Favorite Chex Mix

I mentioned that we were on vacation with my husband's family and posted a picture of all the food it takes to feed 24 people.  Well, you better believe we had some amazing food while we were there!  My husband's family has a tradition of making Chex Mix every Christmas.  While I realize it wasn't Christmas, we still had the Chex Mix while on vacation, so I decided to share the recipe with you!

Favorite Chex Mix
13 cups Chex (5 cups wheat, 4 cups corn, 4 cups rice)
3 cups pretzel sticks
1 lb spanish peanuts
1/4 cup bacon grease
1/2 cup butter
1 Tbsp worcestershire sauce
1/4 tsp Tabasco
1 1/2 tsp seasoned salt
1 tsp celery salt
1 tsp garlic salt
1 tsp savory or poultry seasoning

Preheat oven to 250.

Combine cereal, pretzel sticks, and peanuts in a large roasting pan.

In a separate bowl, melt the bacon grease and butter.  Add worcestershire and Tabasco to butter mixture; pour over cereal mixture and toss to coat.

In a small mixing bowl, combine seasoned salt, celery salt, garlic salt and savory or poultry seasoning.  Sprinkle over cereal mixture; tossing to make sure the Chex mix is evenly coated.

Bake for 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes.

This picture was taken before it was baked.  Sadly, I didn't get a picture of the finished product, but it looks pretty similar to this.

Homemade Snack Mix

When we had the boys' birthday party a few weeks ago, I wanted to spend as little money as possible.  My parents had bought a construction party/face painting package at our school's silent auction, so that took care of some activities, paper goods, a few decorations, and favors.  That just left us with the cost of the food.

Lukas, waiting to be transformed into Spider Man.

Koda the snake!

We scheduled the party for 1:30 so we wouldn't need to feed everyone lunch and it would be over before dinner.  I already shared with you the rocket ship cake and dirt cupcakes I made for them.  You can find them here.  I also bought two boxes of ice cream to go with it, but wanted to provide the kids with something a little more substantial.  I thought a snack mix would be the perfect thing--lots of delicious goodies in one snack.

I normally don’t feed my kids snack mixes because they are so calorically dense.  But when out on the trail or expending a lot of energy, it is just what your body needs.  And our little guests were burning a lot of calories painting our fence with water and hammering nails into boards.

The boys worked really hard!!

I headed over to the bulk bins at WinCo, knowing I would find the best prices there.  They do carry a variety of trail and snack mixes, but I was on a quest to make my own.  The cheapest mix in the bins was $2.97/lb. and contained peanuts, raisins, color buttons (generic M&M’s), and almonds.  The only one of those items that might cost $2.97/lb. is the almonds.  You’re paying a lot to have them all mixed together.

I decided on a mixture of pretzel twists, salted peanuts, corn Chex, raisins, dried cranberries, and dark chocolate chips.  Everything except the Chex came from the bins (I bought those on sale a few weeks before).  The most expensive ingredient was the dried cranberries at $3.76/lb., but everything else cost below the $2.97/lb. I’d pay for a pre-mixed snack mix.

One of the great things about making snack mixes, is that you don’t even need to measure—my almost-four-year-olds can make it.  But for the sake of analyzing my savings, I measured and came up with the following recipe.

Trail Mix

6 oz. pretzel twists

8 oz. salted peanuts

4 oz. corn Chex

3 oz. raisins

3 oz. dried cranberries

4 oz. dark chocolate chips

Measure all ingredients into gallon zip-top bag and mix.  Yield:  28 oz.  Total cost:  $4.10.  Unit cost:  $2.34/lb.!!

I knew I didn’t want to serve it out of a bowl.  I didn’t want their grimy hands touching all of it.  So I portioned it out into Chinese to-go boxes that I bought at Cash & Carry.  They are so convenient for packing meals for people, sending snacks for the boys’ preschool class, and giving cupcakes.

So next time you’re planning a party or a day on the trails, remember that you don’t have to break the bank to have a great, delicious time.

My beautiful girl!

Peanut Butter Filling Dip

Remember Kimiko's oh-so-yummy peanut butter filling?

The one that is amazing with chocolate cake and caramel?

Well, it's not just for filling cakes!  As she mentioned in her original post, our dad used it to make a peanut butter cookie sandwich.  I think I need to try that with Kimiko's gluten-free peanut butter cookies!

When I have leftover filling, I sometimes use it as a treat for my kids.  Apples are great dipped in it!

And on the very rare occasions that we have animal crackers in the house, I like to dip them in the filling.

You could also use it to make my niece's banana cookies.

Versatility makes a sweet treat even sweeter!

Healthy and Frugal Snacks

One of my daughter's current favorite snacks.  She calls them cookies!

My 3-year-old has about 2 snacks each day (one mid-morning and one mid-afternoon), and each time she asks for a snack, I sit there racking my brain for what we have.  So the other day, I sat down and made a list of the snacks we usually have on hand, so I don't have to think about it each time.  I can just look at my list and get her a snack.

As I was making my list, I realized that she doesn't get very many foods that are specifically marketed as snacks.  Part of the reason for this is because we really don't have money in our food budget for most of the items in the snack aisle at the grocery store.  Additionally, most snack-type foods really aren't that healthy.  Even the ones that are typically considered or assumed to be healthy are often loaded with extra sugars and other ingredients that you probably don't want your kids eating too much of.  Don't get me wrong.  I do occasionally buy a box of goldfish or other crackers, but probably only two or three times per year.  Anyway, here's the list of typical snack options we have in our house (or at least the ones I could think of).  I'll add more as I think of or discover more!  And one of the great things about these is that most of them make great guiltless snacks for Mommy too!  Leave your favorite healthy and frugal snack options in the comments!

• Apples with or without natural peanut butter
• Bananas with or without natural peanut butter
• Oranges
• Grapes
• Other seasonal fruit we happen to have (pineapple, strawberries, grapefruit, peaches, kiwis, blueberries, etc.)

• Plain air popped popcorn (sounds boring, but both she and I love it!)
• Plain Greek yogurt (sometimes I'll puree fruit and mix it in.  It's surprising how much added sugar flavored yogurts have, so this avoids that)
• Celery with natural peanut butter or hummus
• Carrot and/or bell pepper sticks with hummus

• Roasted veggies (I often keep roasted cauliflower, asparagus, brussels sprouts, broccoli, etc. in the refrigerator to snack on.  Neither one of us minds eating them cold.)
• Cereal with or without milk - yes, I realize that cold cereals have added sugar, but we usually stick with plain Cheerios, which are one of the healthier cereals out there.  Just wait for them to go on sale!
• String cheese (one of the few "snack foods" I buy) 
• Hard boiled eggs - I usually boil a few at a time and keep them in the refrigerator for a quick and easy snack.  Hard boiled eggs last for a week in the refrigerator if the shells are left on.

• Almonds - yes, my 3-year-old likes almonds and sometimes I'll give them to her with her fruit for a little protein.  Just be careful when giving a small child whole nuts.  They are considered a chocking hazard. 

• Pitas with or without hummus - the recipe I posted on Near to Nothing has some whole wheat flour, but is not whole wheat by definition.  I recently started using this whole wheat recipe and my daughter loves them!
• Frozen corn or peas - no need to defrost or heat them!  She loves them frozen!
• Tomatoes - I usually chop them for her, but I have found her just biting into one like an apple!
• Whole wheat bread or toast (with or without natural peanut butter.  Yes, sometimes she asks for dry toast!)

• Beans (dry beans prepared in the slow cooker, of course!) - black, kidney, garbanzo, lima - basically, whatever kind I have on hand!

I mentioned the pitas above so I thought I'd throw in this video of my daughter watching the pitas as the puffed in the oven.  Other than being cost-effective and delicious, the entertainment your children will receive is reason enough to make these.

Cinnamon Popcorn

Yes, I realize we posted two sweet recipes last week, but this is really the only thing I have ready to post.  I don't think you'll mind, though, because this is so yummy!  It's also very addicting, so beware!  A few weeks ago, one of our friends brought cinnamon popcorn to Bible study and it was just so delicious, I had to ask for the recipe.  She gave it to me, but she makes it in her Whirley Pop.  I don't have one, but I figured that since it's possible to make kettle corn in a regular stock pot, it would also be possible to make cinnamon popcorn in a stock pot.  It took a little experimentation and adjusting the recipe, but I eventually came up with a recipe with which I was happy!

Cinnamon Popcorn
1/4 cup oil
1/2 cup popcorn kernels
1/2 cup plus 1/4 cup sugar, divided
2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt

In a small bowl, combine 1/4 cup sugar, cinnamon, and salt.  Set aside.

In a large stock pot, heat oil over medium/medium-high heat (depending on your range).  Put three kernels in the oil.  When all three kernels pop, quickly add remaining kernels and 1/2 cup sugar.  Place lid on pot and continue to cook, shaking the pan frequently.  When the popping slows, remove from heat and add the cinnamon mixture.  Carefully stir the popcorn for about 2 minutes; transfer popcorn to a bowl.  Be careful while stirring the popcorn, as there may be some kernels still popping.  If this is the case, you may want to use the lid as a shield so you don't get hit by one (they're HOT!).

7-Layer Dip

New Year's Eve is tomorrow night, which means it's not time to diet yet.  You've got a couple more days of excuses to eat junk food.  And I'm here to help you with another delicious but not healthy recipe!  We grew up eating this dip.  You can buy it pre-made, but it's pretty pricey and the containers are usually quite small.

7-Layer Dip
3 1/2 cups refried beans (or 1 30 oz can)
2 avocados, mashed with just a tad of lime juice mixed in
3 Tbsp mayonnaise
3 Tbsp sour cream
1 1/2 Tbsp taco seasoning
3/4 cup grated cheddar cheese
3/4 cup grated Monterey Jack cheese
3-4 green onions, chopped
2 large tomatoes, chopped
Chopped olives
Tortilla chips

In the bottom of a 9x13 pan, spread the beans, followed by the avocado.  In a separate bowl, combine mayonnaise, sour cream, and taco seasoning; spread on top of avocados.  Combine the two types of cheese; sprinkle over sour cream mixture.  Layer remaining ingredients; refrigerate until ready to use.  Serve with tortilla chips.

Yummy green goodness!

I enlisted the help of my 3-year-old to mix the mayonnaise, sour cream, and taco seasoning.

Muddy Buddies

I can't believe Christmas is in less than a week!  Wasn't last Christmas just a week ago?!  Anyway, despite how it feels, the reality of it is that Christmas really is on Sunday.  And Christmas is the perfect time to eat lots of sweets, right?  ;)

This recipe goes way back in my life, but I've recently noticed you can now buy this pre-made, which I think is strange, since it's pretty easy and much cheaper to make on your own.  I'm talking about Muddy Buddies (also known as Puppy Chow in some parts of the country).  A simple, yet oh-so-delicious treat!

Muddy Buddies
9 cups Chex cereal (wait until it's on sale)
1 cup chocolate chips
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/2 stick butter
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

Place Chex in a large mixing bowl; set aside.  In a separate bowl, combine chocolate chips, peanut butter, and butter.  Microwave 1 minute; stir.  Place back into microwave and heat until the mixture is smooth.  Add vanilla and pour over cereal.  Carefully mix until the cereal is coated in the chocolate mixture.  Place into a gallon size zip-top bag; add powdered sugar and shake until well coated.  The original recipe calls for the mix to be placed in a two-gallon zip top bag with the powdered sugar.  I only have 1 gallon, so I used that.  It worked, but I think next time I'll try just putting half of the cereal mixture in with 3/4 cup of powdered sugar a time.  Spread out on wax paper until the chocolate cools and hardens.

The pieces in the bottom right corner didn't get covered very well, which is why I think I'll split up the batch next time.

Your kids will enjoy licking the spoon when you're done!

Festive Finger Gelatin (Jell-O Jigglers)

‘Tis the season for manger scenes, sleigh bells, twinkling lights, and school Christmas parties!  Of course, that means coming up with a kid-friendly, festive snack to send with your child.  How about festive finger gelatin (Jell-O jigglers)?

                 

Of course, you can just grab a few boxes, follow the package directions, and serve gelatin squares; but where’s the fun in that?  We attended a Christmas party this weekend so I decided to make red and green layered finger gelatin.  To make it even more fun, I used Christmas cookie cutters to cut out fun shapes.

I made these triple-layer leaves for Keanna's
class Thanksgiving feast.

The key to layering the gelatin is to cool the gelatin before pouring it over the previous layer.  You don’t want the hot liquid to melt the layer before.  Though, you could probably get some neat color effects by doing that—I’ll have to try it next time.

When making a 9x13, I use six 3-ounce boxes of gelatin.  That means three boxes each to do two colors or two boxes each to do three colors.

Generic works perfectly fine!

The key to getting the gelatin to come out of the pan nicely is to warm up the bottom of the pan to just start to melt it.  This is easily accomplished with a hot water bath.  I also like to dip my metal cookie cutters in hot water before cutting out the gelatin.  This keeps the gelatin from sticking to the cutter and messing up the shape.  If you get part-way through cutting and removing and find that the gelatin is sticking, simply return the pan to the hot water bath and/or re-dip your cookie cutter in hot water.  I also dip my metal cookie spatula in hot water to help get the gelatin out of the pan.

Festive Finger Gelatin

First layer

5 oz. boiling water per box of gelatin (10 oz. for 2 boxes; 15 oz. for 3 boxes)

Desired number of 3-oz. boxes of gelatin

Subsequent layers

4 oz. boiling water per box of gelatin (8 oz. for 2 boxes; 12 oz. for 3 boxes)

Desired number of 3-oz. boxes of gelatin

Two large ice cubes per box of gelatin

Add powder for first layer to boiling water and stir about 3 minutes.  Pour into 9x13 pan; refrigerate until set.  

Add powder for second (or third or fourth) layer  to boiling water and stir about 3 minutes.  Add ice cubes and stir until completely melted.  Pour over previous layer; return to refrigerator until set.

Repeat as desired until all layers are done.  To cut gelatin, fill jelly roll pan with hot tap water.  Place 9x13 in hot water for 30-60 seconds and remove.

Dip metal cookie cutter in hot water; cut out desired shapes, re-dipping cutter as needed.  Using a small spatula, remove shapes from pan.

Have a bowl on hand for all the scraps.  My kids love
the scraps!

Using a little cutter in addition to larger ones helps
reduce the waste between cut-outs.