My Ohio Dairy Adventure

A big thank you to the American Dairy Association Mideast for sponsoring my Ohio Dairy Adventure. All thoughts & opinions expressed below are my own.

I have to say that one of the most rewarding perks of my blogging career so far (other than being able to pay the bills) is having the opportunity to travel, learn, and meet some pretty amazing food bloggers and people in the food industry along the way. I was afforded another one of these amazing travel experiences the week before last when I took a road trip to Cleveland, Ohio as part of the Ohio Dairy Adventure. Okay, I know what you all may be thinking right about now- just what is an Ohio Dairy Adventure? ;) Let me enlighten you all...

It started with a cheese and wine pairing at the House of Blues that was followed by a day spent exploring two local dairy farms (there was also some cheese thrown in between the two farms), then an amazing dinner in a NFL stadium, followed by a morning of learning about the American Dairy Association Mideast's initiatives in Cleveland's public schools, and the whole trip ended with even more cheese- but ooey, gooey melted cheese that time around. Notice a theme here? (Psssstttt... cheese!)

But we all know that we wouldn't have all the cheese without the dairy, right? And where does the dairy (aka, milk) come from? Cows, of course! So, it only seems fitting to start there with the story of my recent Ohio Dairy Adventure experience... 

Cinnamon Glazed Pumpkin Buttermilk Donuts

Moist cake donuts are packed with pumpkin and then drizzled in a cinnamon glaze in these delicious Cinnamon Glazed Pumpkin Buttermilk Donuts...

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Since becoming a self-rising flour convert last month when I made & shared with you all the recipe for these beyond amazing Easy Pumpkin Cream Biscuits, I have been on the hunt for even more fabulous fall baking recipes I could come up with using this miracle flour. 

I say miracle flour because for whatever reason self-rising flour produces a much more fluffier end product with an amazing texture that I was just never really able to achieve by simply sifting the flour, baking powder, and salt myself. Don't ask me why- it just must be all in the way that it is sifted at King Arthur. ;)

When I was doing my self-rising recipe research a couple of weeks ago, it occurred to me that I really don't have that many homemade donut recipes on the blog. Actually there is one to be exact- my Cinnamon-Sugar Apple Butter Donuts. I decided that it was time to change that already. 

Seeing as how I had some buttermilk leftover from another fabulous fall baking recipe I had been working on a few days before (stay tuned- that one will be on the blog before too long!), I knew I wanted to make a moist buttermilk cake donut. And what says fall has arrived more than pumpkin? Am I right here, folks? :) 

Moist cake donuts are packed with pumpkin and then drizzled in a simple cinnamon glaze in these delicious Cinnamon Glazed Pumpkin Buttermilk Donuts...

Spiced Pear Planter's Punch

Sweet fresh pears and spiced rum come together in this perfect for fall Spiced Pear Planter's Punch...

I know that pumpkin and apples tend to reign supreme when fall rolls around, but I really think that pears should get a little more of the autumn spotlight. They become plentiful this time of the year and are begging to be made into delicious, fall inspired recipes. 

While doing a little cocktail research online, I came across a recipe for planter's punch and was instantly intrigued. A traditional planter's punch usually is a mix of dark rum and fruit juices making it the perfect libation for summer. 

But I thought why not give this rum cocktail a spicy fall makeover?

I infused a homemade simple syrup with fresh pear and shook that together with spiced rum and sparkling apple juice. The result? A perfect for fall cocktail that you will want to serve around a fire pit on a cool autumn night or as an adult treat with dessert after Thanksgiving dinner.

I do encourage you all to save the slices of pear that you use to infuse the simple syrup with to toss into your cocktail or to simply snack on and enjoy later (or right then ;) ). 

Something unexpected happened when I tried one of these syrup-soaked pieces of pear- I was instantly transported back to my childhood when my grandmother used to can pears from the tree in her backyard. 

She always jarred them in a simple syrup, and I remember them being such a special sweet treat for us kids. This Spiced Pear Planter's Punch is an adult version of that childhood fall treat...

Chili Stacks

These easy to make Chili Stacks are not only tasty, but they are budget friendly as well. Have this dish on your dinner table in 30 minutes or less...

I was provided a copy of the Good Cheap Eats Dinner in 30 Minutes cookbook to review. No other compensation was provided for this post or for hosting a giveaway. All opinions expressed below are my own.

This post may contain affiliate links. Purchasing through them helps support this website.

I think you all know by now that I am all about budget friendly and tasty meals. They make up a bulk of my meal plan each week, and I am always on the look out for new recipes to add to the rotation that won't break the bank. My good friend, Jessica from Good Cheap Eats has been an inspiration for me in that department for a couple of years now. And every time that she comes out with a new cookbook, I get just a tad bit giddy inside. So when I was contacted to review her newest cookbook- Good Cheap Eats Dinner in 30 Minutes (Or Less!)- it was a no-brainer for me. ;)

Pumpkin Spice Coconut Smoothie Bowl

Your favorite summer and fall flavors meld perfectly in this creamy & healthy Pumpkin Spice Coconut Smoothie Bowl...

Did anyone else get hit by that sinus cold/infection thing that has been going around lately? I was down with it for most of last week, and I am so not good at being sick. Or doing that resting thing, but this crud kicked my booty. I found myself napping or lying down whenever I could and heading to bed early almost every night for at least five nights last week. 

And when this mama is down for the count, cooking meals at home comes to an abrupt and grinding halt. My husband doesn't really cook often, so I found myself texting him to pick up pizza or fast food before he came home from work last week more times than I would like to admit to you all. 

Add in the fact that I was in no shape to head to the gym at all for the duration of that yuckiness, and I was feeling pretty sluggish and unhealthy by the time this thing finally ran its course near the beginning of this week. I have eased back into my gym routine, but I am craving healthy foods after all the greasy fast food I consumed last week. 

Wanting to get back to some healthier eating, I decided to finally take the leap and made my first ever smoothie bowl. If you are not familiar with a smoothie bowl, you whip it up in a blender the same as you would a smoothie. But a smoothie bowl is thicker making it perfectly spoonable- like a healthy, cold "soup" that is perfect for breakfast or an afternoon snack. Since I am craving fall flavors, but still clinging a little to summer I decided to meld one of my favorite summer flavors (coconut) with one of my favorite fall flavors (pumpkin) in this creamy Pumpkin Spice Coconut Smoothie Bowl... :)

Weeknight Lasagna Soup

Enjoy all the gooey, cheesy goodness of a homemade lasagna in just 30 minutes with this easy to make Weeknight Lasagna Soup...

Having Italian roots and all, I am a sucker for homemade lasagna. It is just one of those classic Italian dishes that you just can't go wrong with. 

My only gripe about it? Making it. Call me lazy, but why does a good homemade lasagna have to take so much time to assemble and bake? 

From the browning of the meat, to the layering of the noodles with the filling, to the actual baking time, it can take up to two hours to whip up a dish of lasagna! 

And of course my homemade lasagna cravings always seem to hit me on a busy weeknight. The last thing I have on a busy weeknight is two hours to kill on making dinner. 

My solution? This easy to make Weeknight Lasagna Soup. :)

Seriously, folks. If you want all the gooey, cheesy goodness and flavor of a homemade lasagna without waiting hours for it, then this lasagna soup is about to become your new dinner time best friend...

Peach Mango Iced Tea For One

Make a refreshing, fruity flavored iced tea in minutes with this Peach Mango Iced Tea for One. Post Sponsored by Lunchbox. All opinions are 100% my own.

I would say that on any given day there is almost always a pitcher of sweet iced tea chilling in my fridge. We are a family that loves our iced tea. But occasionally this mama gets busy and life happens, and we will go a day or two (or sometimes three) without a fresh pitcher of sweet tea to enjoy, and then one of us is bound to find ourselves wishing we had a glass with dinner. Or we will get a craving for a flavored iced tea. Or I will have a guest over for dinner or a cookout who prefers their iced tea unsweetened. This is why I am so glad that I recently discovered Lipton K-Cups. Lipton K-Cups allows me to easily solve all three of those little iced tea dilemmas in mere minutes!

Simply pop a Lipton K-Cup in your Keurig and brew over ice. It doesn't get much easier than that, folks. And making a fruity flavored iced tea for one is just as easy! But instead of regular ice cubes, you use fruit juice ice cubes like I did for this refreshing & fruity Peach Mango Iced Tea for One...