Upside-Down Ginger Pear Cake

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This Upside-Down Ginger Pear Cake will be the perfect addition to your holiday dessert table...or dare I say, Christmas breakfast? The ingredients on this one can make it super versatile...lending it to be the PERFECT holiday recipe! See the details on this deliciousness below.

This Upside-Down Ginger Pear Cake is a light and delicious holiday cake that is a lot easier than it looks. If you're looking for a last-minute holiday "WOW" dish, I've got you covered!

Pop Pop Potatoes

This recipe and post has been sponsored by Lone Star Eggs. All opinions are my own.

These Pop Pop Potatoes have a surprise ingredient to make them creamy and delicious.

I learned to make these Pop Pop Potatoes from a lady who was a friend of mine in Muleshoe, Texas. My husband and I moved there shortly after we married and both of our boys were born during that time (in Lubbock, the closest major hospital). I think everyone should live in a small Texas town at some point in their life...it really shaped me into the person I am today. One of the best parts? Learning old family recipes from some amazing people!

Citrus Sugar Scrub Recipe

I've got the perfect DIY Mother's Day gift for you...and it's budget friendly! This Citrus Sugar Scrub smells absolutely divine, y'all. It goes together easily and looks super duper cute in a mason jar. I also have the free printable mason jar Mother's Day tags below, along with sugar scrub tags, too. This is the perfect way to make a thoughtful gift for mom on a shoestring budget. See the complete recipe for this Citrus Sugar Scrub below (and grab the free printables, too!).

I am a firm believer in handmade gifts...they're straight from the heart. And it's an awesome bonus when it's a bath product. That just feels downright luxurious. See my recipe for this Citrus Sugar Scrub recipe below. 

Texas Chopped Chicken Salad

This Texas Chopped Chicken Salad recipe was created with my mother in mind...a woman who invented chopped salads way before they were even a thing. And also...who doesn't love a good chopped chicken salad?

Growing up, my parents always made me choose the side salad over the fries, or potatoes, or whatever the side options were with my meal on restaurant menus. It gave me a good love for salads early on. My mother always ordered one, too. As soon as our salads came to the table, she requested a steak knife and got to work, y'all. You see, she just couldn't handle lettuce that was larger than bite-sized. She'd cross chop that salad up one side and down the other...including any tomatoes, cucumbers, or onions that she deemed inappropriately large, too. When she was done, nothing on that plate would be larger than a bite...and it was super easy to eat. I feel like she invented the chopped salad before they were even cool. Grab my take on this salad style with my Texas Chopped Chicken Salad recipe below.

Sausage and Stuffing Balls

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These Sausage and Stuffing Balls with Cranberry Dipping Sauce are a fabulous holiday appetizer...or a great recipe twist to use up leftovers from the big meal!

These sausage and stuffing balls could also be called "little bites of Thanksgiving", y'all. They have all the essentials...except, instead of turkey, I used breakfast sausage. They're similar to the classic baking mix sausage ball, but a lot moister (I always think the baking mix ones get so dried out). These stay moist and delicious...and the cranberry dipping sauce just takes them to the next level of holiday yumminess. You'll definitely want these to nosh on this holiday season...they're a lovely departure from the norm! Check out this delicious holiday recipe (with a twist!) below.

Miniature Apple Crisps

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These Miniature Apple Crisps are all kinds of autumn...and totally bite-sized! They're perfect for your next fall gathering or a Thanksgiving dessert buffet.

I've mentioned this before, but at the end of the summer, I stumbled upon the Fall Baking Magazine from BHG. It was chocked full of fabulousness. The first recipe that caught my eye was the mini apple crisp bites. They looked so delicious and reminded me of my own Pear & Apple Crisp that I posted last year. I tweaked it to my own taste and thought it would be fun to share here...who wouldn't want bite-sized miniature apple crisps? They're a lot tidier than the traditional fruit crisp...but still pack loads of flavor. Check out the recipe below.

Cherry Oatmeal Muffins

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These Cherry Oatmeal Muffins are perfectly spiced and freeze well for busy mornings. Or, have them warm out of the oven. They're a simple muffin that packs a fun and flavorful punch. See this recipe for Cherry Oatmeal Muffins below.

You guys may know by now, but I love a good freezer muffin. Not only do I love them to have on hand for busy day breakfasts, they're fantastic to add to my kids' lunches, too. Put them in the lunches in the morning and they're thawed by noon! See the delicious recipe below.

Cherry Almond Sweetheart Scones

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These Cherry Almond Sweetheart Scones are perfect for Valentine's breakfast or even tea time (let's be fancy, shall we?). Whip them up for all of your special valentines!

I'm definitely on a homemade scone kick lately. I blame Downton Abbey for this new calorie-laden addiction. But seriously, how could I resist making sweet scones into Valentine-y heart-shapes? And adding cherries? And almond extract? And all kinds of Valentine-y yumminess? Check out the recipe below>>>

Ham and Mac and Cheese Lunchbox Muffins

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These Ham and Mac and Cheese Lunchbox Muffins will be the envy of the cafeteria. They're a delicious way to use up leftover mac and cheese and pack perfectly into a lunchbox.

I've mentioned *him* before...but I have this child who will not touch a sandwich with a ten foot pole. I find myself constantly searching for what on earth to pack that kid for lunch. And I do pack him a little thermos of mac and cheese fairly often...but 90% of the time, I forget the spoon. The container does come home empty...and I choose not to ask questions {wink}. These Ham and Mac and Cheese Lunchbox Muffins are such a great alternative for me {and him!}.

Baked Toads in a Hole

Thank you to Goldrich Eggs for inspiring such a yummy post!

Whether you call them toads in a hole or eggs in a hole, my baked version of this dish is perfect for Christmas morning...you can make multiple servings at once. This recipe for Baked Toads in a Hole is one of our favorites for sure.

#GoldrichYolk

 Traditionally, the English dish of Toads in a Hole is a sausage and Yorkshire pudding type of casserole. But, in our home {as in many other American homes}, Toads in a Hole is what we refer to as eggs cooked inside the cutouts of bread slices. I've been making this for as long as I can remember...it's my youngest son's favorite breakfast. I've found that, not only does baking this dish provide a way to make a lot more servings faster, it also produces a prettier finished product, if you will. Check out the recipe below.

Christmas Cracker Candy

This Christmas Cracker Candy is pretty over-the-top crazy good. I'm almost scared to admit how much butter is in it...

I think I've told you guys how I had a brief stint as a Southern Living at Home gal. I didn't make much money at it {read: I actually spent more than I made...meaning it actually cost me to have the gig. My husband was beyond thrilled when I hung up the Southern Living hat.}. But that little adventure led me to owning almost every Southern Living Cookbook that's ever been written. True story.

Marinated Cheese and Olive Holiday Wreath Appetizer

This Marinated Cheese and Olive Holiday Wreath Appetizer is the perfect addition to your festive spread. It's simple to put together, too. It's the perfect addition to your usual holiday recipes.

In our family, a holiday gathering without olives is borderline criminal. From as long as I can remember, my mom has always served a relish tray, bowls of olives, or {my favorite}...what she calls a "cheese and olive wreath". I honestly thought she made this dish up. Imagine my surprise when I saw similar dishes out there on Pinterest. It's really a thing. And y'all...it's a good thing. Below is my own take on the Marinated Cheese and Olive Holiday Wreath Appetizer. I found a similar wreath to my mom's in an older Taste of Home Magazine I had {I collect those things and read them like novels, y'all}. This one I'm posting today is a combination of the Taste of Home one and my mom's wreath that she's made for a few years. 

Thanksgiving Crockpot Recipes

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These Thanksgiving Crockpot Recipes are the perfect way to free up your oven and do some hands-off cooking for all of your holiday dinners. From main dishes to desserts, these Thanksgiving Crockpot Recipes have something for everyone.

Does your stove get a work out out during the holidays? An easy way to lighten its load (and yours) is to pull out the good ol' Crock Pot! Check out all of these holiday favorites, made slow cooker friendly. Some are from last week's Inspiration Monday and some are from some of my favorite bloggy friends! See all of these Thanksgiving Crockpot Recipes below.

Triple Layer Chocolate Pie

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My Triple Layer Chocolate Pie is just one of many delicious recipes to have on your Thanksgiving table this year. This post also includes LOADS of other recipes for the big day, too. But, I seem a bit partial to this yummy Triple Layer Chocolate Pie.

I can almost smell Thanksgiving dinner on the table...it's getting so close, y'all! I'm adding my easy and delicious Triple Layer Chocolate Pie to the menu this year. Be sure and grab this recipe. It's a great one to fix in just a few minutes (no, really it's that easy!).

Pumpkin Cinnamon Cookies

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These Pumpkin Cinnamon Cookies were based off of my friend, Amanda's, world-renowned chocolate chip cookies. I can't believe I didn't think to do this sooner. Because they are...AMAZING. These Pumpkin Cinnamon Cookies will be your new go-to fall treat!

So, Amanda makes chocolate chip cookies that are incredible. I first tasted them on a church retreat about ten years ago. And by that time, she was already famous for them (okay, just in our circles...but you know what I mean). She went on to selling the dough for these every year around the holidays to all of us so we could each get our fix. Funny, before Amanda's cookies, I had always sworn I wouldn't ever love a chocolate chip cookie that didn't have pecans in it (I'm southern...we put pecans in errrrry-thing, y'all). But then, I had Amanda's cookies and they won me over. 

Someone finally convinced her to put the cookie recipe in our church class cookbook. While I'm not 100% sure Amanda would still be my friend if I posted that recipe here...I finally took the plunge and put my own spin on these in the form of Pumpkin Cinnamon Cookies. I seriously have no idea why I didn't do this sooner. The fall flavors in this cookie are like cookie nirvana, y'all. And although it has oats, it's definitely not an oatmeal-tasting cookie. You hardly notice the oats...I think they're just for texture. Whatever their purpose, it all just works together. Check out the recipe for these Pumpkin Cinnamon Cookies below>>>

Brown Sugar Bacon Smokies

These easy appetizers are perfect for a holiday party...

or even for Christmas or New Year's Day brunch.

I feel like this dish was a pioneer in the whole sweet/salty phenomenon. I first had it about ten years ago at a friend's house and was hooked. I remember going home and Googling it with no luck...we're talking pre-Pinterest days, people. Dark ages.

So I called the hostess and {ever so painstakingly} wrote down the recipe. Yep. Pen to paper. Weird, huh?

Amazingly, I still have that same piece of paper {ten years of greasy bacon stains and all}. I still work from it when I make this...although I don't know why. It is only three ingredients.

Red and Green Bark

Looking for an easy, last minute holiday recipe that makes the perfect gift? This festive bark can't be beat...tangy, sweet and salty! The perfect combination.

My mom always made "filler" candy for the Christmas goody tins she gave out every year when I was growing up. Usually filler consisted of an easy bark recipe, similar to this one. It was something that was very easy to make and didn't use a lot of ingredients...but could make a significant amount of "filler". 

Pimento Cheese Dip

This Pimento Cheese Dip is the perfect party dish for the holidays. Oooey-gooey cheese and perfect pimentos are the perfect combination of deliciousness.

'Tis the season for lots of partying. I feel like I'm making a dish almost every day to bring to something. I decided to simplify this year and make easier dishes, to lighten my load in the kitchen {and in the sink}. This Pimento Cheese Dip is rich and fabulously cheesey {that's the best, no?}. It's hot and bubbly and will keep everyone coming back for more.

Rosemary Shortbread Stars Recipe

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These Rosemary Shortbread Stars are a delightful holiday cookie with a fragrant rosemary twist. The unexpected addition of rosemary adds so much dimension to a simple shortbread cookie. See how to make this recipe for Rosemary Shortbread Stars below.

When I first tasted a shortbread cookie with rosemary, I thought, "Wow...this is a total grown up cookie". I loved the surprise of an herb in a cookie (it seemed so fancy and sophisticated). These Rosemary Shortbread Stars are perfect with a cup of hot tea or even left under the tree for Santa with a cup of milk. It'll be a nice change from all of the chocolate chip cookies everyone else decides to leave for him.

Horsey Cranberry Sauce {The PERFECT Holiday Appetizer}

This Horsey Cranberry Sauce will take an ordinary block of cream cheese all the way to holiday appetizer perfection.  It really kicks up the flavor!

In Texas, we can pretty much take any block of cream cheese, pour something jelly-ish on it and have a crazy good appetizer in minutes {sounds weird. Trust me it's so not. At least not around these parts.}