Second Pregnancy Weeks 14-18: What to Expect

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It’s been over a month since my last update about my first trimester, and now I’m well into my second. I wanted to share how this pregnancy is going so far, and start with a few comparison photos that show how different my body looks this time around. The change in belly size in this … Read more

Moist Spiced Apple Cake with Cinnamon and Brown Sugar

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Meet your new favorite dessert: Spiced Apple Cake with Caramel Cream Cheese Frosting. This cake fills the kitchen with the warm, comforting aroma of cinnamon, allspice, and ginger as it bakes, while tender pieces of apple keep every bite moist and satisfying. Topped with a rich caramel cream cheese frosting, it’s decadent without being heavy … Read more

Classic Christmas Spritz Cookie Recipe

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Grab your cookie press and bake a batch of festive Christmas spritz cookies. These shaped and decorated cookies are buttery, tender, and melt-in-your-mouth delicious. They present beautifully on a platter and are perfect for holiday cookie tins, parties, or cozy nights watching holiday movies. Spritz cookies are a classic holiday treat made by pressing soft … Read more

How to Make Pumpkin Spice Granola

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This Pumpkin Spice Granola recipe is a fall favorite. Serve it with yogurt, sprinkle over pancakes, or enjoy it on its own for a healthy snack on the go.

Overhead shot of pumpkin spice granola on a tray with towel.

As summer winds down, I enjoy pulling out warm sweaters and welcoming seasonal flavors. This homemade pumpkin spice granola is one of my go-to recipes each autumn. It’s crunchy, spiced just right, and makes a satisfying, wholesome snack. Pair a bowl with Greek yogurt for a quick breakfast, use it as a topping for pancakes, or pack it as an easy snack for busy days.

This granola features large pecan pieces, tart dried cranberries, crunchy sunflower seeds and the cozy flavor of pumpkin with pumpkin pie spice. It keeps well in an airtight container for a couple of weeks and also freezes nicely if you want to make a larger batch and save some for later.

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Homemade Small-Batch Strawberry Syrup Recipe

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Small-batch strawberry syrup is a quick and flavorful way to add natural strawberry taste to cocktails, lattes, iced drinks, and more. This recipe makes about half a cup — enough to sweeten roughly ten drinks — and takes only about 20 minutes from start to finish. It uses just two ingredients: strawberries and granulated sugar. … Read more

Creamy Homemade Mango Popsicles Recipe

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Beat the summer heat with homemade mango popsicles—a simple, tropical frozen treat that’s creamy, bright, and ready in minutes. These popsicles combine fresh mango, Greek yogurt, honey and lime for a naturally refreshing dessert that both kids and adults will enjoy. When the weather is hot, no-bake desserts are ideal. These mango popsicles are an … Read more

Karen’s Cajun Blackened Redfish with Summer Herbs

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Cajun Seasoning Enlivens Red Fish – Blackened in Minutes in a Cast Iron Skillet. Glazed with a Browned Butter Pan-Sauce with Garlic and Fresh Summer Herbs. Cajun Blackened Red Fish with Brown Butter-Garlic Sauce and Summer Herbs See my Recipe: Karen’s Best Cajun Seasoning Blend (recipe referenced) I use summer herbs — whatever is growing … Read more

Juicy Oven-Baked Turkey Tenderloin Recipe

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Easy Baked Turkey Tenderloin with a garlic butter sauce—modeled after a popular baked pork tenderloin recipe—is a simple, flavorful way to prepare turkey breast tenderloins. This method yields juicy, tender slices your family will enjoy. Prefer to skip background details? There is a clear “skip to recipe” option and a table of contents to help … Read more

Strawberry Earthquake Cake Recipe with Cheesecake Swirl

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Strawberry Earthquake Cake is a swirled, cracked, cheesecake-studded dessert that vanishes from the platter the moment it cools. Built on a box of strawberry cake mix, studded with white chocolate chips and finished with a sweet cream cheese swirl folded with fresh diced strawberries, it bakes up gooey and pink with a craggy top in … Read more

German Bread Dumplings in Creamy Chanterelle Sauce

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Today we present a delicious side dish: German bread dumplings with a chanterelle sauce. These light, flavorful dumplings—known in German as Semmelknödel—pair wonderfully with steak, pot roast or schnitzel, making them an excellent choice for a festive menu or a comforting family dinner. Chanterelle mushrooms, called Pfifferlinge in German, are prized for their fruity, apricot-like … Read more