I think it’s fairly widely accepted that bacon is pretty great. Really, what can’t be made better by adding bacon? And yet, believe it or not, there exists a recipe that makes bacon even better! This is definitely a “special occasion” recipe—you don’t want to be eating this every week or anything (Or maybe you do. Your call.), but for an event like a baby shower, these caramelized bacon twists are just the little something your menu might need!

Caramelized Bacon Twists

I have served these twists both on buttered croissants with turkey and a lettuce leaf and at brunch alongside quiche and potatoes—either of which are perfect pairings, in my opinion. There are never any leftover bacon twists!

1 pound sliced bacon

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

Preheat your oven to 350º F, and line a 15×10x1-inch baking dish with foil (Very important! Trust me!) Combine the brown sugar and cinnamon in a gallon-size ziplock bag and set aside. Cut each bacon strip in half widthwise. Place the bacon strips in the bag with the sugar mixture and shake until all the strips are evenly covered with sugar. (You can do this ahead of time and let the bacon sit in the sugar mixture in the fridge. It will get a bit runny/wet, but will also be nicely marinated.) Twist each strip as you remove it from bag, and place them on the prepared pan. Bake at 350º F for 15-20 minutes or until crisp (watch closely, they can burn quickly.) Serve immediately; or cool and then freeze them in an airtight container for up to 1 month.

 Enjoy!

Posted by Shannon, a Dot-arilla Blogger

While decorations shouldn’t be the focus of the baby shower you’re throwing (there’s usually a soon-to-be mama involved), great visuals do make things a lot more fun. Decorations set the mood and help to make sure everyone’s ready for a good time. And it’s always so fun to see each guest’s reaction as they walk into the room you’ve gussied up for the special day.

Banners are always a great way to make a statement (literally!), but never underestimate the power of a great centerpiece. And if you happen to have balloons that match your banners and centerpieces (and your tableware, name tags, and party favors), well, then you’ve gone to decoration heaven.

SimplyBabyStuff.com has spent a lot of time thinking about decorations, and they’ve worked hard to develop great options for just about every decorative element you could think of. If you wanted, just about every inch of your party room could covered in super cute decorations. We’re not saying you should actually wallpaper the room with well wishes for the mother-to-be…but isn’t it nice to know you could?

Posted by Shannon, a Dot-arilla Blogger

I’ve seen many, many different versions of this yummy broccoli salad. It’s often prepared with both cauliflower and broccoli (1 bunch of each), or all broccoli (use two bunches)…but I love to substitute some whole wheat pasta for some of the veg. Besides being amazingly tasty, the broccoli/pasta combination lets this salad stand as a main dish, if you’d like. This is an incredibly adaptable recipe: you can make additions or substitutions based on what you like or have on hand. I’ve seen this made with peas, almonds, dried cranberries, broccoli slaw, cheddar cheese—even grapes. Really, it’s hard to go wrong with this one! Here’s my favorite version:

Broccoli Pasta Salad

1 (12 oz) package whole wheat pasta

1 bunch broccoli, finely chopped (about 5 cups)

1 medium onion, chopped

1 cup raisins

1 cup salted sunflower seeds

10 strips bacon, cooked and crumbled

Dressing:

1½-2 cups Miracle Whip (or mayonnaise)

½ cup honey (or your favorite sweetener)

¼  cup apple cider vinegar (or white vinegar)

¼ tsp ground black pepper

Cook pasta to al dente according to package directions; drain and rinse under cold water to stop the cooking process and cool the pasta. Set aside in the colander to drain well. In a small bowl, combine 1½ cups Miracle Whip with the remaining dressing ingredients. Stir until mixed well, and set aside or store in a covered container. In a large bowl, combine chopped broccoli, cooked pasta, onions, and raisins. Stir together with the dressing until everything is coated and well-combined. Cover the salad and refrigerate at least thirty minutes, or up to two days. Stir in the sunflower seeds and bacon directly before serving the salad.

Depending on how long you store this salad before serving, you may need to add additional Miracle Whip (and maybe a Tablespoon or so of vinegar as well) when you stir in the nuts and bacon. The pasta tends to absorb the dressing somewhat, and it may become a bit dry—be sure to taste and adjust before serving!

Enjoy!

Posted by Shannon, a Dot-arilla Blogger

Many moms to be get just about everything they will need for baby’s first year at their baby shower but what about having some fun? Is the baby shower really all about the gifts? Well, maybe!

Even though planning a baby shower is hectic, don’t forget about the baby shower games; they’re a great way to get people to socialize.

Check out our Baby Raffle Tickets; an excellent way to reward good friends and family for helping you to prepare for the arrival of the baby.

Deciding on a baby shower theme is fun, especially with so many different baby shower themes to choose from!

Take a look at this Under The Sea Baby Shower Theme – which, by the way, happens to be a very popular theme lately! Cute original baby in his scuba gear! Our very own original invitations, thank you cards and candy bar wrappers.

Looking for baby shower favors that have a spring time feel to them? These Blooming Flower Bottle Stoppers are perfect!

Inspired by the vibrant, breathtaking beauty that rises from April’s rains and sunny days, these will delight your guests at the baby shower and when they take them home!

These baby shower favors are not only cute, they’re definitely a trend setter! If you are planning a baby shower for that ‘fashionista’ the Trendy-ette Gift Set is a great choice!

This purse shaped gift box has the hot, modern, trendy colors of brown, pink and blue. Perfect for hostess gifts, game winner gifts, or a simple thank you gift.

Part of the fun planning a baby shower is choosing a baby shower theme and then coordinating it all. We have baby shower invitations with matching baby shower return address labels so you won’t have to hand write anymore!

Having one less thing to worry about when planning a baby shower makes all the difference; especially if you feel a little overwhelmed!

When it comes to a baby shower…do it yourself.  Sometimes it is just easier to do things yourself than to spend the extra to have it done for you.  These personalized baby shower mini candy bar wrapper sticker labels come in a sheet of 20 – so you will be able to complete 20 hershey miniature candy bars.  And for only $5.99 these are going to make for an affordable yet  cute and personalized touch to your shower.

Simply Baby Stuff has fabulous baby shower tableware,  like this Zoo Crew tableware!  You can get dessert plates, dinner plates, napkins, cups, invitations, placemats, banners and even favors to just name a few that are all int he same theme!  And you can either get these items separately just getting the ones that you need or you can take advantage of their bundle offers to help you save money!