Rainbow Cake In a Jar

I made this fun cakes in a jar for my kids' teachers this year to start the year off. I couldn't post earlier because my daughter just got started and I didn't want to ruin the surprise for her teacher! :) Everyone thought that they were super fun and my kids loved that they got to help make them and eat the extras that we had... This recipe makes 4 jars and I had to make it twice since the boys' meet the teacher night was a couple weeks earlier then my daughters. That meant 2 extra jars each time and the kids were definitely excited about that! I attached a label on the side that read "I'm so LUCKY to have you as my teacher this year!"

Rainbow Cake in a Jar
(recipe found at www.tablespoon.com)

1 white cake mix
1 whipped white frosting
3 egg whites, for cake mix
1/3 cup vegetable oil, for cake mix
1 1/4 cup water, for cake mix
neon food colors
regular food colors
4 (1 quart) wide mouth canning jars
nonstick cooking spray

Preheat oven to 350. Wash canning jars and dry thoroughly. Spray glass jar with cooking spray. Make cake batter according to directions on box. Divide batter evenly between 5 small bowls, approximately 1 cup of batter in each bowl. Add 15 drops of neon pink food coloring to the first bowl. Add 14 drops of regular yellow food coloring to the second bowl. Add 24 drops of regular green food coloring to the third bowl. Add 7 drops of neon blue food coloring to the fourth bowl. Add 8 drops of regular red, 7 drops of regular blue and 3 drops of neon purple food coloring to the fifth bowl. Stir each bowl to blend well. Spoon about 1/4 cup of each color batter into each of the jars. Use a paper towel to wipe any spills or drips from the jars. Place the jars in a glass baking dish and add 1/4" of water to the bottom of the dish. Bake for 20-30 minutes or until cake tops spring back from being touched. Allow cakes to cool completely before frosting. Spread frosting over top of cake and decorate as desired.

No Bake Peanut Butter Bars

As usual, no picture with these treats, since I took them to a night out that we were heading to. Good thing that I brought them out with us though because if they would have been left at my house, I would have eaten everything last one of them... They were so simple to throw together and soooo delicious! But come on, was there any doubt? I mean really, chocolate and peanut butter? No brainer recipe here!

No Bake Peanut Butter Bars
(recipe found on pinterest via www.sixsistersstuff.com)

1 cup butter, melted
2 cups graham cracker crumbs
2 cups powdered sugar)
1 cup + 4 tablespoons peanut butter
1 1/2 cups milk chocolate chips

Mix together butter, graham cracker crumbs, powdered sugar, and 1 cup peanut butter in a large bowl until well blended. Press evenly into the bottom of a 9×13 pan. In the microwave, melt the chocolate chips with the peanut butter, stirring every 30 seconds until melted until smooth. Spread over the peanut butter layer. Refrigerate for at least one hour before cutting into squares. See what I mean? Another super easy, delicious recipe!

Minion Cupcakes

So, on the tail of Brody's birthday, we also had Beau's birthday party. What was I thinking, I'm not sure, but I decided to do back to back parties for the boys... Good thing Brody's cake was so easy - Beau's was a little more complicated! Not much more, but you saw how easy Brody's cake was! :) I'm not always the best cake decorator, but my kids loved it and that is all that counts!

Minion Cupcakes
(Recipe found on pinterest via www.gluesticksblog.com)

1 box cake mix, your preferred flavor
1 can frosting
blue food coloring
twinkies (or something similar)
white smarties (this takes a lot of packages of smarties to find all white ones!)

Bake up your cupcakes as directed on box. Allow to cool and frost with frosting mix to the blue tint that you desire. Cut twinkies in half. Place 2 smarties on the twinkie half, using frosting as a glue to get them to stay. Add frosting lines for glasses and mouth. Place twinkie on top of cupcake. Repeat until all cupcakes are minionized!

Minecraft Creeper Cake

So, I don't know much about minecraft, but I know that I have 2 boys that insist on playing it on their ipods all the time!! They have a blast with it and they have a bunch of cousins that are addicted to it as well. So, when I saw this birthday cake on pinterest, I knew I had to give it a whirl for Brody's birthday... It was so simple that I almost felt like I was cheating him! :) It saved me some time and he loved it! YAY!!



Minecraft Creeper Cake
(idea found on pinterest)

1 box cake mix, whatever flavor you prefer
1 container white frosting
green food coloring
kit kat bars (I bought 2 king size to have enough - for the cake and me, I love kit kats!)

Prepare cake according to directions on box. Mix green food coloring with frosting until you have the green shade that you desire. Frost cake and place kit kat pieces on cake to look like picture. Walah! You are finished... See, told you it was easy peasy!

Southwestern Slow Cooker Chicken

Another quick crock pot recipe to not heat up your kitchen... Perfect for summer days or for winter ones when you don't want to have to cook when you get home from a busy day! This was super yummy and we have had it a couple of times. I served it with the chicken whole and I have also shredded up the chicken and served it over rice. Delish either way!

Southwestern Slow Cooker Chicken
(recipe found at www.simple-nourished-living.com)

2 cans (15 1/2 ounces) corn, drained
1 can (15 ounces) black beans, rinsed and drained
1 jar (16 ounces) chunky salsa, divided
6 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
southwest seasoning blend
1 cup low fat shredded mexican cheese blend

Combine the corn, black beans and 1/2 cup salsa in a crock pot. Season chicken with seasoning blend and add to crock pot. Top with remaining salsa. Cover and cook on high for 3-4 hours or on low for 7-8 hours. Sprinkle with cheese and cover for 5 additional minute to melt cheese.

Barbecue Meat Loaf Minis

My kids are big on anything that they can pick up and eat with their hands. Meatloaf in muffin form? That works perfectly! These were a tasty supper that was easy to throw together and even take with us to a game!

Barbecue Meat Loaf Minis
(recipe found in Taste of Home)

1 (6 ounces) package stuffing mix
1 cup water
2 tablespoons barbecue sauce
1 pound ground beef
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Combine stuffing mix, water and barbecue sauce. Mix in ground beef. Place 1/3 cup into each of 12 muffin cups. Bake at 375, uncovered, for 18-22 minutes or until meat is no longer pink in middle. Sprinkle tops with cheese; bake 2-4 minutes longer or until cheese is melted.

Patty's Three Bean Hot Dish

This was a dish that I made for a family gathering and while everyone raved about it, of course I didn't take a picture! I even made it twice this summer, that's how much we liked it... I don't know how to get myself out the door on time, so the thought of taking a picture before I leave doesn't even cross my mind! So, you will have to mentally picture this one and know that it is worth making! In fact writing this post has made me a little hungry for it and it might be on the menu soon again! :) Maybe I will get a picture of it then... Feel free to mix up what types of beans that you add to it. I couldn't find butter beans at my grocery store, so I substituted black beans one time and pinto beans another...

Patty's Three Bean Hot Dish
(recipe found at www.justapinch.com)

2 cans pork n' beans
1 cans kidney beans, drained
1 cans butter beans, drained
1 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup ketchup
1 small onion, cut into small pieces
1 teaspoon dry mustard
1 pound bacon, chopped
1 pound ground beef, browned

Fry chopped bacon in skillet. When almost crispy add onion and continue to cook until bacon is done. Drain. Add all ingredients to crockpot. Stir and cook on high for 4 hours. Stir and then cook for an additional 2 hours.