Holiday Caramel Chex Mix-Recipe

A few days ago I posted this picture on instagram. I found a recipe on the Chex cereal box and adapted it to what my family likes. It turned out so good I decided to share it with you.

Ingredients:
2 cups corn Chex cereal
3 cups rice Chex cereal
1 bag popped popcorn
1 cup chopped pecans
1/2 cup dried berries (such as craisins, I used mixed berries)
1/2 cup melted white chocolate
1 stick butter cut up
1/4 cup light corn syrup
3/4 cup brown sugar


Preheat oven to 275. Mix together in roasting pan Chex cereal, chopped pecans and popcorn (For best results do not pour straight out of the bag. Pour into another bowl and remove all un-popped popcorn kernels before mixing with Chex cereal. I did not do this and now occasionally bite down on a kernel.). In sauce pan melt butter, brown sugar and corn syrup together until barely boiling. Pour over cereal and popcorn mix and stir until completely mixed. Place in oven and bake for 1 hour, stirring every 15 mins.
Once done baking pour onto a baking sheet covered with wax paper and spread out. Sprinkle dried berries over mix. Melt your white chocolate and drizzle over Chex mix. Let completely cool and then brake up into bite size pieces and store in air tight container.

I love this mix because it is easy to make and very portable. Its perfect to take to a party, or over to the In-Laws. The best part is the pecans, when they bake they get an amazing toasty flavor.

I hope you enjoy this recipe.

Lazy Day Stew

 Nothing goes better on a cold day than soup. Yesterday I made my Lazy Day Stew for the family. I love this soup because it really is a lazy way to make dinner. Just takes a little chopping and a can opener and a few hours later your enjoying yummy soup. Bonus, you get to smell it cooking all day long too :)

Ingredients:

1 pound beef chunks for stew

baby carrots

red potatoes

celery

onion

1 can green beans

1 can diced tomatoes

1 can tomato sauce

2 tbs brown sugar 

salt and pepper to taste

water

The best part of this recipe is that there isn't much measuring. I just chop veggies to fill the crock pot. The more you put in the fuller your soup will be. I would guess I used about 5 red potatoes, 4-5 stalks of celery, 1/4 cup of baby carrots, and one medium sized white onion. Once all the veggies and beef are in the crock pot just add water to cover everything. Salt and pepper to taste, a little brown sugar and turn that baby on high for 6-8 hours.

Mix up some cornbread, I just use Jiffy because again its a Lazy Day, and Boom dinner is done and delicious. Hope you enjoy!

Guest Post-Never The Same Spice Twice

Stephanie at Never the Same Spice Twice just recently had a little baby girl named Ella. She has asked some of her fellow blogger friends to write a guest post to cover her blog for the next couple of months while she gets settled into mommy-hood.

I volunteered to write a post for her about easy meals to prepare with a new baby. You can check it out here.

My Super Easy Healthy Go-To Veggies

So now that I am 2 months postpartum, I am kicking into workout/living healthy gear. I have been going to Zumba regularly and trying to eat healthier. Recently I made this okra and corn succotash and it was AMAZING! So I thought I would share the recipe with you.

Easy Peasy Succotash

Ingredients:
Frozen Okra
Frozen Corn
Onion
Olive Oil
Creole Seasoning

Step 1: Dice half of an onion
Step 2: Add 1/2 tbsp of olive oil and sweat the onions

Step 3: Add 1/2 a bag of frozen corn and an entire bag of frozen okra

Step 4: Season with creole seasoning to taste, the more you add the more spicy it will be

Step 5: Mix and cook until all veggies are soft

Serve as a side, or like I did here on a salad.

*Cajun Vinaigrette:
1 tbs rice vinegar
1/2 tbs lemon juice
1/2 tbs lime juice
1 tbs olive oil
Cajun Seasoning
1 tsp honey
1/2 tsp minced garlic

Mix in a blender and pour on top of salad. Makes enough for 4 salads