Saturday, March 31, 2012

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, March 30, 2012

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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Foodie Crush 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.


Monday, March 26, 2012

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
Peanut Butter Noodles Recipe

Thursday
Rice

Friday
Salad
Carrot and Celery Sticks with


Weekend

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.


Friday, March 23, 2012

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?


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

I will be trying this one pretty soon.

My little peeps would love this.

lemon bars to go
I could eat all of those.  I better not make them.

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.

Sunday, March 18, 2012

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
Scrambled Eggs
Baked Apples

Tuesday
Caramelized Baked Chicken Legs/Wings. Photo by yuki9622002
Rice
Broccoli

Wednesday
Pizza made with Beer Batter Crust
Corn
Salad

Thursday

Friday
Chicken Pot Pie (my mom's recipe)
Broccoli
Applesauce

Weekend

What are your menu plans this week?

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

Friday, March 16, 2012

Friday Favorites

Good morning internet peeps!

I have been busy pinning all week.

Here are my top 5.


Happy Birthday to the Oreo!

Bacon Scallion Hummus
My Butter Beane loves hummus.

IMG_0544
This is a vegan recipe that I am going to try for my little Beanes.

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

I love caramet popcorn!

What have you pinned this week?

I am linking up with Finding Joy in my Kitchen.

Wednesday, March 14, 2012

Pi Day Pecan Pie


Today is March 14th or 3.14 for short. 

That means it is Pie Day.  Remember geometry?  This symbol Ï€ 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 Ï€ 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, Ï€, 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 Ï€".  I really think that math teachers should really have explained to me the real value of Ï€.  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!



Monday, March 12, 2012

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
img_6379sigl
Potatoes
Green Beans
Cantaloupe

Tuesday
Slow-Cooker Chicken Tortilla Soup Recipe
Cantaloupe

Wednesday
Pizza with Beer Batter Pizza Crust
Salad
Corn

Thursday
Pot Stickers
Rice

Friday
Broccoli
Mandarin Oranges

Weekend
Oyster Roast over the fire pit
Fresh from the oven cornbread, still in the skillet
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, March 9, 2012

Friday Favorites

Pin It


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:

frosting shots
This sounds like genius to me.

How good does this look?  Pretty good.

This looks like a great idea.

My family would love this one!

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.

Thursday, March 8, 2012

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.


Monday, March 5, 2012

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
Bacon
Strawberries

Wednesday
beef stew

Thursday
Rice
Broccoli

Friday
Homemade Vegetable Beef Soup (Recipe to come)
Mandarin Oranges

Weekend
img_6379sigl
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?