Sweet Tooth Tuesday: Peanut Butter Balls

These little balls are bursting with peanut butter flavor and sweet enough to satisfy any sweet craving. This is a treat that the kids can help make. My 5 year old helped with these and had lots of fun doing so. The great thing about these is that they leave no mess! Yay! 

Peanut butter balls

5-6 cups rice crispy cereal

1 cup sugar

1 cup light corn syrup

1 cup peanut butter

Put rice cereal in a large bowl. Set aside. Combine sugar and corn syrup in a pot over medium high heat. Bring to a boil. Once it is boiling add peanut butter and remove from heat quickly. Pour peanut butter mixture over rice cereal and toss to evenly coat. Place your hands under the sink and run cold water on them.  Form balls with your hands and place on a sheet of wax paper to cool  Makes 24.

Munchkin Monday: Banana Muffins

I love my kids, but I HATE feeding them. I am not creative when it comes to meals and snacks and we tend to get stuck in ruts where they eat the same 5 meals for weeks on end. While I have looked online (Pinterest) and there are amazing Mom's out there who put together amazing meals and take beautiful photo's of them, and while I can admire what they are doing, I need a more practical way for myself to plan meals. So I am making lists!! Yay me! One for breakfast, lunch, and snacks with recipes to go with. This way I can look at my lists before going shopping and buy accordingly and when I get home and can't think of anything to make I have a plan in place. Now my hope is to pass on my awesome lists to all of you out there but I want to test out some of the recipes first. Lets get started.

So first up is BREAKFAST! These muffins were so tasty that we made a batch two days in a row and my husband ate six for breakfast yesterday.

I adapted this recipe from thriftyfun.com you can find that link here.

This is my crazy cute helper for the day :)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. In large bowl combine the flour, baking soda, sugar, and baking powder. In a separate bowl mix the bananas, egg, salt, and coconut oil. I think that using a potato masher is the best way to combine the banana mixture. Also if you would prefer you can use 1/3 cup of butter in place of the coconut oil.

Stir banana mixture into dry ingredients until just moistened. Its fine if its just a little lumpy looking.

Fill muffin cups 2/3 full. It took about 2 heaping tablespoons to fill my cups. (And yes they are left over from Easter) Sprinkle the extra sugar over the muffins. You don't need the extra sugar but I liked the little extra crunch it gave. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes. Cool in pan for 10 minutes.

All that is left to do is enjoy. These banana muffins have a satisfying texture that is not to dense and not to light. A wonderful fast and easy breakfast. You could mix it up and add a little cinnamon or some chocolate chips and they would store wonderfully in the freezer.  My only warning is that one batch only makes 15 muffins so make a double batch. You are going to need it. 

Banana Muffins

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 3/4 cup sugar, plus a little extra for sprinkling on top
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 3 large ripe bananas, mashed
• 1 egg, slightly beaten
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/4 cup coconut oil, melted

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. In large bowl combine the flour, baking soda, sugar, and baking powder. In a separate bowl mix the bananas, egg, salt, and coconut oil. Stir banana mixture into dry ingredients until just moistened. Fill muffin cups 2/3 full.

Sprinkle the extra sugar over the muffins. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes. Cool in pan for 10 minutes.

Sweet Tooth Tuesday: Apple Bundles

It's Fall, the kids are back in school, and I have the perfect after school snack for your kiddos! These are quick, tasty, and sure to please those taste buds in both adults and kids :)

Apple Bundles

• 2 medium Granny apples
• 1 pkg cresent rolls
• 1 medium orange
• 1 TBSP butter, melted
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Peel, core and slice apples, then cut in half. Unroll dough triangles. Grab 5-6 apple slices and roll up in dough. Zest orange to get 1 tsp zest. Combine zest, sugar and cinnamon. Set aside. Juice orange to get around 1/3 cup. Pour in the bottom of the pan.

Brush butter on bundles and pour sugar/cinnamon mixture on. Cook 10 minutes or until lightly brown.

You can find this awesome post linked up to the following Fantastic Parties:

Foodie Friday: Crockpot Lil' Smokies Appetizer

Crockpot Lil' Smokies Appetizer

Years ago, my friend's Mom made these for a party & I seriously have been dreaming of them since.  It's been like 12 years....yikes!

So I randomly came across the recipe on Pinterest and was so excited!!!!!!

Here is the link to crockpot365.blogspot.com's recipe!

So, this is how easy it is:

Put your Lil' Smokies in a crockpot (you can also do this with meatballs!!!).  Mix together 8 oz. of chili sauce (found by the ketchup...thanks crockpot365 for the heads up!) and 8 oz. grape jelly.  Pour on top and cook on low for 4 hours.  That's it.  And they are SUPER delish!!!!!!  

Would be great to bring for one of your holiday parties coming up!

You can find this awesome post linked up to the following Fantastic Parties:

Wild Card Wednesday: Team USA Trail Mix

Now that the Olympics are over (so sad, right?) I thought I would share our simple recipe for a patriotic and delicious trail mix! It's so easy and yet soooooo good!

Ingredients:
1 bag Honey Nut Chex Mix
White chocolate
red and blue M&Ms

Mix M&Ms and Chex Mix, then place mixture on wax paper
Melt white chocolate and pour over the Chex Mix and M&Ms
Let cool and chow down!

You can find this awesome post linked up to the following Fantastic Parties:

Foodie Friday: Pizza Pretzels

My family LOVES pizza =)  I think we could eat it several times a week and be good with it.  So I am always trying to find new ways to make it.  I found this idea on Pinterest and had to give it a whirl.  Needless to say, it was a big hit.  I need to make these again, and this time triple the batch so that I can have some leftovers =)

Pizza Dough:
1 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 package quick-rising yeast (2 1/4 teaspoons)
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/2-2/3 cup hot water (120-130°F)
2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
Italian Seasonings, optional (I used about 1 tablespooon)

Combine flour, yeast, salt, seasonings and sugar in the bowl. Combine hot water and oil in a measuring cup. Gradually pour in enough of the hot liquid until the mixture forms a sticky ball. If you are one of those lucky people with a Kitchen Aide, use that.  I used my bread machine and just put the setting on "dough" to knead the it. The dough should be quite soft. If it seems dry, add 1 to 2 tablespoons warm water; if too sticky, add 1 to 2 tablespoons flour. Continue mixing until the dough forms a ball, then knead for 1 minute.
Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled bowl.  Spray the top of the dough with cooking spray, cover and let the dough rest for 10 to 20 minutes.

Filling:
shredded mozzarella cheese 
shredded parmesan cheese
 pepperoni slices
chopped mushrooms
chopped olives
whatever your family likes =)


1 egg slightly beaten
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning


Preheat oven to 400ºF. 

Cut the prepared pizza dough into 4 equal pieces and roll each out into a rectangle.

(I doubled the recipe so I could freeze some for later....but there weren't any left to freeze after my family devoured them)

 Scatter the cheese and toppings over the dough. Brush the one of the long sides with a little egg wash then, starting with the opposite side, roll the dough up into a log, enclosing the toppings inside. Shape the log into a pretzel and transfer to a baking sheet.

Brush the top of the pizza pretzel with olive oil and sprinkle with parmesan cheese and Italian seasoning. 

Bake until golden brown, about 15-20 minutes.

So they didn't exactly look like pretzels but they were still great =)  The good thing with these is you can put whatever toppings you like in them.  Have the kids help do their own.  And everyone can choose their own dipping sauces: ranch, marinara, garlic butter, or plain.  Whatever you want, you can do.

Print Pizza Pretzel Recipe

I’m Linking up to these Awesome Blogs!

Strut Your Stuff Saturday {Six Sister’ Stuff}

Makin’ You Crave Monday {Mrs. Happy Homemaker}

Mouthwatering Mondays {A Southern Fairytale}

Made By You Mondays {Skip To My Lou}

Tuesday Confessional Link Party {Confessions of a Stay At Home Mommy}

Trick or Treat Tuesday {Inside Bru Crew Life}