Strawberry Rhubarb Jam -No Pectin Recipe

My little strawberry patch did not produce a lot this year. I only ended up with a couple extra cups of small berries, but I did toss them into the freezer as I picked them. Then took a ride over to my son's garden to cut some rhubarb, and a couple hours later... I made No Pectin Strawberry Rhubarb Jam. I usually suggest simple cooking ideas and relaxed recipes here at PIM. This one is more of a weighed ratio recipe, with the wiggle room being the addition of extra sugar if desired. 

Is this fast and easy? While not hard, we do need to plan on an hour or so for the fruit to cook down. **My best suggestion, cook it until your spoon leaves a clean line as you scrape the bottom of the pot... (I made a small batch and did not follow that suggestion this time😕** I cooked mine too long, it got very thick, almost a butter instead of a jam. I will be using the old fashioned spatula method going forward.

No Pectin Strawberry Rhubarb Jam

Weigh your strawberries

Add two times the weight of 1/4” cut rhubarb

Weigh sugar that equals the same as strawberries

Lemon juice, approximately 1 Tblsp per 5 C of fruit-does not need to be exact

1. Add strawberries and rhubarb to large pot.
2. Sprinkle with sugar, let sit for about two hours.
3. Add lemon juice and heat over medium and bring to low boil. Reduce heat to simmer, stir often and mash fruit.
4. Once sugar dissolves taste and add sugar 1 Tblsp at a time if desired, but keep in mind it will sweeten more as it reduces.
5. Cook until thick and a spatula scraped across bottom of pot leaves a clear path the width of the spatula.
6. Pour into sterilized jars, cover and place in refrigerator, -or- remove air bubbles, add lids and rings and process for 10 minutes in hot water bath.

Let's preserve a little bit of summer and

Have a Happy Day:@)

Fresh Strawberry Chocolate Chip Cake

Did you know today is National Chocolate Chip Day? In honor of that I thought I'd re-post a pretty darn good cake...

I like chocolate covered strawberries and figured not only would this Fresh Strawberry Chocolate Chip Cake be a little easier, the extra sugar would help sweeten up the first strawberries of the year. We really enjoyed this cake and thought it was the perfect little dessert for a casual Sunday dinner. Truthfully, I think it would be perfect any time of day and suggest tucking this recipe away for a special brunch or occasion.

We have lots of options here... The original recipe comes from Martha Stewart and she sprinkles an additional 1-2 Tblsp of sugar over the berries before baking, I didn't do that but think sanding sugar would be pretty. You can top it with a sprinkling of powdered sugar before serving if desired. The chocolate chips were an addition from another blogger, and I think they were a good idea:@) She also subbed half yogurt instead of all butter, I used butter.

I'd say this was absolutely perfect as soon as it cooled off fresh out of the oven. The top was crispy, the chocolate chips were still soft and the berries tender and gooey. It's written that this cake stores well, but I think it's best eaten as soon as possible-share it with the neighbors if you have any leftover!

The cake almost has the appearance of a cobbler with the way it bubbles up around the berries. I happened to have a 10" pie plate so that's what I used, or use any similar sized baking dish.

I think you'll like this if you try it folks, 

we sure did:@)

Strawberry Chocolate Chip Cake-adapted from Martha Stewart
1 1/2 C A/P flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/8 tsp salt
6 Tblsp butter
1 C sugar, plus two for sprinkling over the berries before baking-optional
1 egg
1/2 C milk
1 tsp vanilla
1/3 C chocolate chips, plus more for sprinkling on top
1 quart strawberries, washed, hulled and cut in half-you may not use all of them

1. Mix butter and sugar until light and fluffy. 
2. Add egg and mix well, add milk and vanilla, mix well.
3. Add flour, baking powder and salt, mix until just combined. Ideally the dry ingredients would be sifted first.
4. Stir chocolate chips into batter. 
5. Pour batter into a well greased 10" pie plate or baking dish. 
6. Arrange strawberries, cut side down, all over the top. Sprinkle with extra chocolate chips, let them fall between the berries.
7. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes then turn the oven down to 325 and bake an additional 45-50 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. 
8. Cool and serve with a sprinkle of powdered sugar, whipped cream or ice cream if desired.

Eat well and Have a Happy Day:@)

Strawberry Jam with Jello -Four Ingredients, Easy

If you do any canning I'm sure you've noticed that pectin has gotten... A little expensive. And since we're kinda smitten with Jello here at Pig In Mud, I thought I'd whip up some Strawberry Jam with Jello. Super easy, four ingredients, cooked up and dishes done in less than one hour-gotta love it! I had some crushed strawberries in the freezer from the garden last year, and decided to use raspberry Jello. Yep, that's a robustly flavorful combination:@) The recipe as written will make 2 1/2 cups of jam. There's some wiggle room with the sugar, 1. I chose sugar free Jello, 2. Start with the lesser amount, let it dissolve, carefully taste, add more sugar if desired. This will thicken more once placed in the refrigerator.

In addition to PB&J's, it's always nice to place a small bowl of jam on charcuterie boards to top cheese and meats…

Very tasty:@)

Other Jello Jams: Amish Rhubarb with Cherry Jello  -  Zucchini with Peach Jello  -  Rhubarb Jam with Strawberry Jello  -  Blueberry with Pineapple Jello  -  My Jello Pinterest Board - My Jam/Jelly Pinterest Board

Strawberry Jam with Jello-adapted from The Country Cook

7 oz frozen strawberries

3 oz Jello flavor of choice, regular or sugar free

1 1/2 - 1 3/4 C sugar

1 Tblsp fresh lemon juice

1. Add berries, Jello, sugar and lemon juice to pan.
2. Slowly cook over medium heat until berries thaw, stir occasionally.
3. Mash berries if they aren't already crushed.
4. Heat over medium until it comes to a boil. Boil for 5 minutes.
5. Remove from heat, spoon off foam.
6. Pour into sterilized Ball jars.
7. Add lids, screw on bands.
8. *I turned mine upside down for 15 minutes, then turned them upright. The lids sealed and pinged:@)
9. *Alternately, store in fridge or freezer.

Let's try something new and

Have a Happy Day:@)

Strawberry Cream Cheese Frosting -Two Ingredient Frosting

The strawberry cream cheese spread kept catching my eye at the store, and I knew I'd have to come up with at least one thing to make with it... This Strawberry Cream Cheese Frosting couldn't be easier, and everyone gave it a big thumbs up:@) I happened to whip up a brownie mix, but the frosting would be good with anything, and there is enough to easily cover a 9x13 pan. It only calls for two ingredients and about two minutes of your time. Gotta love that! It's sweet and fluffy, and you will taste the strawberries. You can adjust the sweetness as desired, and I love that we save a few calories by not adding butter. Don't hesitate to give this quick frosting a try folks, I think you'll like it. 

The icing will be pinker in person:

The cream cheese spread I used:

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Strawberry Cream Cheese Frosting

8 oz tub Strawberry Cream Cheese Spread, softened

1/4 to 1/2 C powdered sugar-I used 1/4 C

1. Using electric beater, mix cream cheese to soften, then mix in sugar until light and fluffy. Taste and adjust sweetness-you know your crowd...

Enjoy an easy snack and 

Have a Happy Day:@)

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Small Any Fruit Pie Filling Dump Cake Recipe -Jiffy Cake Mix

Every once in a while I like to make a fast dessert using minimal ingredients, and this one only calls for three things. I'd also prefer that it only be for dinner, not temp me for days:@) That's exactly what this Small Any Fruit Dump Cake is, and we all thought it was pretty darn good. Maybe not Easter buffet glamorous, but nice for Sunday dinner. Especially with a little scoop of vanilla ice cream on the side. Start with any canned fruit pie filling you'd like, and it really doesn't matter what size... This will work best with 20 oz, but I think we can get away with 15 oz if that's all we have. And instead of a regular cake mix, I used the smaller Jiffy size, it worked great. 

Note: 9x13" crowd size would require two cans of pie filling, a full size cake mix, and 1/2 C butter.

Small Any Fruit Dump Cake

20 oz can pie filling

Jiffy yellow cake mix

1/4 C butter, cut into thin pats

1. Pour pie filling into pie dish.
2. Evenly sprinkle cake mix over filling.
3. Add pats of butter all over top.
4. Bake at 350 degrees for about 35-45 minutes or until top is golden brown and bubbling at edges.
5. Serve with ice cream if desired.

Let's try something new, and

Have a Happy Day:@)

Strawberry Salsa & Barbie Dollhouse Kitchen Renovation Update

My little strawberry patch did well this year and the first big round of fruit is winding down. I had fun coming up with new ways to enjoy the berries. This Strawberry Salsa was bright and fruity and and truly a little different. We enjoyed it as a dip with tortilla chips. I can see it served over grilled chicken too. The only thing that could make this any better would be fresh garden ripe tomatoes... But we have a way to go before that will happen:@)

Strawberry Salsa-adapted from Taste of Home

1 pint strawberries, washed, dryed, hulled and chopped

4 plum tomatoes, cored, seeded and chopped

1 small sweet onion, chopped-I used scallions

1-2 medium jalapenos, seeded if desired, chopped

2 T fresh lime juice

1 T olive oil

2 garlic cloves, minced

1. Mix all, cover and let mingle in refrigerator for 2 hours.
2. Serve spooned over chicken or pork, or as a dip with tortilla chips or crackers.

The dollhouse is coming together nicely and I feel the kitchen has it's major pieces in place, I'll only change things out when if I find something I like better... It's fun looking for little 1:6 scale trinkets and items to help make the house look more realistic. Toys, mini salt and pepper shakers, craft store supplies, Christmas ornaments, anything goes. Ken is our model today, he's patiently waiting for his morning coffee to finish brewing... Say Hi to the nice people Ken... No??? Sorry folks, that coffee will be done soon, I promise:@)

The main working area of the kitchen: Gloria kitchenette to the left, which was a very good Ebay purchase! Providing a compact stove, oven, sink and counter, with seating. Actually, I like that my expanded kitchen layout provides ample seating as needed, between the high counter seats, the stool(s) at the island, and then the table and chairs in the dining area. As for the color, ~pink~ I mentioned previously that it's so dominant in these toys, I'm not fighting it (much)😉 I may paint some things as time goes on, but for now I'm ok with the look.

A glimpse into the dining area: I like that everything is open, and the dolls can interact in the scene. What needs the most work? The table and chairs... I keep asking my son to cut different sizes of wood and buying pre-cut pieces at Dollar Tree for the table top. But so far I don't have the look I want, which is a pedestal table small enough to seat the dolls, yet big enough for plates and food. And while I'm ok with the design of the chairs, this is the only pink in the room I really don't care for. 

And the long view... I decided that far wall with the window needed some kind of wallpaper, this is just wrapping paper from Dollar Tree, but I like that the different hues of pink, in the small scale, help to pull all of the colored pieces together just a little better.

So there you have it folks,

the kitchen as it is today.

As a point of reference,

this is what I started with:

Say goodbye to the nice people Ken.

Much better, thank you Ken.

Indeed...

~Make something just for fun,

and have a great weekend😊

Sweet Potato and Strawberry Salad with Balsamic Vinegar & Basil

Well now, doesn't this sound fancy:@) But truthfully, it couldn't be easier. This Cold Sweet Potato and Strawberry Salad with Balsamic Vinegar and Basil was simply plated, drizzled, and sprinkled. It's a pretty side dish and a very nice way to enjoy sweet potatoes in the summer. The key is to use the sweetest strawberries and best balsamic you have. The sweet potatoes can be sliced any way you'd like, arranging round slices on a platter would be pretty. I don't suggest mixing everything in a bowl, cooked sweet potatoes may have a tendency to break up. This was a great side dish folks, don't hesitate to try it if you're looking for something a little different.

There really aren't any measurements to this, make as much, or as little, as you need.

Sweet Potato and Strawberry Salad with Balsamic Vinegar and Basil

Sweet potatoe(s), peeled, cooked fork tender, and chilled. Sliced as desired

Fresh strawberries, as many as you'd like, sliced as desired

Pinch of salt

Balsamic vinegar

A few leaves of fresh basil, chiffonade

1. On a plate or platter, arrange sweet potatoes and strawberries.
2. Sprinkle with salt and drizzle with balsamic vinegar.
3. Sprinkle basil over top and serve.

Eat well and have a happy day:@)

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Lemon Jello Poke Cake with Cool Whip and Fresh Strawberries

I wanted to whip up this Lemon Jello Poke Cake while the garden is still producing strawberries. I've seen a million poke cakes but really don't recall seeing one with lemon? And believe it or not, I've never made one before... So this was a fun, and very tasty, little treat:@) I also kept it old school by using a Cool Whip topping too. Lemon goes well with strawberry, and you really can't go wrong with this colorful cake folks. And since the cake is stored in the refrigerator, I think this is a perfect summer dessert, served nice and cold.

When's the last time you made a poke cake?

Lemon Jello Poke Cake with Cool Whip Topping and Fresh Strawberries

1. White cake mix, prepared and baked per package directions. Poke holes in cooled cake with handle of wooden spoon.
2. Mix four serving size Lemon Jello with 1 C boiling water. Stir until dissolved. Slowly pour over cake, aiming for the holes.
3. Place in refrigerator at least one hour, longer is better.
4. Serve with Cool Whip topping and sliced fresh strawberries.

Enjoy a slice of cake and have a happy day:@)

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Fresh Strawberry Coleslaw & Strawberry Garden Update

We're right in the middle of strawberry season here in Philly, and my little garden is producing pretty well:@) I have enough crushed and frozen to make some jam for Christmas gifts, and now I'm focusing on a couple fun side dishes. First up, this Strawberry Coleslaw was fruity and fresh, and great with Sunday dinner! I honestly didn't change too much, simply used our family's regular cole slaw recipe and added sliced strawberries to it. If your berries aren't at peak sweetness, maybe add a little extra sugar, but other than that, pretty darn good as is. 

The strawberry garden- I used part of a greenhouse as the foundation for netting. This worked pretty well to keep the birds out of the berries:@) The greenhouse was Walmart after season clearance, $5.25 for a 4 tier enclosure... Not bad!

I'll begin training the runners into the tower now. These are ever bearing, so hopefully I'll get a few berries here and there throughout the summer.

Life is good:@)

Strawberry Coleslaw
~Mix up your favorite coleslaw recipe.

~Right before serving stir in a bunch of sliced strawberries.

~Yep, it doesn't need to be complicated folks...

Eat well and have a happy day:@)

Strawberry Tower Garden Evolution & Free Barbie Crop Top Pattern

It didn't take long for me to understand that strawberry plants get bigger than expected, and if you allow the runners to grow, take up a lot more room than expected. This, of course, is a good problem to have:@) So mid-summer last year I did begin a dedicated strawberry garden. Something super simple that I could put together myself, three short tiers. But I kept looking at the strawberry tower my son built sitting in the raised bed, and just had to move it to the strawberry garden. The only bummer, it was an inch too wide to fit into the third tier, so I had to remove that. But I do like the look, love the height, and it tickles me that it will now be used as intended. 

My son calls it a little Aztec monument to the Strawberry Gods...

I hope they will be pleased:@)

And Barbie loves spring too! Here's a Free Pattern Sheet that includes a top, dress and panties. Of course we just have to show our team colors. Even though the year isn't starting out as well as we'd hoped...

⚾Happy early spring everyone,

have a great weekend!🍓

Muffin Mix Waffles

I thought it would be fun, and tasty, to try a Martha White Muffin Mix in my new mini Waffle Maker. What I love about this is, there are a ton of flavored mixes to choose from, and some -hello pumpkin- are seasonal favorites:@) I chose wild berry for today. It's super simple, add 1/2 C milk per 7 oz mix. That's it folks, done. A tip: To ensure fluffy waffles, cut back about 1 Tblsp on the milk, they will rise nicely. My waffles had a slightly crisp outside with a little bite, but some waffle experts may consider them more on the softer side. If you have a good feel for how much batter to add for your waffle iron, you can get four 5" waffles from one package of mix.

Now, I've seen some recipes that add an egg and call for 2/3 C milk. 

That's an option, but please note, you'll need two packs of mix for that. 

Muffin Mix Waffles-from Martha White

7 oz muffin mix

1/2 C milk, can cut back about 1 Tblsp

syrup, butter, fruit, whipped cream, etc. for serving if desired

1. Heat waffle maker.
2. Stir mix and milk, batter can be a little lumpy.
3. Spray waffle maker if desired.
4. Pour batter onto maker.
5. Cover and cook 3-5 minutes, to desired doneness.
6. Serve with toppings of choice.

Enjoy a sweet breakfast every now and then and 

have a happy day:@)

Red, White & Blueberry Frozen Yogurt Shooters or Pops

These Red, White and Blueberry Frozen Yogurt Shooters or Pops are a healthier summer treat and a breeze to make. We like that here at Pig In Mud:@) Start with a red berry yogurt, I had strawberry on-hand. Stir in some blueberries, spoon into molds, freeze-done. Holiday treats don't need to be fancy to be fun folks, and both kids and adults will enjoy these cool, simple, ice cream pops this 4th of July weekend! 

I got about 3 pops per single serving size yogurt using my vintage Tupperware molds.

The most important thing to remember is,

you need to warm the outside up with your hands for the ice cream to slip out of the cup or mold.

The red solo cup shot glasses can be found at Walmart and Dollar Tree.

I had the blue spoons in my stash,

but you can still get pretty silver ones at Dollar Tree in the wedding isle, 

they'd work great too:@)

Red, White and Blueberry Frozen Yogurt Pops

1. Gently stir strawberry fruit on the bottom yogurt to mix, go easy to not break-up the berries.
2. Add a handful of blueberries, either fresh or frozen. Gently stir into yogurt.
3. Optional: Extra small diced fresh strawberries if you have them. I just used the berries in the yogurt.
4. Spoon into shot glasses or ice pop molds.
5. Freeze for 4-6 hours, or overnight is even better.
6. Heat outside with hands, unmold and enjoy!

Snack well and have a happy day:@)

Raised Bed Garden Update: The Strawberry Tower

I'm pleased to report that things are beginning to warm up here, and I've been adding plants to the raised bed. But the most exciting thing has been the addition of the strawberry tower! Now I will say, this project had me concerned... From the pictures my son sent (he made it), it looked like it was going to be h~u~g~e. But I should have had faith, it turned out to be perfectly to scale, and I thank him for the great work he put into this:@) Installed on a rainy, muddy day... Gardening is dirty work folks. The center of the pyramid is completely open and filled with garden soil.

Just big enough for a few plants for me to play with.

I'm hoping that, at the very least,

the plants that will be in the actual raised bed box and first tier will come back.

What started this project was that I read strawberries in pots should be

considered annuals, those in the ground perennials.

The idea this year is to try to plant the runners to fill it.

At this point it's getting late in strawberry planting season in PA, 

and bare root plants are long gone.

And garden center 4" pots can get pretty expensive...

So I won't have berries this year. Well, knowing me, 

I'll probably try to get a couple

during the second bloom in later summer:@)

I'll be watching the sun,

there's a chance the right side might not be as happy as the rest.

I've already moved some thyme into the middle slot on the right. 

Those chives in the corner may end up in the bottom as well.

We'll see.

And a little whimsy is always fun:@)

Blown glass flamingo topper overseeing activities...

These were solar light garden sakes, like $17 each.

I found two with broken stakes on the curb one trash day...

Yep, 15 minutes cutting the stake to size with a hacksaw and I was smiling!

So that's my update for today folks, stay tuned...

🍓And have a happy weekend:@)

Strawberry Pineapple Cupcakes -Two Ingredient

I'm not sure if I was drawn to these Strawberry Pineapple Cupcakes because of the ease of two ingredients, or because of the pretty pink color:@) But either way, we all were pleasantly surprised with how good they tasted for how simple they were to make.  The pineapple keeps them moist, and adds a little chewy fruity bite. And of course a cream cheese frosting takes everything over the top. And sprinkles just makes it a party... The frosting is a little different too, it doesn't call for any butter, so I'm calling it 100% Cream Cheese Frosting. These cupcakes are great for birthdays, Easter, or... Any day.

A note about store bought cake mixes: 

As with everything else, they are getting smaller.

So, since the original recipe used an approx 18 oz box, and mine was 15 oz, 

I removed about 2 Tblsp of pineapple before mixing.

Just something that seemed to make sense...

Alternate decorative topping: Shredded coconut.

Strawberry Pineapple Cupcakes-from Table for Seven

1 box strawberry cake mix

20 oz can crushed pineapple

~Mix well, spoon into cupcake liners, bake per package directions.

100% Cream Cheese Frosting

8 oz cream cheese, softened

1 C powdered sugar

1 tsp vanilla

~Mix very well with electric mixer on high speed (start slow though), spread on cooled cupcakes.

Eat well and have a happy day:@)

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Retro Fresh Strawberry Pie with Jello -No Bake Refrigerator Pie

Next up in my Jello series is this Retro Fresh Strawberry Pie with Jello. It's been on the to do list for a ~long~ time and boy am I glad I finally made it! This is a great, cool treat that's perfect for those store bought strawberries that are just a tad tart... And since it's no bake it's perfect for summer. There's a lot of wiggle room when it comes to the amount of sugar you can use, it calls for one cup, I used 1/2 cup, and my crew even suggested 1/4 C next time. I also read reviews that use sugar free Jello and a Stevia type sweetener, so that's pretty versatile and diet friendly:@) And for anyone that's worried about that "Jello" taste... Nope, this is a surprisingly mild pie that's just really nice! We thoroughly enjoyed it and decided it should be on the yearly list of must haves. I hope my son's strawberries decide they're happy next spring so we can try it with local berries next time.

Looking for a different red, white and blue dessert?

How about tossing in a handful of blueberries.

You can find my Jello and Pudding Fun Pinterest Board here.

This makes my 30th recipe using Jello!

I think that's fun:@)

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Retro Fresh Strawberry Pie with Jello-from Tablespoon

3 Tblsp corn starch

1 C sugar-can cut back, I used 1/2 C

1 1/2 C water

four serving size strawberry Jello

2 C sliced strawberries-one quart or 1 lb box is fine for 9" pie

One baked pie crust, they call for 10" (that's kinda big), I used a store bought 9" graham cracker crust

Whipped cream for topping if desired-I desired:@)

1. Add corn starch, sugar and water to sauce pan, bring to a boil, reduce to simmer, stir constantly until thickened.
2. Add Jello, stir until dissolved. 
3. Pour strawberries into pie crust
4. Pour sauce over berries, wiggle around a bit to make sure jell goes through the fruit to the bottom.
5. Refrigerate until set.

Enjoy a sweet cool treat and have a happy day:@)

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Bite Size Jello Rice Krispy Treats -Red and Blue for 4th of July

Here in Philly, the weather gets a little hot and steamy around July 4th... So I decided to cut my holiday treats small so we could just pop them into the mouth with minimal sticky fingers, or easy to serve with toothpicks:@) These Bite Size Jello Rice Krispy Treats are a great munchie for a crowd and using red and blue Jello really makes them fun for the summer holidays. Now, if I'm gonna make something with Jello... I'm gonna make something with big JELLO flavor! I doubled the amount Kraft called for in the original recipe. We all loved the big, bold flavors. 

I used the sprinkles I had on-hand, but I do think the jimmy type look prettier on top.

And I did add 10 drops of blue food coloring to the blue batch.

Recipe can be cut in half for a smaller crowd. 

I made a half batch of each flavor and pressed each into a 9 x 5 loaf pan.

If making half, what to do with the other half a pack of Jello?

Mix it with 1/2 C boiling water, dissolve, add 1/2 C cold water for dessert another day.

Or, wrap securely, I like Lock-N-Lock, and save for Memorial Day Weekend:@)

Jello Rice Krispy Treats -adapted from Kraft

1/4 C butter

4 serving size Jello, (original recipe calls for half of a box)

1 tsp vanilla

*optional food coloring if desired

10 oz miniature marshmallows

6 C rice cereal

*optional seasonal sprinkles for the top

1. Gently melt butter in large pan (I use a wok and mix everything right in the pan).
2. Stir in Jello to dissolve. Add vanilla and food coloring if using.
3. Add marshmallows and gently heat, stirring until just melted.
4. Remove from heat, stir in cereal until well mixed.
5. Press into greased (or parchment lined) 9 x 13 pan, add sprinkles if using, allow to cool, cut and serve. 

Snack boldly and have a happy day:@)

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Saturday ReView: Fresh Strawberry Frosting and My Fairy Garden

I wanted to share a cute idea for garden planters, I bought some acrylic gems years ago when I had a betta fish and held on to them, I always have a soft spot for colorful shiny things:@) Since my rosemary plant is new this year, I tossed them onto the top of the dirt for a little sparkle... Wa-la, this is ~my~ idea of an easy (and free) fairy garden! Or maybe a Bohemian accent? Now, do I expect the plant to grow and fill the space? I do hope so, but until then, this just makes me smile. I'd like to thank my son for the inspiration, he made some stone paths around his gardens and did add some red glass rocks for color.

This Fresh Strawberry Frosting is a pretty pink color and only requires about 1/2 C fresh strawberries,

or enough to make 3 Tblsp puree.

This is a very tasty frosting and I think you'll like it if you try it folks:@)

Wishing you a colorful weekend:@)

Saturday ReView: Small Batch Strawberry/Banana Jam & Thrift Store Props for Barbie

I wanted to feature something with strawberries today and ended up doing a blog search for Small Batch Jam. Several tasty (and thrifty) options popped up, but this Strawberry/Banana Jam was what I was really looking for:@) It's a flavor combination you really don't expect in jam, and a nice way to use up an over ripe banana and couple handfuls of strawberries... This is a great jam, and one I' m sure the kids would all love!

And Barbie just wants to send a little reminder that,

1:6 scale toys and props can be found anywhere, even at the thrift store!

This scooter was only $1.

As with anything, timing is everything, but it never hurts to look:@)

Looks like this weekend will be a washout here in Philly.

But, you know what they say,

April showers...

🌼Have a great weekend everyone-enjoy:@)

Christmas Jello Balls -A No-Bake Confection

As you may know, I have a bit of an infatuation with Jello... This easy Christmas Jello Balls recipe comes from a gentleman in Newfoundland, his mother made them every Christmas. While it doesn't seem too easy for folks in the US to get the thick milk called for, I thought I'd try making some with sweetened condensed milk. Now, I obviously can't speak to the authenticity, but I can say, this is a fun little three ingredient addition to the Christmas candy list! You can make both red and green, I just whipped up some strawberry to see how it would taste... We likey:@)

Christmas Jello Balls-adapted from Lord Byron's Kitchen

3 oz Jello, any flavor-but red and green are fun for Christmas

3/4 C thick cream (if you can find it) ~or~ sweetened condensed milk

2 C unsweetened coconut, very finely grated-mine was sweetened, I ran it through the food chopper

1. With the back of a heavy spoon, mix Jello and milk well, it will be thick.
2. Stir in 1 1/2 C coconut, mix well, it will be very thick.
3. Roll into ~small~ 1" balls, roll balls into remaining coconut. These are sweet folks, smaller bites are best.
4. Add parchment or wax paper to air tight container and lay balls on it. Cover with lid.
5. Place in refrigerator for 2 hours.

Make something new this holiday season and have a happy day:@)

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