Root Beer Float Popsicle Recipe

July 2, 2020

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“Pop?” my little guy asks.

When I don’t move quick enough, “POP!” he demands, as he runs to the freezer door and pulls at the handle with all his might.

‘Pop’ equates to ‘Popsicle’ and it’s safe to say that my kids are 100% freezer snack fans. It is also safe to assume that because of this and the heat of summer, Popsicle’s are flying out of my freezer as quick as the sea birds take off to the sky when you run full force through the sand towards them.

I have been eyeing up homemade Popsicle making since I stumbled upon some recipes on Pinterest. (If you visit my Pinterest Board, fair warning, there are a few adult only recipes).

It took me awhile to find the right Popsicle mold, and this one is perfect. For some reason, the metal ones intimidate me. All I envisioned was sharp edges, cut little hands, and required hand washing. Let’s be honest – it was actually the hand washing that terrified me.

I can honestly attest to the ease of this unit.

We recently experimented with our newest toy (the Popsicle maker) and are completely hooked on the Root Beer Float Popsicle creation.

Friends, fair warning this is the easiest recipe in the world – a hot (or should I say cold – I crack myself up) two ingredients.

Root Beer Float Popsicle Recipe:

INGREDIENTS:

2 Cans of Root Beer
Vanilla Ice Cream

Pour the two cans of Root Beer in a bowl and stir until the soda turns flat (that means no bubbles). Pour the Root Beer 3/4 of the way up in each mold. Add one spoonful of vanilla ice cream to each mold and stir. Top each mold with a spoonful of vanilla ice cream. Place molds in freezer for 20 minutes (just enough to set-up). Add the Popsicle handles to each mold and freeze for approximately 5 hours. That is it! So simple, and very refreshing for hot summer days.

Enjoy!

Weekly Meal Plan + Grocery List #2

September 9, 2018

Hello from the rainy, no scratch that, the soggy state of Maryland. The common joke around here these days is it has rained two times this summer. Once for 45 days and once for 55. So, I guess you can say we are entering our third, who knows how long, stretch.

While I am over the rain, I do love the sudden drop in temperatures and feel of Fall in the air. Yes, I am that person. I have not always wished Summer to change to Fall but this year I am welcoming the season change. It could have something to do with the growing belly with this pregnancy and my sleepless, back aching nights.

With the forecast calling for 70’s, and you guessed it, rain, for the next week, this new plan is brought to you by comfortable foods.VIEW STORY »

Weekly Meal Plan + Grocery List

September 3, 2018

You asked for it, so here we go. As if our weekends are not jammed full enough, I have decided to get a bit ambitious and share with you our family’s weekly dinner meal plan. While I can sit here and act like I am doing this selflessly for the mere fact that many of you have shown interest in my past recipes and requested future topics on food, the reality is if I share our weekly plans with you that it will keep me on track with time management and conscious eating.

This whole second pregnancy has been harder on me than Lo’s. Maybe it is the age difference since I am four years older? I have been informed countless times that with each pregnancy, your body shows much sooner, and if it is the case I can truly attest to the advice. So, with the decreased energy and increased belly, I am trying to focus on much healthier eating through the remainder of my pregnancy.

MONDAY
Bacon Cheeseburgers on the Grill, with a side of Corn on the Cob, and Watermelon.

Grocery List:

1 lb. Ground Beef (note: you are going to also need ground beef for Thursday’s meal, so get double the amount of ground beef).
I Package of Hamburger Buns
Cheddar Cheese Slices
6 Bacon Slices
1 Red Onion
Romaine Lettuce (note: you will also use for Wednesday’s meal)
Corn on the Cob (note: you will need corn for Wednesday’s meal. I will cook an extra ear or two of corn and set aside, removing the kernels and saving for the meal)
Watermelon

Optional: Condiments and burger elements.

TUESDAY
Maple Pork Egg Roll Bowl

Photo courtesy: Cherry and Spice

Grocery List:

1 lb Pork Maple Sausage
1 Bag of Cabbage Coleslaw
1 Bag Broccoli Slaw
6 Green Onions
4 Cloves of Garlic
1 tsp Fresh Ginger, grated
2 Tbsp Soy Sauce
1 Tbsp Sesame Oil
1 Tbsp Rice Wine Vinegar
1 tsp Sriracha Hot Chili Sauce

WEDNESDAY
Healthy Chicken Carnitas Bowl

Photo courtesy: Isabel Eats

Grocery List:

Mexican Slow Cooker Chicken Carnitas
- 2.5 lbs Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts or Thighs
- 1.5 tsp Cumin Powder
- 1 Tbsp Minced Garlic
- 1/2 tsp Salt
- 1 Tbsp Chili Powder
- 1 Tbsp Brown Sugar
- 3 Tbsp Freshly Squeezed Lime Juice (about 1.5 limes)
- cilantro
1 Can of Black Beans
1 Can of Whole Kernel Corn
Plum Tomatoes
1 Avocado
White Rice
Romaine Lettuce

THURSDAY
Low Carb Salisbury Steak

Photo courtesy: I Breathe, I’m Hungry

Grocery List:

2 lbs Ground Beef
3/4 Cup of Almond Flour (or you can substitute flour)
1 Tbsp Fresh Parsley (or you can substitute dry)
Beef Broth
Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp Garlic Powder
1 Tbsp Dried Onion Flakes
4 Tbsp Butter
Mushrooms
1 Yellow Onion
1/4 Cup of Sour Cream

It is a short week this week with the holiday weekend, but my plan is to come at you with a Sunday through Thursday plan each week (or so). 🙂 If you follow along on my Instagram, you will see I typically share my ALDI hauls in my InstaStories, after each trip. I try to meal plan my week, create a grocery list of items I need, and then stop at ALDI first for everything I can possibly get there. Most of the time I am not successful with being able to get everything on my list at ALDI, so I will swing by Martin’s for the rest. I will show you the cost comparisons in my InstaStories.

Finally, I will do my best to mix up my meal plans with recipes that are my own, and the ones I find on my Pinterest account. If you head over to my Cheers to the Yum Board you will see a great collection of tried and true recipes I have found and enjoy. If I pin an image on Pinterest, try the recipe, and do not approve, I remove from my Board.

Here is to a great week, and happy bellies!

Strawberry Freezer Jam

July 9, 2018

There is nothing I love more than those little pink boots, that house those tiny baby doll feet, that are my sweet little fresh strawberry-eating-smeared-faced, little girl.

That one right there.
One fortunate thing about living in the mountains and country-land USA (what I am calling home for the sake of this post) is the great opportunities to connect with Earth, and your local farmer. We have been members of a local Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) for about two years now. A CSA is a community of individuals who pledge support to a farm operation. We pledge a fee once a year which is used to help front the farmer’s costs, but then our purchases from the farm are deducted from our pledge.
This local farmer; however, is not the CSA I mentioned above, yet basically supplies two to three nights of one of our favorite summer side dishes when their corn comes into season. Oh, but when the berries are ready for picking, we usually make it part of our summer bucket list to head out and pick some of their harvest for our consumption.
I had every intention on one container of berries. Just enough for a week’s worth of healthy snacking, but the picking continued and continued, and eventually, I found myself with more than I had anticipated. I know, I sound like a berry snob.
So what’s a girl to do? Ya, make some dam Jam. Sorry! I had to.

Here is the thing, I am a simple, and easy kind of girl when it comes to ingredients, and a kitchen. I do not want to be in the space longer than I have to. I do not enjoy extra unnecessary steps. I am not going to find joy out of hours behind a stove when another recipe can speed up the whole process.

I share this with you because clearly, I hate cooking. Just kidding. I actually like cooking. But, I do dislike unnecessary cooking.

That is why, my friends, this Strawberry Freezer Jam is my dam jam. (I had to again.)

STRAWBERRY FREEZER JAM

1 Box Sure-Jell Pectin
2 Cups Strawberries, crushed
4 Cups of Sugar
3/4 Cups of Water
Ball Jars

The first step – clean. Yes, those delicious berries you picked up in the grocery store and/or picked from your local farmer, they need C to the L to the E to the A to the N to the E to the D. Unnecessary, I know. Cold water is the best way to clean the fruit. Once cleaned, cut the tops off the strawberries, and smash the strawberries in batches. I use my Ninja for the job, pulsing the strawberries. Once all the strawberries are smashed, add to a large bowl. Measure four cups of sugar, and add the sugar to your smashed strawberries. Once the sugar and strawberries are combined, add the 3/4 cups of water to a saucepan on high and add the box of Sure-Jell Pectin. Stir until the mixture comes to a boil and time for one minute, stirring the whole time. Add the heated mixture to the strawberries and sugar and mix continuously for three to four minutes. Fill your bell jars with the jam and store in the freezer. The frozen jam has a 3-month shelf life in the freezer and 3 weeks once thawed and stored in the refrigerator.

Easter Snack Mix

February 27, 2018

If there is one thing I know with certainty it is that our home is a house full of sweet tooths. No wonder my dentist loves me.

Between Nathan and I, Logan’s poor genes don’t stand a chance with our instant cravings. I was born with an ice cream spoon in my hand, growing up with a grandmother and great-grandfather who could eat ice cream for every meal. I did not stray far, and my husband, well, I landed the sweet tooth jackpot as his family owns an ice cream shop in our hometown. Have you ever heard of a Boston Shake? It is a hot fudge sundae inside a chocolate milkshake. I mean just typing that I feel like I added 250 calories into my body.

Nathan is a mean sweets sleepwalker. Yes. You did indeed read that right. The man sleepwalks and eats sweets. As I type this I giggle but it is so true. I have woke in the middle of the night to what sounds like a flurry of mice nibbling in our kitchen to find my husband in a half asleep / half awake state, leaning against the counter, nibbling on a Reese’s Cup outside the junk cabinet, and I cannot do this superpower of his justice without mentioning the many times we find a cup with milk residue sitting on the coffee table after a night of sleep, only to giggle and say, “Well, I guess you found the Oreo’s last night?”

Clearly, someone is going to private message me this is a problem! 🙂

For me, it is a problem when we do not have sweets (because my gosh what will we eat?!) and it is a problem when we do because they are gone within 1- 2 days, and some sleepwalking nights. 🙂

Easter Snack Mix

5 Cups of Honey Cheerios
5 Cups of Chex Mix Cereal
2 1/2 Cups of Pretzel Sticks
1 Bag of Peanut M&M’s
1 1/2 Cups of White Chocolate Chips

Directions: Mix the first three ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Melt the white chocolate chips in the microwave. Once the chocolate is melted into a smooth consistency, pour over the mixed ingredients and stir. Add the peanut M&Ms to the mixture and mix. Pour the mixture out across a table on wax paper and let it set. Once it has set, break apart and serve.

Looking for additional recipes? Here are some similar options.

Easter Bunny Popcorn Dessert
Banana Bread Cake with Caramel Frosting
Puppy Chow

Best Pinterest Recipes of 2017

December 29, 2017

It is no secret, I adore Pinterest. I have told you all this time and time again. While it may seem unimaginable, I do recall a time, when recipe references relied upon bookmarked recipe books or printed off recipes online. In fact, I still have both! I have a cabinet in my dining room hutch that is reserved for said books, which contain a few favorites. The worse part is I have to remember which book included the recipe, which usually results in me pulling out every book to skim through each. I too have a blue battered three-ring binder that contains all of the recipes I have printed online over the years (pre-Pinterest). Today it is more convenient to turn to my Pinterest App, which includes a great search feature, allowing me to look through saved Pins. Voila, I have my favorite recipe at my fingertips, in seconds.

But let me advise, not every Pinterest recipe is a winner. In fact, there are some real hum-dingers out there. Some I have experienced first hand, thinking, “Boy, the photo did you more justice.”

I refuse to keep a pin on my Food Board if it is not approved by me. So, in honor of the New Year approaching, I decided to share my favorite Pinterest Recipes of 2017.

Chicken A La Gloria – Cooking With Sugar
Sweet Potato Fries – New York Times
Honey Mustard Chicken Avocado Bacon Salad – Cafe Delites
No-Knead Dutch Oven Bread – Girl Versus Dough
Slow Cooker Sausage, Spinach, and White Bean Soup – Damn Delicious
Apple Cranberry Walnut Salad – Creme de la Crumb
Chessy Zucchini Bake – Lemon Tree Dwelling
Mom’s Seasoned Pretzels – Sallys Baking Addiction

So, which one are you most interested to try? Let me gently nudge you that all are super easy and super delicious, or else they would not make my list!

Enjoyed this post? Awe, thanks. I am blushing. We can connect through facebook || twitter || instagram || pinterest || bloglovin’

Beef & Broccoli Stir Fry

April 18, 2017

Alright, who needs some midweek dinner recipe lovin? I know I do! I go for a few things when I attempt my meal planning on a Sunday night.

1) Ease – When you work full-time, add on a commute, allow time to pick-up Lo and get home, sometimes it is 6:30 pm or 7 pm before I am even standing in my kitchen. I actually enjoy cooking but I do not enjoy it when it feels like another chore on an already busy day.

2) Semi-Healthy – I know. I sound like a jerk. Semi-healthy? Really? Could not just go for the healthy? I am real, people. Real I tell you! Maybe I have not yet mastered my meal planning and maybe I have not studied up on nutrition enough, but for me, #1 and #3 matter so much. If that Mac’ N Cheese calls for whole milk, butter and cheese – I am doing it! I do though always opt for fresh over processed and really strive for veggies and color. So there. Give me some slack.

3) Delicious – Yep. Mac’ N Cheese! 🙂 Nathan and I enjoy food. We love to eat. We barely eat breakfast and lunch is always on the go or at a desk, so dinner is kind of special and homemade always tastes best.VIEW STORY »

Easter Bunny Popcorn Dessert

March 30, 2017

Lo is officially a graduate of Sweet Tooth University. I know, I know – sugar city. Not good. Well, she gets it honestly. In high school I begged guys to break up with me so I could sit on my couch and down a pint of ice cream with no regrets or guilt. Just kidding. I hated heartache. Nathan, well he loves chocolate chip cookie cakes and just about any pie, especially Razzleberry. Then add the fact that Nathan’s family has an ice cream parlor and I am all like – yeah just give me an ice cream sundae with some hot fudge.

I admit. We are sweet tooths in this house.

VIEW STORY »

Kid Friendly Recipe – Personal Pizza

February 20, 2017

Who remembers middle school home ec class? My fondest memories include sewing everyone in my family a pillow that year. Lucky them! Now who remembers the egg-in-the-hole recipe? You know, you cut a hole in the center of a piece of bread and crack an egg in the hole, flipping the toast? Please tell me you remember! Heck, even Food Network has a recipe on their website. No lie – Here. See! I told you. I actually found myself laughing hysterically at the reviews as if this was a Julia Child’s recipe.

If the Food Network can legitimately highlight the ol’ egg-in-the-hole recipe (suddenly this sounds dirty!) then I can share my super easy, like super, super easy lunch recipe that makes it rounds in our home. No shame!!

My daughter is at the age where we have an opinion for everything! Gone are the “easy” days of going with the flow or just doing as asked. I use to be able to prepare Lo’s breakfast, lunch and dinner, sit her in the highchair and place her meal in front of her, without even a peep. No options. No questions asked. Not now. Instead, my little vibrate two year old has her mind made up before I can even say, “Are you hungry?” And, it never fails that I am left starring at my screaming child negotiating a menu with her. It drives me insane! I hate when I lose control of the toddler train.

Nowadays we have two food groups in our house – chicken nuggets and fries (I know that is two things but they go together in one long winded statement) and pizza. Chicken nuggets and fries or pizza. I suck at the food pyramid guide.

So, when you are working with two options and a toddler who seems to play mind tricks on you and your words, you change it up for their and your own sanity.

ENGLISH MUFFIN PERSONAL PIZZAS

English Muffins halved (I use whole wheat or multi-grain)
Pizza Sauce
Shredded Mozzarella Cheese
Pepperoni
Dried Basil and Oregano to taste
Salt and Pepper to taste

This is the easiest lunch or dinner recipe for your kids! The great thing is that they can get involved with their food and start to appreciate cooking at an early age. Lo is adamant about pulling a chair over to the counter or stove and joining in the cooking action with me. So, this recipe is perfect because it is basically assembling.

Half the English Muffins in the quantity of pizzas you want to make. Spread a spoonful of pizza sauce onto each half. Sprinkle shredded Mozzarella cheese on each muffin half. Add salt and pepper to each personal pizza. Then add dried basil and oregano to season. Add pepperonis to top and then bake on a baking sheet for 10 – 15 minutes at 375 degrees.

You can have so much fun with personal pizzas. Set aside cooked ground sausage, bacon crumbles, pre-cut veggies, etc to really build your own personal pizzas. This option is a great meal for sleepovers when you have multiple kids with multiple pallets staying under one roof.

Here are some additional food inspired posts:

Enjoyed this post? Awe, thanks. I am blushing. We can connect through facebook || twitter || instagram || pinterest || bloglovin’

Banana Bread Cake with Caramel Frosting

January 7, 2017

Sweet tooth alert! That would be my calling for sure. I definitely sway to the sweet side more than the salty. Put some ice cream, cakes, cookies, chocolate in my sight lines and I am a goner. Nathan on the other hand definitely leans more towards salty, especially for breakfast. Every weekend I could have french toast and be as happy as can be. Not he. It tends to be the classic eggs, bacon and toast kind. We may change it up with scrambled eggs, wholeheartedly attempt an omelette or make some sort of breakfast casserole or scramble, but every now and then he bends and allows my sweet tooth to rein.

VIEW STORY »