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Holiday Snack Mix & Travel with Kids

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This post is sponsored by SC Johnson. All opinions are my own. Thank you for supporting the brands that make the content on Espresso and Cream possible. #ZiplockHolidayUAI Back before I had kids, my visions of weekend baking projects were pretty idyllic and, I now realize, unrealistic. I imagined my child happily cutting out cookie dough and decorating cookies, mess-free. Of course now that I have two kids of my own I know better than to tackle elaborate or time-intensive … Read More

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Healthy Chocolate Mug Cake for One

In Food & Recipes by Madison Mayberry2 Comments

I don’t care what the circumstances are, every single night I need to end the evening on a sweet note. Truth be told, my body just doesn’t enjoy or tolerate sugar well these days, probably because I don’t eat much of it anymore, but I still have a sweet tooth that begs to be satisfied when Joe and I crash on the couch at the end of the evening. Usually I try to keep my little nightly “dessert” to around … Read More

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Brown Butter Chopped Pecan Pie

In Food & Recipes by Madison Mayberry2 Comments

Good morning, friends and happy Monday! I’ve been thinking a lot about blogging lately, as I’ve had a few conversations with friends who have blogged but now are choosing to close their blogs, to say goodbye to sharing their life online. Or, should I say, sharing more in other formats like podcasts and Instagram rather than a blog. I’ll admit that sometimes blogging these days feels a little like, “Hello? Is anyone listening?” With all the other choices out there … Read More

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Cut-Out Sugar Cookies with Buttercream Frosting

In Food & Recipes by Madison Mayberry1 Comment

First, I need to say a big thank you to everyone who hung with me these last few weeks. I know that service on Espresso and Cream has been very spotty and the site completely crashed in the days leading up to Thanksgiving. But I’m happy to report that the site is now up and running on a brand new server that should be large enough to accommodate Espresso and Cream readers for a long time to come. Whew!  One … Read More

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Pie of the Week #6 // Apple-Cran-Raspberry Pie

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This week’s pie of the week might not be for everyone. Whew. Okay, I feel like I just needed to get that out there before waxing poetic about how much I love this pie, because it’s true. It’s not a pie that everyone will love, but I certainly love it and will be making it more than once this holiday season. Inspired by homemade cranberry sauce – the stuff you make with real, whole cranberries, not the stuff in a … Read More

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Pie of the Week #6 // S’Mores Pie

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Today’s pie of the week is a good one, my friends! Okay, if you’re my husband then you probably disagree – the man has a serious dislike of “fluffy” things including pudding and whipped cream, which is why I decided to gift this pie to my mom’s co-workers rather than keeping it in our house. That said, if I was left with this pie in the house it wouldn’t be long before I would eat the entire thing on my … Read More

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Pie of the Week #5 // Pumpkin Cream

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I’m a serious fan of pumpkin pie. It’s always the pie that I gravitate toward at the dessert table on Thanksgiving and the first pie I think of making when the calendar turns over to fall. So naturally, I’ve already made a handful of pies this fall, including a pumpkin pie of the more classic variety, but when I saw a recipe in Food & Wine for Pumpkin Cream Pie, I knew it had to be made and shared as … Read More

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Ultimate Chocolate Layer Cake // Joe’s 29th Birthday Cake

In Food & Recipes by Madison Mayberry2 Comments

Every year I make my husband a birthday cake, and every year Joe asks me to bake a chocolate cake. One of Joe’s favorite recipes of all time is a recipe I developed a couple years ago when I was working for Betty Crocker. Let’s be clear when I say that yes, this cake starts with boxed cake mix, but it’s anything but ordinary. Actually, I should clarify that I have nothing against boxed cake mix in certain situations, including … Read More

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Pie Week #2 // Apple

In Food & Recipes by Madison Mayberry2 Comments

Whew. Coming in right under the gun and posting a second pie recipe before the week is over. I made this pie twice in the last week, and I’ve found that pie making is quickly becoming one of my favorite things to do. First, because it’s relaxing and second, because there is nothing like the look of delight on someone’s face when you say that yes, you brought them pie, and yes, it’s from scratch. Oh, and it’s a great … Read More

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Strawberry Pie // Week 1

In Food & Recipes by Madison Mayberry1 Comment

Last weekend I promised to make three pies for a friend of my sister-in-law. Sure, I thought, no big deal! But my pie-making skills (specifically my crust-making skills have gotten a little rusty and I realized quickly that I needed to use it or lose it. I had certainly lost “it.” Being the stubborn one that I am, I made over 12 batches of crust (?!) and researched countless methods before landing on a recipe that that was easy, flaky, … Read More

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Easy Baby Eats // Banana Date “Milkshake”

In Family, Food & Recipes by Madison Mayberry1 Comment

As promised, I have another recipe to share with you in my “Easy Baby Eats” series. I’m hoping to make this a more regular part of Espresso and Cream, because feeding a baby is, well, a challenge sometimes. I’m trying my very best to feed Ainsley healthy foods and encourage good eating habits as she gets older, and at the same time it can be so frustrating when you spend a lot of time making a healthy meal only to … Read More

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A Wine + Chocolate Girls NIght

In Food & Recipes by Madison Mayberry1 Comment

*This post was sponsored by Ghirardelli. All opinions are my own. Thanks for supporting the brands that make E&C possible.  January is a long month in the Midwest. I mean, after New Year’s there is a long stretch filled with cold days without much to celebrate. So what’s a girl to do? My answer was to get the girls together for a wine and chocolate party. It was the perfect way to break up the weekday routine and host friends in … Read More