Vanilla Sugar

 Vanilla sugar is extremely easy to make.  All it takes is 2 ingredients, mix them together, then you are done.  Vanilla sugar has a very vanilla-y taste, and you get the awesome vanilla bean specks. I love this stuff!  Use it in sugar cookies, use it to make ice cream, or cake, or breads.  You can replace sugar with it is most recipes.

Vanilla Swirl and/or Coconut Swirl Bread

I found this recipe (for the Vanilla Swirl) a while back and right away made some vanilla sugar (recipe here) since I had a few vanilla beans hanging around. Vanilla beans are awesomeness beans.  I love them.  So fast forward a few (ahem, 7 months...) and I am FINALLY getting to this bread.  No, it doesn't take 7 months to make vanilla sugar, I just have finally found the time to make this bread, and it is wonderful.  It is sweet, and soft, and perfect. It is cheaper to make your own vanilla sugar, but it takes a week to soak in the vanilla flavor.  You can find vanilla sugar if you don't want to make it!

And then I had the thought.....what if I added a coconut filling!? My best friend makes these buns with a coconut filling, and they are my ABSOLUTE favorite in the whole wide world.  So I gave it a shot.  The result. Perfection.  It is buttery and sweet, and oh so coconuty.  I'm a fan. This bread's base is a blue ribboner! And I am finding, so versatile!  I bet it would be good with a cinnamon swirl too!

Chicken Cordon Bleu Mac and Cheese

I am not the biggest Mac and cheese fan.  Just being honest.  I know, how un-American is that!?  BUT I am a big Cordon Bleu fan.  Since yesterday was Easter, we had some Ham just lying around, so I whipped up some of this pretty little Mac and Cheese.  And let me tell you, this dish makes me a Mac and Cheese fan!  Soo cheesey, so pasta-y, so ham-y, so Cordon Bleu-y!  I adapted the original recipe a tad, because I am not a huge Gruyere cheese fan.  This is a recipe for our keeper books, the kids had 3 or 4 servings, which is totally uncharacteristic of them, since they are usually a 3 bites, then "My tummy is full" kind of kids.

Cinnamon Chip Scones

 My Mom and sister found this recipe, and let me tell you, these were the best scones I have ever had.  I am not even kidding.  Now I prefer my scones to be a little more moist.  I feel like there is nothing worse than a dry scone. Blech. Makes me need a drink just thinking about it.  These were perfect pair with some eggs and fruit for a delicious breakfast.  My kids thought they were the best things since sliced bread too.  I had to place a limit on how may they could eat because I'm pretty sure they wanted to steal the plate, and hide in some closet somewhere to devour the sweet sweet little cinnamon morsels....and I may or may not have wanted to do the same thing....

Sticky Popcorn

 I stumbled upon this recipe here probably a year and a half ago, and this popcorn-now lovingly called "Sticky Popcorn" by my kids has quickly become a favorite at our house-pretty sure it should be called "crack popcorn", but luckily, my kids don't know what crack is, and i'd like to keep it that way!  One batch lasts about 20 min.  It is that good.  This stuff is majorly addicting.  My kids ask for this at least once a week. AT LEAST.  I do not give in that often, or we would be doing some extra walks to the park ;). Only 4 ingredients, and ready in 5 min!

Addressing Bullying with a simple book

Have you read this book?  Have you seen this book around? Well this book is pretty fantastic.  This book is about the color blue, and his bully red.  Such a phenomenal book.  Seriously.