Bruegger's bagels

Name: Easy Blueberry Cheesecake recipe
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 52 min
Yield: 5 people
Ingredients: (1 package) 9 Cinnamon Graham Crackers; 2 tbsp Granulated white sugar; 1/2 stick stick (2 oz) Melted butter; 1 tsp Cinnamon; 1 6.5 ounce tub Bruegger's Bagels Blueberry Greek Cream Cheese; 1 6.5 ounce tub Bruegger's Bagels Plain Cream Cheese; 2 large Eggs; 2 tbsp. Lemon zest; 2 tbsp Fresh lemon juice; 1 tsp Corn starch; 1/2 cup White sugar; 1 cup Fresh sweet blueberries

Hosting a Holiday Coffee and Hot Cocoa Bar

December 9, 2017

I am still in disbelief that it is already December. I feel like this has been the fastest year we have experienced but maybe its all in my head. After all, they say that time seems to speed up as we age. Anyway before I digress into a discussion about time and age, lets talk about the holidays.

Christmas is a few days away and most of us will have family and friends spend time with us at home. You can treat your guests to a fun breakfast on Christmas morning by hosting a holiday coffee and hot cocoa bar. Imagine steaming cups of coffee and hot cocoa in your PJ’s, I couldn’t think of a better way to spend a winter morning

Setting up a holiday coffee and hot cocoa bar is very simple. You can use a small spot on your kitchen counter or use your dining table. Set the bar with anything you fancy, the possibilities are endless. I like bagels and cream cheese so I usually get a bagel bundle from Bruegger’s Bagels. The bundle comes with a dozen or half a dozen bagels and your choice of cream cheese. This time of year Bruegger’s has the seasonal cranberry orange bagels which are absolutely delicious and together with the strawberry cream cheese, its a combination made in heaven.

My coffee and hot cocoa bar is very simple but you can go all out by including toppings like whipped cream, marshmallows, chocolate chips. Your guests can have fun making holiday hot cocoa treats while others drink coffee. A few decorations are a great way to create a festive mood in the spirit of the holidays. I used red paper cups, napkins and plates with Christmas prints.

A coffee and hot cocoa bars is not only for Christmas morning; you can do it after dinner or any winter occasion. This would be a great idea for a kids’ birthday party as well. Just be creative and have fun with it.

You can check out my post on how to host a fabulous girls’ night during football season if you are on the hunt for more entertaining ideas. I would also love to hear how you like to entertain during the holidays, what are your Christmas traditions?

Sponsored post written by me in collaboration with Brueggerʼs Bagels. The opinions and text are all mine.

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How to host a fabulous girls’ night during football season

August 31, 2017

Can you believe football season has arrived already! The other day I heard my fiancé talk to his friend about the new players on one of the teams and I had no idea what they were talking about. I know a few of you non-sports fans can relate.

If you are like me, you are apathetic to the arrival of football season and are wondering about things to do when your hubby or boyfriend is watching the game. Today’s post is for you my friends! To those who have tried hard to sit and enjoy the game but just can’t get into it, I have the best way to enjoy the football season without actually watching it…A girls’ night on football night!

I usually like to bake a cake or go upstairs and watch movies while my guy is watching the game and over the years I have come up with more fun ways to spend my time. My favorite way is hosting a girls’ night during the game. While the guys are in another room, you can set up another room for the girls!

How to host a perfect girls’ night

One of the most vital parts of girls’ night (second to good company) is the food. Having a variety of snacks makes sure everyone in your group is covered. I like to have some fruit, nuts, chips, dip, chicken wings and mimosas. I highly recommend switching it up and getting bagels instead of pizza because bagels are lighter and can be eaten is different ways. You can cut the bagels up and dip them in cheese, fondue style or have fun with different cream cheese flavors and toppings.

Bruegger’s Bagels is my go to bagel place because of their awesome bagel bundles which include a variety of bagels and your choice of cream cheese. Bruegger’s will also have an offer for $3 off the Big Bagel Bundle on August 31^st this year so it will be the perfect time to stock up on your bagels and host your first girls’ night – you can check it out here. You also have the option of ordering sandwiches, soups, salads and beverages for your night using Bruegger’s online ordering feature for catering.

Now that you have the food situated and have already picked up your bagels from Bruegger’s , next thing is entertainment. What is a girls’ night without some fun activities for your friends?

Here are some fun ideas for your football season girls’ night:

Mini spa – Bring out some fun nail colors so all girls can paint their nails or bring out your favorite face masks and everyone can get a DIY facial.
Dress swap – Changed your mind about a dress you bought on sale? Tell your friends to bring items so you can swap clothing and shoes.
Movies or TV show marathon – This would be a great time to watch your favorite show or movie together. How about watching some Game of Thrones or Real Housewives episodes? This is truly the best way to enjoy a show.
Games – You can never go wrong with games as they are very interactive and involve a lot of laughter.

Looking for other ways to host your guests? Read my post on how to host the ultimate build your bagel brunch I would love to know how you spend your time during football season in the comments below!

Sponsored post written by me in collaboration with Bruegger’s Bagels. The opinions and text are all mine.

Easy Blueberry Cheesecake Bars

July 8, 2017

It’s summertime and that means there is a barbecue or some sort of gathering to attend every weekend. If you are running out of ideas for things to bring to a party, these easy blueberry cheesecake bars are just the thing. I am always inspired by Bruegger’s Bagels products and used their delicious Blueberry Greek Cream Cheese for this recipe. I remembered having the blueberry cream cheese with my bagel and thinking it would be awesome in a cheesecake recipe! Saying this recipe is easy is an understatement, its super simple.

What makes this blueberry cheesecake bar recipe a winner is that it looks like you have worked really hard to create it and it is a guaranteed crowd pleaser. All you need to follow are these 7 easy steps and you are on your way to being the star of your potluck or party.

How to make easy Blueberry Cheesecake Bars:

1. Get all your ingredients ready. Very important to use good quality cream cheese. In this recipe I used Bruegger’s Bagels Blueberry Greek Cream Cheese which has the perfect amount of blueberry flavor and has nice tang from the yogurt.

2. Process graham crackers, sugar, cinnamon and 1/2 a stick melted butter in a food processor till well combined with a breadcrumb consistency.

3. Press graham cracker mix into a lined 9 x 9 baking dish with a glass or mug. Cook in the oven for 12 minutes.

4. Mix cream cheese, lemon juice, 1/2 cup sugar, eggs, corn starch, lemon zest in the rinsed food processor

5. Pour cream cheese mixture over the cooled base.

6. Garnish with fresh blueberries over the cream cheese and cook in the oven for 40 minutes.

7. Cool over the counter for about 3 hours and chill in the refrigerator for about 5 hours, preferably overnight. Dust with powdered sugar and serve.

When done, the blueberries will pop in your mouth and the cream cheese filling will be rich and heavenly. Looking for more summer food inspiration? Check out my post on How to Host the ultimate Bagel Brunch

FYI: This post is in partnership with Bruegger’s Bagels. The images, content and opinions are completely my own.

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Easy Blueberry Cheesecake recipe

Course

Dessert

Cuisine

American

Prep Time

15 minutes

Cook Time

52 minutes

Servings

people

Ingredients

Base

(1 package) 9 Cinnamon Graham Crackers
2 tbsp Granulated white sugar
1/2 stick stick (2 oz) Melted butter
1 tsp Cinnamon

Filling

1 6.5 ounce tub Bruegger's Bagels Blueberry Greek Cream Cheese
1 6.5 ounce tub Bruegger's Bagels Plain Cream Cheese
2 large Eggs
2 tbsp. Lemon zest
2 tbsp Fresh lemon juice
1 tsp Corn starch
1/2 cup White sugar
1 cup Fresh sweet blueberries

Course

Dessert

Cuisine

American

Prep Time

15 minutes

Cook Time

52 minutes

Servings

people

Ingredients

Base

(1 package) 9 Cinnamon Graham Crackers
2 tbsp Granulated white sugar
1/2 stick stick (2 oz) Melted butter
1 tsp Cinnamon

Filling

1 6.5 ounce tub Bruegger's Bagels Blueberry Greek Cream Cheese
1 6.5 ounce tub Bruegger's Bagels Plain Cream Cheese
2 large Eggs
2 tbsp. Lemon zest
2 tbsp Fresh lemon juice
1 tsp Corn starch
1/2 cup White sugar
1 cup Fresh sweet blueberries

Instructions

Preheat oven to 325 degrees
Process graham crackers, sugar, cinnamon and 1/2 a stick melted butter in a food processor till well combined with a breadcrumb texture.
Press graham cracker mix into a lined 9 x 9 baking dish with a glass or mug. Bake in the oven for 12 minutes.
Mix cream cheese, lemon juice, 1/2 cup sugar, eggs, corn starch, and lemon zest in the rinsed food processor.
Cool Base for at least 20 minutes or until you an touch it comfortably. Pour cream cheese mixture over the cooled base.
Garnish with fresh blueberries on top of the cream cheese filling and bake in the oven for 40 minutes.
Cool over the counter for at least 3 hours before placing in the refrigerator. Keep in the refrigerator for about 5 hours preferably overnight to allow cheesecake to set.
Cut cheesecake into squares or rectangles and dust with powder sugar.

How to host the ultimate build your bagel brunch

May 19, 2017

I was looking at my calendar the other day and realized that Memorial Day weekend is right around the corner. This is one of my favorite long weekends because it is the unofficial start of summer; a great reason to celebrate. If you are looking for a great way to entertain on Memorial Day Weekend, or any beautiful day, I have just the thing for you. A build your bagel brunch!

A build your bagel brunch is an easy way to feed your friends and family. It requires minimal cooking time and a is fun way to encourage interaction amongst your guests. All you need is fresh bagels (not the ones you get in grocery stores) and a variety of toppings. Bruegger’s Bagels makes awesome bagels and I highly recommend them. Bruegger’s makes small batches at a time which guarantees that you are getting a fresh bagel every time. I suggest getting your bagels the morning of your brunch to ensure guests can enjoy them at peak freshness. They offer a nice selection of bagels from blueberry, whole wheat, sesame, 12 grain, jalapeño cheddar and more.

You can choose any ingredients you like for your toppings but cream cheese is a must have. Cream cheese and bagels are like peanut butter and jelly; they just go well together. Bruegger’s Bagels has a variety of great cream cheese flavors like smoked salmon, honey walnut, cucumber dill, plain, strawberry and more. Make sure you have the plain flavor for the less adventurous guests (you know there is always one). In addition to cream cheese here are some awesome topping ideas you could try.

Smoked salmon
Sliced cucumbers
thinly sliced red onion
Boiled eggs and cold cuts
Fresh and plump tomato slices
Hummus, guacamole and peanut butter
Capers, fresh dill and basil

The possibilities are endless when it comes to toppings so don’t be afraid to get creative with them. The more options for your guests the better! Sweet cream cheese flavors like strawberry and honey walnut are sure to be a hit with younger guests.

So there you have it, a build your bagel brunch! It is a super simple and fun way to enjoy a beautiful spring or summer brunch with friends and family. Bruegger’s Bagels makes it easy by giving you the option to order online for your next event, you can click here: Brueggers Catering to make your order. Don’t forget to set your table with some pretty flowers, matching plates and silverware to add a touch of elegance.

Not sure what to do with that leftover cream cheese? Check out my Pan Seared salmon with cucumber dill sauce recipe made with leftover Bruegger’s cucumber dill cream cheese.

FYI: This sponsored post is in collaboration with Bruegger’s Bagels however the content, opinions and images in this post are my own.

Bruegger's bagels

Hosting a Holiday Coffee and Hot Cocoa Bar

How to host a fabulous girls’ night during football season

How to host a perfect girls’ night

Easy Blueberry Cheesecake Bars

How to make easy Blueberry Cheesecake Bars:

How to host the ultimate build your bagel brunch

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