brand you like. You can go for a sweeter rose, or a crisper one, all depending on your preference.
Agave or honey - to sweeten up our cocktail a bit.
Ice - to add texture to the drink.
Garnish - I used a Peep since this is our easy Easter cocktail. If making this for Spring brunch you can use a strawberry, or rim your glass with pink sanding sugar. Get creative!
Equipment - a blender

Items to make your Cocktail

Click the image to purchase on Amazon.

Blender under $40

Easy Easter Cocktail Strawberry frosé Recipe

Ingredients

Servers 4

1 bottle of rosé
2 cups strawberry - fresh or frozen
1-2 cups ice - if using frozen strawberries 1 cup should be enough
2 tablespoons agave or honey - taste and adjust the sweetness if you prefer a sweeter cocktail.

Instructions

Add rosé and frozen strawberries into a high powered blender. Blend until smooth.
Taste and add honey and ice, if needed.
Pour into a martini or cocktail glass and enjoy.

Other ways to server this Easter Cocktail

Not only is the strawberry frosé cocktail delicious, but it's also easy to customize. You can swap out the strawberries for other frozen fruits like peaches, mangoes, or raspberries. These fruit are also perfect for the spring/summer season.

Try experimenting with different types of wine to find your perfect blend. Wines that I think would pair well with these flavors are Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Grigio. You could even try Moscato or Riesling if you want to bring out the sweeter flavors

You can also make it alcohol-free by omitting the wine and adding more frozen fruit and simple syrup.

How to make a simple syrup for your frosé

To make the simple syrup, combine ½ cup of sugar and ½ cup of water in a small saucepan and heat it over medium heat until the sugar has dissolved. Let it cool completely before using it in the cocktail.

You can store the syrup in a bottle in the refrigerator and use it for up to a week.

The strawberry frosé cocktail is a great addition to any Easter celebration, whether you're hosting a brunch, dinner, or just a casual get-together. Its sweet and refreshing flavors make it a crowd-pleaser, and its beautiful pink color is perfect for the spring season.

So, raise a glass to spring and Easter with a delicious strawberry frosé cocktail. Cheers!

Fun and Easy Easter Brunch Ideas

March 24, 2023

Easter brunch ideas if you're planning on hosting brunch at home, it's a fun and festive way to gather friends and family.

This post was originally published in 2017. Last updated on March 2023.

This post may contain affiliate links, which means I’ll receive a commission if you purchase through my link, at no extra cost to you. Please read full disclosure here.

With Easter fast approaching, many people are starting to plan their celebrations, and hosting an Easter brunch can be a fun and festive way to gather friends and family. If you're looking for ideas for hosting a memorable Easter brunch, here are some tips to help you get started.

If you are not up for hosting at home and the only thing you plan on making is reservations then check this post, where to go for Easter brunch in north Dallas. However, if you are planning on staying in and hosting brunch at home, then you’ve come to the right place.

Decorations for Easter Brunch

Decorate your table: Set the mood with some festive decorations, like pastel-colored tablecloths, Easter-themed centerpieces, and floral arrangements. You can also add some small Easter eggs, bunnies, and chicks around the table for an extra touch of whimsy.

Check stores like Dollar Tree, Target, and Home Goods for inexpensive seasonal décor. You can add decorative Easter eggs to your floral arrangements or to apothecary vases.

How cute are these little milk bottles that you can use as drinking glasses. These purple and white floral cloth kitchen towels were the Dollar section at Target. Use them as napkins.

What do you eat for Easter Brunch

Plan your menu: Decide on the dishes you want to serve and make a shopping list. Some classic Easter brunch dishes include quiches, frittatas, hot cross buns, deviled eggs, lamb, and ham. However, you can do whatever you like. I enjoy mixing in traditional items as well as a few items that are just great for Spring brunch.

You can also add some spring-inspired dishes like asparagus quiche, fruit salad, or carrot cake.

If you want a more breakfast focused brunch, berries are in season this time of year, so a mixed berry French toast. or black berry pancakes would be great. Set-up a bagel board with flavored cream cheese so guests can help themselves.

Easter Brunch Cocktail

Create a signature cocktail. When hosting brunch at home it's fun to carry your theme into the drinks.

Make a frose garnished with a Peep. This drink is beyond adorable.

Another option for a cocktail or mocktail is Cherry limeade. It's always a good idea to offer a non-alcohol drink options.

Easter Brunch make ahead

To make hosting either you can serve foods that you can make ahead which save time the day of. Some items that are great for making ahead are: spinach quiche and deviled eggs.

Serving ready made store bought items is another way to save time and energy. Mini cupcakes from the grocery store.

Most of these items can be prepared the day before and reheated or put out at room temperature when you are ready to serve.

You can find many more recipes in my brunch eBook, including roasted lamb.

Set up an Easter Egg Hunt

Set up an Easter Egg Hunt: Hosting an Easter egg hunt can be a fun activity for both kids and adults. Hide some eggs around your yard or inside your house, and give guests baskets to collect them. You can also hide some special prizes, like chocolate bunnies or other Easter treats.

Provide Activities for Kids

Provide Activities for Kids: If you are expecting children, consider setting up some activities to keep them entertained while the adults mingle. Set up a crafting table with supplies for decorating Easter eggs or make-your-own bunny ears.

Create a Playlist

Create a Playlist: Set the tone for your Easter brunch with a festive playlist. Choose music that's upbeat and family-friendly, or create a custom playlist with your favorite Easter-inspired tunes. Check Spotify or Youtube for a gospel playlist.

Have Fun with Favors

Have Fun with Favors: Send your guests home with a small gift or treat as a thank you for attending. Consider creating small Easter baskets with candy, or giving guests a spring-themed plant or flower to take home. Like, mini succulents, or seeds to plant.

Treats like chocolates or peeps would make a fun favor.

Click the image to purchase on Amazon.

Valentine's Day Tea

January 27, 2023

Valentine’s Day tea has become a fun tradition for the ladies in my family. It started when my daughter was 2 years-old. Since then my daughter, mother-in-law and I have been going to afternoon tea every year to celebrate Valentine's day.

Galentine's Day Tea

I know most of you will be celebrating Valentine’s Day this week, but Galentine’s Day is catching on. I’m seeing more and more ladies taking time to celebrate with their girls, and I’m here for it.

Whether you're dating or in a long term relationship I still think it’s important to make time for your girls.

I've celebrated Galentine's Day with my friends, but I I decided that a Valentine's Day afternoon tea party would be the perfect way to celebrate with my mother-in-love and my daughter.

Valentine's Day Tea at Lavendou

We went to Lavendou for French high tea. Now Lavendou is located in a shopping plaza that includes a Condom Sense, but don’t let that deter you. This French Bistro is unassuming from the outside, but once you step inside, you are transported to Provence.

You will find exposed brick walls, and tables draped in Pierre Deux table cloths of royal blue, sunflower yellow, and red gingham. It is very shabby chic.

We were greeted and seated by a gentleman with a thick French accent, who we later learned is the owner and manager, Pascal. It could all be in my head, but somehow Pascal’s accent lent a greater authenticity to the experience.

Although the restaurant was busy with a number of patrons enjoying high tea, a bridal, and a baby shower, the staff was very attentive.

If you are a tea lover, this is the place to visit. Lavendou offers a dozen different teas for you to enjoy, including blacks, greens, oolongs, and a Darjeeling. We opted for the Hibiscus aux Framboises, which is a wild berry hibiscus tea with hints of Valencia orange. The tea was fragrant and had a lush fruit flavor. Our tea service also came with English Breakfast tea.

What to serve at Valentine's Day Tea

We were presented with a three-tiered tower of yummy goodness. The first tier had freshly prepared finger sandwiches filled with cucumber salad, chicken salad, and a cream cheese sandwich made with a nutty tea bread.

The second tier had scones accompanied by raspberry preserves, whipped butter, and clotted cream.

The final tier had an assortment of freshly prepared fruit tarts and tea pastries.

Lavendou has tea services Monday - Saturday from 11:30 am- 4 pm and reservations are highly recommended.

Although high tea is usually associated with the British, after visiting Lavendou, the French are definitely contenders.

Whether or not you have a special someone to celebrate Valentine’s Day with, make sure you take some time to celebrate Galentine’s Day too.

Valentine's Day Tea — Ready for the tea party.

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Ladies Night In Ideas

January 27, 2023

Here are some fun ladies night in ideas for hosting a get together with your girls at home. I'm sharing themes, menu options, and fun activities for celebrating Galentines day or just because.

This post may contain affiliate links, which means I’ll receive a commission if you purchase through my link, at no extra cost to you. Please read full disclosure here.

Ladies Night in THeme Ideas

Typically when I hear ladies nigh in I think of a social event where women gather together for a night of relaxation and bonding in a comfortable setting, such as someone's home.

I enjoy a good girls night out, dinner, brunch, and drink with my homies, but there is something about gathering in the comfort of someone's home, eating a good meal, and kiking with my friends that I really enjoy.

This is also a great way to save money and still have a good old time, because honestly, we know that it's easy to run a bill up at brunch and dinner or even happy hour.

The event can include activities such as watching a movie, playing games, cooking or baking together, or simply chatting and catching up. It's a way for women to spend time together, unwind and have fun in a relaxed and informal setting.

Set a theme: Choose a theme for your party, such as a pajama party, a wine and cheese night, or a DIY craft night. This will help set the tone and give your guests an idea of what to expect.

Click on the image below to purchase from Amazon.

WHAT IS GALENTINES DAY?

If you needed a reason to host a ladies night in (do really need a reason though?!) the Galentine's day is a great opportunity.

The holiday started as a joke on the show Park's and Recreation. It has since morphed into a legit holiday for the homies. If you're unfamiliar with Galentines's it's basically when you get together with your girls to celebrate friendship.

You can enjoy a Galentine's celebration regardless of if you're single or booed up. I share how my daughter, mother-in-law, and I have an on-going tradition of doing a Galentine's tea. My friends and I have done Galentine's brunch, but we decided to switch things up a bit and enjoy a girl's night in.

Ladies Night in Food Ideas

So, let's talk about what's most important
:the menu! For ladies night in, we decided to make it an Italian theme dinner and we each brought a dish.

A pot luck style dinner makes things easier for the hostess. I also find that when you're doing pot luck it's best to set a theme, so you don't end up with a hodge podge of random foods that don't compliment each other.

Our menu consisted of lasagna, salad, meatballs, various desserts, and wine.

Grazing board parties have been all the rage lately. Having each guest sign up for a different style grazing board is a another great way to put a the menu together. Some common grazing boards that you can do: wing platter, chips and dips board, dessert board, sushi board, traditional charcuterie board.

Be sure to have a mix of alcohol and non-alcohol beverages and water for your guests. It's fine to have everyone bring a bottle of wine or create a signature cocktail that you can batch mix or something with minimal ingredients that is easy for you to make.

Ladies Night In Entertainment Ideas

Once there is food and wine I can have a good time with my friends just sitting around chatting. However, I think having an activity for your ladies night in is always a good idea.

Plan some fun activities for your guests to enjoy. This can include playing games, watching movies, doing DIY crafts, or even having a spa night.

Ladies Night IN Passion Party

Host a passion party. There are companies that will send a host to your home to tell you about passion products and how to use them. Let your hair down and let your inner freak out (ayee!).

Ladies NIght IN Make-up Session

For our ladies night in, we decided to have a get glam make up session. One of our members, Kori, happens to be a make up artist ( She is bomb!) offered to give us a tutorial on putting together a glam look.

We all brought our own makeup and brushes and she schooled us on how to do lashes, and smokey eyes.

It was so much fun and I learned some new techniques. Find a local make-up artist or even a cosmetology school student come in and give a class. The group can pool together to pay the fee or you can decide if you want to provide it as the host.

Ladies Night In Movies

If you just want to keep it low key, have a chick flick movie viewing.

Some of my favorites are: The Devil Wears Prada, The Sex and the City Movie, Brown Sugar, Love and Basketball, and The Best Man. Make sure to include a popcorn bar.

Ladies Nigh IN Cocktail Making Activity

Instead of having a signature cocktail why don't you and your girls make the cocktails as the activities.

You can find a virtual cocktail making class on-line, hosted by a mixologist or find a recipe or video on Youtube of someone making cocktails to be your guide. The host could also spear head the teaching if you feel comfortable with your drink mixing skills.

You can go for a theme, like gin cocktails or rum cocktails. Grab my free cocktail guide if you need some cocktail ideas.

Just be sure to have all of the tools and ingredients ready for your guests to make the cocktails.

Hosting Ladies Night at home

We kept our attire casual with matching leisure wear so we could be relaxed. As much as I enjoy dressing up, I liked being comfy and casual and just hanging out with my friends.

I like that Galentine's day, just as with Valentine's day, is an opportunity to remind the people in your life just how special they are to you. However you decide to celebrate these holidays, remember that's what it's all about.

Keep it low-key: Remember that the purpose of Ladies Night In is to relax and catch up with friends. Don't stress too much about making everything perfect, just enjoy the company of your friends. Have a camera ready: Take pictures and videos of the night so you can all look back on the memories and share them on social media. Bonus points if you have a polaroid camera and can take pics for your guests to take home with them. And if not, just share your pics in the group chat!

I hope you found this tips and ideas for hosting a ladies nigh in helpful. Please share with your friend and save on Pinterest for future reference.

How to Host a Favorite Things Party

January 13, 2018

January 26, 2018 | Updated January 13, 2021

How to host a Favorite Things party? My brunch club did a Favorite Things theme for our January brunch. Today I'm sharing tips and gift ideas for how you can host your own Favorite Things Party.

What is a Favorite Things Party?

If you aren't familiar with a Favorite Things party, here is how it works: you invite a certain number of people to your party (the amount of people is completely up to you) my brunch club consists of 5 people.

Each person brings the same gift for all of the people who are attending. For our party we each brought 5 gifts. So, everyone left with 5 different items.

Favorite Things parties are so fun and a great way to discover new items. If you've ever discovered a product you loved and just had to tell all your friends (as well as everyone on your Instagram feed) about, this is your opportunity to share that thing.

Set a Budget for your Favorite Things Party

I like to keep the size of this party small because you don't want people breaking the bank here---unless you and crew ball out like that, then do your thang.

We set the budget at $5 per item. I find that people get more creative when you give them a small budget. I think anywhere from $3-$5 per item is good.

Pick a theme for your Favorite Things

This is optional of course. You can have each guest just share their favorite products. Our theme was self-care, which is very broad and allowed for many options.

You can decide if you want all of the items to center around a common theme, like beauty, travel, food, cocktails, coffee/tea, etc. (definitely thinking about this for next time).

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How do you play Favorite Things

There are few ways you can present your favorite things. You can put all of the items out and provide gift bags for each person to grab one of each. With this option you can have everyone guess who they think brought what.

Everything was so cute and thoughtful. The ladies really got creative with their items and everyone loved them.

What to serve at Favorite Things Party

For menu ideas see here and here. Al Biernat’s was also the perfect location for such an occasion. I highly recommend it for a celebratory brunch.

Favorite Things Brunch — Sausage Scramble

Favorite Things Party Gift Ideas

Favorite Things parties are very popular around the Christmas holiday, but I like the idea of doing them after the holidays, because it gives you something to look forward to after gift giving season is over.

This would also be a cute theme for a Galantines Day or Mother's Day gathering with other mom friends.

If you found this helpful go ahead and pin this post to Pinterest to spread the word.

How to Start a Cookbook Club

April 11, 2025

Want to start a cookbook club but not sure where to begin? Keep reading to see how to start a cookbook club. Discover fun and easy tips to launch your own cookbook club, from choosing the right book to sending the invites. I've even got a free Cookbook Club Starter Kit for your to download.

If you love trying new recipes and gathering with good company, starting a cookbook club might just be your new favorite hobby. It’s like a book club—but instead of just discussing what you read, you eat it too! Whether you're a seasoned home cook or just dipping your toes into the culinary world, a cookbook club is the perfect way to connect, learn, and feast. This is also a great way to get out of a food rut, if you find yourself making the same things when you cook.

Here’s everything you need to know to get your own cookbook club cooking!

1. Pick Your First Cookbook

Choosing the right cookbook sets the tone for your club. Pick one that matches your group’s interests and skill level. Maybe it's all about plant-based recipes, global flavors, quick weeknight meals, or a celebrity chef you’re curious about.

For my first cookbook club dinner, I selected Ayesha Curry's, Full Plate. The book had simple recipes with common ingredients that would be easy for my guests to source. There were also a variety of dishes and even cocktails to choose from, so I knew we would have a balanced menu.

Book Ideas

Cravings by Chrissy Teigen (fun and approachable)

My America: Recipes from a Young Black Chef by Kwame Onwuachi (for adventurous palates)

Cooking from the Spirit: Easy, Delicious, and Joyful Plant-Based Inspirations (A Feeding the Soul Book) by Tabitha Brown (great for Vegan or health-conscious folks)

2. Decide on a Meeting Format

Will you rotate hosting at each other’s homes? Meet monthly or every other month? Will everyone cook a dish from the book and bring it potluck-style, or will the host prepare everything?

Common formats:

Potluck-style: Each person cooks one recipe and brings it to share.
Host-led: The host chooses and prepares all the recipes.
Virtual club: Great for long-distance friends—everyone cooks and shares photos, then chats online.

The most common format is potluck style, and that's how my dinner was hosted. Being the host (and an over achiever lol) I made the most dishes and filled in any gaps I noticed in the menu after everyone signed up. I kept in mind that people were traveling to my home with their dishes so I made most of the "hot food.

Whatever format you choose, keep it low-stress and fun!

3. Gather Your Foodie Crew

Start by inviting a few like-minded friends who love to cook—or at least eat! You don’t need a huge group; 4 to 8 people is a sweet spot. It keeps things manageable and ensures everyone gets to taste a little bit of everything.

I wanted mine to be a sit down dinner, so my guest list was limited to the amount of people that could fit at my dining table, which was 8 people. Choose a number that will ensure everyone can gather together to discuss the food and book.

4. Plan the First Gathering

Send out invites (text, email, or group chat is fine!), assign recipes, and set the mood. You can add little touches like printed menus, themed playlists, or cute table décor that matches the cookbook vibe.

Encourage everyone to bring their copy of the book and jot down notes—what worked, what they’d tweak, and what they loved.

I texted invites that I created on Canva, and each invite included a link to a Google form which is where everyone RSVP'd, indicated what dish they were bringing, if they had any food allergies, and added their email address.

My text message included a brief statement about what a cookbook club is and how it works.

Something else that was helpful to my guest who didn't get to purchase the book, or theirs didn't arrive on time, was sending a picture of the table of contents. Each person responded with the recipe they wanted to try and I sent a photo of the full recipe.

5. Set the Scene

I'm all about a theme when hosting, and since I started my cookbook club in the Spring, I decided the theme would be spring. Your book selection can also guide your theme or vice-versa. The theme also guided the menu selection. We had lots of salads, a pineapple chicken dish, sangria and a spicy margarita that all screamed Spring!

You don't need to have a theme or go all out with decoration. But you can set the scene by doing a few simple things like:

Set your dining table - add a runner and place mats or charger plates.
Decorate with flowers - I bought some flowers from Trader Joe's and added them as a center piece on the dining table.
Print the menu -You can print the menu and place it at each seat or print one menu and frame it for your everyone to see who made what dish.
Label each dish - I added butcher paper to my counter top and wrote each dish out for guest to place what they brought in front of the label.

6. Don't Forget the Drinks

If your cookbook includes cocktails like ours did, then someone can make drinks. My friend made 2 cocktails from our cookbook, but I also had a dispenser with ice water and put out some sparkling water.

If your cookbook does not feature cocktails you can serve wine or make your own signature drink, or forget the booze and serve soft drinks.

7. Leftovers

You will likely have leftover, so I suggest having containers for your guests, or asking everyone to bring a container for leftovers.

8. Keep It Going!

After each meetup, take a vote on the next cookbook or theme. You can even alternate between full cookbooks and shorter formats like online recipe collections, magazines, or seasonal themes.

Make a shared group chat or email thread to keep the momentum going and share recipe wins (and fails!).

Grab the Guide!

Ready to host your own cookbook club? I’ve got you! Download my free Cookbook Club Starter Kit with planning sheets, theme ideas, and more. It’s the exact guide I wish I had when I got started—grab yours below and get cooking with your crew! Click her to get the guide.

Final Thoughts

Starting a cookbook club is such a rewarding way to bring people together through food, learn new cooking techniques, and expand your culinary horizons. It’s low-key, cozy, and oh-so-delicious. So grab your apron, pick a cookbook, and get ready to dish it up with friends!

Be sure to tag me on Instagram @mochasandmimosas if you start your own cookbook club!

Avocado toast with feta

March 20, 2025

Avocado toast with feta is an easy and delicious recipe that is perfect for a quick breakfast, brunch, or light meal. Upgrade your avocado toast with creamy feta and fresh tomatoes.

Why you'll love this recipe

Quick & Easy: Ready in just 10 minutes!
Nutritious & Flavorful: Packed with healthy fats, fiber, and protein.
Perfect for Brunch or a Light Meal: A satisfying yet fresh dish to enjoy anytime.

Ingredients for Avocado toast with feta

For the Avocado Base:

1 ripe avocado, mashed
½ teaspoon lemon juice
Pinch of sea salt and black pepper

For the Toppings:

¼ cup crumbled feta cheese
½ teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional, for a little heat)
2 slices of tomato
1 tablespoon balsamic glaze (optional, for added flavor)

For the Toast:

2 slices of sourdough or whole-grain bread, toasted

Instructions

Make the Avocado Spread: Mash the avocado in a bowl and mix in the lemon juice, salt, and pepper.
Assemble the Toast: Spread the mashed avocado evenly onto the toasted bread.
Top with Tomato: Add 2 slices of tomatoes to the toast.
Sprinkle with Feta: Sprinkle crumbled feta over the tomatoes.
Drizzle & Garnish: Add red pepper flakes and drizzle with balsamic glaze.
Serve & Enjoy! This avocado toast is best enjoyed fresh.

Tips for the best avocado toast with feta

Use ripe avocados for a creamy texture.
Choose high-quality feta cheese for the best flavor.
Add a poached egg for extra protein and richness.
Swap feta for goat cheese for a different tangy twist.

FAQs

Can I make this ahead of time?
This avocado toast is best enjoyed fresh, but you can prepare the avocado mixture in advance by adding extra lemon juice to prevent browning. Store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a day.

What type of bread works best for avocado toast?
Sourdough, whole-grain, or rustic artisan bread works best because they provide a sturdy base for the toppings.

Can I use a different cheese instead of feta?
Yes! Goat cheese or ricotta are great alternatives that pair well with avocado.

How can I add more protein to this toast?
Top it with a poached or fried egg, or add a few slices of (turkey) bacon.

Is this recipe gluten-free?
It can be! Just use gluten-free bread to make it suitable for a gluten-free diet.

Final Thoughts

Avocado Toast with Feta is a deliciously simple way to enjoy a flavorful, satisfying meal. Whether you enjoy it as a quick breakfast, brunch, or light lunch, it’s sure to be a hit!

What’s your favorite way to enjoy avocado toast? Let me know in the comments!

Looking for more delicious brunch recipes? Check out my other easy and flavorful brunch ideas to keep your mornings delicious!

Lavender Mimosa Recipe: A Floral Twist on a Brunch Classic

February 21, 2025

Elevate your brunch with this lavender mimosa recipe! A floral twist on the classic cocktail, perfect for spring gatherings, Valentine's day, bridal/baby shower or just because.

When it comes to elevating your brunch game, a classic mimosa never fails. But if you’re looking to add a unique, floral twist to this beloved cocktail, the lavender mimosa is your answer. This recipe combines the delicate aroma of lavender with the refreshing sparkle of champagne. The purple hue for the lavender syrup also adds a whimsical feel to this drink.

Why You'll Love This Lavender Mimosa

Floral and Refreshing: The subtle floral notes of lavender balance beautifully with the crisp, bubbly champagne.
Easy to Make: With just a few ingredients, you can whip up this elegant cocktail in minutes.
Brunch Showstopper: Lavender mimosas not only taste amazing but also look gorgeous, especially when garnished with fresh lavender sprigs.

Ingredients You’ll Need

To make this lavender mimosa, you’ll need:

1 bottle of champagne or prosecco (chilled)
Lavender simple syrup (find the recipe here)
Fresh lavender sprigs (optional, for garnish)

How to Make a Lavender Mimosa

Prep Your Glasses: Chill your champagne flutes in the freezer for 10-15 minutes for an extra-refreshing mimosa.
Add Lavender Syrup: Pour 1-2 tablespoons of lavender simple syrup into the bottom of each flute. Adjust the amount to your preferred sweetness.
Top with Champagne: Slowly pour champagne or prosecco into the flute until it’s about ¾ full.
Garnish: Add a fresh lavender sprig for a beautiful finishing touch.
Serve Immediately: Enjoy your lavender mimosa while it’s bubbly and fresh!

Tips for the Best Lavender Mimosa

Use High-Quality Ingredients: a good bottle of champagne or prosecco make all the difference.
Don’t Overdo the Syrup: Start with a small amount of lavender simple syrup and adjust to taste. A little goes a long way!
Experiment with Variations: Add citrus like orange juice, lemon juice or grapefruit juice. Try adding a splash of elderflower liqueur for a fun twist.

When to Serve Lavender Mimosas

Lavender mimosas are versatile and work for a variety of occasions:

Spring and Summer Brunches: Their light and floral flavor is ideal for warm-weather gatherings.
Special Celebrations: Perfect for baby showers, bridal showers, Valentine's/Galentine's or Mother’s Day.
Relaxing Weekends: Treat yourself to a fancy at-home brunch with this elegant cocktail.

Yield: 1

Lavender Mimosa Recipe

Elevate your brunch with this lavender mimosa recipe! A floral twist on the classic cocktail.

FAQs About Lavender Mimosas

Can I make this cocktail non-alcoholic?

Absolutely! Swap the champagne with sparkling water or non-alcoholic sparkling wine for a booze-free version that’s just as delicious.

Where can I find culinary lavender?

You can find dried culinary lavender at specialty grocery stores, health food stores, or online. Make sure it’s labeled as safe for consumption.

Let's toast!

Lavender mimosas are a sophisticated and easy way to upgrade your brunch menu. With their stunning presentation and delightful flavor, they’re sure to impress your guests and make any occasion feel extra special. Remember easy and elevated is the motto. Give this recipe a try and let me know what you think in the comments!

Check out these other champagne cocktails

Strawberry Elderflower Spritzer

February 14, 2025

Create an elegant brunch cocktail with this Strawberry Elderflower Spritzer. Featuring strawberry jam, elderflower liqueur, and champagne.

This refreshing cocktail combines the sweetness of strawberry jam, the floral notes of elderflower liqueur, and the effervescence of sparkling wine. It's the perfect drink for Valentine's/Galentine's day, spring gatherings, bridal showers, or even a casual weekend brunch at home.

Ingredients You'll Need

To create this delightful cocktail, you'll need just a few simple ingredients:

Strawberry jam: Strawberry jam gives this drink it's pretty pink hue and fruity flavor.
Elderflower liqueur: The star of the show, elderflower liqueur (my favorite is St. Germain) adds a delicate floral sweetness.
Champagne or sparkling wine: Choose your favorite brut or dry sparkling wine to balance the sweetness of the other ingredients.
Lemon juice: A splash of fresh lemon juice brightens up the flavors.

How to Make a Strawberry Elderflower Spritzer

This cocktail is as easy to make as it is to sip! Follow these steps:

Prepare the strawberry jam: Add 1 tablespoon of strawberry jam to a cocktail shaker.
Mix the ingredients: Add 1 ounce of elderflower liqueur, 1 teaspoon of fresh lemon juice, and a handful of ice to the shaker. Shake well until the jam is fully incorporated.
Strain into a glass: Strain the mixture into a champagne flute a stemless wine glass or a coupe glass.
Add the bubbles: Top with chilled champagne or sparkling wine, filling the glass about ¾ full.
Garnish and serve: Garnish with a sprig of mint or a slice of fresh strawberry for a picture-perfect presentation.

Why You'll Love This Recipe

Quick and easy: With just a handful of ingredients and minimal prep, this cocktail comes together in minutes.
Customizable: Swap the strawberry jam for raspberry or blackberry jam, or experiment with different sparkling wines like cava or prosecco, to make this drink your own.
Perfect for any occasion: Whether you're hosting a fancy brunch or enjoying a quiet afternoon, the strawberry elderflower spritzer feels special but never fussy. Easy yet elevated is the goal.

Yield: 1

Strawberry Elderflower Spritzer

Create an elegant brunch cocktail with this Strawberry Elderflower Spritzer. Featuring strawberry jam, elderflower liqueur, and champagne.

Prep Time 2 minutes

Total Time 2 minutes

Ingredients

1 tablespoon of strawberry jam
1 ounce of elderflower liqueur
1 teaspoon of fresh lemon juice
sparkling wine, filling the glass about ¾ full

Instructions

Add 1 tablespoon of strawberry jam to a cocktail shaker.
Add 1 ounce of elderflower liqueur, 1 teaspoon of fresh lemon juice, and a handful of ice to the shaker. Shake well until the jam is fully incorporated.
Strain the mixture into a champagne flute.
Top with chilled champagne or sparkling wine, filling the glass about ¾ full.
Garnish with a sprig of mint or a slice of fresh strawberry and enjoy!

Notes

Swap the champagne for sparkling water or non-alcoholic sparkling wine, and use elderflower syrup instead of liqueur for a mocktail version.

Tips for the Best Strawberry Elderflower Spritzer

Use high-quality jam: A good-quality strawberry jam will elevate the flavor of this cocktail. Or make your own jam.
Chill everything: Ensure your champagne or soda water are thoroughly chilled before assembling the cocktail.
Make it non-alcoholic: Swap the champagne for sparkling water or non-alcoholic sparkling wine, and use elderflower syrup instead of liqueur for a mocktail version.

What to Serve with Your Strawberry Elderflower Spritzer

This spritzer pairs beautifully with light and fruity brunch dishes. Try serving it alongside:

Goat cheese salad
Berry pancakes
Smoked salmon and cream cheese crostini

Final Thoughts

The strawberry elderflower spritzer is a celebration in a glass. Its vibrant colors, delicate floral flavors, and sparkling finish make it a crowd-pleaser for any brunch or special occasion. Whether you're toasting for a special occasion or simply enjoying life, this champagne cocktail is sure to impress.

Let me know in the comments if you try this recipe. Don’t forget to tag me on Instagram @mochasandmimosas so I can see your creations!

Cheers to fabulous brunches and delicious drinks!

Raspberry Champagne Cocktail

February 11, 2025

Make this easy Raspberry Champagne Cocktail. A fruity, sparkling cocktail perfect for Valentine’s Day, brunch, or any celebration!

If you love easy yet elegant cocktails, this raspberry champagne is a must-try! This two-ingredient champagne cocktail features the rich, fruity taste of Chambord (raspberry liqueur) combined with crisp champagne (or your favorite sparking wine) for a refreshing, slightly sweet, and bubbly drink. The pink color also makes it fun.

What is Raspberry Champagne

This cocktail is also referred to as Raspberry Royale. A Raspberry Royale is a simple Champagne cocktail made with Chambord (a black raspberry liqueur from France) and topped with fresh raspberries. It's similar to a Kir Royale, which uses Crème de Cassis. You may be familiar with the Kir Royale if you're a fan of the Netflix series, Emily in Paris.

When Should You Serve a Raspberry Champagne Cocktail

The cocktail is perfect for entertaining because of the festive color, and anything with bubbles instantly elevates a drink in my book. Serve it for:
Valentine’s Day & Galentine’s Day – A gorgeous pink drink for a festive toast.
Brunch or Bridal Showers – Light, fruity, and Instagram-worthy!
Easy Entertaining – Just pour, garnish, and serve.

Ingredients for Raspberry Royale Cocktail

To make this stunning raspberry champagne cocktail, you only need:

4 ounce Champagne (or sparkling wine like Prosecco or Cava)
½ ounce Chambord (raspberry liqueur)
Fresh raspberries (for garnish)
Optional: colored sugar for rimming your glass

How to Make a Raspberry Royale

Step 1: For an extra special touch, rim your champagne flute with honey and dip it in colored sugar.(you can find the sugar in the baking aisle)

Step 2: Add the ½ ounce Chambord

Step 3: Top with 4 ounces chilled champagne to keep bubbles fresh and lively.

Step 4: Add in fresh raspberries for a pop of color. Enjoy immediately!

Tips for the Best Raspberry Royale

Chill Your Glasses: A chilled flute keeps the cocktail crisp.

Use Frozen Raspberries: They act as natural ice cubes without diluting your drink.

Try Different Sparkling Wines: Swap Champagne for Prosecco (lighter) or Cava (earthier) for different flavors.

Make it Non-Alcoholic: Use sparkling white grape juice or club soda with a splash of raspberry simple syrup.

Serve it: Serving your cocktail in unique glassware can add to the fun of the drink. I love these whimsical glasses. These are fun too.

What to Serve with a Raspberry Royale

This cocktail pairs beautifully with:

Brunch favorites: Smoked salmon bagels, quiches, and fruit tarts.
Valentine’s treats: Chocolate-dipped strawberries, macarons, or shortbread cookies.
Savory appetizers: Brie and crostini, charcuterie boards, or prosciutto-wrapped melon.

FAQs About Raspberry Champagne Cocktails

1. Can I make a Raspberry Champagne Cocktail ahead of time?
No, it's best served fresh so the Champagne stays bubbly.

2. What’s a good Chambord substitute?
Try Crème de Cassis (blackcurrant liqueur) or raspberry simple syrup for a non-alcoholic version.

3. Could I make this a mocktail?
Yes, try a zero proof sparkling wine or sparking grape juice. Swap the Chambord for raspberry syrup.

Let's Toast

If you made this cocktail and enjoyed it, please leave a comment below! Happy Sipping!

How to Host a PJ’s and TJ’s(Trader Joe’s) Party

October 17, 2024

Host a PJ's(pajamas) and TJ's (Trader Joe's) party with cozy pajamas, delicious TJ's snacks, easy cocktails, and fun games or a movie marathon. Perfect for a relaxing and Instagram-worthy girls' night at home!

This post contains affiliate links, meaning at no additional cost to you, I will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase. All opinions are my own and I only link to products that I use and love.

Are you looking to host a memorable girls' night without the hassle of going out? A PJ’s and TJ's Girls Night In is the perfect way to unwind with your best friends, enjoy delicious snacks, and sip on easy cocktails, all in the comfort of your favorite pajamas. In this post, I’ll show you how to create a cozy, Instagram-worthy night using the best snacks, drinks, and décor—all from Trader Joe’s. This post focuses on Fall snacks but you could host this girls' night in theme during any season.

Set the Scene with Cozy Pajamas and Décor

The beauty of a PJ’s night is that comfort is the priority, so go all out on creating the coziest setting. Think soft blankets, fluffy pillows, and low lighting to create the ultimate relaxed atmosphere. If you want to add a bit of flair, consider a color scheme (like pastel pinks or calming blues) to tie everything together. This particular party was hosted during the Fall, so we went with a cozy Fall theme, with earth tones.

Host a PJ’s and TJ’s(Trader Joe’s) party decoration

The foundation of any girls' night in is comfort, so encourage your guests to wear their coziest or cutest pajamas. Want to elevate the experience? Provide your girls with matching sleep masks, slippers, or fuzzy socks for a fun touch. These also make for adorable photos.

Curate a TJ’s-Inspired Snack Board

The highlight of a Trader Joe’s Girls Night is, of course, the food! Trader Joe’s has an incredible selection of snacks, and it’s easy to create an amazing snack board for your guests. You can have each guest bring their favorite snack to add to the board.

For our girls night we did snacks but we also served chili and chicken noodle soup as the main course, because we were going for cozy Fall vibes and what's cozier than chili and homemade soup.

Host a PJ’s and TJ’s(Trader Joe’s) party food

For variety, mix savory and sweet items, and arrange everything charcuterie-style to make it visually appealing. Not only does this setup look amazing, but it’s also Instagram-worthy and perfect for grazing throughout the night. Here are some must-haves for your charcuterie-style spread:

Savory Snacks:

Everything but the Bagel seasoned crackers

Fig and Rosemary Crackers

Unexpected Cheddar Cheese with fig jam

Spinach & Artichoke Dip with tortilla chips

Buffalo Chicken Dip

Sweet Treats:

Dark Chocolate Covered Pretzel Slims

Cookie Butter with apple slices or graham crackers

JoeJoe's Sandwich Cookies

Lemon Bars or Pumpkin bread (one of the box mixes)

Host a PJ’s and TJ’s(Trader Joe’s) party snack board

Sip on Easy TJ's Cocktails and Mocktails

No girls' night is complete without fun drinks! Keep it simple by using Trader Joe’s beverages to make easy cocktails and mocktails. Here are a few crowd-pleasing options:

Cucumber Cooler: Mix Trader Joe’s sparkling lime water with fresh cucumber and mint. Add vodka or gin for a cocktail version.
Sparkling Peach Bellini: Use TJ’s sparkling peach Bellini.
Spicy Margarita: Combine Trader Joe’s jalapeño limeade with tequila, and rim your glasses with Tajín for a kick.

For non-alcoholic options, stick to the same mocktails, or serve TJ’s sparkling water or juices. You could also set up a DIY drink station where your guests can mix and match ingredients.

PJ's Movie Marathon or Game Night

Once everyone’s settled in with their snacks and drinks, it’s time to entertain! You can go one of two ways: a movie marathon or a game night.

Movie Marathon: Queue up your favorite chick flicks or nostalgic movies. Think Clueless, Mean Girls, or Legally Blonde. Or watch a few episodes of a show like Gilmore Girls, Insecure, Girlfriends, or Sex and The Season. Have popcorn on hand (Trader Joe’s has great flavors like Olive Oil and kettle corn).
Game Night: Keep it light and fun with games like charades, Pictionary, or card games that everyone can play in their PJ’s. You could even make the games Trader Joe’s-themed, with TJ’s snacks as prizes!

TJ's Goodie Bags

As a final touch, send your guests home with Trader Joe’s goodie bags. Fill them with mini treats like a small jar of Cookie Butter, chocolate bars, or travel-sized hand creams. It’s a sweet and thoughtful way to thank your friends for coming and keep the Trader Joe’s girls' night theme going. For our party everyone brought a Trader Joe's bags with a few of their favorite snacks and each person picked a bag before they left.

Host a PJ’s and TJ’s(Trader Joe’s) party goodie bags

Final Thoughts

A PJ’s and TJ's Girls Night In is all about comfort, good food, and great company. By using these ideas, you’ll create a memorable night filled with laughs, delicious Trader Joe’s snacks, and easy-to-make cocktails. Best of all, hosting is stress-free when everything comes from Trader Joe’s, making it affordable and fun!

So, grab your favorite pajamas, head to Trader Joe’s, and get ready for a night of pure relaxation and joy.

More Girls Night Ideas

Favorite Things Party

Ladies Night In Ideas

Honey Lavender Simple Syrup

October 7, 2024

Honey lavender simple syrup is the perfect addition to your brunch drinks and dishes. Whether you’re crafting cocktails, whipping up a dreamy coffee, or drizzling it over waffles, this syrup brings an elegant flair that’s sure to impress your guests. Plus, it's simple to make at home! This simple syrup is a great way to elevate your brunch game with a touch of floral sweetness.

In this post, I’ll walk you through how to make honey lavender simple syrup and share some creative ways to incorporate it into your brunch recipes.

Ingredients

1 cup water
½ cup honey (I recommend using this organic raw honey)
2 tablespoons dried culinary lavender (Get your lavender here)
Optional: 1 teaspoon vanilla extract or lemon zest for extra flavor
Optional: 3-5 blueberries or blackberries (if you want your lavender syrup to have a more vibrant purple color this is a natural hack).

Instructions

In a small saucepan, bring the water to a boil.
Add the dried lavender and simmer for 2-3 minutes to let the flavor infuse.
Remove from heat and stir in the honey until fully dissolved.
Add the blueberries or blackberries and let them sit of 5 minutes for the color before removing
Allow the mixture to steep for 20-30 minutes to intensify the lavender flavor.
Strain the syrup through a fine-mesh sieve to remove lavender buds.
Allow syrup to cool completely before storing your syrup in a glass jar or bottle (these jars work perfectly) in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.

Brunch Ideas Using Honey Lavender Simple Syrup

Now that you have this versatile syrup ready, let’s explore some easy and delicious ways to incorporate it into your next brunch!

1. Lavender Honey Mimosa

Take your classic mimosa to the next level by adding a dash of honey lavender syrup to a glass of champagne and freshly squeezed orange juice. It’s a floral, sweet twist that your guests will love.

2. Lavender Honey Iced Coffee

For a refreshing morning pick-me-up, drizzle honey lavender syrup into cold brew or iced coffee. Pair it with almond or oat milk for an indulgent dairy-free treat. (Pro tip: Use this cold brew maker for easy at-home cold brew!)

3. Pancakes and Waffles

Upgrade your brunch classics by drizzling honey lavender syrup over a stack of fluffy pancakes or French Toast. The combination of the floral lavender and warm honey creates a beautifully balanced flavor. If you’re hosting, serve your pancakes on these chic brunch plates to make your table pop.

4. Lavender Lemonade Spritz

Mix the syrup into a lavender lemonade and top it off with club soda for a bubbly, refreshing brunch mocktail. For an adult version, add a splash of gin or vodka.

5. Lavender Honey Lemonade

Stir some honey lavender syrup into homemade lemonade for a fragrant, refreshing beverage. It’s perfect for brunches or warm-weather gatherings.

6. Enhance Your Iced Teas

Add a tablespoon of honey lavender syrup to iced teas—especially green or black tea—for a hint of sweetness and a relaxing floral undertone. It’s a great alternative to regular sugar.

7. Yogurt and Fruit Parfait

Add a tablespoon of honey lavender syrup to your yogurt for a subtle, sweet flavor, then layer it with fresh berries and granola for a light and lovely brunch side dish.

FAQs

1. How long does honey lavender simple syrup last?
When stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator, this syrup can last for up to two weeks.

2. Can I use fresh lavender instead of dried lavender?
Yes, fresh lavender works well too! Just substitute the dried lavender with 2-3 sprigs of fresh lavender. Be sure to wash it thoroughly before using.

3. Can I substitute honey with sugar?
Absolutely! If you prefer, you can use sugar or agave syrup in place of honey. However, honey adds a richer, more earthy sweetness that complements the lavender.

4. How can I use honey lavender syrup in baking?
You can use honey lavender syrup as a glaze for donuts, cupcakes, or scones. It also works as a delicious topping for baked goods or as a sweetener in frosting.

5. Is honey lavender simple syrup healthy?
While honey is a natural sweetener with potential health benefits, this syrup is still a treat and should be enjoyed in moderation.

Honey lavender simple syrup is a delicious, versatile ingredient that will add elegance and flavor to your brunches. Whether you’re adding it to mimosas, coffee, or pancakes, it’s an easy way to impress your guests and elevate your dishes. Be sure to grab the tools and ingredients mentioned throughout the post to make your brunch prep a breeze!

Pumpkin Cinnamon French Toast

September 23, 2024

This Pumpkin cinnamon French Toast is the perfect cozy brunch recipe for Fall. With warm spices and the rich flavor of pumpkin, this easy French toast will quickly become your go-to recipe for autumn mornings. When the leaves start falling and the air turns crisp, it's time to bring out the pumpkin spice! Whether you’re hosting brunch with friends, looking to impress your family, or just treating yourself (because you deserve it), this French toast hits all the right notes: slightly crisp on the outside, fluffy on the inside, and loaded with that iconic pumpkin cinnamon flavor.

This post may contains affiliate links, meaning at no additional cost to you, I will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase. All opinions are my own and I only link to products that I use and love.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe:

Simple Ingredients, Big Flavor: You probably have most of these ingredients in your kitchen already, especially if you hoard cans of pumpkin puree like me.

Quick and Easy: This French toast is ready in less than 20 minutes, making it the perfect weekend treat when you want to feel fancy without a ton of effort.

It’s Pumpkin Spice Season!: Need I say more? Let's be real, half the fun of fall is finding new ways to pumpkin spice everything.

Ingredients You'll Need for Pumpkin Cinnamon French Toast:

4 large eggs
½ cup pumpkin puree (because it's fall, duh)
1 cup milk (or any non-dairy milk if you’re dairy-free)
2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon vanilla extract (for that little something extra)
8 slices of thick-cut bread (brioche or challah if you’re feeling fancy)
Butter for the skillet (and your soul)
Powdered sugar for dusting, and maple syrup, to drizzle (or drench, no judgment)

Instructions:

Whisk the ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, pumpkin puree, milk, cinnamon, and vanilla.
Dip the bread: Heat a skillet or griddle over medium heat. Dip each slice of bread into the pumpkin mixture, coating both sides.
Cook the French toast: Melt a little butter on the skillet or griddle and cook the bread for 2-3 minutes per side, until golden brown.
Serve: Top with maple syrup, powdered sugar, and a sprinkle of extra cinnamon or pumpkin spice.

What to Serve with Pumpkin Cinnamon French Toast

Drink suggestion: This French toast was born to be paired with vanilla bourbon maple syrup, chai latte, hot coffee, or, if you're brunching a little later (no judgment), an apple spice mimosa.
Side dish idea: Serve it with crispy bacon, breakfast sausage, or eggs.

FAQs for Pumpkin Cinnamon French Toast Recipe

Can I make this Pumpkin Cinnamon French Toast ahead of time?
Yes! You can prep the egg mixture the night before and store it in the fridge. When ready to serve, just dip your bread and cook.
Can I use different types of bread?
Absolutely. Brioche, challah, or even sourdough work great. Just choose a thicker bread for the best results.
Can I freeze French toast?
Yes! Freeze cooked French toast in a single layer, then transfer to a freezer-safe bag. Reheat in the toaster or oven for a quick breakfast.
Is this recipe dairy-free?
You can easily make it dairy-free by using almond milk and cooking with a dairy-free butter substitute.
What can I do with the extra pumpkin puree?

I’m so glad you asked. You can add it to pancakes, make these pumpkin fritters, or pumpkin cinnamon rolls for an extra pumpkin-y twist. Or just keep making this French toast every weekend until you run out!

Other Recipes you may like:

Pumpkin Cinnamon French Toast

Shanelle Fisher

Pumpkin Cinnamon French Toast Recipe combines warm spices, pumpkin puree, and fluffy bread for seasonal treat everyone will love.

Print Recipe

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 10

Course Breakfast

Cuisine American

Ingredients

4 large eggs
½ cup pumpkin puree
2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
8 slices brioche or challah bread
Butter for the skillet
Maple syrup and powdered sugar to serve

Instructions

1. In a large bowl, whisk the eggs, milk, pumpkin puree, cinnamon and vanilla
2. Heat the skillet or griddle over medium heat
3. Dip each slice of bread in the pumpkin mixture, coating each side.
4. Melt a little butter on the skillet and cook the bread for 2-3 minutes per side, or until golden brown.
Serve warm and top with maple syrup and powdered sugar.

Cozy up this fall with our easy Pumpkin Spice French Toast recipe! Perfect for brunch, this dish combines warm spices, pumpkin puree, and fluffy bread for a seasonal treat everyone will love. Ready in 20 minutes! Try it now and bring the flavors of fall to your table!

Easy Peach Cinnamon Rolls Recipe

August 16, 2024

Hey brunch lovers! Around here we live by the moto, brunch is not just a meal—it’s an event. And what better way to celebrate a summer weekend than with a recipe that screams summer! This peach cinnamon rolls recipe is super easy, and tastes like a warm hug? It's perfect for summer brunch, but is great for dessert . Another great thing about these peach cinnamon rolls is that you can enjoy

We’re taking the classic, gooey, deliciousness of cinnamon rolls and giving it a fruity twist with juicy peaches. And the best part? We’re using a tube of cinnamon rolls (think Pillsbury or whatever your favorite brand is). No need for yeast, or time for the dough to rise, so this recipe is as easy as it is tasty. Perfect for a lazy weekend brunch or when you want to do something that looks fancy and like you went all out, but really didn't ;).

This post contains affiliate links.

What You'll Need for your Peach Cinnamon Rolls

Scroll down to the recipe card below this post for ingredient quantities and full instructions.

Store bought cinnamon rolls in the tube. You can use any brand. I used the Pillsbury but I also like the Annie's brand because they are a good size and I like the ingredients list.
Heavy whipping cream. This is the secret ingredient that makes the rolls swell and gives it that homemade touch.
1 can of sliced peaches - You can use fresh peaches or frozen peaches, but you may need to adjust the sugar to your taste.
Unsalted butter - Butter is going to help make these rolls gooey
Brown sugar - we'll add this to the peaches to create a delicious sauce.
Cinnamon - to enhance the flavor of the peaches.
Vanilla - a little vanilla to deepen the flavor profile.
A pinch of nutmeg - optional, but it gives a lovely warm flavor.

Tools to use for this recipe

How to make easy peach cinnamon rolls

Prep
Preheat your oven to 350°F . While it’s heating up, butter your baking dish. I recommend using an 8x8 inch pan, but if you want to make more rolls, go big with a 9x13.
Place the cinnamon rolls in a large baking pan and pour the heavy whipping cream over the rolls. Let this sit while you prepare your peaches.
Peach Filling - In a medium saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Once it’s melted and bubbly, toss in those peach slices with the syrup. Stir in the brown sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, and a pinch of nutmeg if you’re feeling fancy. Let everything simmer for about 5-7 minutes until the peaches are soft and the mixture is caramelized and smells like heaven.
Load - Spoon a generous amount of the peach filling onto each roll, making sure to tuck some of the peaches into the rolls. Don’t worry if things get a little messy—brunch is supposed to be fun!

Bake to Perfection
If you have any leftover peach filling, save it to drizzle it on top for extra gooey goodness after the rolls bake. Bake for 30 minutes or until the rolls are golden brown and your kitchen smells like a dream.
Ice Ice Baby
While the rolls are still warm, drizzle them with the icing that comes in the cinnamon roll tube.
Serve and Enjoy
These peach cinnamon rolls are best enjoyed warm, fresh out of the oven.

Peach Cinnamon Rolls Recipe

Shanelle Fisher

Print Recipe

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 30

Course Breakfast, Dessert, Snack

Cuisine American

Servings 6

Ingredients

1 Tube of Store Bought Cinnamon Rolls
1 15 ounce Canned Peaches
2 tablespoon Unsalted Butter
¼ cup Brown Sugar
1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
1 teaspoon Cinnamon
1 pinch Nutmeg

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 350°F (190°C). While it’s heating up, butter your baking dish. I recommend using an 8x8 inch pan, but if you want to make more rolls, go big with a 9x13.
Pour the heavy whipping cream over the rolls.
In a medium saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Once it’s melted and bubbly, toss in those peach slices. Stir in the brown sugar, vanilla cinnamon, and a pinch of nutmeg if you’re feeling fancy. Let everything simmer for about 5-7 minutes until the peaches are soft and the mixture is caramelized and smells like heaven.
Bake at 350° for 30 minutes.
While the rolls are still warm, drizzle them with the icing that comes in the cinnamon roll tube.
These peach cinnamon rolls are best enjoyed warm, fresh out of the oven.

Easy Cinnamon Rolls variations

You can add a little bit of peach juice or even a splash of bourbon to the icing for an extra punch of flavor.
Serve them up for a leisurely weekend brunch with a side of coffee or Bellini to keep the peach theme going.
Make it a dessert and serve with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.
Add bourbon to the peach filling.

Frequently Asked Questions about Peach Cinnamon Rolls

Can I use frozen peaches instead of fresh ones?
Absolutely! If you don’t have fresh peaches on hand, frozen ones will work just fine. Just make sure to thaw and drain them well before using them in the recipe.
Can I prepare the rolls the night before?
Yes! You can prepare the rolls up until the baking step, cover them tightly, and refrigerate overnight. In the morning, just bake them as directed, adding a few extra minutes if needed.
What if I don’t have nutmeg?
No worries! Nutmeg adds a nice depth of flavor, but if you don’t have it, you can skip it or add a pinch of ground ginger or allspice for a different twist.
Can I add other fruits to the filling?
Definitely! This recipe is versatile. Try adding berries, apples, or even a handful of chopped nuts to the filling for a delicious variation.
How do I store leftovers?
If you somehow manage to have leftovers, store them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to two days. You can also reheat them in the oven for a few minutes to enjoy them warm again.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

This recipe is a total winner because it’s the perfect mix of sweet, spicy, and fruity. The Pillsbury cinnamon rolls make it super quick and easy, while the peaches add a homemade touch that feels like you put in way more effort than you actually did.

So, next time you’re planning a brunch and want something that’s both impressive and easy, give this peach cinnamon rolls a try. I promise, they’ll be the star of the show—and probably your new brunch bestie. Happy brunching!

Vanilla Bourbon Maple Syrup

July 5, 2024

Discover how to make Vanilla Bourbon Maple Syrup, the ultimate brunch upgrade! This easy recipe adds a rich, sophisticated flavor to pancakes, waffles, and more. Perfect for elevating your brunch game.

Vanilla Bourbon Maple Syrup: The Sweetest Upgrade for Your Brunch

Hey brunch lovers! Are you ready to take your brunch game to the next level? Today, I'm sharing the ultimate secret weapon for elevating your weekend feasts: Vanilla Bourbon Maple Syrup. This luxurious, aromatic syrup will make your pancakes, waffles, and even French toast sing. Trust me, once you’ve tried this, you’ll never go back to regular syrup. Let’s dive into this easy-to-make, decadent delight!

Why Vanilla Bourbon Maple Syrup?

First things first, why should you bother making your own syrup when you can just buy a bottle from the store? Well, my friend, this syrup isn’t just any syrup. It’s the crème de la crème of breakfast toppings. The vanilla adds a warm, fragrant note, the bourbon brings a sophisticated depth, and the maple syrup… well, it’s maple syrup! Need I say more?

Ingredients You’ll Need

Before we start, let’s gather our ingredients. This recipe is delightfully simple and requires just a few items you probably already have in your pantry:

1 cup pure maple syrup (the real deal, no imitation stuff)

1 tablespoon bourbon (your favorite brand will do)

1 teaspoon vanilla extract (or a whole vanilla bean if you’re feeling fancy)

How to Make Vanilla Bourbon Maple Syrup

Heat the Maple Syrup: In a small saucepan, pour in the maple syrup. Heat it over medium heat until it starts to simmer. You don’t want it to boil, just a gentle simmer to bring out all the flavors.

Add the Bourbon: Once the syrup is warm, add in the bourbon. Stir gently and let it simmer for about 2 minutes. The alcohol will cook off, leaving behind that rich, smoky flavor we love.

Vanilla Time: Now, add the vanilla extract or the seeds from a vanilla bean. If you’re using a vanilla bean, slice it down the middle and scrape out the seeds. Stir them into the syrup, and then toss in the pod for extra flavor.

Cool and Store: Remove the saucepan from the heat and let the syrup cool slightly. Pour it into a glass jar or bottle, and you’re good to go. This syrup can be stored in the fridge for up to a month (if it lasts that long!).

How to Use Vanilla Bourbon Maple Syrup

Now that you’ve got this heavenly syrup, let’s talk about all the ways you can use it:

Pancakes and Waffles: The obvious choice. Drizzle it generously over a stack of fluffy pancakes or crispy waffles.
French Toast: Take your French toast to new heights with a pour of this syrup.
Over Ice Cream: For a grown-up dessert, drizzle it over ice cream.
Cocktails: Add a splash to your favorite bourbon cocktail for a sweet twist.
Yogurt and Granola: Stir it into your morning yogurt and granola for a decadent start to the day.
Oatmeal: Stir it into your oatmeal or overnight oats for more flavor.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Can I make this syrup without alcohol?

Absolutely! If you prefer to skip the bourbon, you can simply leave it out. You’ll still have a delicious vanilla maple syrup that’s perfect for all your brunch favorites.

2. Can I use artificial maple syrup?

I highly recommend using pure maple syrup for the best flavor. Artificial maple syrup just doesn’t have the same rich, natural taste.

3. How long does the syrup last?

This syrup can be stored in the refrigerator for up to a month. Just make sure to keep it in an airtight container.

4. Can I use this syrup for baking?

Yes, you can! This syrup adds a wonderful depth of flavor to baked goods. Try drizzling it over a Bundt cake or mixing it into muffin batter.

5. What type of bourbon should I use?

Use your favorite bourbon! Any good-quality bourbon will work. The key is to use something you enjoy drinking because the flavor will come through in the syrup.

Yield: 6

Vanilla Bourbon Maple Syrup

This vanilla bourbon maple syrup will take your French toast, pancakes, or anything you top it with to the next level.

Prep Time 5 minutes

Cook Time 5 minutes

Total Time 10 minutes

Ingredients

1 cup pure maple syrup
1 tablespoon bourbon
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

1. Add all ingredients to a small saucepan.

2. Heat the mixture over medium-low heat.

3. Mix and bring mixture to a boil.

4. Sample the mixture and adjust ingredients to taste.

5. Remove from heat and serve warm.

Notes

Once the syrup cools completely you can store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

Final Thoughts

Vanilla Bourbon Maple Syrup is your new brunch best friend. It’s easy to make, insanely delicious, and will impress even the most discerning brunch guests. Around hear easy and elevated is our motto. Give it a try and let me know how you like it. Don’t forget to share your creations on social media with the hashtag #mochasandmimosas and please leave a review on this post. Happy brunching!

Looking for more recipes for brunch at home:

Air Fryer French Toast Sticks

French Toas t

Pancakes

Air Fryer Burger King French Toast Sticks Recipe

June 11, 2024

Air Fryer Burger King French Toast Sticks recipe! Enjoy a delicious, crispy breakfast treat at home with this easy, quick, and healthier copycat version. Perfect for brunch lovers!

Hey brunch lovers! Are you ready to take your brunch game to the next level without breaking a sweat? Well, hold onto your mimosa because today, we're bringing a fast-food favorite straight to your kitchen—Air Fryer Burger King French Toast Sticks. Yes, you heard that right. It's time to elevate those crispy, golden delights and make them the star of your next brunch spread.

How to Make French Toast Sticks in the Air Fryer

First off, let's talk about why we're air frying these bad boys. The air fryer is a magical appliance that gives you all the crispiness of deep-frying without the guilt (and the oil splatters). Plus, it’s a total game-changer for easy brunch recipes. Air Fryer Burger King French Toast Sticks are quick, hassle-free, and perfect for those lazy weekend mornings when you want something delicious but don’t feel like doing a lot of prep.

What Are Burger King French Toast Sticks?

Burger King French Toast Sticks are a beloved breakfast treat, featuring thick slices of bread dipped in a sweet egg mixture, then deep-fried to golden perfection. But why limit this delight to the drive-thru when you can easily make them at home?

Why Cook Burger King French Toast Sticks in the Air Fryer?

The air fryer brings a healthier twist to these breakfast classics, giving you all the crispiness of deep-frying without the excess oil. Plus, it’s faster and cleaner, making it ideal for an easy brunch recipe.

How to Cook BK French Toast Sticks in the Air Fryer

Alright, let’s gather our ingredients. You might already have most of these in your pantry. Here's what you'll need for our air fryer Burger King French toast sticks recipe:

1 loaf brioche bread (12 slices)
eggs
cup heavy cream
cinnamon
pinch nutmeg
vanilla extract
sugar
Cooking spray or vegetable oil for the air fryer

These simple ingredients will transform into something magical in your air fryer. The exact measurements will be on the recipe card below.

Step One: Prepare the French Toast Batter

In a shallow bowl, whisk together the eggs, heavy cream, vanilla extract, nutmeg, and cinnamon. This is your luscious French toast batter.

Step Two: Prep Your Bread

Start by cutting each slice of bread into three strips. This is what gives you those classic French toast stick shapes that are perfect for dipping. You can leave the crust on or cut it off. Completely up to you!

Step Three: Dip and Coat

Dip each bread strip into the egg mixture, making sure it's fully coated. Let any excess drip off before placing them on a plate.

Step Four: Prepare Your Air Fryer

Preheat your air fryer to 375°F if it requires preheating. Spray the basket with cooking spray to prevent sticking. Arrange the French toast sticks in a single layer, making sure they don't touch (you might need to cook them in batches). Air fry for about 8-10 minutes, flipping halfway through until they're golden brown and crispy.

Step Five: Cinnamon-Sugar Bliss

While your French toast sticks are still warm, roll them in a mixture of sugar and cinnamon. This step is optional but highly recommended for that authentic Burger King French toast stick vibe.

Pro Tips for Perfect French Toast Sticks

Use day-old bread: Slightly stale bread soaks up the egg mixture without falling apart.
Don’t overcrowd the air fryer: Give your French toast sticks some breathing room so they cook evenly.
Get creative with flavors: Mix things up by adding a splash of orange juice to the batter for a cozy twist.
Milk options - Heavy whipping cream creates more of a custard. You can use milk, or non-dairy options such as soy milk, oat milk,

Yield: 12 slices

Air Fryer Burger King French Toast Sticks Recipe

Air Fryer Burger King French Toast Sticks recipe! Enjoy a delicious, crispy breakfast treat at home with this easy, quick, and healthier copycat version.

Prep Time 5 minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes

Total Time 15 minutes

Ingredients

1 loaf brioche bread (12 slices)
4 eggs
1 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon cinnamon
pinch nutmeg
1 teaspoon vanilla
¼ cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon cinnamon
cooking oil to spray your air fryer

Instructions

whisk together the eggs, heavy cream, vanilla extract, and cinnamon.
Start by cutting each slice of bread into three strips.
Dip each bread strip into the egg mixture, making sure it's fully coated. Let any excess drip off before placing them on a plate.
Preheat your air fryer to 375°F if it requires preheating. Spray the basket with cooking spray to prevent sticking. Arrange the French toast sticks in a single layer, making sure they don't touch (you might need to cook them in batches). Air fry for about 8-10 minutes, flipping halfway through until they're golden brown and crispy.
While your French toast sticks are still warm, roll them in a mixture of sugar and cinnamon.

What to Serve with French Toast

Now that you have your air fryer Burger King French toast sticks ready, it’s time to think about toppings and sides. Here are a few ideas to make your brunch even more delightful:

Maple Syrup: A classic choice for dipping or try it with this vanilla bourbon maple syrup
Fresh Berries: Add a pop of color and a burst of freshness.
Whipped Cream: Because why not?
Powdered Sugar: A light dusting for that perfect Instagram-worthy finish.
sprinkle of chopped nuts
Jam - Dip your French toast sticks in your favorite jam or berry compote.

Frequently Asked Questions for Air Fryer Burger King French Toast Sticks

Can I use any type of bread for this recipe?

While you can technically use any bread, thick slices like brioche or Texas toast work best. They hold up well and soak up the egg mixture without getting too soggy.

How to reheat French Toast sticks in the air fryer

Got leftovers? No problem. Reheat your French toast sticks in the air fryer at 350°F for about 3-4 minutes until they’re warm and crispy again.

Can I make these ahead of time?

Absolutely! You can prepare the French toast sticks the night before and refrigerate them. In the morning, just pop them in the air fryer for a quick and easy brunch.

How do I store leftovers?

If you have any leftovers (which I doubt!), you can store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat in the air fryer for a few minutes to get them crispy again.

Can I freeze Air Fryer French Toast Sticks?

Yes! After cooking, let them cool completely, then freeze in a single layer on a baking sheet. Once frozen, transfer to a freezer bag. They can be reheated directly from frozen in the air fryer.

Q: What if I don't have an air fryer? A: No worries! You can bake them in a preheated oven at 375°F for about 15-20 minutes, flipping halfway through, until golden and crispy.

Final Thoughts

Air Fryer Burger King French Toast Sticks are crispy, sweet, and easy to make. This elevated brunch recipe is perfect for impressing your friends and family, or just treating yourself to something special on a lazy Sunday morning. So, fire up that air fryer and let’s get brunching!

If you're craving more air fryer delights and sweet brunch treats check out our other recipes

Air Fryer Oreos

Pumpkin Fritters

Quick and Easy Sopapilla

If you loved this recipe, don’t forget to share it with your fellow brunch enthusiasts and leave a comment below. Happy brunching!

How to celebrate Cinco De Mayo at Home

April 26, 2023

Celebrate Cinco de Mayo at home. I'm sharing food and drink recipes and fantastic ideas to bring the fiesta to your living room. This post was originally published in May 2020. Last updated in April 2023. This post may contain affiliate links.

What is Cinco De Mayo?

Cinco de Mayo officially commemorates the anniversary of an early victory by Mexico over the French in the Battle of Puebla on May 5, 1862. Contrary to what many people believe, it is NOT Mexican independence day. Now you can sound smart in the group chat! This holiday has become a popular celebration in the United States, and many people use it as an opportunity to enjoy delicious Mexican food and drinks with friends and family (as if we need an excuse to enjoy these things). Keep reading for tips on how to celebrate Cinco de Mayo at home.

Create a Festive Ambience

Setting the right ambiance is key to creating a festive Cinco de Mayo celebration at home. Transform your home into a colorful and lively fiesta by decorating with vibrant Mexican-inspired decorations. Hang papel picado (Mexican paper flags) from your walls or ceiling, place colorful serapes (Mexican blankets) on your furniture, and adorn your table with cacti, sombreros, and maracas. Don't forget to play some upbeat Mexican music in the background to set the mood and get everyone in a celebratory spirit.

Play Fun Mexican Games

Get the party started with some fun Mexican games that will entertain both kids and adults alike. Piñatas are a classic Cinco de Mayo activity that brings joy and excitement to any celebration. Fill a colorful piñata with candies, small toys, or even mini bottles of tequila, blindfold your guests, and let them take turns trying to break it open with a stick. You can have a friendly competition of salsa dancing. These games will add a playful element to your fiesta and keep everyone entertained throughout the celebration.

Cinco De Mayo Menu Ideas

One of the highlights of Cinco de Mayo is the scrumptious Mexican cuisine that comes with it. Prepare your taste buds for a fiesta by cooking up some authentic Mexican dishes at home. From tacos and enchiladas to guacamole and salsa the possibilities are endless. Get creative with your culinary skills and experiment with different flavors and spices to create a mouthwatering feast that will transport you straight to Mexico. You can see how I created a taco bar for a previous party and get inspired for your Cinco De Mayo celebration at home. Don't forget dessert.

Sip on Authentic Mexican Beverages

No Cinco de Mayo celebration is complete without some authentic Mexican beverages to sip on. Serve up some traditional drinks like margaritas, palomas, or micheladas to add a boozy twist to your fiesta. If you're looking for non-alcoholic options, you can try making agua frescas, which are refreshing fruit-based beverages, or Mexican hot chocolate, which is rich and decadent. Don't forget to garnish your drinks with lime wedges, salt rims, tajin and add colorful straws to make them even more festive. How cute are these cups with sombrero lids?!

Cinco De Mayo Drink Recipes

You can't have a true Cinco De Mayo celebration without cocktails, I mean you can, but it won't be as fun. I included 3 simple but amazing drink recipes for you to enjoy as you celebrate Cinco De Mayo at Home. These recipes are inspired by popular Mexican cocktails. I provided an array of options for you. There's a fruity white sangria if you're more of a wine drinker. If vodka is your thing, you'll love this twist on the Paloma. However, if you like to keep things traditional. I included a mango margarita for you.

Looking for more cocktail recipes?

- Watermelon Granita Recipe

- Adult Popsicle Recipes

Easy Fruity White Sangria Recipe

This white sangria is light, fruity, and the perfect warm-weather cocktail. You can swap out the fruits and make this sangria your own.

Yield: 4 8oz servings

Easy White Sangria

Prep Time 5 minutes

Additional Time 2 hours

Total Time 2 hours 5 minutes

Ingredients

1 bottle Moscato wine
¼ cup Grand Marnier
Your favorite fruit, fresh or frozen ( I used mangoes, strawberries, and blueberries)
1 orange cut into small wedges
Sparkling water or Club Soda

Instructions

Place fruit in a pitcher or Carafe
Pour wine and Grand Mariner in the pitcher and stir.
Let Pitcher chill for at least 2 hours
Serve in a glass over ice and top with sparkling water

Notes

You can use fresh or frozen fruit.
Other great fruit options: pineapple, granny smith apples, lemon, or lime, assorted berries.

GRAPEFRUIT VODKA PALOMA

The traditional paloma is made with tequila and grapefruit soda. I've also had it with tequila, grapefruit juice, and a splash of club soda. Not everyone is into tequila so I wanted to give you another option. This twist on the traditional paloma is refreshing and crisp. I think it rivals the original.

Yield: 2

Grape Fruit Vodka Paloma

Ingredients

½ cup Grapefruit vodka
½ cup Club Soda
Ice
Lime or grapefruit slices for garnish

Instructions

Mix grapefruit vodka and club soda in a glass.
Add ice and garnish with lime or grapefruit.

Notes

If you want a sweeter cocktail you can swap the club soda for sprite or tonic.

EASY MANGO MARGARITA

A mango margarita pairs so well with the taco bar. The fruity citrus flavors from this margarita will temper the heat from the salsa and tacos. If you like heat you can coat your glass with chili powder. Otherwise, you can go with salt.

Yield: 2

Mango Margarita

Ingredients

2 cups frozen mango
1 cup tequila
¼ cup margarita mix
2 cups ice
Lime slices for garnish (optional)
Tajin, Smoked paprika, or chili seasoning for the rim of your glass

Instructions

Place all ingredients except lime slices in a blender.
Blend on medium speed for 1 minute (blend more if depending on your blender). The drink should look like a smooth slushy consistency.
Sprinkle seasoning of choice on a small plate.
Slide lemon slice around the rim of your glass.
Dip the glass into the seasoning until the rim is covered.
Pour margarita into the glass and garnish with a lime wedge.

Stunning Spring Tablescape Ideas

April 11, 2023

Keep reading for Stunning Spring tablescape ideas that are perfect for any occasion. Whether you're hosting a dinner party or just want to make your everyday meals feel a little more special, these tablescape are sure to impress your guests.

This post may contain affiliate links, which means I’ll receive a commission if you purchase through my link, at no extra cost to you. Please read full disclosure here.

As we enter into spring, it's time to refresh your home décor and embrace the new season.

There are so many holidays that provide opportunities for hosting events in the spring---if you need a reason. One of the most beautiful ways to do that is by creating a stunning spring tablescape that will delight your guests and elevate your dining experience.

Whether you're hosting a spring brunch, Easter or mother's day gathering, or simply want to add a touch of seasonal charm to your everyday meals, I'm sharing 7 tips to help you create a gorgeous spring tablescape that will make your spring festivities even more special.

1: Choose a Color Scheme

The first step in creating a stunning tablescape is to choose a color scheme that reflects the spring season. I suggest using pastel colors such as pink, blue, yellow, and green. These colors will give your table a fresh and airy feel. For spring, I like to use soft pastels like blush pink, light blue, and mint green. You could also incorporate brighter colors like yellow or orange if you prefer a more vibrant look.

2: Select Your Tablecloth

Once you've chosen your color scheme, it's time to select your tablecloth. I suggest using a light-colored tablecloth such as white or beige. This will provide a neutral background for your table decor. Choose a tablecloth that coordinates with your color scheme. I like to use a neutral linen or cotton tablecloth as a base, and then add pops of color with the napkins. You can choose a patterned napkin or stick with a solid color.

3: Add Layers with Placemats and Chargers

To add depth and dimension to your table, add placemats and chargers. I suggest using woven placemats in a complementary color to your tablecloth. For the chargers, consider using metallics such as gold or silver. For a spring tablescape, I like to use white dishes as a clean and simple base. You could also use pastel-colored dishes if you prefer.

Click on the picture below to shop these spring finds!

http://target.com/p/farmlyn-creek-6-pack-glass-bottles-vintage-style-pharmacy-bottles-home-d-cor-2-5-x-4-8-in/-/A-85132901?preselect=84062484#lnk=sametab

4: Choose Dinnerware

Selecting the right dinnerware is important when creating a tablescape. I suggest using simple white plates as they will provide a clean and classic look. You can also add a pop of color with patterned or colored salad plates.

5: Add Glassware and Flatware

No tablescape is complete without glassware and flatware. I suggest using clear glassware to add a touch of elegance. For the flatware, consider using gold or silver to match your chargers. For glassware, I like to use simple wine glasses and water glasses.

6: Add a Centerpiece to your spring table

A beautiful centerpiece will tie your whole tablescape together. I suggest using fresh flowers or greenery to bring the spring season to your table. You can also add candles or decorative objects to add interest. Now it's time to add some greenery and flowers to your tablescape. I like to use a mix of potted plants, such as succulents or herbs, as well as fresh flowers in a vase. You could also use a floral centerpiece if you prefer.

Check out this video for more spring tablescape ideas and inspiration.

7: Add Final Touches

Finally, add some final touches to your table. This could include napkin rings To finish off your spring tablescape, add some decorative elements such as candles, place cards, or decorative accents. You could also use decorative chargers or placemats to add some texture to your table or even favor boxes filled with candy.

Jamaican Guinness Punch

March 13, 2023

Thick and creamy Jamaican Guinness punch gives you a taste of Jamaica with just a few simple ingredients. A simple and satisfying cocktail. Originally published March 2021. Last updated March 2023. This post may contain affiliate links, which means I’ll receive a commission if you purchase through my link, at no extra cost to you. Please read full disclosure here.

Jamaican Punch

My family and I moved to the U.S. from Jamaica when I was very young but the flavors of Jamaica were constant in my home.

As a kid growing up my mom used to make this Guinness punch on Friday evenings and she would let me get a little taste. It’s such a treat to enjoy as a dessert cocktail or alongside a savory meal.

What is Guinness Punch

Jamaican Guinness punch is a rich and creamy beverage that is a beloved staple in Jamaican cuisine. This drink is made with a unique blend of ingredients that come together to create a flavor that is both sweet and bitter, with a hint of spice. Even if you're not a beer drinker, I think you'll enjoy this drink, because it's giving adult milk shake more so than beer beverage. If you've never tried Jamaican Guinness punch before, now is the perfect time to give it a try. Make it for St. Patty's day or just because.

Guinness Punch Ingredients

(Note: the full ingredients list, including measurements, is provided in the recipe card directly below.) Guinness Stout - you can use any stout beer for this punch but Guinness is traditionally used. Milk -I used whole milk to give it a full body creamy texture. Vanilla ice cream - vanilla ice cream gives this drink it’s thick milkshake-like feel. Condensed milk - thick sweet condensed milk balances out the bitterness from Guinness. Cinnamon, nutmeg, and vanilla - these spices enhance the flavor of the drink.

GUINNESS PUNCH WITH ICE CREAM

There are recipes for this punch that omit ice cream, but this is how my mom makes hers so this is what we're doing. I think the addition of ice cream makes this a more decadent cocktail. I’ve seen variations of this drink where chocolate or coffee ice cream is used instead of vanilla. I haven’t tried those but I can see how coffee and chocolate would compliment the stout.

JAMAICAN STAMINA DRINK

Traditionally Nutrament or Supligent is used in this drink. However, I know those ingredients aren’t readily available so we’re using milk instead. In Jamaica this drink is rumored to build stamina and is an afrodisiac. I’m pleading the 5th on that, and just telling you what I heard!

Guinness Punch with Egg

Some people add an egg to this punch. I haven’t tried it with the egg, so I can’t attest to the flavor. I’m not a huge fan of cocktails that include raw eggs but go for it if you’d like to give it whirl.

Vegan Guinness Punch

For a vegan version of this punch you can substitute the milk, ice cream, and condensed milk for plant based substitutes. Even the whipped cream topping used to garnish the punch can be swapped out for almond milk whipped cream.

What to eat with Guinness Punch

I’ve sipped this punch as an after dinner drink for a dessert. It’s also delicious with spicy and savory dishes. I recommend eating this with: Chicken wings BBQ chicken sliders

Tools to use

These tools well help you make and serve your punch. Blender Ice Cream Scoop Serving Glasses The glasses I used

How to make Guinness Punch

Yield: 4

Jamaican Guinness Punch

Thick and creamy Guinness punch gives you a taste of Jamaica with just a few simple ingredients. An easy and satisfying cocktail.

Prep Time 5 minutes

Total Time 5 minutes

Ingredients

2 bottles Guinness stout
1 cup milk
½ teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon nutmeg
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
1 can sweetened condensed milk
½ pint vanilla ice cream

Instructions

Blend all ingredients until smooth. Serve over cracked ice.

Garnish with whipped cream and a dash of cinnamon.

Notes

To make a vegan punch substitute the milk, ice cream, and condensed milk for plant based versions

How to store your Leftover Punch

If you have leftover punch pour into a pitcher and chill in the refrigerator. You will need to mix the punch in the pitcher before serving again because the ingredients will settle to the bottom. This punch can be stored in the fridge for about 2 days for optimum flavor.

Creamy Spinach Stuffed Flounder

February 14, 2023

Creamy Spinach stuffed flounder is the perfect main course for a special occasion like Valentine's day or Mother's day dinner. It packs a wow factor but is really simple to make. Originally published February 2021. Last updated February 2023 This post may contain affiliate links, which means I’ll receive a commission if you purchase through my link, at no extra cost to you. Please read full disclosure here.

This creamy spinach stuffed flounder is filled with flavor. It's great for those following a keto diet. It’s also one of those dishes that looks super fancy that you can serve for a special occasion, but actually only takes you 30 minutes to create.

Creamy spinach stuffed flounder ingredients

(Note: the full ingredients list, including measurements, is provided in the recipe card directly below.) Flounder fillet - flounder is meaty enough to hold the stuffing, but it’s flavor is mild. Fresh fish is best, but you can also use frozen fillets. Spinach - you can use fresh spinach, but I prefer frozen because you get so much more in one pack. Bell Peppers and Onions - I love using fresh veggies to pack in more nutrients and flavor to this dish. Heavy cream- This gives the spinach that creamy texture. Parmesan cheese - Use freshly grated parmesan cheese. The salty, nutty flavor from the parmesan gives this dish so much life! Lemon Juice - Citrus and fish just make a good marriage. The lemon juice brings some acid to a creamy dish to balance out the flavors.

Tools to make your Creamy Stuffed Fish at home

You'll need a sauté pan to prepare the spinach. My preference is stainless steal or something non-stick. In addition you're going to need a baking pan to finish off the stuffed fish in the oven. I like this one that comes with a cover for easy storage.

How to make creamy spinach stuffed flounder

We’re baking our stuffed flounder because I think that’s the easiest approach. However, you can consider cooking this in the air fryer or on a pan with a little oil. In the oven this dish is done within 20 minutes. You would probably split that time in half in your air fryer. Use a cooking thermometer to test your fish for doneness. It should read 145 degrees Fahrenheit.

Creamy spinach stuffed flounder recipe

Yield: 2

Creamy Spinach Stuffed Flounder

Creamy spinach stuffed flounder is filled with flavor. It's great for those following a keto diet. It’s also one of those dishes that looks super fancy that you can serve for a special occasion, but actually only takes you 30 minutes to create.

Prep Time 30 minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes

Total Time 50 minutes

Ingredients

2 filets of flounder (or other fish)
Juice of 1 lemon
1 small onion
2 cloves garlic- minced
1 red bell dice fine
¾ quarter cup heavy cream
1 cup shredded parmesan
1 package frozen spinach
pinch of nutmeg
salt
black pepper
garlic powder
onion powder
2 tablespoon olive oil

Instructions

Prep the fish

Pre-heat oven at 350 degrees

Squeeze fresh lemon juice over each fillet of fish.

Season both sides with: salt, black pepper, onion powder, garlic powder.

Set aside while you prep the cream spinach.

Creamy Spinach Filling

Add a tablespoon of olive oil to a pan and sauté onions, garlic, and bell pepper for 5 minutes or until peppers are tender and onions are translucent.

Add package of frozen spinach.

Season with black pepper, salt, and a pinch of nutmeg.

Add heavy cream and stir mixture. Cook over low heat for 5 minutes.

Once mixture starts to bubble add cheese and turn off heat.

Assemble

Cut a slit in the side of the fish from the widest part down to create a pocket.

Stuff with spinach mixture.

Secure the pocket of fish with toothpicks or baking twine.

Drizzle 1 tablespoon olive oil over filets. Place fish in a lined backing dish

Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes

Serve immediately with rice, pasta, or mashed potatoes, and steamed or grilled vegetables.

What to serve with spinach stuffed flounder

This spinach stuffed fish would be so delicious over a bed of mashed potatoes. When bits of the creamy spinach goodness spills out over the potatoes, you will do a whole body roll because it’s that good. I would also consider serving this with rice or pasta However, if I wanted to lighten things up, I’d do grilled veggies or steamed broccoli.

What to sip with your creamy spinach stuffed flounder

If I was doing this for a special occasion a brut sparkling wine would be my go to - I think bubbles are good with everything though. If it was just a regular shmegular weekday dinner, then I’d go for a rose, pinot grigio, or a sauvignon blanc.

What fish should you use for creamy stuffed fish?

Other options for this dish are: salmon, halibut, and orange roughy. Any fish can work with this creamy spinach stuffing.

How to store your stuffed fish leftovers

This dish tastes best immediately after it comes out the oven. However, if you do happen to have any leftovers, store them in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to three days for optimal freshness.

Other Recipes You may enjoy:

Easy Philly Cheese Steak Sliders

February 10, 2023

These easy Philly cheesesteak sliders are stuffed with juicy steak, caramelized onions and bell peppers, smothered in melty provolone cheese. They are Great for an easy weekday dinner or when entertaining a crowd. This post may contain affiliate links, which means I’ll receive a commission if you purchase through my link, at no extra cost to you. Please read full disclosure here.

HOW TO MAKE PHILLY CHEESESTEAK SLIDERS?

I remember going to the mall as a teen and looking forward to lunch in the food court because I’d get a Philly cheesesteak from Charlies. It was such a treat. I still look forward to cheesesteaks, but now I make my own because they really are easy to create. I love making them when we do family game nights, or for watching a game on TV. These would be great during March Madness or for the Super bowl. I've even made these for a playdate, because kids and parents enjoy them.

Ingredients for Philly Cheesesteak sliders

Steak - thinly sliced ribeye is traditionally used in Philly cheesesteak, so that’s what we’re using for our sliders. I give other options below. Provolone cheese - Provolone pairs so well with the steak. However, I’ve seen cheddar, American, and even cheese sauce on cheesesteaks. Choose your (favorite) cheese lol! Green Bell Pepper - Thinly sliced strips of bell peppers are going into this bad boy to upper the flavor. Onions - We’re going to slice these thin and caramelize them so they are sweet and delicious. Mushrooms- This is optional but I love adding baby bella mushrooms to my cheesesteaks. Seasoning - We’re keeping it simple with salt, pepper, and onion powder for the steak. We’ll add garlic powder and dried parsley to the melted butter to top our buns. Butter - We’re topping our buns with seasoned melted butter, to really set these sliders off. Slider Buns - Any slider bun will do but my go to is Hawaiian rolls.

What kind of meat should I use for cheesesteak?

Thinly sliced rib-eye is generally what is used for classic cheesesteaks. My local grocery store had steak that was specifically labeled cheesesteak ribeye in the meat section. Other great options are skirt steak, or New York strip. If you have trouble finding thinly sliced steak, you could always ask the butcher at your grocery store to slice it for you. Now, if you’re on a budget or just don’t want to go the steak route you could use ground beef or thinly sliced roast beef. I haven’t tried these alternatives, but I’m sure they would be delicious. Cheesesteak was originally "street food" and is still considered a casual food so you can make it as lux or as casual as you want.

SLIDERS ON HAWAIIAN ROLLS

Whenever I make any type of slider, my go to bread is Hawaiian rolls. The sweetness and soft chewy texture compliments any savory sandwich so well. Also, I like the fact that they are easy to portion. I used half a pack of Hawaiian rolls for this recipe. Double the ingredients if you’re feeding a bigger group or want leftovers.

Baked cheesesteak sliders

When I’ve seen Philly cheesesteaks made in places like my beloved Charlies in the mall, they melt the cheese in the pan right on top of the meat, onions, and peppers, then slide everything into the hoagie. However, for our sliders, we are going to build the sandwich, brush the buns with seasoned butter, and let the cheese melt and the buns toast up nicely in the oven.

What to serve with your Philly sliders

You can enjoy your sliders by themselves as a nice snack or appetizer. Or you can make a meal of it with potato chips, French fries, onion rings, or even a side salad. Around here we're all about the wine an cocktails so I would sip an adult milk shake with this or red wine sangria. A cabernet would pair well with these too.

Philly cheesesteak slider recipe

Yield: 12

Easy Philly Cheese Steak Sliders

Easy Philly cheesesteak sliders are stuffed with juicy steak, caramelized onions and peppers, smothered in melty cheese. Great for easy weekday dinner or entertaining a crowd.

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes

Total Time 35 minutes

Ingredients

12 slider rolls
1 pound Thinly sliced steak
1 Green pepper, sliced thin
1 Onion, sliced thin
1 cup baby Bella mushrooms (optional)
6 slices Provolone cheese
Salt, pepper, onion powder (season to taste)
3 tablespoon butter, melted
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon dried parsley

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350°F
Separate the tops and bottoms of your rolls. Place the bottoms in a lined baking dish (line with foil for easy clean-up). Set the tops to the side.
In a large skillet, melt butter or oil over medium-high heat. Saute the pepper and onions until they are tender.
Add mushrooms to the skillet and cook for 3-4 minutes. Set veggies aside.
Add the steak to the skillet and cook until the meat is brown.
Return the veggies to the skillet. Add salt, pepper, and onion powder and mix until fully combined.
Remove skillet from heat. Spread the meat and veggies over the bottom half of the slider buns that are in the baking dish. Distributing evenly.
Add slices of provolone cheese over the meat and veggies
Place the top half of the buns over the cheese.
In a small bowl melt butter and add garlic powder and dried parsley. Mix well. Then brush the tops of the buns with the butter mixture.
Bake for 10 minutes or until the cheese is melted and buns are toasted. Enjoy!

Crispy Air Fryer Chicken Wings

February 10, 2023

Crispy air fryer chicken wings are crisp, juicy, and seasoned to perfection. The best part about these wings is I can enjoy them and still stick to my clean eating plan because they are not fried. It's a win wing (I couldn't help myself)! This post may contain affiliate links, which means I’ll receive a commission if you purchase through my link, at no extra cost to you. Please read full disclosure here.

Air Fryer vs Oven

I was on the fence about getting an air fryer. There was so much hype about them, but I really didn't want another appliance on our countertop. However, when I saw one on sale, I broke down and purchased it. So far I'm liking it. It's easy to clean and the food comes out crispy without all of the oil. I also like that I don't have to use my big oven, especially when the weather is hot. In addition, I find the air fryer cooks food faster than the traditional oven.

WHAT IS THE BEST AIR FRYER?

There are a plethora of air fryers on the market now. Air fryers come in two general styles. The first is the basket style that closes like a drawer. This is the style I have.

A second is a mini oven style (looks similar to a toaster oven) that has a window and opens like a traditional oven door.

I've seen others that are a hybrid of an air fryer and an instapot, or some other appliance.

Other Air Fryer Recipes to try:

Air Fryer Turkey Wings Air Fryer Fried Green Tomatoes Air Fryer Oreos

Can I Make Air Fryer Wings in the Oven?

If you don't have an air fryer or aren't ready to take the plunge, you can absolutely make these wings in your traditional oven or toaster oven. I would adjust the cooking time by cooking the wings for 45 minutes - 1 hour (depending on your oven) and flip the wings half-way between cooking.

How to Make Crispy Air Fryer Chicken Wings

I wash my wings in lemon juice or white vinegar and rinse with cold water. After I rinse the wings I pat them thoroughly with paper towels to get all of the excess water out.

Can You Put Raw Chicken in the Air Fryer?

I don't suggest putting raw chicken wings in the air fryer. Make sure to thaw any meat you put in the air fryer thoroughly before cooking it. Keep in mind, cooking time will vary depending on your fryer. Also, depending on how many wings you are frying you may have to do multiple batches. My air fryer holds about 10 wings at a time. You don't want the wings to overlap.

Crispy Air Fryer Lemon Pepper Wings

Use this recipe as a base and experiment with different seasonings like lemon pepper. Add more lemon, lemon peppers seasoning and lemon zest.

Crispy Air fryer Garlic Parmesan Wings

After following the recipe, toss wings in fresh garlic, grated parmesan cheese, and melted butter. Garnish with fresh parsley.

What to Serve With Your Crispy Air Fryer Wings

Some of my favorite was to enjoy these wings are with carrots and celery and my favorite dip team ranch! You can mix it up with siracha, ranch, blue cheese, or BBQ sauce. Throw some frozen French fries in your air fryer and serve on the side. You'll feel like you ordered takeout minus the price and the extra salt and calories! Serve with a side of pasta salad for a complete meal.

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Insanely Easy and Fun Valentine’s Day Brunch Ideas

January 26, 2023

Here are some easy and fun Valentine’s Day Brunch Ideas. Want to host brunch for Valentine's day? Keep reading to find cocktail and brunch recipes, menu ideas and décor inspiration.

This post may contain affiliate links, which means I'll receive a commission if you purchase through my link, at no extra cost to you. Please read full disclosure here.

Hosting a Valentine’s Day brunch is a great way to show your friends and family how much you care! Whether it’s for Galentine’s day, a romantic brunch with bae, or a sweet way to celebrate with your kids as a family, here are some Valentine’s day brunch ideas and tips to ensure your brunch is a success.

Choose a theme for your valentine's day brunch

Whenever you’re hosting, choosing a theme is a great way to make your event and the aesthetics cohesive. Decide what type of Valentine’s day brunch you’re hosting. Will this be more of a girls only Galentine’s brunch? A kid friendly playdate, or a romantic brunch for two or with other couples?

Setting a theme for your Valentine's Day brunch can make the event even more memorable. Whether you opt for a romantic, whimsical, or family-friendly theme, it's all about creating a warm and inviting atmosphere for your guests. Make sure to have enough space for guests to move comfortably and consider a separate area for children if they will be attending.

Valentine's Day Brunch decoration Ideas

Once we know what type of event we’re having you can set the mood with decorations. Pink, red, and purple are typical Valentine’s day colors. You can keep it classic and keep this color scheme with heart shaped balloons for a whimsical look.

If this was for adults only you could put out red and pink roses in small vases. Set the table with a cute runner depending on how formal you want your brunch to be. You can play with textures too for your table runner or tablecloth. Using a silk or velvet table runner can bring a more dramatic element to your decoration.

Use a mix of tall and tealight candles to set a romantic mood. Even if this it’s a daytime event like brunch we can still set a mood. Play a romantic playlist, or a fun girl power playlist depending on the theme.

For my table I found a fabric at Walmart that was in the style of conversation hearts.

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Valentine’s Day Brunch Activities

For a kids friendly brunch, I would have a craft, or game like Valentine’s bingo or some sort of activity to keep them occupied.

If it’s a romantic or girls only event for adults, you can consider watching a chick flick or a rom com. Play a group game like Adult Pictionary which can be risqué and hilarious. Another activity for both adults and kids is a cookie decorating kit. You can typically find these in your local grocery store or online.

Play Karaoke and have guests only sing love songs, duets, or songs that promote self-love---Alex play Lizzo's "It's About Damn Time."

Valentine's Day Brunch Menu Ideas

Set out a heartfelt and heart filled charcuterie board for your guest to snack on while you wait for everyone to arrive. My board consisted of herb cream cheese hearts I made with a silicon mini heart mold tray. I paired the cream cheese with crackers, store-bought heart shaped cookies, berries, and chocolate covered pretzels. A little sweet and salty mix is perfect to hold your guest over before brunch starts.

Use heart-shaped cookie cutters to make heart-shaped pancakes or even heart-shaped eggs. Incorporate red and pink decorations to add a festive touch to your table. Consider using mason jars as cute containers for individual servings of yogurt parfaits or mini desserts.

For the perfect Valentine's Day brunch, plan a menu that includes a mix of sweet and savory dishes. Why not try some of these delicious recipes from my brunch E-book.

The Perfect menu using the E-book recipes would be:

Lobster Benedict

Brunch Biscuits

Strawberry pop-tarts

Some other ideas:

Bagel board with herb cream cheese

yogurt parfaits with homemade granola.

Berry pancakes with fruit compote or Brioche French toast

Valentine’s day brunch cocktails and drink ideas

Create some fun drinks that tie in with the theme. Make sure to offer a selection of non-alcoholic and alcoholic beverages. Mimosas or some sort of bubbles is a must as far as cocktails go, as well as coffee and tea, or a hot chocolate.

Use this heart shaped mold to create an on theme bubbles and berries cocktail. I used store bought cold brew and filled mini heart molds to jazz up an iced coffee. Offer different flavored coffee creamers for a hot or iced coffee bar.

A great way to make your guests feel extra special is by sending them off with some sweets (store bought or homemade) and a nice note letting them know how much you appreciate them being in your life.

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5 Tips for Surviving Dry January

January 13, 2023

Looking for tips for surviving Dry January? Here are some tips to get you through the Dry January and make it less of a struggle.

The start of a new year is a great opportunity to do a reset of sorts and assess some of our current habits. This will be my second year doing Dry January, and here are some tips that helped me get through the month and actually look forward to doing it again.

Consider Your Why

Whether you went a little too hard with the champagne and spiked eggnog during the holidays and need a detox, or you just want to cut back on alcohol because of the calories, keep in mind why you’re doing this and honor the commitment you made to yourself. My first Dry January was in 2021, coming off of a year of drinking way too much wine. I was looking for a way to detox from the holiday and create healthier habits around alcohol.

Identify Your Triggers

Once you identify your triggers, you can plan and get ahead of them. Once I realized that alcohol was a way for me to decompress after a stressful day, I created a new ritual. At the end of the evening after the kids went to bed, I made a cup of herbal tea and drank it from my favorite mug while watching a show. I replaced my mimosa at brunch with a latte or asked for sparkling water with lemon. Try swapping out your cocktail for a mocktail or flavored water.

Find Support

It can help to have a friend or family member who is participating in Dry January with you. Having an accountability partner to check in with can be fun and make the experience easier to get through.

If you don't know anyone personally, who is doing Dry January, you can join a support group or online forum to connect with others who are abstaining from alcohol. I'm certain there is a Facebook group for Dry January or teetotalers.

Set a realistic goal

If you have lots of social events planned for January or a major celebration, then maybe this isn't the month to test your will for alcohol.

Remember the goal here is to create healthy habits and an awareness around alcohol. So a drier January may work better for you. For instance if you had a glass of wine every evening at dinner and you decided to only have a glass of wine on the weekend then that's a step in the right direction, and perhaps a more realistic goal for you to set.

Track Your Progress

Seeing how far you’ve come is another great motivator. I use a habit-tracking app on my phone to note every day I honor my commitment. I like HabitShare because you have the option to share your streak (if you’re doing Dry January with someone or you’re just looking for some accountability). You could also use a calendar to track your progress for the month. If you do have a slip up and drink, that’s ok. Be kind to yourself and get back on track the next day. When you see how many days you didn’t drink, you can absolutely still be proud of yourself. Consider it a slightly humid January!

How to Host a Vision Board Brunch Party

January 13, 2023

Get ready to have your best year yet, and plan a fun vision board party. The post How to Host a Vision Board Brunch Party was first published on January 2, 2019. Happy New Year Brunchies!!! I hope your holiday season was good. To get us all the way together and ready to crush our goals for the new year, lets host a vision board brunch party! Hosting a vision board brunch can be a fun and inspiring way to start the new year! Here are some tips on how to host a successful vision board brunch:

What is a vision board?

A vision board is a concrete or visual way to set your goals and intentions. The concept stems from the Law of Attraction, and the idea that you can manifest your desires and put them in the forefront of your mind by visualizing them. There are many ways to create vision boards. You can create a virtual board with clip art and words online. Use magazine clippings, or find your own photos online that you cut and paste to a board. I prefer to create a hard copy with pictures I cut and paste. In the past I've done my board on a big poster. However, I found that cumbersome and the board ended up in the corner of my room somewhere, which defeated the purpose. Now, I create my board on an 8x10 paper that I frame and put on my desk or nightstand, so I see it daily. Creating a vision board helps me get clear about my goals. I figured hosting a vision board brunch would be a fun and inspiring way for my brunch club and I to create our boards and set our intentions for the new year. You can read more here about how I set my goals for the new year.

Planning a Virtual Vision Board

A virtual vision board party could be where everyone creates their board ahead of time and you present them and talk about it as way to hold each other accountable. Consider hosting the party on Zoom or the House Party app. For more ideas check out my post on how to host a virtual Friendsgiving Or just follow the same agenda as an in-person vision board party detailed below.

Planning a Vision Board Brunch Party

Brunch is kind of my thing so it only made sense to host a vision board brunch. However, a vision board party can easily be done as lunch, light bites, dinner, or even a dessert and sips party. You could host at your home, but I've mentioned here that sometimes I find it easier to host at a restaurant and let them handle the heavy lifting. I hosted my brunch at Mash'd, in Frisco, Texas because they have a great brunch menu and this particular location has a small private room that was perfect for our group. The room had a table and plenty of space for us to spread out and create our boards.

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VISION BOARD PARTY SUPPLIES

If you've been following the blog for a while you can probably guess where I went for all of my supplies--- the Dollar Tree! I brought poster board, markers, stickers, glue sticks, scissors. Invite your friends and ask them to bring their own magazines and scissors. If you are hosting at home, set up a table with a variety of craft supplies: glue sticks, tape, markers, scissors, poster boards, etc. Make it fun and get creative with your boards. The goal is to make the board appealing because you want to post the board somewhere that you will see often.

VISION BOARD PARTY ICE BREAKERS

Creating a vision board can be very personal, because you are sharing your aspirations as well as challenges you want to work on. The ladies I invited to my vision board brunch party were are all very familiar with each other. However, If you’re hosting a group of people who don’t know each other you should start with an ice breaker. A good ice breaker can be to have everyone share one thing they want to do more of in the new year and one thing they’d like to leave behind. Have each person choose a goal they want to focus on and encourage them to cut out images and words that represent their goal and vision. Spend time discussing the goals, dreams, and visions each person has for the upcoming year and offer support and encouragement. This along with the cocktails will help everyone loosen up and get comfortable with each other.

Vision Board Brunch Party Menu

If you opt to host your brunch at home see here and here for menu ideas. Also consider serving breakfast tostadas or French toast at your brunch.

Don't forget the cocktails! After surviving this past year cocktails are a must! Set up a mimosas bar with sparkling wine (each guess can bring a bottle to share) and have juices on the side to mix in.

Once all the boards are complete, take a group photo and celebrate the start of a new year! We left our vision board brunch party, truly inspired and motivated about our plans for the new year. You can also agree to start a group chat and check in with each other at the end of each quarter to hold each other accountable for your goals. Let me know in the comments if you created a vision board this year and if you've ever attended a vision board party.

Simple Overnight Oats Recipes

January 13, 2023

These 5 simple overnight oats recipes are great for meal prep and customizing. Overnight oats are an easy and delicious breakfast for busy mornings. These simple overnight oats recipes are great for meal prep and customizing. This post contains affiliate links.

What are overnight Oats

Overnight oats are oatmeal that you soak in a liquid and let sit overnight in the fridge. Overnight oats are a great way to have a delicious and healthy breakfast ready when you wake up.

ARE OVERNIGHT OATS COOKED?

Overnight oats do not need to be cooked because the liquid softens the oats. You can enjoy the oats cold, straight out of the fridge or warmed up in the microwave. I like to let my overnight oats sit out for a few minutes to reach room temperature before I eat them.

What is the best Container for Overnight Oats?

Any airtight container is good for overnight oats. I prefer glass containers with a lid because they are stackable and the perfect size. I also like to make mine in mason jars.

How Far inadvanced can you make overnight oats

You can batch them for single serving or make a big bowl. They last in the fridge for up to 5 days, which is why they are perfect for meal prep.

HOW TO MAKE OVERNIGHT OATS?

To make them, you'll need rolled oats, milk (dairy or non-dairy), or yogurt, a sweetener like honey or maple syrup, and any additional flavorings or toppings you'd like, such as fresh or dried fruit, nut butters, or nuts. Stir the ingredients together, cover the bowl, and let it sit in the refrigerator overnight. In the morning, the oats will be nice and creamy. Add in any additional flavorings or toppings and enjoy!

Oats

I generally make my oats with rolled oats, but they can be made with steel cut oats. Steel cut oats have a chewier texture that I'm not the biggest fan of for overnight oats, but try it, you make enjoy it. Also if using steel cut make sure your oats have marinated for at least 24hrs. I don’t suggest instant or quick oats. Make it gluten free and use gluten free oats.

Liquid

I have never made overnight oats with water. I like to make my oatmeal with dairy or a dairy substitute because I think it gives it a richer flavor. Overnight oats can be made with: -milk or yogurt. Make it dairy free and use almond milk, soy milk, coconut milk or any dairy substitute. I have never made overnight oats with water. I like to make my oatmeal with dairy or a dairy substitute because I think it gives it a richer flavor. Overnight oats can be made with: -milk or yogurt. Make it dairy free and use almond milk, oat milk, soy milk, coconut milk or any dairy substitute.

Sweetener

I love to add real maple syrup to my overnight oats. Other great options are agave, honey, or sugar. Make it sugar free and use monk fruit or sugar substitute.

Add-ins for your overnight oats

I love to add real maple syrup to my overnight oats. Other great options are agave, honey, or sugar. Make it sugar free and use monk fruit or sugar substitute.

TOPPINGS for your overnight oats

Add your toppings in the morning or when you batch them. I haven’t noticed a difference with putting the toppings in ahead of time or the morning of. However, I don’t suggest adding nuts until you are ready to eat your oats because the nuts will get soggy.

Overnight oats recipes

Here are 5 overnight oats recipes. I have something different for each day of the work/school week, so you don't get bored. Once you've gotten the hang of making overnight oats, you can tweak and customize these to your liking. Add the following mix-ins to your base recipe to create different flavored overnight oats:

Blueberry Overnight Oats Recipe

¼ cup fresh or frozen blueberries

Apple Cinnamon overnight oats

½ cup diced apples (I leave the skin on)
¼ teaspoon cinnamon
1 pinch of nutmeg

ALMOND BUTTER AND CHOCOLATE OVERNIGHT OATS Recipe

1 tablespoon almond or peanut butter
1 tablespoon chocolate chips

Banana Nut over night oats recipe

½ a banana sliced
¼ teaspoon cinamon
Add walnuts or pecans before eating.

Easy Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls with Maple Cream Cheese Icing

October 19, 2022

Enjoy these easy pumpkin cinnamon rolls with maple cream cheese icing that require no yeast. They are so yummy and full of fall flavors.

If you’re on Tik Tok you may have seen this cinnamon roll hack to elevate your basic store bought cinnamon rolls and transform them to bakery style cinnamon rolls. We’re using that hack to make these pumpkin cinnamon rolls.

What I love about these rolls is that they are fool proof. Like, seriously they are impossible to mess up, require no yeast, not extra time to allow the dough to rise, no rolling, just mixing, pouring, baking, and enjoying.

Make a pan of easy pumpkin cinnamon rolls for your Friendsgiving brunch, holiday party, Thanksgiving, or any time of year really. The maple cream cheese Icing is a must as well. It enhances the flavors of the rolls and is a perfect addition. Although the flavor profile of the rolls give me fall vibes.

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What you need for pumpkin cinnamon rolls

Scroll down to the recipe card below this post for ingredient quantities and full instructions.

Store bought cinnamon rolls in the tube. You can use any brand. I used the Annie’s brand because they are a good size and I like the ingredients list.
Heavy whipping cream. This is the secret ingredient that makes the rolls swell and gives it that homemade touch.
Canned Pumpkin Puree - Not pumpkin pie mix. We will be adding our own spices so we want the regular shmegular pumpkin. If you are not a fan of pumpkin you can leave this out and enjoy a classic cinnamon roll.
Butter is going to help make these rolls gooey and oh so good!
Pumpkin pie spice - to layering the fall flavors
Maple syrup. We’re going to add this to our cream cheese icing. Maple just reminds me of fall and pairs so well with pumpkin.
Cream cheese for our icing. You can skip the maple cream cheese icing and use the icing that comes with the cinnamon rolls, however, I think they are stingy with that frosting and it’s never enough for all the rolls—but that’s just me. I also think the homemade icing gives this a more gourmet taste.

TOOLS TO USE FOR THIS RECIPE

How to store your pumpkin cinnamon rolls

While I highly doubt you will have any rolls left, especially if you are making this for a group, I’m still including instructions for how to store leftovers. These rolls are pretty big, so 1 roll is plenty for each person to enjoy.

If you have leftovers you can store them in an airtight container in the fridge. Pop them in the oven or the microwave to warm them back up, when you’re ready to enjoy.

How to make easy pumpkin cinnamon rolls with maple cream cheese icing

Ingredients for pumpkin cinnamon rolls

1 canister Cinnamon Rolls

½ cup Heavy Whipping Cream

4 tablespoons Butter

¼ cup Brown Sugar

¼ cup pumpkin puree

1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

Ingredients for maple cream cheese icing

4 ounces softened cream cheese

1 tablespoon maple syrup

1 tablespoon milk

1 pack of icing, the icing that comes with the cinnamon rolls (if you don’t have this you can use ½ cup powdered sugar)

Instructions for pumpkin cinnamon rolls

Preheat your oven to 350°.
Place the cinnamon rolls in a large baking pan.
Pour the heavy whipping cream over the rolls.
Melt your butter and combine the melted butter in a bowl with the brown sugar, pumpkin puree, and pumpkin pie spice. Stir until thoroughly mixed. Spread mixture on each of the cinnamon rolls in the pan.
Bake at 350° for 30 minutes.
Top with the icing and serve warm!

Instructions for maple cream cheese icing

Using a mixer combine all ingredients on medium speed until smooth. Add more milk if you like a runniner icing.

Easy Cinnamon Rolls variations

One of the great things about this easy pumpkin cinnamon rolls recipe is how easily you can swap out the pumpkin puree and pumpkin spice for other ingredients and totally change the flavors of the cinnamon roll. Here are some other options.

Add nuts like pecans, walnuts, or almond slivers
Diced apples and cinnamon.
Mashed sweet potato
Mix in 2 tablespoons of Chai powder with the butter and brown sugar.
Dried lavender

Looking for more brunch inspiration

Simple Homemade Granola Recipe

September 1, 2022

This simple homemade granola recipe is sweet, crunchy, easy and delicious. It makes a great healthy snack or breakfast for busy mornings. Use this recipe as a base and make it your own with a wide variation of add-ins.

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Sure you can purchase granola from the grocery store, but I guarantee that granola will not taste as yummy as the one you are about to make. Store-bought granola's often have added sugar and salt and junk ingredients that we don't need.

This homemade granola recipe is so simple I promise you! Once you make it you will not want to go back to that store bought stuff. You'll also appreciate how inexpensive it is to create a yummy healthy and delicious granola, with high quality ingredients. This is the best granola recipe!

What You Need for homemade granola

Scroll down to the recipe card below this post for ingredient quantities and full instructions.

Old fashioned rolled oats or quick oats- of course out to the star of the show and rolled oats is the only way to go do not try to use steel cut oats.
Seeds/nuts- we're layering in texture with a few different types of nuts and seeds in this granola. If nuts aren't your thing or you're allergic you can totally leave these out.
Dried fruit- we're adding more texture and balancing out the sweet with a little tartness from dried cranberries.
Real maple syrup- layering on more flavor and adding some sweetness with one of my favorite natural sweeteners.
Cinnamon
Oil- we need something to bind our granola and help get that crunch going.

How to make simple homemade granola

Let's make this simple homemade granola.

Set your oven by setting it to 350°F. While your oven is heating, set out all of your ingredients.

Combine all of your dry ingredients and wet ingredients except for the cranberries in a large mixing bowl. You can use a mixing spoon but I usually wear gloves and use my hands to mix. My kids love helping with this step because it's messy and fun.

Spread your ingredients evenly on a large baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

Bake for 20 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes. This will ensure that the granola cooks evenly and you get a nice crunch.

Add cranberries at the last 5 minutes of baking.

Remove the sheet pan from the oven and allow granola to cool completely before eating and storing.

Add ins for your granola

As I mentioned above the beauty of this homemade granola recipe is you can make it your own once you have this base. Here are some of my favorite add-ins and swaps:

Nuts

I like a nutty granola because of the added texture. We're using pumpkin seeds and almond slivers, and chopped walnuts for this recipe. However, you can totally take out nuts if that's not your jam. Adding walnuts, pecans, sunflower seeds, chia seeds, sesame seeds, and or flax seeds would be great additions for added crunch.

Oil

We’re using vegetable oil in this recipe, but any oil will do. Some other great options are olive oil, coconut oil (for added flavor), or melted butter.

Sweetener

I love the warm natural sweetness that the maple syrup gives this granola. Some other options are brown sugar, honey, or agave. If you feel like adding more dried fruit and believe that that would give it enough sweetness you can totally eliminate the sweetener.

Spices

You know we're all about flavors over here and enhancing your flavor profile with spices is the best way to do that. Add spices such as vanilla extract, ground ginger, allspice, or even pumpkin spice seasoning for a nice robust fall flavor.

Toppings

I kept it simple with the fruit in this granola and just added cranberries. However feel free to add in raisins dried, apricots chopped up, dried apples, shredded coconut flakes, or even chocolate chips. Note if you are adding chocolate chips you would need to add them to the granola mixture after it is completely cool.

If you want your granola coated with chocolate or even peanut butter I would suggest adding in those ingredients and tossing them right after you remove the granola from the oven. So they can melt.

How to store your homemade granola

Make sure your granola is completely cool before storing, otherwise you're going to end up with a soggy granola and we don't want that!

Store your granola in an airtight container. I like to store mine in glass canisters, with the little scooper easy dispensing. You can store it at room temperature and it will last for up to 2 weeks. Ours never last that long and yours probably won't either.

You can also store it in a Ziploc bag in the refrigerator or the freezer which will allow it to last even longer. I like to make a double batch sometimes.

Tips for serving your granola

I love serving mine on top of smoothie bowls and yogurt parfaits. I love to eat mine with Greek yogurt and top with fresh berries. Added to a fresh fruit salad for some crunch. You can also enjoy it with your favorite milk as a cereal. I've even added it on top of oatmeal to give it a nice crunch.

Tools to use for this recipe

Simple Homemade Granola Recipe

Shanelle Fisher

This simple homemade granola recipe is sweet, crunchy, easy and delicious. It makes a great healthy snack or breakfast for busy mornings.

Print Recipe

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 30

Course Breakfast, Snack

Servings 8

Ingredients

2 cups Rolled oats or quick oats
½ cup sunflower seeds
½ cup chopped walnuts
½ cup slivered almonds
¼ cup dried cranberries
½ cup real maple syrup
¼ cup vegetable oil You can use any oil or butter

Instructions

Set your oven by setting it to 350°.
Combine all of your dry ingredients and wet ingredients except for the cranberries in a large mixing bowl.
Spread your ingredients evenly on a large baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
Bake for 30 minutes. Stirring every 5 minutes. This is to ensure the granola cooks evenly.
Add cranberries at the last 5 minutes of baking.
Remove the sheet pan from the oven and allow granola to cool completely before storing.

More Breakfast Recipes You'll Love

Overnight oats

French Toast

Pancakes

Family Vacation: Margaritaville Lake Conroe, TX

June 16, 2022

Gather your family we’re heading on a family vacation in Texas: Margaritaville Lake Conroe. Keep reading to find out why this is a great spot for the whole family – from grandparents to kids.

This post is sponsored by Margaritaville Lake Conroe. All opinions are my own. This post may also include affiliate links.

Why Margaritaville Lake Conroe is a great Kid Friendly Weekend Getaway

Margaritaville Lake Conroe is the ultimate family resort filled with great dining options, beautiful accommodations, a friendly staff, and activities for everyone in the family. All ages will find something to enjoy.

If you live in Texas, it’s a great option for a weekend getaway because you can pack up the car and drive on over. Get all the tropical vacation vibes, right here in Texas —no plane ticket required.

Margaritaville Lake Conroe is about an hour north of Houston. My family and I drove from North Dallas and it took about 4 hours to get there.

We took this trip with my mother-in-law. As I mentioned here, since the pandemic we have been looking for trips that accommodate our multi-generational family. Margaritaville did just that!

Other Great Family Getaways

San Antonio Family Vacation

Fun Things for Kids to do in OKC

Family Trip to Tulsa

Margaritaville lake conroe cottages and rooms

Margaritaville, Texas is located on the expansive Lake Conroe. The resort boasts a tower that goes to the 20th floor which offers beautiful views of the resort's golf course and pools.

The resort also has lake view cottages. The cottages are mini suites on the property but separate from the tower. Some of the cottages include a loft with beds, to give more space.

My family and I stayed in a lakefront suite in the main tower. The room had a cute nautical decor and wood floors (which is great when coming in from the pool). Our room included 2 double beds in the room and a living room area that had a king pull out bed.

Our family of 5 slept comfortably in the suite. I also liked that the bathroom had a double sink, which was convenient for bedtime and getting ready in the morning.

Restaurants at Margaritaville Lake Conroe

One of the things I really appreciate about Margaritaville Resort is that everything you need is available for your convenience once you arrive. You really don’t need to leave the resort for anything. The resort has in-room dining and seven different restaurants to choose from.

Joe Merchant’s Coffee and Provisions

Once we arrived and checked into our room, it was lunch time and we were hungry. We enjoyed pizzas at Joe Merchant Coffee and Provisions. I stopped by every morning to grab coffee.

There are two sit down restaurants on the property, and we visited both during our stay.

LandShark Bar and Grill

We had dinner at the Landshark Bar and Grill during our first night. The restaurant is not in the main tower, but it’s a short walk from the tower. If you’re not up for the walk the whole family can get a ride on a golf cart from one of the valet drivers.

There is lakeside and indoor seating. The food here is inline with your typical American family restaurant. The kids enjoyed chicken fingers (this seemed to be their go to meal most of this trip) and mac and cheese.

For adults I recommend: The nachos (these are definitely shareable) and the key lime pie.

Boathouse Bar and Lounge

The Hubs and I popped in one evening after the kids and my MIL went to bed. We grabbed a drink and listened to live music here. This place has a sports bar vibe. There were TVs showing various games and you could order light bites here.

Water Park Swim up and Walk-up Bar

When you can manage to pull the kids away from the pool and the waterpark, you can get lunch and cocktails here.

I recommend: quesadillas, margarita (when in Margaritaville…), Pina colada.

Things to Do at Margaritaville Lake Conroe

There is no shortage of activities to do at Margaritaville Lake Conroe. We were there for 3 days and still didn’t do it all.

The front desk will give you a list of daily events happening during your stay. In addition to those events you can do the following:

Jolly Mon Water Park

This was my daughter’s favorite spot! She and my son had a blast splashing, sliding, and getting dunked by the Margaritaville bucket!

There is a splash area for toddlers. The water play area is perfect for young kids because the water is less than 3 feet. There is also a lazy river that goes around the whole water park. This is great for kids and adults.

My son and the Hubs had fun going down the two big slides and swimming in the bigger pools. There are 2 pools and 2 hot tubs.

Parrot Island Mini Golf

After dinner one evening we got clubs and balls and headed to the Parrot Island Mini Golf for some family fun. The course is 18 holes with varying levels of difficulty for putt putt golf. My seven year old and Mother-in-law had a great time. You can be competitive and keep score or just enjoy it as a fun family activity.

Fins Up Arcade

When I told you Margaritaville at Lake Conroe, thought of it all—I wasn’t lying. There is even an arcade in the main tower. We played old school Pac Man, and some of the other arcade games.

Other activities:

Basketball court
Tennis Court
Pickle Ball and table tennis
Water sports - you can rent paddle boats and other boats and even fishing equipment at the Einstein's Surf and Boat Shop.
18 Hole Golf Course
Boat Cruise

Margaritaville at Lake Conroe Spa: St. Somewhere Spa

I’ve been making a habit of booking spa treatments when I take a family vacation. If the hotel or resort we’re staying in has a spa, best believe I will be booking a massage. As much as I love my family, we all know traveling with kids is a trip and not necessarily a vacation. Visiting the spa has been a way for me to truly rest and recharge during the trip and offers a brief reprieve.

The St. Somewhere Spa was so tranquil. It offers a variety of treatments from massages, to facials. I enjoyed a hot stone massage, and my massage therapist, April, was the best!

After my massage, when I finally awoke from my slumber and gathered myself, I visited the steam room and hung out in the spa lounge, sipping green tea and spa water, and just zoning out.

Margaritaville Lake Conroe day passes

Margaritaville Lake Conroe offers day passes and Cabana rentals through Resort Pass.

If you can’t stay at the hotel, you can visit the golf course, spa, Landshark Bar & Grill, License to Chill, Joe Merchant’s and Playin’ A Round Café (the golf club house) as they are all opened to the public. However, guest and Resort Pass holders can enjoy mini-golf course, tennis and pickleball courts, fitness center, water park, and pools.

What to Pack for your Family Vacation in Texas: Margaritaville Lake Conroe

The resort has a shop on property in case you forget anything, however, we packed the following.

Sunscreen

Mosquito spray

Matching family bathing suits - which we received tons of compliments on and was great for pictures. Check out my list of summer vacation essentials.

Fun Things for Couples to do in Scottsdale, Arizona

April 27, 2022

There are tons of fun things for couples to do in Scottsdale, Arizona. Keep reading for recommendations for romantic restaurants, resorts, and activities for couples in Scottsdale.

This year for my birthday the Hubs and I did a weekend in Scottsdale, Arizona. I had been to Phoenix a few times for work and always wanted to explore more of Arizona for fun. Scottsdale is full of beautiful scenery and home to some of the best spas and resorts. It checked all the boxes for a perfect baecation.

We went to Scottsdale in late February and the weather was amazing. It was a bit chilly at night, a light jacket was enough. During the day it was sunny but breezy and pleasant. Scottsdale can get very hot in the late spring and summer. I was told late Fall and the end of winter was the best time to visit.

If you're looking for other great destinations for check these out:

Girls trip to Miami

How to Spend a Weekend in Houston

Wine Down in Napa

Best resorts for couples in Scottsdale, Arizona

There are so many romantic hotels and resorts in Scottsdale. Many include spas and great restaurants onsite. We stayed at the JW Marriott Camelback Inn Resort & Spa. I absolutely loved our hotel and highly recommend it. I will warn you, the resort is not adult only, and we saw a few families with young children, however, it didn’t bother us at all.

The rooms are all villa style, so we weren’t disturb by noise or anything you would find in your typical hotel. The staff was friendly and helpful. I told them it was my birthday and they sent us a complimentary bottle of prosecco and sweet note.

There are picturesque views of the mountains everywhere you turn. The resort has an onsite spa, but I didn’t get to visit it before we left. There are lots of activities to do at the resort, so if you wanted to, you could spend your whole trip hanging out there and not be bored.

We booked our hotel and rental car through Costco travel for a great deal. Our package included a $50 daily resort credit which we could use towards the spa or at the restaurants on site. Definitely check out Costco Travel if you’re a Costco member.

Fun Things for Couples to do in Scottsdale, Arizona

What I really like about Scottsdale, is that there is so much to do depending on the type of trip you want to have. Whether you want to do spas and relax, hike, horseback ride, and have an adventure trip it’s there.

I was going for a little bit of both on this trip. Some adventure, relaxation and luxury, and of course great meals! Since this was a birthday trip I had some bucket list activities I wanted to do.

Hot Air Balloon Ride

The Hubs and I took our first ever hot air balloon ride. We booked our trip with Rainbow Ryders. Our ride was magical! That’s honestly the best way to describe it. It felt so serene and peaceful. Our pilot shared a little bit of Scottsdale history during our ride. It wasn’t bumpy or scary at all. After the ride we had a champagne toast.

Hiking Camelback Mountain

Camelback mountain is one of the most popular attractions in Scottsdale. The hike was rigorous, but we got it done and felt so accomplished at the end. We met hikers of all ages, from kids, to older people, and even someone hiking with an infant in a baby carrier! As well as people at every fitness level. The other hikers were all so encouraging as we were going up.

Tips for hiking Camelback Mountain

Wear good hiking shoes. I wore sneakers that were worn down and had me slipping at the end.

Wear sunblock. The weather was nice when we went, but I still recommend sunblock
Bring lots of water. You will be sipping as you go and return. You don’t want to.
Take an Uber or cab to and from the mountain because parking is limited.

Phoenix Art Museum

On the last day of our trip when we were back in Phoenix before going to the airport we visited the Phoenix Art Museum. I had high expectations for this museum but I was a little disappointed at the exhibits. I’m not sure if was the time of year we visited but I’d say check the site to see what exhibits are being featured.

Some other activities I considered doing and I hope to do next time:

Desert Rock Winery & Distillery - wine tasting
Scottsdale Wine Trail
Botanical Gardens

Where to Eat in Scottsdale

I had so many places on our itinerary that I wanted to visit and came highly recommended. Scottsdale has lots of cute restaurants and the Southwestern and Mexican inspired flavors are big here.

The Mission

After our hot air balloon ride, we were starving! We quickly changed at the hotel and headed to dinner at The Mission, located in Old Town Scottsdale. I had such high hopes for this place because it kept popping up on lists for best places to visit. However, we were a bit disappointed.

We ordered the tableside guacamole which people kept raving about. It was fresh and made well. We also ordered elote, and street tacos. These tacos are small and are not served with any sides. The food was decent, but coming from Dallas, where street tacos are prepared with excellence, I just wasn’t impressed. Especially for the price. Also, the seating was tight and the lighting was very dark and moody. I would return for drinks and guacamole, and maybe grab dinner somewhere else.

Rita’s Cantina & Bar | JW Marriott Scottsdale Camelback Inn Resort & Spa

This restaurant was located on our hotel property, and the food was great. I was skeptical because it was resort food, but I was pleasantly surprised. The Hubs and I enjoyed brunch here, before our hike and we also grabbed a late lunch and drinks after the hike. We were so exhausted from hiking that we just wanted to enjoy a meal and head back to the room for a nap. It was pretty awesome, sipping our cocktails and enjoying lunch on the patio while taking in views of the mountains. The scenery never gets old!

It was pretty awesome, sipping our cocktails and enjoying lunch on the patio while taking in views of the mountains. The scenery never gets old!

We had a late dinner at SumoMaya. The restaurant had a dj and all the vibes of a swanky scene. I was happy to see that the food and service was also great, and they weren’t just trying to get by on looks and vibes alone.

Our waiter was friendly and made great suggestions. The drinks were strong and the sushi was delish! I recommend this place for couples or girl friends.

Sumo Maya

The hubs and I had a late dinner at Sumo Maya, which was hands down my favorite dinner spot during our trip.

The vibe felt like a sexy lounge because there was music. We enjoyed sushi and great cocktails. The service was excellent and the waiter even brought me dessert when he found out it was my birthday.

Sugar Jam

Since my Houston trip, with Houston Hosts, I’ve been making more of an effort to visit black owned restaurants and businesses when I travel. Sugar Jam is a black owned brunch spot in Scottsdale, located in a shopping plaza. They didn’t take reservations and when we arrived there was a wait for a table. We were able to snag a seat at the bar, and proceeded to have a grand old time the bar tenders.

There was a DJ on Sunday, playing old school R&B and hip hop, everyone was enjoying the jams. The food was great too. I had shrimp and grits, and the Hubs had chicken and waffles. Portions were huge, and the food was flavorful and yummy. We didn’t have cocktails but there was a mimosa flight that looked like a good time!

The Churchill

We hung out in Phoenix on our last day and visited the Churchill area. The area has lots of murals and street art. There are coffee shops, bars, and restaurants within walking distance of each other. We grabbed lunch at a Biergarten we stumbled on while exploring the area. There was a food hall I wanted to try but most of the stalls were closed by the time we got there.

There are so many fun things for couples to do in Scottsdale. I highly recommend it for a baecation or couples trip. I can’t wait to visit Arizona and explore other parts of the state.

Fun things to do with kids in Oklahoma City

March 17, 2022

Fun things to do with kids in Oklahoma City. I’m sharing tips for a weekend trip with the family to Oklahoma City (OKC). Keep reading to find out where to stay, what to do, and where to eat.

This post was written in partnership with visit OKC. All opinions are my own.

Oklahoma City is roughly a 3 hour drive from Dallas, so it makes for a good road trip, especially with kids. Pack your favorite snacks, hop in the car, and let’s explore OKC.

BEST HOTELS FOR FAMILIES TO STAY IN Oklahoma City

We stayed at the 21C Museum hotel near downtown OKC, which was a great location because it was close to lots of restaurants and relatively close (15min drive) to all of the attractions we were visiting. The only downside to staying downtown, is that parking will be tight. The hotel offers valet parking for $28/day. Street parking is free on the weekend. There was also a lot across the street from the hotel for $5 each time you entered.

The 21C Museum hotel was so fun. The rooms are spacious and modern with a loft style set-up. The hotel also has a restaurant on-site, however, the menu wasn’t very kid friendly so we didn’t end up eating there. But the Hubs and I did grab drinks one night after the kids and my mother-in-law went to bed.

What makes the hotel so unique is it has an art gallery on the first floor, and art installations on each floor, which you can check out if you have a room key. The hotel also has a spa, which was great, because I definitely enjoyed the sauna and getting a massage on our last day.

Kid friendly things to do in Oklahoma City

Here are some fun things to do with your kids in Oklahoma City. We had great weather on our first day in OKC, but then it got cold and rainy. So here are a mix of indoor and outdoor activities.

OKC Zoo

Explore all of the different areas of the zoo, that include an area for feeding the animals, a play area for the kids, and even a tour of the zoo hospital.

OKC Science Museum

My son really enjoyed the science museum. The museum has 2 floors with activities of all types, such as sports, space, and environmental science The exhibits are interactive with activities for kids of all ages and grade levels. You can also attend shows and demonstrations which are included with admission.

Lake Hefner Lighthouse

The Lake Hefner lighthouse is located on Lake Hefner. It’s cool to visit after sunset when the light house is lit up. Parking is free and easy to find. There are also a few restaurants along the lake that are great to visit for dinner after checking out the lighthouse.

BEST FAMILY RESTAURANTS IN OKC

We enjoyed some good eats in OKC and had great service at all of the places we visited.

Bricktown Brewery

Located in the Bricktown area, this place has a sports bar feel. There was a decent kids menu and we were able to watch the OKC basketball game on tv while we had dinner. The restaurant didn’t take reservations, but fortunately the wait wasn’t long and we were seated quickly. Also, be aware that this area has limited parking and if you are visiting while a basketball game is taking place be prepared to pay $10 for parking.

There’s an area with water taxis in the Bricktown area, but we were so tired after our day at the zoo that we didn’t check it out.

Waffle Champions

I saw this place as a must visit for brunch in OKC, and we are serious about brunch around here, so we had to visit, and it didn’t disappoint.

There were unique spins on waffles, sweet and savory. The style is fast casual. You order your food, grab a seat, and pick up your food from a window when your buzzer goes off. There was a line out the door when we arrived around 10am, but it went quickly.

Barrios Mexican

Great Margaritas, street tacos, and a decent kids menu. The avocado margarita is the popular drink here. The hubs enjoyed it. I had the grilled pineapple margarita and it was delicious.

Hatch Early Mood Food

Another great brunch spot! This place gets packed quickly so I recommend getting a reservation through Yelp, which allowed us to do a call ahead.

The portions were huge, and everything was delicious. The kids menu had a great variety of food options, for even picky eaters.

Another dining spot that we didn’t get to try but looked good, was the Collective Kitchen Food Hall.

How to Spend a weekend in Houston| Supporting Black Business

February 21, 2022

Here is all you need to know for a weekend in Houston while also supporting black businesses. I’ve got a full itinerary for you, including where to stay, eat, and play.

Last Fall I was invited by Houston Host to spend a weekend exploring Houston's black culinary and culture scene. Although my trip was sponsored, all opinions are my own.

Where to stay in Houston

Embassy Suites by Hilton Houston Near the Galleria, Address: 2911 Sage Rd, Houston, TX 77056

Houston is a large city, and you can easily spend most of your time traveling from one area to the other. The Galleria area is a good central point. It’s near downtown and relatively close to the airports. It is also walking distance from the Galleria Mall in case you want to do some shopping.

The rooms are also spacious and the hotel offers complimentary breakfast that includes an omelet station. There is also a complimentary happy hour every evening.

How to Spend a weekend in Houston — Mico's Hot Chicken

How to get around Houston

As I mentioned, Houston is a big city. I recommend renting a car if you didn’t drive in on your own. However, if you don’t want to drive or you decide to enjoy a night out and need a designated driver, I suggest Alto.

Alto, which is a rideshare program that offers a luxury experience, clean vehicles, and trained employee drivers (no contractors). Each car is equipped with in-vehicle wifi, water bottle, umbrellas, and more.

During our trip all our Alto cars were SUVs that were roomy and provided a comfortable ride around Houston.

Alto is currently available in Dallas, Los Angeles, and Miami. Use code: MOCHAS10 and receive $10 off your first 2 rides.

Black owned business in Houston — Kale Me Crazy

Where to Eat in Houston: Black Owned Restaurants

With this being a trip hosted by food influencers, for food influencers, food was obviously the focus! The Houston foodie scene is vast and there is something here for everyone.

Here is a list of all of the places we ate and sipped at during our weekend.

Breakfast/Brunch

The Breakfast Klub
Bar 5015

Lunch/ Dinner

Fainmous BBQ
Frenchy's Chicken
Kiss Houston
Lucille's Houston
Mico's Hot Chicken
Ray's BBQ Shack
Reggae Hut

Coffee/Tea/Sweets

Crumbville, TX
Day 6 Coffee
Glazed Donuts
Kale Me Crazy

What to do in Houston: Supporting Black Owned Businesses

Inner Me Studios
Kindred Stories
Love + Make
Nom Noir Cultural Tour
The Gumbo Club - check their page for events

3-Day Houston Itinerary - How to Spend a Weekend in HoustonSupporting Black Owned Businesses

Day 1:

Mico’s Hot chicken for lunch. - Get the hot chicken sandwich, tots, and banana pudding
Head over to Kale Me Crazy for smoothie or tea.
Check in to the hotel.
Dinner at Lucille's

Day 2

Fitness class at Inner Me Studios - We did a pole dance class and it was so fun. This is a great way to get a fun workout in. Especially if you’re traveling with a group.
Grab donuts from Glazed Donuts and coffee from Day 6 Coffee - hey you earned it after working up a sweat.
Return to the hotel to shower and change.
Nom Noir Tour - @nomnoirhtx - This is a food tour throughout the 3rd ward of Houston led by Chef Vicky (@queenofyum). The tour includes transportation and is guided. Here are some of the stops on the tour:

The Breakfast Klub - @katfishandgrits | This is arguably one of Houston’s most popular breakfast spots.
Reggae Hut - @reggaehut | A Caribbean inspired restaurants serving up favorites like Jamaican beef patties, Jerk chicken, and so much more.
Rays BBQ - @raysbbqshack | Family-owned and operated since 1984. The brisket was tender and delish.
Project Row Houses | @projectrowhouses | An interactive and engaging art exhibition.
Crumbville TX | @edabulicioustreats | Sweet shop with cookies, cakes and other baked goods. They offer vegan, gluten-free and non-vegan treats.

Kindred Stories Book store - Grab a book and souvenirs
Return to the hotel and get ready for dinner.
Dinner - Fainmous BBQ @fainmousbbq - Enjoy Tennessee-style BBQ and all the fixin.
Kiss Houston - Enjoy drinks and music at this lounge.

Day 3

Brunch - Bar 5015 | @bar5015 Sunday Funday with food, cocktails, and a DJ. The patio fills up quickly so be sure to make a reservation.
The Assembly | @gumboclub -The Gumbo Club was created by KeAndre’ Jordan ( @mysouthernbrand ). We attended a catfish cook off. Be sure to check the site for events.
Love & Make | @love_and_make - We made our own candles which was the perfect souvenir of our trip.

Thanks again to Houston Hosts and Visit Houston for organizing an excellent weekend. If you’d like more restaurant recommendations or things to do in and around Houston, be sure to follow the hosts on Instagram.

Victoria - The Queen of Yum

Erika - Black Girls Who Brunch

Jazz - Dash of Jazz

Keandre - My Southern Brand

Bless the Belly

Best Places for High Tea in Plano

February 2, 2022

Today I'm sharing some of the best places for high tea in Plano.

A few years ago, I started a tradition with my daughter and mother-in-law of having afternoon tea in celebration of Valentine's day. It was our Galentine’s day of sorts. My daughter was 2 years-old when we began the tradition.

Both my mother-in-law and I enjoy tea and have bonded over our love of the drink. So naturally, my daughter has come to enjoy it too. We look forward to our Galentine’s day tea every year. This would be fun to do with girlfriends as well.

Where to go for AFternoon Tea in Plano

Edith’s French Bistro, Plano

Another French inspired tea. Edith’s is so cute. There is a bakery in the restaurant filled with the most beautiful and delicious pastries.

Heirloom Haul, Fisco

This spot is so cute and has so many areas for great photos. The adult tea service includes a glass of champagne. The little girls tea service comes with pearls and gloves. My daughter enjoyed the dress-up aspect.

Green Tea Gimlet

January 26, 2022

Green tea gimlet is a great twist on a classic drink.

This post contains affiliate links

I’m a tea lover, I actually prefer tea over coffee, so when I figured out I could incorporate one of my favorite beverages into a cocktail —it was over!

This is the second tea infused cocktail I’m sharing with you. This green tea gimlet is layered with flavor. Even if you’re not a gin lover, this drink may have you reconsidering your stance on gin, at least it did for me.

I made this drink to celebrate the Lunar New year, but the color would be great for a St. Patty’s day dinner as well. Really, you don’t need an occasion to enjoy a great cocktail.

Other Cocktail Recipes

cherry limeade cocktail — Cherry Limeade

ocean water cocktail — Ocean Water Cocktail

mint julep iced tea — Mint Julep Iced Tea

Ingredients for Green Tea Gimlet

Gin - The classic gimlet is a gin cocktail. Use the brand of your choice.
Lemons - for fresh lemon juice
Green tea - your favorite brand of green tea will do
honey - For our simple syrup
Coupe Glass
Cocktail Shaker

Green Tea Gimlet

Print Recipe

Prep Time 5

Course Drinks

Servings 1

Equipment

1 Coupe glass
1 Cocktail Shaker

Ingredients

2 ounces gin
1 ounce fresh lime juice
1 ounce green tea infused simple syrup

Green Tea Infused Simple Syrup

1 cup water
1 cup honey
1 green tea bag

Instructions

Combine all ingredients in a shaker with ice. Shake then strain into a chilled coupe glass.

Green Tea Infused Simple Syrup

Bring 1 cup of water to a boil and add green tea bag to the water. Mix in 1 cup of honey and allow the tea bag to steep for 5 to 7 minutes. Remove the tea bag and allow the mixture to cool completely before transferring it to a bottle. Refrigerate until ready to use.

Check out my Brunch E-book for my cocktail recipes!

Cherry Limeade Cocktail

January 21, 2022

Cherry limeade cocktail - a little bit sweet, a little bit tart, and lots of fun to sip and enjoy.

If you’re looking for a sweet fizzy drink that makes a good mocktail, but can easily be transformed into a cocktail --because we like to spike things around here, then this is it! Drink responsibly!

Enjoy this drink during the warmer months or make it your signature Valentine’s Day or holiday cocktail because of the fun and festive colors.

INGREDIENTS FOR CHERRY LIMEADE

Maraschino Cherries - duh! We need cherries of course – and these jarred cherries are great because they are already sweetened and the thick sugary syrup adds to the flavor and the color.
Limes - for color and to offset the sweetness of the cherry
Lemon lime soda - any brand will do, to give our drink a lemony flavor and a little fizz. Tonic is also a great option.
Spirit - I’m a vodka girl, but this would be good with rum or even gin.

Other Cocktail Recipes YOu may like

Best Alcohol Popsicle Recipes — Adult Popsicles

How to Serve Cherry Limeade

I like to serve my cherry limeade in mason jars or these repurposed milk bottles. But they work in a Collins glass too.

Cherry Limeade Cocktail

cherry limeade cocktail is sweet, tart, and great to enjoy any time of year.

Print Recipe

Prep Time 5

Course Drinks

Servings 1

Ingredients

2 ounces vodka or rum
1 ounce lime juice
1 tablespoon juice from the maraschino cherry bottle
4 ounces lemon- lime soda (like Sprite)
Lime wedge for garnish
maraschino cherries
crushed ice

Instructions

Add vodka, lime juice, and maraschino cherry juice to a glass and stir
Fill glass with ice and add lemon lime soda and mix with a bar spoon
Add lime wedge and maraschino cherries to garnish Serve with a straw

Tool

Mediterranean Salmon and Orzo

January 18, 2022

Mediterranean salmon and orzo is quick, and easy to make for dinner or lunch! It’s also healthy and delicious. This meal can be enjoyed on a busy week day or for lunch with friends. The ingredients are fresh and simple yet it has some flair to impress your guests.

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Mediterranean salmon and orzo ingredients

Salmon fillet –Fresh fish is best. When possible, opt for wild salmon. However, if that's not available, frozen or sustainably raised salmon can also be used.

Orzo pasta - orzo is similar to a rice, but actually a pasta.

Fresh herbs – like garlic and parsley.

Tomatoes – Cherry or grape tomatoes.

Feta Cheese – The salty, nutty flavor of the feta ramps up the flavor.

Fresh lemon – Fresh lemon juice pairs well with the salmon.

Kalamata olives - these olives are common in Mediterranean dishes.

Helpful tools for this dish:

Grill Pan

Pot

Dishes for plating

What to serve with Mediterranean salmon and orzo

Enjoy this salmon dish as a complete meal, with a side of asparagus, or steamed broccoli if you want to pack in more veggies.

This would also make a hearty lunch the next day. Serve the orzo cold like a salad, with the warm salmon on the side.

What to sip with your Mediterranean salmon and orzo

I would pair this salmon and orzo with rose, Pinot Grigio, or a chardonnay.

OTHER EASY AND DELICIOUS DINNERs

Mediterranean salmon and orzo recipe

Shanelle Fisher

Mediterranean salmon and orzo is quick, and easy to make for dinner or lunch! It’s also healthy and delicious.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 10

Course Main Course

Cuisine Mediterranean

Servings 2 people

Equipment

1 Grill Pan
1 Pot

Ingredients

2 Salmon Filets
1 Lemon
2 tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive oil
2 tablespoon Feta Cheese Crumbles
1 cup Orzo Pasta
1 teaspoon minced garlic
½ cup Kalamata olives pitted
1 tablespoon fresh chopped parsley
1 cup cherry tomatoes cut halved
seasoning: salt, pepper, garlic powder

Instructions

Cook orzo per packaged directions.
While orzo is cooking, season both sides of the salmon filets with salt, pepper, and garlic powder, Squeeze the juice of half of a lemon over the salmon.
Heat 1 tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive oil in a pan and add both salmon filets to the pan skin side down.
Cook salmon for 4-5 minutes on each side and test for doneness. Salmon should be 145°F in it’s thickest part when fully cooked.
Remove salmon from heat and set aside.
Keep heat on the pan and add the additional tablespoon of Extra Virgin Olive oil.
Add tomatoes and minced garlic to the pan and cook for 3-5 minutes or until the tomatoes get soft. Add cooked and drained orzo, parsley, and Kalamata olives to the pan and season with salt and pepper to taste.
Mix all ingredients together in the pan. Top the orzo with feta cheese when plating then the salmon.
Serve with lemon slices and additional fresh parsley for garnish.

Garlic Herb Cream Cheese

December 13, 2021

Herb and Garlic Cream Cheese is great for bagels, toast, and more. Let’s upgrade our basic cream cheese with just a few simple ingredients!

I enjoy a good bagel and cream cheese situation when I’m in the mood for a simple no fuss breakfast. This herb and garlic cream cheese is packed with so much flavor layered into every bite.

This post may contain affiliate links.

What to serve with herb and garlic cream cheese

I’m all about the brunch stations. You can fancy things up by adding this cream cheese to a bagel board for a weekend brunch with the family or if you’re hosting brunch at home. The cream cheese pairs so well with capers and lox.

I enjoy the cream cheese on toast or crackers as a snack or appetizer.
Spread it on a sandwich with your favorite meat and veggies for a nice change from mayo.
Add to a pan of sautéed spinach for a yummy creamed spinach dish.
Use it to stuff chicken or fish.

Tips for making herb and garlic cream cheese

You can use a block or a tub of cream cheese.
Leave your cream cheese out for an hour or so on the counter to soften it up before mixing.
This recipe calls for garlic powder but you can use fresh garlic if you like. If using fresh garlic, I would use less than a ¼ teaspoon because the flavor will be stronger than garlic powder. Also make sure you mince the garlic very finely.
If you are making this to serve at brunch, I would prepare this the day before serving so the flavors really have a chance to set.
Use a hand mixer for this recipe --unless you are trying to get a wrist work out!

Garlic Herb Cream Cheese

Shanelle Fisher

Print Recipe

Prep Time 5

Equipment

hand mixer

Ingredients

8 ounces Cream Cheese softened
½ teaspoon Dried Parsley
½ teaspoon Dried Oregano
½ teaspoon Fresh dill chopped fine
¼ teaspoon Dried Thyme
¼ teaspoon Black Pepper
¼ teaspoon Garlic Powder
¼ teaspoon Sea Salt

Instructions

1. Place all ingredients in a medium size bowl. Using a hand mixer, beat cream cheese until creamy and smooth.
2. Taste and adjust seasoning accordingly.
3. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator until ready to use. You can store into the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

For much brunch recipes and ideas

Tips for Hosting a Fabulous Friendsmas Party

December 8, 2021

See these tips for hosting a fabulous Friendsmas party that your friends will enjoy. Food, drink and, activities to keep everyone happy.

What is a Friendsmas Party

By now you may have heard of Friendsgiving, which is Thanksgiving for friends. Well, naturally Christmas needed a holiday just for friends too, hence Friendsmas. It’s a thing, get into it!

You’ve probably been celebrating Friendsmas for a while and didn’t even realize it. Any festive holiday gathering with friends is essentially Friendsmas.

This post is sponsored by Salata Salad Kitchen. All opinions are my own.

Friendsmas hosting ideas

There are so many fun ways to host a Friendsmas party. You can do it as an adults only party, or bring kids in on the fun. It can be casual and whimsical, or more of a formal dinner party vibe.

For my Friendsmas party I decided to invite some of my mom friends and their kids over for lunch. I wanted it to be fun but chill and relaxed.

Friendsmas Party food ideas

Brunch is generally my go to meal of choice when hosting at home. But I decided to go for a lunch menu this time. I ordered catering through Salata Salad Kitchen.

I really like that Salata carries a variety of fresh and clean ingredients that are delicious and filling but still healthy.

The online ordering process was easy. I picked my food up at the requested time and it was bagged and ready for me when I arrived.

I went with the Signature Experience which offered a great selection of items. The meal came with a build your own salad bar set-up, which included mixed greens, a variety of salad toppings, grilled chicken, croutons, pita chips, mini croissants and 3 different salad dressings.

The Signature Experience also had 5 different wraps, some were vegetarian and some had grilled chicken.

We all enjoyed being able to customize our own salads. I’ve mentioned before how I like to set-up food stations when I’m entertaining so guests can help themselves. It takes so much of the work off of the host.

Our meal came with an assortment of cookies and a fruit salad, which was delicious and perfect for the kids. I appreciated that our meal and dessert were covered in the one catering order and there were options for people sticking to a healthy end to their meal, or those who wanted to splurge a bit, like myself.

Friendsmas Party drink ideas

A featured cocktail is always a nice touch. However, this time I went with a classic ---mimosas. I set a bucket up with lemonade in a carafe for the kids and any moms that didn’t want to drink. Moms helped themselves to orange juice and prosecco and created their own mimosas.

I added water and mint leaves to a pitcher of ice water to spruce up our hydration.

Friendsmas Party activity ideas

Whenever I have a playdate, I like to have at least one structured activity, that is optional for the kids to participate in. I found foam gingerbreads, stickers, and eyes in Dollar Tree, and set a craft out for the kids who wanted to make their own gingerbreads.

Cookie decorating or gingerbread house building would be another fun activity. If you have a super crafty group you could also do a painting activity. I also like the idea of holiday song karaoke once everyone has loosened up a bit.

Even if you don’t do karaoke, you should definitely create a holiday playlist with your favorite holiday songs to set the mood for your Friendsmas party. We jammed to holiday tunes and the kids played amongst themselves while the moms chatted. It was a great time!

5 Fun Ideas for Hosting Friendsgiving

November 3, 2021

This post is all about 5 fun ideas for hosting friendsgiving. Lets celebrate the family we choose---our friends. Keep reading for tips for hosting friendsgiving.

What is Friendsgiving?

Friendsgiving is all about eating and celebrating with our friends. Especially if you live away from your extended family, Friendsgiving is a great way to get your friends together for a good meal and a fun time before you get busy with all of the holiday stuff.

Ideas for Hosting Friendsgiving

There are so many fun ways to go about hosting Friendsgiving. Some things I would suggest is to send an invitation that allows you to keep up with your guest list. Also, include a sign-up sheet in your invite through sites like Sign-up Genius, or Evite. This will help you stay organized, allow your guest to participate in the fun, and guarantee, you don’t have 5 of the same dish!

Let’s get into these 5 ideas for a fun Friendsgiving.

Continue Reading at Collin County Moms

For recipe and cocktail ideas check out my Brunch E-book that is filled with hosting tips and delicious, easy to create recipes.

Tips for a Stress-Free Family Photo Session

October 14, 2021

Not to totally freak you out, but if you’re thinking about sending holiday cards this year, now is the time to start planning.

To eliminate the stress that usually accompanies planning family photos, we’re bringing you tips AND location ideas to help make your family photo shoot a fun experience.

Choose a photographer whose style you love.

There is no shortage of options when it comes to choosing a professional photographer in Collin County or the Dallas area. Every photographer offers something different. Are you wanting a posed family portrait or do you want to show your family interacting together (usually referred to as “lifestyle” photography)? Do you have little kids and want to be sure the photographer has experience with toddlers? Do you like bright and colorful images, or something more dark and moody? Be sure to check out the photographer on their social media, and look at samples from their website to confirm you like their style before booking. One of my favorite photographers is Erica Grandin Photography and right now, she is offering Fall mini-sessions at the Lumen Room studio in Plano. You can book your mini session here.

Continue Reading on Collin County Moms Blog

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