Gluten Free Oatmeal Lemon Cream Bars

Sometimes, the simplest recipes are the best, and this is one of those recipes that uses pantry staples and comes together very quickly! Oatmeal Lemon Cream Bars combine texture and refreshing flavor and pare perfectly with a freshly brewed cup of coffee or afternoon tea. The sweetened condensed milk, also known as “nectar of the gods” according to my dear…

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Carrot Cake Cupcakes

It’s Easter weekend, and time to prepare the traditional Ricketts feast, which includes plenty of sweets! A staple over the past several years has been Carrot Cake Cupcakes adorned with cream cheese icing and a pretty candy-coated chocolate. There’s nothing like homemade carrot cake moistened with shredded carrots, apple and pineapple, then flavored with an aromatic blend of spices including…

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Bacon Candy

I LOVE BACON! It’s true, bacon is my vice I admit – I don’t deny it, I don’t fight it, but rather embrace it for all its savory, smokey and salty deliciousness! Bacon is a staple in my house, you will rarely find the fridge or freezer without this heavenly pork delight, just waiting to be devoured for breakfast, lunch…

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Chocolate Dipped Orange Zested Chocolate Chip Shortbread Cookies

Believe it or not, considering my passion and love for baking, I’m not the one in the house with the sweet tooth, my husband is! And, while he’s not picky when it comes to sweets, his favorites include chocolate, with traditional chocolate chip cookies being #1 on the list! However, this past holiday I tested a twist to my Shortbread…

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St. Patty’s Pistachio Cake

Happy St Patrick’s Day to everyone out there celebrating the Luck of the Irish, whether it’s your heritage or not! It’s amazing to me how much this holiday is embraced across the US, with huge parades, most notably in Chicago where the river is dyed green just for the occasion. From large metropolitan cities to remote towns and villages, St.…

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Spring Ahead Strawberry Sauce

It’s hard to believe we’re nearly half-way through the month of March, with April right around the corner.  Here in NE Ohio, while we’ve had several inches of snow fall (and melt) this past week, you can catch a glimpse of budding trees, the first blooms of crocuses, and daffodil stems peeking through remnants of autumn leaves—all hopeful signs of…

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Chocolate Mayonnaise Cake

Yes, you read this correctly, “mayonnaise”— This was my mother-in-law, Rosie’s recipe passed on to me 20+ years ago, when she deemed me worthy of making her son’s (my husband’s) favorite cake! Ever since, it’s been the most requested birthday cake not only from my husband Fred, but also the kids, who are all grown up but still make a…

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Love IS A Real Ingredient

Welcome to my blog, Love Is A Real Ingredient.  My name is Cammy Ricketts and while my full-time job keeps me incredibly busy as a Product Manager for Steelite International America  the leading table-top provider in the hospitality industry world-wide, my passion for cooking and baking for family and friends keeps me busy on weekends!  And, after posting countless images…

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Ooey Gooey Cinnamon Rolls

There’s nothing like a homemade Cinnamon Roll, with creamy vanilla icing melting into the warm gooey dough, laden with buttery cinnamon-sugary goodness,  which is why I decided to make it the very first recipe post on Love Is A Real Ingredient! Dough 1 cup warm milk. (110-115 degrees) 1 1/2 tablespoon instant dry yeast 2 tablespoons white granulated sugar 1…

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