Saturday Night Fever

Welcome back to Saturday Night Fever! I hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving with family and friends and ate way too much turkey...! Our week has been jam-packed but so much fun. I must say, I am happy we have the weekend to recover before we start the final push to Christmas! I was loving all the delicious holiday treat recipes you shared here last week and can't wait to see what you bring tonight! On to the party!

Mint Oreo Cheesecake Bars

Delicious mint chocolate chip cheesecake bars with a crunchy Oreo crust.

Cheesecake you can eat with your fingers!

Happy Black Friday! I hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving and ate LOTS of turkey! I know I did!! Are you doing any Black Friday shopping this year? Are you finding any good deals? I am staying as far away from the stores and the crowds as possible....heading to Discovery World with the kids and relatives who are visiting from out of town....and I could not feel better about my decision! There is something about shopping on the busiest day of the year that is completely unappealing to me. Not to mention the lack of sleep that is just entirely out of the question right now!!

Thanksgiving

Happy Thanksgiving!

"God has two dwellings; one in heaven and the other in a meek and thankful heart."   -Isaak Walton

                                

From our Lemon Tree Dwelling to yours...may your day be filled with good food, 
good company, and much to be thankful for!

God has two dwellings; one in heaven, and the other in a meek and thankful heart.
Izaak Walton
Read more at http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/topics/topic_thankful.html#JeqFZl22SuHkvwRB.99

Candy Cane Muddy Buddies

Muddy Buddies get a winter makeover with white chocolate, vanilla frosting, Andes Peppermint Candies, and crushed candy canes. Pure peppermint perfection!

I'm not sure what it is, but I've been on a HUGE peppermint kick lately! I've been dreaming up all kinds of minty concoctions and waiting (impatiently) to share them with you! (I didn't want to overwhelm you with too much mint before Thanksgiving!) But now that we're just one day away from Turkey Day, I figured I'd throw caution to the wind and share one of my FAVORITES - these amazingly delicious Candy Cane Muddy Buddies!

White Chocolate Gingerbread Crescent Rolls

Flaky crescent rolls filled with gooey white chocolate, cream cheese, and crushed gingersnaps and topped with a white chocolate gingersnap drizzle. A perfect holiday breakfast treat!

Well....today is officially our last day of school for the week! Am I looking forward to the extra time with my kiddos? Hmmmmmm. That depends. If they are somehow able to stifle the urge to whine and beg for 5 movies, 3 play dates, 18 treats, something to do, and a sleepover....DAILY....then yes. So, in other words, not really. See, if there is one thing that is true about my kids, it's that they're persistent. And if there's one thing that's true about me, especially during pregnancy, it's that my patience level is low. REALLY low. So I need to brace myself - the next 5 days could be dicey.

Cherry Pecan Bread Pudding with Salted Caramel Sauce

Classic bread pudding made with pecans and cherries and topped with a creamy salted caramel sauce. 

This past weekend was an exciting one around here....because Ellia scored her VERY FIRST goal in soccer! Woo hoo! She's been playing for a year and a half, and has come close to scoring so many times....but this weekend she finally did it! And she could not have been more EXCITED. The only problem? I completely missed it!! And not because I was talking instead of paying attention to the game (who would do that?!?) but because I wasn't even at the game! I was at home with Nora, because the game fell right smack dab in the middle of her nap time.

Saturday Night Fever!

Happy Saturday, Everyone! Hope you are having a GREAT weekend! Ours is cold.....but sunny....so I really can't complain. A little bit of sunlight makes a big difference. Can you believe Thanksgiving is this week?? I'm looking forward to extra time with my hubby and kiddos...and, of course, LOTS of great food!! Speaking of that, I can't wait to see all the delicious recipes you've been working on! As always, everything you share here tonight will be pinned to our Saturday Night Fever Party Board on Pinterest and shared on other forms of social media as well! Thanks so much for joining us!

Candied Acorn Squash

Tender Acorn Squash baked with brown sugar, butter, cinnamon, nutmeg, and walnuts.

A delectable side dish....perfect for Thanksgiving or Christmas!

Well....I said I was going to post a Thanksgiving dessert today, and clearly this is not it! I blame the weather. It has been so dark and dreary here, and it's hard to get a good shot of delicious food when it's dark and dreary! So I will wait, until the time is right....which is hopefully sometime this weekend. Because I'm getting tired of the gray skies and the lack of sunshine. It really gets to you after a while! And since the days are already short to begin with, dark and dreary days feel particularly unfair!

12 Delicious Thanksgiving Desserts

These 12 Delicious Thanksgiving Desserts from Saturday Night Fever will have you all set for the holidays!

I couldn't help but notice, as I looked through all the delicious dishes you brought to last week's Saturday Night Fever party, how many of you posted mouthwatering dessert recipes! And, as I drooled over my screen, I couldn't help but think about the fact that I have yet to post ONE Thanksgiving dessert recipe...! My first (and possibly only) one is on its way for tomorrow, but I thought I'd keep you satisfied by showing off some of the amazing talent shared at the party!

Cherry, Pecan & Goat Cheese Salad

Fresh greens topped with dried cherries, pecans, goat cheese, green onions, and homemade balsamic vinaigrette.
My go-to salad for the holidays!

Having three kids is fascinating, to say the least. And the fact that they are all girls is even more fascinating! In some ways, they are all pretty typical little girls. They love drawing and painting and dressing up and playing baby and having dance parties.....and emotions run high, nearly all the time. But in other ways, I am sometimes amazed at how much they remind me of little boys! They love running and chasing and wrestling and potty talk....especially potty talk.....and, given the chance to play firefighter or police officer, they'll take it every time!

Pumpkin Ginger Streusel Bread

The BEST pumpkin bread with a DELICIOUSLY sweet and crunchy ginger streusel topping.
A mouthwatering addition to any holiday menu!

If there is one thing that's true about me, it's that when I find something I like, I want it as much as possible. Within reason, of course. Like sushi. I LOVE ordering sushi on a Friday or Saturday night....and if it were up to me, we'd have it EVERY Friday or Saturday night! It's so good! Also on the list....coffee, Bruegger's bagel sandwiches, Thai carryout, a glass of wine, and my latest favorite, dried mango from Trader Joe's. Pregnancy does weird things to you.

Butternut Squash Ravioli

Cheese Ravioli topped with butternut squash, fresh sage, chopped walnuts, browned butter, and Parmesan cheese.....simply delectable as a main dish or side dish......and just in time for Thanksgiving!

Happy Monday, everyone! Is your November flying by as quickly as mine is? I really can't believe it's already the 18th, and Thanksgiving is just 10 days away, and Christmas is just over a month from now. I am resisting the urge to feel stressed by it.....after all, this is the GOOD STUFF! If I'm going to stress myself out about some of the most special time I have with my family and friends, I'm going to miss out on it! So....at least for now....I'm refusing to let it feel like too much.

Saturday Night Fever

 Hey, Everyone! It's the weekend!! Hope you are having a good one. I'm so excited tonight to be joining in a new weekly recipe link party, Saturday Night Fever, with two amazing co-hosts: Andi from The Weary Chef and Jen from Yummy Healthy Easy! I can't wait to see all the delicious recipes you've been working on! Everything you share here tonight will be pinned to our Saturday Night Fever Party Board on Pinterest and shared on other forms of social media as well!

Last Week's Most Clicked Link Was:

These tasty No-Bake Energy Bites from My Own Little Mess

Homemade Rum Caramels

These soft and chewy Homemade Rum Caramels are the real deal! Everything you would want in a caramel, with a delicious hint of rum flavoring. So good....they're like magic!

Well....it's Friday! Which means we made it to the end of the week. Normally that doesn't feel like such a big accomplishment, but on weeks when Jorden is out of town, it most definitely is! It's not that I really mind him being gone (I'm used to holding down the fort by now) it's just that by the end of each day, I'm tired. And by the end of the week, I'm exhausted! And with no one to take over any of the kid duties, I end up crabby. Mostly with my kids....which is never a good feeling.

Slow Cooker Shredded Chicken

Moist, juicy, flavorful chicken that literally shreds itself! This Slow Cooker Shredded Chicken is the best I've ever tasted....no barbecue sauce needed!!

Anyone who knows me knows that I am not much of a football fan....or a sports fan, in general. It probably stems from the fact that I didn't really play sports as a kid, and because of that, I have very little understanding of the rules or intricacies of the game. Any game, really...but football, especially. And yet, I LOVE having people over to watch the games! For the food (naturally)....!

No-Bake Mint Oreo Fudge

Rich, creamy peppermint fudge filled and sprinkled with chocolatey Oreo cookies.

Quite possibly your new favorite holiday treat....and best of all, it's no bake!

In case you haven't noticed, I'm kind of into no-bake treats. Okay....I'm sure you've noticed....since this is somewhere around the 30th no-bake recipe I'm sharing! I hope you don't mind. There's just so much to love about no-bake baking! Not totally convinced? Let me share with you all the reasons why no-baking is definitely the way to go....at least half the time.

Almond Joy Biscotti

Rich biscotti stuffed with chocolate, coconut, and almonds and drizzled with more of the same! A double dose of delicious.....perfect for holiday gifting and dunking!

There is, quite possibly, nothing I love more in the morning than a steaming cup of coffee on my lips. It feels like such a treat....such a reason to get out of bed....aside from my three kiddos, of course. I take mine fresh ground and strong, with a little cream and sugar, and while I would prefer sharing a cup with someone else, that doesn't stop me from enjoying it on my own most mornings.

Maple Dijon Pork Tenderloin

 Juicy pork tenderloin on a bed of sweet potatoes, apples, and bacon...all drizzled with a sweet and savory maple Dijon sauce and topped with fresh sage. Purely delicious!

Happy Friday, Everyone! I am so excited for today!! You won't believe what I have in store for you. Not only am I sharing a delicious Maple Dijon Pork Tenderloin recipe, but I'm participating in a Virtual Progressive Dinner with ten other AMAZING bloggers! And....I'm giving away a $200 gift card for Target, Amazon, or World Market (your choice)! 

Orange Spiced Cranberry Sauce

Not your basic cranberry sauce....these cranberries combine the sweetness of oranges with a sweet and savory combination of spices for a Thanksgiving side dish that will please a crowd!

As much as I hate to admit this (don't judge) one of the hardest things for me about being pregnant is not being able to have a drink. Don't get me wrong - I am mostly a social drinker who loves a good glass of wine - and I can certainly make it through nine months without one.....but that doesn't mean it feels easy! Especially on special occasions, like my birthday (which was just last week) or Thanksgiving (which is just a few weeks away), or Christmas (which will be here before we know it!)

Thursday's Treasures

Hi, everyone! Welcome back to another week of Thursday's Treasures!
I have some great features for you tonight....all delicious recipes to help you get ready for Thanksgiving! But first, I wanted to let you know that this will be the LAST week of Thursday's Treasures. Sorry to those of you who just started linking up with me. I will be sure to let you know what the future holds!

And now.....let's take a look at the delicious features from last week:

3 Simple Ways to Decorate with Sage

Gather some fresh sage and try these simple ideas for holiday decorating.

Ready in seconds...and the perfect way to dress up your holiday table!

I don't know about you, but I LOVE Thanksgiving. I love the food, and the time spent with family, I love the smells and the crispness in the air. But most of all, I love the simplicity of it. I love the fact that all you have to do to get ready for it is make plenty of delicious food! And I love the fact that decorating for it is just as simple.

Cranberry Corn Muffins w/Sweet Orange Honey Butter

Classic corn muffins stuffed with cranberries and topped with sweet orange honey butter. 

A sweet little something different for your Thanksgiving dinner.

I'm pretty sure we are heading toward the busiest Thanksgiving we've ever had. Back to back family celebrations, which we do every year, plus visits from 3 very important out of town guests - my husband's Grandma Roz from Michigan, his cousin Craig's family, also from Michigan, and my aunt and uncle from Kentucky. I am looking forward to it, for sure.....the kids will have a blast seeing their great grandma and cousins and swimming in the hotel pools....but I also know it's going to be a full and crazy week!

{No-Bake} Chocolate Orange Meltaways

A rich Oreo crust topped with melt-in-your-mouth orange cream filling, topped with semisweet chocolate chips and drizzled with melted chocolate. Chocolate and orange - together, and just in time for the holidays.

Happy November! (Can you believe it....November??) I hope you all had a fun Halloween. Ours included a school party, a jack-o-lantern pizza for dinner, trick or treating, candy, more candy, and lots of rain. Let's start with the school party. It was a success! I volunteered, along with another mom, to plan the whole thing. Which doesn't sound like a big deal....right? Unless you're stubborn, like me, and instead of looking for cute ideas on Pinterest you decide you need to come up with all the cute ideas, yourself. So you spend hours at Michael's looking for inspiration in the craft supplies and days hemming and hawing over the different ideas swimming around in your head. And when you finally decide on something, you realize you need to make yet another trip to Michael's for the supplies you actually need....and then you need to make the sample crafts and put the games together....so when the party is over and it was a success, you breathe a huge sigh of relief. I know. Welcome to my world.