Favorite Side Dish Recipes For Thanksgiving

Cooking for the holidays Can be stressful; I hope you try our family’s favorite side dishes that are very easy to make and you can whip up fast. Helping you to enjoy cooking and entertain a large crowd.

Recipes for Thanksgiving from our home to yours.

Holiday Family Favorite, Nana Holiday’s stuffing (Holiday is my maiden name) I grew up on this recipe, and my family enjoy it as much as I do. Actually, if I take this to a party, everyone asks for the recipe. It’s effortless and full of flavor. 2 key must-haves make this dish, and you can not substitute. (unless you need to make a vegetarian dish) The stuffing bread crumbs need to be Mrs.Cubbisons, and you need REAL butter. I hope you enjoy 3 of our Favorite Side Dish Recipes for Thanksgiving. Because once you’ve made these side dishes, your family will want them every year like mine.

Below you’ll find our 3 favorite sides for Thanksgiving and cooking for the holidays, Stuffing, Glazed Carrots, and Green bean casserole. I do make these throughout the year with other dishes, as the stuffing is great for my stuffed chicken breast, and the carrots go great with a Ham or roast beef dish. And the Green bean casserole is a great dish to take to a pot luck or a side with any meat dish.

Nana Holiday’s Stuffing:

Large stockpot (bigger then 15qt)

9 X 13 pan Greased I love this one HERE

Strainer and a large bowl or Pyrex bowl HERE

2 12oz Box Herb seasoned Stuffing mix Mrs. Cubbinsons

1 12oz box cornbread stuffing mix Mrs. Cubbinsons

6 cups of Chicken broth (this is a little more then you’ll need) use extra for making gravy

(Can Use Vegetable broth if need a vegetarian dish)

1 bunch of celery chopped

2 onions chopped

2 cubes butter (plant-based butter if need a vegetarian dish)

2 teaspoons Garlic salt

2 teaspoons Onion salt

2 teaspoons Pepper

2 teaspoons salt

1 Tablespoon of Parsley

1 Tablespoon of Poultry seasoning (or sage)

1 teaspoon of Kitchen Bouquet (this is a must-have seasoning for turkey and chicken dishes)

Add butter, celery, onion to the stockpot until soften, then add Chicken broth and all the seasonings to the stockpot and bring to boil. Place a strainer over a Pyrex bowl (or bowl) and pour the mixture from the stockpot over the strainer. Add dried stuffing to the stockpot, add in all the veggies from the strainer over the stuffing mixture, stir, then slowly add liquid stock to the dried mixture until moist (needs to be able to make a ball, not to wet). The strained liquid leftover you can use to create your gravy for more added flavor. Use stuffing to stuff turkey (your preference) & place leftovers in the greased 9X13 pan, and bake Stuffing at 350 for about 30 mins. I don’t stuff the turkey; I place it all in the pan.

Glazed Carrots

These Carrots are so good that non-vegetable lovers will love them.

1 1 /2 lb baby carrots or diagonal cut carrots

3 tbsp of butter

1/2 cup brown sugar

2 cups orange juice

1/8 Tbsp cornstarch

pinch on ginger

Garnish Rosemary or basil

Steam carrots set aside ( if you don’t have a steamer, boil until soft)

In a Saucepan, add Butter, sugar, juice, and bring to a bubble. Whisk in cornstarch. Cook until thick, add ginger, carrots, stir gently, and or into a dish. Garnish with rosemary or my favorite basil.

Not your Regular Green bean casserole

1 can 10 1/2 oz of Campbell’s Condensed Cream of Mushroom soup

3/4 cup of heavy cream

1/8 tsp black pepper

1/2 cube of butter melted

4 cups of cooked french green beans (you can use frozen or fresh) Don’t use canned

1 can of French’s Crispy fried onions

1 pound of cooked bacon chopped up

Mix soup, cream, pepper, and butter in a 1 1/2 qt baking dish. Stir in beans and 1/2 the onions, and 1/2 the bacon. Bake at 350 for 30 min or until bubbly hot. Stir and then top with remaining onions and bacon. Bake 5 min or until onions are golden.

A few of my favorite serving and cooking pieces, Shop the post below:

Thank you for stopping by and taking the time to read my blog. I hope you and your family have a beautiful Thanksgiving. OX, D’Arcy

Great Gift Idea or the Perfect Items to Have in your Freezer for the Holiday’s WILDGRAIN box, It’s our Family’s favorite Bread, Pasta, and Pastries Shipped Fresh Frozen straight to your door or a loved one’s door. It’s perfect for a quick delicious meal or side dish. Let me tell you, the Sourdough bread is to die for. I love having a stocked freezer and pantry, especially during the Holiday. If you Order NOW, you get an EXTRA free loaf of sourdough in every box. Use code DARCY_10 for $10 off. Order HERE

If you enjoyed this post, you might also enjoy these posts:

HOW TO CREATE AN EASY THANKSGIVING DINING TABLESCAPE

3 INGREDIENT, QUICK & EASY APPETIZER PERFECT FOR THE HOLIDAY’S

SPINACH & TORTELLINI SOUP RECIPE

This post may contain affiliate links. All opinions are my own. I only promote brands that I truly love and believe in! Thank you for your support!

Build Your Own Pizza Bar for a Fun family Meal

Build Your Own Pizza Bar

Pizza night …using some leftovers and homemade ingredients.

Use up those leftovers and create a Pizza night your Family will love. They can make their own and get creative to try new things. So if you plan your meals out for the week and have a pasta night a couple of nights before, it works out great. Because I like to space out Italian food a couple of days apart, this helps to use up those little bits of leftovers you may have had.

Rhodes rolls

Homemade Alfredo sauce recipe here

Homemade marinara or your favorite Jar

Asparagus (leftovers)

Sautés Mushrooms (leftovers)

Ham ( leftover Easter) That I had thrown in the freezer

Fresh sliced tomatoes

Mozzarella, Asiago, Romano, Parmesan cheese (leftover from this week’s Fettuccine night)

Chopped Garlic

Fresh Rosemary

Fresh Basil

Green onions

Olives

Italian seasonings

Garlic powder

Onion salt

Sea Salt

Balsamic glaze or vinegar

Olive oil

Preheat oven 425 unless you have a pizza oven, we cook them for 10 minutes 12 minutes depending on the oven! Also depends on how crispy you like your pizza.

These make mini individual pizzas. Make sure you do enough rolls per person, I did 2-3 per person. (for the rolls follow the directions on the bag) Then after they’ve risen all day each person flattens and pulls theirs out to shape and top with desired toppings. Some family members made little calzone instead of a mini pizza. That is part of the fun, Building Your Own Pizza Bar, You can get as creative as you want and try different things on your pizza. My family loves this interactive meal, it’s fun to hear them chat, joke, and talk their way through creating their pizza’s.

For fun, kitchen Gadgets check out my Amazon Shop HERE

Blogger Friends:

This week I joined some of my Blogger girlfriends in a recipe share because It’s always fun in the kitchen, please go check out their blogs and see what was cooking or mixing up in their kitchens.

Rosemary = Distinctly Southern Style

Gwen= Gwen Live well

Kim= For a Good Life

Rebecca= R You Ready to Organize

LeNysha= Fifty Fab and Traveling

Sherri= A Woman Thing

Heidi = Simply Our Society

A few more recipes I thought you would like:

Ben’s Heavenly Homemade Fettuccine

Easiest Bruschetta & Toast Recipe

Best Homemade Salsa Recipe

Thank you for stopping by this week. I hope you enjoyed our recipe share! OX, D’Arcy

This post may contain affiliate links. All opinions are my own. I only promote brands that I truly love and believe in! Thank you for your support!

10 Summer Favorites I Can’t Live Without!

10 Summer Favorites I Can’t Live Without! I hope you won’t be able to live without them either. Summer is one of my favorite seasons, being outside enjoying the weather, dining outside, enjoying the gardens, and the long days along with pool & lake time and entertaining outdoors. With all the fun things to do, you’ll need to look good doing them, right? Here are my 10 Summer favorites I can’t live without!

Shorts, I love every length short, but the Bermuda shorts are one of this seasons biggest trends. In every shade, style, and color, you can’t go wrong with a Bermuda short. They look great paired with a blazer too. Easy to wear and even easier to style. Anything goes with a cute pair of Bermudas. Here are some of my favorites.

Sandals are making my top 10 Summer favorite’s. I can’t live without, and I found some adorable ones I have been wearing to death. My picks are sandals you’ll wear all Summer long and truly are some classics you’ll be able to wear for several Summer seasons.

Summer dresses are one of my top Summer favorites. So comfortable to wear, easy to style, and keeps you looking Chic without a lot of effort. Here are some of my favorites and so affordable.

Summer Cover up’s, and I adore this built-in Spf cover-up by Cabana Life. Stylish, true to size, and made of terry cloth.

One of My Summer’s favorites I can’t live without is grabbing a Summer read it’s perfect for catching some rays and soaking up the pages poolside. I am CURRENTLY reading Life gives you LULULemons. You’ll always catch me with an Ice tea in my hand, it’s my favorite for every season! This Summer I am so happy I have Sunnies that are readers too! HERE Shop my photo below.

Coola Self Tanner is a must along with sunscreen for your Summer days. This self-tanner gives you such a beautiful glow and natural-looking tan. I love the face tanner and Oil mist too. Shop my picks below

Summer means BBQs and family gatherings, and I have found Butcher Box home delivery makes it even easier to entertain for the Summer. Delicious 100% grass-fed beef, free-range organic chicken, heritage-breed pork, and wild-caught seafood. An unbeatable value with an average of less than $6 per meal. Great -tasting, high-quality meat you can feel good about, delivered right to your doorstep. (Free Shipping) My family loves this meat and said it is the best meat they have eaten. (remember I am a mom of boys and they are big foodies) Our Vacations are planned around where they want to eat! Comes fresh frozen in dry ice packs and ready for your freezer. It’s a must for my TOP 10 Summer Favorite’s, and it will be for yours too. I love it to help build up my food storage too. (I am a Butcher box partner) Shop HERE

Making the 10 Summer Favorites you can’t live without! Summer Salads and one of my favorites would-be my Greek salad, So refreshing and light, I could eat it every day. This salad is so easy to make and you’ll love how tasty it is. You can eat it on a bed of romaine lettuce and a side of grilled chicken or just plain.

Greek Salad:

4 on the vine tomatoes cup up

1 English Cucumber cut up

1 cup Kalamata Olives

1 cup red onion chopped up

Italian dressing of your choice

Feta cheese (if doing whole30 leave off) use the amount you like

Add all items together and mix with dressing (I leave the cheese out and top my salad when I serve) As this makes enough for 4 servings. I like to make a batch and have it for a couple of lunches. Serve as is or on a bed of Lettuce of your choice, also great with grilled chicken.

I really enjoyed sharing with you a few of my Summer favorites and I have a few friends that are also sharing their favorites today as well. I hope you’ll go check them out. Have a Beautiful Summer day. OX, D’Arcy

Heidi =www.simplyoursociety.com

Gwen=www.gwenliveswell.com

Sherri=A woman thing

Michele=Hot Flash and Sass

Lerysha=www.fiftyfabandtraveling.com

Rosemary=Distinctly Southern Style

Melanie=Mels 2nd act

Kim=For a good life after 50

Spinach & Tortellini Soup Recipe

Spinach & Tortellini Soup topped with Parmesan cheese & served with a slice of homemade garlic Bread. So delicious, your Family will love it.

Tortellini soup

1 14.5 oz can crushed tomatoes

1 14.5 oz can tomato sauce

1 15.5oz can butter beans rinsed

2 cans water (rinse out tomato cans)

1 14.5oz can chicken broth

1 16oz bag chopped spinach

1 8oz bag cheese tortellini (save until about 15 min before serving)

1 tablespoon garlic herb seasoning

1 Tablespoon dried chopped onion

1 teaspoon of salt & pepper

1/2 cup chopped onion

Parmesan cheese for topping

Add all ingredients to a soup stock pan and simmer on med-low until boiling (except Tortellini and Parmesan)…. turn to low add tortellini let simmer 5 -10 min or until Tortellini is cooked. Dish up and top with Parmesan Cheese.

Serve with a loaf of garlic bread or crusty Bread

I created this soup a couple of years ago with items I had in my pantry, trying to create a yummy fast dinner. It’s been a quick go-to meal ever since. My Family loves Pasta and soups which make for a great combo. This soup makes a great comfort meal and is a great way to add some nutrients. It makes a big pot and is great for leftovers as well. I serve it with my Cheaters Homemade garlic bread! Recipe below.

Cheaters Homemade Garlic Bread! This Bread is so dang good I have to Make two loaves for this Family of 7!

Cheaters Homemade Garlic Bread

1 Loaf Rhodes Frozen Bread

1 cube butter

1 tablespoon of minced garlic

1 tablespoon Garlic Seasoning

1/2 Teaspoon Italian Seasoning

NOTE: This Bread is not for someone on a diet 🙂

First, Place the frozen loaf on a cooking sheet lined with a parchment paper, cover with a linen dishtowel.

(or cheesecloth) let rise. (follow directions on bag) Bread rising usually takes ALL day. I’ll get this ready at about 9:00 am to make for dinner around 6:00 pm. When risen bake at 350 until golden brown. (follow the direction on packaging.) While Bread is baking melt cube of butter in the microwave, then add garlic and seasoning and mix. When Bread is out of the oven, brush on a heavy coating of the Butter mixture. Let cool for about 10-15 minutes slice (Bread will still be warm and will sink, it’s ok), then coat each slice with more of the butter mixture. Serve hot and almost gooey

This Bread is a family favorite, and when my Family sees it on the counter in the morning, they literally jump for joy. They’ll eat two full loaves and if I would make three that would get eaten too. It’s so rich, soaked in butter and garlic it’s heavenly! I serve this Bread with soups, Pasta, and even salads. If you watch my instastories and I hope you do, you’ve seen me make it several times while stay at home was in place. ( heck probably one of the reasons I’ve gained 10 pounds!) 😛 How did it get its name? Well…Cheaters because well, your cheating and not making the loaf from scratch! Nobody’s got time for that! Insert Giggle! Hince, I named it My cheater’s homemade garlic bread.

I hope you enjoyed this week’s blog post, and I would love for you to leave a comment below if you tried this recipe or are going to try it. Have a beautiful rest of your week! OX, D’Arcy

Ben’s Heavenly Homemade Fettuccine Alfredo Recipe

Ben’s Homemade Fettuccine Alfredo! “This is so good it’s dangerous:)” say’s my mom. Thank goodness it’s so filling you can’t eat a full bowl…. Unless you’re a Vandenberg boy! 🙂

Bens Alfredo

For a serving of 4

1 cube of real Butter

1 heaping tablespoon garlic

1 Pint Heavy whipping cream

1 cup Asiago shredded cheese

1 cup shredded Romano

1/2 cup Parmesan

Salt & pepper to taste

Melt butter in sauté pan when melted, add garlic, then cream, bring to a slow boil then start to add 1 cup of cheese at a time, first Asiago, the Romano lastly Parmesan cheese, and it gets to thick you can add a little more cream. Salt ad pepper to taste.

1 box Fettuccine noodles cooked per box direction

Dish up and serve with Asparagus or a salad and garlic bread. My garlic bread recipe is coming to the blog soon, it is on my Instagram in the highlights.

From our home to yours, Ben’s Heavenly Homemade Fettuccine Alfredo, You’ve been asking for it, and it’s finally made it to the blog. Rich, and creamy Alfredo, made with the best ingredients. Real Butter, heavy whipping cream, and tasty cheeses. Ben Started making this dish for me when we started dating. He learned how to make it from a friend, his family-owned, an Italian restaurant in Del Mar California that was known for making the Best fettuccine. Ben then started playing with the recipe and found this combination is the winner. This dish is decadent, rich, and oh so good. It’s a BIG request at our home, and if we have family in town, they request it as well.

With Quarantine in place, I know you have all been cooking way more than you usually do, I know I have. Hopefully, this will be a fun new recipe for you to try and maybe a little something different that can become a family favorite at your home. Quarantine has been the perfect time to share some of my favorite recipes with you, and I still have a couple more of your request to post. I promise I’ll get them up in the coming weeks even though it looks like we’re going to be getting relief from our kitchens as we start to see part of the country opening up if you’re like me you’ll still like to cook for your family just not as much. I sure am looking forward to a break.

Please let me know if you plan on trying this recipe below or if you do make this recipe, please come back and let me know how your family liked it.

Love this recipe? Try our oldest sons Bucca de Beppo’s copy of Spicy rigatoni Here.

Mother’s Day is less than two week’s away, and I’ve been sharing gift idea’s over at my LIKE TO KNOW IT, Here

Stay tuned for a Mother’s Day post next week. Have a beautiful day! OX, D’Arcy

3 Easy Soups and 1 Hearty Comfort Recipe

Our Family favorites. You guys asked on Instagram for me to share these recipes with you. I love sharing things that our family enjoys and brings us comfort. Thank you for being apart of my following and caring for me to share a part of our family favorites.

Food is just some of the things that are helping our family get through these emotional times. With STAY AT HOME in place cooking, every meal has been a consistent thing in our home as well as yours, I am sure. I thought I might be able to help by sharing a few of my personnel recipes with you that my family enjoys and brings some comfort. Mealtime has always been important to our family and now more than ever. I hope you enjoy our favorite go-to soups. Even better, these are easy Crockpot soups, with items you probably have on hand to make a delicious dinner your family will love.

Easy to make Hearty Vegetable soup! I love you can use any veggies you have on hand with this soup.

Easy veggie soup
1 box chicken broth
1 can tomato sauce
1 cup of water
2 Lg potatoes
1 cup chopped celery
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup chopped carrots
2 chopped tomatoes
1/2 cup corn
1/2 cup peas
1 tablespoon seasoning salt
2 teaspoon onion powder
2 teaspoons salt & pepper
1 tablespoon real butter
1 tablespoon chicken garlic Bouillon

Place all in a crockpot on low stir occasionally. I prepare in the morning, and it’s ready for dinner when we get home. Serve with warm rolls or a grilled sandwich.

(You can use whatever veggies you have on hand.) Green beans, broccoli, spinach, asparagus, etc. Make it a Minestrone by adding a kidney bean and small noodle.

Homemade Cheesy Potato Soup! One of My boy’s favorite soups.

Homemade Cheesy Potato Soup! One of My boy’s favorite soups. Served with Homemade rolls or Rhodes rolls.

Cheesy Potato soup

3 cans of chicken broth

1 can milk ( I use chicken broth can) I use a little more if looks like it need a little more liquid

5 large potatoes chopped

1 can of cheese soup

1/2 cup heavy cream

1 1/2 cup shredded cheese

1 1/2 cup chopped carrots

1 cup of chopped onions

1 cup of chopped celery

1/2 cup green onion (can add more as garnish)

1 tablespoon Pepper (or to your taste) my family likes heat!

1 tablespoon no-salt seasoning salt,

1/2 teaspoon salt

3 tablespoons of dried chopped onion

1 Tablespoon minced garlic

1/2 of Wondra quick-mixing flour (save until you emulsified)

Throw all in a crockpot on High for 3-4 hours, then emulsify with a mixer, emulsifier, or meat chopper! ( I keep it pretty chunky, so I use the pampered chef meat chopper)

Add flour (important to use Wondra). It thickens without clumping! Then turn on low and let simmer another hour or until dinner time.

Garnish with more cheese and green onion, some like a dollop of sour cream! Salt and pepper again to taste:)Ps: It’s so good the next day, you’ll need to add a touch more milk to thin it out before heating up.

Homemade Cheesy Potato Soup!

Easy to make Chicken pot pie. Comfort in a bowl so easy to make

you’ll put this yummy soup on your go-to list.

Easy chicken pot pie

2 14.5oz chicken broth

2 cups shredded Chicken

12oz peas & carrots (frozen)

1cup of chopped onions

1 cup of chopped celery

2 cup milk

1 Tablespoon onion

1 1/2 tablespoon salt seasoning

Salt & pepper

1 cup heavy cream

1/2 cup flour

Salt & pepper to taste

2 tablespoons of butter

2 cans of buttermilk can biscuits

Throw all in a crockpot on High for 3-4 hours or longer (except the biscuits) Stir every so often. Place mixture in a casserole dish (buttered or sprayed) Top with the biscuits placed tightly together. Depending on the size of your casserole dish, you could have enough for two dishes. (one for a neighbor)

Homemade Chicken noodle soup. Hearty and full of flavor, this easy crockpot soup is always a home run.

Easy One-Pot Chicken Noodle Soup

2 14.5oz chicken broth

2 cups shredded Chicken

12oz peas & carrots (frozen)

1 cup finely chopped onion

1 cup finely chopped celery

2 cups of water

1 Tablespoon onion salt

1 1/2tablespoon salted seasoning

1 tablespoon minced garlic

1 chicken bouillon cube

Salt & pepper to taste

1 tablespoon dill

2 handfuls noodles I like Country pasta (large bag at Costco)

I place all in my crockpot except for the noodles. And let simmer on low all day about 30 min before serving I’ll add the noodles. This soup is a rustic recipe I created years ago, and my family loves it! I’ve even substituted out some of the veggies for others I happen to have on hand. The Dill is the secret ingredient to this soup and truly makes it!

I hope you enjoy some of my family’s favorite go-to dishes. Please leave a comment below and let me know which one you’re trying. OX! D’Arcy

Christmas Tablescape & Holiday Tips w/ a Few Favorite Recipes!

Easiest Bruschetta & Toast Recipe

Bruschetta & Toast Recipe

This dish is perfect in the Summer especially made with homegrown tomatoes and fresh basil! A light Summer dish everyone will love. My family could eat it a couple nights a week it’s so good!

Bruschetta & Toast Recipe:

Bruschetta:

4 large tomatoes chopped

1 onion chopped

2 cloves of garlic crushed

Fresh Parmesan cheese grated or shredded to your taste (we use about 1/2 cup)

1/2 balsamic vinegar (if you like more juice for dipping add more)

1 bunch of basil

1 tablespoon of Italian Seasoning

1 tablespoon of olive oil

Salt and pepper to taste

Mix all together and serve with slices of fresh baguette or my garlic cheese toast below:

Garlic Cheese Toast:

8 slices of fresh Sourdough bread sliced

1 cube of butter

3 cloves of crushed garlic

1 tablespoon of Italian Seasoning

1 cup of Mozzarella shredded cheese

Melt butter, add garlic and seasonings brush generously on each piece of toast and top with cheese. Please in oven at 350 until golden brown or cheese is melted. (my boys likes it softer & gooey and my hubby crunchier)

You can serve this as an appetizer or make it a meal served with a salad. The bruschetta is also great served on the top of a grilled chicken breast.

Here is some of my favorite serving Trays {HERE} {HERE} {HERE} Bowls {HERE} {HERE} {HERE}

I hope you try this recipe and if you do please leave a comment, or even better snap a photo and tag me on Instagram (@darcyvandenberg), I’d love to reshare! Have a great week OX, D’Arcy

This may contain affiliate links. Thank you for taking the time to read and for your support.

The Ultimate Summer Bucket List

With Summer arriving this week I thought it would be fun to share my Summer Bucket List with you. It seems Summer comes and goes in a blink of an eye! It is one of my favorite seasons here in Utah, it is also my favorite time to be out enjoying our state, plus our town is just beautiful this time of the year. Here is my Summer bucket list… I hope some of them make your list too:)

Summer Wildflowers: Free People Dress similar {HERE} Purse similar {HERE}

Summer brings the prettiest wildflowers which make for some very scenic drives along with all our beautiful lakes and mountains…. So making my list is a Scenic Drive to Mirror Lake, Bear Lake, Little Cottonwood Canyon and Sundance. I love a weekend drive in my hubby’s convertible to take in the sights and get some fresh air.

Skyline Trail Hike here in our town of Eden (Ogden Valley).

If you’ve been following me you know I belong to a woman’s hiking group and we still have quite a lot of Utah hikes we haven’t done. Here are FOUR Hikes that made my list to do this Summer: Wind Cave, {HERE} Donut Falls,{HERE} Fifth Water Hot Springs {HERE}and Cecret Lake.{HERE}

Serving Watermelon Pool side. Hat {HERE} Sunglasses dupes {HERE} Suit {HERE} Earrings {HERE}

Watermelon and Fruits of Summer is a pure pleasure and everyone loves good food and food Events. Hitting the Salt Lake City and Park City Farmers Market are on my list. Here in Utah several towns host a (Fruit Day) North Ogden has Cherry Days {info HERE}, Brigham City has Peach Days, Bear Lake has Raspberry Days, Melon Day is in Green River {More info on all 3 HERE} and Strawberry Days in Pleasant grove. {HERE}

Another great drive and has Fab Summer fruit is Utah’s Famous Fruit highway! {Here} This is always a must do!

Pool time at several Las Vegas pools kicked off my Summer! Moorea Beach club & Delano Beach Club @Mandalay Bay,

Pool time is a big Summer time pleasure and isn’t Summer without laying poolside or playing at a waterpark, am I right? Here are a few pool days that made my list: Grand America pool day, I’ve heard the cocktails are amazing and the food poolside is just as impressive as the hotel. {HERE} Cowabunga Bay Water Park {HERE} We haven’t been to a water Park in years and it always brought joy to my boys. I thought it would be fun to re-experience those playful childhood days with our boys… even though their young adults it’s always fun to be a kid!

Summer Trend Scarves and Shades! Top {HERE} Sunnies similar {HERE} Scarf {HERE}

Random things to do that make Summer fun that made my List, Bowling, It’s always fun to have something to do on a hot Summer day! A Drive in Movie (Every year I say I want to go and we never make it!) It’s going to happen this year… and I am not going to fall asleep! Last time I went to the drive in was with my Childhood friend Selena… We were in college and we BOTH fell asleep! We woke up to a dark empty parking lot at 1am! LOL!! Miniature golf because seriously who doesn’t love a good game of Miniature golf? It brings back memories of young Summer night dates! Summer Outdoor concerts we have tickets to Heart so far… but I know we’ll add more:) as the Summer plays out and it’s one of my favorite ways to enjoy an evening. Warm nights, listening to music, enjoying friends and a good beer! Some great outdoor concert venues {HERE} {HERE} {HERE} {HERE} Some are even FREE! The Rodeo one of my favorite days of the year. We love to attend the Tough Enough To Wear Pink night for breast cancer survivors! It’s a fun tradition we share with family and friends! It wouldn’t be Summer without attending this event! I cry everytime they sing the national anthem with the fly over. {HERE} This rodeo is ranked as one of the top five large outdoor rodeos in the PRCA. A weekend in Deer Valley is beautiful in the Summer. It has stunning hikes, beautiful pools, great restaurants, cooler air and great shopping perfect for a weekend getaway! A day at LAGOON {HERE} Utah’s amusement park nothing says Summer like an amusement park and we haven’t been as a family in years, so this year it’s on the list!

Purchasing the Get Out Pass if you live in Utah, Colorado, Washington and Idaho is so worth it for $149.99 with over $3,000 worth of yearly admissions per pass Save $35 with code Darcy35 My family will be enjoying several activities this Summer and Fall including Cowabunga Bay & Lagoon!

Bruschetta & Toast Recipe on Next week’s Blog post!

Summer Food: If you haven’t figured it out by now… My family are foodies! Summer means fresh fruits, fresh vegetables, BBQ’s, Summer cocktails, late night S’Mores by the fire, picnics on the boat and many Summer get togethers! My bucket list is to share more family recipes with you here on the blog. I’ve been sharing on my instastories and it has been very popular and very requested. I’ll start with my fresh Bruschetta made with Summers beautiful ripe tomatoes NEXT week….So stay tuned!

Summer also means for long days and a little more free time, which allows for us to explore new restaurants, read books and enjoy all the beautiful fresh bouquets from our yards. I look forward to this time of the year and soak in all the beauty Summer brings!

Summer Sunsets are the best on the lake! Paddle Boarding and boating are two places you’ll find me every Summer!

My Last Summer bucket list is to be able to make it to the BEACH! I need my toes in the Sand and the smell of salty air, it’s my inner peace and it’s calling my name! I hope your Summer brings you so much joy and you check off everything on your BUCKET LIST!

OX, D’Arcy

There’s nothing like the smell of the ocean and sand in your toes! California Lifeguard tower!

Judy’s Chocolate Kahlua Cake

Ingredients you’ll need for this delicious & easy to make cake!

Judy’s handwritten and scrapbooked recipe, something I will always treasure.

Grease & Flour the Pan

When all the batter is in the pan tap the pan 3 times to even out.

Serve with Judy’s favorite Moose Tracks ice cream or my favorite Vanilla Bean ice cream.

RECIPE: Judy’s Chocolate Kahlua Cake

1 Duncan Hines Devil’s food cake mix

1 Small instant vanilla pudding mix

1 Pt. Sour cream

1/4 cup vegetable oil

1/2 cup Kahlua

2 Eggs

12 oz bag Semi sweet Chocolate Chips

Place mix in bowl & whisk in the pudding mix. Add all other ingredients one at a time except chocolate chips. Mix with electric mixer. Add chips to the mix before spooning into the bundt pan that has been sprayed with pam and then coat with flour. Bake at 350 for 50 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. Cool on rack for 20 min. Then invert pan on rack so cake will slide out. Cool completely before dusting with powdered sugar. I also like to drizzle with chocolate syrup. Judy serves with Moose Tracks ice Cream, I like Vanilla Bean.

I wanted to share this recipe with you in memory of my dear friend Judy. It was a cake she brought to every event and party. Back in my scrapbooking days (if any of you from those days are following along you will remember this cake and Judy well) This cake is so decadent, rich and fit for a chocolate lover. So very Judy! You would think it took forever to make and had a million ingredients! She found out our oldest who didn’t like cake loved this cake, and she started making it for his birthday every year! One year she surprised me with the recipe! Not something she gave out freely:) It’s a recipe I will truly cherish along with her cranberry crush (I’ll share another time). I will be caring on her tradition by bringing it to parties and events. Judy was one of the classiest, talented, full of fun ladies I have ever had the pleasure of knowing. I feel very blessed to have shared many scrapbooking, shopping, birthdays and holidays with this beautiful person. Judy passed away last week and I will truly miss her. We shared a lot of the same loves and had even more in common. She was a mom of boys too, and yet so girly like I am. She loved a beautiful home, decorated every holiday perfectly and loved to entertain to the fullest. She treated her friends like family and made everyone feel special. Judy just might own more pairs of shoes then me…. well maybe not!:) We sure did have fun shopping for them together and we might have several of the same pairs, we even wore the same size! She lived her life to the fullest and was one tough cookie, the last few years she gave a good fight while still looking chic! To live until your 80 is amazing to do it with her class, chicness, strength and love is a gift to all those who knew her!

I will miss you Judy Lewis until we meet again my sweet friend. OX, D’Arcy

I know she would have pure pleasure knowing her cake will be enjoyed by many, so please make it, enjoy it and share a piece of Judy with your family. OX