Family Travel, PNW Sights and FUN!

Hemp and Chia Poop Emoji Yogurt-Sicles

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It’s summer, it’s hot and you need something cool to get you through the sweltering heat; make up some tasty hemp and chia poop emoji yogurt-sicles for you and the littles!

I actually found these while walking around Walmart. They were in a middle aisle in a giant bin for less than $2; score!

I know, I know… this is actually an ice cream emoji, but kids and most of the internet claim its poop. I’m okay with poop.

I could have been super gross and made these into fudge poopsicles, but I wanted it to be somewhat healthy for my toddler since she likes eating 2-3 a day.

Don’t judge…

CHIA SEEDS NUTRITION

Two tablespoons of chia seeds contain 4 grams of protein and 11 grams of dietary fiber. That’s over 40 percent of your daily fiber needs! They’re also a good source of good fat.

HEMP SEEDS NUTRITION

Two tablespoons of hemp seeds provide 10 grams of protein and four percent of your daily fiber needs. Like chia seeds, hemp seeds are high in fat (13 grams per serving).

They’re essentially a really great source of fiber, protein, fat, minerals, calcium and antioxidants.

… Continue Reading

Candy Corn Recipes for National Candy Corn Day

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Seems like there’s a dedicated day for everything nowadays, am I right!?

And if you’re a big fan of candy corn, then you’re in for some sugary sweet recipes on National Candy Corn Day.

Candy corn is not my fave, but I will try it every now and again. Something about it just makes my teeth pucker and cringe in pain. Oh, that’s right, the amount of sugar that goes into these cone shaped treats.

Candy Corn Recipes for National Candy Corn Day

sherbet

Candy Corn Donuts

This one may be a little misleading since it doesn’t actually involve any candy corn, but it is made to resemble the candy by using food coloring for the glaze.

candy corn recipes

I could eat about 5 right now!
Go find this delicious recipe at ChezCateyLou.com

Candy Corn Pretzel Hugs

This recipe caught my eye because it involves a salty base, which helps with the overall sweetness of the candy corn and white chocolate. YUM!

candy corn recipesDon’t these look tasty?

Homemade Candy Corn Recipe

Instead of buying store bought candy corn, go give this home made candy corn recipe a try. It’s a lot more vanilla-y compared to store bought, which means it tastes way better! Although, it’s a little bit stickier too.

candy corn recipes

I’m going to have to try making my own one of these years.
Go find the recipe at The Kitchen is My Playground.

Peanut Butter Monster Munch Halloween Party Mix

Well, that was a mouthful! I must say though, peanut butter makes everything taste better, including candy corn. This is a fun and festive treat that everyone will enjoy!

candy corn recipes

I need some of this in my life… like right this instant. /Drool
You can find the recipe at Wholefully.

Candy Corn Bark

Chocolate is my weakness, therefore I must eat this delicious looking candy corn bark after I beg my mom to make it. She’s like the designated candy bark maker creator for the holidays. I always look forward to her treats!

candy corn recipes

Looks so good, right?
Recipe can be found on The Jenny Evolution. She has a pretty awesome name. 😉

Candy Corn and M&M White Chocolate Fudge

My mother makes a mean fudge too, I’m going to have to have her try this one out this year… because who doesn’t like fudge, M&M’s and candy corn (in moderation of course)?

candy corn recipes

You can check out the recipe located over at This Gal Cooks

Slow Cooker Candy Corn Hot Chocolate

Who doesn’t love hot chocolate during these cold fall and winter months? put some candy corn candy inside your slow cooker with the hot chocolate and wa-la, candy corn hot chocolate!

candy corn recipesyou can find this fun recipe over at The Magical Slow Cooker

That’s all for now, I hope your Candy Corn Day celebration is fun and tasty!

Home Made Pumpkin Muffins Recipe!

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Since I made my husband pumpkin pancakes the other day, I decided to make some pumpkin muffins because I had quite a bit of pumpkin leftover that I didn’t want to go to waste. I mean, who doesn’t love pumpkin and/or muffins, especially when you put them together? YUM!

 

 

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I like to slice them in half and put a little butter on each side after they come out of the oven. So good!

You can even heat them in the microwave the next day to warm them a little for about 15 seconds. Don’t want to do it for too long or they’ll dry out and become hard. And no one likes a hockey puck muffin!

Strawberry Banana Protein Smoothie Recipe

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We all know breakfast is the most important meal of the day, or you should! Lately though, I have been cutting back on having fatty breakfast meals (sigh, bacon how I love you) and replacing them with Strawberry Banana Protein Smoothies or Peanut Butter/Banana, whatever suits my fancy that morning. It’s quick and easy and it’s helping me work towards losing that little bit of weight I have gained back over the past year after stopping Nutrisystem. I stayed at the same weight for over a year until recently. Not sure what it is now, but it’s annoying me, so I’m trying to get it off now before it tries to live here permanently!

strawberry banana protein smoothie

Strawberry Banana Protein Smoothie Recipe:

What you’ll need

  • 1 Banana
  • 6 Strawberries (more if you desire more of a strawberry taste). I get the large bag of frozen strawberries at Costco. It’s lasted me quite a bit and they taste just as good as they do fresh.
  • A scoop of vanilla or strawberry flavored protein powder. If you get the packaged protein powders that you can find just about anywhere, they have a scooper inside of them. Use the full scoop. I actually still have some of my Nutrisystem protein shake powders left so I’ve been using those until I run out.
  • 1/2 cup of nonfat vanilla Greek yogurt, or any flavor you prefer. I have purchased plain Greek yogurt before and it’s the nastiest stuff ever and may throw the entire shake off, so that’s why I stick with vanilla or honey flavors.
  • 1/2 cup of soy milk. Add more if not blending well or for your desired consistency.

 

This recipe is quick and simple, so there should be no excuses for skipping breakfast!

Enjoy.

Spicy Southwestern Chicken Chili Slow Cooker Recipe

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This is probably one of the best chili recipes I’ve ever tasted and super easy to prep for dinner since you throw everything in the slow cooker. It’s not super spicy, but spicy enough to give it a slight kick! I can’t remember where I got it from, but I am glad I found it, because it’s now my go to recipe for any time I get the craving for chili. Perfect for leftovers too since there will be plenty left over, at least there is when only my husband and I are eating it.

 

spicy southwestern chicken chili slow cooker recipe

Spicy Southwestern Chicken Chili Slow Cooker Recipe

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup chopped onion
  • 1 medium green bell pepper chopped
  • 3 cloves of minced garlic
  • 2 TBS of chili powder
  • 3 tsp of dried oregano leaves
  • 1 tsp of ground cumin
  • 1/2 tsp of salt
  • 1.5  lb boneless, skinless chicken breast cut into 1 inch pieces or smaller
  • 1 jar (16 oz) medium picante sauce
  • 3 cans (15-16 oz) pinto beans, kidney beans, black beans or whichever beans you prefer, undrained
  • 1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes, undrained
  • Sliced green onion if desired

Directions:

  1. In 3-4 quart slow cooker, mix onions, bell pepper and garlic.
  2. In large bowl, mix chili powder, oregano, cumin and salt. Add chicken; toss to coat. Add the chicken and any remaining seasoning mixture to vegetables in slow cooker. Gently stir in picante sauce, beans and tomatoes.
  3. Cover; cook on low setting for 6 – 8 hours. Sprinkle with green onion when finished.

 

spicy southwestern chicken chili recipe

If you decide to try it, let me know how it turned out in the comments! 🙂

Slow Cooker New England Clam Chowder

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Slow cooker New England clam chowder

This is probably one of the best Slow Cooker New England Clam Chowders I have tasted and that includes some restaurants. There’s nothing worse than having rotten tasting clams and reheated soup from days ago. This actually happened to my husband and I in Seaside, Oregon about 5 years ago. We couldn’t find any place open that wasn’t busy or was serving clam chowder, so we stumbled upon this empty cafe and asked for 2 bowls of soup, it literally tasted weeks old. We couldn’t even eat it after the first bite, but my husband didn’t want to complain so we left our soup and realized that an empty place is obviously empty for a reason. But now I can have the best clam chowder without having to sacrifice my taste buds and so can you!

Slow Cooker New England Clam Chowder Recipe:

 

Ingredients:

4 (6 1/2 ounce) cans chopped clams (including juice)
2 small cans of cream of mushroom soup
3 medium or 6 small potatoes, peeled and diced
6 strips of bacon, cooked and diced
2 stalks of celery, diced
1/2 onion, diced
2 teaspoons minced garlic
1 1/2 teaspoons dried basil
1 1/2 teaspoons dried thyme
1 bay leaf
Salt and pepper, to taste
3 cups half and half

Directions:

Open your cans of clams and pour into slow cooker.  Add the 2 cans of cream of mushroom soup, bacon, potatoes, celery, garlic, onion, dried basil, dried thyme, bay leaf, and salt and pepper to slow cooker.  Mix until all combined and cover and cook on low for 6 hours.  After the 6 hours are up, add half and half and cook on low for an additional 30 minutes. Remember to remove bay leaf before serving.

I found that cooking on high is actually too high and causes it to stick and burn on the sides and the bottom. So a lower heat setting is essential in having a great tasting Slow Cooker New England Clam Chowder.

Holiday Cake Balls with Nestlé.

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Disclosure: I got this product as part of an advertorial.

Since my mom is usually the baker of goods during the Holidays, I figured I would try something of my own in the hopes I wouldn’t fail miserably.

I took a basic cake ball recipe and incorporated a couple of Nestlé candies, which ended up making the taste buds have a weird party in my mouth. Still not sure if I like it, but the kids sure do!

Ingredients

  1. Cake, any kind, any flavor. I ended up using a box cake so I wouldn’t have to deal with a super messy kitchen.
  2. Frosting, again, any kind any flavor. (only use 1/3 can or a couple of tbsp depending on the moistness of your cake.)
  3. 1 lb Nestlé Crunch Bar
  4. 1 box of holiday colored nerds.

Instructions

  • Bake cake according to directions.
  • When done, let cool then crumble the cake into fine crumbs.
  • Melt the crunch bar a little at a time in a boiler pot or in the microwave (I found the microwave to be faster.) Only do 30 seconds at a time to avoid burning the chocolate.
  • Add in frosting a little bit at a time until cake is moist and can hold a ball shape, yet still slightly crumbly.
  • Use your hands to mix the frosting into the cake crumbs.
  • Mix the melted crunch bar into the frosted cake crumbs.
  • Use a mini ice cream scoop and scoop out a ball of cake mixture or just do it with your hands if you don’t have one.
  • Roll the mixture into a tight ball and place on a plate.
  • Repeat until all the cake mixture has been rolled into balls.
  • Take some nerds and sprinkle them over the cake ball.
  • Freeze for about 20 minutes.

Some things I learned when making cake balls:

1. Most recipes tell you to use an entire thing of frosting. I followed this mistake and ended up with a goopy mess afterwards. So, please go EASY on the Frosting. You only need about a third of a can if that, all depends on the moistness of the cake.
2. Use your hands when mixing. It’ll look like you aren’t putting enough frosting in if you use your blending tools. You will know whether you’re using too much frosting when you use your hands when you go to make a ball.
3. Have a mini ice cream scoop? Use that to scoop out the dough in even portions. I didn’t have one of these when I did it.

I was originally going to melt the chocolate crunch bar and use it to dip the cake ball in once it had been done freezing, but my recipe was way too moist from too much frosting so that may work for you if you don’t make the same mistake as I.

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

Mexican Lasagna Casserole Recipe!

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Thank you to my husbands sister in law for this recipe. It has become a frequent dinner in the weekly routine and the best part is, there’s leftovers for another meal! Sometimes I just loathe cooking, other times I want to be creative and venture outside of the box. However, last night was not one of those nights.

Mexican Lasagna Casserole Recipe

What you’ll need:
  • 1 lb of Hamburger
  • 1 Large Jar of Spaghettie Sauce (your choice), we usually use traditional or garlic.
  • 1 16 oz Jar of  Medium Salsa.
  • 2 cups of shredded cheddar cheese.
  • 1 can of olives, either large whole and cut them up or pre-chopped ones – your choice.
  • 1 can of sliced mushrooms.
  • I usually add pinto/black beans as well and about a half-cup of mild jalapenos. 

Directions:

Preheat the oven on 350 degrees and start browning the hamburger.

Add all above ingredients into large sauce pan and simmer for 5-10 min.

Layer the bottom of the casserole dish with flour tortillas. I use soft taco size and it requires 2 for each layer usually.

 Top each layer with the sauce mixture and cheese. Repeat until all sauce is gone, distributing layers evenly. I usually have about 3 layers in my casserole dish.
 Top it off with flour tortillas and the rest of the cheddar cheese. Stick it in the oven for about 20 minutes. You want the top to be melted-cheesy goodness and a little crispy.
Once it’s finished, let it cool for 5-10 minutes, slice and Enjoy!


All posts here are to help our fellow frugal friends score the best freebies and deals possible through various companies, including Amazon. At times, we do earn a small percentage on purchases made through our links, which helps keep the site running.

Angry Russian Balls Alcoholic Beverage Recipe

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angry russian balls

When we have people over drinking or we’re out drinking at someone else’s place, this is usually my go to drink. It gets you buzzed and quite quickly! For those that know me, know that I am shy, and we all know alcohol allows you to let go of your inhibitions, so there you go.

What You Need to Make Angry Russian Balls:

  • Pint Glass
  • Angry Orchards Cider (any variety, tastes best with Apple crisp [blue label])
  • 1 shot of Vodka (any brand, preferably Russian Standard as pictured above)
  • 1 shot of chilled Fireball or any other cinnamon whiskey. It won’t be true Angry Russian Balls unless you use Fireball though. 😉
Pour the glass half full of Angry Orchards, then dump your shots and top it off with as much of the leftover Angry Orchards as you can. Wa-la. We find that the vodka mellows out the sweetness of the cider and the cinnamon gives it just enough kick! It’s delish. I even like to sneak this theaters in my REI water bottle. Makes boring movies much less boring.

Delicious Smoked Salmon Recipe

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My husband and I’s nephew had been out salmon fishing a lot lately, so he offered to give us a whole salmon since he had about 20lbs stored in the freezer. I absolutely love salmon, especially when it’s done right. Recently we bought the Texas traeger grill at Costco for $870, so we’ve been doing a lot of different things on it since summer, I mean we have to get our moneys worth right?

Anyways, we decided to try one of the traeger recipes, and I must say it was pretty damn tasty. I paired it with chipotle bacon mashed potatoes and a spinach salad with mushrooms, cherry tomatoes, carrots, and cucumbers. YUM!!

Delicious Smoked Salmon Recipe:

Ingredients:

  • 1 Cup Brown Sugar
  • 1 TBSP Black Pepper
  • 1/2 Cup Coarse Salt
  • 1 Cup Vodka
  • 1-1/2 to 2 Lbs. Salmon (Preferably Wild Caught)

Preparation:

Place the Salmon in a large resealable bag. Pour vodka into bag and massage the bag until the salmon is immersed. Refrigerate for 1-2 hours. Mix dry ingredients and apply to salmon. Refrigerate for 2-4 hours. Rinse the cure and dry with paper towels. Set Traeger/other to smoke with lid open until fire is established. Smoke salmon for 30 minutes (Skin-Side down). Increase to 225°F-230°F. Cook salmon for 45 min-1 hour. Refrigerate until serving time.

Review:

It was a little bit salty, so I think it could have probably used a little less salt, maybe 1/3 cup instead of 1/2 a cup. Other than that, it was perfect. It had that smokey flavor you want, with a hint of sweetness from the brown sugar. The vodka will pretty much evaporate, but I think it’s there to help lessen the profound taste of fish you get from salmon. We’ll do this again, but as I mentioned above, less salt.


All posts here are to help our fellow frugal friends score the best freebies and deals possible through various companies, including Amazon. At times, we do earn a small percentage on purchases made through our links, which helps keep the site running.

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