Birthday Recipes

Almond Flour Shortbread Cookies (low sugar and really easy)

These small bites satisfy a sweet tooth with minimal sugar and the added benefit of wholesome fats and protein from the almonds. What’s more, the dough can be quickly mixed by hand with minimal ingredients.   There’s something special about shortbread. I’ve always had a soft spot for its buttery goodness, mild sweetness, and subtle…

3-Ingredient Oreo Fudge (with mint option)

This recipe is for all those times you have to make a dessert for a bake sale, a potluck, or a holiday cookie tray and you just don’t have time.  Sometimes, even an easy cookie recipe seems daunting when the days are hectic and you’re fretting about rolling out several dozen little balls! I can…

Aunt Glenna’s Flourless Fudge Pie

Certain days are easy to remember. Thanksgiving is the fourth Thursday in November, and Mother’s Day is the second Sunday in May. For my family, there’s another annual occurrence penned in our family calendar for the Sunday before Thanksgiving–The Apple Pie Auction & Variety Show. First Presbyterian of Lancaster—our family church—hosts the evening in the…

Roasted Beet Hummus

Serve this gorgeous show-stopper as a make-ahead appetizer, a satisfying snack, or as a base for an anything-but-boring lunch.   When I first laid eyes upon this colorful sister of the traditional middle eastern dip, I was smitten by its vibrant ruby hue. Thanks to the addition of a humble root vegetable, the color is…

Overnight No-Cook Oatmeal Yogurt Cups

This classic recipe for no-cook overnight oats offers meal prep convenience and is loaded with fruit, fiber, and protein-packed staying power!   Overnight oats have a lot going for them. The no-cook, prep-ahead recipe makes the morning routine a breeze with its winning combination of protein, calcium, fiber, and Omega-3s. And it tastes great! In…

5-Ingredient No-Churn Vanilla Bean Ice Cream

Pure vanilla flavor shines in this no-churn ice cream recipe that’s as fun to make as it is to eat—and no fancy ice cream maker is required.   I can still picture my grandfather packing rock salt into the barrel of his old ice cream maker when I was a kid. My sister and I…

Chocolate Coconut Milk Ice Cream (easy 5-ingredient recipe that’s dairy-free and naturally sweetened)

Luxuriously sweet and creamy, it’s hard to believe this ice cream is dairy-free and naturally sweetened – and incredibly easy to make.    After years of developing mostly healthy recipes, people logically assume that I am one of those really virtuous eaters. And I truly enjoy lots of wholesome foods. Truth is though, I also…

Shortcut Soft Pretzels

Roll these clever pretzels into letters and spell out names for special occasions or twist them into the traditional shape. Either way, they’re a fun project and a crowd-pleasing snack!     Throughout all my years of being a mom, I can say with 100% certainty that my favorite gifts have been homemade. A handcrafted…

Dark Chocolate Jar Cakes

Curling up with a new cookbook always feels like a treat to me.  When said book happens to be penned by a dear friend, is loaded with colorful photos, and literally takes the reader on a magic carpet ride from one end of the globe to the next, that cookbook rivals anything on the New York…

Almond Coconut Strawberry Shortcakes (Gluten- & Grain-Free)

Gluten- & Grain-Free Almond Coconut Strawberry Shortcakes are healthy enough to eat for dinner but delicious enough to be dessert!   Delving into my mom’s strawberry shortcake was a much-anticipated welcome to the local strawberry season when I was a child. Mom always made her biscuit-like shortcake in a 9×13 pan and served big, warm squares…

Fudgy Yogurt Brownies (egg-free)

Brownies with no eggs, no oil, and lots of protein… Hmmmm.  Believe it or not, they taste great, too. These homemade treats are just as decadent as “regular” brownies and can be made with ingredients you likely have on hand.  And if you, like me, adore a thick, chewy, moist, fudgy brownie, these have your…

Dulce de Leche Latte

Since I stumbled upon the overwhelming hit of Crock Pot Dulce de Leche a few years ago, the kids regularly enjoy this caramel-like dip on sliced apples and we drizzle it over ice cream and pound cake.  One reader loves it as a topping for Crunchy Top Apples and Cinnamon Baked Oatmeal. I even concocted…

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