Fall Snack Mix For Kids Made With Goldfish® Crackers

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My grandchildren started their new school last week and I'm thrilled to say that they love it! They had never moved before, so we weren't sure how they would feel about attending a much bigger school and having to make new friends. But it all went well, and I couldn't be more relieved.

They came home with lots to tell us, and of course after a long day, hungry for a great afterschool snack. Since they love Goldfish® crackers so much, I thought I would put together a snack mix that included them with a bit of a fall theme.

My grandkids love hearing about when their mom was a little girl and that she loved eating Goldfish crackers just like they do. I always get lots of smiles when they're eating them and listening to stories about her.

It's really so easy to put together a great tasting snack mix with your favorite ingredients. I like to make a big batch of it and store it in a covered container so that it's ready right when they get home from school.

This fall snack mix includes Goldfish crackers colored variety, dried cranberries, golden raisins, sunflower seeds, stick pretzels, and white chocolate chips. The kids really love it, and I get cool Grandma points!

I'm so proud of these three, how brave they have been with the move and adapting to our new hometown. I love being able to offer them an afterschool snack that they love and I know they won't waste. Goldfish crackers are always the perfect solution for my grandchildren's snacking needs.





I find the 30 count packs really convenient, and it includes three of our favorite flavors. Sometimes I'll pick up the bulk boxes too, just so I know we have plenty of crackers on hand.

You can find the bulk boxes on the rollback price of $5.98 at Walmart. It's a great time to stock up and make sure there are plenty of Goldfish snacks on hand for your little ones.

Ingredients:

2 cups Goldfish crackers

2 cups stick pretzels

1/2 cup dried cranberries

1/2 cup golden raisins

1/2 cup sunflower seeds

1/2 cup white chocolate chips

Directions:

In a big bowl, put in all ingredients and give it a big stir. So easy!

You can change up the kind of chips you add to your snack mix, too. We really like the white chocolate kind, but semi-sweet chocolate, or butterscotch would also taste great.

You can find Goldfish crackers in different sizes and varieties at your local Walmart. I found the 30 count packs in the aisle of other multi-packaged products.

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 Farms® Goldfish® crackers 30 oz. or larger.

With school back in full swing for the kids, I know we'll be making more after school snack mixes with our favorite kinds of Goldfish crackers.

Have you ever made a snack mix for your kids before? What ingredients would you use to make a delicious snack mix that you know your kids would love? Leave me a comment and let me know.

Banana Pecan Loaf Recipe From Taste Of Home Fall Baking Magazine



Banana bread has always been one of those recipes that I make again and again. I've used several different recipes to make it through the years, and I'm always open to trying a new one. I usually put walnuts in it, but I'm sort of going through a pecan faze right now, so I was happy to find this recipe that included them.

I found this new recipe for Banana Pecan Loaf in the latest edition of Taste of Home Fall Baking Magazine. The fall issue is always my favorite and inspires me to start thinking about the yummy and cozy treats I want to bake. Nothing says fall to me more than baking for my family when the weather turns cool and it's time to pull out our warm sweaters and jackets.

We always seem to have those bananas on the counter that turned brown because nobody ate them, so if that happens to you, it's the perfect time to make some banana bread. And if you have any leftover, I can't think of anything yummier than a slice warmed up and spread with butter. Perfect with an afternoon cup of tea or coffee.

Recipe for Banana Pecan Loaf

Ingredients:

1/2 cup butter, softened

1 cup packed brown sugar

2 large eggs

3 medium ripe bananas, mashed

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup chopped pecans

Directions:

In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in bananas. Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt, and add to creamed mixture. Fold in pecans.

Transfer to a greased 9x5 inch loaf pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 50-60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pan to a wire rack.

-Post by Patricia



Crock Pot Chicken Noodle Soup Recipe

I've always known that a lot of people are extremely effected by weather. I'm one of them, so moving to the dessert from rainy Seattle has been quite the adjustment for me.

I know it sounds crazy, but all this sunshine has made me a little depressed. I loved those rainy days, and the way it made the city look all shiny and beautiful. Everyone says that I've come at the worst time, summer and all it's heat, but that Nevada is actually quite lovely in the other seasons.

Today I took an early morning walk and it was rather cool outside. I can't tell you how happy that made me, and how much I'm looking forward to fall and winter.

The other night I was thinking about making soup come fall, and then I decided I didn't have to wait for fall. Soup is wonderful no matter what season we're in. And even with the air conditioner on 24/7.

Recipe for Crock Pot Chicken Noodle Soup

Ingredients:

1 1/2 pound boneless skinless chicken thighs

1 pound carrots, peeled and sliced

1/2 onion, finely chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme leaves

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1tablespoon instant chopped onion 

2 medium stalks celery, sliced

4 cups chicken broth

2 cups uncooked egg noodles

Directions:

In a large size crock pot, put in chicken thighs. Add carrots, onions, salt, thyme, pepper, garlic, celery and broth.

Cover and cook on low heat setting for 8 hours. Stir in noodles. Increase setting to high and cook 20 minutes, or until noodles are tender.

Remove chicken from crock pot and place on a cutting board. Shred chicken, then return to pot and stir soup.

Makes 6-8 servings.

-Post by Patricia



Cracked Sugar Cookies Recipe

I've mentioned before how much I love collecting and using cookbooks. I don't indulge myself in a lot of things in life, but I do enjoy buying cookbooks when I want to. They just plain out make me happy, much like they did my mom, I guess. But I use mine all the time, and I only remember her using hers when she wanted to make something "fancy".

When we were getting ready to move from our Seattle area home in July, I got rid of so much stuff. I donated bags and bags of clothes, shoes, household items, and even furniture. It made me sad to let it all go at first, but then I felt lighter and happy that I got rid of things that no longer were useful, or that had memories it was time to let go of.

I got rid of a lot of books too, mostly novels and decorating books, and some self-help books that I'm now embarrassed that I ever bought in the first place. But I kept every single cookbook, some that I've had for more than thirty years.

Decades ago, before everyone has turned into a self-proclaimed stylist, there was a Southern gentleman named Lee Bailey. When his first cookbook came out, I immediately fell in love with everything he did. I just loved his the South meets New York City way of approaching his home and life in the kitchen.

He became a well know lifestyle writer and opened home-furnishing stores in New York and across the country. He also went on to write more cookbooks, and I have everyone of them.

So here I am, thirty-plus years later still using this dear man's cookbooks to make my grandchildren a recipe for the best sugar cookies I ever tasted in my entire life. Mr. Bailey has passed on, but he still lives on for me in the beautiful books he created for home cooks just like me.

When I say these Cracked Sugar Cookies are the best, I'm not exaggerating. They are just downright delicious, and actually very easy to make. The cookbook says that Mr. Bailey got the recipe from his Louisiana cousin, and that it's been around for a long, long time. I like that.

Recipe for Lee Bailey's Cracked Sugar Cookies

Ingredients:

1 1/4 cups sugar

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened

3 large egg yokes, lightly beaten

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 1/2 cups sifted all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a cookie sheet. (Or use parchment paper like I did)

Cream the sugar and butter until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in the yokes and vanilla. Sift the dry ingredients together, then add to the batter in 4 parts, mixing well after each addition.

Form the dough into balls the size of a walnut and place balls on cookie sheet about 2 inches apart. Do not flatten. Bake for approximately 11 minutes. Cool on a wire rack. Repeat with remaining dough until used up.

Makes about 3 dozen cookies.

-Post by Patricia 









Fresh Peach Cake Recipe From Back In The Day Bakery Made With Love Cookbook

It sort of feels like I should call this cake the "end of summer fun cake". Tomorrow my grandchildren will start a brand new school, in a brand new town, in this brand new to us, state of Nevada.

I think my daughter and son-in-law have prepped them well for this new adventure, emotionally, and with the must have new clothes, backpacks, and shoes. I think, and hope, and pray that the new school will be a great place for them.

When you live with your grandchildren like I do, there isn't really the emotional separation from their lives like other grandparents have. And so I can get caught up in what is happening to them, and just like a parent, I want everything to always go smoothly for them, and life just isn't like that as we all know.

So all I can do is offer them love and support, and cake. Trust me, cake helps. I made this delicious cake for dessert for them last night and they loved it. Who doesn't love yummy cake with peaches and whipped cream, right?

This is actually another cake recipe from the Back In Day Bakery Made With Love Cookbook, by Cheryl and Griffith Day. I absolutely love their southern style way of life and baking. It's become one of my favorite cookbooks.

I found delicious peaches on sale at the grocery store and thought this cake would be a great end of summer dessert for us, and it was. So good!!

Recipe for Fresh Peach Cake

Ingredients:

1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

10 large peaches, peeled, pitted, and cut in half

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature

1/2 cup plus 3 tablespoons granulated sugar

1/2 cup packed light brown sugar

2 large eggs, at room temperature

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Directions:

Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter an 8-inch square (or round, like I used) cake pan, then line the bottom with parchment paper and butter it as well. Lightly dust the pan with flour, tapping the pan on the counter to shake out the excess.

Stir together the flour and baking powder. Set aside.

In a large bowl, toss the peaches with the lemon juice. Set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or in a large mixing bowl, using a hand held mixer), cream the butter, 1/2 cup of the granulated sugar, and the brown sugar on medium-high until very light and fluffy, 3 to 5 minutes.

With the mixer on low speed, gradually add the dry ingredients, mixing just until incorporated.

Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition and scraping down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula as necessary. Add the vanilla and mix until just incorporated.

Remove the bowl from the mixer and use the rubber spatula to incorporate any ingredients hiding at the bottom of the bowl, making sure the batter is completely mixed. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and gently smooth the top with the spatula. Tap the pan firmly on the counter to remove any air bubbles from the batter.

Arrange the peaches on top of the batter, cut side down. Stir together the remaining 3 tablespoons granulated sugar and the cinnamon and sprinkle on top of peaches.

Bake for about 1 hour, or until a cake tester inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. Cool for 15 minutes, then remove from the pan, peel off the parchment, and transfer to a wire rack to cool.

- Post by Patricia