Valentine's Day Rice Crispy Snacks

Looking for the perfect yet easy thing to make for Valentine's Day for your kids? Well look tho farther than your own kitchen. Chocolate Dipped Rice Crispy Snacks are fast, easy, and cheap. You only need a few things that could already be in your cupboards. 

Rice Crispy Cereal, Chocolate Chips, Marshmallows, Butter, and Sprinkles. 

To start, make a batch of Rice Crispy's. I made a double batch to fill a well buttered 18 x 13 pan.  I used the rice crispy recipe on the back of the cereal box. (I used to think that Rice Crispy's were super hard to make and only the most amazing of mothers ever made them ;)

After the Rice Crispy's have had a chance to cool off, and aren't so sticky, you can use any cookie cutter to make your shapes.  I used a medium sized heart cutter. I don't recommend doing any shape that is very elaborate. It can get hard getting the crispy out of the cutter. If the cookie cutter gets too sticky then rub it down with some butter. Remember, when making rice crispy treats butter is your friend! 

You can stop here... Or you can make these simple treats spectacular! 

Put all your rice crispy's on wax paper. 

Place one back of chocolate chips into a microwavable bowl. My husband will only eat milk chocolate so we have no semi-sweet in this house. You can this recipe with either kind of chocolate, just watch it very carefully on the next few steps.

On medium heat, microwave the chocolate chips for 1 to 1 1/2 minutes. The chocolate is melted when it becomes shiny. 

Add 2 Tablespoons of margarine to the Chocolate and stir thoroughly. 

Once the chocolate is smooth dip part of one of the rice crispy hearts into it. I did the top half of the treat. Put it back onto the wax paper.  

Add the sprinkles to the still wet chocolate. I let my kids do this part. 

And Voila! You have some amazing Valentine Day treats that didn't take hours to make!

Chocolate Dipped Rice Crispy Hearts

6 Tbs Butter

2 Packages Marshmallows (10 oz. each) 

12 Cups Rice Crispy's

1 Package Chocolate Chips (about 11 oz.) 

2 Tbs Butter 

Grease 18 x 13 cookie sheet well. 

Put 12 cups (about 1 box) Rice Crispy's into large bowl. 

Melt 6 Tbs butter in large sauce pan over medium heat. Add marshmallows to melted butter and mix until marshmallows are melted. Pour over rice crispy's. Mix until well coated. 

Put marshmallow/ rice crispy mix into greased pat using a buttered spatula. Press down evenly. 

After rice crispy's have cooled cut out with cookie cutters. Place cut crispy's on wax paper. 

Empty bag of chocolate chips into microwave safe bowl. Melt on medium heat for 1 to 1 1/2 minutes in microwave. 

Add remaining 2 Tbs butter to chocolate. Stir until smooth. 

Dip rice crispy's into warm chocolate. Lay flat on wax paper, chocolate side up. 

Decorate with sprinkles. 

Enjoy!

Gluten Free Pie Crust Hack

Gluten Free Pie Crust Hack

It's that time of year when we are making pies for our loving families. But what do we do for our family members who can't eat gluten? 

You could spend a fortune buying gluten free pie dough or pre-made pie shells. Or you could try my easy and cheap gluten free pie crust hack. 

I bet you already have the ingredients you need.

Cheerio's! 

Say What? 

Yep. Cheerio's are made gluten free. All you have to do is use them in place of Graham cracker crumbs for any of your pie recipes. And you can use any kind of Cheerio's you have on hand. It's that easy. It's that cheap. It's that amazingly awesome!

In case you don't have a graham cracker crumb recipe here is mine with instructions of how to prep your Cheerios for your pie crust. 

All you need is: 

1 1/2 cup Cheerio crumbs 

1/4 cup melted butter (1/2 a stick) 

2 Tablespoons white sugar 

Put the Cheerio's into your food processor or blender. Blend until a fine crumb is formed, about 30 seconds.

Measure out 1 1/2 cups Cheerio crumbs and put into your desired pan.

Mix in the melted butter until all the crumbs are coated. 

Mine isn't pressed into the sides of the pan perfectly but you get the idea!

Press along the edges of the pan. 

Bake for 8 minutes at 350 degrees. 

And that is it! You now have a gluten free pie crust that didn't break the bank! 

Enjoy!

Hannah's Yummy Smoothies!!

Hannah's Yummy Smoothies!!

My daughter dreams of being a rock star chef. Yes you read that right. She wants to cook amazing food in her own restaurant some day and sing to people while she does it.
I thinks it's a great idea! She loves to cook (and is great at it;) and is a natural singer. I mean this kids voice is going to rock the world she is so good! (And that is the professional singer in me talking not the mom)
So I decided that I would share this video of her making her classic smoothy recipe. This is one of the first things she learned to do all on her own... with only minimal hovering from mom who is worried about her using kitchen appliances.

Smoothie Recipe in case you need it again. 

1 Cup Frozen Strawberries

1 Cup Plain Yogurt 

1 Cup Apple Juice

1 Tablespoon Sugar 

If you use flavored yogurt then you don't need to add the sugar and it tastes just as good. 

Any way! Try to make the smoothies yourself. I know you will love them:)

Rice Pudding

Rice Pudding

German Style 

Rice Pudding with raisins and cinnamon

I served a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Germany and Austria. While there I fell in love with German cuisine. I learned from wonderful German women how to make food that was like a piece of heaven on a plate.
Here is one of the first German recipes I learned to make. It's sweet, creaminess is certain to bring a smile to the faces of your family.

Rice Pudding:
2 Cups Milk
1 tsp. Butter
1/2 Cup White Rice
1/2 Cup White Sugar
1/2 Cup Heavy Cream, whipped
1/4 tsp. Cinnamon

In a medium saucepan bring the milk and butter to a boil. Stir well. Add the rice and simmer over low heat for 25 minutes, stirring occasionally. Once rice is tender remove pan from heat. Mix in the sugar. Whip the cream and add it to the rice. Stir well. Dish into bowls. Sprinkle with cinnamon.

I enjoy this pudding warm and with some raisins in it. My hubby likes it best after it has been chilled in the fridge. And my kids love it for breakfast! Either way, it is a delightful addition to any day.

Frugal Food

Frugal Food

Lentils and Rice Casserole

It may look simple but this is one tasty meal.

The new year is always the time for new goals. Two of the most common goals deal with money and food. Everyone wants to eat better while spending less money at the same time. And guess what? You can!
Here is one of my most frugal meal recipes. This recipe checks a ton of boxes for different  diets such as gluten free and vegetarian. It's cheap, easy, and tastes really good!

Lentils and Rice Casserole:

3 Cups Water
3/4 Cup Uncooked Lentils, rinsed
1/2 Cup Uncooked Brown Rice, rinsed
3/4 Cup Chopped Onion
1 Cup Frozen Mixed Vegetables
1 tsp. Salt
1 tsp. Basil
1 tsp. Garlic Powder
1/4 tsp. Oregano
1 Cup Shredded Cheddar Cheese

Place all ingredients, except cheese, into a 9x13 inch baking dish. Mix well. Cover with tinfoil. Bake at 300 degrees for 2-2 1/2 hours, until tender and water is absorbed. Remove tinfoil. Top with cheese. Bake uncovered until cheese is melted.

And that's it! It takes me 5 minutes to throw this meal together and it can bake while I drive kids to all their activities. Easy, healthy, and frugal.

Homemade Pumpkin Puree

Homemade Pumpkin Puree

It's that time of the year!

I know that you can buy canned pumpkin pack in the store, but have you ever wondered what a pumpkin pie would have tasted like in the days of Laura Ingalls Wilder? Well, I sure have. And since pumpkin pie is my favorite pie ever I had to try it from scratch. Let me tell you, real pumpkin puree it is like a bite of creamy heaven.

There was one year I had a neighbor with a large garden who had grown pumpkins. A lot of pumpkins! Thankfully, she was willing to share them with the whole neighborhood.

I ended up with about eight pumpkins in my garage and no idea what to do with them. But you know me, I had to do something with all these pumpkins. Waist is not an option with me. After a few jack-o-lanterns I found out how to make pumpkin puree. It has been one of the best, the yummiest, things I have ever done.

Before I tell you how to make your own pumpkin puree there is a warning... Once you use pure pumpkin puree in a pie or other recipe you will never, EVER, want to go back to the stuff from the can. It is that good!

1st. Start with a pumpkin. Most stores sell the little pie pumpkins next to the big jack-o-lantern ones. While the little pumpkins are grown to be made into puree I have used both kinds and have ended up with great puree from both kinds. The smaller ones will usually give you a darker colored puree, if you were wondering;)

2nd. Let's gut that bad boy! Cut your pumpkin in half so you can easily get to all the gooey stuff in the middle. Discard the stringy stuff but keep the seeds for roasting. You don't have to get too picky about how 'clean' the inside of your pumpkin is.

3rd. Once your pumpkin is cleaned out, slice it into smaller sections and arrange on a baking sheet. Face up is best.

4th. Put them into the oven at 350 degrees for 45 minutes, or until they are tender. Poke them with a fork to see if they are done. The pointy edges should be just about to get crispy.

5th. Let the pumpkin slices cool enough that you can handle them. Then turn them over so you can pull the skins off. Yes, the skins should pull right off. If not, then pop them back in the oven for 5 more minutes. (There was a lot happening in the kitchen right about here so I stopped taking pictures. Sorry)

6th. With the skins removed it is time to puree! I use a blender but there are lots of ways to turn a pumpkin to mush. If you decide to use a blender like I do, place several chunks into the blender and push puree. You will need to add some water to get things moving. Add water a single Tablespoon at a time, just until things get moving. You want puree, not soup! (Before you ask, yes I did make that mistake one year.)

And that is it! Once you are done blending you have some awesome, homemade puree that you can use right away.

If you have more than you need, store in in freezer storage bags for future use. I put 2 cups of puree in each  bag and throw them in the freezer! OK, not throw. I carefully make sure each bag can lay perfectly flat so they take up less room. What can I say, I am a neat freak;)

You can store it in a freezer for 6 to 8 months this way... OK, more like over a year. I made a huge batch of pumpkin puree once and only just finished it 3 years later! Wow, so glad I was honest with you all.

Coming soon... Homemade Pumpkin Pie!

Gluten Free Blueberry Muffins

Gluten Free Blueberry Muffins

It's always a  struggle to get really good gluten free baked goods. But fear not! I have an amazing gluten free blueberry muffin recipe for you.

Here is what you need:

2 Cups Flour (Check out my Gluten Free flour mix!)
1 Cup White Sugar
1/2 teaspoon Baking Powder
1/2 teaspoon Baking Soda
1/2 teaspoon Salt
1 1/2 Cups fresh or frozen Blueberries (if using frozen berries do NOT thaw)
2 Eggs, lightly beaten
1 Cup Sour Cream
1/2 Cup Vegetable Oil
1/2 teaspoon Vanilla Extract

AND a Mini muffin pan. I have tried these muffins in a regular sized pan and they just don't come out as well so we always go for mini muffins. Plus, my kids love the smaller size!

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. In a large bowl combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add the blueberries and gently toss. (This will keep them from sinking as the muffins bake.) In a separate bowl, combine the eggs, sour cream, oil, and vanilla. Mix well. Stir the wet mixture into the dry ingredients until moistened. Don't over mix. Grease your mini muffin cups. Fill them to 2/3rd's full. (I use my cookie scoop to get them all the same size.) Bake for 15 to 18 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Allow to cool for 5 minutes before removing from the pan.

Well, there you have it. Straight to the point Gluten Free Blueberry Muffins. You can use other berries if you want but these are my daughters favorite. They also keep in the freezer for 2 months. Just bake, freeze, then warm them up so you can enjoy a mini treat!

Less Expensive and Easy Gluten Free Flour

Less Expensive and Easy Gluten Free Flour

Brown Rice Flour, Potato Starch, Tapioca Starch, Xanthan Gum

I was diagnosed with a gluten intolerance 4 years ago. It was shortly after my 3rd baby was born. I was in heaven with my new bundle of joy... until I started doubling over in pain.

The stomach cramps got so intense that my husband almost had to carry me out to the car so we could go to the hospital. It took a lot of coaxing to get me to cooperate but I finally agreed to a stomach biopsy. The result? I had a section of my stomach that was being agitated by the gluten I was eating and it was causing all my pain. Crazy, I know! 

My first concern was that I didn't really know what to eat. I had watched my grandfather deal with Celiac disease for years and it was no fun. I feared I would only get eat Chex Cereal and rice cakes for the rest of my life. 

Then I started to do some research and found that a lot of people had pioneered the Gluten Free way for me. Let me just say thank you to all those people! I took a lot of idea's from other people, put my own spin on it, and got some great recipes that have made my diet change barely noticeable! 

The first thing I needed was a good gluten free flour. I tried a ton, from store brands to home made mixes. (Beware! Some store brands use bean flour and that stuff has a weird after taste.) 

After a lot of trial and error, I finally found a flour blend that is great!

Here is my recipe: 2 Cups Brown Rice Flour
                              2/3 Cup Potato Starch
                              1/3 Cup Tapioca Starch
                              1 Tablespoon Xanthan Gum

First up is the rice flour. I like to grind my own rice flour (aka my darling hubby will grind a bunch of brown rice into flour for me. Thank you, honey!) You can also buy rice flour, but I find that using a food mill to make my own is much cheaper.

Next I take the rice flour my hubby ground and mix it with the Potato Starch (also called Potato Flour), Tapioca Starch, and Xanthan Gum. Sift these together really well. You want it all blended so you can use this just like regular flour.

Finally, store it all in an air tight container to use at any future time. Here you see a big container of GF flour. I make a lot at one time so I will have some on hand for several months. Start out by trying the smaller recipe you see above. If it works out as well for you as it did for me then start making it in larger quantities. It will 'keep' just like regular flour.

I find that this flour can be substituted on a 1:1 ratio with regular flour for most recipes. I will be posting some of my favorite GF recipes in following blog posts!

Kids Snack Bags

Kids Snack Bags! 

Travel food for your little ones

My kids love to have what everyone else is having for a snack. It always looks like more fun than their own snacks. So I have come up with a great idea for our family. Snack Bags!

I take the kids to the store and let them each pick a bulk snack item that they can share with their siblings. (Avoid chocolate or yogurt coating since they like to melt in heat). Then the kids get to place their snack in their siblings snack bags. It is an awesome sharing experience.

Now, I don't make just a few of these bags. I always make enough for an entire trip and then some. Sounds like a lot of work? Have your children help you out like I have mine. We have the snack assembly line down!

Ingredients for this snack bag batch are gold fish, fruit snacks, vanilla wafers, cheese-its, mini marshmallows, and strawberry wafer cookies. These bags are for our move so we made them extra fun! Make your's according to your children's tastes. We make sure everyone gets the same amount in each bag. I also got the kids new good 2 grow juice bottles. I love these bottles because they are dishwasher safe and are just the right size for water bottles.

Once done, I store all the snack bags in a sturdy box with a lid so they don't get crushed. I find a plastic shoe box works really well. Keep it in easy access so you can pass out snacks in the car. Have a great trip!

Easy Chocolate Dipped Strawberries

Easy Chocolate Dipped Strawberries

I love chocolate. I love any kind of chocolate. Chocolate is just good. Add some fresh strawberries to chocolate and you have a little piece of heaven in your hand!

Here is my super easy chocolate dipped strawberry for your eating pleasure.

1 pound fresh strawberries
1 bag white chocolate chips
3 Tbsp. shortening (I use Crisco)

Clean and dry the fresh strawberries. Leave the leaves on the top. In a double boiler, melt white chocolate chips and shortening. Stir continuously until smooth, about 3 minutes. Remove chocolate from heat. Holding strawberries by the leaves, dip into melted chocolate. Place strawberry on wax paper to cool. Stir chocolate occasionally as you dip the strawberries.
If you want to add sprinkles, do it as soon as the strawberry has been dipped.

This is a great one to have the kids help you with. My kids love this treat. At the very end, I give each little helper a spoon full of chocolate!