Our Favorite Back To School Snack Mix Made With Goldfish® Crackers

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #MixMatchMunch #CollectiveBias

My family and I moved a few weeks ago away from Seattle, and to Henderson, Nevada. Like with any move, there's good and bad, and a lot of goodbyes to close friends and family members.

I'm very happy to say that everyone is loving our new home and community, and my grandchildren have completely fallen in love with our neighborhood, which is filled with parks, pools, and walking trails. And though I know they'll miss their friends, it's just such a relief to see them settling in so well already.

Since back to school is only a few days away, it's time to start thinking about breakfasts, lunches, and that all important after school snack. A great snack that kids like can prevent the irritability or meltdown that is bound to happen after school in those first days of being back in the classroom.

Since my three grandchildren adore Goldfish® crackers, I decided to use them to make a yummy snack mix. The kids eat them all the time, and I thought that the cute, familiar little crackers would be especially welcomed as after school snacks when they start their new schools.

Goldfish crackers seem like they have always been in my house, my own five children loved them, and now so do my grandchildren. It's funny how things change, but some things stay the same, and they always bring out smiles from everyone in my family.

It's amazing how many varieties and sizes that Goldfish snacks are available in. I like buying the 30 ounce boxes because of savings and knowing we should have some on hand for a little while, I hope.

Walmart is offering the rollback price of $5.98 on bulk Goldfish crackers, so it's a great time to stock up for back to school.

My grandson Liam is six, and he'll be starting first grade. Of course he had to sample the snack mix I made, and it met with his approval.

I made it in a big bowl that has a lid, so I can keep it in the pantry. Having it already mixed together is a big time saver, and we can give the kids a snack as soon as they get home from school. I know from experience that hungry kids don't like waiting, and I don't blame them.

When I was shopping at Walmart, I picked up some of our favorite fruits, strawberries and blueberries. I'm grateful my grandchildren are not picky eaters, so eating lots of fruits and veggies are a normal part of their diets.

Pairing my Goldfish crackers snack mix with the fruit is really delicious, and I love it too!



You can make a snack mix with lots of different things, but this is my favorite recipe for a delicious sweet and salty combination. I used two varieties of crackers, Colors, and the Baked With Whole Grain Cheddar.

Here's the ingredients you need:

1 1/2 cups white chocolate chips

2 cups mini pretzels

1 1/2 cups chocolate candy pieces

1 1/2 cups salted peanuts

2 cups Baked With Whole Grain Cheddar Goldfish crackers

2 cups Colors Goldfish crackers

Make sure you use a bowl large enough so that when you mix all the ingredients together, they won't spill out. Just add all the ingredients into the bowl.

I think that the white chocolate chips go really great in this, and my four year granddaughter has agreed. I love them too.

Next, just take a big spoon and stir everything together. It's really the easiest thing in the world to make a great tasting snack mix.

Goldfish crackers are a great snack all alone, but using them to make a yummy kid-friendly snack mix like this one, is sure to put a smile on any kid's face. With new classes, teachers, and friends, going back to school can be a big adjustment for our kids. So it's nice to offer them a snack that lets them know you care.

Be sure and look for this in-store offer that may be available at your local Walmart: Save $1.00 on any ONE (1) Bolthouse Farms® 10 oz. Baby Carrots or Bolthouse Farms(® 11 oz. juice when you buy any ONE (1) Pepperidge Farm® Goldfish® crackers 30 oz. or larger.

You can find Goldfish® crackers in a variety of flavors and sizes at your local Walmart. And don't forget to take advantage of the rollback price of $5.98 on bulk size crackers.

Have you ever made a snack mix with Goldfish crackers, and if you have, what are your favorite ingredients? Leave me a comment, I'd love to know!

-Post by Patricia

Betty Crocker Recipe For Old-Fashioned Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

There's nothing I love better than a good old-fashioned recipe for one of my favorite cookies. I remember back in the day, before Martha, or the cooking shows, homemakers turned to the mythical and perfect Betty Crocker for easy and delicious recipes.

While generations of people may recognize the name, most people assume that Betty was a real person, someone nice and cheery, ready to kindly encourage us to be confident in the kitchen. But in fact, it was a made up name that was created to give letters about baking a more personal feeling response from the large company that sold products.

The company grew to be one of the largest world wide, and so did the name Betty Crocker. I remember my mother loved her Betty Crocker cookbooks, and many, many meals and baked goods graced our table that started out as recipes from those books.

Unfortunately, I don't have any of those cookbooks of my mothers, I wish I did. But I can find many of the recipes online, just like this one for Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies. It's such an easy recipe but don't let that fool you. These cookies are downright delicious, and a little bit of heaven with a cold glass of milk. 



Recipe for Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups packed brown sugar

1 cup butter or margarine, softened

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 egg

2 cups quick cooking oats

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

1 cup chopped nuts, if desired

Directions:

Heat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, stir brown sugar and butter until blended. Stir in vanilla and egg until light and fluffy. Stir in oats, flour, baking soda, and salt. Stir in chocolate chips and nuts.

Onto an ungreased cookie sheet, drop dough by rounded tablespoon about 2 inches apart. Bake 10-12 minutes, or until golden brown. Cool slightly, then remove to wire rack to finish cooling.

Makes approximately 24 cookies.

-Post written by Patricia

Strawberry Buttermilk Cake Recipe From Back In The Day Bakery Made With Love Cookbook

I'm rarely dazzled by celebrities, or movie stars, but I am a little star-struck when it comes to my favorite cooks and cookbook authors. I have a major couples crush on Cheryl and Griffith Day, who own the Back In The Day Bakery in Savannah, Georgia.

I just love their easygoing Southern style, and the way they produce such gorgeous cookbooks that make me want to bake every single recipe.

Their beloved bakery is a neighborhood hangout for locals, where you can have a cup of coffee or tea and a delicious made from scratch treat. If I ever make it to Georgia, their bakery is on the top of my list to visit.



But back to this fabulous recipe for Strawberry Buttermilk Cake. I love desserts made with fruit, and I love the wonderful depth of flavor that baking with buttermilk provides. There are both in this recipe, and I just know it's going to become one of my family's favorite cake desserts.

The recipe calls for baking it in a deep dish pie plate but I baked it in a 9-inch round cake pan. I wanted to be able to put it on a cake stand, so this worked out well. If you want to do this, just butter the pan and use a round piece of parchment paper in the pan.

The recipe is from the Day's second book, Made With Love. It's packed with more than 100 recipes and projects that is made for cooks of all levels. I can't wait to get into the kitchen and try some more of their recipes, especially the cakes, pies, and cookies.

Recipe for Strawberry Buttermilk Cake

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt

6 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 cup granulated sugar

1 large egg, at room temperature

1/2 cup buttermilk

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 pound strawberries, hulled and halved

Confectioners' sugar for dusting

Directions:

Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly butter a 9-inch deep-dish pie pan.

Sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment (or in a large mixing bowl, using a handheld mixer) cream the butter and sugar together on medium high speed for 3-5 minutes, until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, buttermilk, and vanilla and mix until blended, about 1 minute.

With the mixer on low speed, gradually add the flour mixture, mixing until just combined.

Remove the bowl from the mixer and, using a rubber spatula, incorporate any ingredients hiding at the bottom of the bowl, making sure the batter is completely mixed. Scrape the batter into the prepared pie plate and gently smooth the top with a spatula. Tap the pan firmly on the counter to remove any air bubbles from the batter. Arrange the strawberries in a concentric rings on top of the batter, cut side down.

Bake the cake for 10 minutes, then reduce the temperature to 325 degrees and bake for 50-60 minutes, until a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean. Let the cake cool in the pan on a wire rack.

Before serving, dust the top of the cake with confectioners' sugar. The cake can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.

Serves 8.

-Post by Patricia   

Blueberry Crumb Muffins Recipe

We've really been loving all the delicious summer fruits available right now, and blueberries seem to be the favorite. My grandchildren have been eating them for breakfast with their cereal, as a snack with yogurt, or just by the handful. They are a superfood, so I love seeing them enjoying something that is so healthy for them.

Since I adore muffins for breakfast or as a treat with a cup of tea, I thought I would use some of these berries to make Blueberry Crumb Muffins. They turned out delicious, and though I love regular blueberry muffins, these were extra good because of the crumb topping.

This recipe makes 12 muffins. You can use regular milk if you don't have any buttermilk in the fridge, but I always think that baking with buttermilk makes everything just taste better.

Can you believe that August is already here? It always seems like there's plenty of time to enjoy the summer days, but then somehow I find myself asking where all the time went.

Pretty soon my grandchildren, just like my own children did so long ago, will head back to school. They say that when you are raising children the days are long, but the years short. This is so very true I think, and I'm trying to soak up the memories of my grandchildren because I don't want to forget anything about these summer days with them.

So of course when they tell me how delicious these blueberry muffins are, it makes me happy.

Recipe for Blueberry Crumb Muffins

Ingredients for crumb topping:

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup brown sugar, packed

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

5 tablespoons cold butter, diced

Ingredients for batter:

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar, packed

1 tablespoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup butter, melted and cooled

2 eggs

3/4 cup buttermilk

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup fresh blueberries

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Place 12 paper liners into muffin tin.

To make the crumb topping, place flour, brown sugar, and cinnamon in a small bowl and mix together with a fork. Add the diced cold butter and blend briefly with a pastry cutter. Set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, brown sugar, baking powder, and salt. In another bowl, whisk together the melted butter, eggs, buttermilk, and vanilla until well combined.

Add the liquid mixture into the dry ingredients, stir together until just combined, gently fold the blueberries into the batter. Divide the batter evenly into the muffin cups, sprinkle topping over each muffin. Bake 20-22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into muffin center comes out clean.

Let muffins cool on a rack.

Makes 12 muffins.

-Post by Patricia

How I Deal With Kid's Sensitive Skin at Laundry Time

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #FreeToBe #CollectiveBias

When you have kids, you can expect that doing their laundry will become a big part of your life. While I was raising my five children, it seemed that the piles of dirty clothes never ended, and as soon as one load was done, at least three or four more were still waiting to be put into the machine.

But one thing I was grateful for was that my kids never had any skin sensitivities or allergic reactions to the laundry detergents I used for washing their clothes.

Unfortunately, my three grandchildren are not as lucky. They all have extra sensitive skin, and can break out in rashes, or have a flare-up of mild eczema. So we have to be extra careful about the laundry products we buy and use for all of them.

That's why we choose to use all® free clear detergent, which is the #1 detergent recommended by Dermatologists, Allergists, and Pediatricians for Sensitive Skin.

And all® free clear detergent was awarded the Seal of Acceptance by the National Eczema Association for having no dyes, perfumes, certain chemicals, and irritating residues, which helps give us peace of mind when using it on the kid's clothes.



When my oldest grandson Jayden was a baby, he had severe skin rashes that were really terrible, and he was diagnosed with eczema. It's gotten a lot better as he's gotten older, thank goodness. My other two grandchildren Liam, and Ashley have the rashes as well.

So staying with all® free clear detergent is the best course of action to keep these guys feeling their best, and free of painful skin problems.

They are really loving their summer vacation so far, and it's really wonderful to see them having fun with each other. We've been to the beach, gone to concerts in the park, had lots of play dates, and had fun at the water park.

It's a real relief to see them happy and able to enjoy themselves outside because I remember how much pain my grandson Jayden was in because of his skin issues. It feels good knowing that we are doing all we can to protect them with a product we trust.

As important as it is to use a detergent with the kid's sensitive skin issues in mind, I also want a detergent that is going to get our clothes clean.

These kiddos know how to get their clothes dirty, and grass and food stains are a common occurrence at our house. I love clean laundry, so I really like how all® free clear detergent fights tough stains, whitens whites, and brightens colors.

I'm a big fan of liquid detergent and so that's what I use, but when I saw the all® free clear mighty pacs®, I decided to give them a try. They really are so easy to use, and a great back-up when I find myself low on the all® free clear liquid and don't have time to go to the store.

Since our summer weather doesn't always cooperate when we want it to, the kids and I enjoy doing things like making our own play dough when we have to stay inside for the day.

My daughter and I have always bought the kids lots of play dough, but they seem to like the homemade kind the best. This recipe is simple and very inexpensive to make. My granddaughter Ashley is four, and loves to help cook and bake, so she's always eager to help make this.

Recipe for Homemade Play Dough

Ingredients:

1 cup cold water
1 cup salt
2 teaspoons vegetable oil
food coloring
3 cups flour
2 tablespoons corn starch


Directions:

In a large bowl, mix together the water, salt, oil, and 6-8 drops of food coloring. Gradually add in the flour and corn starch and mix with a spoon.

At this point, the mixture may need you to pick it and knead it with your hands until it resembles bread dough. It's ready to be played with. Store in an air tight container.

If you or someone you love has sensitive skin or allergies, then you'll be glad to know that washing with all® free clear helps remove three of the top everyday allergens, dust mite matter, cat and dog dander, as well as certain fragrances. It also removes 99% of everyday and seasonal allergens.

(Disclaimer - including cat and dog dander, dust mite matter, ragweed, grass, and tree pollen. all® free clear is not intended to treat or prevent allergies)

I shopped at Target and picked up all® free clear liquid detergent and all® free clear mighty pacs®. I was super excited to find them both on sale in the laundry detergent aisle.

Do you or your loved ones suffer from sensitive skin? Have you tried all® free clear liquid detergent?

Please let me know how you like it if you've tried it. And be sure to join in on the conversation with the all® free clear community and connecting with parents and caregivers just like you!


-Post written by Patricia