Infant Yogurt drops

My 9 month old is a darling, bright-eyed, drooling, toothless munchkin!  He is also a bottomless pit!  That kid can eat!  When I found this recipe for the infant yogurt drops I was thrilled!  And, these aren't made with real dairy so they won't spoil.  Did he like them???  What do you think?

Ingredients:
1c powdered milk
1/4c formula
1/2c juice
1/2t vanilla
2t corn starch

Directions:

Mix powdered milk, formula, and juice, and vanilla in a pan and heat over medium heat until it forms a thick paste.  

Reduce heat to low and add corn starch.  Cook for 3 more minutes stirring constantly. 

Put paste into icing bag or ziploc bag with cut tip and squeeze out drops onto wax paper.  

 Place in fridge to cool for then sit out in room temperature until dry-at least 6 hours.  Store in air tight container.

Be creative and enjoy!

 

STATS:

better? my older kids hate these, I think because of the formula, but I don't think they're that bad and my baby LOVES them!  I love that you can customize these to your babies favorite flavors and formula needs! *check*

healthier? These are healthier if your baby has issue with dairy but I have to admit the commercial ones are healthy!  I made these more for our next point...cheaper.

 cheaper?  1 4lb box of dried milk is around $8 so 1c is $.50.  Formula obviously depends on the type but for a 24oz can of Parent's Choice formula the amount of formula used for this recipe costs $.56.  A bag of Gerber Graduates Yogurt Melts is $4 for a 1oz bag!  Crazy!  That's 1/4c!!  This recipe made 1 1/4 cup for $1?  Amazing!  *check*

Cream of Chicken Soup

So many of my quick go-to recipes call for cream of chicken soup!  Its such a helpful pantry item but helpful panty items add up quick!  My amazing sister has easy crock pot cooking down to a science and uses cream of chicken soup a lot!  She asked me to figure out how to make this homemade so she could help that expense.  So Joslin....here it is and you won't believe how easy it is!


This is equivalent to 1 can of soup

Ingredients:
1T flour
3T butter
1/2c chicken broth
1/2c milk
salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:
You're going to start with a butter heavy basic roux so-Melt the butter in a small sauce pan over medium-low heat. When melted, whisk in the flour and continue whisking until smooth and bubbly.


Remove from the heat and slowly whisk in the chicken broth and milk.  If you don't have chicken broth just use water and chicken bouillon according to directions. 

Return to heat and bring to a gentle boil stirring constantly until the soup thickens.

Add salt and pepper to taste.


 Ideas:
Pour over boneless skinless chicken breasts, chopped vegetables, and place in crock pot with italian dressing mix.  Serve with pasta and a green salad.

Be creative and Enjoy!

 STATS:
better? I love the fresh, natural taste.  It tastes like creamy chicken soup and it's definitely not gelatinous by any means!  *check*
healthier?  this recipe in made of all ingredients from your pantry or fridge.  No added salt and preservatives.  *check*
cheaper? with a coupon or on sale 1 can of cream of chicken soup is $1.  We made it for pennies!!  3T butter = approx. $0.24 *check*

Ranch Dip Mix

I swear my girls would drink ranch dressing if I let them.  Don't get me wrong, I love me some dip and chips and the combination of the love of this flavor... the homemade Ranch Dip Mix!

mix together:
2/3c dried onion
1/3c dried parsley
2T salt (I like it salty but you can decrease the salt to 1T for a low-sodium option)
2t garlic powder

store in a air tight container (I use a mason jar)

To make ranch dressing: Mix 2T of dry mix, 1c mayo, 1c buttermilk-see below
To make ranch dip: Mix 2 T dry mix, with 1c sour cream

Be Creative and Enjoy!

STATS:
better? Honestly, this is the best dip and dressing I've ever had!!  It's so good! and I can't believe how simple it is! *check*
healthier? Sadly, these simple ingredients still require lots of huge words no one can pronounce to put them on your shelf!  This has none of that and you can control the sodium! *check*
cheaper? 1 packet or 2T is $2.19 at Walmart.  This makes 8 times that for pennies!  I had everything in my spice cupboard so it cost me nothing!  *check*     


Need Italian Dressing Mix??????




Don't have buttermilk laying around?  (who does?!?)  My friend who is a GENIUS baker taught me this little trick!  Check out her amazing blog for the BEST baking recipes ever-Seriously, the best!  www.fredellicious.blogspot.com



Buttermilk: Combine 1T white vinegar and 1c milk in a bowl and let sit for 5 min.  It will get nice and chunky and there you have...BUTTERMILK!  Too easy :)

 

Italian dressing Mix

My all time favorite Italian dressing is the packet mix from Good Seasonings.  It has such good flavor!  Well...in true Better Healthier Cheaper fashion- I give you Italian Dressing dry Mix.  This is great because you can EASILY make a large batch, keep it in your spice cupboard, and have it on hand, ready to use for dips, dressings, or recipes! 

Mix together:

1T garlic salt1T onion powder
1T white sugar
2T dried oregano
1t ground black pepper
1/4t dried thyme
1t dried basil
1T dried parsley
1/4t celery salt
2T salt

makes 1/2c dry mix

Store in a tightly sealed container;  I used a mason jar.

To make a dressing:  whisk together 1/4c white vinegar, 2/3 cup oil (I like olive oil), 2T water, and 2T dry seasoning mix.

I love to mix this with 1 can of cream of chicken soup-or even better homemade cream of chicken soup, throw it with some frozen chicken in the crock pot and serve with pasta for dinner!

STATS:
better? This stuff is delicious!  The dressing is flavorful and I love that I can use it for other things too! *check*
healthier? Good Seasons, in particular, lists a few ingredients that I can't pronounce-never good, and it lists "natural flavors" which is debatable whether or not this includes the dreaded Msg depending on the source.  So I'd say *check*
cheaper? At Walmart 4 packets are $5.75 or $1.44 per packet.  Each packet is 2 T of seasonings.  This recipe makes the same as 4 packets (8T)  I had all of the ingredients in my spice rack so I spent NOTHING!  *check*

Need Ranch Dressing Mix???

Granola Bars

I don't know about your family but mine needs Snacks.  All kinds of snacks!  We love the staple granola bar but they're full of junk and super expensive considering how fast my little kids go through them.  I found this recipe a couple years ago on Pinterest and Loved it!  I love the versatility, ease, and quickness of this recipe and my kids love the taste and coming up with their favorite combinations!  Some of our favorites so far are Cinnamon Raisin, Orange Cranberry, S'mores, Peanut Butter, and Peanut butter Chocolate Chip.  I hope you love this recipe and can create your families favorites at a fraction of the cost! 

For the basic recipe you need:

1/2 t vanilla
1/4 c butter
1/4 c honey
1/3 c packed brown sugar
3 cups dry ingredients; which includes but is not limited to: puffed rice, puffed wheat, puffed millet, and oats.  Any combination you want as long as it adds up to 3 cups.
 2 Small hand fulls of your favorite add-ins!  

Directions:

Stir together dry ingredients in a large bowl and set aside.  

In a small pot melt butter, honey, and brown sugar on med-hi heat until it comes to a boil.  Reduce the heat to Lo and cook for 2 minutes stirring constantly.  Stir in Vanilla.  

Pour over your dry ingredients and mix well to coat well.  

Quickly stir in you add-ins.  If you want your marshmallows, chocolate chips, or peanut butter chips to be melted a little you can stir them into the dry mix before pouring the hot mixture over.  Peanut butter can be put in before the hot mixture also.  

Once everything is mixed well pour into a lightly greased baking sheet and with a piece of wax paper tightly pack it onto the pan.  

  

This part is important!  Pack it tight!  The tighter you pack it the better they'll hold together.  Let the pan sit on your counter for 2 hours or in your fridge for 20 minutes to completely cool and then cut!  Individually wrap them in parchment paper or plastic wrap and store at room temperature or put all of 1 kind in a ziploc or tupperware and store in your fridge or freezer if they're crumbly.  I like mine in the freezer because they don't get too warm and melt or fall apart if my little ones want to hold them until its time to eat them.  

Tips:  If your bars aren't staying together pack them tighter and try reducing the butter by 1T next time.
 1 recipe makes about 12 bars so I make a batch per kind we're making that day. 
You can buy the puffed dry ingredients at any Sprouts type store.  Watch for sales and you can frequently get them for $1 a bag.






Ideas:
Cinnamon Raisin - add 1t cinnamon and 2 hand-fulls of raisins
Cranberry Orange- add 2 hand-fulls craisens and 1t orange zest
Peanut Butter - 1/2c peanut butter and peanut butter chips if you want *you can add the peanut butter before the hot mixture
Chocolate Chip - 2 hand-fulls mini chocolate chips
M&M's - 2 hand-fulls mini m&m's
S'mores - 1 big hand-full mini white marshmallows and 1 big hand-full chocolate chips *add in bowl before hot mixture so they get nice a gooey when hit with the heat!

Peanut Butter Chip

Cranberry Orange

S'Mores

Be Creative and Enjoy!

 

STATS:

Better? When you and your kids get to make your own custom creations that's always better!!  *check*

Healthier? While alot of chewy granola bars are finally made without high fructose corn syrup they are still LOADED with sugar and are definitely closer to a candy bar.  These are not absent of all things sweet and delicious but there's still far less sugar and these are also made with honey -an all natural and good for you sweetener- which helps.  Also, with these you can use the dry ingredients you like and make it as healthy as you want.  In the end...there's nothing in your new granola bars that you can't pronounce and don't know exactly where it came from! *check*

Cheaper? A box of Chewy granola bars is around $4 for 10!  Cost for your custom bars...$.75 for dry ingredients, and maybe $1 total for everything else-although its really all stuff from the pantry.  Total maybe $1.75 for 12? *check*

Nutrigrain Bars

The request for homemade Nutrigrain bars recipe came from a reader (thanks Steph).  After looking at several recipes I'm excited to share this one I found at pilgrimspantry.com!  They are soooo good and so healthy!!  You're going to be SHOCKED when you scroll down to see what they're made of!  I think my husband has eaten 10 of them in the last day!




Ingredients:

1/2 c butter, softened
1t vanilla
1c packed brown sugar
1c whole wheat flour
1c all purpose flour
1 1/2 c rolled oats
2c jam or fruit preserves

and for the kicker....1/2c white beans, drained and rinsed!  I know -crazy right?!?  Any white bean will work-I used Navy beans

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

1-Place the beans, vanilla, and softened butter into a blender or food processor to make smooth

 

2- Mix smooth bean mixture with other ingredients-white flour, wheat flour, oats, and brown sugar.  Mixture will be crumbly

 

3- On foil lined and greased baking sheet or silpat press down half the dough on to the pan.

4- Spread jam, jelly, or even leftover fruit boiled with a little sugar onto mixture

5- Spread remainder of mixture on top of fruit to create your "sandwich".  I added some raw oats on top to help fill in holes where I didn't do the best job spreading my 2nd half of the mixture.

6- Bake for 25 minutes or until lightly brown at 350 degrees.

7- Let cool and then cut into squares or bars.  This can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for about 5 days, or frozen up to six months.

Ideas:  These would make a great after school snack, or breakfast!  Mix extras into the batter if you're trying to get extra goodness into your family, ie. flax seeds or chia seeds!

Mmmmm Mmmm good!

Be Creative and Enjoy!

STATS:

Better - These things are delicious!  I love the endless options these have!!  *check*
Healthier - I know "White beans" is not an ingredient of any nutri-grain bars I've seen!  These also boast a healthy dose of whole wheat flour and depending on what type of fruit preserves you use (ie. sugar free or homemade) there's another place for a health improvement! *check*
Cheaper - These cost me nothing to make because everything was already in my pantry!  The recipe doesn't call for enough of anything  to cause for a separate but if you were doing the math I can't imagine these would cost more than $1 or 2 and you get 1/2 a pan full!  I got an entire gallon ziplock full of bars! -probably 24? Nutri-grain bars in the store are at least $3 for 8!  *check*

Lemon Sugar Scrub

I'm always looking for easy gifts to do for Grandma's, Sisters, Teachers, or dear Friends and thanks to my sister,  this Sugar Scrub is my choice for holiday gifts this year!  I had all the ingredients in my pantry and only needed to purchase the small 3oz jars which were about $6 at Walmart for 12.  This recipe will fill 6.

Mix 2 1/2 cups sugar, 1 cup olive oil, and 4 T lemon juice (or a few drops of any other essential oil scent you like) and spoon mixture into jars.  It's that simple!

Sugar scrubs are great for exfoliating and moisturizing and leave you smelling fresh and wonderful!

Be creative and enjoy!

Christmas Crack

Looking for a delicious gift for neighbors or friends?  This is my families favorite treat to share!  It's called....Christmas Crack and the name says it all!  Its unbelievably addicting!!  I love this recipe because its something the kids can help do, its easy to mass produce, and its cheap!






1 batch will fill 2 jelly roll pans and makes PLENTY so adjust this recipe to your needs :)

You will need:
3 sleeves of Salted Saltine Crackers
1 cup butter
1 1/2 cup brown sugar
1 bag milk chocolate chips

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees

Line 2 pans with foil and lay out the crackers flat salt side down.  **great job for little ones!   You're creating the bottom layer of your treat so make sure they're lined up close and not overlapping.

In a sauce pan melt together your butter and brown sugar on med-high heat, stirring constantly.  Once it boils set a timer and boil for 5 min and keep stirring.  Then pour over your crackers and spread evenly with spatula.
 

Bake for 5 min at 400 degrees. 

Take your pans out of the oven and sprinkle chocolate chips over and let sit for 5 min.  See a trend???  After it's sat for 5 min take your spatula and spread out your, now melted, chocolate chips.

Place your pan in the fridge for 30-40 min to cool and then you're ready to break up and put into your bags....if there's any left once you taste it!

Ideas: sprinkle left over crushed up crackers, m&ms, or broken pretzels on top!

Be creative and Enjoy!

STATS:
There's nothing to compare this too....so *check*
1 batch rough costs:  3  sleeves of crackers $1.50
                                    1 bag chocolate chips $2.25
                                    1 cup butter $.50
                                     1 1/2 cup brown sugar $1.00
 
Total rough cost $4.25

Piles and Piles of Laundry Oh My!

One of my least favorite jobs as a mom is definitely Laundry and with 4 kids- 5 and under I have a lot of it!  Consequently, laundry detergent is a significant cost.  But- significant cost no more! I found a recipe I followed here and it worked great!  Be sure to check out the STATS below!  You won't believe the cost difference!

 

You can find all the ingredients in your local gocery store in the laundry detergent isle -usually all right next to each other!  You need: Borax, Super Washing Soda, and Fels-Naptha (about $8 total!)  I also got a 5 gallon bucket to make it easier to mix (they're only like $2) 

You only use 1/3 bar of the Fels-Naptha soap per batch and each batch is 2 gallons. 

1.  Shred 1/3 of the Fels-Naptha bar and set aside

2.  Bring 1/2 gallon of water in a pot on the stove

3.  Add your 1/3 shredded Fels-Napth and bring back to a boil on Med-hi heat  (the first time I brought it back to a boil on high and when I added my other ingredients they totally boiled over and lets just say I have a very clean stove top :)

 

4.  Once it's completely melted add 1/2 c Borax and 1/2 c Washing Soda

        -Let this boil on med-hi for 5 minutes and stir

 

5.  Add 1 1/2 gallons of COLD water to your bucket and pour your soap into it and start to stir-I used an immersible blender but you can use your muscles if you don't have one.

6.  Let it sit for 30 minutes and stir again really well.

7.  Once you're done stirring, pour it into your container!  You're done!  

This recipe works for High Efficiency (He) washers also!  1/2 c per load-and be sure to shake your container before you pour it as it may settle if it sits there for a while.  I put it in an old detergent container I saved so I can have the dispenser, but the plastic jugs would work great too!  You can make powder detergent mix if you ALWAYS wash your cloths in hot water.  You may think its a "mommy fail" but I NEVER wash them in hot water because that would require sorting....which I don't do.  Don't judge.   If you use the powder in cold water it won't melt the Fels-Naptha soap. 

You can add scents if you want but to be honest the Fels-Naptha smells amazing! 

This is a great gift idea!!

Be Creative and Enjoy!

STATS:

Better-My clothes are soft, clean, and smell great!  There's no residue or waxiness like some other cheap detergents leave *check*

Healthier-Surprise Surprise there's all sorts of nastiness in laundry soap! this site said: Most companies add optical brighteners to detergent formulas—additives that emit blue light, making whites appear whiter by tricking the eye. By design, optical brighteners stay in clothes after washing, which may cause skin irritation. Wow!  *check*

Cheaper- Get ready for this!  1 batch will do 64 loads of laundry! 

The ingredients break down: Fels-Naptha = $0.32 a batch

                                                 Washing Soda =$.029 a batch

                                                  Borax =$0.17 a batch

So for 64 loads of laundry detergent it costs $0.78!  That's $0.012 a load!  1 PENNY PER LOAD!!!!!  This may be a homemade record! *check*