Caramel Apple Pretzel Salad

I found my new favorite side dish! This was like heaven in a bowl and I got asked for the recipe more than once in the few hours that we were at the gathering I brought this to. So delicious and my mouth is watering just thinking about tasting it again! It was a definite hit!

Caramel Apple Pretzel Salad
(Recipe found at thegunnysack.com via pinterest.com)

1 cup pretzels, roughly chopped (measure after chopping)
1/2 cup pecans, chopped (measure after chopping)
3/4 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup butter, melted

Cream Cheese Mixture:
8 ounces cream cheese, softened to room temperature
3 cups diced apples (about 2 large apples)
1/2 cup caramel sauce
3 cups whipped topping or whipped cream

Sugared Pretzels:
Mix together crushed pretzels, chopped pecans, brown sugar and melted butter. Spread in a large baking sheet with sides and bake at 400 for 7 minutes. Allow the mixture to cool and then break it into small pieces.
Cream Cheese Mixture:
Beat the softened cream cheese until smooth. Beat in the caramel sauce until smooth. Fold in whipped topping. Stir in the diced apples and sugared pretzels

Strawberry Cheesecake Salad

I took this to a family reunion that we had this past summer. Not the best side dish to bring if you are stuck outside in the heat... It was super yummy, but definitely didn't hold up in the heat so well. Good thing that we ate as soon as we got there or I might have had a lot left over when I went home!

Strawberry Cheesecake Salad
(Recipe found at timeforsupper.blogspot.com via pinterest)

12 ounces whipped topping
1 small package of cheesecake pudding (powder)
18 ounces strawberry yogurt
1 pound fresh strawberries, sliced
3 bananas, sliced (add just before serving or they brown)
miniature marshmallows (add just before serving)

Thaw whipped topping and in a large salad bowl stir together whipped topping, yogurts, and pudding powder. Let this set up in the fridge for at least an hour before serving. Wash and slice strawberries. You can add strawberries to salad or wait to add them with sliced bananas and marshmallows just before serving. Keep refrigerated.

Secret Fruit Salad

I took this side dish to the boys' wrestling banquet, doubled it and barely came home with any!! It was super easy to make and a great healthy side to go with the hot dogs and chips that they were serving! I didn't see a lot of plates that didn't have at least a little of this on them... You can definitely change the fruit up to whatever floats your boat, but it was fabulous as the recipe calls!

Secret Fruit Salad
(recipe found on pinterest via rachelschultz.com)

2 tablespoons dry instant vanilla pudding mix
1 pound of strawberries, quartered
1/2 pint blueberries
1/2 pint raspberries
1/2 pineapple, cubed
1 bunch grapes

Sprinkle pudding powder over fruit and stir. Serve immediately or allow to sit overnight.

Crunchy Apple and Grape Salad

This recipe was a super hit!! Seriously, by the time I even had a chance to sit down and try the food that I had made, I had at least 3 people ask me what was in the fruit salad and if they could have the recipe! That is a sure sign that everyone enjoyed it! I will definitely be making it again... I love the taste of cinnamon paired with fruit, so it definitely kicked the "dressing" of the recipe up a notch... Yummy! Good thing that I had leftovers (I doubled the recipe for the party we had) so that I could experience it all again right away!

Crunchy Apple and Grape Salad
(recipe found on pinterest via what2cook.net)

DRESSING
1 cup lowfat vanilla yogurt
1/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup light mayonnaise
juice from 1/2 lemon
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

FRUITS
3 apples, cored and chopped
1 pear, cored and chopped
1 celery stalk, chopped
2 cups seedless grapes, halved
1/2 cup slivered almonds
1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Mix all the dressing ingredients together in a medium-sized bowl. Stick this in the fridge while you make the salad. Once you have all the fruit and nuts chopped up, pour the dressing over and stir gently to coat. Refrigerate any leftovers.

Guilt Free Apple Dessert

I have been trying harder to get in a few extra servings of fruits and vegetables in and this was a great way to do it! It tasted like a sweet dessert without being full of sugar... Definitely a good snack that I have had a few times since the first time!

Guilt Free Apple Dessert
(recipe found on pinterest)

apple
cinnamon, to taste
1/4 cup water

Using apple corer, core apple and arrange slices in microwave safe bowl. Add water, cover and microwave for two minutes. Uncover, sprinkle with cinnamon and enjoy!

Cat in the Hat Skewers

These cute Cat in the Hat skewers were also on my list for Dr. Seuss night at ECFE. They were super easy to throw together - I only had a red food coloring pen and couldn't find a fine point black edible pen at the store that I was shopping at, so I wasn't super impressed with how the faces turned out but they got the idea when they were scarfing them down! :)

large marshmallows
strawberries
bananas

Follow the picture for directions on how to recreate these skewers!

Brown Sugar Baked Peaches

This recipe looked so good that both my sister in law and I pinned it and brought along the ingredients when we went on our week long camping vacation! Although I beat her to making it, my nephew did an awesome job assembling the baked peaches and we all tremendously enjoyed them! I mean, look at how hard he is concentrating!!

Brown Sugar Baked Peaches
(recipe found on pinterest via recipesweet.net)

1 fresh peach
1 tsp. unsalted butter, divided
2 to 4 tsp. brown sugar, divided
Sprinkling of ground cinnamon, to taste

Cut peach in half and place on baking pan. Top with butter, then brown sugar, and finish with cinnamon. Bake at 375 for 30 minutes.

Breakfast Quesadilla

This was a fun, quick and easy breakfast that I served up while we were camping one weekend. It would be great for on the go breakfast or even a snack when the kids get home from school, if you can find strawberries! :) Mix it up with whatever fruit you want...

Breakfast Quesadilla
(recipe found on pinterest)

tortilla shells
peanut butter
strawberries, sliced
banana, sliced
chocolate chips

Spray outside of two tortilla shells with small amount of cooking spray. Spread peanut butter on bottom tortilla shell. Place banana slices on top of peanut butter, followed by strawberries. Sprinkle with chocolate chips and cover with additional tortilla shell. Heat skillet over medium heat and brown tortilla shells. Cut into wedges and serve.

Peach Breakfast Bake

This was a wonderful breakfast - so yummy that it tasted like a dessert! The kids and I all loved it... I like the shredded wheat minis, but not so much the big shredded wheat so we had a big box left over. I was able to hand it over to my grandma since she enjoys it more then me, but next time I might look for a crunchy alternative that I might actually use the rest of! :)

Peach Breakfast Bake
(recipe found on pinterest via chocolatecoveredkatie.com)

2 1/2 cups sliced peaches
1/2 tablespoon lemon juice
1/2 tablespoon cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
3/4 cup shredded wheat, crushed
2 tablespoon brown sugar
1/4 cup sugar
1 tablespoon melted butter or oil
1 tablespoon applesauce (For a more buttery taste, replace this with an extra tbsp of the margarine)
1/4 teaspoon salt
yogurt

Preheat oven to 350F. Mix peaches, lemon, cornstarch, cinnamon, 1/2 the salt, and 1/2 the sugar in a bowl. Let sit for ten minutes. Meanwhile, stir the crushed cereal, remaining sugar, remaining salt, melted butter or oil and applesauce in a bowl until well-blended. Spread the peach mixture in a small baking pan and top with the cereal mixture. Bake for 45 minutes. When serving, top with yogurt.

Apple Nachos

Happy Halloween!! I always try to come up with something fun that the kids can have for lunch, snack or supper on Halloween and I am definitely going to bust this one back out! It is way healthier then all the candy that they are going to be carting in tonight... You can switch this up as much as you want, add whatever toppings that you feel your family would like. I skipped the lemon juice since I put these on the plate and served them up right away. I don't think that there was enough time for the air to even hit the apples and brown them! :)

Apple Nachos
(recipe found on pinterest via http://www.manifestvegan.com)

3 apples, sliced
1 teaspoon lemon juice
3 tablespoons peanut butter
1/4 cup sliced almonds
1/4 cup pecans
1/4 cup flaked coconut
1/4 cup chocolate chips
caramel

Place sliced apples on a plate. Cover with lemon juice. Melt peanut butter until super runny and drizzle over apples. Sprinkle with remaining ingredients and top with drizzled caramel. Eat up!

Jello Pineapple

So one of my best buds and walking partner shared a little treat that she remembered having whenever she visited a friend's house in high school. So simple and they begged for it every time that they were there... I thought it sounded like something fun for the daycare kids and definitely easy so we tried it out the other day. I only had one tell me that they didn't like it otherwise the rest gave it definite thumbs up!! We have already had it a few times!! I have only done it with the pineapple slices, but I would like to try it soon with the pineapple chunks - less work of cutting it up when it is serving time.

Jello Pineapple
(recipe found from THEE ravishing Rachel Close)

2 cans sliced pineapples
1 small package jello (any flavor)

Open up cans of pineapples. Drain juices and separate pineapple slices as much as possible. Make jello according to directions on package. Pour into cans of pineapple. Place in fridge until set.

Grilled Banana Splits

My oldest had his first play date the other night and I wanted to make some fun treats for them after supper... I had just picked up a batch of bananas and I remembered seeing this recipe before. I searched online and came up with it in time to make these sweet treats for the kids (and one for myself!) :)



Grilled Banana Splits
(recipe found at www.tasteofhome.com)

4 ripe bananas
chocolate chips
marshmallows

Cut a slit in each banana 1/2" deep, leaving 1/2" at the top and bottom of the banana. Spread slit apart to create a pouch. Stuff slit with chocolate chips and top with marshmallows. Create a "boat" with the tin foil around the banana and grill, covered, until marshmallows begin to expand and are browned. Serve warm.

Fruit Salad

I just found my new favorite summer side salad - heck, I might make this all year long!! It is so yummy and not too unhealthy for you either... I mean, fruit, yogurt? So what if it has a tub of cool whip and a box of pudding mix? It is so creamy and delicious and then the tart of the berries.... YUMMY!!



Fruit Salad
(recipe found at http://www.becomingbetty.blogspot.com/)

2 small bags frozen mixed berries
1 tub cool whip
1 large container vanilla yogurt
1 small package cheesecake pudding mix

Pour berries into a large bowl. Add cool whip and yogurt and sprinkle in pudding mix. Stir until well combined. Chill before serving.

Grandma Polman's Fruit Salad

Happy Valentine's Day!!

This is a side dish that my grandma used to make a lot when we were little. I finally asked her for the recipe when I was "all growed up" and it couldn't be simpler. So, when we were gathering for the Superbowl, I thought this would be something a little healthier to have as a side dish instead of all the snacky food that will be there also. Not that I mind loading up on the snacky food, but for a supper I would like to have my kids eat at least a little bit healthy...



Grandma Polman's Fruit Salad

3 apples, chopped
1 big can of orange slices, drained
1 can pineapple chunks, drained
3 bananas, sliced
1 pint whipping cream
1/2 cup sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla

Mix together whipping cream, sugar and vanilla until thick. Add fruit and mix together.

Strawberry Shortcake

This is a treat that I have to make at least once, every time that I have strawberries on hand! :) My family, especially Josh, loves this yummy goodness and it is super easy to make...

Strawberry Shortcake
(recipe found on regular bisquick box)

2 1/3 cups Bisquick baking mix
3 Tbsp butter, melted
1/2 cup milk
3 Tbsp sugar
4 cups strawberries
1/2 cup sugar

Add sugar to cut up strawberries and refrigerate for a few hours to allow flavors to blend.

Heat oven to 425°F. Stir baking mix, melted butter, milk, and 3 Tbsp of sugar in a mixing bowl until soft dough forms. Drop by 6 spoonfuls on to a greased cookie sheet. Bake 10-12 minutes or until golden brown.

Top with strawberries, sugar and cream or milk, whatever you have on hand...

Chunky Applesauce

What do you do with all these apples?

This might work, if you have enough kids.... Which I do, running a daycare! :)

Or this is even better!

My brother actually compared it to apple pie when he tasted it. I think that it tastes great cold, but he loved it better when it was still warm. However you like it, it is simple to make and quickly gobbled up!

Chunky Applesauce
(Taste of Home recipe)
Yields: 5 cups

8-10 large tart apples, peeled and cut into chunks
sugar substitute equivalent to 1/2 to 1 cup sugar - I just used real sugar! :)
1/2 cup water
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Combine apples, sugar substitute, water and cinnamon in a 3 quart slow cooker; stir gently. Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours or until apples are tender.

Mine took only about 6 hours and the aroma throughout my house was heavenly! The recipe says that it would be good, warm over ice cream... Didn't get a chance to try this, it was gone way to fast! Maybe the next batch!