Chocolate Chip Homemade Protein Bars for Kids

Wednesday, July 24, 2024

Homemade protein bars for kids are really easy to make with just a few simple ingredients. This is a feel good recipe that you can make for your kids that are packed full of nutrients their little bodies need!

Chocolate Chip Homemade Protein Bars for Kids:

I have been making these bars for my kids almost every week since they were toddlers. They're an easy way to increase protein intake in your kids, something that is needed if you have picky eaters. These come together with pantry staple ingredients like chocolate chips, oats, puff rice cereal, and of course, protein powder.

The Best Protein Powder for Kids:

You need to be careful when it comes to your children and protein intake. Kids need significantly less protein than you think. Our culture right now is obsessed with protein, and adult often boast eating 100+ grams per day.

The reality is that children 9 10 13 years old (the age range where my children fall), only need 34g of protein per day. Excess protein beyond that can be converted in stored in the body as fat, or can put stress on your child's developing kidneys and lead to other problems such as kidney stones.

This is why it is so important to purchase a protein powder that is marketed for children. They have the right balance of nutrients in them for their growing bodies.

We love the Naked Nutrition Kids Nutrition Shake powder. It has 8g of protein per serving, made with great ingredients, and is less than $15, or even cheaper if you sign up for auto-ship! We use the vanilla flavor in this protein bar recipe, but you can't go wrong with the chocolate version either.

Chocolate Chip Homemade Protein Bars for Kids Ingredients:

2 cups rolled oats

1 cup crispy rice cereal

1/2 cup mini chocolate chips

1/2 cup peanut butter (or any nut/seed butter)

1/2 cup honey or maple syrup

1/4 cup protein powder (vanilla or chocolate flavor)

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/4 teaspoon salt

Optional: 1/4 cup dried fruit (raisins, cranberries, etc.)

How to Make Homemade Protein Bars for Kids:

Prepare the Dry Ingredients: In a large bowl, combine the rolled oats, crispy rice cereal, mini chocolate chips, protein powder, and salt. Mix well to ensure everything is evenly distributed.

Mix the Wet Ingredients: In a small saucepan over low heat, combine the peanut butter and honey (or maple syrup). Stir constantly until the mixture is smooth and well-blended. Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla extract.

Combine Wet and Dry Ingredients: Pour the peanut butter and honey mixture over the dry ingredients. Mix thoroughly until all the dry ingredients are coated with the wet mixture. If adding dried fruit, fold it in at this point.

Form the Bars: Line an 8x8 inch baking dish with parchment paper, leaving some overhang on the sides for easy removal. Transfer the mixture into the dish and press it down firmly to ensure it's compact and even.

Chill: Place the dish in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours to allow the bars to set.

Cut and Serve: Once set, use the parchment paper to lift the bars out of the dish. Cut into squares or bars of your preferred size. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week.

Macros for Chocolate Chip Homemade Protein Bars for Kids:

These protein bars for kids have very good and balanced macros making them a healthy snack for children. This recipe makes about 8 bars and are jammed packed with great energy boosting macros. These protein bars have 44g of carbs, 12g of fat, and 8g of protein per bar.

While some may think that these macros are high for a snack, there are things to consider. You can cut the 8 bars in half to make the servings smaller which would reduce the macros. You also need to note that 20g of the carbs are coming from whole grains which are packed with fiber that are great for your child's body. The fat is primarily coming from the peanut butter which are necessary and healthy fats for the the body.

The protein is also a great boost to your child's diet to help them meet their daily requirements, especially if they're picky eaters and aren't getting their protein at meal time. Remember children's protein and nutritional needs are different than adults and that needs to be taken into consideration when making meals and snacks for your children.

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Best Inexpensive Power Tools (Hychika Review + Promo Code!)

Saturday, July 20, 2024

If you're looking for the best inexpensive power tools to start your DIY journey as a new homeowner or furniture flipper, don't sleep on what Hychika power tools have to offer!

Best Inexpensive Power Tools:

I have been working with power tools gradually over the last four years of home ownership as we've been slowly remodeling our home and making it our style. I've bought very expensive tools, mid-level tools, and some very budget-friendly ones, and I'm here to share my thoughts on the most inexpensive ones I've tried.

Hychika are the Best Inexpensive Tools:

Hychika sent me two of their tools to use on a project of my choice in exchange for an Instagram reel. I used their detail mouse sander, and their paint sprayer and was pleasantly surprised by both of these tools. Based on my personal experience and having zero issues with either of these tools, I would highly recommend Hychika to anyone who is looking to build their tool collection without breaking the bank.

Promo Code for Hychika:

Hychika gave me a promo code to share with my readers if they're in the market for new power tools. When you use code paige20 at checkout, you can get 20% off their already affordable prices. This would make the mouse sander only $20, and the paint sprayer only $36!!!! Show me another paint sprayer for that price, I'll wait.

Inexpensive Power Tools for Beginners:

Cordless Drill/Driver: Perfect for drilling holes around your home. Whether for a complex DIY project of putting in a wall anchor to hang some artwork, this is a very common tool to have on hand.
Chainsaw: great for yard work, trimming bushes, cutting down trees, etc... this is a must for any homeowner!
Jigsaw: A jigsaw is great for cutting intricate shapes. If you're installing shiplap and need to cut a hole for an outlet, you would use a jigsaw. It's also great if you're installing flooring and making detailed cuts.
Circular Saw: We installed faux shiplap paneling in our downstairs bathroom and a circular saw was a must to cut them down to size. This tool is super practical when working with big sheets of wood!
Electric Screwdriver: Similar to a drill but more compact. Imagine all that Ikea furniture being zipped together in minutes with an electric screwdriver!
Electric Sander: A sander is a must for so many reasons. When you're painting a wall and get a drip you need to sand down, refinishing furniture, patching drywall... this tool will be a workhorse in your home!
Paint Sprayer: Every paint project in your home will get infinitely easier with a paint sprayer. It's so fast and easy to use and makes pain projects significantly more enjoyable. There is a learning curve to using one, and I can't stress that thinning your paint is crucial to your finished result, but this paint sprayer is excellent!
Wet/Dry Vac: Our kitchen flooded a couple years ago and our wet vac was a lifesaver. We also use this in the garage all the time in between projects to vacuum sawdust and it's great to have on hand.

What power tools are on your must-have list? I'd love to know in the comments below! Don't forget to use code paige20 for 20% off your purchase with Hychika!

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33 Essentials for First Time Travel Trailer Owners

Thursday, June 20, 2024

This week our family purchased our first travel trailer. We quickly needed to purchase all of the essentials for first time travel trailer owners. Luckily with the help of seasoned friends, we were able to gather everything we needed for years of memories ahead.

Essentials for First Time Travel Trailer Owners:

There is so much that goes into purchasing a travel trailer. I was shocked by how much you need, and how basically nothing comes with the trailer when you purchase it. You need several different types of hoses, bedding, leveling blocks, brake controllers, it can feel overwhelming.

Hopefully, this list will provide you with all the essentials you need, and take the overwhelm out for you so you can focus on what's most important: making memories with your family in your new camper!

Ball and Hitch:

Turns out, you're not going anywhere unless you can get your trailer towed somewhere. We bought this ball and hitch from Walmart, and for $78, it works perfectly!

RV Trailer Bluetooth Brake Controller:

You need a break controller for your trailer. This is expensive. But we rented before we bought and this was the break controller that we used with the rental and what my husband felt most comfortable with. It uses Bluetooth to connect to a mobile app and syncs all the breaks together. Other than that it's beyond my scope but, it's apparently what you should get.

Drive-up Leveling Blocks:

You drive your trailer onto these to level it left to right if you're leaning heavy to one side.

Leveling Blocks:

You could also just cut square pieces of wood if you have scrap wood in your garage like us, if not, this set is great. These go under the front hitch of the trailer to level it front to back once you unhitch from the car.

Chocks:

These go in front of and behind your tires so the trailer doesn't roll away. Very helpful.

Surge Protector:

I have zero understanding of how anything electrical works, but the internet told me to get one of these so I did.

Generator:

A generator is not necessary unless you plan on using your air conditioner. I'm told 3500 watts is what you want for an RV generator, but other than that it goes under "electrical things my husband does". This one is a best seller on Amazon for RVs and trailers.

Water Pressure Regulator:

If water goes through your pipes with too much force it can damage the pipes. A regulator allows you to know the pressure and adjust as needed.

Clean Water Hose:

You will want a hose that will get clean water into your trailer. You will want a hose that is just for your clean water and nothing else.

Sewer Hose Kit:

You will need a specific type of hose to drain the waste from your RV.

Bag for Sewer Hose:

Just seems like you should conceal the hose you're draining your poop with, yah know?

Hose to Clean Sewer Hose:

I know this seems like a lot of hoses. This one is to clean the sewer hose out as needed. Just feels right to not use the same one as your fresh water hose. It doesn't need to be special, just a different color so you know it's not the fresh water hose.

Simple RV Bedding:

We bought this very inexpensive bedding for all three beds in our trailer. It's a fun camping plaid print and we bought the exact same one for all the beds.

Mattress Covers:

We bought these waterproof mattress covers for each of the beds in our trailer. Two full size and one queen size.

Pillows:

We bought a bunch of these $3 pillows from Walmart to put on all the beds for our camper. Ours sleeps 10 technically and since we'll be renting it, we bought that many just to be safe.

Blankets:

Again, since we're renting our trailer out we bought 4 of these fleece blankets as well to fill all the bedding spots. They're $10 each and super cute and neutral!

Broom and Dustpan:

So much dirt comes into your trailer without realizing, you'll be sweeping regularly!

Wall Mount for Broom:

We rented a trailer before we bought one and they had the broom mounted on the wall because there was not a cabinet to store away and I thought it was genius.

RV Toilet Paper:

RV/Trailer toilet systems are sensitive. This toilet paper ensures you won't get a clog!

Collapsible Bowls with Lids:

If you make extra food and want to store it away, these bowls are great. They also make for a good mixing bowl on the go.

Measuring Cups and Spoons Set:

Measuring cups and spoons are a kitchen basic essential. This set is great and inexpensive.

Plastic Plates, Cups, Bowls, Utensil Set:

We just bought this set for our last camping trip a few weeks ago and our entire family loved them. Perfect for a family of 4, but you can buy multiple sets if you need more.

Duct Tape:

Just good to have on hand if you need to fix something on the go. The pink was the cheapest on Amazon which is how we ended up with it.

Electrical Tape:

One of those, "I don't know when I'll need this..." purchases, but great to have on hand for the occasion.

First Aid Kit:

One of the things you hope to never need but great to have on hand just in case.

Fire Extinguisher:

Filing under, "more things you hope to never need."

Sponges:

Chances are your trailer does not have a dishwasher, so you'll need these.

Butane Stove:

Most trailers have a kitchen, but if you like to cook outdoors, don't want to get your trailer hot, or don't want to get bacon grease everywhere, an outdoor stove to cook on is great. If your trailer has an outdoor kitchen, more power to you. We've had this stove for years and love it.

Butane Stove Fuel:

The stove is useless without fuel. You're welcome.

Can Opener:

No camping utensil kit comes with a can opener. I have no clue why. Don't be caught off guard without one.

Cooking Utensil Set:

They do not make the same set we have since we bought ours a decade ago, but if I was purchasing again, I'd buy this set. Super cute and comes with everything you need.

Camping Pot and Pan Set:

We actually don't own this yet, so we've been using the pots and pans from our home kitchen. But we're going to be renting out our trailer, so we will be getting this set when the time comes.

Misc Supplies:

Not to create an exhaustive list, but you also need paper towels, Lysol spray to clean, dish soap, sponges, bath towels, toiletries, etc...

This is everything you need to get started with your new RV or Travel Trailer. If I forgot something on my list let me know so I can get it on there.

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Last Minute Amazon Teacher Gift Idea (ONE-DAY SHIPPING)

Tuesday, May 21, 2024

If you need a last minute Amazon teacher gift that will get to your door with one-day shipping, this gift idea is for you!

Last Minute Amazon Teacher Gift Idea

My daughter is in a special education classroom with one teacher and four aids. This means at the end of every school year we end up having to purchase 5 gifts for everyone in her room.

And these teachers are heroes and absolutely deserve a gift at the end of the school year for the miracles they do in our children.

We had a lot going on the last few weeks though and I just got around to purchasing our teacher gifts with only two days before the last day of school.

If you need a last-minute teacher gift idea that will ship to your house in one day, this is what we did for our teachers this year and hopefully, it's a good idea for you too!

Floral Glass Ice Coffee Cups with Bamboo Lids:

For the aids in our daughter's class, we purchased these iced coffee cups. They're technically called ice coffee cups but you can easily use them for any icy summer drink. They are really cute with a floral detail that you can see when the glasses are filled. They come in a pack of 4 for $20.

Teacher Ice Coffee Cup:

For the actual teacher in our daughter's classroom, we purchased her this teacher-specific glass that is just like the other ones I linked above. It is very cute and will be perfect for sipping on sodas or anything else throughout the summer.

Floral Magnetic Bookmarks:

I saw this five-pack of floral magnetic bookmarks on Amazon and thought it would be perfect to divide up among all the bags for each of the teachers.

Handwritten Note:

The women in this classroom are so special to me, so I try to make sure I always include a handwritten note in each of their gifts thanking them for the time, energy, and love they pour into not only my child but all the other kids in the class too.

Brown Kraft Gift Bag:

No gift is complete without a bag to put it in. I purchased a 20-pack of these brown bags to put all the gifts in, and hopefully, the extras will last me through some more gifts throughout the year.

In all, I spent $50 on all of these items for the teachers, which comes out to about $10 per person, which is about what I spend each school year on gifts. You could also just do a gift card and a handwritten note, but I wanted to do a little something else for the teachers this year too.

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Modern Traditional Board and Batten Entry Tour

Monday, May 13, 2024

This modern traditional board and batten entry was a fairly simply weekend project that we did in our home that made such a huge impact in this space. If you're looking to replicate something similar in your home, it's a great project to start.

Board and Batten Entry:

I don't remember how it happened but Easter weekend I got the itch to add board and batten to this entryway, and once the thought was in my brain I couldn't shut it off.

I felt like I had watched enough Instagram DIY videos that I could take the project on, and was pleasantly surprised when it worked out exactly how I had it in my brain.

For this project I used these 1x4 MDF boards for the vertical pieces, and the horizontal board that goes across the top.

For the thin trim board that rests on top of the long horizontal boards, I used these 1x1.5 MDF boards.

The paint that I chose was Tranquil Gray by Behr from Home Depot in a semi-gloss finish. Fun fact is that I saw this online, bought an entire gallon, and ran with it. Didn't sample or anything, and I'm OBSESSED with how it turned out. It is the perfect greay-beige color.

Console Table Styling for Board and Batten Entry:

It was really important to me that I was able to reuse the table we already had in this space. I bought this console table from Walmart a couple years ago and it sat in the entry unstyled all this time.

I found this inspiration online and really ran with the design and elements to make it my own.

I rally didn't want to spend a lot of money on decor for this table and was shocked that I found most of the items at Walmart for very cheap. I ended up using some books I already had on hand, my elephant from a trip to India, and this watercolor picture I bought on Amazon.

Board and Batten Photo Wall:

I knew I wanted to hang some pictures of our recent Disney trip in this space but I didn't want the colors from all the photos to be too harsh with the rest of this space. I opted for some black and whites and love how they turned out.

I bought this pack of frames from Amazon that are 11x14 frames with 8x10 mats. I printed the pictures as 8x10s and then taped them to the white matting on the inside and it worked out perfectly.

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Chocolate Chip S'mores Cookies

Friday, May 10, 2024

Chocolate chip s'mores cookies are the perfect summer treat to make that combines the delicious flavors of graham cracker, chocolate, and marshmallow, all in one delicious cookie.

Chocolate Chip S'mores Cookies:

I made these cookies for the first time several years ago and I was blown away by how similar they are to a traditional chocolate chip cookie, but so much better. Between pulsing graham crackers into a fine powder that you incorporate in the dough, and the tiny marshmallows, they're just the perfect cookie to make this summer.

The Best Marshmallows for S'mores Cookies:

The best marshmallows for s'mores cookies are these tiny Jet Puffed Bits marshmallows. I purchase mine on Amazon, but you might be able to find them in your local grocery store as well. They're similar in texture to the marshmallows from Lucky Charms, but a lot smaller. They also rehydrate a bit when you bake with them giving your cookies the best texture when they're done.

Ingredients for Chocolate Chip S'mores Cookies:

1/3 cup white sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup graham crackers (pulsed into flour texture in a food processor)
1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1 cup mini chocolate chips
1/2 cup mini marshmallow bits

Tips For the Best S'mores Cookies:

Don't overbake the cookies. You want them to be slightly soft in the center still. Mine took 8 minutes, these cookies bake up pretty fast!

Use a food processor to pulse the flour into fine crumbs. It should be the same consistency as all-purpose flour when you're done pulsing them.

Don't let the cookies sit on the pan too long. The heat from the pan can cause them to overcook and then they'll be crunchy which isn't desired for this recipe.

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Easy Delicious Lasagna (Only 5 Ingredients!)

Thursday, May 9, 2024

This easy and delicious lasagna recipe comes together with only five ingredients and very minimal prep. It will easily become your family's go-to lasagna recipe for years to come.

Easy Delicious Lasagna:

I remember when Derek and I first got married and I was figuring out cooking, lasagna felt like one of those meals that I needed to figure out how to make. I stumbled across this five-ingredient lasagna recipe at some point down the line, and it's been our go-to ever since.

No Bake Lasagna Noodles:

My favorite part about this recipe is that you use the oven-ready lasagna noodles which I've been proudly using for over a decade. I love that I don't have to boil the noodles ahead of time, and I can get to work layering everything in the pan.

This recipe might not be for the lasagna purest, but for someone with no Italian blood to their name, it's completely fine with me.

Five Ingredients for Perfect Lasagna:

Oven Ready Lasagna Noodles: Perfect for eliminating boiling the noodles ahead of time and reducing your overall hands-on time in the kitchen.

Jarred Pasta Sauce: Pick whichever one is your family's favorite, you just need 24 ounces. We recently used the Spicy Truff sauce and it made for a really good spicy lasagna that I LOVED.

Mozzarella Cheese: The classic cheese for all Italian dishes. You'll need two cups.

Ricotta Cheese: The perfect cream cheese to layer into your lasagna. If you're looking for a higher protein option you could use cottage cheese.

Italian Sausage: Brown a pound of ground Italian sausage and mix it with your jarred pasta sauce to add the best texture and flavor to this dish.

Layering the Lasagna:

Step 1: Pour 1 cup of the meat sauce mixture into the bottom of an 11x7 casserole dish

Step 2: Top with 3 uncooked lasagna noodles.

Step 3: Spread 1 cup ricotta cheese across the noodles.

Step 4: Sprinkle 1 cup mozzarella cheese on top of ricotta.

Step 5: Spread 1 cup of meat sauce across the cheese layer.

Step 6: Top with three more lasagna noodles.

Step 7: Spread the last cup of meat sauce over the lasagna noodles.

Step 8: Cover with foil and bake for 50 minutes.

Step 9: Sprinkle 1 cup of mozzarella over the top, and bake for 5 more minutes.

Step 10: Rest for 10 minutes out of the oven before slicing and serving.

Freezing and Reheating Lasagna:

You can prep this lasagna and store it in a freezer-safe baking dish for up to three months. When you go to bake it in the oven just add 20 more minutes to the baking time. This will increase the cooking time from 50 minutes to 70 minutes.

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Our Summer Morning Routine with Kids

Wednesday, May 8, 2024

Our summer morning routine with kids has looked the same for the last five or so years. This has been what our days look like for a long time, and it's a routine that the kids are familiar with. If you're looking to figure out what your days will look like this summer, hopefully, you can draw inspiration from what we do in our home.

Our Summer Morning Routine with Kids:

This has been what our summer mornings have looked like since the kids were very young and it's something that has worked well for us in our home. Because I have always worked to some capacity, I focus on getting a majority of my work done in the morning and try to be a little more structured with the kid's time so that we can all do something fun together in the afternoon.

Waking Up in Summer:

This might be unpopular, but I don't worry about getting my kids up at a certain time during the summer. In fact, for me the longer they're asleep, that's more uninterrupted work time that I get. The kids will usually wake up on their own anytime between 8 am and 10 am, and I'm more than happy to honor their sleep schedules this time of year.

Getting Dressed During Summer:

Once the kids are awake they know they need to get dressed and ready for the day. My kids will live in their pajamas for the rest of their lives if I let them, so this is our one push toward civility during the summer. Usually, they do this right when they wake up before heading out of their rooms for breakfast.

Breakfast Routine for Summer:

We are fairly lazy parents when it comes to breakfast. Our kids love cereal and it's not my hill to die on. We let the kids pick their cereal of choice in the morning and then they eat and it usually takes about 10-20 minutes. At this point in the day, we usually let Kinsley have some iPad time while she eats.

Get Summer Learning Done:

We have always done some sort of summer learning with our kids. For Kyle, we usually get him some sort of massive workbook that covers a variety of topics that he learned throughout the year. Kinsley qualifies for extended school year which means we get packets from school that she works on at home.

Kyle will also be continuing with Savvy Learning. He used them for math as part of his homeschool stuff this school year and will continue with math tutoring through the summer. We will be keeping his 9:30 am time slot that he has had for months.

Quiet Time in Summer:

When school work is done for the day the kids can do quiet time in their rooms until lunch. This usually looks like playing with toys, reading books, or the kids playing together. I don't care what they do during this time (as long as they're not on screens). Often the kids end up in the basement playing with each other for an hour or two and they get a lot of wiggles out this way.

Eat Lunch + End of Day:

Usually, by 12-1 pm, I have finished my work for the day and the kids are ready for lunch. I usually clean up my desk and get things put away, and then head into the kitchen and make everyone lunch. At this point in the day, the kids and I will usually go on an outing of some sort for a little bit and then we'll come home and hang out until dinner. Screen time usually happens to some extent in the afternoon, usually around 4-5 pm, and then they're turned off once I start making dinner.

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Cheap Small Pantry Organization Ideas

Tuesday, May 7, 2024

These cheap small pantry organization ideas are a great way to store your food in a pantry that is limited in space, you're working with a limited budget, and you need your pantry to be a functional food storage room for your family.

Cheap Small Pantry Organization Ideas:

We have never lived in a home with a large pantry. As I reflect on the 11 homes we've lived in over the last 13 years, we have never had more than a coat closet with shelves, and sometimes we didn't even have that.

Over the years I have learned how to be creative and utilize the spaces we have well. I've purchased organization bins from Dollar Tree, and sometimes Target and I've created systems that have made food storage easy on our family so that food doesn't get wasted, people know where things are, and we're able to make the best use of what we have.

The Best Affordable Containers for Pantry Organization:

We have used these same containers in our pantry for the last 5 years and they have been a favorite ever since. There is a look-alike version you can get at the Dollar Store to save some money, but the white ones are rarely in stock, and they're tapered at the bottom which makes them slightly less useful for food storage.

These Sterilite bins come in a six-pack on Amazon, and average a little over $4 per basket. They're a great rectangular shape with no taper which means boxes and other food items can stand up well in them. We group food items in each of these baskets and the system works well for our family.

Storing Like Foods Together:

When I say we store like foods together in our baskets, I mean that each basket has a purpose. One basket is for all the kid's snacks, another just for all the different kinds of pasta. Another basket holds jars and sauces for dinners. We have a bread basket that holds just our bread and tortillas. There is a chip basket that houses all of the chips.

My best advice is to group items that make the most sense for you and your family and see what items can be grouped well.

Over-the-Door Can Storage:

These pictures in this blog post were taken a few years ago in a different home, but for the most part, our pantry looks the same. The only difference is that when we moved into this home, there was a can storage unit screwed into the pantry door and it has made all the difference in the world.

We used to keep our cans stacked in a basket as you can see in these photos, but being able to free up that space with this can holder has been a complete game changer. There are a lot of door organizers on Amazon, but this one is the most similar to the one we have in our home right now.

Decide What Supplies Don't Need to be in The Pantry:

We have decided for our family that our baking supplies don't need to be stored in the pantry. We have one cabinet in the kitchen where we keep all the spices and baking supplies, and we have large canisters on the counter that house the flour, sugar, and oats. This frees up the pantry to store our most used everyday food items and prevents the pantry from getting too overcrowded.

Cereal Containers Aren't Worth It:

The internet might cancel me for saying this, but we bought these cereal containers years ago and I just don't personally think they're worth it. We eat a lot of cereal in our home and go through it at such a rate that I was refilling these containers all the time. I think that the boxes having their own dedicated space is "good enough" and seeing them in their original packaging doesn't bother me that much.

Store Serving Dishes on Top Shelf:

We have a few large serving dishes and items that we use for entertaining stored on the top shelf. They are items that we're not reaching for regularly, but we have access to them if we ever need them at a moment's notice. We don't have a lot of cabinet space in the kitchen, so keeping them up here works well for us.

Store Appliances on the Pantry Floor:

We don't have a ton of kitchen appliances, but our pancake griddle and our fondue pot are housed on the floor of the pantry out of the way. We reach for these items regularly enough that it makes sense for them to be in the kitchen, but they're out of the way and utilizing what would otherwise be unused space.

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No Churn Cookies n Cream Strawberry Ice Cream

Monday, May 6, 2024

This no churn cookies n cream strawberry ice cream has been a summertime favorite recipe in our family for years and will be the perfect addition to your summer recipe lineup.

Cookies N Cream Strawberry Ice Cream:

This cookies n cream strawberry ice cream is super easy to make because it does not require an ice cream maker. The heavy whipping cream and sweetened condensed milk act as a base that you can use for a different number of ice cream flavors and combinations.

The addition of strawberries, vanilla, and golden Oreos though is the perfect summertime combination. The fruitiness from the berries and the sweetness of the ice cream are the perfect strawberry shortcake type of combination that I love.

How to Make No Churn Ice Cream:

To make no churn ice cream you simply take a pint of heavy whipping cream and then whip it until it gets to the stage where it has stiff peaks. From there you fold sweetened condensed milk into the whipping cream, and then any mix-ins that you want to incorporate.

You then transfer your ingredients into a bread pan lined with parchment paper or wax paper and then put it into the freezer to harden for several hours. It's best if you let it freeze overnight but I find at least 6 hours is preferred.

Ingredients for No Churn Cookies n Cream Strawberry Ice Cream:

4 tbsp Sugar
10 oz Strawberries
Juice of Half a Lemon
1 Pint Heavy Whipping Cream
1 14-ounce can Sweetened Condensed Milk
2 tsp Vanilla extract
1 cup Crumbled Golden Oreos
Seeds Scraped from One Vanilla Bean Pod

Kitchen Supplies to Make No Churn Ice Cream:

The benefit to making no-churn ice cream is that you don't need an ice cream maker in your house taking up space. There are a few supplies however that you will need such as a bread pan, an ice cream scoop, and an electric mixer to whip the whipping cream.

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