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Italian Ham Pasta Salad

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Homemade-Italian-Ham-Pasta-Salad

For many of you, school has already started.  For the rest, it’s right around the corner. For all, the chaos of everything has already begun. Within a few weeks, you will likely be scratching your head wondering what in the world to put in that lunchbox or what to make for dinner in the 30 minutes you have between end of school, extracurriculars, and bedtime.  Here’s your answer.

This Italian Ham Pasta Salad has a little bit of everything that will make everyone happy. What I love, is that it’s 8 minutes of cooking, 10(ish) minutes of chopping, and BAM! DONE!. You have a delicious, protein packed, vegetable filled dish, that even picky ones will eat some of it.

WATCH SKIBS MAKE IT!!

I grew up never knowing I liked pasta salad. My aunt would make a pasta salad at every get together, but it wasn’t until I was in my teens that I tried it.  Once I did, I couldn’t get enough of it.  It was one of those things that you prayed was at every get together. And it was always gone if you went to grab a take home plate which always annoyed you. Luckily, I watched my aunt make her pasta salad enough that I can make it myself now. Here’s that pasta salad recipe.

Even though I still, to this day, love her pasta salad dearly, I wanted something more. Something fresher. Something packed with protein to fill us up. Thus, you get our Italian Ham Pasta Salad. Skibs and I got into the kitchen and got to work.  She almost did this recipe entirely by herself.  I had to chop and help with mixing at the end, but otherwise, it was all her. She absolutely loved making this Italian Ham pasta salad because of that too.

 

making homemade pasta salad

Baby was with us too.  On my back, babywearing, as normal. She was just enjoying eating as usual.

baby in the kitchen

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Italian Ham Pasta Salad
Author: Larisha Campbell
Ingredients
  • 1 lb tri-color rotini cooked
  • 1 lb cooked ham cubed
  • 1/2 pint cherry tomatoes cut into thirds
  • 1/2 each: red green, orange, and yellow bell pepper, cut into small cubes
  • 1 cucumber skin on, cut into slices or half slices
  • 4 oz colby jack cheese cubed
  • 4 oz fresh mozzarella cubed
  • 1/8 cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1 1/2 cups homemade zesty Italian Dressing see below
Italian Dressing
  • 1 cup olive oil
  • 1 cup apple cider vinegar
  • juice from half a lemon
  • 5 cloves garlic minced
  • 1/8 cup red onion finally chopped
  • 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons Italian seasoning
  • 1/2 teaspoon paprika
Instructions
  1. In a large bowl, combine all the ingredients.
  2. Stir well until all the ingredients are covered with dressing.
  3. Cover bowl with lid, or foil, and place in the fridge for at least 4 hours (up to overnight).
  4. Save remaining Italian dressing for another recipe or serve on the side.

Italian-Ham-Pasta-Salad

I am hosting Mini Chef Mondays along with 8 fabulous bloggers! Read how Mini Chef Mondays started.

Mini Chef Mondays Team
Join our facebook group to find even more recipes and share recipes too!

Join the Mini Chef Mondays newsletter to get the latest recipes delivered to your email each week! Don’t worry, we will only use your email for Mini Chef Mondays recipes, pinky promise!

Get featured and follow us too!
  • Pinterest: Each post/recipe linked up will be added to our Mini Chef Mondays board
  • Instagram: Use our hashtag #MiniChefMondays so we can repost your mini chef
  • Twitter: We retweet every post with #MiniChefMondays

Be sure to check out each of their Mini Chef posts as well!


Snack Quesadillas

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Snack-Quesadillas-recipe

If it’s in the house, my kids would eat potato chips and chocolate all day long. What kid wouldn’t, right? As a parent, though, I yearn to make sure they are getting a healthy, balanced diet…even if that means in moderation we throw in a little sugar from time to time.  We’ve been making snack quesadillas for a long time now.  Honestly, before I even had kids I made them.  But now, it’s a three way bonus. They are healthy (usually), the kids enjoy them, and Skibbles, our toddler, is at the age where she can just about make them herself.

how to make snack quesadillas

On periscope last week, we made a peanut butter and banana quesadilla that was a huge hit with many of our viewers (WATCH THOSE SNACK QUESADILLAS MADE LIVE). As soon as that scope was over, I knew I had to get some of our other ideas up and in written form to share with all our friends that aren’t over there.

One of the best things about these snack quesadillas is that kids are free to pick the toppings. As parents, we all know that when kids pick they are more likely to eat what they are making.  It’s one of the reasons we love the Mini Chef Mondays series so much. Skibbles, and now Baby, are much more likely to eat what we’re making because they are involved. It’s as simple as that. And who doesn’t love a kid that isn’t throwing a fit about what you’re feeding them?

kids snack quesadillas

We’re so excited to share four of our favorite snack quesadillas with you today. We also can’t wait for you to come up with some of your own ideas and share them with us. We are always looking for new ways to switch up the girls’ food choices, so please share in the comments below.

snack quesadillas

Also, this would make for an amazingly simple and fun snack bar at your next party or get together.  When we are home, we just use a skillet, but I can see this being super fun with some griddles on the stove or grill too!

Snack-Quesadillas-Banana Snack-Quesadillas-Blueberry Snack-Quesadillas-marshmellow Snack-Quesadillas-PBJ

As always, we hope you enjoy!

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Snack Quesadillas Four Way
Author: Larisha Campbell
Ingredients
Peanut Butter Banana Chocolate
  • 2 tbsp peanut butter
  • 1 banana sliced
  • handful of chocolate chips
  • 2 small flour tortilla shells
Blueberry, Peanut Butter, and Yogurt
  • 1/2 cup blueberries
  • 1 1/2 tbsp peanut butter
  • 1 1/2 tbsp plain Greek Yogurt
Smores
Banana Peanut Butter & Jelly
Instructions
Peanut Butter Banana Chocolate
  1. Spread peanut butter on one side of both tortilla shells.
  2. On one side top peanut butter with banana slices and chocolate chips.
  3. Top with remaining tortilla shell
  4. Cook over medium until golden brown. Flip. Repeat. Eat.
Blueberry, Peanut Butter, and Yogurt
  1. In a small bowl, heat peanut butter for 10 seconds in microwave
  2. Add yogurt and mix until well combined.
  3. Spread peanut butter mixture on one side of both tortilla shells.
  4. On one side top mixture with blueberries.
  5. Top with remaining tortilla shell
  6. Cook over medium until golden brown. Flip. Repeat. Eat.
Smores
  1. One on tortilla, add chocolate chips and marshmallow.
  2. Top with remaining tortilla shell
  3. Cook over medium until golden brown. Flip. Repeat. Eat.
Banana Peanut Butter & Jelly
  1. Spread peanut butter on one side of one tortilla shell.
  2. Spread jelly on one side of other tortilla shell.
  3. On peanut butter side add banana slices
  4. Top with remaining tortilla shell
  5. Cook over medium until golden brown. Flip. Repeat. Eat.

Snack-Quesadillas

Mini Chef Mondays Team

I am hosting Mini Chef Mondays along with 8 fabulous bloggers! Read how Mini Chef Mondays started, plus how to link up!

Join our facebook group to find even more recipes and share recipes too!

Join the Mini Chef Mondays newsletter to get the latest recipes delivered to your email each week! Don’t worry, we will only use your email for Mini Chef Mondays recipes, pinky promise!

Get featured and follow us too!
  • Pinterest: Each post/recipe linked up will be added to our Mini Chef Mondays board
  • Instagram: Use our hashtag #MiniChefMondays so we can repost your mini chef
  • Twitter: We retweet every post with #MiniChefMondays

Be sure to check out each of their Mini Chef posts as well!

    1. Pineapple Lemonade Popsicles // Courtney’s Sweets
    2. Homemade Magic Shell // Momma Lew
    3. Veggie Flatbread Appetizer // Finding Zest
    4. Snack Quesadillas // We’re Parents
    5. Healthy Toddler Snacks F is for Fish // Eating Richly
    6. Olympics Chocolate Pretzel Bites // Giggles, Gobbles and Gulps
    7. Peach Tiramisu // Vegging at the Shore
    8. Real Fruit Healthy Slushies // O’Boy! Organic
    9. Olympic Themed Fruit Salad // My Mini Adventurer


Blueberry Lime Cupcakes

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Blueberry-Lime-Cupcakes

Skibbles loves to bake.  It’s one of her favorite things to do and I always make a learning experience out of it.  Whether we are talking about colors of our ingredients, learning fractions from the measuring cups, or counting things out, there’s always something to learn.  One of her favorite things to make is any type of cupcake or cake. Can you blame her? I decided this week we were going to make Blueberry Lime Cupcakes. A delicious yellow lime cupcake made from scratch, stuffed with a blueberry sauce and then topped with a lime and cream cheese frosting. WHAT!? YESSSSSS!!!

Blueberry-Lime-Cupcakes-recipe

Skibbles has embraced the Mini Chef title full force.  She’s absolutely adorable whenever she thinks the video is rolling. Since we do videos on our social media channels, she’s got her tag lines down the second she thinks we are recording. “Hey guys, I’m Mini Chef Skibbles. What we making today? We making _____ (insert what we’re making)”. It’s one of my greatest joys since bringing her into the world. She also constantly asks for her picture to be taken when she’s doing something involving food.

kids making cupcakes

Andrew and I were actually having a conversation about how awesome it would be if she ended up as a chef or baker because of all the adorable and fun photos we have of her cooking and/or baking in the kitchen. Who know what she will be when she grows up, but at the very least she’s going to know her way around the kitchen much better than I did at any age and for that, I’m happy.  She has been trying to get her sister involved more when we do things in the kitchen and I’ve happily been letting her. I absolutely just adore watching them bond together and food seals that bond even more.

making stuffed cupcakes

Blueberry-Lime-Cupcake

I also started letting her practice piping icing on the cupcakes this time.  She did amazing for her first time. Albeit, it was more of just some blobs on top, it was adorably sweet to watch how excited doing this made her.

learning how to pipe icing

These blueberry lime cupcakes were amazing and we hope you love them as much as we do!

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Blueberry Lime Cupcakes
Author: Larisha Campbell
Ingredients
For the cupcakes
  • 1 1/2 cups flour
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter 1 stick, softened
  • 3/4 cup brown sugar packed
  • 2 tbsp honey
  • 1/2 tbsp vanilla
  • 1 egg
  • 1/4 cup whole milk
  • 1/2 cup vanilla Greek yogurt
  • 2 tsp lime zest
For the frosting
  • 8 oz 1 package cream cheese, softened
  • 1/2 cup 1 stick unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 cup powdered sugar
  • 1 tsp lime juice
  • 1 1/2 tsp lime zest
  • Extra lime zest for top
For the Blueberry sauce
  • 1 pint frozen blueberries
  • 1/8 cup sugar
  • 1 tbsp lime juice
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  2. In a small bowl, combine flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
  3. In a large bowl, cream together butter and brown sugar.
  4. Add in honey, vanilla, and eat and beat together again.
  5. Add in milk and vanilla Greek yogurt and beat together again.
  6. Slowly add in flour mixture until well combined.
  7. Fold in the lime zest.
  8. In a greased or paper cup lined muffin tin fill each cup 3/4 of the way full.
  9. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until toothpick inserted comes out clean.
  10. While making, make the blueberry sauce. Take off heat to slightly cool.
  11. When cupcakes are done, remove from oven and let cool for 5 minutes.
  12. Remove the center of each cupcake with a small teaspoon (we used 1/4 tsp) carefully making sure not to go all the way down to the bottom.
  13. Fill each center with blueberry sauce.
For the frosting
  1. Beat butter and cream cheese together for 5 minutes.
  2. Add in powdered sugar and beat until combined.
  3. Mix in lime juice and lime zest until well combined.
  4. Spread frosting over cupcakes using a piping bag with desired tip.
  5. Shave extra zest on top of cupcakes if desired.

I am hosting Mini Chef Mondays along with 8 fabulous bloggers! Read how Mini Chef Mondays started, plus how to link up!

Join our facebook group to find even more recipes and share recipes too!

Join the Mini Chef Mondays newsletter to get the latest recipes delivered to your email each week! Don’t worry, we will only use your email for Mini Chef Mondays recipes, pinky promise!

Get featured and follow us too!
  • Pinterest: Each post/recipe linked up will be added to our Mini Chef Mondays board
  • Instagram: Use our hashtag #MiniChefMondays so we can repost your mini chef
  • Twitter: We retweet every post with #MiniChefMondays

Be sure to check out each of their Mini Chef posts as well!

  1. Yogurt Parfait with Fresh Fruit // Courtney’s Sweets
  2. Quick and Easy Fudge Recipe // Momma Lew
  3. Berry Kiwi Cooler // Finding Zest
  4. Blueberry Lime Cupcakes // We’re Parents
  5. Cake Batter Ice Cream Recipe // Eating Richly
  6. Dipped Sprinkled Ice Cream Cones // Giggles, Gobbles and Gulps
  7. Lavender Blueberry Ice Pops // Vegging at the Shore
  8. Real Fruit Healthy Slushies // O’Boy! Organic
  9. Fresh Peach Sorbet // My Mini Adventurer


Oyster Cookies

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oyster-cookies recipe

We recently had a Finding Dory party to celebrate baby’s first birthday. It was an exciting party themed all around the brand new movie. All the food was fish/underwater themed.  All our guests were excited over how well everything came out. One of Skibs favorite things was helping prepare all the food. Okay, maybe it was actually playing with the balloons and bubbles and toys, but she did help out here and there. She loved these oyster cookies so much that we made them again after the party was over. They are so quick and simple to make.

homemade-oyster-cookies

The ingredients are super simple – Nilla wafers, sixlets candy, and fruit dip.  We make a homemade fruit dip that will knock your socks off! (Recipe below)

making oyster cookies

I was actually surprised at how quickly these went at the party.  I went to grab one and there were two left and my friend was grabbing one too.  We had made so many of them and bam, gone.  That tells me just how amazing they were and it wasn’t just me being biased about these oyster cookies.

homemade-oyster-cookies-recipe

The sixlets candy has a shiny coating to really make it look like a pearl and pop.  It was just so perfect. So whether you are just looking for a simple snack for the summer or are hosting your next underwater party or Finding Dory party soon, we encourage you to get the kids in the kitchen to make these too!

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Oyster Cookies
Author: Larisha Campbell
Ingredients
Instructions
  1. Mix together fruit dip recipe.
  2. Put fruit dip into a pastry bag.
  3. Place a small amount of dip onto flat side of one cookie.
  4. Place another cookie on top so it appears open like an oyster shell.
  5. Place a sixlet candy in the center of the open cookies.
  6. Eat!

oyster-cookies-recipe

I am hosting Mini Chef Mondays along with 8 fabulous bloggers! Read how Mini Chef Mondays started, plus how to link up!
Join our facebook group to find even more recipes and share recipes too!

Join the Mini Chef Mondays newsletter to get the latest recipes delivered to your email each week! Don’t worry, we will only use your email for Mini Chef Mondays recipes, pinky promise!

Get featured and follow us too!
  • Pinterest: Each post/recipe linked up will be added to our Mini Chef Mondays board
  • Instagram: Use our hashtag #MiniChefMondays so we can repost your mini chef
  • Twitter: We retweet every post with #MiniChefMondays

Be sure to check out each of their Mini Chef posts as well!

  1. Easy Healthy Snack Sliced Apples // Courtney’s Sweets
  2. Cherry Vanilla Ice Pops // Momma Lew
  3. Oatmeal Peanut Butter Protein Bites // Finding Zest
  4. Oyster Cookies // We’re Parents
  5. Alphabet Kids Snacks A is for Ant // Eating Richly
  6. Cinnamon Sugar Waffle Sticks // Giggles, Gobbles and Gulps
  7. Lavender White Chocolate Scones // Vegging at the Shore
  8. Real Fruit Healthy Slushies // O’Boy! Organic
  9. Kid Sized Chocolate Nutella Milkshakes // My Mini Adventurer


Watermelon Limeade Slushie

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Watermelon-Slushie

WATCH LARISHA AND SKIBBLES MAKE THIS WATERMELON LIMEADE SLUSHIE LIVE ON PERISCOPE!

Are you the type of person constantly trying to use up everything in your fridge so you have zero waste? Having to come up with something different and get imaginative with new ideas.

Well, I definitely am.

Typically Larisha and I, being the adults in the family, tend to try to consume all the food we can from certain meals we make, or fruit we buy, but sometimes there’s just so much food and we just get creative and make something out of what we have. Think Chopped, Home Edition.

So the other day I came inside and it was pretty hot in general — outside the house, inside the house, etc. Just miserable. I opened the fridge to get something to drink and it was empty besides a pitcher of water.  I saw pieces of watermelon and pulled the container out to eat a few pieces but thought to myself that I would really like something to drink.  Skibs had been asking for ice cream all day and so I decided to make something that would satisfy my thirst and her craving. Trying to win the nice dad award.

I figured I could possibly create something with the watermelon. I was thinking of a milkshake, but realized that I didn’t have the ingredients that I needed, so I thought what would be the next best thing.

Slushie!

Watermelon-Limeade-Slushie

I looked around the fridge and found a few things and was ready to go.  We were going to make a Watermelon Limeade Slushie. I asked Skibs if she wanted to help me make a slushie and with her confused face said “Swaushie? Ok. Let’s go.  I Mini Chef Skibbles”.  And off we went! It was the perfect treat and everyone enjoyed.  We hope you do too!

watermelon limeade slushie recipe mini chef

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Watermelon Limeade Slushie
Author: Andrew
Ingredients
  • 4 cups fresh cubed watermelon
  • Fresh juice from two limes ~1/3 cup
  • 1/4 cup cane sugar
  • 1/8 tsp salt
  • 4 cups ice divided
Instructions
  1. In a blender, add the first four ingredients and blend.
  2. Add two cups of ice and blend again.
  3. If not slushie enough, continue adding ice until your desired consistency is reached.

Watermelon-Limeade-Slushie-recipe

I am hosting Mini Chef Mondays along with 8 fabulous bloggers! Read how Mini Chef Mondays started, plus how to link up!

Mini Chef Mondays Team
Join our facebook group to find even more recipes and share recipes too!

Join the Mini Chef Mondays newsletter to get the latest recipes delivered to your email each week! Don’t worry, we will only use your email for Mini Chef Mondays recipes, pinky promise!

Get featured and follow us too!
  • Pinterest: Each post/recipe linked up will be added to our Mini Chef Mondays board
  • Instagram: Use our hashtag #MiniChefMondays so we can repost your mini chef
  • Twitter: We retweet every post with #MiniChefMondays

Be sure to check out each of their Mini Chef posts as well!

  1. Best Fruit Salad Recipe for Kids // Courtney’s Sweets
  2. 5 Kid Friendly Watermelon Recipes // Momma Lew
  3. Yogurt Fruit Breakfast Pizza // Finding Zest
  4. Watermelon Limeade Slushie // We’re Parents
  5. 4th of July Snacks that Kids Can Make Themselves // Eating Richly
  6. Jersey Style Pork Roll, Egg and Cheese Sandwich // Giggles, Gobbles and Gulps
  7. Make Your Own Oatmeal // Vegging at the Shore
  8. Real Fruit Healthy Slushies // O’Boy! Organic
  9. Fresh Watermelon Juice // My Mini Adventurer


Blueberry Kiwi Lemonade Ice Pops

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Blueberry-Kiwi-Lemonade-Ice-Popsicles

It’s officially summer!  YAY!

Except that I really don’t like the heat.  It makes me cranky and the temperature fluctuation going indoors and outdoors typically leaves me breaking out in hives.  But enough about my weirdness.  I’ve noticed that Skibbles also gets irritable if she’s too hot.

Obviously, as a mom, I want to do my best to keep them happy, which in the summer time means plenty of snacks that are cooling and refreshing.  But also, I need them to be healthy. Most store-bought summer treats are loaded with refined sugars and dyes, and so my goal this summer is to come up with a combination of various healthy alternatives.

Homemade-Blueberry-Kiwi-Lemonade-Ice-Popsicles

I enabled my Mini Chef to help make these delicious Blueberry Kiwi Lemonade ice pops are after a hot summer day, we all devoured them.  With just 4 ingredients (one being water), they are super healthy and very cost efficient as well.  It’s a win-win for everyone.

Skibbles loved helping me make these and there really wasn’t much that she couldn’t do on her own. We work great as a team though and she always asks to do it together, so I happily oblige.

mini chef mondays ice pops

Just a little random fact: July is National Blueberry Month – so be on the lookout for these nutrient dense beauties on sale soon!

Blueberry-Kiwi-Lemonade-Ice-Popsicles-recipe

Here’s our super quick and simple Blueberry Kiwi Lemonade Ice Pops Recipe

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Blueberry Kiwi Lemonade Ice Pops
Author: Larisha Campbell
Ingredients
  • 4 lemons
  • 3 kiwis
  • 1/2 pint of blueberries
  • 1 1/2 cups cold water
Instructions
  1. Peel and slice the kiwis. Cut each slice in half.
  2. Juice the 4 lemons. You should have about 1/2 a cup of fresh lemon juice.
  3. In your popsicle molds, layer the blueberries and kiwi slices until you reach the top of your mold.
  4. In a small bowl, mix together the fresh lemon juice and water.
  5. Stir to combine.
  6. Pour juice into each ice pop mold up to the top.
  7. Tap on counter to remove any air bubble and top with additional juice if necessary.
  8. Insert ice pop sticks.
  9. Place in freezer at least for hours until frozen solid or overnight.
  10. Serve!

Blueberry-Kiwi-Lemonade-Ice-Pops

Watch us make it! Enjoy!

Mini Chef Mondays Team

I am hosting Mini Chef Mondays along with 8 fabulous bloggers! Read how Mini Chef Mondays started, plus how to link up!

Join our facebook group to find even more recipes and share recipes too!

Join the Mini Chef Mondays newsletter to get the latest recipes delivered to your email each week! Don’t worry, we will only use your email for Mini Chef Mondays recipes, pinky promise!

Get featured and follow us too!
  • Pinterest: Each post/recipe linked up will be added to our Mini Chef Mondays board
  • Instagram: Use our hashtag #MiniChefMondays so we can repost your mini chef
  • Twitter: We retweet every post with #MiniChefMondays

Be sure to check out each of their Mini Chef posts as well!

  1. Semi Homemade Yogurt Recipe // Courtney’s Sweets
  2. Fish Cake Tutorial // Momma Lew
  3. Very Berry Fruit Salsa // Finding Zest
  4. Blueberry Kiwi Lemonade Ice Pops // We’re Parents
  5. Carved Orange Warthog with Toddler Fruit Salad // Eating Richly
  6. Red, White and Blue Lemonade Mocktail // Giggles, Gobbles and Gulps
  7. Blueberry Challah French Toast // Vegging at the Shore
  8. Strawberry Cheesecake Rollups // My Mini Adventurer


 

Pina Colada Smoothie

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pina colada smoothie recipe

Summer time, for me, has always meant that I can run on less and less food. It’s just too hot or I’m too occupied to eat. I’ve found that is similarly true for my toddler (the baby is just a constant garbage disposal always). However, she’s a growing toddler, and I know the importance of making sure that she’s getting the proper nutrition to support her growing body. I have found that I am able to put almost anything in a smoothie for her and she will drink it up, no matter the time of day, what we are doing, or how hot it is outside.  Put extra ice in it and she thinks it’s ice cream. And I don’t even feel bad for letting her think that. We also loves putting them into ice pops molds and making deliciously healthy ice pops too.

pina colada smoothie mini chef mondays

This pina colada smoothie recipe is actually Andrew’s recipe that he came up with on the fly and it was so good that we all gobbled it up and he had to make another one.  This time, we let our mini chef help make it and decided that we must share it with all of you ASAP. We actually rearranged our recipe schedule just so we could share this with you guys today.  We hope you enjoy!

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Pina Colada Smoothie
Author: Larisha Campbell
Ingredients
  • 1 1/2 cups frozen pineapple
  • 1 1/2 cup almond milk
  • 1/2 cup vanilla greek yogurt
  • 1/4 cup shredded coconut flakes
  • 1 tbsp coconut oil
  • 1 tsp honey
Instructions
  1. Throw all ingredients into your blender and blend until smoothie.
  2. Add desired amount of ice if needed and blend again.
  3. Serve!

pina colada smoothie

Mini Chef Mondays Team

I am hosting Mini Chef Mondays along with 8 fabulous bloggers! Read how Mini Chef Mondays started, plus how to link up!
Join our facebook group to find even more recipes and share recipes too!

Join the Mini Chef Mondays newsletter to get the latest recipes delivered to your email each week! Don’t worry, we will only use your email for Mini Chef Mondays recipes, pinky promise!

Get featured and follow us too!
  • Pinterest: Each post/recipe linked up will be added to our Mini Chef Mondays board
  • Instagram: Use our hashtag #MiniChefMondays so we can repost your mini chef
  • Twitter: We retweet every post with #MiniChefMondays

Be sure to check out each of their Mini Chef posts as well!

  1. The Best Ice Cream Sundae // Courtney’s Sweets
  2. Finding Dory Inspired Food Art // Momma Lew
  3. Homemade Strawberry Rhubarb Lemonade // Finding Zest
  4. Pina Colada Smoothie // We’re Parents
  5. 15 Edible Father’s Day Gifts the Dad Will Love // Eating Richly Even When You’re Broke
  6. Chocolate Brownie Peanut Butter Parfait // Giggles, Gobbles and Gulps
  7. Simple Carrot Cherry Salad // Vegging at the Shore
  8. Easy and Healthy Homemade Jello // O’Boy! Organic
  9. Homemade Ravioli // My Mini Adventurer


Caramel Banana Ice Cream

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caramel-banana-ice-cream-recipe

In all honesty, I can’t remember many details about a lot of my childhood. Sometimes I’m not sure if what I’m recalling are memories told to me or if they are me actually recalling them. However, I very vividly remember going to my great-grandmother’s house for big holidays and having these huge dinners with the entire family present. I’m talking 40-50 people, tables set up in 3 different rooms. We’d be there for hours. As a kid, certain parts were so much fun — always knowing at Easter there would be money in our Easter baskets, sneaking candy out of the candy tray on the counter, or hiding inside the tiny secret closet in the bathroom. Of course, there were some not so fun things – only being able to watch what grandpa had on TV (usually football or The Lawrence Welk Show) is an example. However, not much compares to the memory of being able to watch…and ultimately, eat…homemade, hand-churned ice cream. I used to look in the freezer when we got them to see if it was ready or not. If it wasn’t, I would run out to the barn and see if “the guys” we’re hanging out there churning it and see if I was strong enough yet to churn it myself.

homemade-caramel-banana-ice-cream

While we aren’t hand-churning ice cream here, making homemade ice cream with my girls is one of my most favorite things. The possibilities are endless and the joy on Skibbles face as she eats one of her favorite foods that she actually made is priceless.  Here’s the ice cream maker that we use.

eating homemade banana ice cream

This homemade caramel banana ice cream is so perfect that you don’t need much more to get you through the summer.  It’s amazingggg. We all licked the container on this one.  There was no going to waste here.

caramel-banana-ice-cream-

Here’s the recipe:

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Caramel Banana Ice Cream
Author: Larisha Campbell
Ingredients
  • 3 ripe bananas cut into 1/2 inch pieces
  • 1/4 cup brown sugar
  • 1 tbsp unsalted butter cut into pieces.
  • 2 1/2 cup whole milk + 2 tbsp divided
  • 1 tbsp cornstarch
  • caramel sauce recipe
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla
  • 1 tsp lemon juice
  • pinch of nutmeg
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
  2. In baking dish, add bananas, 1/4 cup brown sugar, and 1 tbsp unsalted butter.
  3. Bake for 40 minutes.
  4. Once bananas are done baking, move onto the following.
  5. In a small bowl, combine 2 tbsp milk, and 1 tbsp cornstarch. Set aside.
  6. Fill a large bowl with ice water. Set aside.
  7. Make the caramel sauce recipe in a saucepan.
  8. Once ready, over medium heat, add 1 1/2 cup milk.
  9. Boil for 3 minutes.
  10. Remove from head and add the cornstarch mixture.
  11. Return to heat and thicken for 1-2 minutes.
  12. In a blender, add banana mixture, caramel mixture, 1/4 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp vanilla, 1 tsp lemon juice, and a pinch of nutmeg.
  13. Pour into a medium bowl and put in ice bath for 20 mins, whisking occasionally.
  14. Cover and refrigerator for at least 4 hours (overnight preferred)
  15. Remove from fridge and add 1 cup of milk until well combined.
  16. Churn in ice cream maker according to directions.
  17. Freeze until firm (at least 4 hours).
  18. Serve! Top with walnuts if desired.

homemade ice cream maker  mini chef mondays homemade ice cream making homemade ice cream

Also be sure to check out our Peanut Butter & Jelly ice cream recipe.

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Be sure to check out each of their Mini Chef posts as well!

  1. Chicken Quesadillas // Courtney’s Sweets
  2. Perfect Guacamole Recipe // Momma Lew
  3. Patriotic Pudding Cookies // Finding Zest
  4. Caramel Banana Ice Cream // We’re Parents
  5. Korean Tacos Crockpot Recipe // Eating Richly Even When You’re Broke
  6. Minnie’s Cucumber Salad // Giggles, Gobbles and Gulps
  7. Make Your Own Trail Mix // Vegging at the Shore
  8. Ice Cream Making with Kids // O’Boy! Organic
  9. Razzmatazz Iced Lemonade // My Mini Adventurer


Strawberry Lemonade Ice Pops

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strawberry lemonade ice pops

Summer is so close I can taste it. Okay, maybe it’s just the fact that we made these Strawberry Lemonade Ice Pops that remind me of summer, but still.  It’s so stinking close. This is going to be the first summer that we really get to embrace pool season.  The first summer after Skibbles was born, we had just purchased a house and were renovating so it was bananas and then the second summer, we had so much to do still with our house, last summer we did some pool, but we had the baby in June, which put me out of swimming commission for awhile during healing. THUSSSSS, this will be our first real year and I couldn’t be more excited.  I lived in a pool every summer growing up and I’m excited for the girls to have the same opportunity.  Andrew is not on board with us getting a pool for our yard, so we’ll be trekking to our community pool and our good friend’s house. Skibbles has already been begging to go to the beach and the pool, so once she realizes how close it is for us to walk there, I know all bets are off and she’s going to ask almost every day.

As a kid, we often had ice pops after swimming and I want our girls to have the same experience.  What I don’t want though, is all the food dyes and artificial flavors that typically come with these store bought ice pops.  Even the ones touted as natural or better for you, have ingredients that I’m not terribly fond of usually.

homemade lemonade popsicles

One thing I know is that making homemade ice pops couldn’t be easier. Skibbles could literally make these herself if I really wanted to let her.   Squeeze fresh lemon juice, purees some semi-frozen strawberries, layer it into a popsicle mold, freeze, and VOILA! Homemade Strawberry Lemonade Ice Pops are complete. I couldn’t be more excited about the ingredients and the taste is simply amazing, especially for the summer!

strawberry lemonade ice pops recipe

We really hope you enjoy these!

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Strawberry Lemonade Ice Pops
Author: Larisha Campbell
Ingredients
  • 2 cup semi-thawed strawberries fresh would work too
  • 6 large lemons
Instructions
  1. Squeeze the juice from the 3 lemons.
  2. Evenly pour juice halfway up the ice pop mold you are using.
  3. Freeze for at least one hour.
  4. Puree the strawberries in a blender.
  5. *Tip: If having trouble blending strawberries, add some of the lemon pulp or 1/4 tsp of water at a time until blends well.
  6. Pour puree on top of lemon juice in each ice pop mold.
  7. Freeze until set - typically 5-6 hours.
  8. Enjoy!
  9. *Optional: Combine the Lemon and Strawberry together and pour in the mold at once instead of separately.

* We use Tupperware ice pop molds for the ones in these pictures. Find a similar ice pop mold on Amazon.

strawberry lemonade popsicles

 

I am hosting Mini Chef Mondays along with 8 fabulous bloggers! Read how Mini Chef Mondays started, plus how to link up!

Mini Chef Mondays Team
Join our facebook group to find even more recipes and share recipes too!

Get featured and follow us too!
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Be sure to check out each of their Mini Chef posts as well!

  1. Homemade Whipped Cream Recipe // Courtney’s Sweets
  2. Pink Lemonade Cupcakes // Momma Lew
  3. Watermelon Strawberry Cooler // Finding Zest
  4. Strawberry Lemonade Ice Pops // We’re Parents
  5. Coconut Chocolate Macadamia Nut Butter Recipe with Blendtec Giveaway // Eating Richly Even When You’re Broke
  6. Dipped Sugar Cookie Sticks // Giggles, Gobbles and Gulps
  7. Blueberry Sour Cream Muffins // Vegging at the Shore
  8. Low Stress Dinners: Make Your Own Pizzas // O’Boy! Organic
  9. Banana Caterpillar Snack // My Mini Adventurer


 

Smores Chocolate Chip Cookies

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S'mores-Chocolate-Chip-Cookies-Recipe

Over the weekend, Skibbles, our toddler, was begging to go outside.  Unfortunately, it was raining again. I don’t think we saw the sun for at least seven straight days. I always heard the phrase, “April showers brings May flowers”, yet it always seems to rain a ton in May. Anyway, I ended up building her a fort with the chairs in our living room and it got me thinking about once she’s older it would be fun to take the girls camping in our backyard.  Now, I say our backyard because I don’t think I can do wilderness camping out in the middle of nowhere.  I need access to the actual bathroom and the ability to escape in case I hear some funky noises out there.

I’ve actually never been camping of any sort, so I started talking to Larisha about things that people do when they go camping and she told me about a time when her class in elementary school went on a school camping trip.  They had this group scavenger hunt through the woods, swam in a river, and more, but the most fun thing she told me about was cooking all the food.

She explained how there was this huge bonfire and they found sticks in the woods and cooked hotdogs and made s’mores. It’s definitely something that I wished that I would have had the opportunity to experience growing up, but made me think that it’s going to be even more enjoyable being able to experience it with my girls instead.

making smores chocolate chip cookies

Since we weren’t able to go outside because of the rain, I decided to take the outside inside for the recipe this week.  Larisha loves my homemade chocolate chip cookie recipe that I’ve been working on for awhile now and I decided to kick it up a notch and make these homemade Smores Chocolate Chip Cookies.  Larisha and I were both impressed with just how amazing they turned out.  They are definitely going to be our go to recipe to take to get togethers now, especially in the summer.

making smores chocolate chip cookies recipe

thick cookie dough batter

The dough is not like your typical chocolate chip cookie dough recipe.  This is a thick and dense dough batter so that the fudge sauce and marshmallows stay inside properly. The end results are these thick, yet soft and amazing cookies bursting with chocolate sauce and melted marshmallows.  Just the things that get you excited about eating S’mores in the summer.

mini chef mondays smores chocolate chip cookies

I mean …you guys….look at this.

homemade smores chocolate chip cookies

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Smores Chocolate Chip Cookies
Author: Andrew
Ingredients
  • 4 cups flour
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 cup unsalted butter slightly melted (30 seconds in microwave)
  • 1 cup white sugar
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 2 egg
  • 1 cup chocolate chip chunks
  • 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
  • 1/2 cup white chocolate chips
  • 120 mini marshmallows 1/2 of standard size bag
For fudge sauce
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • 2 tbsp unsalted butter
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla
  • 10 oz semi-sweet chocolate chips
Instructions
  1. Make fudge sauce. Set aside until ready to use.
  2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  3. In a small bowl, mix together the flour, salt, and baking soda. Set aside.
  4. In a large bowl, mix together butter, white and brown sugars, and vanilla on low speed.
  5. Add eggs in ones at a time.
  6. Slowly add the flour mixture to the bowl. *You will have to mix some by hand as this is thick dough.
  7. Add in the chips until combined.
  8. Roll the dough out into 3in balls.
  9. Flatten the balls and add 4 mini marshmallows and a tsp of fudge sauce.
  10. Fold up and bake for 11-15 minutes or until golden brown.
  11. Remove and let cool on baking rack.

I am hosting Mini Chef Mondays along with 8 fabulous bloggers! Read how Mini Chef Mondays started, plus how to link up!

daddy and me making chocolate chip cookies

S'mores-Chocolate-Chip-Cookies

MCM Blogs
Join our facebook group to find even more recipes and share recipes too!

Get featured and follow us too!
  • Pinterest: Each post/recipe linked up will be added to our Mini Chef Mondays board
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Be sure to check out each of their Mini Chef posts as well!

  1. Banana Split Frozen Yogurt Bark // Courtney’s Sweets
  2. Peanut Butter & Banana Smoothie Bowl // Momma Lew
  3. Strawberry Cucmber Lime Infused Water // Baby Loving Mama
  4. Smores Chocolate Chip Cookies // We’re Parents
  5. Super Moist Healthy Carrot Cake Recipe // Eating Richly Even When You’re Broke
  6. Ginger Snap Cookies // Giggles, Gobbles and Gulps
  7. Strawberry Lime Frozen Pie // Vegging at the Shore
  8. 5 Ways to Get Kids Involved in the Kitchen // O’Boy! Organic
  9. French Style Yogurt Cake // Can’t Google Everything


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