Hydrangeas and Strawberries

I hope you all had a wonderful Easter. We sure did...a day spent with family and loved ones...and some sweet smiles and kisses from my sweet baby Joshua! My hubby surprised me with a beautiful purple hydrangea...he listens to what I say after all {sometimes}. I would love to have an entire flower bed of different colored hydrangea's...maybe if I say that long enough, he will hear that too!! Isn't she purty?

I am off until Thursday and enjoying every single minute...doing as little or as much as I want to. Isn't that what one is supposed to do on time off? Yeah, that's what I thought.
Strawberries are abundant right now, along with blackberries. This strawberry pie is so simple and so yummy...perfect for an afternoon snack...very light and cool. ENJOY !

Strawberry Cream Pie

1-9 in. prepared deep-dish pie crust, baked (or a graham cracker crust)
1-16 oz. container fresh strawberries
1-8 oz. pkg. cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1-8 oz. container whipped topping, divided

If you're using a regular pie crust, bake it until completely done. Set aside. In a large bowl, beat cream cheese until smooth. Add the powdered sugar and vanilla; blend well. Add half of the whipped topping to the cream cheese mixture and blend until smooth. Dice about 1/4 of the strawberries. It should equal about 3/4 of a cup of strawberries. Fold the diced strawberries into the cream cheese mixture. Spread the mixture into the prepared crust. Spread the remaining whipped topping on top of the cream cheese mixture. Slice the remaining strawberries and place on top of the whipped topping. Refrigerate until completely chilled.

Where Have I Been?

Heck I have NO idea how time gets away from me. I make these promises to myself that I will be a faithful blogger and before you know it a week...or two have passed and no blogging! It's not that I don't have things to blog about {God knows I do}.
It's just to sit down and collect my thoughts and type them.
Okay, I sound like I am making excuses...and actually I am. So on with the blogging.

Last week I celebrated my 40th birthday {it's MY birthday, I can lie if I want to}. It was such a nice day spent at my sister's house "in da country". She is SO talented and can decorate for any occasion you can think of !! She had her table all nice and pretty and yummy looking!


Yes...that IS homemade coconut cake you see there...she made that especially for moi {so she said...I heard through the grapevine that she was craving it too}. I cannot eat coconut cake without thinking about my Dad... I miss him so very much!!! He would have LOVED this cake....

I got to spend time with my sisters, Mom, nieces and their children....AND my children AND my sweet grandson.....be still my ♥ Life is good ! I also got TONS of birthday greetings from my Facebook friends and family. It wasn't so bad turning 40 after all {hee hee}.

This week is Holy Week and I feel so blessed. I found this quote "when life isn't a bed of roses, remember who wore the thorns"...so simple yet powerful. I need to try and remember, and live that. I hope you all have a wonderful and blessed Easter. I leave you with a picture of my own little Easter Peep.....OH HOW I LOVE HIM !

COOKING LIGHT? I THINK NOT

So much on my mind lately...thoughts just keep spinning through my head. I think I need a vacation....just a short get-a-away with no phones, no worries and no cares. HA what kind of fantasy is that? I can dream can't I? A dream is a wish your heart makes....blah blah blah!

OK maybe this will cheer me up. I found this recipe in a Cooking Light magazine and to be honest I have NO idea why this recipe would be featured in Cooking Light...there ain't nothing light about this one! I am definitely making these this weekend!!! It contains all of my fave ingredients so what's not to like about it? This recipe makes one sandwich...
you just multiply it to make as many as your lil heart desires.

GRILLED PEANUT BUTTER AND BANANA SPLIT SANDWICH

Ingredients

• 2 (1-ounce) slices firm white sandwich bread, divided
• 1 teaspoon butter, softened
• 1 tablespoon creamy peanut butter
• 2 teaspoons honey
• 1/2 teaspoon semisweet chocolate mini chips
• 1 large strawberry, thinly sliced
• 1/2 small banana, cut lengthwise into 3 slices (about 2 ounces)
• 1 tablespoon pineapple jam

Preparation

Spread one side of each white bread slice with 1/2 teaspoon butter.
Combine peanut butter and honey; spread over plain side of 1 bread slice.
Sprinkle with chocolate chips; top evenly with strawberry slices and banana slices.
Spread pineapple jam over plain side of remaining bread slice.
Carefully assemble sandwich.
Heat a small nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.
Add sandwich; cook 2 minutes on each side or until lightly browned.

Easy Like Sunday Morning

I love quiet Sunday mornings...me and my coffee...and quiet. Seems like yesterday when I was a young Mom with 3 young children, wondering if I would EVER have a nice quiet Sunday morning, that I could sleep in if I chose to, or get up and do nothing...if I chose to. It felt like I would never see that day. But here it is...and I love it. BUT [yes there is always a but] I do so much miss those weekend mornings when everyone was up and about, looking for breakfast, watching cartoons, arguing over what they would watch, or because someone was too close, or touching them....you get the idea? We can't have it both ways though can we? In that case, I will keep the warm memories of my children being little children [arguments and all] wrapped closely in my heart...and savor these quiet Sunday mornings...me and my coffee.

1 MONTH

It's hard to believe that 1 month has passed since we first laid eyes on this beautiful little one...
he has changed so much in a months time...

When he is awake, he is wide awake...love those big brown eyes! I could just squeeze him [sometimes I do, don't tell his Mom & Dad]. Speaking of his Mom & Dad...they are doing an amazing job as 1st time parents! I am so very proud of them both. My cup runeth over....

OOEY-GOOEY YUMMINESS

What's NOT to like about chocolate, caramel and nuts? NUTTIN!

OOEY GOOEY TURTLE BARS

INGREDIENTS:

1 roll (16.5 oz) Pillsbury® refrigerated sugar cookies

1 bag (12 oz) semisweet chocolate chips (2 cups)

3 cups Chopped Pecans

1/2 cup Butter

1/2 cup packed light brown sugar

1 jar (12.25 oz) caramel ice cream topping

1 cup graham cracker crumbs (16 squares)


DIRECTIONS:

Heat oven to 350°F (325°F for dark or nonstick pan).

Press cookie dough evenly in bottom of ungreased 13x9-inch pan.
Sprinkle 1 cup of the chocolate chips and 1 1/2 cups of the pecans over dough; lightly press into dough.

Set aside.
In 2-quart saucepan, melt butter over medium-high heat. Stir in brown sugar, caramel topping and graham cracker crumbs. Heat to boiling, stirring constantly.

Pour over crust in pan; spread evenly. Sprinkle with remaining 1 cup chocolate chips and 1 1/2 cups pecans.

Bake 25 to 32 minutes or until edges are deep golden brown and pecans are lightly toasted. Cool on cooling rack 30 minutes; loosen sides from pan, but do not cut.

Cool completely, about 3 hours longer. (For firmer bars, let stand an additional 2 hours.)

For bars, cut into 6 rows by 4 rows.

2 KINDS OF SWEET !

OK so who doesn't like banana muffins...and who doesn't like chocolate frosting...and who doesn't LOVE malted milk balls? Well it's your lucky day because this recipe includes all.of.the.above! I do not kid!!! I found this recipe a while back on someone's blog and I wish I could remember who so I could give them the credit...if it was you...THEN you go girl!
I cannot wait to make these this weekend!!!

BANANA MALT CUPCAKES



white cake mix
2-3 spotty brown bananas
1/4 c. sour cream
1 1/2 c. crushed malt balls (reserve some for the top)

Preheat oven to 350* Smash bananas with a fork on a plate and set aside. Make up the cake mix according to the box. Add the sour cream in with the liquids. Stir in the smashed bananas and malt balls. Fill cupcake liners 3/4 of the way full and bake for 22-24 minutes. Cool. Frost with Malt Frosting and top with extra crushed malt balls and a whole malt ball.

Malt Frosting
1 c. butter
4 c. powdered sugar
1/4 cocoa powder
3 tbsp. malted milk powder
2 tbsp. water
1 tsp. vanilla

Dissolve the malted milk powder in the water. Beat the butter, water, and vanilla until creamy. Slowly add the powdered sugar.
Add another 1-2 tbsp. water and beat until very creamy and light.

Sounds yummy right?

Now for something just as sweet and yummy......
Our sweet sweet grandson...already 3 weeks old today!
Couldn't you just love up on that forever???
Yeah I know...me tooooo !