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St.Patrick’s Day Cake Pops!

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St. Patrick's Day Cake Pops

Awhile back I was a little obsessed with cake pops because I finally got the hang of dipping them so they look presentable and not a complete disaster 🙂 That’s always the one key thing right? The kids and I made these the other day for fun and they turned out so FUN!

From Bakerella, how to make cake pops.  Go HERE to see how to make these! If you have NOT made them before, do not be afraid!

Shopping List:

Here are basic instructions:

  1. Make a 13×9 cake. Any flavor you like, just follow the instructions on the box. Let it cool. Crumble the cake (always fun for the kids) and add in 1 can of frosting. Throw it into the refrigerator for 15 minutes.
  2. After refrigerating, dust off your Playdoh skills and form the mixture into balls (also fun for the kids). Then place a sucker stick into the top of each cake ball. Pop them into the refrigerator for another quarter hour.
  3. While waiting, start melting your candy melts.
  4. After 15 minutes in the fridge, dip and swirl each pop into your candy melt.
  5. Once you’ve got an even coating on the cake pop, place the stick into a Styrofoam block while the candy melt shell hardens.

From Walmart, I use the Plymouth Pantry Almond Bark in chocolate or vanilla for $2.38 and melt it in the microwave. Then I take a frozen cake ball and and place it on a fork, with a spatula I spoon almond bark over it and tap the fork to get off the extra. Then with a knife I slide the covered ball off the fork and onto more wax paper. The almond bark dries fast and we put them in little mini cupcake paper holders.

The total cost is ridiculously low, about $.10 cents a cake ball. The kids package them 2 to a bag and wrap them up!

* For these green ones you can add mint flavoring…

St. Patricks Day Treat Collection of Recipes!

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St Patricks Day Treats The kids and I had so much fun the past making these St. Patrick’s Day treats. We thought we would put them all together into what we are calling out St. Patricks Day Treat Collection. If you have kids home this week from school, you could probably entertain them for a while with any of these kid friendly recipes! I’ve always heard if the kids are active in making food items they tend to like them more, what do you guys think?


 Lucky Charms Crunch Munch – Popcorn, pretzels, M&M’s, peanuts and Lucky Charms cereal drizzled with white chocolate almond bark. Fun. Easy, and simple!

 

Lucky Charms Cookies – I made my standard sugar cookie recipe, and homemade easy frosting. I tossed the Lucky Charms on the top and left them on the counter completely unsatisfied in my design. Design, might be a stretch… I put cereal on a cookie. But the kids LOVED them…

Rainbow Cake – Nothing says St. Patty’s Day like a rainbow cake! Kids and adults will FREAK over a fun and yummy rainbow cake. Make sure to add a pot of gold!

Copy Cat McDonald’s Shamrock Shake – This time of year McDonald’s offers a Shamrock shake that is REALLY good! The Shamrock Shake was first introduced in 1970, and was really popular in the 90?s. It is basically a mint shake using vanilla ice cream.

 

St. Patrick's Day Cake Pops St. Patrick’s Day Cake Pops – The total cost is ridiculously low, about $.10 cents a cake ball. The kids package them 2 to a bag and wrap them up!

Lucky Charms Treats rice krispie treats Lucky Charms Treats – You make these the same way you would regular treats just add Lucky Charms instead of Rice Krispies. But check out some other ideas in the comments!

 

 

 

Crockpot Baked Potatoes Soup Recipe

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Looking for an easy recipe for potato soup that you can just dump into the slow cooker?  This Crockpot Baked Potatoes Soup is simple to throw together and forget about until dinnertime!

A good slow cooker can make life so much easier around the dinner hour.   Who has time to prep everything at 4 or 5 when you’re running to get kids from sports and helping with homework???

Most of these things you probably already have on hand – and since this recipe is pretty easy to adapt, what you don’t have on hand you can substitute and it will still turn out fine 🙂

 

Crockpot Baked Potatoes Soup

You’ll Need:

  • 6 Large Baking Potatoes Cubed
  • 2 Carrots, Diced
  • 1/2 Stick Butter
  • Quart of Chicken Broth
  • 3-4 Chicken Boullion Cubes
  • 1 Small Onion, Diced
  • 2 Tbsp Minced Garlic
  • 1 Tsp Pepper
  • 2 Tbsp Real Bacon Bits, or a couple slices of cooked and crumbled bacon
  • 1 Cup Shredded Sharp Cheddar Cheese, OR 4 oz Velveeta, Cubed
  • 1 1/2 Cups Milk or Cream

 

Directions:

1 . Add all ingredients EXCEPT Cheese and Milk to a Slow Cooker set on High (4-5 Hours) or Low (6 – 8 Hours)

2. During the last half hour of cooking, scoop out about 2 cups of diced potatoes (mostly drained) and mash them up, returning to the pot.

3. Then stir in the following:

  • 1 1/2 Cups Milk (or heavy cream, if you’re so inclined 😉 )
  • 1 Cup Shredded Sharp Cheddar
    **If you like to use Velveeta for the creamy texture, then you can instead add about 4 oz of Velveeta, cut into cubes

When the cheese has melted, you’re ready to serve!

 

Top with chopped up bacon, more shredded cheese, chives or whatever floats your boat 🙂

NOTE: I fork mashed my potatoes and the consistency is a little lumpy – but if you like a smoother consistency, by all means throw those potatoes in a blender with the milk before adding them back in!

Here are some more Soup Recipes you might want to try!

8 Can Chicken Tortilla Soup

Cheeseburger Soup Recipe

Copycat Zuppa Toscana Soup Recipe from Olive Garden

 

Easter Carrot Treat Bags + Printable Tags

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 Carrot Treat

Aren’t these Carrot Treat Bags absolutely adorable?!? I love that they are so simple to make and are filled with one of my kids favorite non-sweet treats! Make these Carrot Treat bags for your kids Easter baskets, to pass out in your kids classrooms or as a fun festive lunch box snack.

IMG_7630

What You Will Need:

IMG_7663

DIRECTIONS

  1. Making these adorable little Carrot Treat bags is pretty simple and really only took me about 10 minutes to make 20+.  To get started you will want to CLICK HERE and Print these cute little printable Easter tags. Cut, trim and hole punch tags. Set aside.
  2. Make sure you have the correct number of bags to fill. Carefully fill each bag with the Annie’s Organic Cheddar Bunny snacks.
  3. Cut green ribbon into 9-12 inch pieces. Tie ribbon on the top of each carrot filled treat bag and attach tag.

Carrot Treat Bags

 

Carrot Treat Bags + Printable
Ingredients
  • Printable Bag Tags HERE
  • 4 12″ Disposable Icing Bags
  • 7.5 oz box 4 12″ Disposable Icing Bags (or Goldfish)
  • Green Ribbon or Twine
Instructions
  1. Making these adorable little Carrot Treat bags is pretty simple and really only took me about 10 minutes to make 20+. To get started you will want to CLICK HERE and Print these cute little printable Easter tags. Cut, trim and hole punch tags. Set aside.
  2. Make sure you have the correct number of bags to fill. Carefully fill each bag with the Annie’s Organic Cheddar Bunny snacks.
  3. Cut green ribbon into 9-12 inch pieces. Tie ribbon on the top of each carrot filled treat bag and attach tag.

 

More Fun Easter Treats:

Bunny Bait Easter Treats

Easy Cake Mix Easter Bunny Cake

Bunny Butt Cookies

 

Mississippi Chicken Crockpot Recipe

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Mississippi Chicken Crockpot Recipe

 

There’s been a LOT of buzz the last couple years about Mississippi pot roast – it’s zesty, saucy, and tender as can be, but if you’re not a big roast fan you might have passed on it.

Our family loves chicken so much that I thought I’d try out a Mississippi Chicken crockpot recipe and see if it turned out just as yummy…

Oh. My. Word.

The family loved this Mississippi Chicken so much that I’ll be putting it in the weekly menu rotation!  Here’s how to make this SUPER easy recipe….

Ingredients:

  • 4 – 6 Bonelesss, Skinless Chicken Breasts (if you’re using 4, just don’t use the entire packets of seasoning or it will get too salty)
  • Packet of Ranch Dressing Mix
  • Packet of Au Jous Gravy Mix  (beef gravy will work in a pinch)
  • 8 Peperoncini Peppers
  • 1/2 Stick Unsalted Butter

You’re going to be tempted to put in some water or liquid – but I *PROMISE* you don’t need it!  The chicken makes juice and the peppers make a little juice and the butter does it’s thing and it turns out just PERFECT.

Trust me on this one!

Directions:

  1. Place the chicken breast in the bottom of your slow cooker.  (My favorite slow cooker is this Stay or Go by Hamilton Beach – it lets me bring this dish to pot lucks and parties without it spilling out in the trunk!)
  2. Sprinkle seasoning packets to cover chicken.
  3. Place 8 peperoncini peppers around the top.
  4. Top with a half stick of unsalted butter, cut into pieces.
  5. Cook on high for 4-5 hours, or low for 7-8.
  6. Near the end of the cooking time, pull out the peppers and toss. (Unless you like to eat these!)  Shred the chicken right in the slow cooker with forks.
  7. Serve over mashed potatoes, or rice – or (our favorite)  on hoagie buns.

I top ours with provolone cheese and put in the oven for 15 minutes to get them toasty and melty 🙂

 

I can pretty much avoid cleanup by using slow cooker liners.  I’m telling you guys – if it means I don’t have to haul my heavy crock into the sink and handwash it and scrape off baked-on sauces…. it is 100% worth the 60¢ apiece 😉

Let us know if you try it and whether your family enjoys this recipe – I’d love to hear if you made any tweaks or adjustments!

 

fiesta chicken

If you like this you might want to check out these easy chicken recipes!

Fiesta Chicken Crockpot Recipe

8 Can Chicken Tortilla Soup Recipe

Easy Chicken & Cheese Enchiladas

 

 

How to make Black Beans in Your Instant Pot

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Being in the Southwest we LOVE our share of beans.  A great side dish, main dish, you name it dish are black beans.  Full of fiber, potassium, folate, and vitamin B6, coupled with its lack of cholesterol, all support heart health and are a great addition to both vegetarian and non-vegetarian diets.  The one roadblock to enjoying more beans was up until recently time needed to make them.  You need to soak them or leave them around 6 hours in a slow cooker but some days despite my best intentions meal planing doesn’t happen.

Enter the Instant Pot.

We have heard all about this fancy new appliance and it took us a while to finally decide to add it to our kitchen family.   Here is the one we bought:

If you’re in a hurry to make your meals now you may try this awesome Instant Pot  that we used for this recipe.  This beauty purred right out of the box.  We wanted to start off slow and try a few basic recipes before we convert our favorite Slow Cooker Recipes so stay tuned!   We love to keep black beans on hand, for side dishes, we also eat as a soup and we have it handy drained for salads and quesadillas.

Instant Pot Black Beans

Ingredients 

  • 2 cups dry black beans, cleaned and rinsed (NO SOAKING!)
  • 1 yellow onion, chopped
  • 2 tsp oil
  • 3-4 cloves fresh garlic, adjust to your liking
  • 3 tsp salt, adjust to your liking
  • 4 cups water (or less if you prefer less soupy)

Instructions

  • Set Instant Pot to saute add oil, onions and garlic and saute for a couple minutes
  • Next add beans, water  and salt
  • Secure the lid, turn vent knob to “sealing”
  • Set to Manual for 40 minutes
  • Use Natural Pressure Release to allow pressure to release

That’s it!  No soaking, no slow cooking for 6 hours, NOTHING.  Put these in before you start making the main dish, like enchiladas or fajitas and by the time you are done the beans will be done too!

Bunny Bread

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Easter Bunny Bread

How cute is this Bunny Bread? I mean really? How stink in’ cute did this turn out?!

You NEED to make this for Easter. Because I don’t know how I have not made it and survived the past 38 Easters! 🙂 Before you get scared… It was REALLY easy as well!

Bunny Bread Recipe ingredients

The key to making this easy is the frozen bread loaves. You can get any store brand you like or I use Rhodes brand as well. Don’t forget this in your car on a hot day… not that I have done that 🙂 You will have a big mess on your hands when the bag explodes!

bunny bread dough

Take your dough out of the freezer and let it rise on a cookie sheet covered for about an hour or until it is not completely solid frozen, but not all the way unthawed.

Then you are going to want to cut your shapes and make your bunny. I explained how in the directions below.

bunny bread 3

Once you have your bunny formed, cover him with plastic wrap and let him unthaw a little more. Make sure to do the egg wash on him as that is what makes him all nice and pretty golden brown!

Bunny Bread

INGREDIENTS
2 1 lb loaves Bread Dough
2 Raisins
2 Sliced Almonds
1 Egg

DIRECTIONS
Spray a baking sheet with non-stick spray. Let dough rise about 1 hour.
Cut off 3/4 of first loaf to make body. Form into an oval and place about 1 1/2″ from bottom of baking sheet (to leave room for legs).
Take remaining 1/4 of first loaf and form into oval for bunny’s head and place just above and touching body.
Cut off 1/4 of second loaf and then split that piece in half. Form each of these into 12″ long ropes. Double each over to form ears. Put in place and tuck loose ends under head on each side.
Cut about 1″ portion of the end of the remaing loaf and then take 1/5 of that and form a ball for the nose. Split the rest in half and form each into approximately 1″ disk for each cheek.
Put cheeks and nose in place. Add 2 raisins for eyes and 2 almond slices for teeth.
Take remainder of loaf and but into 4 rectangles. Put in place for arms and legs just touching body. Cut 2 slits at the end of each to make fingers/toes.
Preheat oven to 350.
Cover and let rise for 30 minutes.
Whisk egg in a small bowl, then brush entire surface of bread.
Bake for 25 minutes or until golden brown.
Cut out a hole in bunny’s body to hold dip if desired.

 

Cherry Fudge Recipe {Fun for Valentines Day}

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Cherry Fudge Recipe Cherry Chips

I had a few bags of cherry chips left over from my King Soopers Cookies last week, and wanted to use them up for Valentines day. On the bag was a recipe that I changed up a little bit to make some pretty Cherry Fudge!

Cherry Chocolate Fudge

Ingredients

  • 1-1/2 teaspoons plus 3/4 cup butter, divided
  • 3 cups sugar
  • 3/4 cup heavy whipping cream
  • 1 package (10 to 12 ounces) cherry chips
  • 1 jar (7 ounces) marshmallow creme

Directions

  • Line a 13-in. x 9-in. pan with foil and grease the foil with 1-1/2 teaspoons butter; set aside. In a heavy saucepan, combine the sugar, cream and remaining butter. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Cook and stir for 4 minutes.
  • Remove from the heat; stir in cherry chips and marshmallow creme. Pour into prepared pan.
  • Make Chocolate Topping using 6 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped 1 tablespoon (14 grams) unsalted butter. In a heatproof bowl over a saucepan of simmering water, melt the chocolate and butter. Spread over the fudge and refrigerate for about 30 minutes or until the chocolate glaze starts to dull.
  • Refrigerate for 1 hour or until firm. Using foil, lift fudge out of pan. Discard foil; cut into 1-in. squares. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Yield: about 3 pounds.

cherry fudge 2

 

Cherry Fudge Recipe {Fun for Valentines Day}
Ingredients
  • 1-1/2 teaspoons plus 3/4 cup butter, divided
  • 3 cups sugar
  • 3/4 cup heavy whipping cream
  • 1 package (10 to 12 ounces) cherry chips
  • 1 jar (7 ounces) marshmallow creme
Instructions
  1. Line a 13-in. x 9-in. pan with foil and grease the foil with 1-1/2 teaspoons butter; set aside. In a heavy saucepan, combine the sugar, cream and remaining butter. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Cook and stir for 4 minutes.
  2. Remove from the heat; stir in cherry chips and marshmallow creme. Pour into prepared pan.
  3. Make Chocolate Topping using 6 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped 1 tablespoon (14 grams) unsalted butter. In a heatproof bowl over a saucepan of simmering water, melt the chocolate and butter. Spread over the fudge and refrigerate for about 30 minutes or until the chocolate glaze starts to dull.
  4. Refrigerate for 1 hour or until firm. Using foil, lift fudge out of pan. Discard foil; cut into 1-in. squares. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

Cherry Fudge Recipe

More Tasty Valentine’s Recipes:

Valentines Day Cherry Chocolate Kiss Cookie Recipe 

Strawberries & Cream Jello Recipe

Easy Valentines Crunch Recipe

Homemade Animal Cookies or Crackers – Taste more like cookies to me!

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Every now and then, I make the kids Homemade Animal Cookies. They are supposed to be crackers, but I use sugar cookie dough and so they are REALLY INSANELY GOOD!

You can get crazy and ice them, then they look like these bad boys. But then you are  adding more calories and since I plan on eating at least 100 of these, I am going to skip the frosting.

Now, the cost about evens out if you are buying or making your own. The problem is the time factor. I double the recipe and get about 200 of them out of it depending on how much dough we eat making them. 🙂 But have to be in the kitchen for a while. The bonus is that they are soooo much better and I get to spend time with the kids. This is a worth while project for me.

I use the Wilton Mini Noahs Ark cookie cutters they are the perfect size. Plus, you can get about 30 on a cookie sheet. After they are done baking and cooled. I store them in a Lock & Lock container with a piece of bread, that will keep them soft. I give them a few every for lunch every day and they eat them after school for snack.

Sour Cream Sugar Cookies for Animal Cookies!

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 cups white sugar
  • 1 cup butter
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 cup sour cream
  • 5 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese
  • 2 tablespoons evaporated milk
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/8 teaspoon salt
  • 4 cups confectioners’ sugar

 Directions

  1. Cream together 1 1/2 cups white sugar, butter or margarine, 1 teaspoon vanilla, and eggs. Add sour cream.
  2. Mix together 5 cups flour, 1/2 teaspoon salt, baking powder and baking soda. Gradually add to the egg-sugar mixture.
  3. Cover and chill dough for 1 hour.
  4. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F
  5. Roll out on lightly floured surface to 1/4 inch thick. Cut out cookies. Bake on lightly greased cookie sheet for 10 – 12 minutes.
  6. To Make Frosting: In small bowl, with mixer at medium speed, beat together the softened cream cheese and evaporated milk until smooth. Add 1 teaspoon vanilla, 1/8 teaspoon salt and confectioners’ sugar. Beat until well blended. Color as desired and frost cooled cookies.

More Cookie Recipes:

Ultimate Sugar Cookie Recipe

Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe

Simple Meltaway Cookie Recipe for Kids  

No Churn Cookie Monster Ice Cream Recipe

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Cookie Monster Ice Cream

Do you know a Cookie Monster fan? Or are you hosting a Sesame Street themed party? Well then this recipe is absolutely perfect for you! It is super easy to make, is so much fun and tastes delicious! You can choose to use any brand of the listed ingredients. I have found that whether you use name brand or store brand it really doesn’t make a huge difference. It will tasty yummy no either way.

If you do not have an ice cream machine – DON’T STRESS! You will not need one for this simple recipe! You will however need a Pyrex Baking Dish like THIS ONE to make your ice cream in. Other than that you are set to go with just the few ingredients listed below and some creativity!

Monster Cookie Ingredients

INGREDIENTS

  • 2 cup Heavy Cream
  • 14 oz Sweetened Condensed Milk
  • 1 tbsp Vanilla
  • 1/2 tsp Blue Food Coloring
  • 20 Chocolate Sandwich Cookies (like Oreo’s)
  • 15 Chocolate Chip Cookies

cookies


DIRECTIONS

Fist you will want to chop up 15 sandwich cookies and 10 chocolate chip cookies and set aside. Then whip heavy cream, food coloring and vanilla until stiff peaks form. Add in condensed milk until color is uniform. Add additional food coloring if needed.

cookie icecream

Fold in broken cookies and transfer to loaf pan. Break up all remaining cookies and use to decorate top of pan. Place in freezer for at least 5 hours.

No Churn Cookie Monster Ice Cream
Ingredients
  • 2 cup Heavy Cream
  • 14 oz Sweetened Condensed Milk
  • 1 tbsp Vanilla
  • 1/2 tsp Blue Food Coloring
  • 20 Chocolate Sandwich Cookies (like Oreos)
  • 15 Chocolate Chip Cookies
Instructions
  1. Break up 15 sandwich cookies and 10 chocolate chip cookies and set aside.
  2. Whip heavy cream, food coloring and vanilla until stiff peaks form.
  3. Beat in condensed milk until color is uniform. Add additional food coloring if needed.
  4. Fold in broken cookies and transfer to loaf pan.
  5. Break up all remaining cookies and use to decorate top of pan.
  6. Place in freezer for at least 5 hours.

This recipe is really very easy to make and is sure to impress both your guests no matter their age!

Monster cookie ice cream

More Tasty Dessert Recipes:

Blueberry Cheesecake Ice Cream

Homemade Orange Creamsicle

Oreo Fudge Brownies

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