It’s Peanut Butter Scones Time! This is my first go-around being a part of the Book Club Cookbook Blog Party! We are celebrating the paperback release of Diane Chamberlain’s Big Lies in a Small Town. Now, I am a huge fan of Diane’s work. My book hangover after reading The Stolen Marriage lasted months – that book is amazing! Big Lies in a Small Town is another five star read! My friend Rachel read it when it came out & just loves it! Now, I baked up a round of these peanut butter scones to highlight the storyline. As Anna Dale attempts to paint the mural in Edenton, North Carolina, she…

These Chai Sugar Cookies are tasty, chewy, simple & a great year-round staple. Almost every night, we have “tea time”. We start the kettle & I have a green tea/lemonade mix with honey & Derek has some other tea that is caffeine & sugar-free. That’s how we roll. As we get into wintertime, I want a little snack to go with tea time & these Chai Sugar Cookies are where it’s at! Chai a Little Tenderness I love being a part of the Book Club Cookbook Blends Bash. I’ve used a lot of different spices & blends over the years. Truly, their products are so good & make great gifts!…

This S’mores Cookie Recipe is rich, full of dark cocoa & topped with a toasted marshmallow & graham cracker crumbs. This is sure to satisfy any chocolate craving! Every single year, our family looks forward to going camping. We usually camp in the Redwood Forest in Northern California. One of my favorite parts of camping is attending Ranger Talks in the evening. After these talks we always head back to our space, get a fire going & enjoy s’mores late into the night. I love trying different types of chocolates & different types of marshmallows. Since we are not camping this year, I had to bring the s’mores into the…

I am over the moon to say this Strawberry Cream Cheese Braided Bread is a winner! The best part is you can make it with fresh strawberries or with jam. You choose! It’s no secret to anyone that I love strawberries. It’s also no secret that I love baking. But baking with strawberries? That’s another deal! Baking with strawberries is a challenge for me. The water content is so high, often they can be soggy & chewy if not baked correctly. I’ve made muffins & other bread recipes & none are winners. A Few Tips We pick so many fresh strawberries so I wanted to try a braided bread with…

I love this Black Cocoa White Chocolate Chip Cookies recipe so much. if you can hold off on eating them all the first day, they are just as fantastic on day 2. These cookies are rich, satisfying & the cure for even the sweetest sweet tooth! A Childhood Favorite Growing up, I binge ate so may Otis Spunkmeyer cookies. You know the ones! The cocoa cookie with the white chocolate chips. Honestly, I didn’t even try any other flavor because these were by far the best! Ever since I’ve been on the hunt for a delicious & satisfying chocolate cookie with white chocolate chips. While I’ve tried many recipes, the…

Strawberry Cobbler Recipe It’s no secret that my family LOVES strawberries. We wait all year for the Hood Strawberry season in Oregon. We visit our favorite berry picking spot & pick until we can’t pick anymore. This way we have plenty of strawberries leftover to freeze. Like most of my recipes, this one came from a mistake. We make so many Berry Crisps at our house. Recently, I kept referring to the crisp as a cobbler. My daughter laughed & laughed. She then turned to me & said, what’s a cobbler? Crunchy & Soft Topping Immediately, we set out to make the Ultimate Strawberry Cobbler Recipe. Now, I’ve eaten my…

Pumpkin gets a bad rap these days. All these negative Nancys saying it’s “basic” & the pumpkin spice craze is just a cash grab. I’m here to tell you, you don’t need this kind of negativity in your life! And neither do I. Even the biggest hater of pumpkin-flavored items (my mom!) loves these Pumpkin Cake Bars. The cake is tender, yet sturdy. Even better, it is full of eggs & a whole can of pumpkin. This means I don’t feel bad when my kids eat an uniced piece for breakfast! Sheet Cakes for the Win Now, I love me a beautiful layer cake, but sheet cakes need love too!…

My friends, it is time. The Downton Abbey Movie is upon us. I only wish I had made these Madeleines sooner so I could sneak them into the theater with me! This recipe is direct from the Downton Abbey Cookbook, so I have high hopes. With any luck, I’ll make Ms. Patmore proud. Can I pretend I’m sitting with Anna & Mr. Bates while I enjoy this delicious & buttery cake with a cup of hot tea? Let’s Head to the Downstairs Kitchen This is my first time making Madeleines. First, you’ll need a Madeleine pan if you want to do it right. if you still want to give the…

These Funfetti Cookie Bars are the stuff my dreams are made of. First, take a delicious sugar cookie with a hint of almond flavor. Next, top it with a delicious buttercream icing. Finally, top it with enough sprinkles to make anyone smile. This is a perfect dessert for any picnic, party or sweet weekday indulgence. The Inspiration Behind These Bars There is just something so special & fun about Funfetti Cake. Yes, I totally get that it’s just a vanilla cake with sprinkles. But to me, Funfetti exemplifies the fun part of baking. For years, I’ve thrown sprinkles into so many of my bakes. A sugar cookie with icing is…