Homemade Chewy Popcorn Bars Understandably, most people associate popcorn with the movies. Whether it’s buying a bag at the movie theater or popping some up for family movie night, popcorn typically only comes out when the movies do. But popcorn should not just be saved for sitting in front of a screen—popcorn is super easy to cook with and can be incorporated into dozens of healthy snacks and desserts. Popcorn recipes also tend to be high in fiber and antioxidants, so you don’t even have to feel guilty when you chow down. That’s why these Chewy Popcorn Bars are the perfect healthy, on-the-go snack you can eat at any time—movie or not! With their simple ingredients and great taste, these good-for-you bars are sure to become a household staple. Chewy Popcorn Bars Ingredients 8 cups popped Orville Redenbacher’s Original Popping Corn 2 cups quick-cooking rolled oats 1 cup raisins or dried sweetened cranberries 1 cup dry roasted peanuts 1 cup firmly packed … [Read more...]
How to make Fry Bread!
Fry Bread is a staple at my house. I know that it is not the healthiest of breads but I can't get enough of fry bread with honey or fry bread covered with taco ingredients! It is versatile and can be used in many ways. Plus it is really easy to make! Ingredients: 1 Cup Unbleached Flour 1 tsp baking powder 1/4 tsp salt 1/3 cup Hot Water Crisco (or oil/lard) for frying First you will need to place all dry ingredients into a mixing bowl. Next add hot water and mix until its a soft dough (do not knead it will make it into a heavy dough) After the dough is mixed you will want to cover the bowl with a clean towel and let sit 30-45 minutes. After the cover time is over uncover and divide dough into four even sections. Roll into a ball and then pat, pull, stretch or do anything you like to help get it into a flat rounded shape. Each piece should be around 5"-6" wide. Next you will want to heat enough Crisco (or oil/lard) to fill a cast iron skillet to … [Read more...]
Plum Fruit Leather Recipe (oven)
Recently Thanks to Bountiful Baskets I was able to purchase a box of plums! The box contained a huge variety of plums and I was trying to figure out fun ways to use them up! As most of you know that my daughter just went back to school so making fruit leather that she could take in her lunches seemed like a perfect fit. Ingredients: Plums 4 Cups (about 12)Lemon JuiceSugarwaterCookie SheetMicrowave safe Plastic Wrap 1. To start off you will want to select plums that are ripe and firm. You will need to peel the skin off and remove the seeds. Once the 4 cups of plums are skinned and seeded you will need to place them in a saucepan in 1/2c water. Bring to a simmer and cover. Let cook about 10-15 minutes or until the plums are cooked through. While they are cooking I pre-heat the oven as low as it will go...for me that is 170 degrees. After plums are cooked you will need o use a potato masher and mash up fruit until they are fully mashed. After you are done mashing the … [Read more...]
Update On The Lorax Cookies
It has come to my attention that the original Lorax Cookie recipe I had posted listed sugar twice instead of listing butter as an ingredient. I apologize for the inconvenience to those who have tried the recipe and it has failed. I have updated the recipe to show the correct ingredients. Thank you for patience and hopefully I learned my lesson of typing with 4 kids helping bake cookies. Enjoy and hope that everyone had a happy and safe 4th! … [Read more...]
The Flavors of Fourth of July
Celebrating our country’s independence, the Fourth of July traditionally honors American pride. From fireworks to feasts, this upbeat day highlights American pastimes across the country. In Maryland, locals serve up crab cakes fresh from the Eastern shore, while Pacific Northwesterners grill salmon and peas, a meal native to the area. In the Midwest, you’ll find Wisconsin Cheeseheads broiling trout and Indiana Hoosiers grilling steak and sweet corn. From local meats to patriotic desserts, the Fourth is a time to honor local American cultures, but with growing appreciation for our melting pot make-up, many Fourth of July feasts are seeing some international flavors. I know what you’re thinking — crab meat and salmon are expensive! And that is generally true, but after all, the Fourth of July only comes once a year. There are plenty of delicacies to dive into but you don’t have to go broke doing it. If you’re cooking on a budget, check-out online coupon sites like Valpak and look … [Read more...]
Lorax Sugar Cookie Bars
So I am kind of the "den mother" at the boys daycare and that means I am bringing in goodies a couple of times a month for all the kiddos. This week they are having a Lorax party and will be watching the movie. I did a spin off of some cookies I saw floating around pinterest that looked way to complicated to make on a busy day and turned them into some wonderfully colored bars instead. Ingredients 1/2 cup softened butter 1 egg 2 cups flour 1 cup sugar 1/2 tsp salt 2 tsps baking powder 1/2 tsp vanilla Directions 1. Combine all ingredients and mix well. 2. Divide your dough into 5 small bowls and add five different liquid food colors. The colors will dull some after they bake so make them bright! 3. Pinch your colors out and roll into small balls the size of grapes and place onto a greased cookie sheet. Make sure your colors have a good pattern to them as you don't want all your pink in one place. (Note my picture is not very patterned and I re-arranged them before … [Read more...]
5 Minutes to Home Made Ice Cream w/ everyday ingredients!
Home made ice cream can be much easier to achieve then you think! I myself have grown up with home made ice cream and have spent many days cranking the handle on the ol'ice cream maker. But, that is not possible for everyone and I don't like to drag out the whole machine all the time. Sometimes I want just enough for me or for a quick one after dinner dessert for my family! Here's what you need: 1/2 c Milk (whole milk is best)1 tsp Vanilla Extract1 tbs White Sugar2 c Ice6 tbs Rock Salt1 quart zipper bag1gallon zipper bag First take the 1/2 c. Milk, 1 tbs white sugar and 1 tsp vanilla Place those three ingredients (milk, sugar, vanilla) into quart zipper bag Seal the bag tightly Next take the 6 tbs rock salt and 2 cups ice and pour into gallon zipper bag Place the quart zipper bag inside of the gallon zipper bag and shake, shake, shake!! It takes about 5 minutes of shaking to get the texture of Ice Cream! -At times it can take a little more shaking or a … [Read more...]
To Do Tuesday!!
To Do Tuesday today involves the kiddos! YAY! So grab your kids, your Grandkids, your Neighbors kids, Any kids (with permission of course ) or just yourself whom might still be a kid at heart and let’s make up some G-Force Cookies! YUMMY! I found this recipe in Family Fun Magazine. If you get that magazine you might have seen it in the August issue. If you do not get that magazine I suggest you do! It has SO many wonderful family as well as homemade gift ideas! I love it! So here are some pic’s of my little girl making our G-Force Hamster cookies! You can enjoy looking at them while she and I enjoy watching that cute little Disney Movie with our cookies and milk!! My 4 year old had SO much fun shaping the cookies and putting peanut ears and chocolate chip eyes! … [Read more...]