S'Mores Bars

I have mentioned before about how I have never camped, but I love camping food.

The only thing that I do not love about camping food, is trying to cook the food and keep three children out of the fire at the same time.

Stressful.

String Beane keeps wanting to throw more pine straw in the fire so it can be ''really big".

Butter Beane would be the one to jump in to prove that it is not hot like I said it was.

Jelly Beane is so busy trying to grab my marshmallow stick that I am afraid that she will fall in the fire.

So this past weekend, I decided to make things easy on myself and make some camp food inside.

Here are the S'Mores Bars.  They were so good.  The  marshmallow squirted out and the chocolate was melted and gooey.  Go on and make you some.  In the oven where things are safe.  Then go outside and eat some around the campfire all relaxed.

Ingredients
1/2 C butter, softened (Flieshmann's unsalted margarine is milk free)

3/4 C brown sugar

1 egg

1 tsp. vanilla

1 1/3 C flour

3/4 C graham cracker crumbs

1 tsp. baking powder

1/8 tsp. salt

1 (7 ounce) container marshmallow fluff

1 C chocolate chips (Gharidelli Semi Sweet is milk free)

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Cream the butter and sugar together until creamy.  Add the egg and vanilla and mix.  Add the flour, graham cracker crumbs, baking powder and salt and stir until a dough forms.  

Line an 8x8 baking dish with plastic wrap.  

Take half of the dough and press into the 8x8 dish.  (This will be the top of the S'mores bars)  Lift the dough out of the dish using the plastic wrap and set aside.

Spray the 8x8 pan with cooking spray and press the other half of the dough into the pan.

Microwave the Marshmallow fluff for 30 seconds.  Pour over the cookie dough.  Spread to the edges.  

Sprinkle with chocolate chips.

Take the dough you set aside and flip it onto the chocolate chips.  

Bake for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown.

Let her cool down a little and then slice it up and eat all relaxed by the fire.

Here is another look at the beautiful things.

I adapted this recipe to make these milk free. 

I am linking up at Metamorphosis Monday , Allergy Free Wednesday, and these other awesome parties.  Go check them out!

Friday Favorites

It is finally Friday, Homes!

Time to start the weekend.  I have been searching Pinterest to find some fun new things to make.

I have found some.  Here are my top 5 on my list of things to covet. 

I clearly have Easter Treats on the brain.

What have you pinned?

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Bunny Shaped Pretzels

Carrot Pineapple Cake

Blue Bird Jordan Almonds

Rice Krispie Pizza

Chinese Chicken Salad with Sesame Dressing

This salad should balance out all the Easter treats I will surly eat! 

Good plan, No?

I am linking up with Finding Joy in My Kitchen.  Go check out all the yummy pins.

Menu Plan Monday March 26

Last week, we ate good!  Everything turned out so yummy. 

The little Beanes ate well, without too much fussing. 

We even squeezed in having some friends over to roast hot dogs over the fire pit.  I made some delicious S'Mores bars that I will share with you this week.

I am feeling the need to try some new recipes again.  Here is the line up for this week:

Monday

Breakfast for Supper

Sausage

Grits

Toast

Bananas

Tuesday

Pizza with Beer Battered Pizza Crust

Salad

Corn

Wednesday

Easy Egg Rolls

Peanut Butter Noodles

Thursday

Fish Tacos with Pineapple Salsa

Rice

Friday

Grilled Butterflied Brown Sugar Chicken

Salad

Carrot and Celery Sticks with

No Milk Ranch Dressing

Weekend

Shepard's Pie

That's our week.  What do you have on your menu?

I am linking up with Menu Plan Monday.  Go check out all of the meal plans.



Kick the Can Homemade Ice cream - Allergy options

This is all that was left of our ice cream experiment.

We made Kick the Can Ice Cream.  It was so simple and so delicious.  And we made it with coconut milk so my String Beane could eat it. 

It started with a trip to Lowe's to get some new paint cans.  I bought one gallon size paint can and one quart size paint can.  I washed the quart size can and dried it.

I mixed up my ice cream ingredients and put it in the quart sized can.  I put the paint can lid on and made sure it was good and sealed.  I then put the quart sized can in the gallon can and alternated ice and rock salt until it was full.  I sealed up the gallon sized can and outside we went.

Here is String Beane kicking the can.  It froze up so much that the whole outside of the can was covered with ice.  String Beane and Mr. Homegrown kicked the can back and forth for about 10 minutes.

It made the most delicious ice cream.  We ate it up quickly.

Butter Beane was very happy about it.  Who couldn't love a face like that?

This was such a fun activity to do with the little Beanes.  Go ahead and make you some. 

You totally burn off the calories by kicking the can around.  It is a dessert and an exercise plan in one! 

Ingredients

1 pint milk (We used the coconut milk found in the refrigerator section of the grocery store.)

1/3 cup sugar

4 tablespoons of your favorite pudding mix (We used Vanilla)

Mix all of the ingredients in a bowl until the sugar dissolves. 

Pour into the quart sized paint can.

Put quart sized paint can in the gallon sized can. 

Layer with ice and then rock salt.  I probably used about two cups of ice and 1/4 cup of rock salt for each layer.  Seal the gallon sized can.  And now kick it!  Kick the can or roll the can back and forth for at 10 minutes. 

At the end of 10 minutes, open the can up and give the ice cream a stir and serve. 

I was really happy with how quickly and solid this ice cream froze.  I have struggled with getting the ice cream to freeze when I could not use half and half or some sort of cow milk.  This coconut did the trick. 

If you want to change the flavor up, just change the flavor of pudding mix.  I am sure they would all be yummy! 

I am linking up with Metamorphosis Monday and these other Awesome Parties!  Go check them out.



Friday Favorites

It is Friday peeps!

Survived anther week and ready for the weekend?  Me too! 

If only some rain would come and wash all of this pollen away.

Here are some of my favorite finds this week.

What have you pinned?



Queso Fundido con Chorirzo

This would not work in our house, but I would love to eat the whole thing!

Sizzling Ponzu Fajitas

I will be trying this one pretty soon.

Easter Treat

My little peeps would love this.

Lemon Bars in jars

I could eat all of those.  I better not make them.

Banana Pudding Cupcakes

Banana pudding always makes me think about my Grandma.  And I smile.

What has made your list this week?

I am linking up with Finding Joy in my Kitchen.  Go check out what everyone else has pinned.

Menu Plan Monday March 19

We ate so good last week. 

My favorites were the General Tso's Chicken and the Bacon-y Rice and Chicken. 

Mr. Homegrown cooked oysters over the fire pit.  They were so good!  He is so proud of himself. 

Here is the line up for this week.

Monday

Sausage Panckes on Sticks

Scrambled Eggs

Baked Apples

Tuesday

Carmalized Baked Chicken

Rice

Broccoli

Wednesday

Pizza made with Beer Batter Crust

Corn

Salad

Thursday

Captain Crunch Thai Chicken Tenders

Soba Noodles with Sweet Ginger Sauce

Friday

Chicken Pot Pie (my mom's recipe)

Broccoli

Applesauce

Weekend

Pork Chops With Pineapple Fried Rice

What are your menu plans this week?

I am linking up with Menu Plan Monday.  Go by and check it out.

Friday Favorites

Good morning internet peeps!

I have been busy pinning all week.

Here are my top 5.



Peanut Butter Oreo Fudge Creme Parfait

Happy Birthday to the Oreo!

Bacon Scallion Hummus

My Butter Beane loves hummus.

Coconut Almond Hot Chocolate

This is a vegan recipe that I am going to try for my little Beanes.

Strawberry Sorbet

My String  Beane loves sorbet and it is almost time to pick strawberries!

Sea Salt and Carmel Popcorn

I love caramet popcorn!

What have you pinned this week?

I am linking up with Finding Joy in my Kitchen.

Pi Day Pecan Pie

Today is March 14th or 3.14 for short. 

That means it is Pie Day.  Remember geometry?  This symbol π means something to someone in the math world.  All I remember is it is 3.14.

I was not a horrible math student.  I was just quick to rule out what I thought wouldn't be useful in later life.

I was correct about most math.  I have never used π since I finished geometry.  So, up until now, that was some useless information for me. 

Someone should have explained to me about how this little symbol, π, could translate into some yummy dessert.  That would have made me pay more attention. 

And I have seen some of the cutest baby clothes that say "Cutie π".  I really think that math teachers should really have explained to me the real value of π.  Desserts and shopping I understand.  Math scores could really go up with this information.

So, in honor of Pie Day, I am giving all you mathletes a Pecan Pie recipe.  Here you go.  You are welcome.

Ingredients

1 pie crust, unbaked

1 cup white sugar

3 Tablespoons brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup dark Karo Syrup

1/2 cup light Karo Syrup

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/3 cup melted butter (Flieshmann's unsalted is milk free)

3 eggs, beaten

1 cup pecans, chopped  slightly

Mix up your sugars, salt, Karo syrups, vanilla, eggs and melted butter in a bowl.

Pour your chopped pecans in the bottom of the pie crust. 

Pour the syrup mixture over the top.  Cover the top and crust loosely with foil.  Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.  Remove foil and continue baking another 30 minutes. 

Watch your crusts.  If it starts to get too brown, recover with foil and continue baking.  Your pie should not be too jiggly when it is done. 

Cool pie completely before serving. 

Happy Pie Day!

I am linking up with Metamorphosis Monday and these other Awesome Parties!



Menu Plan Monday March 12

Ever since I started adding an extra meal to the plan, we have had more left overs than normal.

So, once again, I am carrying over a meal from last week to this week.

Here is the plan for this week.

Monday

Crock Pot Rotisserie Chicken

Potatoes

Green Beans

Cantaloupe

Tuesday

Crock Pot Chicken Tortilla Soup

Cantaloupe

Wednesday

Pizza with Beer Batter Pizza Crust

Salad

Corn

Thursday

General Tso's Chicken

Pot Stickers

Rice

Friday

Bacon-y Chicken and Rice Bake

Broccoli

Mandarin Oranges

Weekend

Oyster Roast over the fire pit

Corn Bread

Slaw

What do you have planned for this week?

I am linking up with Menu Plan Monday.  Go check out what every one else has planned for this week.

Friday Favorites

It is Friday Internet peeps! 

Today is the day to talk about all the wonderful and yummy things I pinned this week.

There have been lots!

I have narrowed it down to the top 5 favorites.

Here they are:



Chocolate Frosting Shots

This sounds like genius to me.

Peanut Butter Ice Cream Sammies

How good does this look?  Pretty good.

Brownie Roll Ups

This looks like a great idea.

Soba Noodles with Sweet Ginger Sauce

My family would love this one!

Bacony Chicken and Rice Bake

I will give this a try pretty soon.

What have you pinned this week?

I am linking up with Finding Joy in My Kitchen.  Go check out what has made everyone else's list.

Cinna Sticks

Exercise is not my thing.  Not any part of it.

I pretend to do it.  I don't think I am fooling anyone though.  Wearing yoga pants around town doesn't fool anyone.  Everyone knows they I am only wearing them because of the elastic.

I am trying to break the cycle of exercise hating with my children.  Butter Beane and Jelly Beane started gymnastics this week.  They loved it.  I pretended to know how to do the moves they were learning. 

There was jumping and rolling and twisting and stretching.  I watched and smiled.  I felt tired for them.

Here they are on their way to the first class.

The other main reason I wanted to sign them up for gymnastics is so I could buy leg warmers.  No lie.  Aren't they the cutest? 

Since I am all about pretending to love exercise, I decided to share the secret with my kids early. 

You exercise so you can eat better stuff. 

I made them this sinful breakfast before we went.  They ate it up and then burned off all the calories.  I ate it up and kept all the calories.  I took one for the team.

Cinnasticks

Ingredients

12 Rhodes rolls, thawed overnight

6 Tablespoons margarine (Flieshmann's unsalted is milk free)

3/4 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup sugar

2 teaspoons cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon cloves

1/8 teaspoon salt

2 Tablespoons melted margarine (Flieshmann's unsalted is milk free)

Before you go to bed, put the frozen rolls in a greased bowl and cover with plastic wrap. 

In the morning, roll the dough out on a lightly floured surface until it is close to a 9x13 size.  Cut the dough in to strips using a pizza cutter.

In a 375 degree oven, melt the 6 Tablespoons of margarine in a 9x13 dish. 

Transfer the strips of dough to the 9x13 dish.  Roll each dough strip in the melted margarine and line them up side by side until you have all of them in the pan.

In a bowl, mix together the sugars, cinnamon, cloves, salt and 2 T melted margarine.  Sprinkle the cinnamon mixture over the bread dough and let it rest for about 10 minutes.

Bake the Cinnasticks in a 375 degree oven for 15 to 20 minutes.

While they are baking, make the sugar glaze.

Sugar Glaze

1 cup powdered sugar

2 Tablespoons softened margarine (Flieshmann's unsalted)

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 Tablespoons milk (I used almond milk)

Whisk together until smooth.

When the Cinnasticks come out of the oven, let them cool for about 10 minutes and then drizzle the glaze all over them. 

I might not have been able to wait the full 10 minutes before I drizzled the glaze on these babies.  I believe I was hungry and we were running late.

This should be every one's reward for a good workout!

I am linking up with Metamorphosis Monday and these other Awesome Parties !

I altered this recipe to make this milk free for my family.



Menu Plan Monday March 5

We had a few shake ups last week with our menu plan.

We ended up eating out one night and going to my mom's one night.

The extra bonus in that is two meals from last week carry over to this week.  Woot!

Here is this week's plan.

Monday

Chicken and Dumplings

(String Beane's Favorite meal)

Tuesday

Waffles of Insane Greatness

Bacon

Strawberries

Wednesday

Slow Cooker Beef Stew

7-Up Biscuits

Thursday

Honey Spice Pork Kabobs

Rice

Broccoli

Friday

Homemade Vegetable Beef Soup (Recipe to come)

Pizza Bread

Mandarin Oranges

Weekend

Crock pot Rotisserie Chicken

Rice

Green Beans

I am linking up with Menu Plan Monday.  Go check out what is on everyone else's menu this week. 

What is on your menu this week?