Halloween Candied Popcorn

I made these cute little popcorn snack bags for my toddler's Halloween party. The kids were running around with there little pumpkin bags in hand munching on their popcorn. I'm personally not a huge popcorn fan, but I just love snacking on these. And as usual they are cheap and easy to make (pop, melt, mix, sprinkle).

Ingredients:
-Halloween sprinkles (I used the black and orange balls, but any sprinkle will do)
-6 oz candy melts or half a bag (I used white candy melts but you can use green or purple if you want to get funky with it)
-3 personal sized popcorn bags (I used the all natural pop secret kind)

Step 1:
Pop your three bags of popcorn and put them in a bowl.

Step 2:
Melt your candy melts in the microwave in 30 second intervals- siring after each one.

Step 3:
Poor the melted candy on top of the popcorn in the bowl. Then roll your sleeves up and mix it up with your hands.

Step 4:
Once you feel like you got a pretty good coat dump it all onto a baking sheet. Spread it out evenly then start sprinkling. Add as many or as little sprinkles as you want. Let set for about 10 minutes then they're ready to eat...or store in cute little pumpkin bags:)

Tips:
-Don't overcook the candy because it will start hardening again.
-Keeps best in a plastic zip-lock bag.
-If you put them in a paper bag and they get to warm the candy will melt and leave what look like grease spot on the bag.
-I also made these for my son's birthday party, but with multicolored sprinkles.

 I found these cute little drawstring pumpkin bags at the dollar store.

Cheap and Easy Homemade Ice Cream

What you will need:

2c half and half
1tsp vanilla extract
2tbs sugar
1/4c salt
1 bag of ice
1 sandwich bag
1 one gallon bag (optional)
1 27.08oz container with lid (we used an old Folders coffee container)
tape

Serves 2
***Don't worry if you are a little short on any of the ingredients. It will still turn out amazing***

Step 1:
Measure out the first three ingredients (half and half, vanilla, sugar) and dump them in your sandwich bag. Squeeze as much air out of the bag without spilling- then seal.

Step 2:
Fill your container half way full with ice then cover with half of your salt.

Step 3:
Place your sandwich bag full of ingredients in the center of your container then fill the rest with ice. Use the remainder of your salt to poor on top.

Step 4:
Put the lid on and tape it up to make it extra secure (I used painters tape). Do it qickly before the container gets to cold, or the tape wont stick. If your doing this inside and your afraid of the container busting open you can use a gallon bag for steps 2 and 3. Then place the steeled bag in the container. So If it does bust open your not left with a mess.

Step 5:
Set a timer for eight minutes then take your container and start rolling. My 2yr old and I sat on the floor in the living room and rolled it back and fourth. You can even go outside and roll it down a hill. Have fun with it.

Step 6:
After your eight minutes are over, open everything up, and enjoy your delicious homemade ice cream.

Originally when I found this recipe it was for "hand shaken" ice cream in a bag. We tried it that way with the kids a couple of times but it was messy, and hard work. The bag was heavy and hard to shake so the kids lost interest quickly. Besides that our poor little fingers were freezing, the bags either got a whole in them from our vigorous shaking and perspired so punch by the time we were done I had one huge puddle on my counter top. Also, after shaking ten minutes with the bag tycnech the ice cream didn't come out nearly as solid as when it was rolled. However if you don't happen to have a Folgers can or some kind of container on hand a gallon bag will do. The most important thing is that you have fun doing it. Enjoy!

Healthy Strawberry & Blackberry Snack Wheels

 I try my best to provide my toddler with a healthy variety of snack foods. Sometimes I find myself struggling to come up with new ideas, and not reaching for something prepackaged. So I was very pleased with myself when I put this colorful delight together to switch things up.

My son's eyes light up when he see's this colorful snack. I think he thinks they are some kind of  "special treat". I used whole wheat mini bagels, Philadelphia cream cheese (you can use light to make it a bit healthier if you prefer), strawberries cut in 1/8in slices, and blackberries cut in half. Toast your bagel if you prefer, smear a small amount of cream cheese once they've cooled, then pace your fruit, and voila.

 Healthy Facts About Strawberries:

• They give you whiter teeth. Ever heard of strawberries and baking soda as teeth cleaner? Try it. Put 1 large strawberry in a blender together with ½ teaspoon of baking soda and blend well. You can also mash the strawberry using a fork and mix the baking soda in. Use it like toothpaste and spread it on to your teeth gently. Leave it for 3-6 minutes and cleanse your teeth with water afterwards. Just make sure you brush your teeth with your preferred commercial toothpaste after so there won’t be strawberry stain or taste left.
• Strawberries also prevent constipation and even colon cancer because they wash away harmful toxins in our intestines.
• Strawberry consumption also increases memory.
• Strawberry has antioxidants that protect our immune system. So try a strawberry dipped in melted chocolate for a double boost of disease-fighting antioxidants.
• These red berries also keep our eyes bright. Studies on eyesight reveals that eating at least 5 strawberries a day could keep your vision clear.
• Pregnant women may also get a good amount of folic acid from eating strawberries.
• Strawberry is low in calories (32 kcal/100g) and fats but rich source of many health promoting phyto-nutrients, minerals and vitamins that are essential for optimum health.
  
• Strawberries have significantly high amounts of phenolic flavonoid phyto-chemicals called anthocyanins and ellagic acid. Scientific studies show that consumption of straw berries may have potential health benefits against cancer, aging, inflammation and neurological diseases.
  
• Fresh berries are an excellent source of vitamin-C (about 98% of RDI), which is also a powerful natural antioxidant. Consumption of fruits rich in vitamin C helps body develop resistance against infectious agents, counter inflammation and scavenge harmful free radicals.
  
• The fruit is rich in B-complex group of vitamins. It contains very good amounts of vitamin B-6, niacin, riboflavin, pantothenic acid and folic acid. These vitamins are acting as co-factors help body metabolize carbohydrates, proteins and fats.
  
• Strawberries contain vitamin A, vitamin E and many health promoting flavonoid poly phenolic antioxidants such as lutein, zeaxanthin, beta carotene in small amounts. These compounds help act as protective scavengers against oxygen-derived free radicals and reactive oxygen species (ROS) that play a role in aging and various disease process.
  
• They contain good amount of minerals like potassium, manganese, fluorine, copper, iron and iodine. Potassium in an important component of cell and body fluids that helps controlling heart rate and blood pressure. Manganese is used by the body as a co-factor for the antioxidant enzyme superoxide dismutase. Copper is required in the production of red blood cells. Iron is required for red blood cell formation. Fluoride is a component of bones and teeth and is important for prevention of dental caries. 

Healthy Facts About Blackberries:

• Blackberries are one of the top ten foods containing antioxidants.
• Blackberries are packed with polyphenols helping to prevent cancer and heart disease.
• Blackberries are filled with anthocyanins (antioxidants which give blackberries their deep purple color) which help in memory retention and the risk of hypertension. 
• Blackberries are said to strengthen blood vessels, help fight heart disease and help improve eyesight.
• The high tannin content of blackberries help tighten tissue, relieve intestinal inflammation, and help reduce hemorrhoids and stomach disorders.
• Ohio State University found that blackberries may protect against esophageal cancer, a cancer caused by gastric reflux disease.
• Blackberries have shown to protect against other types of cancers. They contain phytoestrogens (plant estrogens), a compound believed to play a vital role in preventing breast and cervical cancer.
• Blackberries are high in Vitamin C, Vitamin A, Vitamin E, Vitamin K, Manganese and fiber.
• The high fiber content of blackberries help reduce risk of intestinal disease and the risk of developing diabetes.Blackberries are a healthy food choice that kids and adults love. They are a great way to refuel after a hard workout and help aid in fighting obesity. See a recipe for Blackberry-Blueberry Cobbler from my site last year.

St. Patrick's Day Party Under $20.00

 I had some toddlers with their mommas over yesterday for a St. Patrick's Day party / play date. We made some magical leprechaun potion, and a rainbow craft fallowed buy some shamrock cookies for a snack. I did this all for under $20.00 with some additional decorations included.

Rainbow Craft

 Here is what you need to get started...

-paper plates

-different colored streamers

-cotton balls

-glue

You can purchase the streamers in just about any color at the Dollar Tree. They come in packs of two, so you will have plenty leftover to decorate or use for future parties, crafts, etc. I was very surprise that I found 100% cotton balls at the Dollar Tree too. That's a great buy. I think they're at least a few bucks in retail stores. You can Probably get paper plates at the dollar store as well, but I purchased these at Wal-mart for $2 and some change. There is more in a pack so I will have plenty left over for everyday use. I happen to have some glue on hand, but you can find glue at most places for a buck. I'm going to round up and say the craft all together cost about $10.00. And you'll have plenty of everything left over for future use. 

I provided all my guest with a paper plate full of all their pre cut and counted craft supplies. You'll need to cut 12 red, 10 yellow, 5 green, and 8 blue. The red are cut into large squares, yellow and green are rectangles, and the blue are small squares. And don't forget 4 cotton balls:) I cut the rainbows streamer tail after the kids were done and had the moms put them on. 

 This is the example I made for the kids.We started with the moms folding the paper plate in half and placed the stapler, and the kids stapled. Moms also applied the glue, one arch for each color, and the kids placed the different colors. This craft is perfect for practicing colors and counting. I punched some holes at the top of mine, and tied some string so I could hang it in the window. 

Magical Leprechaun Potion

Ingredients:
-baking soda
-vinegar
-glitter
-dish soap
-yellow food coloring
This is extremely easy, and I just used the ingredients available in my kitchen. I sprinkled some green glitter in a small bottle then filled it with vinegar. In the other bottle I added a small amount of liquid dish soap, and a few drops of yellow food coloring.

I had the kids add the ingredients in the bowel, one by one. First we poured in the vinegar, fallowed by the dish soap, and lastly we added one heaping scoop of baking soda. The potion foams up resembling a pot of gold with some green sparkles. I heard a couple of WOWS from the kids ;)

Shamrock Snack Bags

I purchased these snack bags along with the stickers and some window cling decorations at Micheal's for less than $3. Inside the bags are shamrock cookies made with the Betty Crocker sugar cookie mix (around $2) and a cookie press.  And there you have it, a festive St. Patrick's Day party under $20.

It was definitely worth it's weight in gold just to see this smile.

Zucchini Carrot Muffins

These Zucchini Carrot Muffins are delicious and a great way to sneak some vegetables into your kids diet without a fuss. I’ve tried a healthier version of this recipe a few times (substituting some sugar with applesauce, and additional whole wheat flour). The texture just never came out right.  I even baked it for almost double the time required and the middles still came out gooey. Gooey middles aren’t very reassuring when egg is one of the ingredients in the recipe.  I found a few other similar recipes that I added to, and took some things out, coming up with my own concoction.  They turned out great. These would be a hit with both moms and kids at a morning play date, or just to have around the house for a healthy snack.

Ingredients:
2/3 cup vegetable oil
2 large eggs
2/3 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup light or dark brown sugar, packed
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1cup all-purpose flour
1cup whole wheat flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 1/2 cups finely shredded unpeeled zucchini
1/2 cup finely shredded carrot
Preparation:
Grease and flour 12 muffin cups or use paper cups. Heat oven to 375°.
In a mixing bowl, beat the oil with eggs, sugars, and vanilla extract.
Combine the flour, soda, baking powder, salt and cinnamon; add to the wet ingredients; stirring until blended. Fold in the shredded zucchini and carrots.
Fill muffin cups about 3/4 full; sprinkle with cinnamon sugar or granulated sugar, if desired. Bake for 20 minutes. Let them cool in the muffin tins for a few minutes then place on the wire rack.

Makes 12

Hug a Pretzel

Here's a quick, cheap, and easy snack that is sure to impress. Usually I'm not a huge fan of white chocolate, but in this case the combination of white chocolate, milk chocolate, and salty pretzel complement each other perfectly. Enjoy!

All you need is one bag of these butter snap pretzels, and a bag of Hershey's Hugs.
Step #1: Put a layer of pretzels on the pan.
Step #2: Place one Hug on each pretzel.
Step #3: Place in oven on 350 for two minutes.
Step #4: Place another pretzel on top of the kiss, and let cool.

The hardest part is unwrapping all the Hugs, but worth it. Plus the kids like to help with the unwrapping anyway :)

Clean Out the Fridge Smoothie

If you have a toddler in the house, like us, then your probably going to have a verity of fruits available. Sometimes we don’t get to all our fruit before it goes bad. A great way to get rid of an abundance of fruit before going bad is to make SMOOTHIES. It’s a healthy snack that the kiddos love, and love to help toss the ingredients in the blender. For this smoothy we just through together all the fruit we had available that was nearing it's expiration date along with a few other ingredients, hence the name Clean out the Fridge Smoothy. It's easy and delicious.

Ingredients
1 banana
about 1/2 cup blueberries
1 peach snack cup in light syrup (drain the syrup)
2 yoplait snack cups (strawberry banana flavor)
about 1/3 cup milk
about 1 tsp sugar