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I'm Nicole. I am a wife, mother, shop owner on Mackinac Island, and lover of handmade. The little things and little moments inspire me. Follow me on my blog as I write about shop news, my travels, island life and motherhood.
Nicole
xo.

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little luxuries

Looking for the perfect way to spoil Mom this Mother's Day? 💕 Here are some great ways to treat her to a delicious brunch!

Photo from Weelicious

This French Toast on a Stick from Weelicious looks incredible! These will be the perfect sweet treat to have at your brunch! 

Find the Recipe Here

Picture from Savory Nothings

I love a good quiche! It's easy to prepare the night before, so that brunch is an easy dish to just throw in the oven that morning! If you're looking for a vegetarian quiche, try this delicious Caprese Quiche Here: https://www.lemontreedwelling.com/caprese-quiche/.

Find the Recipe For Spinach Bacon Quiche Here

 

Picture from WeekNight Bites

If you want to have a fun snack board, try this waffle and pancake board from WeekNight Bite. The entire family will love it! 

Find the Recipe Here

 

There are so many delicious ways to celebrate Mother's Day this year! 💕 We hope that you'll find inspiration from these recipes to make your Mother's Day special and memorable for the entire family!

Nicole

xo

 

 

 

 

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I love to make the boys fruit pizza on special occasions! I found this recipe for an Easter Egg Fruit Pizza that I know they are going to love!
  • 1 batch sugar cookie dough - either store-bought or homemade 
  • 12 oz. cream cheese brick - room temp 
  • 6 tablespoons butter - room temperature 
  • 2 cups powder confectioners' sugar 
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 
  • Colorful Fruits - I used strawberries, blueberries, kiwi, mandarins, grapes. Some may need to be cut into smaller pieces.

Instructions

  1. Roll out cookie dough into an egg shape onto a cookie sheet. Trim if needed.
  2. Bake according to package instructions until golden brown.
  3. Allow to cool.
  4. Using an electric mixer, beat together cream cheese and butter in a large bowl until smooth and creamy.
  5. Add sugar, continue to beat until well blended.
  6. Add vanilla and stir.
  7. Spread frosting on to the cookie, then decorate and create a design with your fruits.
I hope to make this recipe this weekend when we are at home when we are crossing off our Easter activities. Did you read that blog? If you missed it- it’s right here!
 
I have more Easter recipes that I love (or want to try!) on my Easter Delight’s Pinterest Board Here!
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Photo from The Cozy Cook

Since I've been having more time at home this winter and spring, I've been spending more time in the kitchen! This fall, I was gifted the Pioneer Woman's Cookbook and I have been really enjoying cooking out of it! Here is one of her recipes that I just tried, Pioneer Woman Meatloaf! 

It takes just 20 minutes to prep and 1 hour and 10 minutes to cook. I love it when the prep time is that short! Gives me plenty of time to get the kitchen tidied up while it cooks or even time to play a family game! 

Ingredients:

 

Meatloaf:

  • 1 cup Whole Milk

    • Sauce:

    • 1+1/2 cups Ketchup

    Directions: 

    • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
    • Add the bread to a large bowl and pour the milk on top of the slices. Let them soak for 5 minutes.
    • Add the remaining meatloaf ingredients and use your hands to combine. Try to ensure that the bread is sufficiently combined into the mixture, although try not to overmix as the ground beef will become tougher and lose some flavor.
    • Form the meat into a loaf, (about 5 inches wide), and place it over a broiler pan to allow the fat to drain. Lining the bottom of the broiler pan with foil will make for easier cleanup.
    • Line the bacon over the top of the loaf and carefully tuck the ends under the bottom. The bacon can be used to help support the shape of the loaf. I like to line them so that they are touching, but not overlapping so that you can easily slice in between each piece of bacon when it’s cooked.
    • Combine the sauce ingredients and brush 1/3 of it over the meatloaf.
    • Bake the meatloaf for 45 minutes on the middle rack. Remove it from the oven and brush another 1/3 of the sauce over it. Bake for another 25 minutes.
    • Remove from the oven and let it sit for 10 minutes prior to slicing, letting it rest allows the juices to absorb back into the meat, cutting in too early will cause the juice to run out of the loaf.
    • Serve with the remaining sauce and enjoy! These are delicious with mashed potatoes + green beans! 

    If you don't have the Pioneer Women's Cookbook, you can purchase it here! or use the recipe found on The Cozy Cook, that shares this amazing meatloaf! 

     

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    I can’t believe that the boys will be back to school very soon! They are getting excited to see their friends and I’m getting excited for more structure!

    I’ve been on Pinterest lately, looking for some new recipes to incorporate into our meal schedule! Here are a few that I’m going to be making as we head back to school - these look easy and delicious!

    This first one is a make ahead breakfast idea, which I love for the busy mornings! 

    Greenletes has made these Mushroom Freezer Breakfast Burritos that look amazing! They are packed full of nutrition, which is great! She offers ideas of what to sub out if you don’t like mushrooms, or the cheese she uses, etc! 

    Photo from Greenletes 

    I love trying new things! This next recipe that I found is Nut Free Cold Noodles from Chelsey Amer's Nutrition Blog. Again, this recipe is filled with protein and nutrition making it an excellent dinner option!

    Photo from Chelsey Amer's Nutrition Blog

    This final new recipe I’m trying is from Greenletes, again! :) She has so many amazing options, but this one looks especially delicious: Coconut Fried Rice! I can’t wait to try! 

    Photo from Greenletes

    Have you started thinking about back to school meal prep? If you know me, you know that I don’t meal prep a lot! But these are three recipes that I’m going to try this fall and add to the rotation! They look too good and easy not to try! 

     

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    Today I'm sharing two new recipes that I'm loving for spring!
    Avocado Corn Salad from the blog, Cookin' with Mama!
    Ingredients:
    • 3 Corn Cobs
    • 2 Large Avocados
    • 1 Cup Grape Tomatoes Cut in Half
    • 1/4 of a Small Purple Onion
    • 2 Tablespoons of Chopped Cilantro
    • 1/2 Cup Dried Cranberries

    Salad Dressing:

    • Juice of 1 Lemon
    • 2 Tablespoons of Olive Oil
    • 3/4 Teaspoon of Salt
    • 1 Teaspoon Minced Garlic

    Instructions

    1. Boil the corn for 5-7 minutes and then allow to cool. Cut off the corns flesh with a knife or corn slicer tool.

    2. Cut the avocado into large cutes, tomatoes into halves, thinly slice the onions and chop the cilantro. 

    3. Place everything in a bowl and add the dried cranberries.

    4. Prepare the dressing by mixing the salad ingredients together. Pour over the salad ingredient and toss to coat everything well.

    5. Serve and Enjoy! 

    Shot from Amanda's Cookin'

    The next recipe that I am excited about for Spring is from Amanda's Cookin'. It's a Mexican Chicken Casserole that is delicious and the whole family will enjoy!

    Ingredients:

    • 3 Cups of Crushed Tortilla Chips
    • 15 oz. Black Beans, Drained and Rinsed
    • 2 Cups of Chopped Cooked Chicken, If you're in a hurry a rotisserie chicken works great for this!
    • 1 Teaspoon Ground Cumin
    • 21 Ounces of Cream of Chicken Soup
    • (1) 10 oz. Can of Rotel Tomatoes, Undrained
    • 2 Cups of Shredded Jack Cheese
    • 2 Cups of Shredded Medium Cheddar Cheese
    • 1 Tomato, Diced
    • 1 Bunch of Cilantro, Rinsed and Chopped
    • Jalapeños, optional

    Instructions: 

    1. Preheat oven to 350 F and grease a 13×9 casserole dish with non-stick cooking spray.
    2. Crush tortilla chips lightly and sprinkle approximately 1 cup across the bottom of the baking dish.
    3. Layer diced chicken and black beans over the crushed chips.
    4. Stir 1 teaspoon of cumin into the cream of chicken soup. Spread the soup mixture over the chicken and beans, using a spatula to gently spread it evenly over the entire top. Add canned tomatoes over the soup layer.
    5. Sprinkle cheese evenly over the tomato layer and top with remaining crushed chips.
    6. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until casserole is hot and bubbly and the cheese is fully melted.
    7. Garnish casserole with cilantro and chopped tomatoes.
    8. Serve immediately with a slice or two of fresh jalapeño.

     Tips & Trips: 

    • Do not drain Rotel tomatoes before adding to casserole.
    • You can substitute Doritos for regular tortilla chips.
    • For another flavor element, mix a 4 oz. can of diced chiles into the soup/cumin mixture.
    • Prepare ahead of time except for the tortilla chips over the top. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate. When ready to bake, remove the plastic wrap and sprinkle with chips. Bake until hot and bubbly. 

     I hope that you and your family love these as much as we do! If you make them, tag us in your photos over on Instagram! 

     

     

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