Rice Crispy Treats

*Tips and Tricks for the Holidays*
Yes, it's that time of year again. No one settles for the plain and ordinary every thing must be festive! If you are looking for a quick and easy way to liven up your rice crispy treats you can use holiday themed cookie cutters to make trees, stockings, stars, bells and more. These can be found at your local dollar store. Along with holiday shapes you can add red or green icing, sprinkles, colored sugar, or even a drizzle of chocolate across the top. Use your imagination and be creative. I would love to see pictures of what you come up with.

Rice Crispy Treats:
3 tablespoons butter
5 cups mini marshmallows
6 cups rice crispy cereal

Optional toppings:
Icing (any flavor/color)
Chocolate drizzle
Sprinkles
Colored sugar

In a microwave safe bowl combine marshmallows and butter. Microwave on high for 2 minutes, stopping at half way to stir and scrape down sides. In a mixing bowl combine rice crispy cereal with the marshmallow mixture. Stir thoroughly so all cereal is coated. Transfer mixture into a greased 9"x13" baking dish. Refrigerate for 1 hour before serving. Remove from fridge cut into squares or use cookie cutters to make holiday shapes. Can be served plain or topped with your choice of optional toppings such as icing, sprinkles, colored sugar, or chocolate.

Sugar Free Banana Pudding

2 boxes sugar free instant vanilla pudding
1 package sugar free shortbread cookies
5 bananas
4 cups milk
Whisk
2 Medium mixing bowls

In the first mixing bowl whisk together 2 boxes of pudding and 4 cups of milk then set aside in the fridge to firm up. While the pudding is firming up in the fridge thinly slice the bananas and crumble the cookies to powder. In the second mixing bowl put a layer of sliced bananas and cookie crumbles. Remove the now firm pudding from the fridge and scope half of the pudding into the bowl. Add another layer of bananas, cookies and pudding. Complete the dish by covering the last layer of pudding with the remaining banana slices and cookie crumbs. Can be served immediately or stored in the fridge for up to 24 hours.

Creamy Peanut Butter Frosting

1 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup butter, softened (see recipe)
2 cups powdered sugar

Use an electric mixer and cream together peanut butter and butter until smooth. Add in powdered sugar and mix on high for an additional minute. Use immediately or refrigerate. Makes enough for 24 cupcakes or 9x13" cake.

Cooking With Leftovers: BBQ Pulled Pork

4-6 cooked pork chops
1 cup of your favorite bbq sauce
Salt and pepper to taste
Buns

Use two forks and shred the pork chops. Add your favorite bbq sauce, salt, and pepper. Stir together until all the pork is coated. Serve on buns.

Cooking With Leftovers: Chicken Noodle Soup

Every time I make lasagna roll ups I go ahead and cook the whole box of noodles because I need 8 prefect noodles to make them and let's face it, it takes a whole box to get 8 sometimes! Then I am left with a pot of cooked noodles and nothing to do with them. It dawned in me yesterday, chicken noodle soup! It was so delicious and super easy to make. Follow the simple instructions below, your mouth will be glad you did!

Ingredients:

8-10 lasagna noodles, cooked and shredded
2 - 32oz boxes of chicken broth
4 cans of diced chicken, shredded, do not drain
1/2 onion diced
2 stalks celery diced
1 carrot shredded and diced
1/2 cup butter (see recipe)
Salt and pepper to taste
1/2 tablespoon garlic powder
1/2 tablespoon onion powder
1/2 tablespoon rosemary fresh or dried
1/2 tablespoon parsley fresh or dried

Directions:

Use a stock pot to cook your soup in. Put all ingredients into the pot. Cook on medium until it boils for one minute then reduce heat and simmer for 30-40 minutes. Serve with saltine crackers. Serves 8- 1 cup servings.

Egg Salad

8 eggs hardboiled, peeled, & diced
1/4 cup plain Greek yogurt
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon mustard
Dash of garlic powder
Dash of onion powder
Salt and pepper to taste

Mix everything together thoroughly and serve. Excellent on a sandwich or to dip crackers in. Serves 4.

Crab Cakes

Ingredients:

1/3 cup plain Greek yogurt
2 egg whites
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon mustard powder
1 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 cup crushed, chopped parsley
1/4 cup diced green onion
1 cup breadcrumbs
8 oz's crabmeat 

Directions:

Mix all ingredients together and make into patties.  Fry in 1 inch of oil on medium heat until golden brown, about 3 minutes per side. Serves 6.

DIY Tuna Can Planter

This project was borrowed, with permission, from Melissa Souders. Thank you for the awesome idea!

Materials:

1 tuna can, empty and washed with label and top removed
1 or 2 flowers your choice/  (the kind from the garden section, that are already rooted and blooming)
20 clothespins

Instructions:

Take clothespins 1 at a time and clip them onto the sides of the tuna can. Making sure to push the clothespin all the way down. Clip them going around the entire tuna can until covered. Remove 2 flower sections from the container, roots and dirt included. Place into the center of the can.Yield: 1