Layered Chili Cheese Dip

I have to admit -- I wasn't into football at all this season.  Football started at the end of my pregnancy and when Ezekiel was born, the season was already in full swing.  I was too tired and my focus was on Ezekiel to even care about football.  Even so, there is something about the Superbowl that brings me back in.  When I think about it, it's probably not the football that brings me in, it's the food!

One dip that is always at every casual party my family throws is this Layered Chili Cheese Dip.  It's simple, quick, and everyone loves it.  All it is is layered cream cheese, chili, and shredded cheddar cheese.  Bake it in the oven and serve hot with tortilla chips.  It's so incredibly easy and it can be made ahead of time (which is super important when throwing a party). 

This dip has been in my family for a long time (thanks to Mom!) and one things for sure -- It's not going anywhere!

If your looking for another delicious dish to serve, try these Homemade Corn Dogs.  There one of my favorites!  Enjoy your Superbowl Weekend! 

Milk Bar Mondays - Blueberry & Cream Cookies

Milk Bar Mondays and Krissy's Creations are back!  In the middle of my pregnancy I decided to take a break from Milk Bar Mondays.  But now that we're past the first few months of Ezekiel's life, things are starting to settle down (if they ever really do!) and I finally have some time to bake.  So I thought what better time than to jump back in with Milk Bar Mondays.

This weeks recipe was chosen by Cassie of Bake Your Day.  I'm pretty sure my favorite recipes out of the Momofuku Milk Bar Cookbook are the cookies.  So I of course was excited when I heard we were making these Blueberry and Cream Cookies.

What I liked most about these cookies is how simple they are.  Most Milk Bar recipes are lengthy and complicated, but these cookies are just the opposite.  It's a basic cookie - with the added Milk Bar techniques and of course the Milk Bar crumb - mixed in with dried blueberries.  These cookies have a perfectly crispy edge with a super soft and tender center.  They're not overly sweet or salty (like some Milk Bar recipes).  They might not be the prettiest cookie out there, but they sure are tasty!

Head on over to Cassie's blog for the recipe.

And don’t forget to check out the other girl’s Blueberries & Cream Cookies:

Jacqueline from The Dusty Baker

Audra from The Baker Chick

Erin from Big Fat Baker

Enjoy!

Strawberry Macarons for Christina's Virtual Bridal Shower!

Surprise!!!

Today me and a bunch of lovely blogging ladies are hosting a Virtual Bridal Shower for our fellow blogger, Christina of Dessert for Two.

Christina is a dear, dear friend of mine whom I had the pleasure to meet in late 2011.  I was already a fan of Christina's blog for quite sometime before I actually got to meet her.  After that day, my love for her and her blog grew even more!  Christina is genuinely sweet and kind, and so-completly-relatable.  Even though she grows wheat for a living and I own a sporting goods business - two very opposite jobs - we have so much in common.  We love our husbands more than anything (or soon to be husbands for you Christina!), we love baking indulgent sweets and cooking healthy dinners, and of course -- we love blogging and dedicating our time to our lovely readers!

I love you Christina.  These macarons are for you!

Macarons are one of my favorite things to take.  The only thing is I haven't made them in a such a long time.  After many successful batches, my last attempt was a failure.  And since then I took a break from macarons.  Something special had to happen for me to jump back on the macaron wagon and Christina's Bridal Shower was just the ticket!

Instead of using my normal macaron recipe, I decided to try the Italian Method that I saw recently on Annie's Eats.  In this method you create a meringue by mixing together a boiled sugar-water mixture and beaten egg whites.  Mix the meringue into a thick paste-like mixture made up of almond meal, confectioners sugar, and egg whites, and your ready to pipe and bake the macarons.

 

I already like this method better and can't wait to try it out even more.  I'd love for you to try it out and tell me what you think!

Click on the links below to see what the other ladies made for Christina's Bridal Shower:

Sweet and Salty Party Cookies from Lauren of Keep it Sweet Desserts

White Wedding Cake Cupcakes from Julie of Dessert for Two
Mini  “I Do”-nuts from Tara of Chip Chip Hooray!
Moon Pie Cake from Madison of Espresso and Cream
Whiskey Walnut Blondies from Jenna of Eat Live Run
Brown Butter Snickerdoodles from Joanne of Eats Well With Others
Lemon Cupcakes with Sweet Tea Frosting from Kristan of Confesstions of a Cookbook Queen
Chocolate Covered Cheerios from Shelly of Cookies and Cups
Mini Coconut Cream Pies from Megan of Country Cleaver

Enjoy!

Funfetti Cake Pops

Happy New Year!

I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas season!  Now onto 2013.  I have a feeling it's going to be a great year.  If it's anything like 2012 then I know it'll be one of the best years of my life.  In 2012, we had our 1st baby and bought our 1st house - 2 of the most memorable times in my life.  I also turned 25, drove cross country twice, and lived in Florida and Kentucky. 

I still can't believe that we have a baby boy that is already 3 months!  He is already growing so much!  He's over 14 pounds and is eating great.  He now he eats about ever 3-3.5 hours and goes to bed around 8pm.  He hasn't quite slept throughout the night, but just yesterday he went his first night without a middle of the night feeding!  He woke up a few times but went right back to bed after getting his pacifier.  We're getting closer and closer for him to sleep all the way into the morning!  I can't wait for that night :).  

One thing I realize more and more each day is that being a mom is hard.  Really hard.  You have to make all of these decisions that impact your child's life.  If you decide to do one thing one day it could change the whole course of everything you have done and will do.  It's a lot of pressure.  BUT, I try not to think about that and just take everything day by day.  Otherwise, I'll go crazy!  Another hard thing is trying to balance life.  Not only am I am mom, but I'm a wife, a daughter, and a sister.  I also have a job and blog.  I find it hard to just get 1 thing done.  But again, I try to take things one at a time.  I'm not super mom.  Although man that would be nice!

One thing that will maybe make me a little bit closer to being super mom is continue to bake like I do when Ezekiel gets older.  He's going to love all my baked goods and desserts!  And I have a feeling one of his favorites will be cake pops.  Everyone loves cake pops, especially kids.  Kids love eating anything off of a stick.  

Cake pops are one of my favorite desserts to make and this recipe was one of the funnest I've done yet. It's Funfetti Cake mixed with my basic buttercream to create a colorful and festive cake pop.  

These are a great dessert to start out the new year!  Enjoy!

For a little extra something, here is a picture of our family on Christmas --