Easy DIY Ladybug Valentine's for Kids with Welch's Fruit Snacks

Valentine's Day embraces all things sweet! From cards to decorations and of course, the treats!

Thanks to Welch's Fruit Snacks for se

This year we are making an effort to offer healthier alternatives to the standard miniature chocolates and hard suckers. Our go to choice was fruit snacks and naturally, we turned to Welch's this year! They have these awesome emoji designs out just in time for Valentine's Day!



Inspired by the warm fuzzy feelings that my children give me when they are happy, I came up with this sweet little handmade Valentine to share with Rolf's classroom at their party next week!

These are so cute and easy to make!




One black sheet of construction paper
One red sheet of construction paper
2 googly eyes
One long section of red ribbon
One pink doily heart
Glue
Scissors
Stickers
Welch's Fruit Snacks


Begin by cutting an oval for the body, a medium size heart for the head and several smaller hearts from the back paper.

Cut 2 smaller ovals and a small red heart from the red paper.

Place the two red ovals on the sides of the black oval for wings.

Cut your heart doily in half. Glue one half on each wing.

Add the black heart to the top of the wings to make a head.

Glue 2 googly eyes on the heart head.

Glue the small red heart for a mouth on the head.

Curl on 3 inch section of ribbon for the antenna.

Decorate the body with the small black hearts and a few fun stickers!

Take the rest of the ribbon and tie it around the body, then affix the fruit snacks to the back of the card.


There you have a sweet and cute candy free Valentine Treat!




Welch's Fruit Snacks are available in these fantastic 28 count packages that are perfect for Valentine treat sharing, or just a tasty after school snack! Have you ever given fruit snacks at a holiday party?



8 Crafts and Recipes to Make for Groundhog Day!

Groundhog Day is a fun way to break up the monotony of winter while offering a healthy dose of optimism! These craft and snack ideas are the perfect way to add a little something special to the day, for the delight of the kids!

These ideas are cute and easy and I know you are going to love them! I can't wait to hear which one is your favorite! I can't go wrong with any of the pudding ideas as my kids are serious pudding fans! HA!



Groundhog Pudding Cups

Groundhog Pancakes

Groundhog Parfait

Quick and Easy Groundhog Pudding Cups

Groundhog Cup Craft

Groundhog Face Craft

Shadow Puppet Play 

Aren't these adorable and easy ideas!? I think we are kind of obligated to make the groundhog face craft because it is crazy cute!

8 Scrumptious Red Velvet Recipes

Red Velvet is one of my favorite flavors. From Red Velvet Cappuccinos to those yummy little Russel Stover Candies that beg to be devoured and of course, we can't forget the cakes! This year I want to make something incredibly sweet to share with my friends and family and naturally, I am leaning towards Red Velvet!

I have 8 awesome sweets to share from some of my favorite blogs, and a one of my own to add into the mix for your easy reference!



Red Velvet Squares with Cream Cheese Filling

Red Velvet Strawberry Parfaits

Red Velvet Cupcakes

Red Velvet Ice Cream

Red Velvet Cookie Bars

Red Velvet Fudge

Red Velvet Oreo Cupcakes

Easy Red Velvet Cookies





One of my favorite Red Velvet Recipes is Blueberry Red Velvet Whoopie Pies. Oh my gosh, these are so good! What is your favorite way to enjoy the flavors of Red Velvet desserts?


The Topiary Park of Columbus

Columbus Ohio is one of our go-to places for family fun. The city has so much to offer to families. From the Columbus Museum of Art to the awesome playgrounds for kids, there is always something to do in Columbus!



A few weeks ago we attended Brick Universe, to the delight of my Lego loving kids. After we had taken the time to play with all kinds of legos and browse the vendors, we decided to take in the Topiary Park of Columbus on Town Street. This is such a lovely little spot in the city. If you have never been, you are really missing out on something amazing.



Giving my kids exposure to art is important to me. Both kids love to sculpt with playdough and they both love to draw. Encouraging their love of the arts keeps them interested in creating! A little-known fact is that as a child, I wanted to be a fashion designer. I often wonder what might have been if only someone told me to keep sketching or had taken me to a fashion week kind of thing...



So, as we arrived at the Park, and found ample parking opportunities, we entered an almost empty park. An elderly man sat reading on a bench. At the other end of the park, a father-son duo conversed quietly. It was nice to be able to allow the kids a little freedom to stretch their legs and observe this living art in their own ways.


The park is one of a kind. It is a gorgeous, green and lush atmosphere with breathtaking flowers, a pristine pond, and these amazing topiaries. It is an interpretation of the painting A Sunday Afternoon on the Isle of La Grand Jatte by Georges Seurat.


The experience is delightful. It offers one the chance to walk amongst the art, a rare occasion in this digital day we live in. The stroll was nothing short of magical for my kids. They have been several times and they never tire of a trip to The Topiary Park of Columbus.

I loved how serene the park was, despite the location in the city. If I were frequently in the downtown area, I could see myself slipping away to the Topiary Park for coffee and contemplation or a dreamy place to pass time with a good book in hand.

Paper Plate Lion Craft

This easy paper plate lion craft requires basic supplies and makes for a roaring good craft for the little ones!



I am an advocate for crafting with kids! I think that with simple supplies you can open up an entire world for the kids. This easy paper plate lion craft is a perfect activity for preschoolers and kindergarteners. It utilizes fine motor skills and it gives kids a chance to explore their own wild side as they give their paper plate lion a personality!



To make this easy craft we used:
Kwik Stik
Uncooked Rotini Noodles
A clean paper plate
school glue
2 googly eyes

Begin by painting the rim of the plate orange
Paint the center of the plate yellow
glue rotini noodles on the rim of the plate to make the mane
Add eyes
Draw on a face with your Kwik Stik






We love to make easy crafts! With 2 kids under the age of 6, I grab every opportunity I can to get crafty with them! Some of you might be familiar with my crafting show on facebook live, where we make a lot of adorable and easy crafts, if not, I hope you will join me on the Quirky Momma facebook page on Monday or Friday nights at 8:30 pm, or Wednesdays at 9 am eastern or 7:30 pm.

Find more paper plate crafts here:

Mason Jar Lasagna

Mason Jar Lasagna is a fun way to easily take a favorite dish picnic style for date night or a family dinner at the park!



There is something about mason jars that make me giddy. They are so incredibly useful; they are cute and come in so many shapes and sizes, and they are perfect for taking delicious things just about anywhere! 

There is also something about lasagna that makes me swoon. The layers, the cheesy dreamy textures, the sauce. Sigh, now that folks, is what dinner is all about the euphoria the mention of a food, like lasagna, can give you!


I brought these 2 favorite things together to create an awesome dish to take along with us, while we enjoyed this unseasonably nice Ohio winter weather! Mason Jar Lasagna keeps warm during the transport, is so easy to eat, where ever and it adds so many amazing layers to the dish that who could resist it?



My recipe is a little better than anyone else's because of my secret ingredient cream sauce, but I am going to share it with you because anything this yummy should be shared with a smile!


Ingredients:
1 pound of Ground Beef, browned
1 jar of your favorite pasta sauce
8 lasagna noodles broken into chunks to fit into a mason jar
2 cups of mozzarella or Italian Cheese
1/2 cup of sliced mushrooms
1 cup of diced onions and green peppers
Secret Cream Sauce {see below}

Directions
Begin layering all ingredients into jars until they are almost full. 
Seal the jars and submerge them in a pot of boiling water for about 10-12 minutes until the noodles are cooked and the layers are thoroughly heated. 
Carefully remove them and wrap them in towels to transport, or pop the lids off and enjoy right away. These jars will stay piping hot for about 25 to 30 minutes!





Secret Recipe Cream Sauce for Lasagna
1 block of cream cheese
2 ounces of milk
garlic powder
Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until the cream cheese is completely melted


This is such an easy recipe for a yummy dinner that is packed full of veggies and cheese, not to mention meat and sauce!

Do you have a favorite mason jar recipe? I would love to hear about it!


Let Goldfish Lend a Helping Hand to Family Fun Time

                             

Being a mom means I wear many hats; from the schedule coordinator to the sorter of socks; the head chef and the chief smile officer. I also fill in a lot of supporting roles for my family; I am the activity coordinator we are always up for a creative project on my tour of duty which is otherwise known as being a Mom.

Not long ago, I got to wear a few of those hats I juggle all at the same time. My son came home from school and he felt glum. I assessed the situation and worked up a plan to make him smile while spending time together and having a snack.

We love Goldfish, it is a snack I feel good about offering my growing kids. Not only are they a tasty snack, but they are also baked with real cheese and they are free of artificial flavors and colors! Goldfish are the perfect snack when someone feels blue.

On this day, we went with Goldfish Colors, to brighten the day. Mr. SayCheese was looking a little happier, but I knew we could do better than that. We took snack time to a whole new level and made this fun stop motion video together.






It took a while, we munched many Goldfish as we brainstormed, but when it was finished, my son was smiling, he had snacked in style, and a few encouraging words helped his mood. After all, it was Quality Time, Spent Like a Couple of Bosses!

Guess what you guys?! You can visit this awesome Goldfish Smiles site to get inspired and learn more about the Goldfish Tales Animation Xperience! While you are there, visit the GoldfishTales page to submit your stop motion for a chance to win $5,000!


Salsa Steak Kebabs

The  weather is turning colder, but there is still time to fire up your grill and make something amazing like Salsa Steak Kebabs for dinner!


I don't know much about steak you guys. I really only eat it every few years. Sometimes I feel bad for my husband, who happens to love steak. So, a few weeks ago I made him something yummy, spicy and meaty! He was most pleased with the results and assured me anyone who likes meat will like this recipe!



Ingredients:

bacon pieces
green pepper
onion
steak cut into small rounds
salsa
salsa verde
skewers, presoaked in water
tortilla shells, soft



Directions:
Cut your onion and green pepper into small chunks
Make a few thin slits into your steak rounds, so that the salsa can soak into the meat.
Place salsa verde directly onto the meat, 
Place bacon bits on the salsa then add a chunk of pepper and a chunk of onion, wrap the meat around the veggies and salsa and thread it on to the skewer.
Add a chunk of onion and pepper to the skewer.
Repeat until you run out of veggies and meat.



Grill for 6-8 minutes, flipping half way through. Adjust cooking time to reflect what is recommended for the cut of meat you are using.
Place a skewer on a tortilla shell and slide the kebab off of the skewer.
Top with additional salsa, sour cream or ranch dressing.
Wrap and enjoy.


This was an easy to make and even easier to eat dinner. My husband loved it and has been asking me to make it again with chicken


How do you like to make your steak a little spicier? Tell me about it in a comment.


Grape Nuts Bark





The holidays are here and it is time to savor the moments with family! My family has been crafting, decorating, watching Christmas cartoons and movies and of course, eating all of the yummy holiday goodies we can get our hands on!



We can't help but be a little excited, thanks to all the peeks we have been getting of the trailer for the new film hitting theaters, SING©. My kids think this should be one of the films we head to see this holiday season, and I can't agree more. Taking in a few movies as a family is one of our many holiday traditions!

I can't help but agree with them. We have to go see SING© and I have made a treat that the kids are singing in delight for. The adults I know also sang with pleasure and appreciation for their waistlines. With the help of Grape Nuts© at my local Kroger I was able to make an incredible and easy snack that indulges the sweet tooth while packing a wholesome punch that is downright crunchy crave-able!



To make your holiday traditions a little sweeter, head out and grab a box of Grape Nuts so you can try this yummy Grape Nuts recipe. It is so easy, all you will need is chocolate candy coating and Grape Nuts.



First, melt your candy coating in the microwave or in a double boiler. Stirring often.
Second, line a cookie sheet with wax paper.



Third, spread your melted chocolate on the wax paper lined cookie sheet.


Last, sprinkle Grape Nuts over the melted chocolate. Place the cookie sheet into the fridge and allow to harden, it will take about 20-30 minutes. When the chocolate is hard, break it into small chunks for an incredibly delicious and wholesome Grape Nuts Bark!



If you are excited to see SING© starting on 12/21, you are going to want to  redeem this coupon on your purchase participating Post Cereal Brands and enter the SING© Sweepstakes for a chance to win the $100,000 grand prize plus the chance to instantly win lots of prizes including movie tickets, speakers and more.



NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. Promotion starts 11/1/16 at 12:00 PM (noon) ET and ends 3/31/2017 at 11:59:59 PM ET. Open only to legal residents of the 50 US/DC, 18 years of age or older. See Official Rules for instructions on how to enter, how to obtain codes without purchase, prize details, restrictions, odds of winning, etc. Void where prohibited by law. Sponsor:  Post Consumer Brands, LLC.


Best Dinner Rolls Recipe

There is nothing like homemade bread. This recipe is simple but yields big flavorful results!


easy homemade bread



Baking bread is my passion. I do it often and lose myself in the process, letting my stress melt away as I work the dough. It is a magical process for me.

I make bread all the time, but I have never shared this with you guys. Why is that? I have no idea! So today I want to share my best dinner roll recipe with you. It also makes lovely loaves of fresh white bread.

Ingredients

3 1/2 cups of flour
1/2 stick of real butter, softened
1/4 cup of sugar
1 teaspoon of salt
2 1/2 teaspoons of active dry yeast
1 cup of warm milk
1 egg
1 teaspoons of butter flavored crisco 
2 tablespoons of melted butter




Directions
Take a large mixing bowl, 'grease' it with Crisco and set it aside.
Add warm milk, sugar and yeast to a medium size mixing bowl. Stir it up and allow it to rest for 5 minutes.
Add butter, egg, salt and 1 cup of flour to the milk mixture, stir to break up butter and egg.
When those ingredients are incorporated add remaining flour.
As the mixture begins to form dough begin mixing with your hands, let that turn to kneading.
Knead the dough for about 3 minutes or until it is soft and pliable in your hands.




Transfer the dough to the greased mixing bowl and allow it to rise for about 30 minutes.
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
You can tell the dough is ready when you press a finger into it and the dough rises to fill in the indentation.




Next, liberally butter the loaf pan or baking dish you are going to bake in.
Split the dough into handful size portions for dinner rolls or 2 large rounds for a loaves allow to rest and rise a second time for about an hour.

Brush tops of rolls or loaves with melted butter and bake for 25 to 30 minutes. The tops will be a lovely golden color when the bread is done.


You can find more easy recipes here

You can make rolls in a slow cooker too!

Slow Cooker Dinner Rolls and a Giveaway

This conversation was sponsored but the recipe is from me to you, no strings attached, because I know you will love it!

This slow cooker dinner roll recipe is perfect for when the craving for bread hits but you are short on time.


I love to bake bread. It is one of those things that relaxes me and returns me to a simpler life, the aromas that come from my kitchen as the bread transforms from simple ingredients takes me back in time to my childhood, on Sunday mornings when my grandfather would bake fresh bread.

I had never baked in a slow cooker before so when Hamilton Beach offered to send me their awesome Professional Sous Vide and Slow Cooker I knew exactly what I wanted to make. Something different, something simple, something anyone could make without fail.

Slow Cooker Dinner Rolls! This recipe also works well for oven baked bread.


Slow Cooker Dinner Rolls

3 1/2 cups of flour
1/2 stick of real butter, softened
1/4 cup of sugar
1 teaspoon of salt
2 1/2 teaspoons of active dry yeast
1 cup of warm milk
1 egg
1 teaspoons of butter flavored crisco

Take a large mixing bowl, 'grease' it with Crisco and set it aside.

Add warm milk, sugar and yeast to a medium size mixing bowl. Stir it up and allow it to rest for 5 minutes.
Add butter, egg, salt and 1 cup of flour to the milk mixture, stir to break up butter and egg.
When those ingredients are incorporated add remaining flour.
As the mixture begins to form dough begin mixing with your hands, let that turn to kneading.
Knead the dough for about 3 minutes or until it is soft and pliable in your hands.

Transfer the dough to the greased mixing bowl and allow it to rise for about 30 minutes.



For the next step, I turned to my Hamilton Beach Professional Sous Vide and Slow Cooker, as it was cold in my drafty old house and you need a warm environment to successfully raise bread.



I liberally rubbed butter on the sides of the slow cooker pan, next I tore off handfuls of dough and formed it into balls, lining the slow cooker with the balls, spaced about 1/4 apart.
I turned my slow cooker on low for a 4-hour setting.
This allowed my dinner rolls adequate time to rise, then bake.



My rolls came out nicely. They had a delicious golden brown crust but they were as soft as cotton inside and out. The appearance isn't quite as gorgeous as traditional oven baked rolls, as it seems they didn't get as puffy, but the flavor is just as great.



This is a great way to bake bread when you have a busy day planned, or when your oven is tied up. If you happen to not have an oven, you will be so thankful to have this easy and delicious slow cooker dinner roll recipe for the next time a bread craving hits you!

I am crazy about the Hamilton Beach Professional Sous Vide and Slow Cooker, let me tell you what I like about it.

It holds 6 quarts, so it is perfect for cooking for a crowd, it does double duty on cooking capabilities, acting as both a sweet slow cooker and a sous vide cooker, which is a wonderful way to cook with water. It is easy to use, easy to clean and it has a timer! That is so nice!

This slow cooker makes a great gift option this holiday season and is available at Target for about $130.


I have been so happy with my Hamilton Beach that I want to give one to you guys! This giveaway will end on 11/30 and is open to US residents aged 18 and older.

a Rafflecopter giveaway


Easy DIY Puzzles for Preschoolers

We love puzzles, but it seems like my kids lose a lot of the pieces in a short amount of time. When I learned about making our own puzzles a while ago, we were hooked. If a piece gets lost it is not an issue as we can make a whole new puzzle for pennies!

This is such an easy project you are going to wonder why you have never made these with your kids before!  It requires basic supplies and only a few moments of time to create. There is no prep time to speak of, and best of all your kids can make these on their own!


All you need to make puzzles are:
Clear tape
Classic Washable Markers
Craft Sticks


First, tape the craft sticks together.



Then draw a design on the opposite side.


Color in the background.


Peel the tape off of the back and scatter the sticks. And there you have an Easy Puzzle for toddlers and preschoolers. If you have older children, you might want to check out my idea for an easy DIY photo puzzle

These make a great gift idea for anyone wanting to give a sweet gift for a little one on a tight budget.


17 Pies for Thanksgiving

Can there ever be too many pies at Thanksgiving? I think not! This year I am going to prepare several varieties to share with the people I am thankful to have in my life. This list gives me a great starting point in my pie baking. If you are looking for a few great pie recipes, I know you will find a few on this list that you will love!



Pumpkin
Skinny No-Bake Pumpkin Pie
Pumpkin Pecan Pie
No-Bake Vegan Pumpkin Pie
Double Layer Pumpkin Pie

Chocolate
French Silk Pie
Mud Pie 
Chocolate Fudge Pie

Fruity
Peaches & Cream Pie
Cranberry Sauce Pie
4 Ingredient Berry Pie
Blueberry Banana Cream Pie
Easy Cherry Pie
Caramel Apple Pie
Apple Pie

Nutty
Brown Sugar Pecan Pie
Corn Syrup Free Pecan Pie
Vegan Pecan Chocolate Pie