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Think Past Rice Krispies With These 7 Delicious Marshmallow Treats
LifestyleRecipes

Think Past Rice Krispies With These 7 Delicious Marshmallow Treats

by Amber King
written by Amber King

Whether it’s a birthday party, after-school treat, or special dessert, it’s hard to go wrong with Rice Krispie treats. Kids (and adults, too!), love them for their marshmallowy goodness, and they have the added benefit of being super simple to make. There’s no oven involved, and it’s hard to mess up a recipe with only three ingredients. We all love Rice Krispies, but they’re not the only cereal in the aisle that can be transformed into a yummy treat. If you’re a bona-fide fan of the traditional Rice Krispie treats, you’ll love these marshmallow treats all inspired by that original sweet treat masterpiece.

1. Extra Marshmallowy Lucky Charms Treats

Double the marshmallow makes these sweet treats magically delicious. If your kids beg for Lucky Charms every time they enter the cereal aisle, this is a good way to satisfy their cravings without having to commit to the sugary cereal on a regular basis. They’ll be a special treat instead of a sugar-filled morning ritual. 

To make them, follow your normal Rice Krispie recipe. You’ll need some salted butter, mini marshmallows, and a big box of Lucky Charms. It’ll only take about 10 minutes to make the treats, but we recommend letting the tray sit and harden for at least an hour before cutting them up and doling them out. This will help keep the gooey mess to a minimum.

2. Peanut Butter, Chocolate, and Marshmallow Cereal Bars

Peanut butter and chocolate is an iconic pairing, and it gets even better when you add the smooth sweetness of melted marshmallow. For these cereal bars, you can use your favorite brand of peanut butter and chocolate cereal. Reese’s Puffs are probably the most popular, but there are plenty to choose from–there are even chocolate and peanut butter Cheerios. 

The rules are simple with this recipe: add as much marshmallow as you want and make sure you grease your pan. Cut them up, pull them apart, and watch the smiles spread.

3. Cap’n Crunch’s Crunch Berry Bars

You can’t exactly call Cap’n Crunch’s Crunch Berries a “fruity” cereal, but it is a nice flavor change if you want something besides chocolate or basic marshmallow. Sure, you could make marshmallow treats with the regular Cap’n Crunch, but the berry version will always be superior in our book. 

The crunch in all the Cap’n Crunch cereals means you’ll probably have to add more marshmallow to this recipe than you would with traditional Rice Krispie. The cereal pieces are a little bigger and bulkier, and the marshmallow will keep the gooey squares from turning into hard bricks in the tray. You can also crush up the cereal pieces a little to help them stay together.

4. Golden Graham S’mores

Golden Grahams + mini chocolate chips + marshmallow = s’mores for everyone!

Okay, so this Rice Krispie inspired recipe will cost you an extra ingredient, but trust me, those mini chocolate chips will be worth the three seconds it takes to open the bag and dump them in the bowl. These delicious little squares are all the best parts of a s’more without the hassle of a campfire.

5. Chex Mix Marshmallow Treats

If you’re a fan of homemade treats and like to experiment in the kitchen, you probably already know you can make your own Chex Mix with a few different kinds of Chex cereal, some pretzels, and even those little bagel chip things. But Chex Mix isn’t the only snack this cereal is good for. With a little marshmallow (okay, maybe a lot of marshmallow), you can get a little creative and make your own version of a Chex Mix cereal bar.

For this recipe, it’s all up to you. Feel free to experiment and add whatever you want. You can’t go wrong with adding a salt to your sweet, so we suggest adding pretzels to whatever you make. Chocolate chips are also a winning choice.

6. Fruity Pebbles Treats

These Fruity Pebble marshmallow treats are basically the rainbow version of regular Rice Krispie treats. They’re perfect for a unicorn-themed birthday party (you could even add edible glitter), or just a regular after-school treat. 

Whatever you do, make sure you use a fresh box of Fruity Pebbles. This is the type of cereal that seems to go stale seconds after you open the bag. You want all the crunch you can get, and even slightly stale cereal will make mixing a gloppy mess.

7. Pumpkin Spice Treats

Pumpkin spice is famous in fall, but if you’re a true fan, you’ll enjoy these marshmallow treats no matter the month. You have a couple of options for this recipe.

You can go the more traditional route (and also more involved) by adding the appropriate spices to your regular Rice Krispie treats, or you can skip the measuring and use a pumpkin spice flavored cereal—trust us, there are plenty of them these days. But you might have trouble finding them if it isn’t August through November. Mom Makes Joy has an easy-to-follow recipe for when you can’t find the cereal you want.

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spring salad recipes
LifestyleRecipes

Celebrate Spring With These 5 Salad Recipes

by Grandma Penny
written by Grandma Penny

The very first spring harvest brings us strawberries, peas, radishes, arugula, asparagus and more. It’s the perfect time of year to revamp your diet and start eating a little healthier. I know salads get a bad reputation, but people who think salads are boring probably aren’t making them right. There’s a lot more to a delicious and nutritious salad than dumping lettuce in a bowl. I like to get creative with my salads, and I’ve come up with a few great combinations that are anything but boring.

Here are our favorite early spring salad recipes to get you started. Good luck!

1. Strawberry Cucumber Salad

This lovely salad is so easy, and thanks to the strawberries, there’s even a good chance your kids might eat it!

2. American Potato Salad

The peppery radishes are just the right counterpoint for America’s favorite creamy salad. Potato salad is welcome at every summer meal. It’s hearty and flavorful and compliments anything BBQ or grilled. It’s one of the few salads that can be made the night before because it doesn’t wilt. Take it to your next backyard cookout or make it for your family for dinner.

3. Asparagus, Tomato and Feta

Asparagus is another miracle of spring. If you don’t grow it yourself, head to the store to buy fresh stalks. It’ll make the perfect addition to your salads, and you won’t be able to enjoy it 100% fresh for much longer. You might as well take advantage of it while you can.

4. Arugula, Pesto, and Tomato Salad

This is one of my favorite spring salad recipes to date. It’s fresh and crisp, and the mozzarella gives it an extra great taste. If you can, use fresh ingredients to get this salad’s full worth.

5. Cucumbers with Peas and Mint

spring salad recipes

This salad is simple and perfect for those spring days when you don’t want to put a lot of work into making a healthy meal. You can use fresh ingredients, but frozen peas will work just as well. The ingredient list is short and simple, and adding the dressing gives you a nice zing of flavor.

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3 Easy Mexican Recipes For The Perfect Cinco De Mayo Fiesta
Family RecipesLifestyleRecipes

3 Easy Mexican Recipes For The Perfect Cinco De Mayo Fiesta

by Amber King
written by Amber King

Cinco de Mayo is officially the day that Mexico celebrates its independence from its French colonizers. But over here in my kitchen, we are celebrating our independence from oppressive, time-consuming recipes. Dinner on the table in 20 minutes, anyone? And, no, it’s not hot dogs!

A lot of Mexican recipes are quick to prepare, inexpensive, and tasty. With the right pantry items in stock, I can assemble this dinner in 10 minutes and have it on the table in 20 minutes. That’s just barely enough time to set the table!

But don’t forget, you need your Mexican food to please the pickiest and tiniest eaters in your house. Mexican food is often spicy, but the plainer the better is how my little ones like to eat. These recipes are great for that, and you can always spice up and dress up the rest of the meal with a little sour cream, chopped cilantro, chopped peppers and/or hot salsa. If you’re feeling ambitious, try adding thinly sliced radishes and guacamole for an extra dash of deliciousness.

These easy Mexican recipes will be great to celebrate Cinco de Mayo, and you can also use them all year-round. Bon appetit!

Enjoy!

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carrot cake recipe
EasterFamily RecipesFoodLifestyle

The Perfect Carrot Cake Recipe For Your Family’s Easter

by Grandma Penny
written by Grandma Penny

If you’re going to have dessert at your family Easter celebration, why not make it carrot cake? It’s the Easter Bunny’s favorite, and it’s a cake that both kids and adults will love. There are so many different ways you can make carrot cake, but this recipe is definitely my favorite.

The cake is nice and moist, and the cream cheese frosting is rich and delicious. If you’re feeling ambitious, why not try decorating your cake with some frosting carrots or Easter eggs? You can also make your life easier by whipping up this cake the day before Easter–it’ll still taste great on day two.

Check out this simple recipe that your family will be sure to love down to the very last bite!

Once you have the cake completely cool, whip up this simple frosting recipe and spread on the cake layers. 

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Make Mornings Special With A Peaches and Cream Brunch Casserole
EasterRecipesSeasonal

Make Mornings Special With A Peaches and Cream Brunch Casserole

by Grandma Penny
written by Grandma Penny

 

Eggs, pancakes, French toast–do you ever feel like you’re rotating between the same tired old brunch options? Those traditional breakfast dishes are okay, but every now and then I like to mix it up with a delicious brunch casserole. One of my favorite brunch casserole recipes is this heavenly peaches and cream strata. It’s perfect for holiday mornings, birthday breakfasts, and any other day deserving of something special.

Consider this casserole a better version of typical French toast. It uses stale bread so you don’t have to throw away those uneaten loaves, and the peaches and cream cheese make a refreshingly sweet combination. I prefer to use fresh peaches, but if you can’t get your hands on any quality fruit, a large can of peaches in syrup will also work.

peaches and cream brunch casserole

Brunch casseroles are a favorite in my family not only because they’re so delicious, but also because they’re easy to make and can be made the night before. When I’m planning a special morning, I make this casserole ahead of time, store it in the refrigerator overnight, and then bake it in the morning so I can serve it hot. It’s great because I don’t have to run around trying to get everything done before my morning coffee. 

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Easter bread
EasterFoodRecipes

Fun And Festive Easter Bread For Your Family Gathering

by Grandma Penny
written by Grandma Penny

 

Easter is one of only a few times a year when entire families get the chance to sit down together and enjoy a delicious meal. Whether your family sticks to tradition by serving baked ham or has a different go-to Easter meal, this festive Easter bread will make the perfect addition to your buffet table. It looks almost too pretty to eat, but trust me, it’s so tasty you won’t want to miss a bite.

My Easter bread recipe is a family favorite. I make it every year, and every year there’s nothing but crumbs left on the plate. This bread is soft and sweet, and our tradition is to have it for Easter breakfast. I make sure I put in enough colored eggs so everyone can have one. It would also go well with baked ham if you want to save your festive-looking bread for your main Easter meal.

Easter bread

One of the best things about this recipe is that you don’t need to be a bread-making professional to get it right. The trickiest part will be braiding the bread into a long log and then curling it into a round pie plate. But even if your braid isn’t quite even, the dyed raw eggs will help cover up any mistakes and attract everyone’s attention. Besides, it tastes so good, no one will mind if your braid is a little lopsided.

Here’s my recipe for this fun Easter bread.

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left over easter ham
EasterFoodRecipesSeasonal

5 Recipes To Use Up That Leftover Easter Ham

by Grandma Penny
written by Grandma Penny

We always serve the traditional baked ham for Easter. It smells good, it tastes good, and it reminds us of all the family holidays from our past. But then there is the problem of what to do with the bone and all the scraps? The first thing I recommend to do with your leftover Easter ham is make stock.

How to Make Basic Ham Stock

First, you’ll want to trim any big chunks of meat off the bone and reserve those scraps for the following recipes. Next, add the ham bone to your largest pot and cover with water. (A crock pot would be ideal, but I’ve yet to find one big enough for my massive ham bones.) Add parsley, thyme, bay leaves, and peppercorns, and cover with water about 1″ above the top of the bone. Slowly simmer, uncovered, for about 3-4 hours.

When you’re done simmering, strain the stock through a fine-mesh sieve and into a large bowl. And that’s it—easy as pie. Now you have stock from which to make your favorite smoky delicious split pea soup, white bean soup, and/or to simmer with your collards. You can keep the stock in the fridge for a few days or freeze for a few months.

After you make your ham stock, try out these ideas on how to use your Easter leftovers to feed your family.

1. Split Pea Soup With Ham

Split pea is a very simple soup. It freezes well and is very welcome after a few weeks of chicken dinners. Just add the “Holy Trinity of Soup” (celery, carrots and onions) to your basic ham stock. Next you’ll need to add the leftover diced ham and spices, stir occasionally, and then simmer until it’s a delicious soup.

2. White Bean and Ham Bone Soup

This soup is rich, filling, comforting and can feed a large family on a small budget. You can simplify this recipe by using canned beans, but it’s much cheaper, has far less sodium, and has a better texture when you use the dry beans. It’s a great way to use up your leftover Easter ham. 

3. Southern Style Collards

These collard greens may take a few hours to simmer, but they only require a few minutes of hands-on cooking time. And they can be made ahead and reheat beautifully—in fact, they taste even better on the second or third day.

4. Spinach Dip With Ham

This spinach dip recipe is great for regular snacking, and you can also make it for parties or as an appetizer for a nice dinner. It’ll use up your leftover Easter ham so you don’t need to throw anything away. Pair it with homemade crostini for a really delicious combination that will leave everyone satisfied.

5. Sunday Morning Denver Strata

Everyone in my family loves a Denver omelet, but there’s no way I can whip up omelets fast enough so we can all eat at the same time. The same goes for toast. By the time I make four servings of toast, the first slices are cold. There is just too much running around to enjoy the meal. This beautiful and delicious take on the Denver omelet can be made the night before and refrigerated until you are ready to bake. Then you can all sit down and enjoy a hot, fresh breakfast without all the jumping around. 

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Do You Know The Key To Making The Perfect Grilled Cheese Sandwich?
FoodRecipes

Do You Know The Key To Making The Perfect Grilled Cheese Sandwich?

by Grandma Penny
written by Grandma Penny

The grilled cheese sandwich is celebrated as both a kid-pleasing lunch and even a quick dinner for nights when you’re in a pinch for time. We love it because it’s easy to make, and our kids love it because it’s simply delicious. It’s a basic concept–just bread and cheese–but if you want, you can turn your ordinary grilled cheese sandwich into a culinary masterpiece.

You might think the cheese is the most important part, it’s called a grilled “cheese” after all, but it’s the bread that will make or break your sandwich. The best grilled cheese sandwiches are crispy, crusty, and a little crunchy. That means you need your bread to be–get this–less than fresh. Stale bread is actually the best kind of bread you can use for a grilled cheese. It gives the sandwich that extra kick of great taste and texture.

perfect grilled cheese

I only make my grilled cheeses with slightly stale bread, and you can definitely tell the difference. Another tip for making the perfect grilled cheese sandwich is to get creative. Who said a grilled cheese sandwich needs to be boring? I love experimenting with my sandwiches and end up creating some really delicious combinations.

Just like pizza, everyone has their favorite add in to grilled cheese. This list seems just as inexhaustible as the list of potential pizza toppings. Not to mention, adding ingredients to your grilled cheese is a great way to get rid of those little leftovers. My favorite is smoked Gouda with some spinach and cooked bacon. 

Things I’ve added to my grilled cheese as of late:

  • cooked bacon
  • Andouille sausage
  • prosciutto
  • scraps of ham left from Easter dinner
  • tomato slices
  • spinach, cooked and raw
  • mushrooms
  • lobster leftover from Valentine’s dinner
  • olives
  • pepperoni
  • ground beef taco filling
  • every kind of sweet or hot pepper
  • chicken fajitas
  • black bean burger
  • ravioli

Pick ingredients you have lying around the kitchen, and test them out to see what works! It’s great way to repurpose meals and many of these will taste even better on their second go thanks to the magic of grilled cheese sandwiches.

perfect grilled cheese

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Tuscan white bean dip
FoodRecipes

Impress Your Guests With This Homemade Tuscan White Bean Dip Recipe

by Grandma Penny
written by Grandma Penny

If you want to really impress your family and party guests, Tuscan white bean dip is the way to do it. You can use it as an appetizer before you serve your main meal or bring it to a potluck for a classier version of chips and dip.

The recipe is so simple it’ll only take a few minutes to make. You’ll need a food processor to get a nice and even consistency, and it might take more water or bread crumbs to get the exact consistency you’re looking for.

One of the reasons Tuscan white bean dip is such a success is that it can be paired with almost any kind of cracker, chip, or bread. My favorite way to serve this dip is with homemade crostini. I make my crostini using stale bread, and it’s always a hit. You can find my recipe for homemade crostini here.

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uses for stale bread
FoodFood HacksRecipes

Give New Life To Your Stale Bread With These Tasty Recipes

by Grandma Penny
written by Grandma Penny

Unless you are still buying the store bread that has been chemically induced into immortality, you have old stale bread from time to time. Realizing your once-delicious bread is now hard and crusty can be disappointing, but that’s no reason to throw it away.

Believe it or not, stale bread is a valuable ingredient in many recipes. You can recycle your old bread to make croutons, bread crumbs, bread pudding, stuffing, and so much more.   

The key to reusing stale bread is knowing not all types of bread are good for all recipes. An old apricot Danish, for example, won’t make good croutons or breadcrumbs, but it will make delicious bread pudding. You could even turn it into a stuffing for a pork roast, chicken, or turkey. 

Instead of giving a sigh of resignation every time I open the bread box to find stale loaves, I start thinking of all the ways I can use my stale bread by transforming it into recipes my family will love.

Here are a few of my favorite ways to turn stale bread into a delicious, recycled dish. 

Italian or French Loaves

Bread Crumbs

These crusty loaves make the perfect bread crumbs. All you have to do is tear the leftover baguettes into small pieces and let them get really dry. When there is no longer any moisture, run the bread pieces through the food processor until they are a fine powder.

You can leave them plain or add a little garlic powder, oregano, and dried basil for tasty Italian bread crumbs that pair perfect in a Ceasar salad. These homemade bread crumbs will also come in handy when making homemade meatballs or meatloaf. 

uses for stale bread

For the best results, soak the breadcrumbs in milk before adding them to the rest of your recipe. Trust me, this little step will make all the difference.

The list of ways you can use bread crumbs is endless, but I especially love using my stale bread crumbs as topping for my mac and cheese, cheese casserole, or any other pasta casserole as it adds a nice crunchy finish. To help the topping brown, add a dash of paprika to the crumbs. When I make a baked mostaccioli, I add some grated Romano cheese to the crumbs for an extra tasty topping. 

Bruschetta and Crostini

Italian and French loaves are also great for making bruschetta or crostini. Thinly slice the loaves before they get too hard and dry them in a low oven set to 275 degrees Fahrenheit. They can be plain to compliment a spicy bruschetta, or you can season them if you wish. For the crostini, I usually toss the dry slices with a little olive oil, oregano, and garlic powder before putting them on a baking sheet. I bake them for 10 minutes in a low oven (same degree setting as mentioned above). Then they are the perfect scoop for Tuscan white bean dip. 

Sliced Whole Wheat

Croutons

Finding a few slices of stale whole wheat bread in your kitchen is the perfect excuse to get creative with your salads. I love whole wheat croutons, and there’s no reason to buy them in bags from the store. You can make your own, and it’ll only take a few minutes. And the best part is they simply taste better, too!

Ideally, you want to start with bread that is stale but still able to be sliced. Slice the bread into cubes, and if you need to, let them dry even more. Once they’re completely dry, toss them with fresh or dried herbs and a drizzle of olive oil. These herbed croutons are perfect for salads and even soups.

homemade croutons

Egg Bread or Challah

There are countless recipes out there for egg bread or challah. If you’re not familiar, this bread is made with eggs and usually braided onto a loaf or coiled into a round. Sometimes it’s topped with sesame or poppy seeds, and some people love their challah with raisins. It’s typically a spongy bread, but it can also be crusty on the outside.

French Toast, Grilled Cheese, and More

Egg bread is so delicious it rarely lasts long enough to go stale, but in case you ever find yourself with a half-eaten loaf a few days old, don’t worry. There’s no need to waste that bread by throwing it away. Stale egg bread or challah is perfect for several recipes.

For breakfast, you can turn it into french toast or stuffed french toast. Come lunch time, that stale bread will be the prime ingredient in your Monte Cristo sandwiches, grilled cheeses, or paninis.  

perfect grilled cheese

Danish or Croissants

You might consider a danish or a croissant to be more pastry than bread, but they all belong in the same family. And as part of the bread family, they have potential to grow stale. If you’re storing your danishes or croissants at room temperature, you only have about two days to enjoy them in their full glory. After that, you’ll get to turn that stale bread into a brand new dish.

Bread Pudding and Stuffing 

One of my favorite ways to use old croissants is to make bread pudding. My family also loves it when I whip up a French toast casserole for brunch. And the best part? They can never tell that delicious casserole is made from recycled ingredients. If you don’t have much of a sweet tooth (lucky you!), try making a stuffing for a thick cut pork chop or a pork roast instead.

Rye Bread

Rye bread is one of the healthiest bread options out there. It’s great if you’re looking to lose weight but still want to eat bread, and research says it can even fight diabetes and asthma. If you don’t eat all your rye bread before it goes stale, you can still reap those health benefits. All you need to do is get a little creative.

Stuffing

Crusty rye bread is an excellent choice for stuffing (we’ve got a delicious twist on the traditional one for you to try right here). One of my go-to rye bread recipes is apple sage stuffing that I use with pork roast. I also have a great recipe for pineapple stuffing to give the perfect amount of sweet to pair nicely with your baked ham. 

rye stuffing

Strata

If you’re looking for something new to make, why not round out your buffet supper with a savory rye strata? One of my favorite types of strata is spinach, mushroom, and smoked Gouda cheese.  There are endless combinations of vegetables and meats for a strata. Consider using your old rye cubes with chunks of ham, pineapple, collards, and Swiss cheese.

Other rye strata combos that I have tried are: 

  • Bacon, onion, tomato with cheddar 
  • Corned beef, Swiss and cabbage or sauerkraut 
  • Mushrooms and tomatoes with rosemary and thyme 

Stratas are great because they allow you to be truly creative in the kitchen. You can follow a recipe, but feel free to customize based on what you (and your picky little eaters!) like best. 

Repurposing stale bread into your recipes is not only a great choice for your cooking, but it’s also economical and eco-friendly. It’ll save you money you would otherwise spend on store-bought croutons, bread crumbs, etc, and you won’t be wasting the packaging and energy that goes into making those store-bought products. It’s a win-win situation no matter what you make from it.

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