Smucker's Snackation: Getting ready for our Fishing Trip #Smuckers #Sponsored

*This is a sponsored post from Smucker's and the #Snackation campaign. All opinions expressed in this post are my own.

My son loves to be outside. Anytime we have a chance to go to the lake or river in our area we take it. We are lucky to live in a part of California that has Folsom Lake and the American River very close by. This summer we decided we would take a day to go fishing and show our son how to bait a hook.

We have been prepping a bait mixture we make to go fishing that we call power balls. Its a mix of worms, power bait and a secret ingredient to catch fish. My son asked about his snacks for the lake and if there was a human Power Ball he could have. This made me giggle but he did have a point. He wanted a one hand grab and eat treat that he could enjoy while on the lake waiting for a fish to bite.

We headed to Walmart, our go to spot for good prices on ingredients we need for baking and snacks. I wanted to make something that had fruit, nuts and grains in it for his Power Ball snacks. I enjoy baking with Smucker's Jams and had seen a similar recipe for granola bars on their website that I wanted to try to create my own spin on. I decided to make two separate flavors with their own jams and nuts in them for a delicious flavor using one of my favorite flax cereals as a base instead of granola.

My recipe is an easy one and turns out so delicious. You can add the dried fruits, nuts and seeds that you like to create your own version. I made two batches of the Flax Power Balls. One has Smucker's Apricot, cashews, dried cranberries and chia seeds. The other batch has Smucker's Grape, sunflower seeds, golden raisins and flax seeds.

Recipe for Smucker's Snackation Flax Power Balls:

2 Cups of Flax Cereal
1 Cup of Smucker's Jam
1/4 Cup of Nuts
1/4 Cup of Dried Fruit
1 tbsp. of Chia Seeds or Flax Seeds

Mix all ingredients in large bowl. Roll into small balls, place in 350 degree oven for 15 min or until slightly browned. Let cool and enjoy!

Now that we have our power balls for the fish bait and the Flax Power Balls for our snacks we are ready to pack up the car and head to the lake. If you are planning a fun outing and need Snackation ideas head to Walmart to see what you can create with Smucker's brand items.

Check back with us next week for the post where we will be going to the lake to test our power ball bait and see if our Flax Power Balls keep us full and energized while we spend the day in the sun fishing.

Salami Pasta Salad Recipe

My family and I recently found a new beach near our house, one that is uncrowded and really lovely. The white sand, piles of logs and driftwood, and beautiful blue water make it the perfect beach for sharing family time.

I know we'll be spending lots of time there this summer with the kids, and I'm really looking forward to it. Those times will include lunches and dinners, so I'm always looking for foods that can be packed up and easily transported.

Pasta salads are the perfect beach and picnic food, and the variety of recipes available is amazing. You can make a pasta salad as a side dish, or with the addition of heartier ingredients, make one as a main dish for lunch or dinner.

This recipe for Salami Pasta Salad has recently become a big family favorite. I added some big slices of warm, buttered French bread and it made a great make-ahead, easy dinner.

And one thing I do love about pasta salads is that they really are make-ahead recipes. And a recipe can easily be doubled to feed a crowd when you are entertaining. It's really delicious, and might just become a family favorite in your house too.


Recipe for Salami Pasta Salad Recipe

Ingredients:

2 cups uncooked white and green rotini pasta
1 - 10oz. can of RoTel diced tomatoes and green chilies
1/2 cup finely diced onion
1 cup diced Italian dry salami
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

For dressing:
1/3 cup canola oil
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1-1/2 teaspoons oregano
1/2 teaspoon pepper

Directions:

Cook pasta according to package directions; drain and rinse in cold water. Place in a large bowl; add the tomatoes and chilies, salami, cheese and onion.
In a small bowl, whisk the dressing ingredients. Pour over pasta mixture; toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate until serving.                                                        

Chocolate Zucchini Bread



I really love chocolate, and somehow chocolate and zucchini just don't go together in my world. Except they do in this marvelously rich, chocolate zucchini bread that is filled with flavor.

The zucchini has been coming out of our garden quite regularly, and this is the first summer I've really embraced cooking with it. It's so versatile, whether you are using it for dinner, dessert, or snack recipes.

It's healthy for you too, of course, and I feel good when my family is eating their veggies. This recipe calls for a cup and a half of grated zucchini, which is about one medium sized zucchini.

This recipe calls for chocolate chips and cocoa powder, and it really packs a chocolate punch. It's moist and so, so good.

If you don't have homegrown zucchini from your garden to use, the farmers markets are still filled with them, and it's a nice way to end the summer, by making this yummy, chocolaty bread.


Recipe for Chocolate Zucchini Bread

Ingredients:

3/4 cup sugar
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 large eggs
1 cup applesauce
2 cups all purpose flour
2 tablespoons unsweetened  cocoa powder
1-1/4 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1-1/2 cups finely shredded zucchini
1/2 cup semi chocolate chips
baking spray

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

 

Place first 3 ingredients in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at low speed until well blended. Stir in applesauce.
Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour and the next 4 ingredients (through salt), stirring well with a whisk. Add flour mixture to sugar mixture, beating just until moist. Stir in the zucchini and chocolate chips. Spoon batter into a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350° for 1 hour or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out almost clean. Cool in pan 10 minutes on a wire rack, and remove from pan. Cool completely on wire rack.

Garden Fresh Chicken Zucchini Bake





There are lots of zucchini and other veggies coming from our garden right now, and it's really exciting. It can also be a challenge to find a way to use them in recipes, and to make sure they don't go to waste.

This recipe for Chicken Zucchini Bake uses four cups of chopped zucchini, a box of stuffing mix, and a couple of cups of cooked chicken. It's easy to make, and is super good.

When I made it last night for dinner, I was hoping for leftovers, but no such luck. It was really nice though to see my grandchildren eat this dinner up, and get some of that good zucchini in their bodies.

Of course, if you don't have a garden filled with zucchini, the grocery stores and farmer's markets are filled with them.

This dish is great-tasting, easy to make, and when you have leftovers, reheats beautifully. And even if you are not a zucchini lover, try this recipe and you just might change your mind.

Recipe for Chicken Zucchini Bake

Makes 6 Servings

Ingredients:

6 ounce package of boxed stuffing mix (like Stovetop)
1/2 cup melted butter
4 cups zucchini, diced
2 cups of cooked chicken, cubed
1 can Cream of Chicken soup (10.75 ounces)
1/2 cup onion, diced
1/2 cup sour cream

 

Directions:

 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large bowl, combine the stuffing mix and melted butter. Set aside 1/2 cup of the of the mixture for the topping. Add the zucchini, chicken, soup, onion and sour cream to the remaining stuffing and stir together well.

Place the zucchini mix into a greased 9 x 13 glass baking dish and spread out evenly with a spatula.

Sprinkle reserved 1/2 cup stuffing mix on top and bake uncovered for 45 minutes.

 

My Favorite Pasta Salad Recipe, Black Olive Italian Pasta Salad

Soon it will be officially summer, and it's time for all those delicious summer side dishes. Pasta salads, roasted corn, and macaroni and cheese are just some of my favorite foods to pair with grilled meat.

I like making a double batch of this delicious, and simple pasta salad. I can eat it for lunch, or serve it with dinner during the week.

 Either way, I hope it's as big a hit with your family as it is mine!



Recipe for Black Olive Italian Pasta Salad

Ingredients:

3 cups multi-color rotini pasta, cooked and drained
1 cup black olives, sliced
1/2 cup finely chopped red onion
1/2 grated Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons pesto
1 large tomato, seeded and chopped
1cup Italian salad dressing
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Place all ingredients in a large bowl, toss well to combine. Refrigerate 4 hours or overnight to bring out flavors.