Cantaloupe is one of my favorite summer fruits, but cutting it up is kind a pain. At least the old way – I used to cut it in half, scoop out the seeds, cut each half into 6-8 slices, and cut the rind off each slice. That’s the loong way!

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These cookies taste just like bakery cookies -  Take them to a neighbor quick or you’ll eat them all!

THICK AND CHEWY CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES
an America’s Test Kitchen recipe

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I came across this FABULOUS cream cheese frosting recipe in my America’s Test Kitchen Family Baking cookbook and I haven’t made anything else since. It is especially to-die-for on cinnamon rolls and sugar cookies but not so great on chocolate cake for some reason. (I used it for Gus’s caterpillar cupcake cake and it tasted a little funky for some reason…)

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After Elliot’s dinosaur birthday cake, I knew I wanted to do a caterpillar for Gus’s first birthday (which was yesterday). I was sick last week and therefore didn’t plan anything before 2:00 the day off so had to throw everything together at the last minute.

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I checked out Eat This, Not That! from the library a few weeks ago, and WOWEE I learned some interesting things about the food I’ve been eating. (I think we’ll be having a giveaway of the book soon too!)

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Since we’ve been spending so much time at Thanksgiving Point’s Museum of Ancient Life, Elliot is totally into dinosaurs and so we’ve been planning on having dinosaur birthday cake for a while. I love how it turned out, and it was super easy to make.

Here are some basic instructions:

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I love to use this muffin recipe and make mini loafs. This recipe from the America’s Test Kitchen Baking Book is THE BEST recipe I have come across, so here you go!

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Combining food with crafts is the perfect project, especially when the food involves chocolate and peanut butter and a birthday!

I made these Scotcheroos for a birthday surprise for my husband in February and topped them off with some easy birthday flags. Using card stock triangles, die cut shapes, and some skewers build some flags and stick them in the top of your treat.

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I have just gone CRAZY in love with making my own baby food. It’s so inexpensive and so easy and probably healthier too. Gus has quite an appetite, and I just keep popping these little cubes into the microwave until he’s satisfied.

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These heart shaped cupcakes are deliciously festive and so easy to make. Frost cupcakes as usual. set a small heart shaped cookie cutter on top while the frosting is still wet, pour some sprinkles in, shake it around to cover the whole heart shape, and pour excess back into container.

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My sister spent a semester abroad in the Dominican Republic several years ago and she got this recipe for the Dominican beans she ate all the time. We are a bean loving family, mostly pinto, but these are superb with black beans. This is another really quick and easy and delicious meal that could be fancy enough for Valentine’s Day. Think Tucanos…

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If you’re staying home for Valentine’s Day, tune in this week for some great dinner ideas! This first one is so delicious with plenty of Fancy Potential and it’s super easy. The recipe is from the America’s Test Kitchen cookbook…it’s fabulous!

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Another thing we’re adding to our food storage is waxed cheese. I know the FDA says home waxed cheese is not a good idea, but I decided to do it anyway based on what I read here. And if it’s moldy when we open it up, we’ll just throw it away and be very sad.

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