Adorable Healthy Snack ideas for Kids

I'm always looking for ways to make our day a little extra fun. I love Personal Creations’ adorable snack ideas for kids. From a superhero pita for your little warrior, to a penguin cucumber for the animal lover, these snack foods are not only delicious but will put a smile on your child’s face. Using a few common grocery items and less than 20 minutes creation time, these snacks are easy to make and cost effective. Make these with your children, or send them to school with a surprise treat in their lunch box. Your kiddos will love their unique snacks, and you’ll appreciate how healthy they are!

They go along perfect with our Monthly Holiday Calendars.

How cute would the Penguin Cucumbers be next week for World Penguin day

or I'm dying over the superhero pita for National Superhero Day!

Head over to Personal Creations and find the recipes for 27 Healthy and adorable snacks!. Your kids will love it!

Texas Sheet Cake

When I moved my blog to this new address I kept a lot of my favorite projects and recipes.  Today I realized I forgot this one and it is my FAVORITE dessert.  I know the picture isn't super awesome (maybe one day I'll get the hang of photography) but don't let it fool you this one is a keeper.

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I LOVE Texas Sheet Cake. This is one of my favorite desserts my mom makes. When I left for college I did not know how to cook/bake anything (I've come a long way in seven years). This is one of the recipes I borrowed and even I was able to make it. There you have it-easy and delicious.

Texas Sheet Cake

*Heat to boil:

4 Tbsp. cocoa

1 stick of butter

1/2 cup oil

1 cup of water

*Remove from heat and pour over:

2 cups flour

2 cups sugar

*Add:

1/2 cup milk

2 eggs

1tbs baking soda

1tsp. vanilla

*beat for 2 minutes. Bake at 350 for 20 minutes.

Frosting

*Heat to boil:

4 tbsp cocoa

6 tbsp milk

1 stick of butter

*pour over:

1 box of powered sugar (I use about 1/2 a bag)

*Add:

1 tsp. vanilla.

*Beat (add more sugar if needed) and spread over hot cake. ---I like to make my frosting as soon as I pull the cake out of the oven. As soon as the frosting is ready the cake is cool enough for it to be added. If the cake is too hot the frosting will just soak through (that is how my sister likes it).

My Favorite Oatmeal Cookies

I found this recipe years ago and they are my go to cookie recipe.  I'm not a huge fan of oatmeal cookies but I love these. They are so good I often eat 5 a day (plus a few more).

Oatmeal Cookies
1/2 C. butter, softened
1/2 C. Crisco, softened
1 C. brown sugar
1 C. sugar
2 eggs
1 t. vanilla
1 t. salt
2 t baking soda
1/2 t. baking powder
2 1/4 C. flour
2 C. old fashioned oats
1 package mild chocolate chips

Cream together butter, Crisco, and sugars. Add vanilla and eggs and mix well. Add salt, soda, powder, and flour and mix just until combined. Stir in oats and chocolate chips. Scoop loosely into balls using cookie scoop and bake on cookie sheet for 8-12 minutes @ 350. (My convection oven takes about 7 1/2 to 8)  They should look not quite done when you pull them out and let them sit for a few minutes before removing them from the cookie sheet.

Triple Berry Cobbler

This was so yummy! We didn't have any ice cream so I loved it cold out of the fridge. Whip Cream would also be tasty. I found the recipe on Marin's Creations.

1 stick butter, melted
1 1/4 cups, plus 2 Tbsp. sugar
1 cup flour
1 cup milk
2 cups fresh or frozen berries (I used frozen)

Directions:
1. Grease a 3 qt. baking dish (don't forget like I did).
2. In a medium bowl mix 1 cup of sugar with the flour and milk.
3. stir in melted butter.
4. Pour the batter into the baking dish and sprinkle berries evenly over the batter.
5. Sprinkle 1/4 cup sugar over the top of the berries

6. Bake for 1 hour at 350 degrees. When ten minutes of baking time remain, sprinkle remaining 2 Tbsp. sugar over top.

So delicious! 

The Ultimate Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe

Growing up my siblings and I all learned how to make cookies at a young age. We all had our favorites kinds...oatmeal, applesauce, and my favorite was plain old chocolate chip cookies.  One of my sisters loved baking (her talent is incredible!)  and this is her cookie recipe.  I'm not sure where she found it, she was like 12 and this was way before pinterest and probably even the internet.  Okay now we just sound old.  Anyway they are called ultimate chocolate chip cookies and seriously they are that good.  I'm suppose to be on a diet and I'm pretty sure I ate at least 10 yesterday (I have no self control!!!)  Enjoy!

Ultimate Chocolate chip Cookies

3/4 cup Crisco

1 1/4 cup brown sugar

1 tbsp milk

1 tbsp vanilla

1 egg

1 3/4 cup flour

1 tsp salt

1 cup chocolate chips

mix in this order.  Blake at 375 degrees for 8-10 min.

Recipe Binder Printables

 I've been organizing like crazy over here.  One thing that really wasn't functioning was my recipe binders. It was a bunch of printouts scattered though two binders (most just shoved in there not even attached).  It was impossible to find anything.  I spend a few hours sorting my recipes, tossing duplicates and ones we never use, and then hole punched the ones I wanted to keep.  I decided to still store them in my binders but they now have sections and easy to find.  If you recipes that could use a little love too grab a copy of my binder and section covers below.  I put these covers in sheet protectors and the recipes are just hole punched.

Download your copy here.

Grandma's Easy and Delicious Blonde Brownies

This is my grandma's recipe and one of our favorite desserts.

Blonde Brownies
2 cups flour
1tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
2/3 cups butter (unsalted)
2 cups browns sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
Chocolate Chips or M&Ms

1.preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Mix ingredients in this order.
3. spread dough in a greased 9x13 cake pan.
4. Bake for 24-28 min. (my oven takes about 26 min.)

Chicken Enchiladas

I've been on the hunt for  a recipe to make some easy but yummy enchiladas.  I combined a few different recipes and came up with one I love.

Ingredients:
corn tortillas 14-16
1 can red enchilada sauce (14 ounce)
1/2 cup beef broth
1/2 tbsp honey
cooked and shredded chicken (I use 2-3 chicken breasts depending on size)
grated cheese about 1 1/2 cups
1 tbsp chopped cilantro (optional)

Instructions:
1. preheat oven to 350 degrees
2. in a small pot mix enchilada sauce, beef broth, and honey. Let it simmer for 10 minutes.
3. pour a small layer of enchilada sauce mixture on the bottom of a  9x13 pan.
4. Heat your corn tortillas in the microwave until the are warm and pliable.  If they are cracking when you try to roll them heat a little longer.
5. Spoon a small amount of sauce on one side of your corn tortilla.  Add some chicken and cheese and roll up.
6.  Once all of your tortillas are filled pour remaining sauce over your enchiladas.  Sprinkle with cheese and cilantro.
7. Bake for 10 minutes or until cheese is melted.

Kara's Pink Lemonade Pie

Hello fellow crafters! I'm Kara from Creations by Kara, and I'm thrilled that Crystal asked me to be a part of recipe week. I love crafting and DIY projects, but I also love spending time in my kitchen trying new recipes.

Today I'm sharing a dessert recipe that is just perfect for summertime-- Pink Lemonade Pie. It only takes a few minutes to put together, and it is so refreshing on a hot day. You can use a purchased crust to make things even easier. I used a pastry crust this time because we were out of graham crackers. You can use whatever you like. Oh, and if all you have is regular lemonade, I'm sure it would work just fine. :)

Pink Lemonade Pie

1 9" baked pie crust-pastry or graham cracker
8oz cream cheese, softened
1 14oz can sweetened condensed milk
6oz frozen pink lemonade concentrate, thawed (I used half of a 12oz can)
4oz Cool Whip
Few drops red food coloring (optional)
Beat cream cheese till fluffy. Gradually beat in sweetened condensed milk, then lemonade. Mix well. Fold in Cool Whip and food coloring. Pour into pie crust. Chill for at least four hours or till set. Garnish with whipped cream if desired.

Thanks for having me Crystal! I hope that all of you will stop over and say hi. I love meeting new bloggy friends!


my boys ate all

Cafe Rio knock off! From Bugaboo, Mini, Mr & Me

Hey Crystal’s Craft Spot fans!  Allow me to introduce myself - the me in bugaboo, mini, mr & me!  Or Kimberly, if you’d prefer - it’s not such a mouthful.  Over on bugaboo, mini, mr &me, we do what is called “Yummy Monday” every week!  That’s when I pick three new recipes to try (and sometimes MORE depending on how ambitious I’m feeling!) and then use my family and my parents as guinea pigs!  Sometimes they love it.  Sometimes they hate it.  I’ve discovered a lot of great recipes this way, and I’ve also developed some dormant cooking and baking talents!

The recipe I’m going to share with you today is one that I discovered on-line on a little blog called Favorite Family Recipes.  I made a few subtle changes to the recipes that I’m including below, and you will definitely want to check out their blog for more delicious inspiration.  

With the following recipe (which is a knock off salad done in 6 parts... so it does take some time) you will be upgraded to Master Chef status after the first few bites - guaranteed.  It’s definitely one of our favorites.

Without further ado, I bring you the

Don’t you love their shredded pork salad?  You’ll love this one even more, and that’s not lip service.

First of all, please note that several pieces of this salad can be made up ahead of time, so as to break the work up over a few days.  The rice, beans and salad dressing can all be made and refrigerated, then heated up when you serve the salads.  The pork needs to cook for about 6 hours - although if you do chicken as I usually do, you only need about half that time.  You may want to cook this over night.  The crispy tortilla strips are really the only thing that needs to be made just prior to serving so they stay nice and crunchy.  

On to the recipes!

Part 1: The pork or CHICKEN (note, I ALWAYS make this with chicken because it’s faster, and we love it that way.  The pork is yummy, too, though!)

Sweet Chicken

2 pounds chicken (if you use pork, it’s best to get the boneless pork loin)

2 20 oz bottles of Coke (NOT diet)

1/4 c. brown sugar

1/2 tsp. garlic salt

1/4 c. water

1 can diced green chilies

3/4 (10oz) can red enchilada sauce 

1 c. brown sugar

Put the chicken in a heavy duty ziploc bag to marinade. Add a bottle of coke and about 1/4 c. of brown sugar. Marinade for a few hours or overnight.  Drain marinade and put chicken, 1/2 a bottle of coke, water, and garlic salt in a crock pot on high for about 2-3 hours or on low for 6-8 hours. Remove chicken from crock pot and drain any liquid left in the pot. Shred the chicken.  In a food processor or blender, blend 1/2 bottle of Coke, chilies, enchilada sauce and remaining brown sugar.   Put shredded chicken and sauce in crockpot and cook on low for 1 hour. 

Part 2: The rice

Cilantro-Lime Rice

1 c. uncooked rice (long-grain, white rice)

1 tsp. butter 

3 cloves garlic, minced or pressed

2 tsp. freshly squeezed lime juice

1 can (15 oz) chicken broth

1 cup water

2 Tbsp. freshly squeezed lime juice

2 tsp. sugar

3 tablespoons fresh chopped cilantro

In a saucepan combine rice, butter, garlic, 1 tsp. lime, chicken broth and water. Bring to a boil. Cover and cook on low 15-20 minutes, until rice is tender. Remove from heat. In a small bowl combine lime juice, sugar and cilantro. Pour over hot cooked rice and mix in as you fluff the rice.

Part 3: The beans

Mexican Black Beans

2 Tbsp. olive oil

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 tsp. ground cumin

1 can black beans, rinsed and drained

1 1/3 c. tomato juice or V8

1 1/2 tsp. salt

3 Tbsp. fresh chopped cilantro

In a nonstick skillet, cook garlic and cumin in olive oil over medium heat until you can smell it. Add beans, tomato juice, and salt. Continually stir until heated through. Just before serving stir in the cilantro.

Part 4: The dressing

Cilantro-Lime Ranch Dressing

1 packet TRADITIONAL Hidden Valley Ranch mix (not BUTTERMILK)

1 c. mayonnaise

1 c. buttermilk

2 tomatillos, remove husk, diced

3/4 bunch of fresh cilantro

2 clove garlic

juice of 1 lime

1 jalepeno (or less depending on taste)

Mix all ingredients together in the blender. 

Part 5: The tortilla strips

Crispy Tortilla Strips

10-12 corn tortillas

oil for frying

salt

Cut tortillas into strips using a pizza cutter. Cut 2-3 tortillas at once.  Heat oil in a large frying pan. Place strips into hot oil and fry until they become crispy. When nice and crispy, remove from oil and place on a paper towel. Sprinkle with salt after each batch.

Just a note: the first time I made this I didn't make the strips, I thought they were just "fluff".  But I've made them every time since - they are almost essential in my book.  Just so you know.

Part 6: Assembly!  (best part)

Shredded Sweet Chicken Salad

6 large Tortillas

Mexican blend shredded cheese

Cilantro Lime Rice

Mexican Black Beans

Sweet Chicken (or pork)

Green Leaf Lettuce, or Boston Bib, or similar

Pico de gallo

Guacamole 

Sour cream

Tortilla Strips 

Cotija, or Mexican Cheese

Cilantro-Lime Ranch Dressing 

Lay your tortillas out on a baking sheet, sprinkle cheese on them, and put in the oven at 375 for about 5 min or until the cheese is melted. Remove from oven and place each tortilla on a plate or shallow bowl.  Add beans, rice, chicken, then lettuce and a pico.  Add guacamole and sour cream, if you like.  Sprinkle on some of the tortilla strips and crumbled cotija cheese.  Top with a few cilantro leaves. Serve with the cilantro-lime ranch dressing.

If you’d like to make your own pico de gallo and guacamole, you can find my recipes by clicking the links.  Otherwise, you can find them in most produce departments.

We usually eat this with a refreshing pitcher of Brazilian Lemonade - that stuff is addictive, I tell ya.  

This super duper salad will have them all begging for more.  And why not give them more?  Do you need dessert ideas?  I have some good ones for you!  Lemon Cake Pie.  Cheesecake Stuffed Strawberries.  Creamy Dreamy Lime Pie.  Take your pick!

Be sure to stop by my place and say hi!  Thanks for having me over, Crystal!

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Thanks Kimberly!  I love Cafe Rio and this looks so yummy.

Brazillian Rice and beans

Well my sweet husband served his LDS Church mission in Brazil. He loved the people, the country, and the food! One thing they eat almost daily is Rice and Beans. It was his favorite and set out to learn how to make it. Well it has been several years and he finally figured it out (this is the only thing he cooks).
I was hesitant to share this recipe because it is a little different. I really think it might be my favorite meal (and not just because my husband cooks most of it). Also its NOT spicy at all and both of my kids love it-a small miracle.

Let me just say this is not the rice and beans you would get from a Mexican restaurant-these are Brazilian style. Black beans with any type of meat they had thrown it it (Don't worry we don't use mystery meat) and very mild flavored rice. This is how we make it as a main dish for our small family. We have made it without the meat and it makes a really good side dish.



Brazilian Black Beans
1/2 bag of black beans
1 ham hock (looks weird but it makes it taste better)
1/2 of a large onion (chopped)
3 to 4 cloves of garlic (minced)
1/4 pound of sausage
1/2 pound of Bacon
1/2 tsp. of salt (you may want to add more depending on taste)

(you can use more or less of anything depending on taste also you can change the type of meat-we often use what we have at home)

1. Soak your bean over night

2. Add your beans, ham hock, and water (enough so its about an inch higher then the beans) to the crock pot. Cook on low for about 6 hours (or until the beans are done). It will be closer to 8 if you use more beans.

3. Remove the ham hock (you can cut it up and add it back into the beans but we usually don't)

4. In one pan add your onion and garlic and bacon. cook until finished. Add it to the beans

5. In a separate pan cook your sausage. Add to the beans

6. Add your salt and let it simmer for a few minutes (until the rice is done).


Brazilian Rice-I use this recipe.
2 cups white rice
1/4 of an onion chopped small
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 teaspoon salt
4 cups hot water


1. Saute your onion and garlic in the vegetable oil.
2. Add your rice. Stir it around so it is coated in oil and let it brown for a few minutes.
3. Add hot water and salt.
4. Cover and turn the heat to low. Let it cook for 20 minutes.


To serve: Add rice to your plate first and then cover the rice with the beans. I like to mix mine together. Its really yummy! We also like to serve it with Brazilian soda.

Enchilada Casserole & mini casserole

This is a simple meal and it tastes so yummy. I originally found it on the Homemaking cottage a few years ago (I can't find the original post) but have changed it several times to fit our tastes.

Chicken Enchilada Casserole

Cooked shredded chicken (2 chicken breasts)

2 cups shredded cheese

3/4 cup sour cream

1 can cream of chicken

1 tsp. garlic salt

minced onion

3/4 can enchilada sauce (I used the green kind for this one)

crushed up chips (I grab about three big hand fulls and crush them-great for the broken chips left at the bottom of the bag)

1/2 can refried beans optional (see below why I add it)

Mix everything together (use only 1/2 the cheese). Pour into an 8x8 casserole dish and top with the remaining cheese. Bake for 20 minutes at 350 degrees.

mini casserole for your pick eater or in our case allergies: Livy can't eat any dairy so cheese, sour cream, and cream of chicken are out. I mixed the other ingredients together and added a few spoonfuls of refried beans to her mixture (I add some to ours so we don't waste a whole can). I then scooped it into muffin tins. I baked it at 350 for 10 minutes. She really liked it and loves that she isn't eating something different from us. She is only 1 but she gets mad if she doesn't have the same thing we are having. I am hoping these little casseroles will work with other meals. (It would probably look a lot better if my pans weren't so old and gross-anyone have a good way to clean them?)

Oreo Cookies

My Aunt use to make these when we were young and I have been addicted ever since! I like to add food coloring to the frosting depending on the season.




You need:
2 boxes chocolate cake(I used chocolate fudge last time and it worked great)
4 eggs
3/4 cups oil

Mix together. Roll into quarter size and place on a cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 8-10 minutes.

Frosting:
8 ounces cream cheese
2 2/3 cup powder sugar (or more as needed for taste)
Beat together.
Makes about 40 Cookies (I often only make 1/2 for my small family)

Restaurant style chicken nachos

I have made this several times and I love it and so does Scott and Aubrey. This is one of my favorite things to make because it is so easy, quick, and delicious. (I got the recipe here on allrecipes.com) Really when you want a quick meal you should try this one.

Only things I do differently is use a regular onion, leave out the tomatoes, and serve with sour cream all due to personal preference and what we have in the house.

INGREDIENTS

2 cloves garlic, crushed
Onion
3 tablespoons canola oil
1 shredded, cooked, whole chicken breast
salt and pepper to taste
1 cup salsa
1/2 (12 ounce) package tortilla chips
shredded Cheese



DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
In a large pan, medium heat, cook and stir the garlic and onions in canola oil until it cooked. Mix in shredded chicken, salt and pepper. Toss until well coated with oil. Stir in the salsa.
Arrange tortilla chips on a large baking sheet. Spoon the chicken mixture over tortilla chips. Add your cheese. Bake for 10 minutes, or until cheese has melted. Serve with sour cream (or extra salsa)