Summer Fun and Fresh Popsicles

First I have to give credit where credit is due! Thank you Michele Emery for sharing your mothers fresh fruit popsicles with me. We had such fun making them.....and eating them!!!!! :)

Here is what you need to get started.

Ingredients: Fruit (any kind), cookie sheet, aluminum foil, skewers.
Optional: heavy duty scissors, raised cooling tray, and veggies (I added a cucumber).



I cut the skewers in half but I will warn that they become projectiles when snipped. I remedied this by sticking one end into the grape bag and holding the other while cutting.

Once you have enough skewers cut the kids (and you) can start loading up the skewers.
(Yes that's Captain America helping me in the kitchen. Didn't know I was a superhero mom did ya?)

 

 

 

If your littles are having troubles then tell them to aim for the center circle on most fruits.

 

 

Here is our completed first tray.

 

 

 I used a cake pan cooling tray on top of my first tray so that I could stack multiple trays. You could also use cups or a small bowl. Get creative.

 

 

Now on to the 2nd tray.

 

 

For this tray we added on cucumbers.

We also used some long skewers...I gave up trying to cut them at this point.

 

 

Load in the 2nd tray. The cooling rack worked out nicely as a space saver.

They were frozen within an hour. Just in time for Captain America's big brother to get home from school. Yay for a yummy and healthy snack.

Now my kids are old enough that I keep these on their level in the freezer so they can reach them on their own. They also know that they are supposed to eat them sitting down.......ugh, don't use this pic as evidence to that. :D

Thanks for letting me share and sharing this with your friends!!

Angel

 

"5 Freezer Meals" for the Crock Pot - Round 5

You can find "5 Freezer Meals" Round 1, Round 2, Round 3 and Round 4 here. 

* = do not add in freezer bag. Write "*" ingredients on freezer bag to remind you of what to add to the crock pot when ready to cook a freezer meal.

And as always, be sure to thaw the freezer meal in the fridge for 24 hours prior to cooking. 

Comment below if you have tried them or have any suggestions or questions. 

Recipes included are:

Italian Chicken
Rotisserie Crock Pot Chicken And Potatoes
Pulled Pork Sandwiches
Apple Cherry Pork
Goulash 


Italian Chicken
Ingredients:
2 lbs boneless/skinless chicken breasts
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 packet ranch dressing mix
1/2 tbsp chili powder
1/2 cup water
*1 cup Italian dressing

Directions:
High 5-6 hours or Low for 7-8 hours.
You can eat this as a whole chicken breast or shred and use it for tacos.



Rotisserie Crock Pot Chicken And Potatoes
Ingredients:
1 whole chicken (4-5 pounds)
2 tsp  salt
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp black pepper
4 whole garlic cloves
*3-4 potatoes, quartered

Directions:
Mix all the dry spices together. Rub the spice mixture all over the chicken, and under the skin of the breast. Add 4 whole garlic cloves inside the bird and put in the freezer bag.
Write the following instructions on the bag:
1.Quarter 3-4 potatoes and loosely wrap them in a few foil balls.
2.Place them at the bottom of the crock pot and put the chicken on top of the potatoes.
High for 4-5 hours or Low for 7-8 hours.


Pulled Pork Sandwiches
Ingredients:
4 lbs pork shoulder roast
1 cup barbeque sauce
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup chicken broth
1/4 cup light brown sugar
1 tbsp chili powder
1 tbsp yellow mustard
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 large onion, chopped
2 large cloves garlic, crushed
*8 hamburger buns (When you prepare the meal)

Directions:
High for 5-6 hours or Low for 6-7 hours.
When the meat is done, shred it and add back to the crock pot for a few minutes to absorb the juices.



Apple Cherry Pork
Ingredients:
4-6 boneless pork chops
1 cup dried cranberries
1 cup apple, diced
1/2 cup celery, diced
1/2 onion, diced
1 cup apple juice
1 cup water

Directions:
High for 4 hours



Goulash
Ingredients:
3 lbs beef stewing meat
2 green peppers chopped
2 onions chopped
1 small bag of baby carrots
4 tsp minced garlic
2 (6 oz ish) cans tomato paste
4 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp black pepper*1 cup sour cream

Directions:
Low for 8 hours. Add sour cream 10 mins prior to serving.

"5 Freezer Meals" for the Crock Pot - Round 4

You can find "5 Freezer Meals" Round 1, Round 2, Round 3 and Round 5 here.

 * = do not add in freezer bag. Write "*" ingredients on freezer bag to remind you of what to add to the crock pot when ready to cook a freezer meal.

 And as always, be sure to thaw the freezer meal in the fridge for 24 hours prior to cooking. 

Comment below if you have tried them or have any suggestions or questions. 

Recipes included are:

Teriyaki Chicken
Pork Ratatouille Stew
Pineapple Pork

Beef Broccoli
Lemon Pepper Chicken 


Teriyaki Chicken
Ingredients:
4 chicken breasts
2 small bags baby carrots (or 1 large bag)
1 red onion chopped large chunks
2 (20 oz ish) cans pineapple chunks undrained
4 tsps minced garlic
1 cup teriyaki sauce

Directions:
Low for 8 hours



Pork Ratatouille Stew
Ingredients:
4-6 boneless pork chops
2 (28 oz ish) jars spaghetti sauce
2 sml or 1 large eggplant chopped
2 sml or 1 medium zucchini chopped
2 green peppers chopped
2 onions diced
4 tsp minced garlic
2 tsp basil
2 tsp oregano

Directions:
Low 8 hours



Pineapple Pork
Ingredients:
1.5 lbs cubed Pork Loin or Tenderloin
1/2 cup apple juice
1/2 red pepper chopped
1/2 onion chopped
2 tbsp brown sugar
1 tsp Italian seasoning
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
3 tbsp corn starch
*20 oz can crushed pineapple

Directions:
High for 4-6 hours or Low 7-9 hours.
Serve with rice



Beef Broccoli
Ingredients:
1/4 cups beef broth
1 tbsp cornstarch
2 tbsp white wine
2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
2 tbsp soy sauce
2 tsp olive oil
2 tsp minced garlic
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1 1/2 lbs chuck steak cut into strips
*2 cups brown rice
*1 cup broccoli florets

Directions:
*Freeze COOKED 2 cups brown rice and 1 cup broccoli florets in their own separate bags.
TO COOK- Thaw beef/marinade bag and rice, but not broccoli.
Low 6-8 hours or High 4-5 hours. Add frozen broccoli for the last hour of cooking.
Serve over warm brown rice.



Lemon Pepper Chicken
Ingredients:
6 boneless skinless chicken breasts
5 tbsp lemon pepper seasoning
2 tbsp melted butter
1 sliced lemon
1 tsp parsley

Directions:
Remove the lemon rinds and cook on Low for 8-10 hours.

"5 Freezer Meals" for the Crock Pot - Round 3

You can find "5 Freezer Meals" Round 1, Round 2, Round 4 and Round 5 here. 

* = do not add in freezer bag. Write "*" ingredients on freezer bag to remind you of what to add to the crock pot when ready to cook a freezer meal.

And as always, be sure to thaw the freezer meal in the fridge for 24 hours prior to cooking.

Comment below if you have tried them or have any suggestions or questions. 

Recipes included are:

Amazing Pork Tenderloin

Pork Loin with Apples & Onions Sauce

Low Country Smothered Pork Chops

Perfectly Seasoned Turkey Breast

Comfort Chicken 


Amazing Pork Tenderloin

Ingredients:

2.5 pounds Pork Loin

1 (1 oz) onion soup dry mix

1 cup beef stock

3/4 cup red wine (I'm using apple juice)

3 tbsp minced garlic

3 tbsp soy sauce

Directions:

Cook on High for 4-5 hours or Low for 8-9 hours

Pork Loin with Apples & Onions Sauce

Ingredients:

2-4lb Pork Loin with just a hint of fat around it

2 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp black pepper

2 tsp thyme

1 tsp chili powder

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1 tbsp minced garlic

3 apples, peeled and cut into chunks

1 whole yellow onion cut into 1/4″ slices

1 cup of white wine or chicken stock

Directions:

Cook on High for 4-5 hours or Low for 8-9 hours

Low Country Smothered Pork Chops

Ingredients:
4 bone in pork chops
1 can cream mushroom soup
2 green pepper chopped
1 large onion chopped
3 cloves garlic diced
2 dashes worcestershire sauce
salt & pepper
*1 box chicken stock

Directions:
Cook on High for 3-4 hour or Low for 6-8 hours



Perfectly Seasoned Turkey Breast
Ingredients:
6-6.5 lb Turkey Breast, thawed, rinsed, and patted dry
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp minced garlic
2 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp pepper
1 tsp rosemary
1 tsp thyme
1 tsp sage
1 tsp onion power

Directions:
In a small bowl stir together the oil, garlic, salt, pepper, rosemary, thyme, sage and onion powder.
Rub the seasonings mixture all over the turkey.
Place turkey in the lined slow cooker.
Tie up the liner with a piece of string or yard.
Cover and cook on LOW for about 6-8 hours or until internal temperature is 165 degree F.
Remove string and carefully open bag (it will be hot and there will be lots of steam).
Remove turkey from bag and place on a cutting board.  Tent with foil and let rest for 10 minutes.



Comfort Chicken
Ingredients:
2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/2  onion, sliced
2 cups water
3 teaspoons chicken bouillon (or 1 cube)
1 can cream of chicken soup
*2-3 potatoes, chopped

*Bag of baby carrots

Directions:

Cook on high for 6-7 hours or low for 7-8 hours.

Also include a note to remove chicken and veggies from broth. In a saucepan pour the chicken juices. Mix 2 heaping tablespoons of flour and about 1/4 cup of water. Add to the chicken juices to make a gravy. Let it boil a little to thicken. (The gravy in the slow cooker is good, so you don’t need to thicken it up when you prepare it.)

"5 Freezer Meals" for the Crock Pot - Round 2

You can find "5 Freezer Meals" Round 1, Round 3, Round 4 and Round 5 here. 

* = do not add in freezer bag. Write "*" ingredients on freezer bag to remind you of what to add to the crock pot when ready to cook a freezer meal.  

And as always, be sure to thaw the freezer meal in the fridge for 24 hours prior to cooking.

Comment below if you have tried them or have any suggestions or questions. 

Recipes included are:

Chicken Broccoli Alfredo
Cranberry-Apple Glazed Tenderloin
Carolina Pork Roast
Smothered Pork Chops
Ham and Scalloped Potatoes

Chicken Broccoli Alfredo

Ingredients:

1 ½ pounds chicken breasts

1 (16 oz) bag frozen broccoli florets

2 (16 oz) jars Alfredo sauce (I use light)

1 large green pepper, chopped

1 (4 oz) can sliced mushrooms, drained

* Fettuccine noodles

Directions:

Cook on LOW for 4-6 hours. 

Serve with cooked fettuccine noodles.

Cranberry-Apple Glazed Tenderloin

Ingredients:

1/2 cup apple juice

2 peeled, cored, diced apples

2 cloves of garlic, crushed

1 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. black pepper

1 oz can cranberry sauce

2 lbs. Pork loin

Directions:

Cook on low 7-9 hours

Carolina Pork Roast

Ingredients:

3 pounds boneless pork shoulder roast or pork tenderloin

3/4 cup ketchup

1 cup vinegar

1 tbsp paprika

1 tbsp pepper

1 tbsp salt

1 tbsp brown sugar

2 tbsp worcestershire sauce

Directions:

Cook 6-7 hours high or 8-9 hours low.

Once cooked, shred meat and add back to crockpot.

Serve on rolls with cole slaw on top or on the side

Smothered Pork Chops
Ingredients:
1 diced onion
1 cup vegetable or chicken broth
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar
6-8 Pork chops
*6 pieces cooked crumbled bacon

Directions:
Cook on low 8 hours



Ham and Scalloped Potatoes
Ingredients:
1 can cream of potato soup
1 can chicken broth
1 tsp. salt
½ tsp. pepper
3 cloves garlic, crushed
1 8oz. bag shredded cheese
2 Ham steaks, cubed
*4-6 sliced potatoes

Directions:
Cook on low 8-10 hours

"5 Freezer Meals" for the Crock Pot - Round 1

You can find "5 Freezer Meals" Round 2, Round 3, Round 4 and Round 5 here.

* = do not add in freezer bag. Write "*" ingredients on freezer bag to remind you of what to add to the crock pot when ready to cook a freezer meal.  

And as always, be sure to thaw the freezer meal in the fridge for 24 hours prior to cooking.

Comment below if you have tried them or have any suggestions or questions. 

Recipes included are:

Chicken Fajitas

Garlic Honey Chicken

Slow Cooker Creamy Ranch Pork Chops and Potatoes

Crock Pot Beef Stew

Crock Pot Ribs

Chicken Fajitas

Ingredients:

2 peppers (your favorite)

1 onion

1 1/2 pound chicken breast

1/2 cup chicken broth

1 taco seasoning packet

1 tsp. chili powder

1/2 tsp. paprika

1 tsp. salt

You will also need tortillas, cheese, cream, etc.

Directions:
Cook on high for 3-4 hours or low for 5-6 hours.
When it’s cooked, shred the meat and add it back to the pepper mixture and serve on warm tortillas and your favorite toppings.

Garlic Honey Chicken

Ingredients:

1 1/2 to 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts

3 garlic cloves, minced

1/3 cup soy sauce

2/3 cup ketchup

1/4 cup honey

Directions:

Cook 3-4 hours on high or 5-6 hours on low.

Slow Cooker Creamy Ranch Pork Chops and Potatoes

Ingredients:

1 1/2 lbs pork chops, boneless (about 4-6 chops, thick sliced)

2 cans cream of chicken soup (10.75 oz each)

2 packages dry Ranch dressing mix (1 oz each)

1 cup milk

*6-8 medium potatoes, chopped into large pieces

*Dried parsley to sprinkle on top (optional)

Directions:

Cook on HIGH for 3-4 hours or LOW for 6-7 hours.

Use the extra sauce in the slow cooker as a gravy for the potatoes and the pork chops.

Sprinkle with dried parsley if you want.

Crock Pot Beef Stew

Ingredients:

1 large onion, diced

1 1/2 lb lean stew meat, cut in 1 inch chunks

1 1/4 cups water

1 cup beef broth

1 1/2 cups V-8 juice

1/3 cup A-1 sauce

3 clove of garlic

*1 bunch of celery

*1 lb baby carrots

*4 medium potatoes, cut in 1 inch cubes

Directions:
Cook on high 6-7 hours or low for 8-9 hours.



Crock Pot Ribs
Ingredients:
2 lbs of ribs
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon pepper
1 Tablespoon garlic powder
3/4 cup Soda of choice
1 Tablespoons honey
*Extra BBQ sauce, (optional)

Directions:

Add all the ingredients to the freezer bag.

Cook on high for 4-5 hours or on low 8-9 hours.

After you have prepared them, you may want to drizzle about a 1/2 cup of BBQ sauce about 15 minutes before serving. Although the family thought they were perfect without the extra sauce. Don't use the juice that was inside the crock pot because it has a lot of grease. There is plenty of flavor on the ribs.

Thankful Tree

Thankful Tree

We are starting a new tradition this Thanksgiving, A Thankful Tree. The general idea is to build a tree with leaves full of things we are thankful for to serve as a visual reminder (and pretty decoration) in the month of November for Thanksgiving.



Supplies you will need: a brown grocery size paper bag or brown poster paper, the Thankful Tree template, tape, scissors, pencil, brown marker, enough fall colored construction paper for each family member to have their own color for their 30 leaves (red, maroon, yellow, green, orange, purple).

Cut out the tree trunk template and the leave template. Also cut open the bag so it lays flat and cut of the bottom. Discard the bottom.

Trace the tree trunk using the template and rotating it around and over as needed. Trace 30 leaves for each family member on their color paper.

Shortcut: You can fold and tear the construction paper into 8 equal pieces and trace the leave on the first piece. Then stack them up and cut 8 at one time.

 Cut everything out and try to leave some of the brown marker showing around the trees edge. You can then write "Our Thankful Tree" or "Wilson Thankful Tree" on the tree trunk. You can also choose to laminate the tree trunk to make it last so you can use it every year. Do not laminate the leaves though.

 Tape to the wall low enough so that your leaves have room to grow.

Have each family member write (if able) what they are thankful for on one of their colored leaves and then tape it to the wall above the tree trunk. If towards the end of the month you run out of space above the tree you can start to place the leaves at the bottom as if they have fallen off the tree onto the ground.

Hope you enjoy making memories this year and for years to come!!

~Angel~