Homemade Chocolate Syrup {and Rebel Canning}

This simple-to-make Homemade Chocolate Syrup is so delicious that you'll never want a bottle of store-brought chocolate syrup again!

We've been on a small hiatus from blogging (just 3 years, 6 months, and 4 days - but who's counting?!), so we decided to jump back into it with something easy. And sweet. And chocolatey.

Homemade Chocolate Syrup. 

Seriously, who doesn't love chocolate syrup? Using it to drench your ice cream, stirring way too much into a cold glass of milk, standing at the fridge door pouring it into your mouth - whatever cranks your tractor, you know how to use this stuff.

Cheesecake Mousse Parfaits with Honey Bunches of Oats {Cereal for Dessert}

These Cheesecake Mousse Parfaits with Honey Bunches of Oats have been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #SingWithPost #CerealAnytime #CollectiveBias

Cereal always sounds good to me, whether it be for breakfast, lunch, dinner or dessert - a bowl of cereal is guaranteed to hit the spot! I don't normally do anything fancy with it, just add milk and it's ready for devouring - but I decided to do something a little extra this time. These Cheesecake Mousse Parfaits with Honey Bunches of Oats are a delicious and decadent dessert that is perfect for satisfying any sweet-tooth or cereal craving you're having.  Layers of creamy cheesecake mousse, soft gooey caramel and crunchy Honey Bunches of Oats with Real Strawberries.

Peppermint Chocolate Chip Cookies {plus a $20 PayPal Giveaway} #SpreadCheer

These Peppermint Chocolate Chip Cookies are a perfectly delicious way to #SpreadCheer this holiday season. They are soft, chewy and loaded with miniature chocolate chips and crushed peppermint candies. And to make them even sweeter - they are an absolute cinch to make!

Eggnog Poke Cake with Glazed Walnuts {plus a $10 PayPal Giveaway}

This Eggnog Poke Cake with Glazed Walnuts is a must this holiday season! It's a yellow cake speckled with sweet-glazed walnut chips, soaked in Eggnog before being drenched in Eggnog Pudding, topped with whipped cream and more glazed walnuts. This is perfect served with a tall glass of milk. Or eggnog - because eggnog.

Cookies and Orange Cream Milkshakes {featuring OREO and Fanta}

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #SpookySnacks #CollectiveBias

Even before having kids I thought that Halloween was one of the most fun holidays - but it has gotten a ton more fun having the little ones around. They are totally in the spirit of this spooky and scary holiday and are bringing so much excitement to our house in anticipation for the big day this upcoming Saturday! The kiddos have been decorating, playing monsters, creating haunting art projects and begging to watch scary movies - this Halloween has taken us by storm and it's been a blast. One of my favorite things we've been doing as a family this ghostly time of year has been whipping up creepy creations in our Spooky Snack Lab {kitchen}! While we have been doing some wicked baking, we've been in need of something to wash down these goulish snacks with. I was inspired to make these Cookies and Orange Cream Milkshakes after hearing that Evette Rios {from the show Recipe Rehab} was creating custom recipes using both Fanta and OREO {exclusively for Walmart}. Not only are these milkshakes perfectly color-themed for this frightening holiday but they're unbelievably delicious for your taste-buds!

Caramel Apple Pie Rice Krispies Treats

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #FueledForSchool #CollectiveBias

Since we are a family that seems to always be on-the-go I like to keep a few easy and delicious snacks to take along with us, just in case. It is no fun being on the road, at the park or running errands with kids when hunger strikes. Hunger can make kids cranky, irrational and all-around a little crazy - so I try to avoid it from happening at all costs! One of my favorite snacks to grab before heading out the door is Kellogg's Rice Krispies Treats - whether they be homemade or bought from the store. They're easy to pack, the kid's love them and they're one of my childhood favorites! I decided to make my kiddos {and myself} a special fall-inspired on-the-go snack: Caramel Apple Pie Rice Krispies Treats. Make a batch of these, stick them in sandwich bags, place them in the fridge and have a snack on-hand that will wow your little ones!

Harvest Cheesecake Bars

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #BakeInTheFun #CollectiveBias

Fall has officially kicked off and it's time to celebrate! This is by far my favorite time of year - from the cooler weather and the changing of colors in nature to the harvest-time activities and recipes. We have so many fun Fall traditions that I'm excited to get started and wanted to start the fun with some fall-time inspired baked goodness. {make sure to check out the giveaway at the end of this post for a KitchenAid mixer that would certainly assist in fall baking!} I love, love, love all of the Fall-themed baking ingredients, candies and drinks that fill store shelves during Autumn so much that I couldn't help but grab a little of each during my last trip and create a special treat to start the season with.

These Harvest Cheesecake Bars are packed with fall flavors! From a soft pumpkin-y crust and the apple-y cheesecake to the delicious streusel-type topping sprinkled with M&M's® Pecan Pie candies. Not only are they are easy to make but they will fill your house with a delicious autumn-time scent.

Inside Out Upside Down Pineapple Cupcakes

These Inside Out Upside Down Pineapple Cupcakes have been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #InsideOutEmotions #CollectiveBias

After first watching the preview to Disney's new movie, Inside Out, I was instantly hooked! Such a fun and cute movie about something so real - emotions. After seeing the movie I was totally inspired to make these Inside Out Upside Down Pineapple Cupcakes. Oh, I totally remember being a kid and sometimes just not feeling like myself {feeling inside out + upside down!}, but having no explanation for it. It's hard being young and trying to understand why you feel the way you do - but simply not having the knowledge or experience to figure it out. It's those memories of mine that have made it the utmost importance to me that I be in tune with my kiddo's emotions. Not only is it essential for me to teach them to identify their emotions, but also be able to cope and learn from them. One of my favorite ways to connect with my kiddos is in the kitchen, whipping up something delicious while spending special one-on-one time with each other. It's a no-holds-barred time for us, we can be candid with each other - so I like to use this time to discuss how the kids may be feeling about things going on in life. To make our most recent baking adventure Inside Out-themed, I picked up these absolutely adorable Inside Out plush toys from Walmart and brought them into the kitchen for a little baking action!

9 Delightful Dome Cakes to Celebrate Under the Dome {Season 3 Premiere}

Tonight is the release of Under the Dome's third season and I'm a little excited about it. Ok, really excited about it. I've been impatiently waiting for the 2015 season to start since the second season ended nearly nine months ago. Nine months without Barbie saving the day and without Big Jim proving he can be a bigger jerk than we already thought possible. Nine months of asking my husband when the next season is going to start. {poor guy. haha} But the wait is over and I'll be enjoying one of my absolute favorite tv shows tonight with a 2 hour season premiere. To celebrate the joyous occasion I've rounded up 9 delightful dome cakes to share with my fellow Under the Dome lovers. These domes are slightly different than the one sealing off Chester's Mill, as I wouldn't mind getting stuck under one - just give me a fork to eat my way out... haha. I hope y'all enjoy the show tonight!

1. Black Forest Dome Cake

SprinkleBakes

M&M's® S'more Bars

These M&M's® S'more Bars have been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #ShareFunshine #CollectiveBias 

It's summertime, which means that it's S'mores Season! I can admit {shamelessly} to already consuming far more than my share of those ooey-gooey squares of goodness. Who can blame me though? It's just that time of year. During the summer months we like to invite friends over for a little bonfire action. We break out the roaster sticks, graham crackers and a variety of chocolate bars to put together a variety of tantalizing s'more creations! The only problem I can find with S'mores is that a fire to roast the marshmallows is a tad essential - and we can't just up and light a bonfire wherever we are... Also, it's a little impossible to put M&M's® on S'mores - which is a travesty! So, I solved the problem of both my conondrums and created these M&M's®  S'more Bars. They meet the ooey, gooey requirements of an actual s'more, can be made ahead of time and they are oh-so colorful - all of which are perfect for summertime!

9 DIY Superhero Cupcakes + Wizard World Comic Con {Sacramento}

This post has been compensated by Wizard World. All opinions are 100% my own.

As I mentioned earlier this week - I am completely stoked about Wizard World Comic Con coming to Sacaramento this weekend! It's a pop-culture extravaganza that is sure to be a blast of a good time. There is going to be so much to see {& buy!} that someone's going to have to drag me out of there! Wizard World offers a first-class lineup  at each Comic Con event, with celebrity Q&A's, comics-themed sessions, costume contests, movie screenings, evening parties and more. I haven't been able to get my favorite superheroes off my mind, so I decided to round up a fun list of easy-to-make superheroes cupcakes. Because if there is anything I love as much as superheroes - it's cupcakes. Don't miss the Wizard World Comic Con {Sacramento} show details at the end of this post!

Tropical Cheesecake with Granola Crust

This recipe for Tropical Cheesecake with Granola Crust is my entry into Golden Girl Granola's Blogger Recipe Challenge. I received one complimentary bag of Truly Tropical Granola in exchange for my entry. All opinions are 100% honest and my own.

My favorite dessert is cheesecake - hands-down, it's cheesecake. I love the versatility, the creaminess and most importantly the cheese. I've been wanting to put pineapple in a cheesecake for such a long time, but wasn't sure how to add it in without the result being too moist of a cheesecake. Well folks, I solved my conundrum and created this absolutely fabulous Tropical Cheesecake with Granola Crust! {complete with a full 8oz. can of crushed pineapple, no draining necessary.} For the crust I substituted the usual graham cracker crust for a phenomenal granola crust. Truly Tropical Granola from Golden Girl to be exact and the perfect addition to this cheesecake!

Caramel Cinnamon-Apple Cheesecake + a Smart & Final Grand Opening

This recipe for Caramel Cinnamon-Apple Cheesecake has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #ChooseSmart #CollectiveBias

This past week I visited the grand opening of a new Smart & Final store in Sacramento, CA. It was so much fun to attend; the customers were in high spirits over a new store opening in their area and there were a ton of great deals to be had! While I was there I became inspired to make an awesomely delicious Caramel Cinnamon-Apple Cheesecake. From the fresh apples in their produce section to the huge selection of baking ingredients, Smart & Final had everything I needed for this tasty beauty to happen. So, in essence, this is a celebratory cheesecake - in honor of a new warehouse store. Not that I need a reason to enjoy an insanely good cheesecake recipe... I just think it makes it taste better.

SNICKERS® Almond Cinnamon Rolls

This post for SNICKERS® Almond Cinnamon Rolls has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #WhenImHungry #CollectiveBias

Do you turn into a whole 'nother person when you're hungry? I sure do and it's not pretty. My mood turns to cranky and it's not long before I become unreasonable - not far off from a toddler throwing a tantrum. My husband has a sixth sense about this little hunger-attitude of mine and can usually put a kibosh on it before things get too out-of-hand. The go-to? My favorite, a SNICKERS® chocolate bar. Whether he is on his way home from work or pulling off the freeway during a long roadtrip - that man will make sure that my empty stomach grumpiness doesn't get in the way of a fabulous day. You're not you when you're hungry - and lucky for me, he understands that. So, to thank him for all the times he went out of the way to get me a SNICKERS® bar and to apologize for all the things I've ever said out of hunger - I made him these SNICKERS® Almond Cinnamon Rolls. I also wanted to show him that I can share my SNICKERS® - even if I mostly don't. ;)

Peanut Butter Wontons with Jelly Dipping Sauce

These Peanut Butter Wontons with Jelly Dipping Sauce were inspired by the classic comfort food of Peanut Butter and Jelly sandwiches. With only 5 simple ingredients you can't go wrong with this crispy tasty treat that will remind you of those smooshed, yet oh-so tasty, PB&J sammies of our childhood!

What would you bring if asked to make an awesome finger-food for a friend's baby shower? You'd bring Peanut Butter Wontons with Jelly Dipping Sauce, of course. Because 1) you are an awesome friend and 2) you are awesome. But really, my friend has been craving peanut butter and jelly sandwiches during her pregnancy - so I thought I'd fancy up the classic comfort food and make these beauties. These Peanut Butter Wontons with Jelly Dipping Sauce are a cinch to make and from my experience, a total crowd pleaser. {And yes, preggos can eat peanuts, as long as they aren't allergic to them - you might be surprised at how often I heard that question at the baby shower.} With only 5 simple ingredients you just can't go wrong with this tasty treat that will remind you of those smooshed, yet oh-so tasty, PB&J sammies of our childhood!

15 Delicious Ways to Celebrate National Chocolate Mousse Day

Today, April 3rd, is National Chocolate Mousse Day! {as if I needed a reason to celebrate chocolate mousse...} Here is a marvelous round-up of 15 delicious recipes to celebrate the day or to just keep your sweet-tooth at bay. Whether you like your Chocolate Mousse light and fluffy or thick and creamy - raise your spoons high today and cheers to this fabulous holiday!!

1. Easy Chocolate Mousse

Cookies and Cups

2. Mile High Chocolate Stout Pie

The Beeroness

Boozy Blueberry Cheesecake

TGIF! It's Friday and I have this Boozy Blueberry Cheesecake for you. Unfortunately, you can't eat if off the screen - but it's still for you. And even though it's technically for you, I still tasted it. It's phenomenal. Should you use that word while describing food? I don't know, but I think this cheesecake would certainly fit any criteria that it may need to meet. I used Irish Whiskey {thank you St. Patty's Day!} to booze this tasty creation up and the result was far better than I expected. And I expect big things, folks. Anyhow, it's Friday, you got the weekend ahead of you and what could possibly make it any sweeter than this cheesecake? Not much. Not much, except to find out that this cheesecake has a crust made from Golden Oreos. You're welcome. Happy weekend!!

5 Monster Jam Inspired Desserts and a Monster Jam Show

I am a Feld Family Ambassador, and in exchange for my time and efforts in attending shows and reporting my opinion within this blog, as well as keeping you advised of the latest discount offers, Feld Entertainment has provided me with complimentary tickets to Feld shows and opportunities to attend private Feld pre-Show events.

If your kids are anything like mine - they will go CRAZY for these Monster Jam Inspired Desserts!

1. Monster Truck Cake Shortcut {a simple DIY}

Instructables {because we can't all make fabulous cakes from scratch!}

2. Grave Digger Ice Cream Sundae

Hungry Harps

3. "Muddy Tires"

Hostess with the Mostess

4. Grave Digger Inspired Cheesecake

Hungry Harps

5. Jell-O Jiggler Cars

Catch My Party {I found the molds at Amazon!}

I was inspired to do this post after attending a Monster Jam show at Sleep Train Arena last night. We had such a great time with our two oldest boys {ages 4 & 6} that I wanted to keep the car-crushin', dirt-slingin' fun going! We were able to see trucks Cleatus, Obsession, Obsessed, Destroyer, Doomsday, Play'n For Keeps, Zombie and our favorite - Grave Digger! It was a great line-up of trucks with even a few I'd never seen perform before. Have you heard of the Dooms Day truck yet? It's not listed on the Monster Jam site and the driver was not revealed - but it is an amazing truck that does not disappoint one bit!!

Although Sleep Train Arena is a smaller venue for Monster Jam trucks, the awesome drivers do a great job with the space they have to work with. There were 4 events {Wheelie Contest, Obstacle Course, Drag Racing and a favorite amongst the crowd - Freestyle} with side shows of UTV and Quad racing. The show was 2 hours but I could have watched it for twice that time. When you look around the crowd, you see SO MANY families - kids of all ages. Monster Jam shows are so much fun for the whole family! {even teenagers, who we all know can be hard to please at times!} Then in addition to the monster trucks and the fun crowd, there are the drivers that are genuinely appreciative of all the fans, they even stay after the show to sign autographs for every single person who wants one. Every. Single. Person.

Monster Jam is a fabulous organization that has fantastic family-friendly shows. {If you've never been to one, check out YouTube clips and see what you've been missing!} For show schedule and ticket information, check out the Monster Jam website or Ticketmaster.

Grave Digger Ice Cream Sundae and Event Details for Monster Jam in Sacramento

I am a Feld Family Ambassador, and in exchange for my time and efforts in attending shows and reporting my opinion within this blog, as well as keeping you advised of the latest discount offers, Feld Entertainment has provided me with complimentary tickets to Feld shows and opportunities to attend private Feld pre-Show events.

Monster Jam is coming to Sacramento, CA, so of course we had to have our own little celebration! It's a ritual of ours to play hard with Monster Jam die cast trucks the night before a Monster Jam show and this year we decided to pair our playtime with a Grave Digger Ice Cream Sundae. The blend of flavors in this sundae are extraordinary and the kids got a kick out of the fun color combinations that represented their favorite truck - Grave Digger!

This would be such a fun dessert to serve at a Monster Jam themed party - or just to celebrate your favorite show coming to town! It's so simple that it doesn't even require a recipe to be included. Here are the layers:

1. Press a brownie into the bottom of an ice cream/trifle dish {this is to represent dirt}
2. Scoop in green ice cream. {for the green on Grave Digger's truck. We used pistachio, but mint chocolate chip would work be great too.}
3. Drizzle with chocolate syrup {this is to represent oil}
4. Drizzle on blueberry sauce {for the purple on Grave Digger's truck.}
5. Top with whip cream {because it's a sundae!}
6. Sprinkle on chopped nuts {because you have to be a little nutty to drive a Monster Jam truck! haha}
7. Sprinkle on sprinkles {I found this mix and sorted out the green and purple for this sundae.}
8. Cherry on top {it's the only way!}

Event Details
WHAT: Monster Jam Returns to Sacramento for more engine-roaring thrills and car-crushing monster truck action! Come out to see Monster Jam Trucks: Grave Digger driven by Jon Zimmer, Zombie driven by Sean Duhon, FOX Sports 1 Cleatus driven by Frank Krmel Jr., Doom's Day driven by TBA, Playin For Keeps driven by Tony Canedo, Destroyer driven by Roger Stidell, Obsession driven by Rick Swanson, and Obsessed driven by Eric Swanson!
{Subject to change without notice}
WHEN:
Saturday, January 24th
Show Time - 2:00PM
Saturday, January 24th
Pit Party* – open from 11:30PM–1:00PM
Show Time – 7:30PM
Sunday, January 25th
Pit Party* – open from 11:30AM–1:00PM
Show Time – 2:00PM
*Day-Of Event ticket and Pit Pass required for entry each day
(Pit Pass purchase price $10)
WHERE:
Sleep Train Arena
One Sports Parkway, Sacramento, CA 95834
TICKETS:
Ticket prices start as low as $20 Adults and $10 Kids {ages 2 & younger are free}
Tickets and Pit Passes are available for purchase online at Ticketmaster.com, all Ticketmaster retail
outlets, charge by phone at 800-745-3000 or at the Sleep Train Arena Box Office.
**Above ticket prices are advance purchase only; all tickets are $2 more day of show. Market pricing applies to all tickets; rates may fluctuate based on supply and demand. Tickets subject to convenience, service and handling fees.

Hope to see you at the Monster Jam show!!

Flavored Milk for Dipping Cookies

Cookies and milk just got better - which I didn't think was possible! Here is a simple DIY tip for making flavored milk, easily customizable to pair with your favorite cookie.

I wasn't trying to improve on the classic cookies and milk, it just kind of happened. I was enjoying my coffee creamer so much the other day that I started thinking about what else I could use it in. I finally came up with the thought of putting a bit of it in milk - and what's the best thing to do with milk? Dip cookies in it of course! This DIY Flavored Milk for Dipping Cookies is a quick solution to jazzing up a simple "cookies and milk" dessert.

Our favorite cookies are Oreos - this is without a doubt. I grabbed a package of Oreos at the store and then checked out the selection of coffee creamers to find a perfect match. As soon as I spotted the Coffee-mate Peppermint Mocha I knew it was going to be an excellent pairing with our favorite cookies. Between all the different cookies and coffees creamers available at the store, the "Flavored Milk and cookie" combinations are countless! {well not really, but who has time for all that?!?}

(side-note: that awesome dipping tool above is the dipr - so much fun for the kiddos!!)

Just like you use liquid coffee creamer for your coffee, add as much or little as you like. Enjoy!