Champagne & a Sippy Cup

a lifestyle blog

Texas-Style Sausage Kolaches

Aug 2, 2020
2 min

Texas-Style Sausage Kolaches

What is a kolache? In short - a fluffy, savory pastry that is a breakfast staple in Texas. These came to Texas by Czech immigrants. Traditional Czech Texans know that true kolaches (ko-lah-chees) are sweet, fruit-filled pastries. Technically, sausage/savory pastries are called Klobasnek, but if you order a sausage kolache, this is what you'll get! Quite often, there is also cheese and jalapenos involved and it's the best. I used pickled jalapenos and cheddar cheese - a perfec

Cinnamon Vanilla Dalgona Coffee

Aug 2, 2020
1 min

Cinnamon Vanilla Dalgona Coffee

One of the best things to come out of #quarantine was the whipped coffee trend. My original recipe was such a hit and I made it almost everyday! But it wasn't until recently that I decided to play around with other flavors in my #dalgonacoffee and I can't believe it took this long to kick it up a notch! My favorite so far has been cinnamon & vanilla - an amazing combination that is my newest addiction. Here's the original recipe, which is the base of this recipe. The two othe

Roasted Cauliflower with Spicy Korean Aioli

Jul 19, 2020
1 min

Roasted Cauliflower with Spicy Korean Aioli

In the last year, I have fallen in love with roasted cauliflower. One of our favorite restaurants serves it with a garlic aioli and it is delicious. But because of COVID-19, we haven't been able to go and I think I was going through withdrawal. So I took matters into my own hands and decided to make it at home with a little twist. It's no secret that I love anything Asian-inspired, and I love gochujang, a Korean chili paste. It was the perfect addition to this aioli. I get mi

Avocado Cowboy Caviar with Homemade Lime Tortilla Chips

Jun 16, 2020
2 min

Avocado Cowboy Caviar with Homemade Lime Tortilla Chips

This is one of the easiest snacks you can throw together for a party during the summer. It's even better on the second day, so it's best to make it a day ahead. This give the flavors a chance to meld with the super simple "marinade." Typically, cowboy caviar doesn't have avocado, but I love the extra layer of texture and color it adds (plus, who doesn't love avocado?!) This is a very kid-friendly recipe, so I eliminated some of the spicier ingredients. Instead, this is bright

Easy 1-Hour French Bread

May 9, 2020
1 min

Easy 1-Hour French Bread

I've been upping my bread game lately, and this is a total home run. From start to finish, it takes no time at all - which is perfect if you're having company or just want the house to smell like fresh bread. Because, after all, is there a better smell?! (no, the answer is no.) Granted, it does take me a little longer than an hour because I have four extra hands helping - but they're the cutest 4 hands! This is actually a really great recipe to have the kiddos help make. It i

Better-Than-Takeout Fried Rice

The Easiest Banana Bread

Dec 9, 2019
1 min

The Easiest Banana Bread

I'll get to the chase - this is the easiest recipe I think I've ever made. It's perfect for the kiddos to help make, which is a win in my book! So when my oldest asked to make banana bread, I knew the exact recipe we were going to use. This no-fluff recipe works best with bananas that are already brown (or even once-frozen!). It makes the texture perfect and much smoother than if you use ripe bananas. Ingredients: 4 browned bananas 2 Large Eggs 2 cups flour 1 cup sugar 1 cup

Low Carb Zucchini Taco Boats

Nov 19, 2019
2 min

Low Carb Zucchini Taco Boats

I like Taco Tuesday just as much as the next person, but I don't always want the tortillas. And while I could absolutely make a taco salad, I prefer warm, cozy dishes in the fall and winter. This recipe can be made with any kind of squash - spaghetti squash or butternut squash especially - but the zucchini has just enough subtle flavoring to not overpower the taco spices. As much as I love using ground beef, I had ground turkey in the freezer and I knew that it would be a gr

Weeknight Dinner: Butternut Squash Soup

Oct 11, 2019
2 min

Weeknight Dinner: Butternut Squash Soup

As soon as the first fall chill comes through, everyone breaks out their crock pot and runs to the store for ingredients for soup. I mean, what is better than a bowl of soup on a chilly night?! Nothing. Now, I admit, I'm not a soup person. That is, unless it is a heavy "hug in a bowl" type of soup (bisque or cream based soup). I don't really love broth-based soups or *gasp* Ramen. In the past, this has prevented me from making soup at all - which is silly. So I broke out my f

Starbucks Copycat: Skinny Pumpkin Cream Cold Brew

Oct 4, 2019
2 min

Starbucks Copycat: Skinny Pumpkin Cream Cold Brew

Raise your hand if you are personally victimized by the addiction that is the Pumpkin Cream Cold Brew from Starbucks this fall. ME. I’m right there with you. Significantly better than the traditional PSL (aka pumpkin sugar bomb!) and the cold brew obsession is real. But whew, the budget does not allow for a daily PCCB fix. So I headed to the kitchen and decided to whip up a copycat version. The trick is balance. Starbucks adds vanilla syrup to their cold brew, which is totall

Salted Cream Cold Foam Cold Brew: Starbucks Copycat

Dijon-Roasted Chicken and Vegetables

Jan 29, 2019
2 min

Dijon-Roasted Chicken and Vegetables

No one likes doing dishes, and everyone likes good food. That's why I'm sharing one of my favorite 1-Pot Meals. A lot of people think of roasts and hearty meals like this for traditional Sunday dinner, but I promise you - these will go beyond Sunday dinner. I'll admit, I never used to like these types of meals because they were so "old school" but 1-Pot Meals goes beyond a pot roast (although, who doesn't love meat and potatoes?!). These meals are simple, require little-to-no

4 Easy, Budget-Friendly Crock Pot Meals

Jan 25, 2019
3 min

4 Easy, Budget-Friendly Crock Pot Meals

Save time this week and make these kid-approved crock pot meals, because let's be honest, no one really has time to slave over the stove or oven while you are juggling after-school events, sports practice, and daily chaos. Even though I work from home and rarely go anywhere, I rely on my crockpot more than any other appliance in the kitchen. Before I had kids, I didn't use my crock pot much. I made a lot of easier meals since I mostly was cooking for one, but I had more time

Italian Lemon Ricotta Cookies with Lemon Glaze

Dec 24, 2018
2 min

Italian Lemon Ricotta Cookies with Lemon Glaze

The holiday season is the best time of year and for me, it's just about the only time I get excited about spending hours in the kitchen baking. I find that I don't bake a lot of time during the year because I'm not a huge fan of sweets - but if anything could change my mind, it's these cookies. These are the perfect combination of sweet, tart, and oh-so-soft (almost cake-life). But despite the cake-life texture, they are light and airy instead of dense. There's a good chance

Family Fun: Homemade Gingerbread Houses

Dec 19, 2018
2 min

Family Fun: Homemade Gingerbread Houses

The Christmas season can be hectic and chaotic - to say the least. So when there's time to spend as a family, you don't want to be finishing up your shopping, gift wrapping, or running errands. Christmas is such a fun and magical time for children, and it's important to keep them involved in everything surrounding the Christmas season. Building gingerbread houses is a great family tradition and one of the most fun ways to keep kids entertained and engaged during this busy tim

Salted Caramel Dip

Oct 7, 2018
2 min

Salted Caramel Dip

It may be pumpkin spice season, but that doesn't mean apples don't deserve some serious recognition. Not only do I love all things apple cider, apple pie, and apple crisp, but I love eating apples for a healthy midday or evening snack. And although it certainly isn't healthy, the best part of apples in the fall is dipping them in gooey caramel dip. It's my favorite fall snack, great for a cool crisp day, late night TV snack (without insane guilt!), or really anytime. Until t

No-Bake Peanut Butter Protein Bites

Aug 26, 2018
2 min

No-Bake Peanut Butter Protein Bites

O b s e s s e d doesn't even begin to cover it. These peanut butter bites are totally decadent, cool and creamy... and HEALTHY. Yes, that's right. They're good for you. This after-dinner dessert is a quick throw-together treat that can be made in under 15-minutes. The worst part is waiting for them to freeze. But I like having something sweet after dinner - not a lot, just something to finish off a good meal. Because these don't have any sugar in them, and only have natura

Winter's Best Mashup: Red Wine Hot Chocolate

Nov 19, 2017
2 min

Winter's Best Mashup: Red Wine Hot Chocolate

It's not everyday that two of my favorite beverages come together to form the best holiday mashup of all time: Red Wine Hot Chocolate. In 2014, this wonderful creation was blogged about by Immaeatthat, and it went mega viral. Of course, sommeliers from all over the world have put their own spin on this winter drink by trying different kinds of wine to bring out a spicier flavor, or hints of sweetness. But nothing can change the fact that this deliciously decadent drink is to

New England Apple Galette

Nov 7, 2017
3 min

New England Apple Galette

My mom's side of the family is from New England, specifically Rhode Island and New York. So I feel like there were a lot of "northern" influences in my family growing up, all of which I still cling to the best I can. My great-grandparents were world travelers, loved good food, and loved sharing their experiences with the rest of us. It was great. I can remember looking at slides (yes... slides) on a projector in their basement of trips to Spain, Mexico, and wherever else thei

Cheesecake-Stuffed Pumpkin Spice Cake with Bourbon Glaze

Oct 11, 2017
4 min

Cheesecake-Stuffed Pumpkin Spice Cake with Bourbon Glaze

Baking is something I just recently started getting into. I think I've always had the creativity it takes to bake, but zero of the skill needed to actually bake something. My lack of baking skills is a long-running family joke - partially due to the brownies I made one time that could have doubled as shoe soles, and partially due to the chocolate chip cookies that could have been cement pavers. Regardless of my baking mishaps, I have gotten better. A lot better. People actu

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