Ingredients:

• Pasta
• Asparagus
• Sugar Snap Peas
• Cherry Tomatoes
• Olive Oil
• Salt
• Pepper

Directions:

• Boil water in a large pot and follow the directions on the box of pasta.
• Cut veggies at an angle.
  • NOTE – I did toss my asparagus and sugar snap peas in the pasta pot for the last minute and then drained them. Just to heat everything up to the same temperature.
• Once everything is drained in a colander, I tossed the pasta & veggies with a healthy amount of olive oil, salt, and pepper.
• Serve warm & enjoy!

Notes:

• If you’re using frozen veggies (broccoli, peas, green beans) pour them into the pasta pot about halfway through cooking your pasta, drain, and voilà!
• This can be served cold as a side dish…just cube some leftover ham and toss it in with the pasta and veggies.
• Now, if you have picky veggie eaters like the my kiddos, this recipe CAN work for you. There’s always ONE veggie your kid will snack on. For instance, I learned my 5 year old, who hates asparagus, will actually eat it raw from Grandma’s garden. So guess what? Raw asparagus it is! It add a nice crispness to this pasta dish.
• Also, using fun pasta shapes will put a smile on just about anyone’s face.
• You can get really creative here and add your favorite herbs and spices. I think a lemon pepper or garlic would be phenomenal! Oh, and maybe even try some freshly grated parmesan cheese! Your possibilities are truly endless!

This quick meal is perfect for spring with the fun pasta and colorful veggies! I am sure you will find your perfect combination that will get gobbled right up by your family!

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Now, I’m sure like me, you’ve seen a few “sour grapes” recipes floating around. Also, maybe like me, you think to yourself, “how in the world is that even appealing?” I decided to bite the bullet as I have two sour patch loving kids and wanted to surprise them. Fingers crossed!

The recipe is really easy. You take some cleaned, still damp grapes from your colander and shake them around in lime gelatin powder. Sounds easy enough. I can’t imagine what they’ll taste like.

HEAVEN. That is what they taste like. I know, I’m just as shocked as you. My kids finally had to shoo me away from the plate because I could not stop sampling these grapes. They’re sweet and tangy and WAY WAY better than sour patch kids candy. Even my 10 year old agreed with that sentiment. If you try one single recipe, let it be this one. And let the kids help! It’s so easy! Bonus, no post-chewy-candy dentist trip necessary because hey, they’re grapes!

Of course, as my kids and I were snacking on the crazy delicious green grapes, we started throwing around some different possible flavor combinations. I had these red globe grapes so we tossed them in raspberry gelatin. Verdict? Just as amazing. You guys have got to try this awesome trick! Use these for St. Patrick’s Day or anytime you want a fun and tasty treat!

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Ingredients:

• Cream Cheese
• Frozen Phyllo Dough Shells OR Puff Pastry Shells
• Cranberry Sauce

Directions:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
• Lay out your phyllo shells on parchment paper on your baking sheet.
• Spoon in about 1 teaspoon of cream cheese and then top with 1 1/2 teaspoons of cranberry sauce.
• Bake for 15 minutes until your filling is hot.

Notes:

• That’s it, folks. So simple and look how pretty they are! Perfect for celebrating the holidays with your family and friends.
• These are great fresh out of the oven, but also equally delicious at room temperature.
• If you’d like them on the sweeter side or more of a dessert bite, you can add your favorite jam instead of cranberry sauce! YUM!

I used whipped cream cheese, because it spreads easily. If you use regular, make sure to let it soften a bit before using!

You can use store bought OR homemade. I’ll include my quick and easy recipe below. It’s SO GOOD! You’ll wonder why you’ve never tried homemade before.

They’re perfect for customizing as well! They would be amazing with Brie or White Cheddar Cheese in place of the cream cheese.

BONUS RECIPE: My Homemade Cranberry Sauce

Homemade cranberry sauce is EASY! This is my go-to recipe every holiday season.

Ingredients:

• 1 bag fresh cranberries
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/2 cup orange juice
• 1 teaspoon orange zest, optional but delicious!

• Let your ingredients come to a boil on the stove in a medium sauce pan.
• Simmer until most of the cranberries have burst.
• It naturally thickens on it’s own.
• Keep it chunky or give it a good whisking to smooth it out, depending on your preference.
• Stores in the fridge.

These appetizers are really simple and delicious. They’re crunchy, creamy, sweet, and tart all in one bite! I love them! I hope you try them out this holiday season!

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I know I mentioned this before, but October is one of my FAVORITE months! Halloween is a favorite holiday of ours and I am also a fan of all things zombies, so it only makes sense that I got creative with all sorts of brains and other body parts for this festive fare!

• I used a bottle of Italian dressing (roasted red pepper Italian to be exact) as the base on the plate.
• Topped the sauce with mozzarella balls – premade or make your own.  
• Top your eyeballs with thinly sliced olives. I used green olives with a pimiento pupil, but black olives would work great too!
• I think next time I’ll marinate the mozzarella balls in the dressing overnight for a more bloodshot look!

• For the main course, we have these CRAZY looking bloody hot dogs fingers.
• I used a small paring knife to make a few slices along the hot dog to resemble two knuckles.
• I simmered the hot dogs in water for about 10 minutes and then used a vegetable peeler to peel the “finger nail” for the finger. EW, right?

• A smattering of ketchup really brings the bloody fingers together on the bun.

• Make cupcakes.
• Inject cupcakes with the raspberry jam for a little surprise when you bite into it. I wish I had cut the centers out a bit more to add more jam so go ahead and do that if you want them deliciously oozy!
• Add 2 heaping tablespoons of powdered sugar to your store bought tub of vanilla frosting to stiffen it up and just a dab of red food coloring to get that pinky brainy color.  

• Frost a base layer on top of the cupcake.
• Pipe two lines down the center of each cupcake and then two rows of squiggles on each side.
• If you don’t have a piping bag and tips, you can use a zipper bag with the corner cut off. EASY!

This dinner and dessert combo was so easy to put together and so much fun to eat. My kids are aware of the zombie craze, so to ask for dessert, I made them walk like zombies and ask for “Brrraaaiinnnsssssss.” It was AWESOME! BONE Appétit my little zombie friends!

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Blueberry Almond Granola

Preheat the oven to 275 degrees. Cover a baking sheet in foil or parchment paper.

In the first mixing bowl:

• 2 1/2 cups of Rolled Oats
• 3/4 cup of Slivered Almonds
• 1/2 cup dried blueberries (and dried berry will work! Craisins are GREAT!)
• 1/2 teaspoon of Ground Cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon Salt

In a larger mixing bowl:

• 1/2 cup Honey
• 1/2 cup Coconut Oil (any light tasting oil will work, but coconut is a healthy choice!) You may have to melt it first
• 1/4 teaspoon Almond Extract (You can sub for all vanilla extract if you don’t have almond)
• 1 tablespoon Vanilla Extract

Add the dry ingredients from the first mixing bowl into the wet ingredients and mix thoroughly. You want to make sure all the ingredients are wet and sticky.

Spread the granola mixture onto the lined baking sheet and put it in the oven. You’re going to bake it for 45 minutes total, stirring after each 15 minute interval.

After 45 minutes, let it rest on the baking sheet until it’s completely cool. This helps develop that delicious crunch!

Store in an airtight container for up to a week, but I doubt it will last that long! It’s sweet, nutty and deliciously crunchy.

My boys love granola as an after school snack, with yogurt or milk as a quick breakfast, or even as an ice cream topping. It’s such a versatile recipe and really just so easy to make. Granola has become a part of my weekly meal prep!

A few granola variations:

• Gluten-free diet? If you can’t find gluten-free oats, replace the rolled oats with more nuts! Chopped cashews, pecans, and walnuts would make a great substitution.
• Allergic to nuts? No problem! Add shredded coconut and/or ground flax seed instead of almonds!
• No Coconut oil? Add peanut or almond butter (any nut butter!) as a binder. YUM!
• Want a little more decadence? Once it’s cooled, add chocolate or white chocolate chips!

For more great recipes plus tons of information, check out mymilitarysavings.com. Membership is free so be sure to sign up today!

I’ve been using a 3 piece envelope pattern for my pillow covers for the longest time, but when I saw Happiness is Homemade post a tutorial on an even easier pattern, I knew I had to try it! Guess what? It IS easier! Now, I want to go through my linen closet and make pillow covers out of all my old blankets and throws. HA! These would make GREAT gifts as well! Let’s get to it!

Materials Needed: 

• Inexpensive fleece blanket, I found mine at the dollar store! It measured 50″x60″
• Sewing machine with thread, the color thread won’t matter
• Any pillows that need a new cover!

I started by washing and drying my fleece throw. Fleece is an EXCELLENT material to start with, because it doesn’t fray when you cut it. It’s also stretchy and very forgiving. Below is a picture of the pillows I chose to cover. The flower material is actually a cover I made earlier this year! As you can see, the back has an open flap like a fold down envelope. We’ll be doing the same with the blanket.

I kept it SUPER simple. Lay your blanket out and measure the width of your pillow. Standard pillows are usually 17″x17″. I measured 17″ wide because I like a fitted cover and I knew the fleece would stretch around the pillow nicely. Cut the length of the blanket.

For a visual, below is how the envelope system folds around the pillow. Because the blanket is hemmed, there’s only TWO sewing steps in the whole project. You want to make sure the pillow will slide into the bottom pocket and the top flap will cover it. The two sides will be sewn together so there will be some stuffing of the pillow into the cover going on. I’ll walk to you through it though!

Confession, I am a lazy seamstress. You can absolutely pin each side down to make absolutely sure everything is even. If I can get away with not pinning anything, well, that’s my type of project! Sew down the length of both sides. The majority of it will be 3 pieces of material since you’ve folded the fleece into thirds.

Now you’re almost done already! This is what it looks like with both sides sewn. Another great thing I love about these fleece blankets, is the design is the same on both sides, so you don’t have to worry about pieces the “right” sides together.

Flip your cover inside out so the sewn sides are inside. This was probably the hardest part for me! Simply reach inside and grab two corners and flip it, then grab the other two and flip the other half. Whew!

Now it’s time to stuff that pillow inside! This can be a little tricky too, but we’ll get there. I had to lift the envelop flap almost inside out to tuck my pillow into the bottom pocket. Then, you’ll reach back around and pull the flap down.

This is what the back of your pillow should look like! The envelope flap is the hemmed part of the blanket and it’s so darn cute! I love that these covers are so versatile and easily interchangeable! You can make them for every holiday and season!

I must admit, they turned out even better than I anticipated!! I am in LOVE with these soft, warm holiday pillows.

I hope you give these easy-peasy pillow covers a try today! The $5 blanket I bought was so large, I may go squeeze in one or two more covers!

For more DIY tutorials and great recipes, check out mymilitarysavings.com. Membership is free so be sure to sign up today!

Snickerdoodle Cookie Dough Truffles

Truffles: 

• 1/2 cup softened butter
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/3 cup all purpose flour
• 4 tablespoons milk

Topping:

• 16 ounces almond bark, melted
• Cinnamon sugar (2 teaspoons sugar, 1 teaspoon cinnamon)

Begin by creaming your butter and brown sugar together. Add the cinnamon, salt, flour, and milk and combine gently.

This is a great edible cookie dough base! Try not to eat it all with a spoon. Chill your dough for about 15 minutes and then scoop into balls. I use my trusty cookie scoop, but you can use a tablespoon.

Chill again for at least 30 minutes.

Melt your almond bark and in a separate dish, mix your cinnamon sugar. You can use melted white chocolate as a coating, but I really enjoy the almond bark. It hardens nicely and doesn’t melt in your fingers while you’re eating the truffles. It also has a nice snap when you bite into it!

Dip each truffle into the almond bark and coat it completely. I use two forks to finagle it out and set it back on the cookie sheet. Immediately sprinkle a pinch of cinnamon sugar on top. Repeat for the rest of the truffles!

They should go back into the fridge for at least another 30 minutes to harden completely. Try not to eat them all at once!! I *may* have had a few with my coffee this morning for breakfast. They are just the BEST!

No bake truffles are really inexpensive and would make a great homemade gift for those special someones in your life! For more recipes (including lots of truffle ideas!) head on over to mymilitarysavings.com and sign up for your FREE membership!

Happy Holidays!

Candied Mixed Nuts

• A mixture of your favorite raw nuts. I used Pecans, Walnuts, Almonds, and Peanuts. It probably ended up being almost 2 pounds total.
• 1 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 cup pure maple syrup
• 1 stick (1/2 cup) butter
• 1-2 tablespoons cinnamon
• Pinch of salt
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Mix everything into the crockpot and turn it on high for about an hour. Give it a stir to make sure all that melty buttery sugar coats all the nuts. Turn down to low and let it slowly cook. The longer you let them cook, the better! They become dark and golden and wonderfully crunchy! I let mine slow cook for about 3 hours on low.

Once they’re ready, spread the mixture onto a baking sheet or in a dish to cool. You don’t want to burn your tongue on that hot sugar! Yes, I’m speaking from experience. I just couldn’t help it. The whole house smelled wonderful!

Once they’ve cooled enough to handle, try not to devour them in one setting. HA! The GREAT thing about this recipe is how versatile it is. You can use ANY spice combo you’d like! Add pumpkin spice for a Fall flavor or Chinese Five Spice for something different! If you like sweet and spicy, add 1/2-1 teaspoon of cayenne pepper in with the cinnamon. My husband LOVES the warm kick it gives.

Serve them with a delicious Pumpkin Crown for a great Oktoberfest snack in the comfort of your own home!

So the next time you smell the tantalizing aroma of candied nuts at the festival, save your money and make them at home anytime!

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Who says a sandwich has to be on two slices of bread? We like to mix it up in this house and I’ll show you how!

First, my kids have whined in the middle of the commissary for that glorious box of frozen PB & Js with no crust. You know what I’m talking about! Did you know you can make them at home?! SO EASY! Simply spread your favorite nut butter and jelly onto the bread, leaving a space around the edges for sealing. Cut the crusts off and using a fork, press down along the entire outside of the sandwich until you have your own sealed delight! Wrap them individually with wax paper or aluminum foil and pop them in the freezer. They’ll be thawed in time for lunch! You can make a whole BIG batch at one time and have an easy lunch box meal ready to go.

Sometimes, all it takes to beat the boredom blues is a little shake up! Cube your favorite cheese (Confession: My boys HATE cheese. How weird is that?) fold over your favorite Oscar Mayer lunch meat (I LOVE the selection of Natural lunch meat. So yummy!)  and stick them on a toothpick with bread squares on each end. You would think I wouldn’t have to tell my kids not to try and eat the toothpick kabob, but you’d be wrong. This might be easier for the bigger kids to handle!

How cute are these little kabobs? I just love miniature foods!

Next up, tortillas! Tortillas are inexpensive, come in a variety of grains and flavors, and also come in a variety of sizes! I use the small fajita size for my kids, but it all depends on how hungry yours get! Top with your favorite lunch meat and toppings and roll them up! Easy peasy. You see there’s no cheese on these, right? They’re also against condiments! I know, crazy.

Cut the roll-up in half of even quarters for little pinwheels. Perfect for little kinder hands!

Pita bread might be my boys’ favorite lunch! It’s SO easy! You can cut the pitas in half and make a nice stuffed sandwich, or just slice them into triangles like I do and serve them with ham and cheese. Still pushing the cheese. These kids don’t know what they’re missing!

Sometimes, your children will need a complete change of pace from the lunch meat and cheese. Time to throw in a PB & J roll up! I like to add peanut butter to the tortilla, top with ANOTHER tortilla and then add jelly to that. Bulks up the roll-up a bit!

Lastly, we have the family favorite. The mini dinner roll, often of the sweet Hawaiian variety. These come in packs of 12 and this is something you can make ahead of time as well! Just like my BLT sliders, fill with your favorite meats and cheeses, wrap individually and freeze. These little sammys have been the perfect size for our lunch boxes lately. Toss in some sliced fruit, baby carrot sticks, a fun bag of chips, and a Capri-sun and you have my kids’ FAVORITE lunch!

And for those mornings when everyone is running late and I don’t have time to pack the lunch box, I throw in an awesome Lunchables, complete with drink, side, and dessert! I save time and the kids still think I’m a rockstar!

I hope these give you some ideas for Back to School lunches and that they make your mornings run just a little bit smoother! Happy Back to School season!

No Bake Reese’s Truffles

• 8 ounces of softened Philadelphia cream cheese
• 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 1 package of Reese’s mini peanut butter cups, roughly chopped
• 2 cups chocolate chips with 1 teaspoon of shortening

Stir together all four ingredients until smooth. This recipe doesn’t get any easier, folks! The batter will be soft, so you need to freeze it for at least 15 minutes. Or stick it in the fridge until you’re ready to make truffles. Using a cookie scoop or table spoon (or your hands!) roll out your truffles. I got 16 with my scoop. You can make them as small or as large as you’d like. Stick them back in the freezer for at least 30 minutes.

Melt your chocolate chips & shortening in the microwave, stirring after every 30 seconds. I used dark chocolate chips, but you can use milk chocolate or even white chocolate.

Dunk your frozen truffles in the chocolate and set them down to harden. I used two forks and had a pretty good dunk and scoop assembly line going. The chocolate will be soft so once you’re done, go ahead and stick them back in the fridge to harden completely.

Good gosh, I could barely wait to sink my teeth into these bad boys! Peanut butter and chocolate is pretty much my favorite combination EVER!

These would be great with m&ms or any chocolate caramel candy. If peanut butter isn’t your thing, you can use almond butter. If nuts aren’t your thing, you can replace the peanut butter with 1 cup of marshmallow fluff OR 3/4 cup of powdered sugar. Add your favorite candies and top with chocolate.

SO EASY Y’ALL! I hope you try them, customize them with your favorite candy, and let me know how it goes in the comments below!

Happy Foodie Friday!