{Homemade is Better} - Crispix/Chex Mix

Last weekend, I hosted my annual Cookie Exchange/Ornament Making Party.  It is so fun getting together with friends, catching up with them, and sharing yummy cookies.  Every year, I make one of my favorite snacks for us to enjoy while we catch up - Crispix/Chex Mix.  Everyone loves it and to me it really isn't the holidays until I whip up a batch of this.

Here's how I made it:

{Missing from the class photo - Worcestershire sauce}

6 cups Crispix cereal

3 cups Wheat Chex cereal

1 cup mixed nuts

1 cup Goldfish pretzels

1 cup pita chips

6 tablespoons margarine

2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

1 1/2 teaspoons seasoned salt

3/4 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon onion powder

Mix cereals, nuts, pretzels and pita chips in large microwavable bowl.  Set aside.  In small bowl, microwave butter until melted.  Stir in seasonings.  Pour over cereal mixture; stir until evenly coated.

Microwave uncovered on High 6 minutes, thoroughly stirring every 2 minutes.  Spread on paper towels to cool.

I like to store mine in a pretty Christmas tin.

Oh, and about that cookie exchange - I made these super great white chocolate peppermint M&M cookies from Annie's Eats.

If I were you, I'd immediately run out to Target and get the white chocolate peppermint M&M's {available only at Target} and make a batch of these cookies.

I'm sharing this at these parties.

{Popsicle of the Month} - Root Beer Float Pops

Never mind that this weekend the temperatures are only in the forties and that it snowed on Thursday {it didn't stick though because the ground isn't cold.}  Last Sunday it was a spectacular 70 degrees.  So, before fall turns into winter I made these super easy and wonderfully yummy popsicles.

I recommend planning ahead when making these popsicles because you will want to use flat root beer so open a can the day before and leave in the refrigerator.

Root Beer Float Pops

Vanilla Ice Cream

Cold, Flat Root Beer

Using a spoon, loosely fill your popsicle molds with small scoops of ice cream.  Pour the root beer into the molds and fill to the top.  Insert sticks into molds and freeze until firm.

I am sharing this simply delicious treat at these parties.

{Healthy Eating} - Turkey Sloppy Janes with Oven Fries

I am trying to keep potato chips and french fries out of my diet.  So far, so good.  But these oven fries are an exception.  They are easy to make, tasty, and dare I say it - healthy.

Here's how I make them:
Cut potatoes into matchsticks.  Soak the potatoes in cold water for 20 or so minutes.  Dry the potatoes and place in a bowl.  Toss with a little olive oil, salt, and pepper.  Spread in single layer on foil lined baking sheet and bake at 400 degrees for 30-40 minutes.  Then enjoy!

I recently made oven fries along with these Turkey Sloppy Janes {recipe from Whole Foods Market} and some mixed greens.

{Disclaimer: I don't typically eat my sandwiches on hot dog buns.  But I had hot dog buns so that is what I ate.  I do however have a funny story about a potluck, sloppy joes and hot dog buns.  That is for another day though.}

The turkey sloppy janes are packed with veggies {are dates a fruit or veggie - I think fruit} and lean ground turkey.  Yum - very delicious and healthy.

{Homemade is Better} - Dried Apples and Apple Chips

Apple Fest continues!  And why shouldn't it.  Apples and fall go together like peanut butter and jelly {or something like that}.

Growing up, my mom had a dehydrator and she made all kinds of great things but I think our family favorite was probably the dried apples {but the fruit leather was right behind it}.  I wish I had a dehydrator but turns out you don't really need one in order to make yummy dried apples and apple chips.  All you need is apples and an oven.  How easy and healthy is that?

Peel, or don't peel - I did both - your apples.  Slice them to your desired thickness.  I used a mandoline.  For apple chips I made 1/8" slices and the dried apples 3/16" slices.  Put the apples on a cooling rack set on a cookie sheet and place in 250 degree (F) oven and forget about them.  Okay, so don't really forget about them.  I didn't pay close attention to the time but it was between 1-2 hours.  It really depends on your oven, the thickness of the slices, and what you want - is it crispy chips or chewy apple slices.  It's really up to you.  And when they are done you have some healthy snacks.

{Why is homemade better?}  Compare to the ingredients in Target brand Dried Apples

 

Seneca Original Crispy Apple Chips

Of course, you can jazz up your apple slices as well.  Which is what I did thanks to some ideas I found on the internet.

1. Cinnamon Apple Chips
2. Strawberry Apple Chips
3. Caramel Apple Chips
4. Maple Walnut Apple Chips

These dried apples and apple chips would not have been possible without the inspiration from these great recipes:

Oven Dried Cinnamon Apples from Lauren's Latest

Oven-Dried Apple Chips {Two Ways!} from Our Best Bites

How to Make Your Own Apple Chips from Henry Happened

Maple Walnut Apple Chips from Kitchen Simplicity

Cinnamon Apple Chips from Baked By Rachel

Caramelized Apple Chips from Tracey's Culinary Adventures

Be sure to check them all out!

I am sharing at these parties.

{Homemade is Better} - Crockpot Applesauce

Last Saturday was the first day of fall.  To celebrate the occassion I made applesauce.  In the crockpot.  It was so easy that I'm still wondering why I've never done it before.  I am no stranger to homemade applesauce, however.  My mom has always made applesauce and it is one of my all-time favorites.  So, inspired by the change in seasons and this recipe from Skinnytaste, I made this very simple and delicious applesauce.

I peeled, cored, and sliced ten apples {I used Honeycrisp along with a couple of mystery apples from my refrigerator}.  I put the apples in the crockpot with a couple of squirts of lemon juice and two cinnamon sticks.  I set the crock pot on low and let it do it's thing for about six hours.  {The aroma is heavenly.}

Then I gave it a stir and removed the cinnamon sticks.  Since it was a little chunkier than I like, I used my stick blender to make it nice and smooth.

I divided the applesauce into several small containers and put them in the freezer, except for one which I enjoyed with my dinner.  The applesauce was so yummy and so easy to make.  I plan to make another batch soon with some other apple varieties.

{Why is homemade better?} Compare to the ingredients in Mott's Applesauce:

I am sharing this easy recipe here.

{Healthy Eating} - Overnight Oats

Do you eat breakfast?  I do.  Every morning.  It is the most important meal of the day after all.

Have you seen this internet phenomenon yet - Overnight Oats?  I didn't join the craze until I found this recipe from Cafe Zupas.

Now I'm hooked with my own version of overnight oats:

1/3 cup oatmeal

1/3 cup vanilla Greek yogurt

1/3 cup milk

1 teaspoon brown sugar

dash of cinnamon

fruit

Mix all ingrediants together in a bowl.  Cover and refrigerate overnight.  In the morning, remove from refrigerator and top with extra fruit.  Add additional brown sugar as needed.  Enjoy!

I have made it with raspberries, blueberries, cherries and peaches.  I want to try it with apples, raisins, and dates as well.

What I like best about overnight oats is that you can quickly mix it up in the evening and then you just have to take it out of the refrigerator in the morning and enjoy a healthy breakfast.

Make some tonight and tomorrow morning you'll be wondering why you hadn't tried this sooner.  What fruit will you be mixing in your bowl?

Raspberry Dressing

{Farmers Market}
I love going to the Farmers Market.  I live in a townhouse so I can't have a garden so the farmers market is the next best thing.  I can container garden though and I have two tomato plants this year - one roma tomato and one sweet 100 tomato.  But no tomatoes yet {not even close.  Which reminds me - I need to water my flowers and tomatoes this afternoon.}  The Bloomington Farmers Market is just about the right size - not too big but not too small either.  Yesterday, I picked up these goodies from the market:

• Raspberries
• Strawberries {yes, I know, the season is pretty much over but my vacation coincided with the peak of strawberry season and therefore I didn't get to enjoy very many strawberries this year.  I just couldn't pass these up.}
• Kohlrabi
• Sugar Snap Peas
• Carrots
• Mixed Salad Greens

This is what I made this weekend with my market harvest:

• Tutti-Frutti Pops with the raspberries and strawberries.  I got pop molds and the book Perfect Pops for my birthday and I am having fun trying the recipes.  These are going to be great this week with a heat wave in the forecast.

• Sweet Fruit and Nut Breakfast Wraps with the strawberries.  I might try it with raspberries too.
• Pasta Primavera with the carrots and sugar snap peas.  Had I read the recipe a little closer, I could have picked up mint at the farmers market as well.  Too bad there were no cherry tomatoes at the market.  {I skipped the yellow peppers and goat cheese  when I made this.}
• Salad with the mixed greens and raspberries.  

I made a yummy raspberry dressing for the salad.  Last summer, I made sure I got this recipe from my mom.  I don't know where she got the recipe.  It's so good {and easy to make} and I'm going to share it with you:

1/3 cup vegetable oil

3 Tablespoons sugar

2 Tablespoons raspberry vinegar

1 Tablespoon dairy sour cream

1 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard

Whisk together all dressing ingredients.  Refrigerate, covered, for at least one hour.

Oh yeah, I didn't forget about the kohlrabi.  I'm going to pack that in my lunch this week.


Next week the rumor is that there will be sweet corn at the farmers market.  I. CAN. NOT. WAIT!

Have a great week!