Chocolate Ricotta Pudding

Valentine's Day and chocolate go together so why not try this Chocolate Ricotta Pudding with Raspberry Sauce. :: Chocolate Ricotta Pudding ::

Do you have your Valentine’s Day plans all figured out? Menu all planned? If not, don’t fret! This recipe for Chocolate Ricotta Pudding With Raspberry Sauce is a magical end to a Valentine’s Day meal at home. Sara shared, in the guest post recipe of Nutella Cheesecake featured on Simple As That, her favorite Valentine’s Day plans.  She like myself, tends to spend the night-in with the kids and hubby, rather than battle with the prices and the crowds. We both often don’t have the luxury of having our husbands home on holidays, so it makes like easier to make a fun meal at home.  Often times it’s just our kids and us, so dessert has to be the star of the show! [Read more…]

Skillet Spiced Apple Crumble

Get ready for Fall with this Skillet Spiced Apple Crumble:: Skillet Spiced Apple Crumble ::

We love fall!  As soon as the temperature drops a couple degrees, I make this light and simple Skillet Spiced Apple Crumble. 

Over the weekend my husband and I celebrated our 11th wedding anniversary.  We spent the day going back to the town and winery that we got married at.  It was a beautiful day out in Temecula.  The weather was cooler and there was a slight breeze, a relief from the heat that we have had here in Southern California.  I know that most people don’t think that we have much of a fall, but we do have a few slight changes when this season arrives. I took full advantage of this fall feeling and I made this special Skillet Spiced Apple Crumble for my hubby.  It’s one of his favorite desserts. It was our anniversary after all {wink}! [Read more…]

Strawberry Shortbread Pie & Giveaway

Strawberry Shortbread Pie

:: Strawberry Shortbread Pie & Giveaway ::

Okay, so I am going to date Sara and I with this Strawberry Shortbread Pie Recipe.  We don’t talk about our age, but let’s say besides Sara being my favorite red head; Strawberry Shortcake was mine as a kid.  Luckily our girls have been able to experience one of our favorite childhood characters. Strawberry Shortcake and Cabbage Patch Kids were a big deal at the age of 5.  In fact because of Strawberry Shortcake, I had asked for a Strawberry Cake for my 6th birthday party.  From then on I loved everything that was strawberry. This Strawberry Shortbread Pie is an ode to all things strawberry.  These little red berries make me happy and their sweetness makes for a winning combination with Walkers Shortbread Round Cookies.  The mixture of the two makes for an awesome yet simple spring time pie!

Strawberry Shortbread Pie

We are a little blessed to experience these magical berries for most of the year.  Sometimes we forget that strawberries aren’t as readily available to most of the country until the summer.  Strawberries honestly, {besides all the talk of Strawberry Shortcake talk} have been a big part of my life. My Grandma Joan was a Californian Native.  She was a fourth generation Californian.  Making her family here in the state long before it was even a state.  She had a fondness for strawberries.  She liked to bake with them and she grew them in her backyard.  My sister and I loved to see the little white flowers turn into red berries.  Picking them and eating them straight from her garden was our favorite part.

In fact in a way this recipe is dedicated to her. It is my Grandma’s Strawberry Pie Recipe. I hope you enjoy it….

[Read more…]

Sensory Bags

Sensory Bags

:: Sensory Bags ::

School has been back in session for approximately a month now.   We are still working out the kinks and are preparing ourselves for the upcoming homework load that will start next week.  These sensory bags are a project that I sought out for Mason to help him prepare for doing homework and transitioning time in the classroom.   As some of you readers may know, my son is on the Autism Spectrum.  I have written about my experience with Autism {here and here} and have had hopes to help others whom are in the midst of the chaos of their diagnosis.  We keep Mason on a sensory diet, in which we use methods of physical activity before and during school to keep him focused in the classroom. 

In school he has a quiet corner and a box of small items in which he can use to play with that allow him to get back on task.  I thought these sensory bags would be a great fidget toy for his box at school, as well as at home.  These sensory bags are terrific for any child that may need a break in-between tasks or long periods of home work.  These squeezable bags, that are filled with a jelly material, allow a child to regroup and organize their thoughts when they’re distracted by their environment.  Mason’s sensory issues cause him to be overloaded by the activities on the playground, making it hard for him to transition from the play yard to the classroom after lunch.  [Read more…]