Seasoned Pretzels

Once again my resourceful cookbook, The Cooking Mom by Amy Hanten, came to the rescue as I prepared for a trip to the North woods.  Around the 4th of July each year we head up to visit some family in what I would call the deep, dark woods.  I wanted to bring something that traveled easy and could be served to a crowd.  I thought these were amazing. 

2 bags (16 ounces) small pretzels
1 packet (1 ounce) dry ranch salad dressing
3/4 cup vegetable oil
1 1/2 teaspoons dill weed
1 1/2 garlic powder

Place the pretzels in a large bowl.  Combine remaining ingredients and pour over pretzels.  Stir to coat.  Pour into a large baking pan.  Bake at 200 degrees for 45 minutes to an hour, stirring every 15 minutes.  Store in an airtight container for up to 3 weeks.  According to Amy, she puts them in a bunch of snack bags.  I put mine in a big gallon bag to take on a road trip.

These are great just for a snack or paired with beer dip.

Puffed Carmel Corn

When I was young my mom made the best carmel corn ever.  If I tap into my memories, I have one specific memory related to carmel corn, I must have been about 5 or so and I must have been on my mom's last nerve or fighting with my sister  my mom or my sister or someone in my family was driving ME crazy.  At that time I thought it would be a good idea to run away.  I went to my room and stuffed packed a suitcase of my most precious belongings that I would need for my future.  During this time my mom, started to prepare carmel corn.  Since I am bullheaded and stubborn I was wrongly accused of something, I'm sure, I knew the only justice in the matter would be to run away.  Man, I loved that carmel corn and was really going to miss out on never having it again.  I was strong and resisted the temptation.  My mom kissed me good-bye, shoved me out the door, bid me farewell, and wished me good luck.  I was on a mission to run away from the only home I'd ever known to prove a point, I could manage on my own.  Well since, I was only 5, I wasn't allowed to cross the street, so I did what any level headed child would do, I walked around the block.  Then when I had made it all the way back to our apartment I went home.  Who was I kidding this carmel corn was worth sucking up my pride and apologizing to my family.  I don't recall exactly how all the events unfolded, I just know that I ended up being welcomed back home and eating some pretty awesome carmel corn.  The original recipe calls for popcorn, however, when looking through a few blogs like Krista's Kitchen  I saw this caramel puff corn and  Bless Us O Lord to find a similar carmel puff corn.  Both of those ladies inspired me to try my mom's recipe using puff corn instead.  The puffed corn is more expensive than popcorn but there's something to be said about not having to pick seeds out of your teeth that might make the extra cost worth it.  I purchased my puffed corn at the local grocery store for $1.88 per bag. It looks like this...

8 cups puffed corn
3/4 cup brown sugar
6 Tbsp butter
3 Tbsp light corn syrup
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp vanilla

Put puffed corn in baking pan.  Place brown sugar, butter, corn syrup, and salt in saucepan.  Cook until mixture comes to a boil and cook for  minutes.  Turn off and stir in vanilla and baking soda.  Pour over puffed corn and mix up.  Put in 300 degree oven for 15 minutes.  Stir and cook for 5-10 more minutes longer.  Yummy childhood memories.

Pizza Popcorn

This recipe came from The $5 Dinner Mom Breakfast and Lunch Cookbook by Erin Chase. I check this book out from the library on a Tuesday, when I had a chance on Friday I thumbed through the book and read the tips. Of course since I have a limited time to view the book and try recipes, I thought I should get a head start.  I found a couple of recipes that were must tries.  My MIL is heading out on a trip so I thought I'd be getting some blogging materials a thoughtful, Christian woman by preparing her and her siblings some snacks for the road.  Since I couldn't do what I did for our day trip for her I made 3 easily portable snacks:  6 week muffins, protein packed cereal bars, and pizza popcorn.  I did end up doubling this for some to send on the trip and some to keep at home.

2 Tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
8 cups of popped popcorn

In a blender or mini food processor, blend the Parmesan cheese, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, salt, and pepper for 1 minute.  Add freshly popped popcorn to a large brown and sprinkle the cheese-herb mixture over the top.  Toss until the popcorn is evenly coated.  Store in an airtight container.

Snacks for traveling

On Monday we loaded up the family truckster and headed out for a 2.5 hour drive to visit some old friends we haven't seen in 6 years.  Since this was Scott's bright idea I thought I would leave him in charge of the family snacks.  What I realized was that snacks would have been a (or several) stops at the gas stations and would have cost us a years worth of college tuition because these days the kids seem to be hungry every 5 seconds.  I decided Scott has enough on his plate to just himself ready so I helped take a load off by getting myself, both kids, and the snacks prepared...I even found a "dog sitter" to let the dog out...Thanks Danielle!  Usually when I do snacks for trips I try to do a going and a coming batch.  It just helps gives the kids variety.  I know it seems like this might be a lot of work but I have to say it really didn't take long to put these little snack boxes together.  It took me longer to blog about them than to get them ready.  I am all about doing things efficiently.  For my sanity my kids are not allowed to sit by each other so the idea of them sharing a bag or box or snacks is not going to work for us.  Due to the costs I do buy some prepackaged snack food, mostly for convience, but I'm all about portioning things into baggies or containers to save a little money.  This method of travel snack preparation works for me.  I do really think Scott would have preferred gas station food just because that's how he rolls but he was happy to have the snacks that I provided him.

As you will see that is Chinese food container.  I am so resourceful.  This is the going snack bin.  It consists of a juice box, PB crackers, a bagel with cream cheese, cheese, and a fruit leather. 

Isn't that perfect?  I love it.

This is the coming home box.  I only had 2 Chines food boxes so I used some bento boxes that I had, which are perfect for this.  This box had trail mix, crackers, meat stick, and Oreos.  The kids got a bottle of water with this one. 

So cute!

I made sure I included fruits in our snack bin.  The kids really love fruit...plus it helps keeps my junk food snacking at bay.  You want my secret on how my apples didn't turn brown?  Simple.  I soaked them in lemon juice for about 10 minutes.  We ended up not eating these until we were on our way home and they were just as beautiful as when I first cut them.  I know, so cool.

Almost ready to go!

Can't forget mom and dad's snack bin.  Almonds, string cheese, a Weight Watchers snack cake, I had a LUNA bar and Scott got Oreos.  We got to drink soda.

I used plastic sandwich holders.  In case you're wondering, the Hello Kitty one is mine.

I didn't forget the sickness bag.  We believe that Camden might be suffering from migraines.  These "episodes" seem to occur when we've been super busy.  Our doctor thinks they might be migraines.  The cure is Ibuprofen and caffeine.  Thank goodness I had this little bag because as we were getting ready to leave Camden informed us that he wasn't feeling well.  Weird how Ibuprofen and Mt. Dew can save the day.

Everything fit nicely into this super, sweet cooler bag...stylin, right?

I also put in a box of crackers and the fruit leather.  Seriously, they ate almost everything.  They even at dinner at our friends house.  I know good thing they both have great metabolism right now.

We're barely out of town and she's already got a mouthful!

He has only gotten far enough away to drink his juice box!