Cool Things For Your Car

 

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My partner has two big dogs that like to think the front seat is for them. This barrier helps keep them in the back so the front seats don't get covered in fur!

Link for the barrier is HERE. 

This trunk liner works great for pets, but also if you are hauling things for the yard or garden, or even tires or things that would mess up your trunk. Slips on is a couple of minutes and keeps your car nice and clean! 

Link to the trunk liner is HERE

I have always carried one of these safety tools in my console. It's a seat belt cutter and window hammer if you are ever trapped in your vehicle. These are a great gift idea for your kids or partner. 

Link to the seat belt cutter is HERE 

Seat covers are always a good idea! Protect your seats from stains from kids, pets, or everyday wear and tear. This set is a universal fit and comes in a few color choices. 

Link to waterproof seat covers HERE.

A great tool to have in the trunk at all times. A jump starter and air compressor. Help to jump start your car or inflate the tires. More information on specifics is available by clicking the link. Great gift idea for your partner or kids to help keep them safely on the road. 

Link to jump starter HERE 

Super handy little car accessory to give you a bit more space in the car and help keep you organized. Slips on to your visor and holds lots of things that would otherwise clutter up your console. 

Link to visor organizer HERE. 

I love these air fresheners! They aren't that strong but they do work to cancel any pet smells or musty smell that may linger in the car. 

Link to air fresheners HERE.

If you haven't tried car cleaning gel, give this one a try. Easier than trying to use a tiny brush or cloth. Also works on keyboards! 

Link to cleaning gel HERE. 

Our parents were firm believers that every car should have an emergency roadside kit. This one comes pretty well equipped and fits nicely in the trunk. 

Link to roadside kit HERE

Along the same lines as a roadside emergency kit, is a first aid kit. This one is compact and great for at home, in the car, and for camping. Full of helpful medical supplies that may come in handy in an emergency. 

Link to first aid kit HERE. 

And, lastly, just because it's ridiculously cute...

Everyone needs a crocheted swinging frog ornament for their mirror.  

Link to frog HERE. 

Click the links provided for more information on the products. 

Cucumber Prawn Bites

 

I didn't end up taking very many photos of this recipe because it was one of those "What do I have in the fridge" recipes. I needed an easy, quick appetizer for a small dinner party but didn't want to go shopping. I had prawns in the freezer and cucumbers and cream cheese in the fridge and ended up creating a pretty darned tasty snack. 

Sometimes those last minute, throw together recipes end up being the best! This only takes about 15 - 20 minutes to make and can sit in the fridge until ready to serve. 

Cucumber Prawn Bites

Ingredients

1 English Cucumber, sliced into rounds

30 small or medium prawns, cooked 

Cream Cheese Layer

4 oz cream cheese

2 Tbsp soy sauce (link)

pinch black pepper (link)

Gochujang Mayo

2 Tbsp gochujang paste (link)

1 Tbsp rice vinegar (link)

1 Tbsp honey (or maple syrup or sugar)

1 tsp soy sauce (link)

1 tsp sesame oil

1/4 tsp garlic powder (link)

1/4 to 1/2 cup of mayo

Optional

sesame seeds

green onions, finely diced

Directions

Slice cucumbers and place on paper towel to dry some of the moisture.

Do the same with the prawns.

Prepare the cream cheese layer by beating together the cream cheese, soy sauce, and pepper. 

Prepare the gochujang mayo by whisking together gochujang paste, rice vinegar, sweetener, soy sauce, sesame oil, garlic powder, and mayo. Start with 1/4 cup of mayo and add a little at a time until your desired thickness is reached. 

Place cucumber slices on serving tray. Top with 1 - 2 tsps of the cream cheese. Press a prawn on top. Drizzle with 1 - 2 tsp of the gochujang mayo.  

Garnish with sesame seeds or green onions (or both). 

These can be served immediately or chilled, covered, in the fridge until ready to serve. 

Recipe, as written, will make about 30 bites. It depends on how thick you cut the cucumber, etc... but it does make quite a few. I love that these are keto/low carb friendly as well. 

I ate the leftovers the next day and they were still good. I wouldn't keep them much longer than a day though - the cucumber starts to get a little slimy. 

I didn't have green onions but when I make them again I will be sure to pick some up. I think the green on top would make them look even prettier/tastier. 

FYI - the gochujang is fairly spicy so if you don't like too much spice maybe try one tablespoon at first and go from there. 

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Jalapeno Popper Garlic Pickle Rolls

 

Pickles were apparently the flavor trend of 2025. Pickle flavored everything was everywhere. 

Not a huge pickle fan myself but Sue loooooves them. 

I created this recipe for the holidays as a quick and easy appetizer that wouldn't cost me a million dollars. If you like jalapeno poppers then you will probably enjoy this pickle-y twist. 

From start to finish, I think it took me 15 - 20 minutes to make. They were a big hit. Even the non-pickle fans enjoyed them.

If you don't want to do roll ups, you could easily cut pickles in half and scoop out the middle, then pipe the cream cheese filling into them. Roll ups are definitely less time consuming, IMO. 

Jalapeno Popper Garlic Pickle Rolls

Ingredients

1 8 oz brick of cream cheese, softened

2 - 3 cloves garlic, minced

1 - 2 jalapeno peppers, finely diced

5 strips bacon, cooked and crumbled

1 1/2 - 2 cups shredded, aged cheddar

salt and pepper

1 jar of sandwich sliced pickles (Like these HERE)

Directions

Drain the pickles juice from the jar of pickles and lay the slices onto paper towel to dry most of the liquid off. Lay another layer of paper towel on top. 

While they are drying - beat together the cream cheese, garlic, jalapeno, bacon, cheese, and salt & pepper to taste until well mixed. 

Spread about half a tablespoon of the cream cheese mixture onto each pickle slice.

Roll up and press lightly to get to stick.

*Boom* Done. 

You can cover and refrigerate until ready to serve or serve immediately. 

This is a pretty easy recipe to change up to suit your preferences. Like more garlic? Use more garlic. Like more heat? Use more jalapeno, you could even add a sprinkle of hot sauce in there. 

Don't feel like rolling up the pickles because it's too messy? Spread the cream cheese in a dish and top with finely chopped pickles and make it into a dip for baguettes or crackers. You could even heat it up if you wanted to. 

Jalapeno Popper Garlic Pickle Rolls are great for Christmas, New Years, game night, girl's night.... anytime you need an appie that won't break the bank or take forever. 

Need a cute, reusable serving tray for your appies? These ones are cute and affordable - Link HERE.

Healthy Lifestyle Tools and Gift Ideas

 

I am making this post to share some of my favorite "Healthy Lifestyle" foods and tools. 

You can click on the accompanying link with each photo and it will take you to Amazon if you are interested in purchasing them (or just getting more information on the item). 

As part of the Amazon Affiliate Program, we receive a small commission if you make any purchases via our links. (Thank you for your support)

Above is one of my favorite protein bars EVER. Love Good Protein Bars are also keto friendly if you are counting carbs! Link HERE 

For tracking weight loss, this digital scale is affordable and reliable. 

Link HERE - RunStar Scale

Whether you are just starting out or have been going for a while, tracking your progress can be helpful. I really like the features in this planner. 

Link HERE - Food Journal

I have followed a keto diet for the past 6 years (on and off) and really feel like it works for me. If you have been thinking about giving it a try, this book has a lot of useful information for beginners. 

Link HERE - Keto Book

If you are looking for something less strict and more varied, this cookbook has some great healthy eating recipes and tips. 

Link HERE - Cookbook

A good kitchen scale is always helpful in the kitchen - more so if you are tracking macros and need to be precise. 

Link HERE - Kitchen Scale

Meal prepping is a great way to help yourself stay on track. These containers work well for salads, granola and yogurt, cereal, or overnight oats. 

Link HERE - 4 Pack containers

I really like this piece of equipment for beginners, elderly, or if you have some mobility issues. It doesn't take up much space and is not too expensive. 

Link HERE - Pedal exerciser

A stepper is a great, affordable piece of exercise equipment that works for all levels of fitness. 

Link HERE - Stepper

I started with a protein bar so I'm going to end with a protein drink. Fairlife Chocolate Protein is my ABSOLUTE favorite. I find most protein powders or drinks taste like chemicals BUT this one simply tastes like chocolate milk. It is a bit pricey but if you don't like protein drinks then it is worth it (at least for me). PLUS - it is keto friendly. 

Link HERE - Fairlife Protein

Two Ingredient Oreo Dessert

I'm going to start with a disclaimer: yes, it is technically 2 ingredients BUT I usually make it 4. 

Don't come after me for the extra ingredients on the list - you don't HAVE to add them. It will just be a smidge better if you do. 

Now that is out of the way - looking for the easiest dessert in the history of the world? This one is top of the list. I have yet to meet anyone who doesn't love it. (Except for those who don't like Oreos but...really...they're already wrong so what are you gonna do?)

You just need a few minutes to put this together and then it needs to sit for a couple of hours - up to overnight. Easy peasy. 

Two Ingredient Oreo Dessert

Ingredients

1 bag of Oreo Thins (or regular Oreos will also work)

1 container of Cool Whip (or ~3 cups whipped cream, whipped)

*Note - I use a little vanilla extract and sprinkle of sugar if I use whipped cream - thus the 4 ingredients*

Directions

Place a little line of Cool Whip (or whipped cream) down on the tray (Like THIS ONE) you intend to serve the dessert on. This will be what holds the cookies up but does not need to be thick. 

Take one Oreo and spread about a tsp of Cool Whip (or whipped cream) on top. Squish another Oreo on it. Continue until you have a stack of about 5 cookies. Place the cookies onto the prepared tray. 

Continue with all of the cookies. I make two lines of cookies (see photo below)

You can also layer these up in stacks of 3 or 4 cookies in individual jars for an alternative way to serve. 

When all the cookies are used up, spread the remaining Cool Whip (or whipped cream) over the top and sides of the cookie logs. 

Sprinkle any crumbs from the package on top (or keep one cookie and crumble it up).

*Boom* Done. 

Cover and put in the fridge for a couple of hours, up to overnight, so the cookies can soften.

When ready to eat, simply slice on a slight angle and serve. FYI - you CAN cut it straight across you just won't get the pretty cross section of the cookies like you see here. 

The Oreos soften and it's like cutting cake. 

Want to get fancy? Drizzle with a little chocolate sauce. 

I use the Oreo thins because they soften quicker and this is often my last-minute go to dessert so I don't have time to let it sit as long as it should. Regular Oreos will work fine, as will almost any type of sandwich cookies. See our Maple Cookie version HERE.  

Add cocoa powder to the Cool Whip/whipped cream for a more chocolatey version. Use a flavored sandwich cookie for even more options. 

As members of the Amazon Affiliate Program, if you make a purchase through one of the links on our blog we make a small commission. Thank you for your support. 

Lime Cake (Dairy Free)

 

This tangy lime cake is one of those desserts you need, you just don't know it yet. 

It is delightfully different than the usual chocolate, vanilla, or caramel cakes that everyone is used to. I've made it dairy free by using oat milk, vegan butter, and vegan yogurt BUT you can use "regular" milk products for the same result. 

Perfect for the holidays or birthdays and anniversaries OR just because you want a delicious cake. No reason needed. #NoJudgement 

I used 3 - 8 inch pans but you could also make cupcakes or a 9 X 13 - it just means changing the cooking time. 

Lime Cake (Dairy Free)

Ingredients

Cake

1/2 cup vegan butter

1 3/4 cup sugar

3 eggs

1/2 cup vegan yogurt

1 cup oat milk

1/4 cup vegetable oil

2 3/4 cup flour

2 Tbsp cornstarch

2 1/4 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

pinch salt

juice and zest of 2 limes

Buttercream

1 cup vegan butter

zest of 2 limes

6 - 7 cups icing sugar

oat milk to thin -  about 1 or 2 Tbsp

Extra lime slices for decorating

Directions

Preheat oven to 350. Line 3, 8 inch pans with parchment paper and set aside. 

Beat together butter and sugar until light. Beat in eggs and yogurt until smooth. Slowly beat in milk, oil, and lime juice until well mixed. 

In a separate bowl, stir together flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and lime zest. 

Beat dry ingredients into wet ingredients until no flour streaks remain. 

Spread evenly into prepared pans. Bake at 350 until toothpick inserted near center comes out clean, about 15 - 20 minutes. When done, remove from heat and let cool on wire racks for 10 minutes before inverting pans and removing cakes. Let cool completely. 

Prepare buttercream - Beat butter until smooth. Add in the lime zest and 6 cups of icing sugar. Beat until smooth and creamy. Add in a little oat milk at a time, if necessary, to get to spreadable consistency. Add the last cup of icing sugar if it is too runny. Place in fridge until cake is ready to frost. 

While cake and frosting are chilling I like to slice the zested limes and put the slices on paper towel to dry them off to be used for decorating the cake. 

Assemble the cake - place bottom layer of cake on a plate and spread a layer of lime buttercream on top. Repeat with other layers. 

Frost the outside of the cake with the remaining frosting. 

Decorate as desired. I like to use the lime slices. 

Chill until ready to serve. 

The lime flavor shines through in this cake. The crumb is delicate but not fragile. It's a solid cake.

You could slice each layer in half and fill with lime curd for an even MORE limey experience, or add cranberries or white chocolate to change things up and add a more complicated flavor profile. As is, it is a simple,  lovely, bright dessert for any celebration.  

As part of the Amazon Affiliate Program if you click the links in this post and purchase anything from them, we earn a small commission. 

Cake pans we use - 8" cake pans link 

Need a hand mixer to make things easier? Try this one - Hand Mixer Link