by Beth Woolsey -

Easy Peasy 2-Ingredient Fudge

Do you already know about this fudge recipe? Do you? Because, if so, you should not have been keeping it to yourself all these years. I cannot believe the amount of time I spent standing over a stove waiting for marshmallows to melt, you guys. That’s time I’ll never get back.

OK, here’s the deal. This recipe was originally created by Eagle Brand or Kraft or some company like that. I don’t know for sure; the internet’s a murky pit of unconfirmed rumors.  All I can tell you is that my mom-in-law let me in on the Great Fudge Secret after I told her I didn’t believe she made her fudge in less than 10 minutes of hands-on time. ...  read more

by Beth Woolsey -

UPDATED: The Very Best Side Dish

Creamed Onions:
the very best side dish

Now, when I say creamed onions are the very best side dish, I don’t want to take away from your family traditions by somehow implying that ours are better than yours.

That’s not my point at all.

In fact, I think blending family traditions is what this season’s all about. I bring something from my family. You bring something from yours. Together, we have something even better than the past. ...  read more

by Beth Woolsey -

Easy Peasy FAST Homemade Bread

There are places in my house that require my attention.

My little boys’ room, for example, is just begging for some quality time.

So I had to really put on my thinking cap to find a way — any way at all — to avoid the mess.

And that’s where homemade bread comes in. The perfect solution! Fall is in the air. Baking must be done. OK, so maybe we can’t actually walk in our house without tripping, but it finally smells terrific around here, and I think we can all agree that’s a stunning victory. ...  read more

by Beth Woolsey -

Easy Peasy Apple Cake

Easy Peasy Apple Cake
…….

It feels like my whole little world is ripe right now, as the blackberry season ends, the tomatoes grow fat, and the apples start to drop. We’re full swing into our back-to-school madness, and this mama and her kids want to drop, too, heavy with soaking up all of September’s changes and willing to lay on the hard earth and rot for a bit if it means we can rest. ...  read more

by Beth Woolsey -

At-Home S’mores (aka Breaking the S’mores Commandment)

S’mores are only for campfires.

It’s a rule everyone knows.

After all, if we had s’mores every day, they wouldn’t be special, right?

Right.

God thinks so, too. That’s why “thou shalt not roast s’mores except around the campfire” is one of the ten (or so) commandments, somewhere after “dude, you gotta quit coveting your brother’s Pokemon cards or else do an extra job to earn the money to buy some for yourself.” (Psst… that last one is also known as the You Git What You Git and You Don’t Throw a Fit commandment, or, alternatively, the Get Off Your Whiny Hiney, Kiddo, and Fix Your Problem commandment. It’s almost like God was a parent, you guys.) ...  read more

by Beth Woolsey -

Bunny Cake (UPDATED: Football Cake, too!)

On Easter Sunday, for as long as I can remember, our family serves two things:

  1. a risen Savior
  2. bunny cake

And woe betide the person who tries to separate us from either.

Earlier this week on the Five Kids Facebook page, just in time to make your Easter grocery shopping list, I let you in on my fancy-schmancy but easy-peasy Corncakes with Mascarpone Icing recipe. They’re delicious. They’re elegant. They’re impressive. They’re perfect for company. ...  read more

by Beth Woolsey -

French fries are made out of French: A Recipe

Cai, who’s 5, tells our friend Mike that French fries are made out of French. He says this in his Duh Voice as though we grown-ups should know this already and shouldn’t waste his valuable time asking rhetorical questions.

What do you think these French fries are made from, Cai?

Um, from French, Mike. It’s right there in the name. French fries. ...  read more