Jars, Just in Time
Two days before Christmas, my guy scrambled to think of gifts for his little cousins. All four of them loved Angry Birds, but their parents had already bought every toy and game that Walmart stocked. With the sky-high prices to FedEx online orders overnight, my guy was ready to wave the white flag and wrap each of them a paperclip.
As I prepared the adults’ presents, cornbread-in-a-jar, I nearly knocked over a box of Rice Krispies while reaching for the sugar, which caused the light bulb above my head to flicker.
What about making Rice-Krispie-treats-in-a-jar for the kids? Continue reading for recipe.
What’s in Your Trashcan?
If I were the cookie monster, I’d stash a lot more than Oreos and Mint Milanos and double chocolate chip cookies in my tin trashcan. I’d hide brownies, cupcakes, nutella, Reese’s minis, Godiva dark chocolate truffles, and… Granola. Yes, granola. And not just for a healthier option!
I’m addicted to granola. I first munched on it back in high school, and over the years, I bounced around between Trader Joe’s, Cascadia Farms, and my own cinnamon blend. But one morning as I poured my daily breakfast bowl, I ran out. No more crumbs, no more hidden boxes, nothing.
My brain raced into overdrive. Safeway! Safeway was across the street. Maybe they carried an edible substitute… I scoured their cereal aisle and finally discovered a bag of raspberry almond clusters. Generally not a fan of nuts in my granola, I decided that something was better than nothing and hurried home. Continue reading for recipe.
Creepy Crawlies and Cute Candy Corn
As I cruised into our shared driveway late at night a few weeks ago, I nearly slammed on my breaks. A 2-foot-long snake slithered out of our neighbor’s bushes! And a 1-foot-tall… Spider? I stopped short of the garage, untangled myself from the seatbelt, and cautiously approached the…
Oh. Paper animals. Continue reading for recipe.
Shopping Spree
I’m one of the few girls I know that prefers shopping for groceries over clothes. I get to eat what I buy right away; no washing and drying before trying out my purchases! Even better, nobody ever complains that their butter doesn’t come in more colors or asks, “Does this milk carton make my butt look fat?”
But the last time I drove to the store for cereal, I went a little overboard. I looked like a teenage girl on a $1000 shopping spree as I dumped box after box into my cart. When the cashier asked if I was carbo-loading, I simply smiled sweetly and replied, “No, I just love my cereal.” Continue reading for recipe.
Running With Cereal
With the leisure and relaxation of winter vacation ending, children dread the start of school. Impending homework and tests keep kids in bed long after their alarms go off, leaving them with 20 seconds to slurp up their morning cereal before running to the bus stop.
While tempted to skip breakfast instead of rushing and sloshing milk all over their new shirts, your kids probably still want their morning cornflakes. To make their favorite cereal portable for their dash to the bus, bake the cornflakes into a muffin! Moist, sweet, and easy to grab, these tasty pastries are sure to start your kids’ days off on the right foot. Continue reading for recipe.
Christmas Cookies for Santa: Adjusting Again
I stood in the kitchen this morning still feeling like I missed the mark with my previous attempts for Santa’s favorite Christmas cookie. Maybe he wanted a lighter, crunchier treat, whereas I only offered moist, rich desserts. As I ate my breakfast cereal, puzzling over what to make, the snap-crackle-pop jolted me awake. Rice krispie treats! Continue reading for recipe.
Taste the Rainbow
Snap, Crackle, Pop. What little kid doesn’t know these three iconic words? Coupled with the adorable characters on the front of the box, a big bowl of Rice Krispies in milk sure brought magic to my childhood mornings – my cereal talked to me! Sometimes in the afternoons, we made those yummy rice krispie treats. Even then, when we poured the hot marshmallow goop on the cereal, it snapped, crackled, and popped away. And since it’s been raining a lot lately, what better way to improve these simple goodies than with a little rainbow surprise? Continue reading for recipe.
Foods for the Soul 