Homemade Fruitsnacks

I have neglected this blog for the last several months because 4 months ago my best friend Melanie introduced me to what we all know and love...Pinterest. This website has consumed way too many hours but it is sooo worth it. I pin a million things but I am really bad at trying any of the things I pin...but I did try these and the kids liked em! To be honest I was hesitant to make them because they are flavored with kool aid. I personally dont give my kids kool aid because of the sugar/food coloring etc but I though...ah what the heck and made them anyway.

1 1/2 c sugar
3 c water
2 packets Koolaid or any other brand you like
4 c chopped zucchini

Wash and peel the zucchini. Cut them in half and remove the seeds and pulp with a spoon. Cut the zucchini into long strips and then cut the strips into 1 inch pieces.

In a large pot heat the water, sugar and koolaid. Add the zucchini as soon as the sugar is dissolved and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and let simmer for 30 min.

Drain throughly and you can reserve the juice if you have extra zucchini and want to make more. I just dumped the juice.

Line jelly roll pans with plastic wrap.. The lady from the recipe said sheused wax paper and it didnt work so I used foil and it was a nightmare to remove the pieces...so use the plastic wrap!

Set your oven to 170. In the original recipe she put hers in the oven at 11 at night and took them out the next morning. I checked mine 6 hours after I put them in the oven and I wish I would have taken then out then. I did leave them in overnight and they were a little too chewy and tough. I think if I would have taken them out at the 6 hour mark they would have been softer. You may have to play with the oven time.

Heres the link to the orginal recipe. She has great step by step directions with wonderful pictures. Heres a picture of what mine looked like

Granola Bars

My friend Shannon sent me a recipe for homemade Granola Bars awhile back and they were delicious. I found a similar recipe and these were also a hit at our house. They are really sweet but the good part is they dont have perservatives etc in them.


2 cups rolled oats
1/2 cup wheat germ
1 cup sliced almonds
1/2 cup chocolate chips
1/2 cup dried cranberries (you can use any dried fruit you would like)
1 can -14oz- sweetened condensed milk

Preheat oven to 325

Grease 9x13 pan or put foil in the pan and grease the foil. Mix all ingredients in a bowl. Scoop into pan and pat down until firmly packed. Bake 20 min or until golden brown (if the edges are golden brown, take it out, its ready).

You can cool them and then cut them or I just cut them after they have sat for a few min and then let them cool down. I put them in a plastic container and leave them on the counter for the kids to enjoy!

** A hint my friend Shannon gave me was to place the unopened can of sweetened condensed milk in hot water. This makes it nice and thin and easier to mix the ingredients** The recipe was in USA weekend

Applie Pie

I have never made an apple pie before but I made one for Thanksgiving and it was delicious and easy!! I was so nervous. I cheated and used the pillsbury pie shells but next time I will attempt homemade pie crust. I even did a lattice top. I have the pic on my cell phone I will try to see if I can upload it. If not you will get a pretty picture of someone elses apple pie

Works best with 9 inch glass pie pan. You will need two layers of crust. You can make your own or cheat and use Pillsbury.

Preheat oven to 350

1/2 c. butter
3 T flour
1/4 cup water minus 1 Tablespoon
1/2 c white sugar
1/2 c brown sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1 T vanilla
6-8 granny smith apples peeled, cored and sliced (I used an apple slicer and then cut each slice in 1/2)

Melt the butter in a saucepan, add flour to form a paste. Add the rest of the ingredients, except for the apples and bring to a boil.

**Reserve 1/4 c of the sauce and leave in saucepan - make sure it stays warm**

Place your apples in a bowl and pour the sauce (minus the reserved 1/4 c.) over the apples and gently stir.

Place your bottom crust in your pan. Pour apple mixture into your pan. Cover with the other pie crust. You can cover completely and cut a few slits in the top or you can do a lattice crust.

Once pie crust is placed cover the top of the pie with the reserved liquid.

Place piepan on a jelly roll pan and bake for approximately 1 hour.

**If you are going to do a lattice crust make sure to prepare your strips ahead of time and work quickly. The sauce that is left over will get thick and its difficult to spread over the top of the pie if you wait too long.**

Also make sure to cover the outside of the crust with foil so it doesnt burn. I put foil around the edge and kept it there the whole time it baked. I know some people only put the foil on for a short period of time while it bakes.

I found this recipe on www.allrecipes.com and I couldnt figure out how to upload my phone pic so here is a random pic of someone elses apple pie!

Snickerdoodles

These are my hubby's favorite cookies and I have never made them for him. He was so excited when I did after 5 years of marriage. My mom made some and let us taste them and they were delicious. I like these ones because they are still soft and chewy the next day!

1/2 c. butter softened
1/2 c butter flavored shortening
1 1/2 cups white sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
2 3/4 c flour
2 tsp cream of tatar
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt (I just sprinkle some in the dry ingredients)


3 T white sugar
3 tsp cinnamon

Preheat oven to 400

Cream together butter, shortening, 1 1/2 cups sugar, eggs and vanilla. Mix together the flour, cream of tartar, baking soda and salt. Add to the wet mixture.

Shape dough into balls or use a cookie scoop (My mom let me borrow hers and I was in LOVE). Mix the sugar and cinnamon together, put in a ziplock baggie and drop one cookie ball at a time into the bag and shake until coated.

Place on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake for 8-10 minutes. Mine take 9 minutes, leave on cookie sheet for a few minutes and hten put them on a cooling rack. It makes about 3 dozen!

Zucchinni Bars

2 c. sugar
4 large eggs
1/2 c. vegetable oil
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
2 1/2 c. flour
2 c. shredded zucchinni - leave peel on

Heat oven to 350, lighly grease jelly roll pan

Beat sugar, eggs, oil, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda in large bowl with hand mixer until well blended. With hand mixer on low, gradually beat in flour just until blended. Add the shredded zucchinni and spread evenly into pan.

Bake 25 min until toothpick comes out clear - cool cake completely

It will look like this, some parts look like they are not cooked through, totally normal - so dont over cook it

FROSTING-
1/4 c. butter, softened
3 oz cream cheese, softened
1 tsp vanilla
2 c. powdered sugar
1/2 c. chopped walnuts

Beat butter, cream cheese and vanilla until smooth. With mixer on low speed gradually beat in powdered sugar until well blended. Spread on your cake **It will be a thin layer and look like this**

Sprinkle with walnuts and try not to eat the whole thing in one sitting :)

Ritz Chicken

Super Easy and super yummy.

Chicken - I like to use chicken tenders
Ritz crackers - I use about 1 1/2-2 sleves of crackers
butter- I melt a stick so I dont run out
garlic powder

I melt the butter in a bowl, then add a little bit of garlic powder, probably 1/2 tsp

Crush the ritz crackers. I put them in a plastic bag, close it and crush with rolling pin then put in a bowl

Use as much chicken as you need for your family

Dip the chicken in the butter then into the cracker crumbs. You can also add parmesan cheese to your cracker crumbs but I like them plain

Place on a foiled or greased jelly roll pan, bake at 350 for 40 minutes.

EASY PEASY!

Baked Beans

This recipe is from my mother in law and whenever I make these, someone usually asks me to send them the recipe. They go great with chicken dishes!

1/2 large onion, chopped  - cook until tender
1/2 lb cooked bacon or you can do 1 cup bacon bits (I dont use bacon bits, in the salad dressing section there are small bags of bacon pieces and I buy those if I dont use actual bacon)

Combine
1 large can pork n beans (you can also use a can of baked beans if you dont want to use pork n beans. It gives it more flavor if you use baked beans rather than pork n beans)
1 TBSP worchesterstire (sp) sauce
1/2 large bell pepper
1/2 c. ketchup
1 1/2 tsp vinegar
1/2 c. brown sugar

I combine all the ingredients (except the beans) and then let them sit for about 1/2 hour then I add the beans, onion and bacon
350 for 30 minutes

~Enjoy