Protein Balls

I went to a Relief Society activity the other night that was all about being healthy. That was where I was introduced to protein balls. They were so yummy that I decided to make my own. Really, you can throw anything into them. I love that they satisfy my cookie dough cravings and if I have a glass of almond milk with them, it takes care of my cookie dough ice cream cravings I get every now and then. The best part is, they are handy when you are starving and need a quick protein snack or right after you work out. I store a bunch in the fridge and my kids have one after school or when we are going to be in the car running errands, I will pack a few. They are so delicious!

Protein Balls

• 1 cup peanut butter
• 1 cup almond butter
• 1 cup chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup shredded coconut
• 1/2 cup crushed peanuts
• 1/2 cup almond slivers
• 1 cup oats
• 1/2 cup ground flax meal
• 1/2 cup raisins
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1 Tbsp honey

Mix all ingredients together in a bowl. Shape into ping pong sized balls and wrap in plastic wrap. Store in refrigerator.

Mozzarella Bites

Crispy, cheesy yumminess is what these are!

Mozzarella Bites

• 1 package of fresh mozzarella (packaged in liquid) cut into 1 inch cubes
• 1 egg + 1 tablespoon of water for egg wash
• 15 fresh basil leaves, plus more for garnish
• 30 sheets fresh wonton wrappers
• 1 cup oil
• 1 cup of spaghetti sauce

Whisk the egg and water together with a fork. Wash and dry the basil leaves and then stack 5 together, roll them together into a little parcel, cut them length wise into little strips. On top of one a wontons, place a mozzarella cube and sprinkle a bit of the basil on top. Brush the outside of the wonton with the egg wash. Press ends together and tuck the ends underneath. Let rest for about a minute.

Heat the oil in a large skillet on medium heat. Place wontons in the pan and cook about 8 or 10 minutes until golden brown on each side. Drain on paper towels. Sprinkle with grated cheese. Serve immediately with warm spaghetti sauce. Enjoy!

Pizza Biscuits

This is so easy and so delicious! Perfect for when you are in the mood for homemade pizza but not in the mood to do all the work. Also, it's the perfect size for kids so they don't waste anything AND it's perfect for dipping!

Pizza Biscuits

• 2 cans of refrigerated buttermilk buscuit dough
• 4 cups shredded cheese - pizza blend
•  Pepperoni or (I used sliced hot dogs) 
• 1 jar of pizza sauce

Slice biscuit dough circles in half and place each half in a muffin tin. Spoon over sauce, hotdogs and cheese. bake according to directions on biscuit can. You can also lay full biscuits on a cookie sheet for bigger pizzas. Dip in your favorite sauce. Enjoy!

Key Lime S'mores

Behold the Key Lime s'mores! I found these marshmallows at Walmart and they taste just like a key lime pie - they are even tart in the center. They also make lemon meringue flavor but mine somehow never made it from the conveyor belt to my car? It's a mystery. This is such a fun and summery way to do s'mores - absolutely delicious!

Tip: In a hurry and want to save money? Buy generic brand fudge striped cookies instead of graham crackers and chocolate bars.  

Key Lime S'mores

• 1 bag of key lime marshmallows
• 1 box of graham crackers
• 1 package of Hershey's chocolate bars

Place bars onto crackers and add marshmallows on top. Melt in micowave for 20 seconds. Stack like a sandwich - enjoy!

Gummy Freezer Pops

Oh these are so yummy and so easy! Frozen soda still has fizz in it and it tickles your tongue. This is the perfect summer treat! What kid can't resist soda and gummy bears? My husband sure can't!

Imagine the combinations you could have fun with -  Pineapple soda with gummy peach rings, orange soda with cherry gummies. Oh the delight!

Gummy Freezer Pops

• Spite
• Gummy Bears

Fill popcycle molds halfway with gummy bears and then fill to the top with sprite. Freeze about 4-6 hours. Enjoy!

Frozen Sour Patch Grapes

Oh these are divine! They are the perfect after snack on a warm day. It's a great way to get your kids to eat fruit and they are so good, they can't just eat one. If you love Sour Patch Kids and you love Popsicles, you'll love these!

Frozen Sour Patch Grapes

• 1 bag of green grapes
• 1 pkg watermellon flavored Jell-O

Rinse grapes and place in a strainer. Pour Jell-O mix into medium sized bowl. Place grapes in bowl and coat with Jell-O mix evenly. Place on a platter and freeze for 4 hours. Enjoy!

Veggie Bars

There are the perfect h'orderves. They are creamy and refreshing - a hit for your party!

Veggie Bars

• 2 cans crescent rolls
• 1 cucumber, cut in thin slices
• 8 oz cream cheese
• 1 small tub sour cream
• 1/2 tsp dill
• 1/4 tsp garlic powder
• dash of salt & pepper

Roll out crescent roll dough onto cookie sheet. Bake according to directions on can. Cool and set aside. Mix together cream cheese, sour cream, dill, garlic, salt & pepper. Spread over cooled dough. Cut a slit into the sides of cucumber slices and fold for the fancy look above. You can also top with cherry tomatoes and broccoli florets. Sprinkle dill on top. Refrigerate for 2 hours and cut into bars. Serve cold.

Berry Best Dip

This was easy and another great way to help your children eat more fruit!

Berry Best Dip

• 7 oz marshmallow creme
• 8 oz cream cheese
• 1/4 cup crushed strawberries

Blend together in mixer until smooth and silky. Enjoy!

Coconut Cream Dip

This is so delicious! My family could not stop eating it. It's the perfect way to get your kids to eat more fruit!

Coconut Cream Dip

• 4 oz cream cheese
• 1/2 (15oz) can Cream of Coconut (Not coconut milk! Find this in the aisle with the margarita mix & other mixers.)
• 1/2 (8oz) tub Cool Whip

 Mix all ingredients together until lumps are gone.

Green Goddess Dip

Green Goddess Dip

• 1 medium ripe avocado
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1 tbsp lemon or lime juice
• 1 jalapeno pepper, finely chopped
• 1 tsp dried or fresh basil
• 1/4 tsp ground cumin
• pinch salt and pepper

Combine all the ingredients and process in your food processor until smooth. Or use a mixer and blend everything. Serve with taco chips. Enjoy!

Favorite Cooking Tool - Microwave Chips!

Okay, every now and then I come across a product that just enhances my cooking and recipes - this is one of them! It's the Microwave Chip Maker from Pampered Chef! I love that I can pop my potato slices in the microwave without using any oil (or salt for that matter) and minutes later they come out crisp, crunchy and with so much flavor! Even the sweet potatoes. I found that for faster results, I have to turn the turn table option off so they sit still - it makes them cook quicker. These are just delicious!

Sweet and Spicy Bacon

I found this on Pinterest and I loved it! It makes a nice little snack, side or appetizer.

Sweet and Spicy Bacon

• 1 package of bacon (I use turkey bacon)
• 1 Tbsp brown sugar
• 1 tsp chili powder
• 1 tsp pepper
• (optional) Nutella

Spray a rimmed baking sheet with cooking spray. Arrange bacon sliced onto baking sheet making sure slices do not overlap.  Mix together sugar, chili powder and pepper. Sprinkle over bacon. Bake for approximately 8 minutes. CAREFULLY flip bacon slices and sprinkle sugar/pepper mixture onto slices. Return to oven and bake for an additional 8 minutes.

Try dipping bacon in Nutella, or you can spread the Nutella over the bacon!

Bowl of Bones

I saw this idea on Pinterest and I love it! They are so delicious and are the perfect party snack!!

Bowl of Bones

• 1 package of white candy coating  (on the chocolate chip shelf - looks like a white chocolate candy bar)
• 1 bag of pretzel sticks
• 1 bag of mini marshmallows

Melt candy coating according to directions on package. Place mini marshmallows on the ends of pretzel sticks. Immerse in melted candy and lay on a sheet of wax paper to dry. Enjoy!!

Mini Chicken Pot Pies

These are so easy and perfect for those nights you need a healthy "fast food" dinner option or dinner on the go. I recommend you serve them with white country gravy over the top!

Mini Chicken Pot Pies

• Buttermilk Pancake Mix
• 2 cups boiled chicken breasts, cubed
• 1 bag frozen mixed veggies
• 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
• 1/4 tsp salt
• White country gravy

Make a batch of buttermilk pancakes according to directions on box. Add salt. Grease 2 muffin tins. Fill tins halfway with batter. Add chicken, veggies, cheese and top with batter to cover. Bake  at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes. Serve with white country gravy poured over the top!

Bottled Cherries

It's cherry season! We drove up to the mountain where the cherry orchards are and bought 2 bags of fresh cherries. I thought it would be cheaper but it was the same price as the grocery store. 

I remember having bottled cherries at my grandmas house when I was little and they were the best tasting cherries ever! We made about 5 jars from 2 bags and for sake of time we didn't pit them. Because of that they were so easy to can and the kids had a blast!

Bottled Cherries

• 2 bags of cherries
• 5-6 quart  mason jars
• 5 cups sugar
• 4 cups water

Sterilize your mason jars (in dishwasher, oven or I just rinse mine in hot water). Rinse and remove stems from cherries. Pack cherries in jars just below neck.

In a saucepan heat up water and add sugar. Stir until sugar dissolves (about 5 minutes). Pour syrup into jars up to bottom of neck. Screw lids on.

Bring pot of water to a boil. Place jars in pot and boil for 25 minutes. Place on a towel to cool. You will hear lids make a popping sound so you know that they are sealed.  Test your lids before storing jars away. If you press down on center of lid and it makes a clicking sound, it has not sealed. If jars do not seal after 24 hours, re-boil or place them in fridge and enjoy!

Movie Boxes

This is no recipe just a fun idea. It's great if you are doing a movie night under the stars, a drive in movie or just at home. I did this with kids last week for a summer movie. I pop my own corn, add popcorn flavor oil and then the popcorn flavored powders (ranch and butter).  I gave the baby marshmallows instead of popcorn. I take lunch boxes and use tupperware with lids to separate the candy from the popcorn. I then fill the water bottles with Koo-laid. Perfect for packing in a bag!

Corn Pop Confetti Cups

This is such a fun snack idea for sports games or birthday parties. You can change up the colors for any holiday. Recces Pieces for Halloween, pastel M&Ms for Easter. Pink or blue M&Ms for baby showers and red and green M&Ms for Christmas. Try blue and yellow for Blue and Gold boy scouts banquets.

I created these for a fundraiser concession stand. They sold for $.50 a cup and were a hit! Because they are cereal and come in a cup with a spoon I can only imagine how much kids would love to pour milk in it and eat it as a cereal. Enjoy!



Corn Pop Confetti Cups

• 1 1/3 c. sugar
• ½ c. karo syrup
• 1 1/4 c. butter (not margarine)
• Bag of Corn Pops Cereal (use Barrel O’ Fun brand to get the large size shown above)
  
• ½ tsp. baking soda
• 1 tsp. vanilla

Mix sugar, karo syrup and butter together in a pan and cook over low heat to the softball stage. The softball stage is when you take a spoon full and drop it into cold water. If it instantly forms a soft ball then it has reached the softball stage. Add baking soda and vanilla & stir constantly, will be fluffy & frothy. Place corn 1/2 of corn pops in a large bowl or pan. Pour 1/2 mixture over 1/2 of corn pops, then pour onto waxed paper to cool, repeat.

After corn pops have cooled sprinkle M&Ms or candy onto corn pops. Scoop into plastic cups and place in cellophane bags. Tie ribbon around the tops and tape a spoon on the side. Enjoy!