Trail Mix Cookies

Today marks the first day back to school for my kiddos so I decided to make an after school treat that plays ode to summer and is fun to help celebrate the new school year: Trail Mix Cookies.

After School Turkey Wrap Hack

I don't know what it is about getting off the bus, but as soon as my kids get home from school they immediately start looking for a snack. Here is a fun, protein packed snack they can make on their own that will satisfy their after school munchies and not ruin their supper.

After School Sheet Pan Charcuterie Board

As soon as the kids get off the bus, they're ready for a snack!  So build an After School Sheet Pan Charcuterie Board with all of their favorites!

Puppy Chow - Favorite Kid Snack

With just five ingredients and a few minutes, kids of all ages, and kids at heart, can enjoy this crunchy, peanut butter, chocolate, sweet treat.  

5 Back to School Snack Mix Recipes

Celebrate the first day of school with one of my kid-approved snack mix recipes.  These are a great way to do something special for an after school snack, or just because throughout the year.

Pantry Trail Mix

The end of summer has arrived with the first day of school today so that means two things: #1 - time to clean out the pantry of all the partial snacks, crackers and goodies gathered over the course of t-ball games, fair and road trips, and #2 - time to celebrate the first day of school with a fun afternoon snack.  Put those two things together and we have Pantry Trail Mix.

Ranch Party Snack Mix

It is official - school has begun for our family!  This year Mr. K is in 1st grade and Miss A is in PreK.  Both kids were very excited for today and I'm so proud to see both of them growing up to be such caring, independent, creative, young kids.  To celebrate this special day, we started off the morning with our traditional celebratory waffles and for after-school I made a batch of my Ranch Party Snack Mix with some of their favorite mix-ins.

How lucky am I?!  A super hero and a mommy.  (Mr. K did clarify for me that he could still be a farmer too but that he would be a super hero first.) Sounds good to me 😉

Now onto the Ranch Party Snack Mix.  The kids helped me create this specific mix and we do variations of it throughout the year.  We actually love making snack mixes together as you can see here, and here, and here.

This snack mix is perfect for the whole family as it combines the ranch flavor with favorite snacks such as Bugles, Goldfish and popcorn.  The popcorn is all for my kids.  They love popcorn and could eat popcorn everyday if I let them.  Now, My Farmer prefers this mix with puffcorn instead but since it was for the kids after-school snack we stuck with regular popcorn.

Ranch Party Snack Mix

8 cups microwave popcorn, butter flavored, popped (you can just eat what is left in the bag while putting together the mix 😉)
2 cups Bugles, original
1 cup Dot's Homestyle Pretzels (Now usually I don't get too much into brands but if you haven't had Dot's Pretzels yet then you are missing out!  And I'm not paid by Dot's to say that - they are that good!)
1 cup Goldfish, cheddar
1 cup Ritz-Bits, cheese cracker sandwiches
1/2 cup butter
4 tsp. Ranch seasoning mix (1/2 of a 1 oz packet)

In a small bowl melt the butter in the microwave and stir in the ranch seasoning until mixed thoroughly.

Mix popcorn, Bugles, pretzels, Goldfish and Ritz-Bits in a large bowl and evenly coat with ranch butter.  Spread mixture on parchment paper lined baking sheets and bake at 300°F for 20 minutes, stirring half-way through.

Let cool 5-10 minutes and serve immediately.  Leftovers can be stored in an air-tight container for up to 2 days.

Do you have any special first day of school traditions?  Any special breakfasts or after-school snacks?  Remember to Comment for a Cause!

3 Kid-Friendly 4th of July Treats

Can you believe that 4th of July celebrations will be starting in just a week?!  No matter if you're hosting a big barbecue, or if you're keeping it simple with just watching the local fireworks with your family, you need to make something special and fun for Independence Day.  Here are 3 kid-friendly treats that my family loves to help you celebrate:

My family loves a good trail mix and we created this recipe by combining some of our favorite sweet and salty snacks.  Add some patriotic M&Ms to make it not only kid-friendly but festive too.

Here's another great snack mix to use patriotic M&Ms in.  You can never have too many snacks on hand when you have kids, are going camping, or if you are hosting a party.

There's nothing like cooling down with a popsicle on a hot, summer, 4th of July day.  My kids love these red, white and blueberry yogurt pops.  They're creamy, cool and sweet!

What's your favorite way to celebrate the 4th of July?

1 Minute Caramel Apple Dip

It's the last day of Apple Week and I hope you have been having as much fun as I have checking out all of these great apple posts!  Today we are all sharing our "Anything Apple Goes" posts.  Pretty much it's a chance for us to share anymore of our apple posts that we haven't gotten to yet ;)

Today I'm sharing one of my go-to, quick snacks - my 1 Minute Caramel Apple Dip.  This is a recipe I learned from my mom how to make when I was a kid and that I plan on sharing with my kids how to make once they're old enough to handle a hand mixer.

This dip is not only great on apples, but any fruit that you're looking for a sweet and creamy dip for.  It works great to bring to get-togethers with family and friends, because it's quick to make and it's a nice, healthier option to add to the "food table".  Plus my kids (and I) love it.  I sometimes will to bring this dip, doctored up a bit, to gatherings.  I learned this trick from my friend Beth Ann at It's Just Life.  Just take the cream cheese apple dip, spread it on the bottom of a pie plate, then pour caramel sauce on top, and cover with Heath Bar bits.  It adds a little something for entertaining and it's oh, so good. :)

1 Minute Caramel Apple Dip

8 oz Cream Cheese
1/2 cup Brown Sugar
1/2 tsp Vanilla extract
3/4 tsp Caramel extract

Mix ingredients together with a hand mixer until smooth.  Store in the refrigerator.  Serve with apple slices or your favorite fruit.

And to show how easy and fast this dip is, I'm going to do a Facebook LIVE video today at 3pm CST showing how it literally take 1 minute to make.  I hope you hop over to Facebook and watch today!

So, which Apple Week recipe are you most excited about that I shared this week - my Harvest Brats with Apple Slaw, my Apple Brown Betty, or today's 1 Minute Caramel Apple Dip?  Have you checked out some of the other Apple Week posts?  Which one of those are you looking forward to making?  Remember to Comment for a Cause!

Monday: Appetizers and Drinks

Apple Brie Roll Up  by Family Around the Table
Apple Cider Margaritas by A Palatable Pastime

Apple Cheddar Pinwheels by Cooking With Carlee
Apple Pie Martini by Amy's Cooking Adventures
Apple Pie Smoothie by Feeding Big
Caramel Apple Float by Jolene's Recipe Journal
Caramel Apple Martini by A Day in the Life on the Farm
Caramel Appletini by The Speckled Palate
Hot and Boozy Caramel Apple Cider by Love My Messy Messy Mess
Hot Fireball Apple Cider by Grumpy's Honeybunch
Mulled Apple Shrub Mule by A Kitchen Hoor's Adventures
Pumpkin Spice Crockpot Apple Sauce by I Say Nomato
Red Hot Apple Cider by New South Charm
Roasted Apple and Acorn Squash Soup by Caroline's Cooking
Slow Cooker Caramel Apple Cider by Hezzi-D's Books and Cooks

Tuesday: Main Dishes and Sides

Apple Cheddar Grilled Cheese by A Kitchen Hoor's Adventures

Apple Cider Bread by I Say Nomato
Apple-Glazed Pork Chops with Raisins by Love My Messy Messy Mess

Apple Streusel Muffins by Family Around The Table
Chicken Salad with Apples and Cranberries by Feeding Big
Chopped Apple Salad by A Day in the Life on the Farm
Fall Apples Become Yummy Applesauce for the Year by Crafty Mama in ME
Harvest Brats with Apple Slaw by Corn, Beans, Pigs and Kids
Sausage Stuffed Apples by A Palatable Pastime
Sage Pork Chops with Apple Pan Gravy by Amy's Cooking Adventures
Scalloped Apples Casserole by Red Cottage Chronicles
Slow Cooker Apple Cider Pulled Pork by Cooking With Carlee
Southern Style Fried Apples by New South Charm

Wednesday: Sweet Treats

Apple and Nut Drop Cookies by A Day in the Life on the Farm
Apple Brown Betty by Corn, Beans, Pigs and Kids

Apple Cider Caramel Sauce by Cooking With Carlee
Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal Bread by Feeding Big
Apple Dumplings by A Palatable Pastime
Apple Oatmeal Cookies by Jolene's Recipe Journal
Apple Pie & Cinnamon Things by Crafty Mama in ME
Apple Pie in a Jar by Grumpy's Honeybunch
Baked Apples with Chocolate and Caramel by Hezzi-D's Books and Cooks
Brown Butter Apples by Cricket's Confections
Mini Apple Pie with Cheddar Crust by Amy's Cooking Adventures
Nana's Apple Pie by The Crumby Cupcake
Sparkling Cider Pound Cake by Family Around The Table

Thursday: Apple Projects

Apple Bacon Jam by Caroline's Cooking

Apple Cinnamon Pancake Mix in a Jar by A Palatable Pastime

Apple Cinnamon Stovetop Potpourri by Amy's Cooking Adventures

Apple Suncatchers by Crafty Mama in ME

Caramel Apple in a Jar by Family Around The Table

Knit Apple Hat by Jolene's Recipe Journal

Friday: Anything Apple Goes

1 Minute Caramel Apple Dip by Corn, Beans, Pigs and Kids

Apple Brown Betty by A Palatable Pastime

Apple Bundt Cake With Cider Caramel by Cooking With Carlee
Apple Cinnamon Shortcakes by Jolene's Recipe Journal
Apple Crisp Shortbread Bars by Hezzi-D's Books and Cooks
Apple Fritters by Grumpy's Honeybunch
Apple Pie Skillet by A Day in the Life on the Farm
Caramelized Apple and Bacon Jam Crostini by Caroline's Cooking
Creamy Peanut Butter Apple Dip by New South Charm
Grilled Cheese Sandwich with Apple and Peppered Bacon by Feeding Big

Individual Apple Crisp by Family Around The Table
Smoky Apple Pulled Pork by Amy's Cooking Adventures

Slow Cooker Apple Butter by The Crumby Cupcake

Kid-Friendly Trail Mix

Summertime for our family means going on mini-adventures, playing outside as much as possible, and visiting family and friends both near and far.  Last week we had a play date with some neighbors and wanted to bring a kid-friendly snack along.  Our usual go-to is puppy chow, but with it being warm outside I thought it'd be best to switch it up so we wouldn't have one giant chocolaty mess.  I decided to make this salty and sweet Kid-Friendly Trail Mix.

Kid-Friendly Trail Mix

4 cups Puffcorn, original
2 cups Bugles, original
2 cups Teddy Grahams, chocolate chip
1 cup Ritz Bits, cheese cracker sandwiches
1 cup Goldfish, cheddar
1 cup M&M's, plain

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and stir to evenly distribute.

For a fun red, white and blue snack this 4th of July, try Patriotic Custom M&M'S in the Trail Mix!

This is a fun, summer snack for kids, and those that are kids at heart.  In fact our family has enjoyed this Kid-Friendly Trail Mix so much in the last week we are on our second batch!  Our 4 year old son LP loves the Teddy Grahams in the Trail Mix, where our 2 year old daughter MP's favorite is the Puffcorn.  I personally love the Bugles and My Farmer enjoys the Ritz Bitz.  And you can't go wrong with Goldfish and M&Ms, right?

What would be your favorite part of this Kid-Friendly Trail Mix?  Remember to Comment for a Cause!

And a big thank you to my Facebook Fans for helping me think through summer kid snacks ideas and for helping me decide what to post this week!