Watermelon Jello

Drove really far to spend Memorial Day weekend with DH's family.  I got put incharge of dessert for our picnic.  I would love that task except I was hundreds of miles from my kitchen, so what to make????  Last year, one of my lifelong BFF's (Jenn!) made this awesome watermelon jello so I thought I would give it a shot. 

You gotta buy:  one watermelon, better to go for the long oval ones that seem to stand up by themselves. (You can also shave the bottom a bit to make it stay up),  a bunch of boxes of red jello, (I used six-raspberry),mini chocolate chips, and  boiling water.

Step ONE~ Slice watermelon long way and scoop out fruit. 

Step TWO~ Combine one boiling cup of water per one (3oz) box of jello. So six boxes, would be six cups of water.  Pour it in.  An extra pair of hands would be helpful here because you don't really want to slosh around boiling water.  Remember to not use the directions on the box.

Step THREE~ Put it in the fridge for a really long time.  I made mine around midnight and just left it in overnight, worked great.

Step FOUR~ Adding the watermelon 'seeds'.  Ideally you would want to add the mini chocolate chips right around that time when it is almost jello but not totally.  I am not good at that at all.  My mom was the expert at adding things to jello.  She would have jello masterpieces that you didn't even want to eat, just look at.  I did not inherit that jello gene, so.... I just sprinkled some chocolate chips onto the top and pushed them in with a skewer.  SShhhh!  haha.  It worked though.  You honestly couldn't tell that I made little holes on the top. 

Step FIVE~ keep in the fridge until time to serve.  Slice into watermelon slices and enjoy! 

Follow Up~  My kids thought it was the coolest thing ever!!!  My SIL, BIL, and MIL all thought I was crazy, but who really cares what adults think, right? Finger food is fun.   They did however enjoy the fruit salad that I made with the watermelon chunks and red grapes. 

{Sorry for the lack of and bad photos,  I forgot my camera and had to use my blackberry}

Linking up to...

Homemade Laundry Soap

I've been making and using this recipe for awhile and thought I would share.   I use...
1 cup Arm & Hammer Super Washing Soda
1 cup Borax
2 cups of shredded bar soap (which is exactly one bar of soap)

I use a very fine shredder that I bought at this wonderfully exclusive store (Dollar Tree).  I use it only for soap, I'm sure you could just use your regular one and wash it but I'm weird like that.  Anyways, the fine shredder turns the bar soap into powder.  I usually make a few batches at a time.  Use an old ice cream bucket (the kind you buy for your kid's birthday party) to store it in.  You just need 1/8 cup of  detergent per load of wash.  Amazing, right?  Less soap, works better, and is better for the environment, oh and the best part.... less than 2 CENTS per load!!

Ooey gooey yumminess GRaNoLa BaRS

Wanna make your minnions precious children some yummy granola bars?  I usually make a bunch on Sunday and freeze them for their daily munchies.
Here's my basic recipe BUT I do change up the ingredients alot. 

Preheat oven to ... yep you guessed it...350!!

INGREDIENTS...
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
2/3 cup peanut butter (althought I usually just fill up that cup)
5 tablespoons corn syrup (or sometimes I use honey)
1/2 cup applesauce (I use home canned but store bought would probably work better)
2 teaspoons vanilla

Mix all that stuff up and then add

3 cups rolled oats (although I always use quick oats)
1 cup mini chocolate chips
1/2 cup miniature marshmallows
1/2 cup Cheerios
2/3 cup wheat germ

Mix it all up and press hard into a greased cake pan (9x13). 

Check your facebook account for 25-30 minutes while your yumminess is baking.  Let cool and then cut up and wrap and freeze!

Here's my more adult friendly granola bar...
Forget the chocolate chip and marshmellows and add dried fruit (I use dried apples and berries) and walnut slivers, and chopped nuts. 
This weekend I think I am going to chop up dried banana chips and add regular size chocolate chips, doesn't that sound yummy?

ENJOY!!

Linking up at...

Monkey Bread

Okay, I know everyone already knows how to make this and has made it a million times BUT I just wanted to share anyway.  This is the way my Grandma always made it. It's a nice reminder of her.

STEP ONE-Preheat oven to 350 (175C), Grease pan. Add chopped nuts to the bottom.  I use those awesome already chopped nuts that are sold in the ice cream aisle. 

STEP TWO- Mix 1 cup white sugar and 2 teaspoons cinnamon into a gallon sized ziplock bag.

STEP THREE- Hand it to your kiddos to shake it up while you cut up 4 packages of refrigerated biscuit dough into quarters.  Keep adding to the bag for your minions precious offspring to shake.  After all the pieces are coated, add to the pan.  Just toss them in.

STEP FOUR- Melt 1/2 cup margarine (yep that's a whole stick) and then add 1 cup brown sugar and stir.
STEP FIVE- Pour the gooey sugar/margarine mixture over the biscuits.
STEP SIX- Check your facebook account for 35 minutes while your yumminess is baking.

STEP SEVEN- Take out of oven and invert onto a plate.  Sit back and enjoy your Royal Mommyhood while your kids LOVE their breakfast and hopefully praise you and tell you they are going to clean their rooms to show their appreciation!  Hey, a girl can dream, right?!