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Crockpot Chicken Corn Chowder

I received this Fond Bone Broth free for purposes of my review. All opinions are my own.

As we head into the end of our school year, my schedule becomes hectic. And I resort to easy or crockpot meals a lot more often just to keep up with everyone’s end of year schedules and activities.

Fond Bone Broths are super flavorful and great for you! So, cooking with them is incredibly easy, because the seasonings I need are already there!

Crockpot Chicken Corn Chowder

3 jars Fond Bone Broth Tumeric, Thyme, Black Pepper broth
2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken
1 bag of frozen corn
4oz cream cheese
1/4 cup water
2 Tbsp corn starch

  1. Place bone broth, chicken, and frozen corn in crockpot. Cook on low for about 6 hours
  2. Shred chicken and add 4oz cream cheese
  3. While cream cheese is melting, stir together 1/4 cup water and the corn starch
  4. Add corn starch and water to the crockpot and stir until everything is mixed and slightly thickened.

If you want to make this a little more southwestern you could toss in some black beans, green chiles, or tomatoes – but in the interest of keeping everyone in my family happy, I didn’t add these in.

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Beyond the Equator Seed Butter Recipes

* This is a sponsored post *

With 4 kids, the probability is really high that more than one of them is in a classroom, group, or event with another child who has a peanut allergy. Because we love peanut butter, and my kids really don’t want to give up their favorite peanut butter foods, I’ve tried a LOT of other nut butters and seed butters. Most of these butters have been quickly rejected by my kids. They just don’t taste like what they’re used to. And while I personally love cashew butter, it’s still a nut. And I can have it some places and not others.

So…I was excited and not excited to try a new brand of seed butters. One thing that made me optimistic about Beyond the Equator was that they’re a 5 seed butter. Because, let me tell you, I cannot stand the taste of sunflower seed butter! And I’ve tried at least 10 of them. So, I promise you, it’s not the fault of the person making the butter, it’s the sunflower.

Beyond the Equator sent me their 3 5 Seed Butter Butters. (Say that 5 times fast!). These butters have Chai, Flax, Pumpkin, Sunflower, and Hemp seeds. No nuts. And they come in 3 varieties, Crunchy, Creamy, and Unsweetened.

If you’re eating the butters straight out of the jar, they all have the texture of a natural peanut butter. The unsweetened, I can definitely taste the sunflower seeds in, so I don’t really like it plain. But on a sandwich or in a recipe, it’s perfect.

The Creamy really is the closest to my kid’s favorite peanut butter that I’ve found in a nut butter. And best of all, my kids don’t mind eating it!

The crunchy isn’t quite as sweet as the creamy but still sweeter than the unsweetened. This jar is mine, because my kids don’t like crunchy. Which is fine by me. It tastes great and makes a terrific PB&J – all for me.

Muddy Buddies

One snack my kids are constantly sad they can’t take to events is Muddy Buddies. Because, if you have anyone allergic to nuts, these are basically terrible. So, we took the unsweetened Beyond the Equator 5 Seed Butter and gave it a try.

My kids devoured these just like they do our usual recipe, and we even shared them with guests and no one knew they were made with “special butter” until we told them! My kids are definitely planning to make these again AND take them to share with friends!

Ingredients

8 Cups chex cereal – I prefer the rice chex because they have very little flavor

1 cup chocolate chips – I like milk chocolate

1/2 cup Beyond the Equator 5 Seed Butter – I like the unsweetened

1/4 cup Butter – melted

2 Cups powdered sugar

Directions

  1. Put chocolate, butter, and 5 seed butter in a bowl. Microwave at 15 second increments, stirring between, until everything is melted and mixed together.
  2. Pour 8 cups chex in a bowl. Pour chocolate mixture over chex and stir until all chex are covered in chocolate
  3. Pour 2 cups of powdered sugar over chocolate covered chex and stir until everything is white.
  4. Dump mixture onto a cookie sheet to cool
  5. Try not to eat it all yourself!

Nut Butter Protein Balls

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups oats

3/4 cup Beyond the Equator 5 Seed Butter – if this isn’t enough add a few tablespoons at a time until the mixture is the right consistency

3 Tbst honey or molasses

1/4 cup m&ms

Directions

  1. Pulse oats in a food processor until coarsely ground
  2. Mix oats, seed butter, and honey until well mixed and you can form balls with them. If they aren’t sticky enough, add a little more seed butter. Especially if you’re using the crunchy seed butter, you’ll probably need a little more.
  3. Mix in m&ms or other desired mixin
  4. Form into balls and set out to dry.
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Dinosaurs and Cookies

How do Dinosaurs Eat Cookies by Jane Yolen & Mark Teague.

Our book topic for this month’s book craft was “How Do Dinosaurs…” I’d never read this series before but it sounded like fun.

I went a little overboard and check out maybe a dozen from the library – and there’s still more! The kids didn’t mind because these books are super cute, and fun to read. They all have a fun rhyme and my 3yr old loves dinosaurs so he was very excited to have all sorts of dinosaur books to read.

With the cold snap last week, baking cookies together was a great project. We made chocolate cookies with multi-colored dinosaur eggs (mini m&m’s). So much fun, and so tasty!

Along we way we got to talk about how dinosaurs help in the kitchen – they don’t throw the m&m’s btw. And how dinosaurs are very polite when they eat their cookies.

How do Dinosaurs Eat Cookies is a super cute board book with “scratch & sniff” cookies throughout. Lots of fun to read together over and over.

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Dinosaur Egg Cookies

1 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 eggs
2 1/4 cups flour
1/3 cup cocoa
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 package mini m&ms – or other chocolate chips of your choice

  1. Heat oven to 350
  2. With an electric mixer, blend together butter, sugars, and vanilla until creamy. Add eggs one at a time, mixing well.
  3. In a separate bowl, mix together flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt. Gradually add flour mixture to sugar mixture, until well blended.
  4. Stir in mini m&ms
  5. Drop by rounded teaspoons onto ungreased cookie sheet.
  6. Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until set. Cool about 5 minutes then remove from cookie sheet to wire rack.

Makes 5 to 6 dozen cookies

DinoCookies

This post does contain affiliate links.

Come join us for the Monthly Crafting Book Club. Each month we focus on a different book and encourage early literacy by pairing it with a craft.

Monthly Crafting Book Club

 


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Ginger Cookies

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My very favorite holiday recipe. I’ve made these for years and I never get tired of them.

Ginger Cookies
2 1/4 cups flour
2 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground cloves
3/4 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1/4 cup molasses
2 Tbsp. sugar

Preheat oven to 350. In a bowl, combine flour, ginger, baking soda, cinnamon, and cloves. Set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, beat butter with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Gradually add the 1 cup sugar, beating on low speed until fluffy. Add the egg and molasses; beat well. Using a wooden spoon, stir flour mixture into egg mixture.

Shape dough into 1 1/2 inch balls. Roll balls in the 2 Tbsp sugar. Place about 2 1/2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheets. Bake about 10 minutes.

Makes 24.

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Cheesy Bacon Potatoes

potatoes

I love potatoes, bacon, and cheese! Side dishes just don’t get much better than this.

Cheesy Bacon Potatoes

Ingredients
6 medium potatoes
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
1 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese
4 pieces fresh cooked bacon broken into pieces, or 1/4 cup bacon bits
2 cloves garlic crushed
salt & pepper to taste

  1. Preheat oven to 350. Grease bottom and sides of a 9X9 casserole pan.
  2. Peel and slice potatoes into thin slices. Mix potatoes with heavy cream, 1/2 cup cheese, garlic, and salt & pepper.
  3. Spread evenly in prepared pan. Top with 1/2 cup cheese and bacon bits.
  4. Bake for 1 hour or until potatoes are tender

 

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Ham and Cheese Ore-Ida Totchos

Totchos My husband went out to dinner the other night with some co-workers so I thought it would be a good night to try out a newOre-Ida Totchos recipe with my Ore-Ida Tater Tots. The kids were skeptical at first but once they started eating, they all told me how much they loved it!

When my husband got home and saw the leftovers on the counter he asked when I was going to make it again because he wants to try it too. He thought it looked delicious!

These are super easy to make, and they make a great quick meal for the family.

Ham & Cheese Ore-Ida Totchos

1/2 bag Ore-Ida Tater Tots
1/2 lb chopped ham
1 cup grated chese
sour cream
handfull of bacon bits

1. Cook tater tots per package directions.

2. While tater tots are cooking cook/warm ham in a skillet on the stove. Add a little water to the pan if needed to keep the ham from sticking.

IMG_20160115_1802265843. Place cooked tater tots and ham in individual bowls (I like to make things per person because with little kids this is just easier)

4. Top with grated cheese, sour cream, and then bacon bits.

5. Enjoy!

It’s just like a ham and cheese loaded baked potato, just without the peel, so my kids will eat it all!

Want more Totchos recipes? Check out Ore-Ida’s website.

I received this product free from @Influenster for purposes of my review. All opinions are my own. #OreidaTotchos #contest

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Corn Pudding Recipe

corn

One of my favorite holiday recipes is Corn Pudding. With eggs, butter, and whipping cream, how could it not be! This is a favorite among all my guests and I rarely have leftovers. People will return for seconds and thirds.

Corn Pudding
Cook time: 50 minutes  Oven Temp: 350  Servings: 8-10

1/3         cup sugar

3              Tbsp. flour

2              tsp. baking powder

2              tsp. salt

1              tsp. cumin

2              cups whipping cream

½             cup butter, melted

6              extra large eggs, beaten

2              pkg. frozen golden sweet corn

  1. Mix the sugar, flour, baking powder, salt and cumin together. Combine the cream and butter in a bowl and stir until blended. Stir in the eggs. Add the sugar mixture gradually, stirring constantly until combined. Stir in the corn.
  2. Pour into a buttered 9 X 13 inch or 2qt baking dish.
  3. Bake at 350 for 60 to 90 minutes or until the center is firm and the top is golden brown. Let stand for 15 minutes before serving. I find that if it’s alone in the oven it takes 60 minutes. If there’s other items in the oven (which is usually the case for holiday cooking) then it takes closer to 90 minutes to set. Make sure you cook until the center is set. Runny corn pudding is not good.
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Sweet Potato Casserole

Potato

This is one of my favorite holiday recipes. Something I make for my family year after year. And something they request year after year.

Even my kids who won’t normally eat sweet potatoes gobble this up as fast as I can serve it to them!

Sweet Potato Casserole

Oven temp:350   Cook time:45min

1 C sugar

2 eggs

1 stick butter (softened)

1 tsp vanilla

1 large can sweet potatoes (you can also bake 4 medium sweet potatoes, remove the skins, and use them instead of the caned potatoes)

Topping

1/3 C melted butter

1/3 C flour

1 C brown sugar

1 Tbsp cinnamon

 

  1. Whip ingredients until fluffy.
  2. Combine topping ingredients and sprinkle over top
  3. Bake at 350 for 45 minutes
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Food Friday – Veggie Mac & Cheese

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I have lots of random veggies that I don’t usually cook with a lot in my fridge these days, so I’m trying out new recipes. I’m loving how sweet the orange and yellow peppers are.

Veggie Mac & Cheese

1 can of corn, drained or 3 corn cobs with the corn cut off
1 yellow pepper (or any pepper of your choice) – diced
1/3 cup sliced okra
Handfull of cherry tomatoes
2 Tbsp butter
salt & pepper to taste

Mac & cheese of your choice – I made a slightly spicy mac & cheese

Make your macaroni and cheese according to package directions or follow your favorite recipe.

Place butter and vegetables in a skillet over medium heat, cook stirring often until peppers are slightly softened. Season as wanted with salt and pepper.

You can mix the veggies in with the mac and cheese or put them on top like I did. Cheese and veggies are such a delicious combination!

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Food Friday – Sautéed Squash

We love Sautéed Squash at my house. It’s so quick and easy to make. I’ll whip it up for lunch or an emergency snack. It’s soft so the baby can eat it (though, he has molars now so it’s not really a problem anymore).

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Sautéed Squash

1 large or 2 small squash – rinsed and sliced into rounds
1 Tbsp butter
Salt to taste
Parmesan Cheese

Place sliced squash and butter in skillet over medium heat. Add salt as desired. Cook, stirring frequently until squash is soft and lightly browned – about 15 minutes (if you use a nonstick skillet it won’t brown that much).

Remove from heat and serve topped with grated parmesan cheese.