Swig Sugar Cookie and Dirty Diet Coke Birthday Party

Last week was McKay's 31st birthday.  I kind of waited to the last minute to plan something for his birthday, like the day before.  So I didn't have much fun to prepare anything extravagant.  I love to throw get togethers with our friends, but I'm not the type of party planner who has exquisite looking centerpieces, arrangements, and food hutches like you see on Pinterest.  Nope, that's not me.  I try to strive for simplicity because seriously, all that people care about at a party is that there's good company and good food.  Nobody is going to care about the printables, matching colors, and goodie bag.  Last month we traveled to Southern Utah and fell in love with Swig and I thought it would be so fun to throw McKay a Swig themed party full of cold sugar cookies and dirty Coke's!  I texted a bunch of our neighborhood friends letting them know of the birthday party and we hung out in our backyard, ate, drank, the kiddies ran around while the men played basketball and the girls chit chatted.  It was the perfect, non stress, relaxing, and carefree birthday party.  This is a great last minute birthday party idea because it's so easy.

Paleo Chia Seed Energy Bars

T-minus one month until Caitlin's wedding and I've been trying hard to eating better, no sugar, limit grains and dairy, and eat tons of fruits, veggies, and lean protein so I can fit comfortably into the dress I'll be wearing to the wedding.  To keep me motivated I've had to do some research on some desserts that will satisfy my sweet tooth.  I found this recipe for Chia Seed Protein Bars from All Day I Dream About Food and didn't have the exact ingredients this recipe called for.  So I substituted some of them with what I had in my kitchen.  These Paleo Chia Seed Protein Bars turned out really good and they taste almost as sinful as a candy bar, but in a more healthy way.  These bars are dairy free, sugar free and paleo!   These are perfect for on the go, for a dessert, or a midday snack.

Paleo Chocolate Coconut Macaroons

Last year I was on a quest to lose the 35 pounds I lost from having my first baby, Amelia.  I enrolled into this program called LeanMoms and pretty much changed my life when it came to understanding and learning how to eat healthy and exercise to lose weight.  One of my favorite recipes from this program was this decadent Chocolate Coconut Macaroon recipe!  This treat helped me to get through those times when I wanted to eat a dozen donuts or an entire carton of ice cream.  They're so delicious, sweet, and have the nicest hint of saltiness to them, I'm sure you'll fall in love with them too!  

Healthy Chocolate and Coconut Oil Mug Muffin Recipe

I've been SO excited for fall to arrive this year!  Don't get me wrong, I love summer, but I've been getting tired of the heat.  I heart fall because it gets me all nostalgic of cool crisp weather, thick sweaters, wearing socks with boots, hot out of the oven pumpkin chocolate chip cookies, football games, school starting up, and the changing colors of the leaves.  During this festive time of year my biggest weakness comes out in full force and that is my sweet tooth.  Let's be honest, it can get a little out of control.  I inherited this very dominant gene from my mother.  

To help curb my sweet tooth I've been making healthy desserts to help me get through this time without having to go buy larger pants.   As I have been on this heath and fitness crusade I've found a bunch of healthy desserts I can enjoy and that satisfies my sweet tooth, but the one I'm sharing with you today is one of my favorites!  

2 Ingredient Ice Cream: No Ice Cream Maker Required!

Summer is almost over and as a last ditch effort to enjoy it, I want to eat all the peaches and ice cream I can in August!  Nom nom nom.

Some amazing ice cream connoisseur friends passed on this recipe to me, and I couldn't wait to try it!  (Thank you Alex & Elisa!) I've always wanted an ice cream maker, but haven't felt like I would use it enough to warrant the price tag.  Then in comes this delicious and ridiculously easy ice cream recipe.

I'm warning you--this is the most simple recipe ever!!

I actually made 2 different varieties.  A full fat one, and an experimental lower fat one.

Angel Food Cake with Strawberry Whipped Cream Frosting Recipe

This weekend, we celebrated a milestone in our lives.  Amelia had her first birthday and we had both sides of the families come over to our house to celebrate this special day with us.  We were surrounded by those we love, good food, and it was the perfect weather for a party.  It was a reminiscent day for me.  I remember a year ago how scared, excited, anxious, and ready I felt to do the whole labor thing.  I've been dreaming of this moment my entire life to meet, hold, and love this little baby.  A year has gone by so fast.

It's a tradition on my dad's side of family to make this a particular cake for birthdays.  I remember seeing pictures of my 92 year old grandma and my dad eating this cake for their birthday as children.  I grew up eating this cake too.  I wanted to keep the tradition alive for Amelia's birthday.  

This cake is a perfect dessert for a birthday or any kind celebration because it's light and not heavy, it's easy to make, and is absolutely delicious. If a cake recipe has been passed down for multiple generations, you know it's that good. 

Mississippi Mud Cake

Hey, it's Melanie and guess what?!  Today is my birthday!  To celebrate this greand day I decided to make my own cake.  Is it tacky to bake your own birthday cake?  Well, either way, I'm glad I did!

I have been craving this delicious southern treat--Mississippi mud cake, and now I have a reason to make it.

Rhubarb Strawberry Pie with Sour Cream Crust

This is by the far the best pie I've ever eaten.  My husband grows rhubarb in our backyard just so I can make this pie.  If you've ever seen a rhubarb plant it takes up a lot of garden real estate and to my husband, his garden means everything.  When he allows this gigantic plant to take up half of his garden, it says something about how important it is.  This is an easy recipe, pretty much fool proof.  When I made this, I had it for lunch, for a mid day snack, some for dinner, and some for dessert.  By the end of the day I'd had eaten half of it.  Now I'm sitting in my sweats thinking about how many minutes I'm going to have to run on the treadmill to even come close to burning off those calories.  Hope you enjoy this tart, sweet, buttery, and salty treat.  

Rhubarb Strawberry Pie

2 lbs rhubarb, cut into 1-inch pieces (about 7 cups)

1/2 pound strawberries, sliced (about 1 1/2 cups)

1 cup sugar, plus more for sprinkling

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon kosher salt

2 large eggs

1. Heat oven to 375° F. In a large bowl, toss the rhubarb, strawberries, sugar, flour, orange zest, cinnamon, and salt. Lightly beat one of the eggs, add to the fruit, and toss to combine.
2. Fit one of the pie crusts into a 9-inch pie plate. Fill with the fruit mixture, pressing it in firmly. Lay the second crust on top and press the edges of the crusts together to seal.
3. Trim the crust to a 1-inch overhang, fold the overhang underneath itself, and crimp. In a small bowl, beat the remaining egg with 1 teaspoon water and brush over the crust. Sprinkle with sugar and cut vents in the top.
4. Place the pie on a foil-lined baking sheet and bake until the fruit mixture is bubbling and the crust is golden brown, 1¼ to 1½ hours. Let cool for at least 2 hours before serving.

Sour Cream Crust

3 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon sugar

1/2 to 1 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1 3/4 cups cold unsalted butter

2/3 cup ice-cold water

2 tablespoon sour cream

1 teaspoon vinegar 

1. In a very large bowl combine flour, sugar, salt, and baking powder.
2. With a pastry blender cut in butter leaving chunks the size of peas. 
3. Combine water, sour cream, and vinegar.  Add liquid all at once to the flour mixture.  Quickly stir to     distribute; do not over mix. 
4. The dough should be slightly crumbly.  Let rest in the refrigerator for at least two hours or overnight.  The finished dough should break, not stretch.  Divide into three portions; shape into disks.  Use at once or wrap and refrigerate up to three days.  Or freeze up to 6 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator if frozen.  Makes three single-crust pastries.