Sweet Roll Hand Pies

These Sweet Roll Hand Pies have all the cinnamon-y goodness of your favorite breakfast food, along with a healthy dose of vanilla icing, all in one fun little hand pie! Perfect with a cup of coffee or a tall glass of milk, and easy enough to whip up any day of the week!

One of my favorite memories from childhood is SLEEPOVERS!! Seriously - what could be more fun for a kid than knowing that they get to be with their best friend for hours on end? That they get to stay up late, watching movies and being silly together, they get to brush their teeth together and sleep in the same room together? And then....after all that...they get to wake up and have breakfast together? What on earth could be better!?

Grilled Corn Salad with Chili Lime Vinaigrette

Grilled Corn Salad with avocado, blue cheese, and chili lime vinaigrette. 

All the good stuff...in one salad...on one plate! Lunch just got a little (or a lot) tastier!

You know those people who try to fool themselves by ordering a Diet Coke with their bacon cheeseburger and  fries? Maybe you are even one of them....and hey...no judgement here! I do the same exact thing!! Only with me it's not Diet Coke and cheeseburgers...no, with me, it's salads and desserts! By now you already know that I have a HUGE sweet tooth. And you may be starting to pick up on the fact that I'm a salad lover, too. And, the more I think of it, I can't help but wonder if the two are somehow related!

Banana Colada Smoothie

Banana Colada Smoothies - all the flavors of a pina colada, with the delicious addition of banana, 

in a tasty treat the whole family can enjoy!

Have I mentioned that I have a family of sweet tooths? I guess it should come as no surprise, really...I have a pretty powerful sweet tooth, myself, and it doesn't help that every other day I am making a new treat to share with all of you! The only good news? At least all the treats I'm making aren't going to waste....! Nope - we eat every last one of them!

Strawberry Shortcones

Strawberry Shortcones - a fun mix between a shortcake and an ice cream cone - 

the perfect summer treat!

Now that it's summer, my kids ask for ice cream pretty much daily. (I have no idea where they get their sweet tooth from.....certainly not me!) In their minds, ice cream is something we should always have, end of story. The reality, of course, is that sometimes we have it, and sometimes we don't. So what's a mom to do when her kiddos are desperate for ice cream and there's none to be had? Easy! Use frozen Cool Whip instead!

Peanut Butter Oreo Mud Bars

Chocolate Mud Bars with a Peanut Butter Oreo crust - these bars are rich, decadent,
and dangerously delicious!

I will never forget the time we had our neighbors over for mud bars. It was sometime last summer, and the memory is forever ingrained in my mind. Let me just start by saying we love our neighbors dearly - we are so lucky to have wonderful neighbors on either side of us, with kids the same age as ours and adults we enjoy spending time with. But that's not what makes that night so memorable.

Pineapple-Orange Mojito

Pineapple-Orange Mojitos - just as refreshing as the original, with a sweet and tangy twist!

Almost exactly four years ago, my brother got married to his lovely wife, Megan......in Mexico! And despite the fact that I had a 9 month old and was still nursing at the time, I left Jorden and the girls at home and headed to Mexico on my own. I wouldn't have missed it! And I'm sure it comes as no surprise to you that I had an amazing time....or that coming home was bittersweet....or that I'd go back in a heartbeat (with Jorden this time....of course)....

Pizza Kebabs

All the components of pizza...on a stick! These Deconstructed Pizza Kebabs will be your kids' favorite new meal (and they can even help you make it)!

The State Fair knew long ago what I am just figuring out now: EVERYTHING tastes better on a stick! At last count, the Wisconsin State Fair offered 83 different foods on a stick - everything from apple pie to deep fried stuffing to an 18-inch corn dog.....and so many options in between. Who knew what a huge difference a tiny stick could make?

4th of July Bandana Flag

All you need is 3 simple materials to create this fun, unique 4th of July Flag.

Perfect for your indoor or outdoor 4th of July decor!

If you knew me better, you would know that one of the areas I am most critical of myself is in my parenting. Before having kids, I never would have imagined how difficult it actually is. I am constantly questioning whether I am spending enough time with them, teaching them the right things, involving them in enough activities, offering the right amount of discipline, fostering self-confidence, creating lasting memories, developing a relationship that will take us through the teenage years.

Blueberry Monkey Bread

All the ooey-gooey-ness of Monkey Bread, with the delicious flavors of blueberry & cream cheese. 

An ooey-gooey delicious way to start your day!

So I'm pretty sure I'm the nicest wife EVER....since I let Jorden sleep in until 10:00 on Saturday...! I seriously can't remember the last time I slept until 10:00 - even when I "sleep in" it's more like 8:30 these days. But Jorden told me the one and only gift he wanted was sleep - a chance to sleep in, and maybe an afternoon nap. One out of two is not bad....right? (Don't worry...we got him some actual gifts, too).

Father's Day & the Bloglovin' Bandwagon

Happy Monday! I hope you all had a wonderful Father's Day weekend! Ours was jam-packed (what weekend isn't!?) but so much fun! We had a soccer party for Ellia Friday night, and Saturday we celebrated Father's Day with Jorden. We let him sleep until 10:00, then made him a big breakfast, planted a vegetable garden, played outside, and had dinner at his favorite Mexican restaurant. Sunday we had my family over to celebrate Father's Day with my dad (that's him with my three girls in the picture)...and since there are two new babies in the family, we got to spend the afternoon holding babies! 

Does it get any better than that!??

(It really doesn't!!) I hope your weekend was full of good things, too!

Now that the weekend is over, it's time for me to take care of some business. First order of business? Bloglovin'. For those of you who have been following Lemon Tree Dwelling on Google Friends Connect, as of July 1st, Google Friends Connect will no longer exist. Which means that all my lovely followers will have no way to keep in touch with me....unless they follow me on bloglovin'!

Whether you're a regular or a first-timer here at Lemon Tree Dwelling, I'd LOVE to have you! And while you're at it, if you don't already follow me on Google+, Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter, or RSS Feed, feel free to sign up so you don't miss anything!

Let's keep in touch!!

Thanks for taking a peek inside my Lemon Tree Dwelling...

I hope you feel right at home!

-Cathy

 

Sicilian Spinach Salad

Classic Sicilian flavors on a bed of fresh spinach, drizzled with fresh basil vinaigrette.
A deliciously flavorful salad, perfect for summer.

Back in college, before the low carb craze, I developed an entire relationship over baskets and baskets of bread. Let me explain. Sometime early sophomore year, I met my now good friend Erin. We were opposites from the beginning - she was loud and outgoing, had tons of friends and was always up for anything....especially if it involved a party! I was much more quiet and reserved, more likely to have a few close friends, looking for good conversations and deep connections....and not much for parties at all! And yet, somehow, we just clicked.

My First Post at The 36th Avenue!

Tropical Spinach Salad w/Sweet Lime Vinaigrette - I'm over at The 36th Avenue sharing this recipe today!

Hey Everyone.....guess what!? It's Friday!! I am so excited to enjoy a beautiful Father's Day weekend and hopefully plant our garden! What do you have planned? I'm also excited because today my first contributor post is up over at The 36th Avenue! I am so excited to be working with Desiree and contributing to her lovely blog. I'd love for you to stop by and say hello to me over there - I'm sharing the recipe for this Tropical Spinach Salad w/ Sweet Lime Vinaigrette! A new summer favorite!

Also, don't forget to enter to win a $100 Target Gift Card in my Summer Fun Giveaway, going on now! (Click the logo for details!)

I'll be back here later with another yummy summer salad....I hope to see you then!




Thanks for taking a peek inside my Lemon Tree Dwelling....
I hope you feel right at home!
-Cathy

Lemon Shortbread Parfaits

Single-serving parfaits made with lemon, shortbread, and toasted coconut are simple and delicious....
and sure to impress!

In case you haven't figured it out by now, I seem to have an obsession with lemon. I suppose the name Lemon Tree Dwelling is a bit of a giveaway....but I must admit, when I chose the name even I didn't realize the extent of my love for lemon. I guess you're never too old to learn new things about yourself, right?

Lemon Basil Spritzer

A simply delicious spritzer made with champagne, lemonade, and basil simple syrup.
Light, refreshing, and perfect for a hot summer day!

I read recently that 3 pm on Wednesdays is the time when women look most tired. And I thought to myself NO KIDDING! It's right smack dab in the middle of the week....too far after last weekend to feel any of its benefits, too far away from the coming weekend to even be excited. We are bogged down in homework and housework and weekday craziness....and the end feels nowhere in sight! Yep, around here,Wednesdays always feel like a feat!

Rhubarb Crumb Cake

Fresh, tart rhubarb in a deliciously rich and moist coffee cake with a buttery crumb topping - a little piece of heaven for your morning.

Growing up, we always had a big rhubarb plant in our backyard. My mom used to make Rhubarb Crisp as a special summer treat. She would serve it warm, with vanilla ice cream on top. Mmmmmmm. The only problem was that, as a child, I wanted nothing to do with rhubarb. Clearly I didn't know what I was missing! Luckily, my tastes have changed since then...and these days, passing up a rhubarb treat would be completely unheard of!

Summer Giveaway {$100 Target Gift Card}

Happy Monday, Everyone!

I hope you all enjoyed your weekend! Friday was the last day of school for us, which means it was our first official weekend of summer....and we packed it full! Dinner at Cheesecake Factory, a Farm Breakfast, Nora's 2nd birthday celebration, a day with friends, and plenty of time to ride bikes and enjoy the beautiful weather! This week we start tennis lessons for Ellia and a sports camp for Greta....all I can say is it's a good thing summer days are long!

To help you start your summer off right, I've teamed up with a wonderful group of bloggers to bring you 10 Fun Summer Ideas and an awesome giveaway - a $100 Target gift card!

Summer Citrus Shandy

 Summer Citrus Shandy - a refreshing summer cocktail made with beer, lemonade, triple sec, and fruit. Treat him to one for Father's Day....and treat yourself, too!

 

Tomorrow is a big day for us.....it's the day our baby turns two! I have spent nearly every waking moment of her life with her, and yet I can't seem to figure out where the time has gone. Of course, when I think back to this time two years ago, and all that has happened in our lives since then, it becomes pretty clear where all the time has gone....this Lemon Tree Dwelling has been keeping us busy!

World's Best Cream Corn

Delicious cream corn, loaded with bacon, leeks and poblano peppers. The perfect summer side dish....or make it for a meal all on its own! (Great for Father's Day, too!)

 

A couple years ago, my mom gave me a recipe for cream corn she had found in the newspaper. But not just any cream corn - the "famous" cream corn from a local restaurant that's known for its use of fresh, local ingredients and handcrafted, homey dishes. At the time, I had never been there, but I had heard enough rave reviews to know that any of their recipes would be amazing. Especially the recipe for their best-selling cream corn.

{Make Your Own} Flavored Mayo

Make your own flavored mayo - the perfect dipping sauce for french fries, breads, and crackers....and the perfect homemade gift for Father's Day! With flavors like pesto, sun dried tomato/basil, and lemon pepper garlic, you won't be able to resist (and neither will he!)

When it comes to weaknesses, most of mine tend to fall in the "sweet tooth" category. Cheesecake, turtle sundaes, salted caramel, gooey brownies....if there's one thing that's true about my food loves, it's that I love my desserts!! My theory is that you're either one or the other. Either a sweets person or a salty person. A good example of someone who's salty? Jorden! He can easily take just one or two bites of a dessert and then be done.....but if you stick a plate of nachos in front of him, forget it!! And that's how I am with my sweets.

"Life Lessons" Father's Day Photo Gift

This simple DIY Photo Gift is straight from the heart....and straight from the mouths of your kiddos! 

The perfect way to show Dad just how much he is loved.

Did you have a chance to check out yesterday's Father's Day Printable post?  I found a great quote about fathers that made me think a lot about my own dad, so I decided to share the story of his 60th birthday with you! My siblings and I compiled a list of "60 life lessons" we had learned from him, and we read it out-loud to him as part of his birthday celebration. It was such a special day....and recalling the "life lessons" was a great opportunity for me to take a look back at all the things, big and small, I had learned from my dad throughout my life. (You can find the full post here.)

Father's Day Printable

(click here to print)

A few years ago, when my dad turned 60, my siblings and I decided to come up with a list of "60 Life Lessons" we had learned from him over the years. All of us, spouses included, wrote down 5-10 things that came to mind - some heartwarming, some funny, some just plain fact - and compiled it into a list that we printed out for him and read around a campfire. It was such a special way to celebrate his birthday, and such a great opportunity to reflect on all he had taught us.

Crab Cake Quesadillas

Crab cakes, deconstructed and stuffed inside a quesadilla, topped with red pepper aioli dipping sauce. Quite possibly the best quesadilla you'll ever eat.

If it were up to me, I'd probably eat crab cakes every day. Or at least every week....! I'm a HUGE crab  fan....and, come to think of it, I've loved it ever since I was a kid! When most kids were probably asking for lasagna or cheeseburgers for their special birthday meal, my request was for steak and crab legs (or, to be clear, imitation crab sticks.....which, by the way, I still love :)