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Today, I'm sharing one of my favorite (easy) crockpot dinners. This Crockpot Italian Tortellini is quick to throw together in a few minutes and makes a yummy dinner on a busy day. It's practically a dump-and-go meal. Perfect for a busy Winter soupy meal. Jump to recipe! Ingredients: 16 oz frozen tortellini 1 lb ground Italian sausage 5 oz spinach (or a few handfuls) 2 cans of Rotel 32 oz vegetable broth Italian seasoning (I used dried oregano and basil) 8 oz block of cream cheese. In a large pan, brown your Italian sausage. While the sausage is cooking, I start getting out my other ingredients and my crockpot. I'm a timesaver, and this is my hustle meal. In your crockpot, add in the frozen tortellini, Rotel, vegetable broth, Italian seasonings, and spinach. Once your sausage is done cooking, add that to the crockpot too. Stir to mix everything around. Top everything with a block of cream cheese. There is no need to stir at this point or chop up the cream cheese. Cook on low for 5-6 hours. Once you're ready to eat, stir in the cream cheese and serve. ** It's delicious with bread to soak up the sauce. This recipe was one that I was told by a friend when we went to a birthday party. She served it and it was amazing. I may have tweaked it over the years, I can't remember if it's exactly the same as she told it to me, or if it's been changed as I made it for my own family. This crockpot tortellini is so good. We make it year-round over here, but it's even better in the Fall and Winter when you just want a bowl of something delicious to warm you up. It's also a good one to take to someone for a meal train when they've had a baby or need a dinner delivered. It doesn't get much easier than this! We hope you like it as much as we do. Crockpot Italian Tortellini Ingredients: 16 oz frozen tortellini 1 lb ground Italian sausage 5 oz spinach (or a few handfuls) 2 cans of Rotel 32 oz vegetable broth Italian seasoning (I used dried oregano and basil) 8 oz block of cream cheese. In a large pan, brown your Italian sausage. While the sausage is cooking, I start getting out my other ingredients and my crockpot. I'm a timesaver, and this is my hustle meal. In your crockpot, add in the frozen tortellini, Rotel, vegetable broth, Italian seasonings, and spinach. Once your sausage is done cooking, add that to the crockpot too. Stir to mix everything around. Top everything with a block of cream cheese. There is no need to stir at this point or chop up the cream cheese. Cook on low for 5-6 hours. Once you're ready to eat, stir in the cream cheese and serve.

This chocolate fondue is so easy to make and only takes 3 ingredients and about 5 minutes to pull together. Something about chocolate fondue feels so decadent and fancy, but honestly, this recipe is so simple and can be made in various ways. Chocolate fondue is a fun thing to make for your Valentine or Galentine party! Easy Chocolate Fondue Note: I make mine in a fondue pot but you can also make a double boiler . 12 oz semi-sweet chocolate chips (about 2 cups) 1 cup heavy cream 1 tsp vanilla In a fondue pot or double boiler add in your chocolate chips and heavy cream. Heat over low heat, stirring often. You'll want to mix the cream and chocolate at the same time to keep the cream from getting too hot too quickly and curdling. 2. Once it's melted together add in your vanilla and stir together. 3. Keep your fondue on a low heat setting and serve with fruit, cookies, donut holes, or anything that sounds good dipped in chocolate. This fondue has a really great chocolate flavor and is super smooth and creamy and perfectly dippable! Tips and tricks I have a slightly older version of this Cuisinart Electric Fondue Pot but if you don't have one or don't want to invest in one, then you can heat your chocolate over a double boiler (see below for tips) and transfer to a bowl for serving at the table. If you have a little more time you can even make this in a mini crockpot and it will stay warm and dippable for a while. You can also add things to your fondue to make it slightly different, like caramel chocolate yum! Fondue Variations You can add in a scoop of caramel sauce or peanut butter to add some different flavors to your chocolate. You can also try it with milk or dark chocolate if you prefer those. I personally like semisweet because it feels like it has a better balance with the other sweet fruits and foods you are dipping into it. Fondue Dippers There are so many things you can dip in your chocolate fondue! Here are some ideas to get you started: strawberries pound cake potato chips bacon pineapple candy oranges donut holes ritz crackers raspberries bananas cheesecake bites gummy worms peanut brittle pretzels rice crispy treats cookies blueberries apples animal crackers How to make a double boiler To make a double boiler, you need two pots that are the same size across so that they can stack on top of each other without the top one falling into the bottom one. You're bottom pot you're going to enough water to cover the bottom of your pot and then some. You'll place the botttom pot over low heat. Then, you'll place your top bot over the pot with the water. This is the pot that you will melt you chocolate in. The bottom pot will get all simmery and steamy and provide heat for your top pot so it can melt the chocolate without burning it. Happy dipping!

One of the things I make for my kids every Christmas season are these Christmas Tree Waffles! I made them one year and now they've become a tradition in our household and my kids love them! Jump to recipe! Christmas Tree Waffles Making holiday-themed food is always so fun for me. These Christmas Tree Waffles are a great breakfast to enjoy this Christmas season. These semi-homemade waffles are simple enough to make on school mornings or let the kids help make and decorate their Christmas Tree Waffles on the weekend. The best part is that they are made with spinach (not food dye), so you get lots of good vitamins. They don’t taste like spinach either. My kids love them, and even request them! I’ve made spinach waffles from scratch before, but these Bisquick spinach waffles are just as good, and much easier! I just follow the recipe on the back of the box of Bisquick for waffles, but add spinach and adjust the milk a little. First, to incorporate the spinach into the waffles, mix the spinach and milk together in a blender until smooth. Christmas Tree Waffles (with spinach) Ingredients: 2 cups original Bisquick mix 1 large container of fresh baby spinach – about 16 oz 1 1/2 cups milk + spinach blended ( note: the original recipe calls for 1 1/3 cup but I increased it just a little.) 2 tbsp vegetable oil 1 egg toppings: whipped cream, sprinkles, Christmas M&M's Special Tools : Blender, waffle maker Directions: 1. In a blender, add in your 1 1/2 cups milk and the whole container of spinach. Blend until spinach is incorporated. 2. In a large bowl, add your Bisquick mix, milk mixture, vegetable oil, and egg. Whisk together your ingredients until smooth. 3. Pour the waffle batter into your prepared waffle maker and cook. I use this flip Belgian Waffle maker . 4. Cut apart your waffle triangles and arrange them into a tree shape on your plate. 5. Top with holiday M&M’s to look like ornaments and add a squirt of whipped cream at the top as a star! Serve and enjoy! My kids love them with hot cocoa in cute Santa mugs ! To be extra fancy, try drizzling them with chocolate syrup or adding sprinkles! Shop this recipe:

If you are having some friends over for a party and want a quick wow factor, our easy chocolate fondue and edible friendship bracelet skewers are the way to go. These fruit skewers are inspired by the friendship bracelets from the Eras tour and our girl Taylor Swift. This would be a perfect snack for Valentine's Day , Taylor Swift party , or a book club get-together. If you missed our Taylor Swift Eras-inspired book recommendations , you should go check it out Edible Friendship Bracelet Skewers Fruit - I choose to use strawberries and raspberries Marshmallows - These will be your letter "beads" Edible pens - Easy to create your letters on the marshmallows Donut holes - because why not, they taste amazing in the chocolate fondue Bamboo skewers - Dip them in water to make it easier to slide on the marshmallows These edible pens were so easy to use. I used the dab technique instead of dragging the pen across the marshmallow to get clean lines. You can either pre-make these for everyone to have plated when they arrive. They would make cute placeholders for where people might sit. Or, you can have everything divided into bowls for each person to create their own edible friendship bracelet skewer during the party. Strawberry Hearts Also, strawberries cut into heart shapes are easy and fun for these fruit skewers. I simply cut a V shape a the top by the stem and then round up the edges so it's smooth. The left side is rounded and the right side isn't rounded yet. I also felt like they were too big so I cut them in half as well.

The Super Bowl is just around the corner. We rounded up some of our favorite game day snacks. We all know the food is almost as important as the game! Game Day Snacks Air Fryer Buffalo Wings Veggie Pizza Jalapeno Poppers Cheesy Rotel and Sausage Dip Lemon Pepper Chicken Wings Air Fryer Bagel Bites Cream Cheese Fruit Dip Sheet Pan Nachos Crockpot Chicken Chili 7 Layer Dip Buffalo Chicken Dip Fruit Salad Cucumber Salad Chocolate Fondue Pizza Pinwheels Spinach Artichoke Dip

I recently created this black and white snack board for our The Tortured Poets Department listening and candle painting party! But, this high-contrast snack board can be perfect for lots of other types of parties. Maybe you're watching an old black-and-white film, throwing a Halloween party, or having a graduation retirement, or birthday party that is black-and-white themed. Either way, this snack board was a hit for us and we think it will be for you too. Here is what we included on our snack board and some other ideas for yours! Black and White Snack Board Mini powdered donuts Oreos Blackberries Black grapes Hershey's Hugs White cheddar popcorn Cookies and cream brownies cut bite-sized Start with a large black (or white) serving tray to keep with the theme. I have had my tray for so long I can't even remember where I got it from but you can find a variety of black serving trays that will suit the vibe you are going from. Fill up your tray with a variety of sweet and savory treats to enjoy, keeping each type of food grouped together. Throw in some fruit like our blackberries and grapes for good measure and let everyone graze or have it beside a dish like mini sliders and you're golden! Other ideas to include: white chocolate-covered pretzels black olives marshmallows white cubes of cheese black and white cookies Pirate's Booty Play around with it and have fun!

Now that Fall weather is starting to roll in, it is a great time to encourage outdoor play with your kiddos. Little ones enjoy getting sunshine and fresh air and these outdoor toys make outdoor play time even better. I have a huge passion for child development and I thought it would be fun to share some of my top picks for the best toys for outdoor play that help development. However, remember these are just suggestions. You know your child best, and what is developmentally appropriate for their current stage. All play should be supervised to ensure child safety. Be aware of sun safety (sunscreen & shade) and be sure to stay hydrated while playing outdoors, but most importantly of all, have fun! Best Toys for Outdoor Play Toys that Help with Development Sandbox This is a childhood classic! The sandbox is good for sensory development . Sand offers a tactile sensory experience and is a good way to work on fine motor skills by scooping and creating shapes in the sand. even helps with gross motor skills when kids balance or walk on sand. Remember to keep sand out of their mouth though. It can be really tempting for little ones . (For indoor sensory fun, try our DIY Moon Sand ) Sandbox with umbrella // sand box toys with dinos // ice cream sand box toys Sidewalk Chalk Drawing and writing with chalk is so much fun. Help kids develop those fine motor skills and creative thinking by drawing letters, shapes, and artwork. Kids will experience their proprioceptive sense by learning how hard to press down to write with the chalk. Work on communication skills by asking "What letter is this" or taking turns naming and drawing different shapes or animals. Take your chalk to the next level by making our Puffy Sidewalk Chalk Paint. Sidewalk Chalk // Chalk holders // Ice cream chalk Outdoor Swings Swings are great for a full-body sensory experience. While swinging, kids are learning balance and body awareness which are both important senses for core strength and staying upright. The repetitive motion of swinging can provide some social-emotional benefits as well, that help calm the nervous system . Be sure to use an age-appropriate swing (especially with babies) as well as one that is secure and can't tip over. If you don't have space for your own swing, many local parks have swings. Saucer Swing // Baby and Toddler Swing // Surfer Swing Water Tables Water tables are especially popular on warm days. Kids can cool off in the water while playing safely. Pouring water, measuring, and watching water paths and droplets are all fun ways to play with water. You can even add a few drops of dishwashing soap and have kids wash all their little figurine toys in the bubbles. Water play promotes fine motor skills while standing at the water table and moving around it helps with gross motor skills. Water Table with 2 Levels // Water Tower // Water Table with River Path Imitation Toys Help promote executive function with imitation toys for "grown-up " outdoor activities. Toys like gardening sets, playhouses, push lawnmowers, and bug-catching kits help promote problem-solving and mental flexibility . You can help kids build their social-emotional connection by playing with them like working in the garden or building a container fairy garden . Garden play set // Play House // Push Bubble Mower // Bug Catching Kit Bubbles I love bubbles, especially for toddlers! I often give bubble machines as gifts because toddlers love making and chasing bubbles so much. Following bubbles helps strengthen their visual and tracking skills as well as attention. Running after, catching, or stomping bubbles helps those gross and fine motor skills . If kids are using a wand and creating their own bubbles that's even better because they have to figure out what angle and how much to blow to make the bubbles. Discourage tasting or eating bubbles though because while bubbles are minimally toxic, they can cause stomach upset if ingested. CocoMelon Bubble Machine // Mess Free Bubble Blower // Bubble Gun Wheeled Toys As kids get bigger and more steady on their feet, they can start adding wheeled toys to their outdoor play. Scooters, wagons, play cars, and tricycles are great for vestibular sense (balance) as well as motor development and strength . Learning a new skill like riding a tricycle can sometimes require some problem solving which is great for executive function . Always remember to wear a helmet and other safety gear while riding a wheeled toy. Little Tikes Car // Little wagon // 2-in-1 Trike and Scooter Balls Different sizes and shapes of balls can provide a variety of entertainment for outdoor play. Beach balls are a fun option for babies. They are lightweight, so they are easy to hold and toss with both hands. They can roll them around and crawl after them. Other balls such as tennis balls are good for as kids get older. Test skills like, can they throw them overhanded? Can they catch a beach ball with 2 hands? Even yoga balls and hopper balls can be fun to roll around or bounce on in the grass. Promotes stretching and can increase core stability by bouncing and balancing on it. Overall, balls promote body awareness and motor skills . Rainbow Playground Balls // Hopper Balls // Beach Balls Sports Equipment Kids can start getting introduced to sports equipment at a young age and start learning the basics while having fun. Providing small, child-friendly sports equipment can be fun for both parents and kids. Things like basketball hoops, soccer balls, lawn bowling, and a baseball bat and tee set, are all great things to help with so many types of development. From motor skills, vestibular (balance), as well as executive skills by learning how to play a game. Kids oftentimes will even expand their vocabulary by learning new words and phrases used during sports. Lawn bowling // Basketball Hoop // Tball set No toys? No worries! Always remember unstructured play outdoors is great too! Just running around a park or exploring a nature trail, encourages kids to use their imagination and creativity while they play! Have fun playing and exploring the great outdoors! Looking for more toys? Check out our post of Best Toys for Indoor Play that help development!

Summer is great for "chillin'" (as my son says) but, it's also a great time to read some good books! I created these adorable printable summer reading challenge bookmarks aka "bookworm bookmarks" to help kids track their reading this summer. We always seem to use our library card the most during the summer break. I'm always encouraging my kids to find new, interesting books to read over Summer when we have the most downtime. It gives their brain something to do (helps combat that summer slide) and it also gives us some quiet time each day to decompress. There are 4 different bookworm bookmarks that you can print and use this summer. Either use the ones that suit your needs the most, or print them all and see how many bookworms you can get filled in by the end of summer break! Each bookmark has a variety of reading prompts like "read outside", "read a book about someone different than you", "read a book with magic in it" and much more! There are eight different prompts on each bookmark. Once that book is read, fill in the bookworm's body segment with the coordinating color. You don't have to go in order at all, it's just something fun to add to your summer. Print our bookworm summer reading challenge bookmarks (link below) and take them with you the next time you head to your local library! Download Bookworm Summer Reading Challenge Bookmarks Need a home printer? This Epson Ecotank is our favorite home printer! You may also like our: DIY Bookworm Library Bag What are you and your kids reading this Summer? Here are some curated book lists to get you started. Earth and Nature inspired picture books Pride Books for Kids and Teens 35 Books about Diversity and Kindness

When it comes to summer in the South, everyone has their favorite Banana Pudding recipe. You're pretty much guaranteed to find a banana pudding at every potluck or family function. This is my family's favorite banana pudding recipe. I am from Savannah, Georgia, and I don't know about you, but I've seen so many videos lately of the Savannah Banana's baseball team antics on my social media accounts. Their videos always catch my eye and it made me think of this recipe, so I decided to share it. I make this Southern Banana Pudding recipe every year when the weather warms up and like to make it for friends for special occasions like having a baby! Southern Banana Pudding Ingredients: 1 large box of instant vanilla pudding 8 oz sour cream 12 oz Cool Whip (thawed in fridge) 6 large bananas, chopped 1 box Vanilla Wafers milk, see directions on the pudding package *** Directions: 1. Mix the pudding and milk as directed on the package. 2. Add in the sour cream and mix well with a whisk. 3. Fold in Cool Whip. 4. Layer Vanilla Wafers, chopped bananas, and pudding mixture. 5. Refrigerate overnight before serving. Fun Banana Finds For more family favorites, try our Chicken Tinga Tacos !

Did you know you can really visit the town where the Halloweentown the Disney movie was filmed? Take a trip to the Pacific Northwest this Fall and plan a trip to visit "Halloweentown" in St. Helen's Oregon, a quaint little riverside town. We went last year and it was so much fun. This blog guide will help you plan your trip to Halloweentown. Put on a spooky outfit and channel your best witchy vibes. Plan a Trip to Halloweentown While we spent the day in St. Helen's, Oregon, we really planned the trip to visit Portland, Oregon, and the Oregon coast so I'll touch on some of that in a later post if you're interested in our entire trip. But let's dive right into some Halloweentown tips and tricks to plan your trip. How Far is St. Helen's from Portland? St. Helen's is only a 40-45 minute drive from Portland so it makes a great day trip. Because it was so close we knew it would be a town to visit to kick off the Halloween season and put us in the Halloween mood. When to visit Halloweentown? St. Helen's is a regular town so you can visit any time of the year, but they really put on a show for Spirit of Halloweentown from mid-September all the way until Halloween (Sep 16-Oct 31, 2023). Because of our trip itinerary, we visited on a weekday which was much more chill, but if you visit on the weekends, they open their main attractions and it's much more fun! What to do in Halloweentown? The main attraction in my opinion is the plaza in front of the courthouse with the large Halloweentown pumpkin! This is open on the weekends (weekdays for free) for photo ops and walking through. You can also see Benny the cab driver and pose with him for a picture. On October 7th , they have a big Halloweentown parade that ends with a pumpkin lighting so that's fun! On weekends you can purchase tickets to other attractions as well such as the haunted house, Big Halloween Exhibit, boat ride to Sand Island to hunt for Big Foot, a decorated houses tour, alien museum, movie theater showings, celebrity photo-ops and more! They host a costume contest every Saturday and Sunday with cash prizes up for grabs so go all out! Weekend attractions are usually open from 10 am to 5 pm unless otherwise noted. Halloweentown Photo Op Places? Giant Pumpkin - Halloweentown Plaza City Hall/Courthouse Plaza - Halloweentown Plaza at 275 Strand Street Benny’s Cab - Parked along Halloweentown Plaza (it's not exactly the cab from the movie, but Benny will be there in the driver’s seat and it's a fun photo to snag!) Bus stop - Halloweentown Plaza Old Theater : 212 S 1st Street (You can actually watch movies here including Halloweentown!) If you're looking for Aggie Cromwell’s house, it's located at 3814 SE Martins Street, Portland, Oregon so that's a bummer. Special events in Halloweentown? On October 21st- 22nd it's the 25th anniversary of the original movie and they will have special guests including "Sophie, Dylan, Luke, and Marnie" there, where you can get paid autographs and/or pictures with the cast. There is even a pizza party with Sophie, Dylan, and Luke you can attend. You can go inside the courthouse and see part of the movie set as well as scripts and other props and view the Halloweentown movie in their theater to celebrate! Other weekends are a host to special events such as Twilight weekend (September), Hocus Pocus weekend (September), Haunted Hotrods (October) and Witches Beer Fest and Witches Celebration (October). If you're a Twilight fan, the Bella Swan Twilight house is also in St. Helen's. You can stop by to see it and take your picture out front as well. Where to park for Halloweentown? During the weekdays you can park in the city on 231 S First Street and it's free. On the weekends, because it's a small town that pulls a big crowd, they offer parking passes for 1810 Old Portland Road and will shuttle you into the town. Parking on weekends costs $15 a day online and $20 in person so plan ahead. To get more information and purchase your tickets for attractions, celebrity photos, parking, and more, visit their Halloweentown website . Visiting Halloweentown is such a fun trip and such a unique place! If you are planning a trip to Portland or the Oregon coast, come back soon for my 4-day trip itinerary and guide! Looking for more Halloween fun? Check out our DIY Cheesecloth Ghosts, 13 Witchy Reads for Fall , and Copycat Starbucks Pumpkin Cream Cold Foam Recipe .

Summer is just around the corner and I've been looking for creative ways to stay cool. I have made a few versions of popsicles, but these Peach & Strawberry Wine Popsicles are my favorites and I’ll definitely be stocking my freezer with these for the summer. These wine popsicles were inspired when I was grocery shopping and saw this Arbor Mist Peach Moscato. It’s been so hot here, and I’ve been trying to find something new and cool to drink during the summer. I thought it sounded pretty delicious, so I bought a bottle. This peach Moscato is good to drink all by itself, but I immediately thought of strawberries and peaches and popsicles and decided to make my own recipe. Why not take it up a notch? I love the pretty red and peach layers of the strawberries and peaches. Peach & Strawberry Wine Popsicles 1 cup frozen strawberries 2 tablespoons sugar 1/3 cup Moscato 1 cup peaches 3 tablespoons sugar 1/2 cup Moscato Strawberry Layer Start with your strawberry layer. Blend together your frozen strawberries, 2 tablespoons sugar, and 1/3 cup Moscato. Pour into molds, filling about halfway. Freeze while you create your peach layer. Peach Layer In a blender, mix together about 1 cup of frozen peaches, 3 tablespoons of sugar, and 1/2 cup moscato. Pour on top of your strawberry layer. Put wooden popsicle sticks in and freeze overnight. I used aluminum foil to help hold the stick in place while it was freezing. Serve plain or in a wine glass with more Moscato poured over the top. *This makes about 6 popsicles. I used this popsicle mold but used wooden popsicle sticks instead of the plastic bottoms that it comes with. Moms are planning to enjoy this Summer too! Bring on hot mama, wine popsicle summer! Looking for a cold treat for the kids? Try our No-Churn Chocolate Ice Cream !

These Mini Lemon Flower Tarts are perfect for any Spring celebration, including a Mother's Day Brunch! These two-ingredient mini lemon tarts are super simple and make a stunning presentation for any Spring gathering. We loved them for Easter brunch and think they would be a stunning addition to your Mother's Day celebration! Mini Lemon Flower Tarts Recipe Ingredients: 1 box Ready-to-Bake roll-out pie crusts 1 can lemon creme (We used a can of Duncan Hines lemon creme found in the baking section) powdered sugar, optional Supplies: Flower cookie cutter mini cupcake pan Directions: Set your pie crust out, to become room temperature. Preheat your oven to 450F. Once your dough is room temp, roll it out and cut flower shapes out of it with this flower cookie cutter. 1 pie crust makes about 7 flowers, plan accordingly. Tuck each pie flower down into the mini cupcake pan, being sure to press them down into the bottom well, and gently fold the petals back around the top of the cupcake pan. Give the bottom and sides a few pokes with a fork. Bake for 5-6 minutes. 5 minutes was the sweet spot for me but your oven might be slightly different. Gently remove the flowers and let them cool for a few minutes on a wire rack. Spoon the lemon creme into a plastic baggie and cut the tip off. Pipe the lemon creme into the center of the mini flowers. Refrigerate for a few hours or until ready to serve. Sprinkle with powdered sugar if desired before serving. I tilted my flowers so that the powdered sugar got on the petals and not the pretty yellow filling. These would be a sweet treat to serve for a Mother’s Day Brunch! Moms always love flowers and they would make such a pretty presentation. These sweet lemon tarts would even be great for a baby or wedding shower or even a tea party or any celebration really! They are so pretty and bite-sized! This post may contain affiliate links .