• Family Recipe: Mom’s Delicious Dirt

    Family Recipe - Mom's Delicious Dirt

    My Mom used to make this amazing “Dirt” recipe when we were kids.   This recipe uses gummy worms, oreos, lime jello, and cool whip.  I have had a variety of different dirt recipes over the years, but this is the one I grew up on.  The combination of these ingredients always taste delicious and gummy worms are super fun to eat no matter what!  The other day I was trying to figure out what to make for dessert for our Community Group meeting when the girls insisted that I make “Grandma Penny’s Dirt” since we had leftover gummy worms from another event!

    Mom’s Delicious Dirt Recipe:

    • 1 package of Oreos
    • 2 (6 oz) large boxes of Lime Jello
    • 1 container Cool Whip
    • Gummy Worms

    Put the oreos in a ziplock bag and use a rolling pin or another item to crush the whole oreos into small pieces.  Take about 1/2 of the crushed oreos and press them into the bottom of a 9×13 dish.  Make the lime jello according to the directions on the box.  Once it is made pour half of it over top of the layer of oreos and put in the refrigerator to set.  Leave the other half of the lime jello in the bowl and put it in the fridge to set.  Once the jello is firm mix the container of cool whip into the bowl of jello.  Add the cool whip and jello mixture on top of the jello layer in the 9×13 dish.  Place the remaining amount of crushed oreos on top of the cool whip and jello layer and add your gummy worms.  (If you’re not planning on serving it within the next few hours wait until an hour or two before to place the oreos and gummy worms on top).

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    The layers of oreos blend really well together and make this a fun treat for kids of all ages!  I did take the pictures of the dessert before going to Community Group, however, in our rush to get home and the kids into bed before it was too late I did not get an individual piece shot of the dessert.  I am sure before too long the girls will think of another event I will need to make it for and hopefully I can get a snap shot of it at that time.

  • Red Velvet Cake Batter Dip

    I made this Red Velvet Cake Batter Dip for several parties over the past few months.  It is always a hit!  The dip is pretty and delicious.  Animal crackers, graham crackers, pretzels, cookies, or even Nilla wafers are a perfect compliment to this delicious dip.

    Red Velvet Cake Batter Dip
    • 8 ounces softened Cream Cheese
    • 1/2 cup softened Butter
    • 1 1/2 cups of dry Red Velvet Cake Mix
    • 2 tablespoons Brown Sugar
    • 1/2 cup Powdered Sugar
    • 1/2 cup Mini Chocolate Chips
    • Animal Crackers, Graham Crackers, Pretzels, Cookies, or Nilla Wafers

    Beat cream cheese and butter until its smooth.  Add in the dry red velvet cake mix, brown sugar, and powdered sugar.  Blend until combined.  Scoop mixture onto a piece of plastic wrap and form into a ball.  Refrigerate for at least two hours.  Unwrap the ball and place it in a bowl or platter.  Sprinkle with chocolates or sprinkles and serve with cookies or crackers.

  • Kids in the Kitchen: Colorful Gingerbread Cookies

    Tray full of Gingerbread cookies to share!

    The girls love helping out in the kitchen.  At some point over the Christmas Holidays we try to make cookies.  The girls really enjoy decorating the cookies.  We have done a variety of different cookies from sugar to gingerbread and more.

    We typically turn on some Christmas music, whip up a batch of cookies, and play a game or read a book while the first batch is cooking.  Once the first batch has cooled enough and others are baking in the oven we start decorating.  As you can see from the pictures we used a couple varieties of frosting and decorations.  The girls decorate them however they want and as many as they want (they stick to the decorating until the very last cookie is done).

    It has been really neat seeing their skills improve over the past few years.  You can actually tell what the shapes of most cookies are after they are done decorating nowadays.  Plus, they have learned not to “lick” the frosting or their fingers during the whole process, ha!  🙂

    Starting to fill the tray with colorful Gingerbread cookies.  I especially like the Betty Crocker writable frosting because their easy to use for kids, only a little bit comes out, and you can stack the cookies together once they have dried.

    Just looking at these make me smile!   Some as you can see from the tops of the Christmas trees broke in the decorating process.  Love seeing the girls creative juices get flowing.

    Another rack of delicious gingerbread cookies, decorated with love! 🙂  Thankful for those quiet afternoons that we can spend relaxing and decorating cookies together.

    Next time I need to do better about taking pictures of the kids too.  I only have a couple of pictures of the girls just starting to make the cookies that didn’t really turn out.  Once we got into the cooking and decorating I got swept away with the fun that I didn’t pull the camera back out until all the cookies were done.  Hopefully, next time I will have more kid pictures to share. Does your family like to decorate cookies, if so what kind is your favorite?

  • Funfetti Cake Batter Chex Mix

    Brina helped me make three different types of chex mix for a party earlier this week and they were a huge hit! 🙂   The three recipes were Caramel Party Mix (Gluten Free Snack), Puppy Chow, and the new one Funfetti Cake Batter Chex Mix. I have been making the Puppy Chow since I was a kid and the Caramel one for a few years now (thanks to a sweet friend who shared it with me), but I adapted the Funfetti Cake Batter Chex Mix from Six Sisters Stuff  which was a hit and great addition to our recipe collection.

    Funfetti Cake Batter Chex Mix

    • 6  cups Rice or Corn Chex Cereal (store brands work well too)
    • 12 oz Vanilla Almond Bark
    • 2 cups Funfetti Cake Mix
    • 1/2 cup Powdered Sugar
    • 1 teaspoon Vegetable Shortening
    • 1/2 teaspoon Sprinkles
    Pour cereal into a large bowl and set aside. Mix the funfetti cake mix and powdered sugar in a large ziplock bag and set aside.
    Melt Almond Bark according to package directions.  Once melted add vegetable shortening to thin so it coats the chex better.  Pour the melted almond bark over the chex cereal.  Mix gently with a large spatula until the cereal is coated.
    Pour the coated chex cereal into the bag with the funfetti cake and powdered sugar mixture and gently shake to evenly coat the snack.  Scoop into a bowl, put a few sprinkles over the top and serve.
    • 2 sticks of Butter
    • 2 cups of Brown Sugar
    • 1/2 cup of Kairo Syrup
    • 1 teaspoon of Baking Soda
    • 1 box of Corn (or Rice) Chex Cereal (you can use store brands too)

    Put the whole box of cereal in a microwavable bowl.  Bring the butter, brown sugar, and kairo syrup to a boil.  Boil for one minute.  Make sure to stir constantly when boiling so it doesn’t burn.  After boiling for 1 minute add the baking soda.  Pour the mixture over the box of Corn (or Rice) cereal.  Microwave everything 1 1/2 minutes, take it out, stir, and microwave again.  Do this step 3 times.  It will evenly distribute the mixture and coat the cereal.  Lay the mix out on wax paper or the counter and let set.

    Optional: You can add pretzels, pecans, almonds, cranberries or whatever you want to the mix. (If you want it to remain gluten free do not add pretzel as pictured above, however, you can add nuts if they do not have any nut allergies)

    Puppy Chow

    • 9 cups of Rice or Corn Chex cereal (store brands work well too)
    • 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
    • 1/2 cup peanut butter
    • 1/4 cup butter
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla
    • 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
    Pour 9 cups of rice (or corn) cereal into a bowl set aside.  Put the powdered sugar into a Ziploc bag and set aside.
    Melt chocolate chips, peanut butter and butter on medium heat, stirring constantly. Once melted, add vanilla and stir well.
    Pour over Rice Chex cereal and stir with a rubber spatula until Chex is evenly coated. Add chex mixture to bag and shake bag gently until the powdered sugar is evenly distributed over all the mix.

  • Recipe: Apple Pie

    One of the best parts of Fall is the delicious food, which includes APPLES!  If you want to make a homemade apple pie or need to use up some of those apples here is a great recipe to use.  You can get a pie crust from the grocery store or make my Great Aunt Noami’s Never Fail Flaky Pie Crust.  The only thing I should have done with this pie is put some foil over it to keep it from browning so much, it still tasted amazing!

    Apple Pie with Never Fail Flaky Pie Crust:

    First is the pie crust (if you are using store bought or another recipe skip this step).  This recipe makes crust for 2 pies (top & bottom).

    • 3 cups Flour
    • 1 cup Shortening
    • 1 teaspoon Salt
    • 1 tablespoon Sugar
    • 1 Egg, well beaten
    • 5 tablespoon Water
    • 1 tablespoon Vinegar

    Mix flour, shortening, salt with pastry blender.  Combine egg, water, and vinegar then combine with flour mixture.  Mold into 4 balls chill awhile then roll out for pie.  Balls will keep up to 2 weeks in refrigerator for additional pies.  Yields: 2 double pie crusts

    If you want to just do enough for 1 complete pie crust (top and bottom) cut the recipe in half.

    Apple Pie Filling

    • 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
    • 3/4 cup sugar
    • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
    • 2 tablespoons butter
    • 6 cups thinly sliced and cored apple

    Preheat oven to 425 degrees and grease a pie dish.  Mix sugar, cinnamon, and flour.  Stir in apples and place into the pie crust.  Dot with butter and cover with the top crust.  Cut a slit in the top of the pie to let the steam escape.  Seal the top crust to the bottom one by pinching the edges together.  Cover the edge of the crust with a strip of aluminum foil.  Bake pie for 50 minutes or until the crust is brown and the juice begins to bubble through the top.

  • Recipe: Beach Bucket Cake

    Beach Bucket Cake (with cake crumbs for the “sand”)

    I made this recipe a few months ago for my Community Group and it was a big hit.  As we get closer to the Spring / Summer season I wanted to share this one with you.  It was easy to put together and has a fun presentation for get togethers with family and friends.

    Beach Pail Cake:

    • 1 Yellow Cake Mix
    • 1 (8 oz) Cool Whip
    • 1 (3 oz) Instant White Chocolate Pudding
    • 1 cup Milk
    • 2 cups Strawberries
    • 2 cups Blueberries
    • Clean beach pail, shovel and shells

    Made the yellow cake mix according to directions.  Cool and cut up into cubes (see picture below) and set aside.  Mix together the instant White Chocolate Pudding and one cup of milk.  Add the container of Cool Whip to the pudding and mix well.

    Put 1/3 of the cubed yellow cake in the bottom of your clean beach pail.  Next put half of the pudding and cool whip mixture over the cake layer.  Add half of the strawberries and blueberries for the next layer.  Then repeat saving 1/3 of the cake but using the remaining cool whip and fruit mixtures.  Crumble the remaining cake cubes and sprinkle over the top.  Add your shovel to serve the desert and favorite seashells for decorations.

    1. Yellow cake cubed and put in the bottom of the beach pail

    2.  Layer cool whip and pudding mixture over cake layer

    3.  A layer of strawberries and blueberries comes next

    4.  Second layer cubed yellow cake

    5.  Second layer cool whip mixture

    6.  Second layer of strawberries and blueberries

    7.  Cake crumbs on top to make it look like “sand”

    8.  Decorate the top with seashells or beach items. Add the beach shovel and enjoy!

    There are a lot of great variations to this cake.  I used what I had on hand in our pantry but you could do it with a pound cake instead of a yellow cake or substitute vanilla pudding instead of White Chocolate or add in different seasonal fruits!

  • Baskin-Robbins Coupon: Buy 1 Cone, Get 1 Free

     

    Baskin-Robbins Coupon for Buy 1 Cone, Get 1 FREE Cone!

    How?

    • Go to Baskin-Robbins Facebook
    • Scroll to their wall post on April 17th
    • Click the Play Button to instantly win a B1G1F Coupon to print out!

    The coupon Expires on May 15, 2011!

  • Family Recipe: Nancy’s Banana Bread

    A friend recently gave us banana bread which the girls absolutely loved.  After finishing that loaf I dug out our family recipe to make another loaf.  Grandma Willa shared Nancy’s Banana Bread recipe with us many years ago.  This delicious banana bread is always a super special treat around our house.  It is a wonderful recipe to pull out for a breakfast treat when you have guests staying with you or your hosting a get together for a group of friends.  I love that it is easy to put together too.

     

    Nancy’s Banana Bread:

    • 2 cups Flour
    • 1 tablespoon Water
    • 1/2 cup shortening
    • 1/4 teaspoon Salt
    • 2 Eggs
    • 1 teaspoon Baking Soda
    • 1 cup Sugar
    • 1/4 cup Walnuts (optional)
    • 3 Bananas, mashed

    Mix all the ingredients together.  Place in greased and floured bread pan.  Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour.

  • You know I do a lot of smiley faces for the girls when…..

    The girls start coming up with food smiles on their own.  I was baking the Beary Cute Cookies and asked Brina to help unwrap and sort the candies.  This is the plate of goodies she handed to me.  Yes, it made me smile.  I am thrilled to see her willingness to participate in the kitchen and love  the creative side coming out as well.  Thankful for some extra cooking time with my sweet Brina.  Everyone has been enjoying the goodies that we baked together this weekend.  Hope you are having a wonderful time celebrating the last day of 2010 too!!!!

  • Recipe: Beary Cute Cookies

    We were not able to make these on our Christmas Baking Day, however, the girls were excited to do them so we decided it would be a neat recipe to do with the girls.   I have had their recipe for a long time, you can either use this Sugar Cookie recipe or following the one below.  The basic idea is the same and the bear shape is a huge hit with adults and kids alike.  The following recipe is from Quick Cooking.

    Beary Cute Cookies

    • 3/4 cup Shortening
    • 1/2 Sugar
    • 1/2 cup packed Brown Sugar
    • 1 Egg
    • 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
    • 2 cups All-Purpose Flour
    • 1 teaspoon Salt
    • 1/2 teaspoon Baking Soda
    • Additional Sugar
    • 30 miniature Chocolate Kisses
    • 60 miniature M&M Baking Bits

    1. Preheat oven to 375° F.

    2.  In a mixing bowl, cream shortening and sugars.  Beat in egg and vanilla; mix well.  Combine the flour, salt, and baking soda; gradually add to creamed mixture and mix well (dough will be crumbly).  Set aside 1/2 cup of dough for the ears.  Shape remaining dough into 1 inch balls; roll in additional sugar.

    3.  Place 3 inches apart on ungreased baking sheets.  Flatten to about 1/2 inch thickness.  Roll reserved dough into 1/2 inch balls; roll in sugar.  Place two smaller balls about 1 inch apart touching each flattened ball (do not flatten smaller balls).

    4.  Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until set and edges are lightly browned.  Remove from oven, immediately press one kiss and two baking bits into each cookie for nose and eyes.  Cool 5 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely.  Makes about 30 cookies.

    Picture by Cooking