Healthy Halloween Treat

Idea and picture from Instructables

A great way to sneak a healthy snack into your Halloween festivities.  Just take a sharpie to an orange,  clementine, tangerine, or mandarin and create your Jack o lantern face.  I know my boys would love finding one of these in their lunch box's.  :)

Pumpkin Pie oatmeal

1 c. quick oats

1/2 c. milk

2/3 c. water

pinch of salt

2 to 3 tablespoons maple syrup

1/4 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
1/2 c. canned pumpkin

Add all ingredients to a small pan.  Heat on
high for 1 to 2 minutes or until oats start to boil.
Add any additional ingredients to adjust sweetness
(maple syrup or a little sugar).  Top with a little
whip cream and dash of cinnamon.

Chocolate chip pumpkin bread

1 1/2 c. sugar
1 c. pumpkin
1/2 c. applesauce
2/3 c. water
2 eggs
1 1/2 c. flour
1/2 tablespoon cinnamon
1/2 tablespoon nutmeg
2 teaspoon baking soda
dash of salt
1/2 c. chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour loaf pan.               
In a large bowl, combine sugar, pumpkin, applesauce, water, and eggs.
Beat until smooth. Blend in flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking soda, and
salt. Fold in chocolate chips. Fill loaf pan.               
Bake for 45 min. to 1 hour, or until an inserted knife comes out clean.
Cool on wire racks before removing from pan.

Baked Mozzearella Bites

1/3 cup panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)
3 sticks mozzarella string cheese
1 egg beaten
Marinara sauce

Heat oven to 425.  Cut mozzarella sticks into 1 inch pieces.
Working with one piece at a time, dip cheese in egg and then
dip in panko breadcrumbs.  Place cheese on a baking sheet coated
with cooking spray.  Bake at 425 for 3 minutes or until cheese is
softened and thoroughly heated.  Pour marina sauce into a
microwave safe bowl.  Microwave for about 1 minuted until
heated.  Serve with mozzarella pieces. 

Monster hot chocolate

Idea and picture from Taste of Home

How clever and easy is this!  Just add two large marshmallows with junior

mints in the middle of the marshmallows to your favorite cup of hot chocolate. 

My boys will get a kick out of this!



Caramel apple muffins

Check out these cute caramel apple muffins from Family Fun.

Click here for the recipe.

Pumpkin Sandwich cookies

Recipe and picture from Land O Lakes

Cookie:

2 cups Flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup firmly packed brown sugar

1/2 cup butter, softened

1/2 cup canned pumpkin

1/4 cup milk

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla

Filling:

1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened

2 tablespoons butter, softened

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon vanilla

4 cups powdered sugar

Heat oven to 350°F. Combine flour, baking soda,

pumpkin pie spice, baking powder and salt in medium bowl.

Set aside.  Combine brown sugar and 1/2 cup butter in large

bowl; beat at medium speed until creamy. Add pumpkin,
milk, egg and vanilla; beat until well mixed. Reduce speed
to low; add flour mixture. Beat until well mixed. Drop
batter by level measuring tablespoonfuls onto ungreased
cookie sheets.  Bake for 9 to 10 minutes or until set
and lightly browned around edges. Cool 2 minutes on
cookie sheets; remove to cooling rack. Cool completely.

Combine all filling ingredients except powdered sugar in
large bowl. Beat at medium speed, scraping bowl often,
until smooth. Gradually add 4 cups powdered sugar,
beating well after each addition until creamy.

Spread 2 teaspoons filling onto bottom-side of 1 cookie.

Top with another cookie, bottom-side down. Repeat with
remaining cookies and filling. Sprinkle filled cookies

with powdered sugar

Coconut Chocolate Banana Bread

1/2 c. butter or margarine
1 c. sugar
2 eggs
1tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
2 c. flour
2 ripe bananas (chopped and mashed)
1 cup milk chocolate chips
1 cup large flaked coconut

Cream together butter and sugar.  Add eggs one at a time.
Add baking soda and salt.  Mix well.  Stir in mashed
bananas.  Add flour and mix.  Add chocolate chips
and coconut.  Mix well. Pour into greased loaf pan.
 Bake at 350 degrees for 45-50 minutes.

Sweet Acorns

I am glad it is finally starting to feel like fall around

here.  I love the fall time.  Check out

these cute acorn donuts from Gracious Rain.

These would be a fun treat to make with your kids.

I know my kids would love these!

Click here for directions on how to make them.  

Stuffed French toast

Recipe and picture from Oikos Yogurt

Check out their site for other yummy recipes

using Greek yogurt.

2 1/2 cups Dannon Oikos Greek Vanilla Yogurt, divided
4 large eggs
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
Zest of one orange optional
12 thick slices country style or potato bread
1/4 cup seedless berry jam optional

In a bowl mix together 2 cups yogurt, eggs, cinnamon, and orange zest.
Pour yogurt mixture into 9” x 12” baking dish.

Place 4 slices of bread on clean work surface. Spread the

 2 Tbsp. yogurt and 1 Tbsp. berry jam over each of the bread

 slices, top each with another piece of bread, and add to yogurt

 mixture in the baking dish. Turn to coat both sides and cover with

plastic wrap and allow casserole to soak, refrigerated, at least 15 minutes.

In a non stick skillet heat a touch of oil. Griddle the yogurt soaked

 sandwiches for 4-5 minutes per side (or until golden brown and

heated through. Sprinkle with powdered sugar and serve with syrup.

Slurpee's

I couldn't wait to make my own Slurpee's

when I saw a post on how to make your own on

My World Made by Hand blog.

My family loves these and they are really simple

to make. Here's how you make them:

1 packet of Kool-Aid
2 cups of club soda
1/2 cup sugar
2 1/2 cups crushed ice

Blend Kool-Aid, sugar, and 1 cup of the club soda on high

until the sugar is dissolved. Add remaining cup of club soda

and blend away until icy. Enjoy!

French Toast Bites

Recipe from Multiply Delicious

3 Tablespoons Sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
2 large eggs
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Pinch of Salt
1 loaf french bread, cut into 1-inch cubes
2 Tablespoons unsalted butter

In a large bowl, stir together the sugar and cinnamon.
Set aside.

In a large shallow bowl, whisk together the eggs,
buttermilk, milk, vanilla, and salt until blended.
Place the bread cubes in the egg mixture and using
a large spoon, toss gently until the cubes are
evenly coated and all the egg mixture has been absorbed.

In a large frying pan over medium heat, melt 1 tablespoon
of the butter. Add half the coated bread cubes and cook,
turning often, until golden brown on all sides, about
5 minutes. Transfer the cubes to the bowl holding the
cinnamon sugar and toss to coat. Repeat with the
remaining bread cubes and 1 tablespoon butter.

Divide the french toast bites into individual
servings and sprinkle with remaining cinnamon-sugar.
Serve with maple syrup.

Lunch notes

It is hard to believe school will be starting next
week. This summer has flown by for me.
Here are some cute lunch notes you
could add to your kiddos lunches.

Lunch Notes from Fresh Picked Whimsy

Lunch Love Notes From Tip Junkie


Lunch Box Love Notes from Eighteen25

Pizzadillas

4 flour tortillas
1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
1 ounce turkey pepperoni
Marinara sauce for dipping

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Brush one side of each tortilla with
a little bit of melted butter. Place tortillas buttered-side down on
a baking sheet. Sprinkle each tortilla with cheese and pepperoni.
Bake for 5 minutes. Remove from oven and carefully fold each
tortilla in half. Bake an additional 10 minutes or until browned
and crisp, turning after 5 minutes. Serve with marinara sauce.

Orange Creamsicle Fruit Dip

Recipe from The Girl Who Ate Everything

This is such a refreshing and yummy fruit dip. Perfect for summer!

1(8 ounce) container frozen whipped topping, thawed
1(3.4 ounce) small package instant vanilla pudding mix
1(6 ounce) container of frozen (concentrated)orange juice,slightly thawed
Fruit for dipping such as strawberries, apples, grapes, pineapple

Mix the whipped topping, vanilla pudding mix, and orange
juice together until well combined. If needed add a
little water to make it to the desired consistency.
Prepare the fruit by washing and cutting it.
Refrigerate dip until ready to serve.