DIY Peanut Butter Dog Treats

So I've found a new thing that makes my dogs happy, homemade dog treats.

They love these and I have more flavors coming. Will be taking orders for these too.

They make great gifts for your dog lovers  So if you don't have time, let me make you several orders for your family and friends. Find me on Facebook to order and Follow my page and more.

Yield depends on size of cookie cutters
Ingredients
3 cups whole wheat flour (or rice or coconut flour)
3/4 cup natural, organic peanut butter
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup pumpkin puree
1 large egg
cookie cutter (varying sizes, optional)

Directions

Preheat oven to 350º F and line baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a large bowl or mixer, beat together peanut butter and pumpkin puree until smooth and creamy.
Beat in the egg until it is fully incorporated.
Alternately add flour and water to peanut butter mixture, beginning and ending with the flour. Beat until dough begins to come together and is no longer too sticky.
Turn dough out on a lightly floured surface and knead for 2 minutes, or until fully formed into a ball.
Roll dough out to 1/4-1/2-inch thickness and use your cookie cutter(s) to cut out desired shapes and amounts of treats.
Transfer to baking dish and place in oven.
Bake for 20-25 minutes (baking time depends on size), or until cookies are golden brown.
Remove from oven and let cool completely—then treat your pup to a snack!

Scarecrow Taco Dip

Isn't this a cute idea for the Great Halloween/Samhain Festivities? Yeah I thought so too

Found it on http://www.holidaycottagepage.com/ so I am sharing it

This will be great for our Halloween Party this year. I can't wait, we work so hard on decorations and foods and costumes, it's one fantastic fun family and friends get together.

Ingredients

1 package (8 oz) cream cheese, softened

2 teaspoons Old El Paso® taco seasoning mix (from 1-oz package)

½  cup Old El Paso® Thick 'n Chunky salsa

¼ cup sliced ripe olives

1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese (4 oz)

1 cup Old El Paso® refried beans (from 16-oz can)

1 cup chopped lettuce

2 cherry tomatoes

Triangular-shaped tortilla chips (about 3 inch)

Instructions

1. 1 In small bowl, mix cream cheese and taco seasoning mix until smooth. Spread on 10-inch plate. Spoon salsa evenly over cream cheese mixture. Reserve 4 olive slices; sprinkle remaining olives over salsa. Reserve 1/4 cup cheese; sprinkle remaining cheese over olives. Spoon beans in center of plate; spread to 6-inch circle to resemble head of scarecrow. Sprinkle lettuce around beans.
2. 2 Cut 1 tomato in half; place each half on scarecrow, cut side up, to resemble eyes. Add remaining tomato to resemble nose. Place 1 reserved olive slice on each “eye” to resemble pupil. Cut the remaining olive slices in half and arrange the pieces to resemble mouth.
3. 3 Arrange tortilla chips to resemble a hat on the scarecrow’s head. Arrange the reserved cheese to come out from under the hat and at the bottom of the face to resemble straw. Serve dip with tortilla chips. Store dip in refrigerator.

By Pillsbury.com

Chomping Monsters

I found these cute cookies over at Pillsbury 

Chomping Monsters

These are definitely on my to do list for our Halloween.

Ingredients

1 package (16 oz) Pillsbury® Ready To Bake!™ refrigerated chocolate chip cookies (24 cookies)

1 ¼ cups white vanilla baking chips

1 container ready-to-spread frosting (any white variety)

Gel food colors, if desired

Decorations, if desired

Red or black string licorice

Miniature semisweet chocolate chips

Large marshmallows

Candy-coated chocolate candies

Instructions

1. 1 Heat oven to 350°F. On ungreased cookie sheet, place cookie dough rounds 2 inches apart. Bake 12 to 16 minutes or until edges are light golden brown. Cool 2 minutes; remove from cookie sheet to cooling rack. Cool completely, about 10 minutes.
2. 2 Meanwhile, in medium microwavable bowl, microwave 1 cup of the white vanilla baking chips uncovered on High 45 seconds. Stir; if necessary, microwave in 15-second increments, stirring after each, until chips can be stirred smooth. Cool 5 minutes. Stir in frosting until well blended. Reserve 2 tablespoons of the frosting mixture to attach decorations. Use gel food colors to tint remaining frosting in desired colors. Spoon each color of frosting into resealable food-storage plastic bag. Cut 1/2 inch off one corner of bag, and pipe on bottom of 1 cookie. Press another cookie, flat side down, on frosting at an angle, cookies touching on one side and about 1 inch apart on the other, to look like open mouth.
3. 3 To decorate, press remaining white vanilla baking chips in frosting for teeth. Use reserved frosting mixture to attach eyes, using decorations as desired.

By Pillsbury

also found on http://www.holidaycottagepage.com/chomping-monsters-3/

and facebook

Making Your Own Rock Candy

I am trying to remember how my Mom made Homemade Rock Candy and find her recipe.
Found her Recipe too and Here is My Mom's Recipe for making Rock Candy. It's so Easy

ROCK CANDY
What You NEED:
2 1/2 c. sugar
1 c. water
1-1/2 c. white Karo syrup
1 tsp. oil flavoring
1 tsp. food coloring (your choice of colors)

What you Need to DO:
Combine first 3 ingredients together in a saucepan. Bring to a boil.
Cook to 300 degrees for hard crack. Remove from heat and add coloring
and oil flavoring. Pour in cookie sheet sprinkled with powdered sugar.
After it is hard, sprinkle more sugar on candy. Then break in pieces.
(Oil flavorings are spearmint, cinnamon, anise, wintergreen,
***
Then I wanted more ideas
So I went on a research Spree and found a few recipes, (there are Dozens)
Here is what I found that helped me out.....Rock candy is a simple sugar candy that can double as a science experiment. The process can take up to a week, but it’s fun to watch the sugar crystals growing over time. Note that the exact quantity of sugar syrup you will use depends on the size of the jar you have. If you want to make several pieces of rock candy, use multiple jars and skewers, and double or triple the sugar syrup solution as necessary.
Ingredients:
2 cups water
4 cups granulated sugar
1/2-1 tsp flavoring extract or oil (optional)
food coloring (optional)
glass jar
skewer or thread (see below)
Preparation:


1. Prepare your materials: wash a glass jar thoroughly with hot water to clean it. Cut a length of thick cotton thread a few inches longer than the height of the jar, and tape it to a pencil. Place the pencil across the lip of the jar, and wind it until the thread is hanging about 1 inch from the bottom of the jar. Attach a paper clip to the bottom of the thread to weight it and ensure it hangs straight down. Alternately, you can use a wooden skewer as the base of your rock candy, and use clothespins balanced across the top of the jar to clip it into place.

2. Wet your thread or wooden skewer, and roll it in granulated sugar. This base layer will give the sugar crystals something to “grab” when they start forming. Set the thread or skewer aside to dry while you prepare your sugar syrup.

3. Place the water in a medium-sized pan and bring it to a boil. Begin adding the sugar, one cup at a time, stirring after each addition. You will notice that it takes longer for the sugar to dissolve after each addition. Continue to stir and boil the syrup until all of the sugar has been added and it is all dissolved. Remove the pan from the heat.

4. If you are using colors or flavorings, add them at this point. If you are using an extract, add 1 tsp of extract, but if you are using flavoring oils, only add ½ tsp, and make sure you don’t stand right in front of the pan—the scent can be very strong as it rises in the steam. Add 2-3 drops of food coloring and stir to ensure even, smooth color.

5. Allow the sugar syrup to cool for approximately 10 minutes, then pour it into the prepared jar. Lower the sugared string or skewer until it hangs about 1 inch from the bottom.

6. Carefully place your jar in a cool place, away from harsh lights, where it can sit undisturbed. Cover the top loosely with plastic wrap or paper towel.

7. You should start to see sugar crystals forming within 2-4 hours. If you have seen no change to your skewer or thread after 24 hours, try boiling the sugar syrup again and dissolve another cup of sugar into it, then pour it back into the jar and insert the string or skewer again.

8. Allow the rock candy to grow until it is the size you want. Don’t let it grow too large, otherwise it might start growing into the sides of your jar! Once it has reached the size you want, remove it and allow it to dry for a few minutes, then enjoy or wrap in plastic wrap to save it for later.

****and oh look I found pictures too :) how helpful is this

Making Rock Candy another Recipe too
Ingredients

1 cup of water
3 cups of sugar
Food coloring (optional)
Flavoring (optional)


EditSteps

1Start a pot of water boiling on the stove.









2Twist a piece of cotton string (or a pipe cleaner) around the middle of the stick. The cotton string should be long enough so that when the stick is placed over the top of the glass, the string will hang just short of the bottom.








3Wet the string with a little water and roll it in the sugar.






4Lay the stick over the top of the glass jar so that the string hangs down inside the jar, but doesn't touch the bottom of the jar.








5When the water has started boiling, remove it from the heat and let the water settle.








6Stir in the sugar one half cup at a time. Continue adding the sugar until it starts collecting at the bottom of the pot and will not dissolve even when you stir. This will take a while and a good bit of sugar but not too much.








7If you want to add flavoring or color, stir it in now.








8Pour the sugary syrup solution into the glass until it is about 1 inch (2.5cm) from the top.








9Place the pencil over the jar and allow the string to dangle into the solution. Don't let the string settle on the bottom or sides of the glass.








10Place the glass somewhere where it can sit for a while undisturbed (but do not refrigerate it). After a day or so, you should start to see crystal growth forming on the string.








11Leave the string in the solution until the crystals are big enough for your liking or they have completely stopped growing.








12Remove the string from the glass and let dry.








13After it dries, wait until the crystal is formed. You have a choice now to either eat the rock candy or keep it.

Rose Hips How to and Recipes

I picked rose hips in Maine when we lived on the east coast and made rose hip jelly.

It was great, and then since I haven't had rose bushes that produce rose hips. So the other day my daughter said "mom, I think I have rose hips on my rose bushes you need to come see" and walla it turns out she does have and so I will be making Rose Hip Jelly once again this year. I'm so happy


Do you know what rose hips are? well here is some information and pictures too



Preparing rosehips


1




 These are yet to be trimmed, both ends need cutting off to remove stems and petal ends.

Cut the rosehips in half and remove the seeds. This is easiest done with a sharp knife and a small spoon. As this is a more time consuming task, it's good for small quantities, such as if you only have one or two rosebushes.

Rosehip jam


1 Measure the weight of the prepared hips and add about half the amount of weight in water. For 450g (15.8 oz) of hips, 250ml (8.4 fl. oz) of water is a close approximate guide.

2 Simmer the hips and water together until soft. This will take about 15-20 minutes; it takes less time if they're covered with a lid. Puree the hips or push them through a sieve or mouli to pulp them. Measure the pulp's weight.



3 Add equal weight of sugar to the pulp. Bring to a boil. Test the readiness by placing a sample on a cold plate to see if it gels. If it does, then it is ready for storing in hot, sterilised jars. If it does not gel, boil rapidly for another minute and test again.



4






Spread straight onto toast.

Rosehip jam can be stirred into muffins and biscuits or cookies.

Stir into meats. Rosehip jam has an interesting flavour that works well with chicken, pork, or other white meats such as turkey. It can be blended with a little mustard for an interesting sweet and sour sauce, or with BBQ sauce and soy sauce (to taste) for a flavour similar to Hoisin sauce.





Rosehip jam tart


1 Use frozen pie base, or make your own short crust pastry. Preheat your oven to 180ºC / 350ºF in advance. Use a standard pie plate at least 15cm (5.9") in diameter, but a 20cm (7.8") pie plate is recommended. It's a very flexible recipe, so you can make it in a variety of sizes.



2 For a tart to serve 4, you will need:
1 cup of the above rosehip jam

Strained juice of one lemon (about 50ml / 1.69 fl oz)

10g (0.35 oz) of melted butter

Cinnamon to taste (one or two small pinches)

Dried ginger (either 1 teaspoon chopped candied ginger or approx 1/4 teaspoon of powdered)

1/2 cup of ground almond meal.




3 Combine the jam and lemon juice, beating well to soften the jam. Add the spices and melted butter and stir through. Add the ground almonds last, stir well and pour into the pie case.



4








This tart has latticework on top for a special touch Bake for 10-15 minutes, or until golden. Serve warm with cream or vanilla ice cream.




Stewed fruits with rosehips


1 Place 125g (4.4 oz) of hips with the same volume of water and 50g (1.7 oz) of sugar or honey to taste. Simmer 10 minutes.



2 Add other sliced fruits such as 1 apple, 2 stems of red rhubarb, or 1 pear or 1 peach - you can use them all or mix and match.



3 Add water to just cover the fruits. Taste syrup for flavouring and add more sugar if desired, or lemon juice if you prefer a sour flavour.



4








Simmer 10-15 minutes more. Simmer 10-15 minutes more. The hips will just start to break down, but the other fruits should still remain intact.



5 Serve with oatmeal, custard, a slice of vanilla cake, or ice cream.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=yzftj3kJkd0#t=174



This video shows how to pick the rosehips and provides a wealth of information on the benefits of rosehips.



Tips

Don't harvest your rose hips too soon; the first week of frost can actually improve their flavour.
This old fashioned ingredient has an acquired taste but does blend well with other flavours. It's good for adventurous cooks and food historians, and as the yield of hips per bush is not huge, it means that making small batches is more feasible as a little can go a long way.




Most rosehips are suitable for use but the more commonly used ones include the wild dog-rose (often growing on hedgerows) and the hips from Rosa rugosa.[4] Always verify that the hips are pesticide free before using, and always wash well.
Rosehip tea is a great source of vitamin C and can help you to ward off a cold or to get through it a little more easily.[5]
Note that both spellings "rosehip" and "rose hip" are accurate.[6]



(NaturalNews) Rose hips are the small, colorful bulbs that stay behind when a rose dies. They are roughly the same size as berries and vary in color from orange to red. Oftentimes overlooked because gardeners trim the dead flowers before the rose hips can form, rose hips are a great source of Vitamin C and can be harvested and prepared as a natural way to boost intake of this important vitamin.

With a sweet tartness, rose hips are part of the apple and crabapple families. Almost all roses create rose hips, as they are the natural product of a dead flower, but the ones that are said by many to be the best tasting are rugosa roses. In addition to tasting the best, these roses also produce the largest and most numerous hips.

Harvesting rose hips is very straightforward. They should always be removed from the stem of the rose plant after the first frost, when they are the sweetest. At the time of harvest, hips should be firm with a little give in texture and bright red or orange in color. If any of the hips on the plant are shriveled or are not the right color, do not collect them; they will not go to waste, as they will provide a great treat for the birds, rabbits, squirrels, and deer in the area.

Preparing rose hips is also simple; however, make sure that they are prepared as quickly as possible after being harvested, as waiting to do so will compromise a lot of their nutritional value. Once they have been collected from the rose plant they can be used whole, but they have seeds inside of them that have a hairy surface and can cause irritation if eaten. If the rose hips are to be incorporated into anything other than a jam, it is recommended that the insides of the hips are removed before further preparations are conducted. To remove the seeds, trim the ends of the hips and then cut them in half using scissors (the hips will be too small to accurately trim and slice with a knife). Then remove seeds, rinse the hips in cold water, and drain them thoroughly.


After the rose hips have been drained, they should air dry to remove any additional exterior moisture. Once the rose hips are trimmed and ready for use, they can either be prepared fresh or dried. To dry them, lay them out evenly with a lot of space between them. Place them in a dark, dry, and warm location until they shrivel up, much like a raisin. Once dry, rose hips can be refrigerated or frozen.

Rose hips are great to use in jellies, sauces, soups, seasonings, or tea. If the recipe in use calls for them to be cooked, do not use aluminum pots, pans, or utensils, as it will deplete the vitamin C levels and alter the color of the rose hips.


Vitamin C is an important part of a balanced diet, and rose hips are a wonderful source of Vitamin C. Anyone looking for a natural, delicious, and easy to prepare source of this important vitamin will benefit from harvesting his/her own rose hips and from the beautiful roses that will grow in the process!


Learn more: http://www.naturalnews.com/033673_rose_hips_health_benefits.html##ixzz2hfoGodx3

Melt and Pour Soap Making

Making Melt and Pour soap is the easiest Form of Soap Making

Great for a beginner Soap Maker to start out with and very easy, plus so many recipes you can find to make

Melt and Pour soap is a soap base that is literally melted and poured to make soap. You simply melt the base mix and add extra ingredients to make luxurious home made soaps. This project shows you the basics of this method of soap making.

Basic Instructions for Melt and Pour Soap Making

 

Melt and Pour soap is a soap base that is literally melted and poured to make soap. You simply melt the base mix and add extra ingredients to make luxurious home made soaps. This project shows you the basics of this method of soap making.

Instructions

Melt and Pour Soap can be bought from all good craft supply stores in the form of “melt and pour” soap mix or base.

Alternatively you can use pure soap flakes available in the laundry section of your supermarket but I would recommend using a recipe that contains some moisturizing oils as pure soap flakes can be a little harsh on the skin.

But using soap flakes is a great inexpensive way to try your hand at soap making before embarking on a well blended soap mix.

You can melt the base soap in a double boiler or the microwave.

Microwave method:

Add your chunks of soap to a large microwave bowl. Cover the bowl with cling wrap to prevent moisture loss. Melt the base soap on high for one minute and then stir in any un-melted pieces.

Double Boiler method:

This is where a double boiler pan is used or a pan of water with a bowl over the top is used.

Double boiler method is the same method used for melting chocolate on the stove top.

Bring the water to the boil, place the top pan or bowl on top and add chunks of the base soap. It may take 10-15mins to melt the wax down. Do not leave it unattended.

Additives:

There are so many things that can be added to base soap from milk, oils, chocolate and even spices. Check out our soap making recipes for full instructions on how to add these extras.

Fragrant oils

Add any scents after the base is fully melted or it will evaporate.

Essential oils

Add any essential oils just before pouring to prevent evaporation.

Colorant/Dye

There are different types of colors and dyes. Choose one that is suitable for your project. Mica and soap making dyes well give the best result, but if you are just wanting to have a go at soap making than the candle dye and food color are great substitutes for a home batch of soap.

Mica

Add 1/8 teaspoon to 1/4 teaspoon mica with the melting base and stir it in really well. Spray any “mica bubbles” that form on the top with rubbing alcohol.

Candle Dye

Shave a few shards into the melted soap base until a desired color is reached. Only use a small amount of candle dye or it may temporarily dye your skin and is not recommended for sensitive skin types.

Food Color

Add a few drops of food coloring to the melted mix until a desired color is reached.

Molds:

You can use anything from ice cube trays to muffin tins.

Simply pour your melted soap into the mold. Allow it to cool before popping it out of the mold. Allow it to dry for 2-3 days to harden.

Here are some Recipes

Coffee soap 

looks great when presented in decorative coffee cups wrapped with cellophane.

What you need
4 oz of glycerin or other soap base/flakes
1 tsp of instant coffee
1 tsp powdered milk
10 drops coffee fragrance oil
Instructions:

Melt your soap down using a double boiler method. Once melted stir through your instant coffee or coffee grounds, powdered milk and coffee fragrance oil.

Pour the soap into a mold and allow to set as normal.

If you can not get coffee oil, use a little extra coffee to increase the scent.

Add coffee beans to the top of your soap for a decorative finish.
***
Coffee and Cream Soap Recipe

Summary:

Use to aid in the fight against cellulite

Ingredients:

8 oz. Coconut Opaque M&P Base
2 tsp. Lanolin
2 tsp. Aloe Vera Gel
3 tsp. Coffee Grounds
2 tsp. Heavy Whipping Cream
10 Drops Coffee Fragrance Oil
10 Drops Vanilla Fragrance Oil

Instructions:

Melt the soap base in a double boiler. Add all the other ingredients and stir well. Pour into molds and let it sit for 3 hours Put molds in freezer for 5 minutes and pop them out.
***
Coffee & Cream Soap
4 oz. clear soap, grated
1 teaspoon ground espresso
1 teaspoon powdered milk
10 drops coffee fragrance oil

In a small saucepan over low heat, melt the bar of glycerin soap until liquefied. Remove from heat and stir in ground espresso, powdered milk, and coffee fragance oil. Pour soap into a mold and let set for three hours or until hardened.
***
Pumpkin Tart Soap

What you need

4oz. (115g) Clear Glycerin Soap base
1 Tbs Liquid Soap
1 Tsp Liquid Glycerin
1/2 tsp Pumpkin Pie Fragrance Oil
1/2 Tsp Ground Cinnamon
3 Drops Orange Food Color

Instructions

This recipe is for Melt and pour Soap - If you are not familiar with this process then read our step by step guide.

For a whipped cream topping melt white soap base and whip it up with a whisk for a fluffy topping.

Then dollop it onto the hardened soap for textured cream topping

*** 

Apple Tart Soap

This soap looks wonderful packaged up with dried apple rounds tied onto the top.

What you need

4oz. (115g) Clear Glycerin Soap base
1 Tbs Liquid Soap
1 Tsp Liquid Glycerin
1/2 tsp Apple Pie Fragrance Oil
1/2 Tsp Ground Cinnamon
3 Drops Red Food Color

Instructions

This recipe is for Melt and pour Soap. If you are not familiar with this process then read our step by step guide.

For a whipped cream topping melt white soap base and whip it up with a whisk for a fluffy topping.

Then dollop it onto the hardened soap for textured cream topping

***

homemade vanilla latte soap


To make the soap I used goat’s milk soap base cut into 13 cubes. I used 13 cubes because I found that this makes exactly 3 soap bars with my soap mold.


Supplies:

13 cubes of Goat’s milk soap base

1/4 cup brewed coffee

coffee grounds

vanilla essential oil

soap mold

Homemade Vanilla Latte Soap Tutorial

1. Brew one cup of coffee; set aside coffee grounds.

2. Cut soap into cubes and place in a double boiler or microwave in 30 second intervals (I used a large pyrex measuring cup over a double boiler).

3. Melt soap over low-medium heat.

4. Once soap cubes turn liquid add a few drops of vanilla essential oil. Slowly add in 1/4 cup of coffee and coffee grounds; stir well.

5. Pour into soap molds and allow to harden for at least one hour. Press mold to release soap.

***

Homemade Lemon Soap

Supplies:

Goat’s milk soap base

Lemon essential oil

Lemon zest of 3-4 lemons

Step one: Cut soap into cubes and microwave in 30 second intervals (I like to use a large Pyrex measuring cup to melt the soap in). This recipe makes 3 bars of soap and I used 13 cubes of goat’s milk soap base.

Step two: Melt soap for about a minute. Add another 15-30 seconds if it’s not completely melted.

Step three: Once soap cubes turn liquid add a few drops of the lemon essential oil and the lemon zest; stir well.

Step four: Pour into soap molds and allow to harden for at least one hour. Press mold to release soap.

***Update: If you decide to use the lemon zest I recommend adding a preservative. I’ve read vitamin e oil can be used but haven’t tried it. You could omit the lemon zest and the essential oil will provide enough lemon scent.

Fall Treats, Snacks and Goodies

Look!! Fall is just around the corner, and I'm so looking forward to it.
Found some cute food ideas for you

Chocolate kiss acorn treats for Fall!!!
INGREDIENTS:

ROYAL ICING or Decorator's Frosting (recipe follows)
HERSHEY'S KISSES Brand Milk Chocolates or HERSHEY'S KISSES Brand Pumpkin Spice Flavored Candies
Mini vanilla wafer cookies
REESE'S Peanut Butter Chips or HERSHEY'S Butterscotch Chips
DIRECTIONS

1. Prepare ROYAL ICING and place in pastry bag with small tip. Remove wrappers from candies.

2. Place mini vanilla wafer cookies on tray or plate with flat side of cookie toward the top. Squeeze small amount of icing onto bottom of candy piece. Immediately press candy bottom onto vanilla wafer cookie. Allow icing to set.

3. Place small dab of icing on bottom of peanut butter chip or butterscotch chip; immediately attach to top of cookie to finish acorn.

ROYAL ICING: Stir together 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons powdered sugar, 1 tablespoon warm water and 1-1/2 teaspoons pasteurized dried egg whites (meringue powder). Beat at medium speed of electric mixer until spreadable. Add additional water, 1 teaspoon at a time, to get desired consistency. Transfer icing to pastry bag with desired tip. Cover icing and tip of pastry bag with damp paper towel to keep icing from drying out. About 1/2 cup icing.

Snack Ideas for Kids and Adults!

Many Healthy ways to eat your fruits and veggies

1. Apple (good with peanut butter)
2. Banana (good with peanut butter)
3. Carrots (good with hummus or ranch dip)
4. Celery (good with peanut butter and raisins a.k.a. “Ants on a Log”)
5. Mango
6. Pear
7. Grapes
8. Strawberries (good with yogurt)
9. Blueberries (good with yogurt)
10. Raspberries (good with yogurt)
11. Oranges
12. Peaches (good with yogurt)
13. Plums
14. Kiwi
15. Grapefruit
16. Avocado (good with soy sauce and brown rice)
17. Pineapple
18. Papaya
19. Star Fruit
20. Figs (good with goat cheese)
21. Honeydew Melon
22. Cantaloupe
23. Watermelon
24. Cherries
25. Edamame (good with soy sauce)
26. Raw Sugar Snap Peas (good with hummus)
27. Cooked Green Beans
28. Mashed Sweet Potato (good with butter and cinnamon)
29. Raw Sliced Bell Peppers (good with hummus or ranch dip)
30. Cucumber Slices (good with ranch dip)
31. Jicama
32. Cherry Tomatoes (good with ranch dip)
33. Cooked Snow Peas
34. Frozen Peas (frozen…no cooking necessary!)
35. Raw Cauliflower
36. Raw Broccoli (good with ranch dip)
37. Applesauce
38. Unsweetened Raisins
39. Fruit Leathers
40. Freeze Dried Fruit (like mango, banana, blueberries or strawberries)
41. Dried Apple Rings
42. Canned Fruit like Mandarin Oranges (Native Forest brand does not use sugary syrups in their cans)
43. Olives
    

    Whole-Grain…

44. Whole Grain Crackers (like Triscuits, Multi-Seed, Ak-Mak, Whole-Wheat Matzos, Brown Rice Crackers/Snaps, Whole-Grain Rye Crackers topped with cheese, peanut butter, or a cream cheese and jelly combo)
45. Popcorn (make it using “The Popcorn Trick”)
46. Oatmeal (served warm in a Thermos if sending to school)
47. Shredded Wheat (look for brands that contain 1-ingredients)
48. Arrowhead Mills Puffed Whole Grain Cereal (corn, brown rice, wheat or millet variety)
49. Brown Rice Cakes
50. Whole-Wheat Pretzels
51. Whole-Grain Toast
52. Small, Cooked Whole-Grain Noodles
    

    Nuts and Seeds…

53. Larabars
54. Peanuts
55. Cashews
56. Almonds
57. Pecans
58. Walnuts
59. Pine Nuts (they are good lightly toasted)
60. Pistachios
61. Sesame Seeds
62. Pumpkin Seeds
63. Nut Trail Mix including Dried Fruit
    

    Other…

64. Hard-Boiled Eggs
65. Garbanzo Beans
66. Cheese (cubes or sticks…with or without crackers)
67. Plain Yogurt (flavored with a little honey or maple syrup and vanilla extract)
68. Organic and/or Local Bacon
    

    Homemade…I got lots of good recipes

69. Homemade Granola Bars
70. Homemade “Larabars”
71. Whole-Wheat Toaster Pastries (a.k.a. Pop Tarts!)
72. Smoothies or Smoothie Pops
73. Whole-Wheat Banana Bread
74. Zucchini Chips
75. Whole-Wheat Zucchini Bread (made into muffins)
76. Whole-Wheat Pumpkin Bread (made into muffins)
77. Whole-Grain Cornbread(made into muffins)
78. Whole-Wheat Berry Muffins
79. Pecan Maple Breakfast Cookies
80. Easy Cheesy Crackers
81. Kale Chips
82. Homemade Powerballs
83. Whole-Wheat Biscuits (good with butter and jelly) or Buttermilk Cheese Biscuits
84. Cinnamon Glazed Popcorn

Cinnamon Glazed Popcorn Mix

 

INGREDIENTS

• 4 cups plain popcorn (about ¼ cup of kernels)
  Hint: We use “The Popcorn Trick”for easy plain popcorn
• ¾ cup raw cashews
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 2 tablespoons honey
• ½ teaspoon dried cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• Parchment paper recommended for baking

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
2. In a small pot over low heat melt the butter and honey together. Mix in the cinnamon, ginger, and salt.
3. Put the cashews in an extra large mixing bowl. Coat them with about a tablespoon of the butter/honey mixture.
4. Spread the coated nuts onto a baking sheet covered with parchment paper and bake for 6 minutes.
5. Meanwhile, in the same large bowl evenly coat the plain popcorn – minus any unpopped kernels – with the remaining butter/honey mixture.
6. After the cashews have been in the oven for 6 minutes, take out the tray, add the popcorn to it, and mix it all up together. Stick the tray back in the oven and set the timer for 4 minutes.
7. After 4 minutes open the oven and stir or shake the mixture around on the baking sheet. Set the timer for 2 more minutes.
8. Once again open the oven and stir/shake the mixture so there are no hot spots that could get burnt. Set the timer for 1 more minute at which point the mixture will once again need to be checked/stirred.
9. Repeat the process of checking/stirring the popcorn mixture every minute then take it out of the oven once it turns a dark brown (it can burn easily toward the end!). My total bake time was 6 minutes for the nuts then an additional 7 or 8 minutes once I added the popcorn.
10. The popcorn and nuts will be slightly wet right out of the oven, but will harden as they cool

1.   Whole-Wheat “Baked” Donuts

Think Beyond the Sandwich Bread…

Pin It

1. Pinwheels (pictured)

Rolled up whole-wheat tortillas filled with:

• Cream cheese*, thin cucumber slices, and dill
• Goat cheese* and roasted red bell peppers (sold as pimentos)
• Peanut butter* and banana slices
• Sunflower butter* and all-fruit spread (similar to jelly)
• Egg salad
• Hummus, cheese, and grated carrots

*Easiest to spread when the tortilla is warm…don’t forget the fun toothpicks!

2. Apple Sandwiches (pictured)

I got this idea from Williams-Sonoma and all you have to do is slice the apple*, cut out the core with a small round cookie cutter, knife or corer, and fill with:

• Peanut or sunflower butter
• Raisins
• Raw rolled oats (optional)

*Can also squirt apple with a little lemon juice so it doesn’t turn brown

3. Whole Grain Crackers

Top with all the usual sandwich fillings or use two crackers to make little sandwiches.

4. Whole-Wheat Waffles, Banana Bread or Biscuits

Whole-Wheat Zucchini Muffins

Any of these options would be a fun stand-in for the typical sandwich bread. The waffles and banana bread would be especially delicious with some plain or flavored cream cheese in the middle.

5. Whole-Grain Muffins

Forget a sandwich all together and send in some homemade whole-wheat muffins – like zucchini(pictured) or blueberry – in place of bread. Most muffins can be made in advance and pulled out of the freezer the night before school.

Other Lunch Ideas…

6. Whole-Wheat Non-Deep Fried Donuts (pictured at top)

I like my donut maker it saves frying in all that Oil. You can also make an extra big batch of these mini-donuts and freeze the extras for later. If you buy one try this recipe for 28 donuts: 1 cup whole-wheat flour, 3 tsp baking powder, 1 egg, 1/2 cup milk, 1/4 cup pure maple syrup, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla, 4 tablespoons oil (I used coconut oil).

7. Fruit Kabobs
   
   

   Whole-Wheat Pizza Toast

Incorporate fruit and cheese that you know your child likes as well as one new item. Everything is more fun on a stick!

8. Whole-Wheat Pizza Toast

This is much faster than making regular pizza from scratch and just as delicious. Simply top regular whole-wheat sandwich bread with sauce and cheese then pop it in the toaster oven….and voila!

9. Warm Lunch in Thermos

A Thermos is a great way to switch things up when it comes to packing lunch. Trysoups, oatmeal, brown rice or whole-grain pasta dishes, and leftover dinners.

10. Homemade Freezie Pops or “Gogurts” (pictured)
    
    

    Homemade Smoothie Pops

Goldfish Crackers Made From Scratch

Aren't these the cutest Crackers and made with love
the kids can even help

you can get a cutter in different sizes here or even Hobby Lobby
http://www.amazon.com/Makins-USA-Clay-Cutters-Package/dp/B004HJ4AII/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1376628232&sr=8-3&keywords=Mini+Tiny+Fish+Cookie+Cutter


Ingredients
1 C all-purpose flour
4 T cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
8 oz cheddar cheese (This is the fun part! Pick out whatever type of cheddar that you like! I used orange cheddar for half of the fish, as shown above, and white cheddar for the other half, as shown below. Both cheddars that I used were extra sharp because that's how I like it!)
1/2 t salt
1/2 t fresh-ground pepper
A fish cookie cutter. I got mine from CopperGifts.


Direction
Pulse the flour, butter, cheese, salt, and pepper together using a food processor until the mixture resembles coarse meal.
Pulse in 3 to 4 tablespoons of water, one tablespoon at a time, and only enough so that the dough forms a ball and rides the blade.
Remove, wrap in plastic, and chill for 20 minutes or up to 24 hours.
Line 2 baking pans with parchment paper and set aside.
Roll the dough out to 1/8-inch thickness. (If you roll it thicker, it will still work, but the crackers won't be quite as crunchy. This dough rolled out so easily; you'll wish that you always worked with cheddar!)
Cut out as many crackers as possible.
Place them 1 inch apart on the prepared baking pans.
Bake at 350 F until golden and crisp - 15 to 20 minutes.

DIY: Skin Care Recipes-Making Lotions

I love to pamper myself and I take good care of my skin. I tan so it's very important to be extra careful and take the extra time, which really  is only a few minutes per day and I deserve that and so do you. When should you start taking good care of your skin? Well I hope for your sake, your mother and father did the day you were born and they continued to show you the love and nurturing you needed to grow up not only loved, but beautiful as well. You should use lotions daily  no matter what age, this world; the ELEMENTS are hard on skin from the minute you are born and you need to fight back with gentle care. So if you haven't Start today, Right NOW. USE your lotion.

Lotion is extremely easy to make, because it only requires three basic ingredients and only takes about ten minutes to take. Like many DIY products, it’s easy to customize your lotion, so if you’ve got specific needs due to your skin type or you just want a specific scent, you can make it!

I’ve seen tons of variations on scents out there, but a few of my personal favorites are chamomile, peppermint, wintergreen and ginger for athletes (sore muscles!), coconut for your face, and rosewater and almond oil for normal, everyday use. Of course, there are other hugely popular scents like lavender, vanilla, tea tea, mint, etc..

BASIC LOTION RECIPE
Remember: You can customize your own lotion by adding your favorite essential oils or using shea or cocoa butter in place of the coconut oil (this will give you more of a body-butter thickness).

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup almond or olive oil (option to infuse with herbs)
• 1/4 cup coconut oil
• 1/4 cup beeswax
• Optional: 1 teaspoon vitamin E oil, 2 tablespoons shea or cocoa butter, essential oils, vanilla extract or other natural extracts

Steps to make it:

1. Combine ingredients in a large jar.
2. Fill a medium saucepan with a bit of water (an inch or so) over medium heat.
3. Make sure you have a lid on the jar and then put it in the water. This way, the ingredients start to melt.
4. Shake or stir occasionally to make sure everything stays even. Once everything is melted and looking good, you can convert it to whatever jar you’ll be keeping it in

***

Winter Moisturizer

2 Tbsp. apricot kernel oil

1/4 cup walnut oil

1/4 cup stearic acid powder( I purchase this from candle making supply 

companies)

1/2 tsp. baking soda(works best if it is fresh)

1 Tbsp. aloe vera gel

1 cup water

Combine oils and stearic acid in a heat resistant container. Combine the 

baking soda, aloe vera gel and water in another heat resistant container. 

Heat the oil mixture in a water bath until the mix is a clear liquid and all 

the stearic acid powder is melted.

Heat the water solution until just boiling in the water bath .Slowly add 1/3 

of the water solution to the oil solution and stir.The combination will foam 

slightly .

Pour this into a blender and stir. Add the rest of the water mixture in a 

slow steady stream and blend on high. The mixture will be  a white fluffy 

cream.

Spoon the cream into a container and cool completely.

Massage a small amount into your face and neck.Store in a cool and dark 

place. Makes 12 oz.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Eggnog Lotion

2 egg yolks

1/2 cup heavy cream( half and half works well for this too) 

1 Tbsp. rum

1/4 cup light oil(canola, almond, also walnut will work well)

In a blender mix together the first 3 ingredients. until well blended .With 

blender still running, slowly add the oil in a steady stream until well 

combined. Pour the creamy lotion into a container and store in the 

refrigerator.

Makes 8 oz.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Body Lotion

2 Tbsp. cocoa butter

2 Tbsp. castor oil

2 Tbsp. vodka

Mix together the cocoa butter and castor oil and heat gently to melt the 

cocoa butter. This can be done in microwave or water bath. Add the vodka and 

stir well.Allow the mixture to cool completely and stir once more to blend the 

lotion. 

Makes 3 oz.

***

Jaffa Moisture Blocks

I've got a great one for you today. This is an astoundingly easy recipe for the best moisture block EVER. It's really amazing - it's creamy and rich but also light. It smells faintly like chocolate. I use it all over - well, let me amend that slightly - on my body, my hands, my face and my lips.

In case you're not sold yet - this moisture block is made out of edible ingredients, is travel-friendly (as in, you can take it on planes because it's solid), and is great even for sensitive skin.

The downside to this recipe is that you have to spend a bit of money to get the ingredients the first time around. But you can use most of these ingredients in cooking, too, and these little moisture blocks make great gifts. So think of it as an investment.

***********

Jaffa Moisture Blocks

Makes about 4 small blocks

15 min cooking time + 30 min cooling

Adapted from Bodyworks

Ingredients

60 g raw cocoa butter, preferably organic

1 tsp coconut oil

1 tsp avocado oil

1 tsp almond oil

1 tsp olive oil

1 tsp jojoba oil

1000 IU vitamin E (this was 2 capsules for me)

15 drops bergamot essential oil (or your choice)

* Use organic ingredients when you can. Especially if you're going to be using this as a lip balm. Be sure you're not allergic to any of the ingredients, too - we can't have you breaking into a rash or anything.

**What's 'jaffa'? It's a chocolate-orange candy here in Australia. But basically the choc-orange combination is referred to as 'jaffa'. A little bit of culture for you.

***I've actually modified the ingredients a little ... taking you back closer to the original, except that the original used regular cocoa butter and 10 drops of lavender essential oil + 5 drops sandalwood or patchouli essential oil. I *have* changed the recipe slightly for the version I'll be selling, but if you want to make this yourself it won't be too different - promise!

1. Melt the cocoa butter gently in a saucepan - and by gentle I mean low heat and stirring regularly. When it's melted, remove it from the heat and add all the vegetable oils and vitamin E. You'll have to prick the vitamin E capsules and squeeze out the contents. Stir well.

2. Let the mix cool down slightly and then add the essential oil. Mix well. I use bergamot so my moisture block has a lovely chocolate-orange scent, but you can try other essential oils if you prefer. The original recipe called for 10 drops of lavender + 5 drops of patchouli or sandalwood.

3. Pour the mixture into small muffin or chocolate molds and set in the fridge to cool. After 30 min or so the mix should be solid enough to pop out of the tins and store in a jar.

4. To use, rub directly onto skin. Body heat will melt the moisture block just enough to smooth it over. If you live somewhere really warm, you may need to store your moisture blocks in the fridge during the summer.

***

Lemon Balm Skin Cream

This will tighten and smooth normal to combination skin.

3 Tbsp. dried lemon balm leaves

1/2 Cup Boiling Water

1/2 oz. beeswax

2 oz. lanolin

1/2 cup wheat germ oil

1 tsp. propolis powder (bee glue)

Pour boiling water over lemon balm leaves in a clean bowl.  Steep for 10 

minutes. Strain through a fine sieve, collecting liquid in a clean bowl. 

Allow to cool; discard lemon balm leaves.

Melt beeswax and lanolin in a heatproof glass set in simmering water. 

Stir in wheat germ oil. Add herbal infusion by teaspoonful and stir 

until well blended.  Remove glass from water.

Add propolis powder to tepid cream and carefully stir it in until 

blended.  Let cream cool completely.

Stir cream thoroughly and transfer it to clean containers with 

tight-fitting lids. 

Store up to 3 months.

***

Extra Lovely Moisture Oil

Adapted from Bodyworks: Restoring Well-being with Homemade Lotions, Potions and Balms

Ingredients

1/4 c cold-pressed apricot kernel oil

1 Tbs coconut oil

1 tsp dried calendula flowers or tea (these are marigolds, you might even have them in your garden!)

3 vitamin E oil capsules (available at pharmacies)

6 drops lavender essential oil

3 drops frankincense essential oil (optional)

1. Put the calendula into a dish and pour the apricot kernel oil over it. Leave to infuse for 15 min or so. Then strain the oil (like you do with tea) into a glass bottle.

2. Poke a hole in the vitamin E capsules with a skewer and squeeze them out into the bottle with the oil.

3. Add the rest of the ingredients, mix or shake, and use a little bit at a time on face and hands and body. (It's an oil, so careful you don't accidentally pour too much out!)

Some notes about making your own beauty products:

1. Always keep essential oils out of the reach of children.

2. Make small batches and replace every few weeks or month - we don't use the same preservatives as commercial brands (a good thing, but our beauty products won't last as long)

3. Try to store your beauty products in dark jars or in the cupboard out of light or in the fridge.

4. Always use clean utensils and a clean working area.