Homemade Ranch Dressing Mix

We've already found a good substitute for the guacamole seasoning packet.  Are you ready to ditch another packet?  Let's replace that packet of dry Ranch dressing!  I even did all the hard work for you and tried lots of different spice mixes.  This one is it.  I promise.  It's the best one I've found.  It tastes very similar to what you get out of a Hidden Valley packet (or a Meijer brand one, for that matter).  

Perfect Guacamole

(This recipe is posted in conjunction with April's theme, Spring Clean Your Eating Habits.  It's also posted in conjunction with the 4/14/13 Meijer ad, where you can find avocados on sale!)

My family eats a LOT of guacamole.  Everyone loves it, even the 3-year-old.  Case in point:  tonight, she didn't want to eat her rice, but when I suggested that she mix some "guac" into her rice, she was all over that...and the rice was gone in two minutes.  I used to make guacamole by smashing up two avocados with a packet of guacamole spice mix.  (And admittedly, sometimes I still do.)  And we loved it.  But since we're trying to consume less processed foods, I figured I could do better.  Because that spice packet doesn't just have spices in it...it also has "corn maltodextrin" and "corn syrup solids".  Sigh.

Light(er) Apple Dip

(This recipe is posted as part of Cooking Up a Sale's April series, Spring Clean Your Eating Habits.  If you'd like to read more on this topic, you can click over to the Monthly Themes page to find the rest of the articles in this series.)

I have never been a big fan of apples and peanut butter, but I really enjoy this apple dip...and so do the kids!  It's super tasty and creamy, and can be stirred up in less than a minute.  Greek yogurt is the base of this dip, so it's lighter than other fruit dips I've made before that use cream cheese and/or Cool Whip.  It's so yummy, you might want to just forget the apples and grab a spoon!  But then again, that would kind of defeat the purpose of a healthy snack, wouldn't it?

White Chocolate Cherry Chip Cookies

 

(This recipe was originally posted in conjunction with the Meijer ad week of 2/10/13 - 2/16/13)

These cute, yummy treats come just in time for Valentine's Day!  I was inspired to try these after reader Karen commented on Facebook that she was going to try these lemon cookies using a Cherry Chip cake mix.  I wanted to make them a little bit different than the lemon cookies, so instead of dipping the dough into powdered sugar, I drizzled the cooled cookies with white chocolate.  The result was a super soft, chewy cookie with a little bit of crunch from the sweet white chocolate drizzle.  The drizzle "fancies up" the cookies...but although they might look professional, they're really quite easy to make.

Garbage Bag Snack Mix

 

(This recipe was first posted in conjunction with the Meijer ad week of 12/16/12 - 12/24/12)

This recipe makes such a huge batch of snack mix that you literally have to mix it up in a garbage bag!  It comes together pretty fast, because unlike traditional Chex Mix, it doesn't have to be baked.  I like to make it around Christmas time because I can give it as gifts, as well as have some left to bring to holiday gatherings.  The total cost to make this mix might give you sticker shock, but it makes such a large quantity that it ends up being a fairly economical Christmas treat...or a great summer pool-time snack.  Worried about such a large batch staying fresh?  This mix can be frozen!

Almost Betty Crocker Brownies

(This recipe was originally posted in conjunction with August's theme of Snacks from Scratch.)

Our family loves fudgy, chewy brownies!  Fresh out of the oven or cold, plain or frosted, brownie sundaes, as a dessert crust...any way you serve it, we'll eat it.  And the basic Betty Crocker Fudge Brownies that come in the red box are our favorite!  That's why I knew I wanted to try this recipe as soon as I saw it mentioned on Money Saving Mom.

Oyster Snacks

(This recipe was originally posted in conjunction with August's theme, Snacks from Scratch.)

These little bites of deliciousness take only a few minutes to prepare, and are a healthy(ier) substitute for potato chips.  You can also use them as salad croutons, or in soup.  (I'm thinking they would really amp up the flavor of a bowl of tomato soup!)  Oh, and they give you really great breath!

HoHo Bars

(This recipe was originally posted in conjunction with August's theme, Snacks From Scratch.)

HoHos and Swiss Cake Rolls are my kids' favorite packaged snacks.  You know what I'm talking about, right?...that yummy combination of chocolate cake, fluffy white filling, and chocolate coating.  These bars are a delicious substitute for the store-bought treats!  They don't look anything like the cute little rolls, but in my opinion, they taste better than the original.  Better yet, they make a HUGE batch, so you get at least 36 bars for your time and money instead of six packages of two rolls.  Enjoy!

Caramel Corn Bites

(This recipe was originally posted in conjunction with August's theme, Snacks from Scratch.)

This is the perfect snack to pass around the campfire, to munch on in front of a football game (or the Olympics!)...or to sneak handfuls at a time when your kids aren't watching.  AHEM.  The original recipe uses an 8 oz bag of plain or butter-flavored hulless popcorn (Okie Dokie brand), but I adjusted the recipe to use a 6 oz bag of the corn because most store brands come in the smaller bag.  Enjoy!  Disclaimer:  these are extremely addicting!

Homemade Chewy Granola Bars

In keeping with August's theme, Snacks From Scratch, I present to you "my" homemade granola bar recipe!  I tried about four different recipes before I settled on this one.  The "losers" weren't bad, but this was was definitely our favorite...and I probably won't ever buy granola bars again!

Make It or Buy It? Granola

I think it's about time for a Costco recipe!  I shop Costco at least twice a month, and there are some ingredients that are always cheaper there than anywhere else...even if I compare it to a "Meijer sale minus coupon" price.

My family eats a lot of yogurt parfaits, and we top them with this simple and versatile homemade granola.  See the options and tips section below for more uses for this yummy granola.

Costco Ingredients Used:

• Quaker old fashioned rolled oats ($7.49/10 lb box)
• honey ($11.99/5 lb jug)
• cinnamon ($2.59/10.7oz container)

Yogurt Parfait

(This recipe was first posted in conjunction with the Meijer Ad Week of 4/15/12 - 4/21/12)

A few years ago we visited some friends who served us yogurt parfaits as part of a light breakfast.  We really enjoyed the simple treat, and I bought the ingredients for parfaits as soon as we got home.  We've eaten a LOT of yogurt parfaits since then...if I had to guess, I'd say I've made well over 500 parfaits in the last few years!  My husband eats one for breakfast almost every day, and my kids will quite often choose this for an after-school snack.  I hope you enjoy this (somewhat healthy!) treat as much as we do!