Tickled Tastebuds Tuesday

MMM...popcorn.

OOO....peanut butter!

You'd think I were pregnant, the way I've been craving these two food items.

I have been out of control!!!

No, Im not preggers but, even so...I am totally feeding into my cravings!

I found this recipe that COMBINES my two loves & made one tasty treat.

So, I am sharing my newest addiction with all of you and I hope its tastes as yummy to you as it does to me!

Sweet Peanut Butter Popcorn

Ingredients:

2 (3.5 ounce) packages microwave popcorn, popped

1/2 cup margarine

3/4 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup peanut butter

20 large marshmallows

Directions:

Pour popcorn into a large bowl. In a glass or plastic bowl, combine the margarine, brown sugar, and marshmallows.

Cook at 1 minute intervals in the microwave, stirring between each time, until the mixture is melted and smooth.

Stir in the peanut butter until well blended. Pour the melted mixture over the popcorn, and stir quickly to coat the corn before it cools.

Enjoy!

-Amanda

Pic borrowed from: http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Peanut-Butter-Popcorn/Detail.aspx

Handmade Favor Bags

My little boy had his 5th birthday party on Saturday (sad!) and I wanted to have a handmade party favor to give to the kiddies.


I decided on personalized drawstring bags for goodies.


I used this {super easy} tutorial, and made 20 goody bags. 

Had to be careful with this picture... I can spell a swear word with all those initials!

I added an initial to each before assembling them, as well as bead{s} to the drawstring.

This was the first time I have used my free-motion foot for appliqué. Holy easy!


 

I had a really really hard time letting these sweet things leave my house! 

We filled them with candies, squirt guns and bubbles, and Lip Smackers for the girls.


This was a fabulous project for stash busting! And all 20 bags took me about 4 hours total. (That 4 hours includes changing diapers and making lunch:) )


<3 AmberLou

Tickled Tastebuds Tuesday

I have been gluten free for 2 years now!

I am constantly looking for new recipes to try out and this one is awesome!

Of course I forgot to take a photo of my homemade cake so Im borrowing the image from allrecipes.com....which is where I found this delicious cake recipe. 

{Their image is much cuter than any pic I could take anyways!}

Gluten Free Yellow Cake

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups white rice flour

3/4 cup tapioca flour

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

3 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon xanthan gum

4 eggs

1 1/4 cups white sugar

2/3 cup mayonnaise

1 cup milk

2 teaspoons gluten-free vanilla extract

Directions

1.Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and rice flour two 8 or 9 inch round cake pans.

2.Mix the white rice flour, tapioca flour, salt, baking soda, baking powder and xanthan gum together and set aside.

3.Mix the eggs, sugar, and mayonnaise until fluffy. Add the flour mixture, milk and vanilla and mix well. Spread batter into the prepared pans.

4.Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 25 minutes. Cakes are done when they spring back when lightly touched or when a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Let cool completely then frost, if desired.

-Amanda

Tickled Tastebuds Tuesday

I absolutely LOVE all the variations of Chex Mix snacks/treats!

Not being able to eat gluten has no bearing here because the cereal contains no gluten. {except for the wheat chex!} So, I often look to Chex Mix recipes when I need a yummy treat.

Here is one that I thought was especially delicious...and summery.

{Sorry I cant get the image to post.}

Tropical Island Chex Mix

 

8 cups Rice Chex® cereal

1 cup shredded coconut, if desired

1 cup dried banana chips

1 package (7 oz) dried tropical three-fruit mix

1 jar (3 oz) macadamia nuts

3 tablespoons butter or margarine

1/4 cup packed brown sugar

1/4 cup frozen (thawed) pineapple or orange juice concentrate

1) In large microwavable bowl, mix cereal, coconut, banana chips, tropical three-fruit mix and nuts.

2) In microwavable measuring cup, microwave butter uncovered on High about 30 seconds or until melted.

Stir in brown sugar and pineapple juice concentrate.

Microwave uncovered on High about 30 seconds or until hot.

Stir; pour over cereal mixture, stirring until evenly coated.

3) Microwave uncovered on High 6 to 8 minutes, stirring every 2 minutes, until mixture just begins to brown. Spread on waxed paper or foil; cool about 15 minutes.

Store in airtight container.

-Amanda

Family Geography

My little boy has been on a map kick lately.  I have no idea how it started. He's been drawing maps from our house to the post office, maps from the kitchen to his bedroom, maps of Tutu's island (Maui), maps of the world, and {oddly} maps of Jerusalem. (?)

I bought a globe awhile ago, and he's very good at finding our state, and Tutu's island, but he's  had a hard time keeping track of where his aunties, uncles, grandpas and cousins live. 

I found this map at Staples. 

Hung it on his wall,

and printed up pictures of all his far-away relations. 

I traced a circle using the bottom of my salt shaker, 

and cut them all out

I glued them to a sheet of yellow cardstock (he picked the color) 

and cut them out so they have a point. (So they point to the city!)

 We stuck them to the map with sticky-tac (so they're movable. My family move a lot.)

I need to get a few more pictures to add to the map... I wish I knew someone on the East coast... that part of this map looks lonely...

This has been a really fun way for my four-year-old to understand geography a {little bit} better. 

<3 AmberLou


sharing at a few of these parties...