Teacher Appreciation Day

Teacher Appreciation Day is May 3 and as a teacher and principal for 25 years, I know that there are going to be a lot of people searching for an appropriate gift for their teacher over the weekend.  I'd like to propose this:  use this free printable here on my blog.  This free printable is simply a thank you letter that you and your child can write together (or independently, if able)  I really love it because there is a space at the top where you can draw a picture!

#HummusMadeEasy ~a Gathering of Friends

This is a sponsored post, in otherwords, I was paid to promote this product.  All opinions are strickly my own.

We love to entertain.  We always have.  If you've read this blog long enough (we started at the end of 2005) you will know that to be true.  So when I had the opportunity to host a party with the Hummus Made Easy product, you can probably see us saying yes! very enthusiastically!

Bush Brother's has developed a new product that has really taken off.  It's called Hummus Made Easy and it is!  A can of beans and the pouch of product, blended together, and you're done!  There are three flavors:  classic, red pepper and southwestern.  All are delicious and the options for creativity are endless!  I found my product at my local Walmart store, near the canned beans.

Cake Mix Toffee Bars for the #SecretRecipeClub

It's the monthly edition of the Secret Recipe Club reveal day and I am so happy to have been spying on Life on Food this month where I decided to try her Cake Mix Toffee Bars.  Not that this was the only recipe on her page.  Heavens, no.

Gooey Butter Cake for the Home Chef #SundaySupper

When I first moved to the St. Louis area, I was bombarded with, "have you had gooey butter cake yet?" over and over!  So when Bob and I had our first chance, we bought gooey butter cake from Prasino and loved it!  The recipe below mimicks the gooey butter cake, but I think I like it the best from professional bakers!

The story goes that a baker, not paying attention to his craft, reversed the amount of flour and butter.  Since it was the 1930's and no one wasted anything, the cake was baked up and sold.  It became a popular breakfast treat, not a dessert as we see it so often, now.

Here's my home version, which is sweet, but not too sweet, and perfect for breakfast or dessert.  I think that's the best anyway!

What's Blooming at Our Good Life

When Spring springs, everything moves so fast!  Here's what is blooming in Zone 6a in Missouri in our yard.

Top Ten Earth Day Food Tips that Save Our Planet

On Earth Day, take a moment to evaluate your food footprint.  It is important for us to look at how we get and use our food.  Consider the following tips when planning your food for your family.

Travel Tips: Branson

When most people think of vacationing or taking a road trip to Branson, it isn't in the spring. Summer is a very popular time for Branson and, rightfully so!  However, I want you to consider taking your first road trip of the year right now, this spring, to Branson, Missouri.

Chocolate Chip Cheesecake with a Brownie Crust

Nothing like a good cheesecake for a dessert at a bookclub meeting.  I recently hosted my P.E.O. ladies at my house for book club and served them this delicious Chocolate Chip Cheesecake with a brownie crust.  Everyone loved it!

Play Ball!

It's baseball season and we love our St. Louis Cardinals.  This year Opening Day was a great success, as the Cards trounced the Brewers 10-1.  It was a bit rainy and a little cold for my liking.  All fans received a magnet of the seasons games when entering.

 Each year as part of our Christmas to one another we purchase a game pack of 10 tickets.  We choose the Opening Day package because we love all the tradition that goes into opening Busch Stadium for the season!  For those of you who would like to attend the Opening Day game,  take a look at what we think you should know in order to have a fun and (almost) stress-free day.

Travel Tips: Lake of the Ozarks

Traveling to the Lake of the Ozarks for a weekend trip was possible this year due to the fact that we also had a conference scheduled back-to-back!  Sometimes you just have to fit in travel where ever and whenever you can!

Bacon Wrapped Dates #SundaySupper

My husband and I love to make these delicious Bacon Wrapped Dates apps for dinner parties because 1. they are so easy and 2. everyone just falls over when they realize that they are DATES.  We have made converts of people who say they hate dates until they tried these!

We've also learned to make two boxes of dates: one for us to nibble on as we make the second box for our guests! It makes it easier for us to not eat them at the party and save them for all for the guests!

See more tips below.

Five Years of Laundry Product??

If you are like me, I absolutely cannot stand to purchase laundry products.  They are so expensive, not to mention cumbersome and heavy.  When I learned about Good Sheet, I was so excited.

Salad Bowl Gardening

It's the time of year when we can plant spring vegetables, especially lettuce!  My husband and I made the first of our annual trips to the greenhouse and purchased the lettuces for our Salad Bowl.  Bob and I ran out of space one year for planting all the vegetables we wanted  We had an available planter so Bob filled it with soil and dubbed it "the Salad Bowl."  We love snipping our lettuce for our meal right before we eat.

This year we are experimenting outside of our usual spring lettuce and spinach.  We bought a wide variety of lettuces that sound and look so good:

Coffee Cake in a Jiffy

Welcome to the April edition of #FoodieExtravaganza where we celebrate food holidays, such as National Coffee Cake Day, which is officially April 7.  You will have time to try this cake before taking it to work to celebrate!

Dark Chocolate After Dinner Bars

Welcome to the April round of Taste Creations!  This time we are sharing with you recipes that use dark chocolate.

I love dark chocolate.  I love that it is good for you, if used appropriately.  There are such good antioxidants in dark chocolate (don't combine it with milk, as the antioxidants will attach themselves to the milk) and theobromine (which helps tooth enamel), is high in minerals like potassium, iron, magnesium and copper, and improves blood flow to your heart and brain. Do you need to hear any more???

This simple bar is a great after dinner treat when you don't want a full dessert but want a little something.  With dark chocolate, toasted almonds and sea salt, this is the perfect "little something."

Limoncello and Cocktails #SundaySupper

The first sip of Limoncello in the summer time is like a burst of sweet sunshine in your mouth.  The secret to amazing limoncello is the quality of lemons you have.  I was so fortunate to have fresh-picked lemons from a carefully nurtured tree in Arizona as the source of my limoncello.  It is well worth the price!

For this week's Italian Feast with #SundaySupper, be sure to have an ample supply of Limoncello to end your meal.  Absolutely fantastic.

Once you have made the Limoncello, you can use it for a base for many delicious cocktails.  My favorites are included below.

Favorite Things!

This month has flown by!  I had a lot of work-related travel and that always makes the time speed by.  I love to go to conferences and this month I learned many new things to help me with my work.  I love to learn!

Here are some wonderful products that I came across this month.  I'll denote which ones were given to me for review.

I'm in love with this darling keychain of Truman!  I found this in an Etsy shop called Duct Tape and Denim.  I love the rusty aspect to it and they will personalize it for you!  Great service, too!