Grandma Dorothy’s Special K Bars

 

I shared on Facebook that Special K Bars are *the* most loved treat on my husband's side, at extended family gatherings. We've been together almost 11 years, and for the first time ever... I was asked to bring them to one of their big shindigs!  Say what!?

 I was worried they’d be rock hard, or down right inedible, as it was my (our) first time ever making them.  Between my husband and I, we made a pretty good batch!  The toddler approved and there weren’t many left over, so it’s all good! 

Here is my late MIL’s recipe.  Now, like usual, I tried to tweak it a little bit, which didn’t quite work in my favor, but was okay.  Don’t try to add extra cereal like I did, it makes the bottom all crumby.  Also I used light corn syrup-  I think that was fine.  And I used a mixture of chocolate chips, peanut butter, and butterscotch chips for the frosting- because that’s what I had on hand, so I just melted it all in the crock pot and it poured it over the top (still tasted good, but different). 

Grandma Dorothy’s Special K Bars

1 C. Dark Syrup (corn syrup)

1 C. Sugar

1 ½ C. Peanut Butter

6 C. Special K Cereal

2 pkgs Milk Chocolate Chips

 

Bring the Corn Syrup and Sugar just about to a boil, to dissolve the sugar.

DON’T LET IT BOIL, or you’ll need a chisel to cut your bars, and a machine to chew them for you. 

Add the Peanut Butter and stir it well.

Add the Special K.

Press this mixture into a greased pan.

Melt the Chocolate Chips and pour over the top as frosting. 

 

In The Kitchen: Homemade Ranch Dressing Mix

 

This Ranch Dressing Mix is SO easy peasy.  I wish I could credit whoever I got the original recipe from, but I’ve been using it so long now that I cannot remember where it came from.   

Those little packets of dry mix are super expensive; considering you can make your own with spices you probably mostly have on hand.  If you don’t have all of these on hand, I’d suggest getting them and making it anyway, this is pretty easy and leaves you feeling super accomplished!

I mostly use this in my taco soup recipe, which I just realized I don’t have a blog post up for that.  I’ll add that to my to-do list! 

Ranch Dressing Mix

2 TBSP. Parsley

1 tsp. Dill

1 tsp. Garlic Powder

1 tsp. Onion Flakes

½ tsp. Basil

½ tsp. Black Pepper

 

For Dressing: Whisk 1 TBSP. of this Ranch Dressing Mix in with 1/3 C. Mayo and 1/4 C. Milk.

For Dip:  1.5 C. Sour  Cream per  1 TBSP of Ranch Dressing Mix.  Add salt to taste.

 

In The Kitchen: Homemade Taco Seasoning Mix

Armed with a bunch of spices, some measuring spoons, a big mixing bowl, and my mother-in-law's recipe, I set out to make up a long time family favorite.  Taco Seasoning Mix!
We order enough beef to fill our deep freeze each year. When my husband and I got married and first started ordering beef the only thing I knew how to do with it was put in Hamburger Helper (deep cringe).  After that I learned how to make tacos.  The more I settle into my homemaker role the more I learn to do with a basic pound of hamburger, but this is still a family favorite.
 

Taco Seasoning Recipe:

1/4 C  Dried Minced Onion

1/4 C Chili Powder

3 TBSP. Salt

4 tsp. cornstarch

1 TBSP. Dried Minced Garlic

1 TBSP. Ground Cumin

1 TBSP. Crushed Red Pepper Flakes

2 tsp. Beef Bullion Granules

1.5 tsp. Dried Oregano

  

I mix it all up and store it in an air tight container in the fridge.  Use 2 TBSP. of the mix in each pound of hamburger with 8oz tomato sauce.  You can add a little water if it's too thick. 

Tip: Taco meat is easy to make up ahead of time and store in Ziploc bags in the freezer.

My late MIL, Dorothy, who would probably think this blog is ridiculous, but have tons of tips to pass on to all of you anyway.  She is so deeply missed by all of us! ♥

How to Make Your Own Magic Shell Ice Cream Topping

 

 

It has come to my attention that some of you didn’t know you could make your own hard ice cream topping. But you same people knew all about the current Gold/White vs. Blue/Black dress debate. 

Good for you, for keeping up on the social media relations.  After all, this is 2015 and that kind of stuff comes up in conversation often.  Homemade hard shell though? Not so much. 

Let’s get a little old fashion and give this a try though, okay?

 

Now we don’t really have this often (ice cream, YES.  This topping though, no), I’d say maybe once or twice a year.  It is nice to be able to make it yourself for two reasons:

1.      Less junk goes into it.

2.     We don’t have an extra bottle lying around taking up space in the cupboard. Do you see the label peeling off that thing?  I should probably chuck it!

 

I chose not to use fancy organic ingredients for this, but just to show you the bare bones of this recipe.  Baby steps, right?

If you aren’t making it often, you certainly don’t need specialty items for it.  If you do however make your own peanut butter, buy the better coconut oil, and good dark chocolate, by all means, use those!  It’ll be delicious either way.

This tutorial is ridiculously easy.  Ready….

Mix Peanut Butter, Chocolate Chips (or whatever chocolate you have around), and Coconut Oil in a pan on low-med.  Any higher and you’ll burn it.  Keep stirring until it has reached a nice liquid-like consistency. 

 

Then drizzle it over your ice cream.  DONE!

 I wish I could show you a picture of this step, but folks, after stirring and smelling this peanut buttery goodness, I set my camera down so I could indulge!  We also had friends over.  I didn't want to seem TOO obsessed. 

You other foodie type bloggers know what I'm talking about, don't you?  You set the bowl down, snap a picture, give it a quarter turn, snap again.  Decide to move to the table, same drill, then realize it's melting.  Give up, put the camera down and eat it before it's a total waste.

*If you have a peanut allergy, ran out of peanut butter, or don’t like peanut butter {GASP}, it’s alright to just leave it out of the recipe.*

How it works?  The coconut oil gets hard as it hits the COLD ice cream, causing the mixture to take on a hard consistency. 

If you’re one of those people that need ratios, here it is:

1 C. Chocolate chips

1/2 C. Coconut Oil

1/4 C. Peanut Butter

I don’t ever, ever, ever measure this anymore though.  I just scoop out whatever amounts I feel like, being sure to use plenty of coconut oil and it always turns out perfect! 

This is a fun treat for family nights, birthdays, etc.  It’s also an easy little kitchen project to do with kids.  It’s totally science and foods class in one, right? 

The clean-up is a breeze!  Hot water melts the leftover chocolate right out of the pan.

 

Psalms 119:103 - How sweet are your words to my taste,
    sweeter than honey to my mouth!

 

 

 

 

In the Kitchen: DIY Homemade Almond Milk Recpie

Today I’m going to share with you a super simple DIY Homemade Almond Milk Recipe.

All you really need for this is Almonds and Water.  If you want to sweeten it up a bit and add a little more flavor you can add a Pitted Date, a pinch of salt, and a small splash of vanilla. 

 

Let's get started!

 

Soak 1 C. of almonds in 4 C. of water overnight.

 

 

Your water will turn a funky color and you’ll wonder if it’s still okay to use.  Yes, it is.

 

 Strain off the water the almonds have been soaking in.

 

You end up with these nice beautiful plump looking almonds.

In a blender or food processor add your plump almonds, and 4 C. of water.  If you chose to add the date, vanilla, and salt, now is the time.  I did add those for this batch, that's why the water is the color it is.

 

Turn it on and wait about a minute.  It doesn’t take too long at all to see the magic happening.

 

Strain the almond meal from the almond milk.  I had a small cry over some spilt milk, but we kept going anyway.  At this point you can use the back of a spoon to push some extra liquid through the strainer.  Thanks to my hubby for that creative thinking!  We got probably another half cup of almond milk from his trick!  Which is probably about how much we poured out on the counter!

 

Then just pour the milk into a jar and put it in the fridge!

 

Easy right? Now quit spending so much on store bought almond milk that can be full of fillers/processed junk.  Remember just because a label says “natural” doesn’t mean it’s actually natural.  You can totally make this! 

The leftover almonds, called the almond meal are still very much edible.  I put ours in a covered container the fridge overnight because I didn’t feel like doing anything with them right away. 

Today I toasted the almond meal on a pan in the oven at 425 for about 5-10 minutes. You can sprinkle it over just about anything; flavored or plain yogurts, oatmeal, hmm, maybe even some homemade ice cream…

FYI-  I’ve read you can keep homemade almond milk in the fridge about 5 days.  I don’t imagine it’ll last that long around here, especially because I love to blend up frozen coffee cubes and almond milk for a tasty midafternoon treat quite often.

Double FYI- Making this with your husband is a fun bonding experience.  It’s probably not something either of you has made before, so no arguing over which way is the “right” way, or whatever.  Not that we do that sometimes or anything.  My husband doesn’t care for almond milk, but he was still a team player when it came to playing in the kitchen together.  The Fashionista, our oldest daughter who might as well be nicknamed future foodie, enjoyed staying up with us to help out also!

In the Kitchen: Baked French Toast

 

Once in a while I realize we have an abundance of bread in the house.  With three kids and a husband who eat sandwiches each week this this doesn’t happen often, but when it does, I know just how to use it up!

Baked French Toast!

Reasons I bake my French toast vs. making it the traditional way.

1.        I suck at making French toast.

2.       Everyone’s food is hot at the same time this way.

That’s it, those are my lame reasons. 

Now I’m sure I don’t need a disclaimer here, but if you’re wondering, this is NOT a Trim Healthy Mama meal, but it is one that my family loves, and that I delight in serving for brunch or breakfast when we have company for those meals.

It warms the soul, fills the belly, and leaves everyone smiling.  You’ve gotta keep some recipes like that in with your arsenal of kitchen tricks.  It’s in the housewife’s rule book.  Sorry I can’t remember the page number, but  I’m sure it’s in there.   

 I compiled this recipe a few years ago, after trying a few others and not quite finding “the one”.  Since we’ve been eating healthier and cut way back on our sugar, I’ve found this Baked French Toast to almost be too sweet.  BUT be warned, if you try to cut almost all of the brown sugar out and serve it to your honest friends who eat a typical American diet on the daily, you’ll quickly realize you need to put the sugar BACK in when serving to company.  Alright, you’ve been warned- nothing more I can do for you but tell you to just enjoy this.  You can eat healthy again in 3 hours, deal?

It’s good y’all.  I promise you!

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

First you melt the butter and brown sugar.

 

 

Cook it low & slow, so it doesn't burn, and because it makes the clean up easier

It'll begin to look like this. 

 

Spread that mixture in a 9x13 pan & add a layer of bread over it.

 

 

Mix up your milk, eggs and vanilla.

 

Get it good and soupy like. 

 

Pour part of that over the first layer of bread.

 

Add another layer of bread.

Pour the rest of the milk/egg/vanilla mixture on the top of it all.

Layering is the trick here.

 

Cover the top of your pan with foil.

 

 

 Bake it for 45 minutes!

(remove the foil for about the last 15 minutes, to help it brown up a bit).

 

Here are some things you can do while you wait for this yummy goodness to cook: 

Unload the dishwasher

Or commission a kid to do it. :)



Kindly ask that same kid to get the dishes ready.

Stare at the oven about a hundred times.  Glance more often as the aroma fills the house and you wonder if the eggs are still raw, or if you could just snatch one tiny little bite.

Admire your kids coloring so well together.  Then gently scold the youngest for laying on the table, and the oldest for sitting in a booster seat! haha.

When it’s time to dish up, flip each piece of French toast upside down on the plates.  It looks more impressive that way.  Enjoy!

 

The condensed version- AKA- The part where you can highlight and click “print selection” on without all the mumbo jumbo.

 

 

The condensed version- AKA- The part where you can highlight and click “print selection” on without all the mumbo jumbo.

A Slightly Better Wife’s Baked French Toast.

·         1 Stick Butter

·         1 C. Brown Sugar

·         about 12 pieces of bread

·         4 Eggs

·         1 ½ C. Milk

·         1 splash of vanilla

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Melt and mix the Butter and Brown Sugar together. 

Spread that mixture into the bottom of a 9x13.

Put a layer of bread over that.

Mix Eggs, Milk and Vanilla together.  Pour half of that over the first layer of bread.

Add another layer of bread.

Pour the remaining mixture over the second layer of bread.

Cover the pan with foil and bake for 45 minutes.  (30 covered, last 15 uncovered).

Remember to flip each piece upside down to serve it.  Enjoy!

 

 

Grandma's No Roll Sugar Cookies

Today my mom (granny) came over for a day of making Christmas goodies with the grandkids. 

We used my late mother-in-law's recipe for these no roll sugar cookies.  My mother-in-law, Dorothy, was the real baker.  She spent each December making an assortment of cookies that really could put any local bakery to shame. 

While we didn't get nearly as extravagant as she would've, I think our efforts today would have made her a little proud. 

These cookies taste just fine how they are and are easy to store (& freeze) this way. 
We are planning to let all the kids frost these at Christmas as an activity. 

It will be super simple whip up a batch of frosting the day of the decorating.

Recipe: Warm Coconut Cream Cheese Goo

I <3 warm satisfying sweets on cold wintery days. 

 

 

This has been my go-to when I'm craving something nectarous & savory.

In a skillet, warm these things together until you can easily stir them up (don't worry about measurements, just use your own judgment):
Shredded Coconut
Cream Cheese
Almond Flour

Peanut Butter
Chocolate Chips

A little water
Oatmeal- I don't usually add this, unless I have to share with the kids, then I throw it in to bulk it up.

 

Does it look totally gross?  You betcha.  But TRUST ME, it tastes AMAAAAAZING.  How could you go wrong with coconut and chocolate?  You just can't!

 

Delicious and Easy Pumpkin Dump Cake Recipe

This is right before it went in the oven- when I realized it didn't have the sugar!

 

Pumpkin Dump Cake Recipe

 

Ingredients:

1 box cake mix (yellow or spice)

1 (15oz) can Pumpkin

1 (12oz) can Evaporated Milk

3 Eggs

1 C . Sugar (white or brown)

1 tsp. Cinnamon

½ tsp. Salt

1 ½ C. Pecans or Almonds- Chopped

1-2 Sticks of Butter- Melted

 

 

Mix the pumpkin, evap. milk, eggs, sugar, cinnamon, & salt together. 

Pour that creamy mixture into a 9x13 cake pan.

Sprinkle the cake mix over the top.

Drizzle butter over the cake mix.

Sprinkle nuts over the whole she-bang.

Bake at 350* for 50-55 minutes. 

 

This recipe is pretty fool-proof.  This is good, since I don’t always read every step.  Like today, when I completely left the sugar out of one pan.  My dad is diabetic; I could say I did it on purpose and just serve it to everyone else with a scoop of ice cream. 

 

Coffee, Anyone?

If I have noticed one trend more than any other amongst mommy bloggers, I would say it's that a majority of us seem to have a genuine love of coffee.

Really.  Check out the "about me" section of almost any blog, Instagram or FB fan page and you'll soon see what I'm talking about.

Go ahead, open a new browser (don't close me!) and type in your favorite blogger... Find her "about me" page... She likes coffee, right?

See, I wasn't kidding!

 

I prefer my coffee "in bulk". ;) Because of this, I primarily drink mine "black" to avoid consuming too many chemicals found in sweeteners. 

 

I also prefer to make mine with a French press vs. a traditional coffee maker.   This has little to do with the flavor (although it is better in the press), and a whole lot to do with the fact that a French press fits in my cupboard better, and I cannot stand appliances on the counter.





  Occasionally I do like to treat myself though.  Not that chemical sweeteners are a great treat, really. There are worse things though, right?

 

Here are some yummy coffee concoctions:
Coffee, milk, & brown sugar. -A big Thank You goes to a neighbor/friend for introducing me to this one!  This would be my top pick for a sweet homemade coffee treat.

 

Coffee, sweetened with honey.

 

Coffee, pumpkin pie spice, milk, honey.

 

Coffee, frozen in popsicle molds. Feed it to the kids and watch their reaction as they learn it isn't the root beer flavor they thought it was.  Then smile with joy as they enjoy it anyway because they've inherited your love of coffee.

 

Coffee, milk, caramel ice cream topping/syrup.

 

Coffee, honey, & a slash of milk topped with whip cream and sprinkled with crushed up candy canes.  I hoard candy canes from my father-in-law's Christmas tree just for this (and for sprinkling over vanilla ice cream on New Year's Eve).

 

Coffee cubes- Coffee can also be frozen in ice cube trays and blended into some delicious cold drinks using these same combinations!

 

Everyone's taste buds are different, and experimenting is fun.  With each of these just use trial and error to find out how much you like of each ingredient. 

My second preferred coffee option is "with friends".  Do you have a free morning to invite a friend over to share a cup of Joe?   :)

 

 

In The Kitchen: Homemade Hummus

Twice last week I ate meals with friends who brought hummus to share.  Mmm-mm-mmm.  Good food & good friends.  MY Fav.  I had made hummus a few years ago, then I kind of forgot about it. 

It isn't too expensive to buy, but I enjoy making things myself.  When I'm able.  But more honestly, when I feel like it! :)

 

 

Here's the ingredients I used based on the back of the package, and several other blog posts with recipes that I sorted through:

 

• One 15-ounce can chickpeas or garbanzo beans (I learned that these are the same thing, so find either one and you're good to go)
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 1/4 C. tahini (I found this at Fareway, it was $6.99, I am almost certain it has got to be cheaper somewhere else. This was the first time that I had actually seen it, so I bought it. It was next to the peanut butter . This makes sense because all it is is ground sesame seeds.  You could probably actually make your own if you had a good food processor and a whole bunch of sesame seeds, I had neither... hence the $7 I forked over)
• Garlic, I imagine whatever you have on hand will probably work. fresh or powder would be best.
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• A dash of salt, or not.  I can't really remember if I put this in.
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin, or a full teaspoon if you got busy talking with your kiddos and didn't pay any attention to your recipe while you were scoopin' until after the second scoop.  Not that I would do that or anything... (But if you do, it still turns out just fine!)
• 2 to 3 tablespoons water
• A dash of paprika for pretty

I tried crushing it all up in my mortar and pestle, but that got old real quick, so I transferred it all to the blender and blended a little at a time while stirring until it was smooth.  I really need to get a food processer, but since I don't have one yet, this worked just fine.  I did all this with my little kitchen helper, the Fashionista.  She's 11 and LOVES all things cooking/baking/Suzy homemaker style.  Except cleaning her room.  Oh boy, that room.  I often wonder what her home will look like when she's older.  :/  Anyone else feel this worry? My mom probably felt the same way about me. 

In The Kitchen: Big Girl Salad

Here's a hearty lunch for those days when you just feel like eating.  Anyone else ever feel like that?  If so, grab a serving bowl and follow this quick and easy recipe.
In retrospect, you'd probably want to put the raisins on the side.  Salsa and raisins are flavor foes, not friends.  I needed the sweetness today, so it worked for me.