One of the simplest homemade gifts, and often times one of the most economical too, is a layered jar mix. As a bonus they don’t take long to make either and can usually be put together with familiar pantry ingredients. I guess that’s why I so often get the urgeRead More
Homemde Larabar Bites
One of my recent snacking discoveries has been the Larabar, a healthier alternative to all those snack bars on the store shelves. The Larabar has the tagline of being “the original fruit and nut bar” and is made with minimal ingredients. If you read their ingredient labels you’ll find thatRead More
Make Your Own Microwave Popcorn Bags
A few years ago I discovered that if I wanted to quickly make homemade popcorn in the microwave, all I needed was a brown paper lunch bag and some popcorn kernels. There was no need to buy the store bought microwave popcorn bags that always feel so greasy to me. Read More
Using a Yonanas for Healthy DIY Ice Cream
Perhaps you’ve made your own ice cream in the past with a traditional ice cream maker. If you’ve done that, you know the ingredients are lots of milk or cream, and sugar. Unfortunately these are all ingredients we’re trying to have much less of at our house. But ice creamRead More
5 Ways To Keep Apple Slices Fresh
Back in the early days of this blog I wrote a post about how to make your own Apple Dippers. This was a copycat idea of an item on the McDonald’s menu called Apple Dippers (a little bag of sliced apples with dip) and I shared a quick tip to keepRead More
Parmesan Bites Appetizer
Appetizer recipes aren’t your everday recipes. No, appetizer recipes are those recipes you go in search of only a few times during the year for special get-togethers or for the holidays. But even though you might not make them very often, it’s good to have a few dependable appetizer recipesRead More
Pea Guacamole Recipe
It’s not unusual for family or friends to ask me, “What’s coming up next on the blog?” This week when I was asked and I proudly answered “Pea Guacamole!”, well, those folks looked back at me like I had finally gone ’round the bend. Pea Guacamole?? Why in the worldRead More
Patriotic Jars (and Pretzel Treats!)
Holidays can be busy – even the warm weather holidays when we’re supposed to be enjoying the lazy days of summer. So if I’m going to do homemade crafting around any holiday, I like to keep things simple and easy. For the upcoming Fourth of July holiday, I made aRead More
Homemade Cheez-It Crackers
Not every homemade recipe is something you’ll make all the time. I think every cook has a stash of recipes that include the day-to-day basics that get used all the time, but then also has a stash of recipes for special occasions, and those every-now-and-then times where something a littleRead More
Homemade Gifts: Popcorn Seasoning
I hope you’ve enjoyed the homemade gift ideas I’ve shared in the last couple of weeks that are non-sugar ideas for gifts from the kitchen. We’ve looked at a Southwestern Dip Mix spice blend that’s perfect in a cute jar for gift giving, and these delicious Spicy Pecans that canRead More
Homemade Gifts: Spicy Pecans
I love to have quick ideas for homemade food gifts during the holidays. I also like to have some food gift options that aren’t sugar-laden sweets. This recipe works for both those options because it can be put together in just 20 minutes and uses nuts and savory spices. IRead More
Make Your Own Chewy Granola Bars
Granola bars are one of my favorite morning snacks, especially on work days. They’re a quick and easy little bite I can eat at my desk, they don’t make a mess, they’re not too sweet, and they help tide me over until my lunch hour rolls around. I {Read More
Make Your Own Zesty Cheese Wafer Snacks
Do you wish you could make a homemade savory snack without the time and effort of making homemade crackers? Me too. It always seems easier to whip up sweets like homemade cookies than to go to the effort of making tiny homemade crackers. After an attempt at making homemadeRead More
Make Your Own Potato Chips
It’s been said that a big part of getting a job done is having the right tools. *So True* When it came to making my own potato chips this week I had one tool that was perfect, and another tool that was not-so-perfect. What tools did I use? ARead More
Homemade Microwave Popcorn – Do You Even Need A Bag ??
I thought I was pretty clever when I figured out how to make my own microwave popcorn using a brown paper lunch bag. All you have to do is put some unpopped popcorn kernels in a brown bag, fold it over, and stick it in the microwave. Pretty darnRead More
Holiday Treats: White Chocolate Munchie Mix
The Christmas season is upon us once again. It’s the time of year for tinsel and lights, parties and packages, peace on earth, goodwill to men, and . . . Sugar. And Chocolate. Lots of sugar and chocolate please. Bring on the Christmas treats! For the next couple of weeksRead More
Homemade Dill Dip for Chips and Veggies
If you’re the type of person who likes to keep some dip in the house for when the munchies strike, why not Make Your Own by whipping up a batch of this easy homemade dip that’s delicious with fresh veggies or potato chips. This recipe uses common ingredients andRead More
Homemade Microwave Chex Mix
Homemade Chex mix is a favorite snack around our house. Many years ago I started using this recipe because it had instructions for cooking the Chex mix in the microwave, and it has been a tried and true standby in my recipe box ever since. Sure, it’s convenient to pickRead More
Make Your Own Wheat Thins Crackers
Is it worth it to make crackers from scratch? Well, yes and no. I gave this recipe for homemade Wheat Thins a try today and it was a fun little endeavor, but it’s doubtful if I will ever go to the time and effort to make them again. On theRead More
Homemade Crockpot Yogurt
A crockpot (or perhaps you call it a slow cooker) is a super useful kitchen gadget to have around. I’ve gotten lots of use out of my crockpots over the years, primarily for making things like soups and chili. This week, however, I used my crockpot for something a bit moreRead More