28 Calorie Cookie!!!

Ok - I thought I would leave you this for the weekend!

I am a HUGE dark chocolate fan...I eat a little bit everyday and sometimes A LOT a bit when I feel sad =) I saw this online and thought that a 28 calorie cookie was worth a try. Come to find out, the cookies are not very big...but you can have 3 for under 100 calories and they are pretty rich so you might not want more than that anyways!

They are called Dark Chocolate Meringue Drops....DELICIOUS!!!

For what it is worth...I DID NOT use the chocolate nibs *which are optional in the recipe* and for the dark chocolate I used the 60% cacao Ghirardelli Chocolate Bar you can buy in the baking aisle at most grocery stores...it is my favorite and they were on sale not too long ago so I stocked up!

If you make these - let me know what you think...I am interested to hear!

Ok - I am out for the weekend...Talk to you Monday and I promise to recap the mom tips from last week then!

Be Blessed!

Packing for Road Trips...Kids edition!

So you are heading out on the road - to Grandmas or to the beach...wherever!

Packing for the kids can be a chore - I tend to over-pack...which I think frustrates my husband although he is always happy when he forgets something because I have probably 5 backups for him...on the other hand the car is packed to capacity so there HAS to be a happy medium!

I frequent a blog that always features crafts and yummy recipes...well today it was all about how to pack for a road trip with the kids and I found some really good tips! Thought you might enjoy!

Hope you have a great weekend!!

Packing for a road trip...kids edition!

Campfire-less Smores - YUM!!

Thanks to Christin for today's delicious recipe...here is the e-mail she sent the girls in the office!

For those days when you just have to have something sweet…. Last night I was having a chocolate craving, and I was trying to figure out what I could do with a jar of Nutella Hazelnut Spread (much healthier & much fewer calories than a candy bar). I found some marshmallow crème and graham crackers and thought I would try to imitate s’mores. They turned out so well. It’s very gooey & rich, super fast to put together, and you can have it any time without feeling too guilty. One S’more was less than 100 calories, and since the Nutella is so rich I didn’t crave a second. Really easy… just take a sheet of graham crackers and break them in half to make two squares. Spread ½ teaspoon of Nutella on one cracker and ½ teaspoon of Marshmallow Crème on the other. Voila!

Calorie Count:Nutella Hazelnut Spread – 1/2 tsp = 16 calMarshmallow Creme – 1/2 tsp = 3 ½ calHoney Maid Honey Graham Crackers - 4 crackers (2 squares or 1 sheet broke in 1/2) = 65 calTotal = 84 ½ calories

Stawberry Fruit Leather! Kid Project!

School is out (or out soon) for most - and so before your kids say I'M BORED!!! Plan ahead with cool summer projects that don't take too much time!! I will try to sprinkle some ideas in throughout the summer months and this is one we used to make as kids...i think...unless I made it at a neighbor's house =)

It's Strawberry Fruit Leather - tastes great and it good for you...and kids will love making it!

Here's the recipe!

Strawberry Lemonade Cupcakes!

Long live strawberries!!

They are yummy and delicious and if you like strawberries - you are in for a treat!

I found this recipe and because of my fondness for cupcakes (I think they are little bits of heaven) I thought this might be fun to try...boy was I right! =)

Not too hard to make and they just scream summer...if you are interested in making these for Memorial day or any day...check out this recipe! =)
Strawberry Lemonade Cupcakes Recipe!

Free Things! Pantry Spa Day

All this week on the show we are talking about Fun things to do this weekend (this month, this summer, this year...anytime really) Yesterday I mentioned that it would be fun to clean out a closet...though not many agreed with me =)
Today...I found a great idea involving a "pantry spa" - invite the girls over and give each other homeade spa treatments from stuff that is already in your pantry...I love it!

I found some recipes and tricks to put this FREE Pantry Spa Night/Day together...sounds fun!

Free Pantry Spa Recipes!

Dinner Tonight? Chicken Quesadilla Pie!

This sounded really good when it came through on my e-mail! I usually get two or 3 recipe ideas every day and most of them are ehhh at best (ehhh is like the sound i make when i say something is iffy or mediocre...next time I see you I'll do it for you) =)

So - this recipe comes along and it seems easy and something the kids would eat and ingredients can be added and replaced which I love so I thought I would share - let me know if it sounds good! One of the girls I work with popped in here this morning and said - that looks really good - send me the recipe...so I figured you might like it too! Enjoy!

Chicken Quesadilla Pie Recipe - Real Simple

Listener Recipe

• 
  We were talking about after school snacks last week and I forgot to throw this recipe up on my blog but it sounds really good and I thought you might like to try it! If you like "no bake cookies" you will like this recipe - and it is healthier for the kids and easy to do. If you are diabetic - Janet even included a diabetic tip for you at the bottom! Thanks Janet for the yummy recipe!
  
• 1/2 stick of butter
• 1/2 cup of orange juice concentrate (straight from the freezer - no water added)
• 1/4 cup of sugar
• 1/2 cup of crunchy peanut butter
• 3 cups of oatmeal

Melt the butter in medium size pan - Add orange juice and sugar and bring to boil on stove. Remove from heat and add in peanut butter and oatmeal. When oatmeal is coated, drop by spoonfuls onto wax paper to cool! *Diabetic Tip* 18 packs of sweetner will replace the sugar!

Graduation Candy Caps!

Even if you NEVER use this...you have to admit - it is cute. I have good intentions to make these for the grads I know this year...let's see if I can make them look anything like these do - they make me smile!

I found the entire recipe at a blog called "bakerella" - LOVE THIS BLOG! The pictures are so vibrant - it inspires you to try their cute ideas including this one!

Graduation Candy Caps - here is how to do it!

Banana Peel Mom Tips from Last Week!

Great Mom Tips last week involving banana peels! Did you ever know how much you could do with those things?? In case you missed last weeks tips, I have decided to put them all in one post for you!

1. Monday - Banana Peel as a bug bite healer! If you get a mosquito bite, use a banana peel (the inside) on the bite...it will take the sting right out
2. Tuesday - Banana Peel as a cd cleaner! Scratches in your childs favorite cd/dvd? Use the inside of a banana peel and buff out for about 30 seconds...wipe off banana goo with windex and dry cloth - may take a few times but scratches will come out!
3. Wednesday - Banana Peel as a teeth whitener! I am not kidding! Rub the inside of a banana peel on your teeth in a circular motion for 2 minutes every day for 2 weeks...your teeth will whiten a shade...if you can handle banana mouth for two weeks!
4. Thursday - Banana Peel as a plant enhnancer! Want to give your indoor plants some luster? Rub banana peel on the leaves of your plant for a nice shine and the banana peel with give the plant some added nutrients helping your plant to last longer!

Lemon Meringue Cake!

I saw this and thought - that is SO up my alley! I love anything lemon...lemon cake, lemon pie, lemon bars, lemon cookies and the list goes on from there =) 

If you like lemon meringue pie - what do you think about combining lemon meringue pie, lemon cake and lemon bars into one delicious dish?!? It doesn't look too hard and I think it would be perfect for a weekend treat - or a summer picnic. 

Enjoy!!!  Lemon Meringue Cake Recipe!

Great after school snack!

Thanks to Yvonne for this recipe!  I was looking for something delicious and at least somewhat healthy to feed the kids after school. I think they were getting tired of "whatever is left in the fridge" - You know I am not the best cook...I try...but easy is always better!! =) These Homemade Granola Bars can be made SO many ways and it is all mixed in one bowl and baked for just a short time - that is music to my ears!!! If you make these, let me know what you do to mix it up...if you come up with a great concoction - let me know! I have to go make these now...they look too good!

Recipe for Homemade Granola Bars!

Mother's Day Pics!

We made a "Memory Jar" for my mom for Mother's Day...she LOVED it!!! 

She told us it was her best gift ever - and she read 

them all in one night...didn't I tell you she would 

read them all in one night? I totally know my mom =) 

Since most of the 6 of us live out of state from where my parents reside, my 2 sisters who live close took pictures.  I thought you might like to see a few - my precious mommy....best in the world hands down - I also included a few of the memories that were in the jar - just to give you an idea of how wonderful and weird my mom is! The baby boy in the picture is my nephew Tristan - giving grandma kisses

Some of the entries in the jar: 

From my brother Tim: 

You told me dad’s back hair made you fall in love with him. Later that night I prayed God would give me back hair some day.

When I had ear surgery in 1990 and I was scared in the hospital. You held my hand when they took me away and you were still holding it when I came to, reading your Bible. It was amazing to realize how loved I was, even when I was sleeping and unaware of it.

From my brother Josh: 

You put an orange with the peel jaggedly cut off with a note that said “this orange didn’t give me what I wanted, just let that be a lesson to you” in my lunch at high school

I love…That you are an amazing role model…and a great example of how we should live…

good stuff huh!?!?! =) 

Mother's Day Gift Idea - Photo Bookmarks

If you are crafty - you may love this idea! It does take a little work...but I think it is worth it. My husband said it was a cute idea, but he would have to pay the neighbor to do it for him (he doesn't think he is crafty either) and then that takes away from some of the "gift from the heart" part. This is also a great idea for grandma's - and you still have time!! Tomorrow and Friday we will have "last minute" mother's day gift ideas - have a great Wednesday!

Photo Bookmark Instructions

What's the Best Mom Advice?

All this week on the show...I will be sharing some "mom advice" sent in from listeners...and I would LOVE to hear the best advice you've ever received from Mom or Grandma or the person that acted as a mother figure in your life! What's the best parenting advice? The best marriage advice? The best overall advice about life in general? Respond in the comment portion and I will try to use them on the air this week!
Happy Mother's Day!! =)

Memory Jar - Mom Gift for Monday

I think this is the one we are going to do for our mom this year for Mother's Day. It is really simple...but it is a gift that can last all year. I e-mailed all my brothers and sisters and had them e-mail me at least 5-10 memories of Mom. Things she said, places they went...special, funny, sad, impactful moments in their lives...Once I receive them all I am going to write them down on different colored sheets of paper, put them in a canning jar...decorate it a little bit and send it on its way - It is a gift from the heart, and anytime Mom wants to reflect on a memory - she can go to the jar. If you have enough, there could be one for every day of the year! I love this idea...but what are YOU doing for mothers day? Let me know!