A Sweet Treat; Fresh Apple Caramel Crumble

As we all know, children love dessert. They love candy and chocolate and sugars and sweets but those things just aren't good for us. I try to teach my kids about healthy eating but sometimes a little sweet snack after dinner does sound amazing. Here is one of my quick desserts that I call the Fresh Apple Caramel Crumble. It is very easy to make, there is no baking, the apple aspect of it is healthy and it is pretty darn yummy! So here is are the instructions:

Directions and ingredients for crumb mixture:

1/4 cup flour

1/8 cup sugar

1 tablespoon brown sugar

2 tablespoons cold butter

Mix flour, sugar and brown sugar together then cut butter with knife or fork until the mixture forms lumps. 

The Olive Garden at home anniversary special!

Lettuce with Roma tomatoes, Olives, Onions,
Pepperocini, and salad dressing (recipe below)
The Country Cook's Olive Garden Dressing Recipe

Homemade Zuppa Toscana (my favorite!)
    Food.com Zuppa Toscana

So as some of you may know my husband and I recently celebrated our anniversary. On October 4, 2002 we officially became boyfriend and girlfriend. Me and my romantic side decided that I wanted to get married on our 5th year anniversary so on October 4th, 2007 we officially became husband and wife. We have been together for 10 years now and during that 10 years we have experienced marriage in its fullest. For better or for worse; We have had our share of joyous moments and we have had double heapings of desperate times. From becoming teen parents to becoming a military family, it has certainly been quite a ride. You also have to figure in all of the other catastrophes that tend to plague my life as if Murphy's Law only applies to me. For richer and poorer; We have definitely had our times of financial stability and then times where we had no idea how we would even get food on the table. With three growing little boys that seem to eat like black wholes and expand as quickly as the universe, finances are not exactly in surplus.  Through sickness and health; when I was diagnosed with cancer 3 years ago we never imagined it would have been such a battle. I am on my 3rd recurrence in 3 years and sometimes I just feel as though it will never go away and that this battle will just turn into a war. Don't get me wrong, I am still opening a can of kung fu whoop (ahem*) so no worries I am peaches :) but it has still caused a great deal of stress. But even through all of the tribulations we have still come out on top every time and that is something worth celebrating. Especially in a time where so many couples call it quits without even trying to fix it. I believe in the notion that if something is broken you fix and not throw it away. There is something so very special about having someone so close and intimate, that can share in almost half of your life. That builds memories and a family with you and is with you until the end. So in honor of that, this blog is for you Sweetlove! Being such an extreme family person I decided to celebrate our anniversary with the entire family. What better way than to make Olive Garden at home and have a fantastic family dinner? I made Zuppa Toscana, a salad (equipped with the homemade Olive Garden dressing) and of course store bought Homemade Lasagna :) (hey its my anniversary I didn't want to be in the kitchen ALL day lol) I of course decorated it represent Italian decor. Below I have included links to the recipes that I made and i can personally attest that they are extremely close if not the actual recipes! 

The Lasagna I slaved over all day

 

Look how much love the sky felt for us on our anniversary <3