Homemade Edible Play Dough...Peanut-Free!!

Ok, so I know you all have probably heard of edible play dough using peanut butter, right? Probably from watching Jon and Kate Plus 8, am I right again? If you've ever tried it you know it is some good eats. It's the kind of good where I could make a batch of and just eat it as a snack. All.Day.Long. Yeah, that good!

Well, the problem I have these days is that Little Miss P is under two and for those of you with little ones you know what that means, NO PEANUTS, NO PEANUT PRODUCTS, NO PEANUT BUTTER...all said with red lights blaring. Eat peanut butter before age two and go right to the hospital, do not pass go...anyone else feel like this? Yikes, what's a mom to do who has an over two-year old (ok, so he's three) and an under two-year old??? For awhile I just didn't make it at all, even though Noah absolutely loves playing with and eating it. Then, I came to the point where I would make it as a special treat after Penny went to bed cause for a time she was going to bed at 6 pm...no lie...it was awesome! Making it gave Noah the illusion that he had something special to play with, 'no baby's allowed' if you will!

Nowadays Penny is old enough to stay up a little later and both my little boogers go to bed at the same time (Yay me!) Unfortunately for Noah this means no more fun Peanut Butter Play Dough time.

Until now that is :)

I was at the store the other day and finally bought a jar of Sun Butter, ever heard of this stuff? Well, it's like peanut butter except made from sunflower seeds. So okay, I know there may be quite a few of you who have already experienced this glorious find of mine but for those of you who haven't bought or tried it I tell you, you must! It is soooo good! Soy butter it is not, that stuff is just blech, actually Blech with a capital 'B'!!! This Sun Butter stuff tastes just like roasted sunflower seeds...so if you like them you will like this, pinky swear!

This is what it looks like:

It's a bit pricier than regular peanut butter but since it tastes good and I know we will actually finish the jar it's worth it!

Anyways...the moral of the story is that since I have found Sun Butter I can make Edible Peanut Butter Play Dough again...WOO HOO and the crowd (of kids) goes wild! If you have peanut allergies in your family you may want to give this a whirl since it actually tastes pretty good :)

Oh, and here is the recipe for the play dough I use in case you just plain have no clue what I'm talking about:

Edible Peanut Butter Play Dough

1/2 cup peanut butter (or sun butter)

1/2 cup dry non-fat milk

1/2 cup honey

Mix all ingredients in a large bowl until a play dough consistency is achieved. You may need to add a little more of the dry milk so it's not super duper sticky. Play with cookie cutters and rolling pins and decorate with raisins and cranberries!

The kidlets having at it with the play dough.

Noah's masterpiece...we'll call it 'Ants on a Log with No Log'

Yeah, it's that good!

Enjoy the weather

I think spring is officially here in Illinois!!

And the Echos Art Jewelry Winner is...

Number 18...so who is Lucky Number 18?

AMZi (yay you!), who chose the Labradorite Wire Wrapped Pendant!

Good Choice :)

Alright, so Lisa from Echos Art will be contacting you regarding your shipping information!

Have a good night everyone!

Easter Fun...Resurrection Rolls

Need a fun idea to help talk about the meaning of Easter to your kids? It's so easy for the Easter holiday to be all about Easter baskets full of candy, no? A great way to do it is by baking up some Resurrection Rolls. They are soooo easy to make and taste super yummy, your kids will love them. If your kids are old enough they can even help you make them...meaning Noah was my little helper and Penny was my little little helper :)

Wanna see what I'm talking about?

Resurrection Rolls are basically crescent rolls wrapped around a marshmallow that hollow as you bake them. The hollowed roll represents Jesus' tomb on Easter morning. I've even heard you can explain the story of Easter as such: Taking Jesus (marshmallow), anointing him in oils (butter) and incense (cinnamon and sugar) and wrapping Him in his shroud (crescent roll) and then placing him in His tomb (the oven)...this version may be better for an older child though. For Noah and Penelope, we just talked about them as empty tombs.

Here's the recipe for ya'll! Have fun with your kiddies :)

Resurrection Rolls

1 can of refrigerated crescent dinner rolls

8 large marshmallows

1/4 cup butter, melted

2 tbsp sugar

2 tbsp cinnamon

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and grease lightly. Separate crescent rolls and flatten out a bit. In a small bowl, mix sugar and cinnamon together. Dip marshmallow into melted butter, than roll into sugar mixture. Place marshmallow in center of crescent dough triangle and wrap carefully, pinching at seams to seal tightly. Place on baking sheet and bake for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown. Let cool, break open and enjoy the empty center!!

First off, mix up your cinnamon and sugar...

Then, melt your butter.

Dip your marshmallows into the butter first...

Then, roll your buttered marshmallow into the cinnamon-sugar mixture.

Cinnamon smells so good, doesn't it!?!

YUM!

Place the cinnamon-sugared marshmallow in the center of a crescent roll and roll it up nice and tight. I flattened out my crescents first to make a bigger marshmallow-covering surface area!

Place on a greased baking sheet...preferrably one lined with parchment paper (as the marshmallows can ooze out onto your baking sheet and get pretty sticky!) I just ran out of parchment paper, total poo I tell ya! If you do it this way, wash your baking sheet quickly so your can get the baked on marshmallow off easier!!

Bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes.

When they are golden brown they are done!

Oooh, aren't they cool looking?

They totally look like they are full in the centers!

These would also make a great April Fool's Day joke...

Empty in the inside...so cool!

Edible Grass and Egg Hunts

So, this weekend I went out to buy Easter Basket candy for the kidlets. This is my first Easter since the kids were born that I got a chance to do this, it was super fun I must say! We usually visit my parents for Easter and they fill Easter baskets for the kiddies...ya gotta love grandparents :) but this Easter they are coming here!

Why you ask? Well, since you asked, we begged my parents to make the trip this year since our road trip to their house last year went horribly bad, an experience we wish to never have again, ever. Can we say driving through the night hoping your kids will sleep the entire trip and having one child who won't remain nameless, Noah, have fits of crying the whole 13 hour drive equals no good! And then when we arrive there, he gets a fever and is sick the entire time we are visiting. Not to mention that I have to sit in the backseat between two car seats with about 2 inches (OK I lie, 5 inches) of space with my shoulders angled toward the front seats the whole ride there to try to calm him down so he doesn't wake Penny...Good Times! Suffice it to say all our begging worked and they are driving here this year, hooray for begging!

Anyways, there is a point to this story, really. Ok, so I went to Target to buy the goods, cause me likey Target so very much, and I came across Edible Easter Grass, heard of it? It looks like this:

I think it was kinda making it's way into the Easter scene last year but this year, WHOA it's at Target...that means it's made it, big time. I thought maybe I'd buy some cause, hey, it's edible so there's less waste environmentally than that 'other' grass and let's face it that 'other' grass is just annoying, constantly getting stuck on everything and who really likes to find it in their carpet five days later? It just might be worse than glitter. Well, I read the ingredients and they go a little something like this:

Potato starch, corn starch, modified corn starch, artificial flavors, acesulfame potassium, aspartame, artificial color (yellow 5, red 40, blue 2)

Seriously! Aspartame??? That stuff is soooo not good for you and it's especially not good for kids!!!! It's that fake sugar that's in diet soda that can cause loads of headaches and slowly kill off your body's organs. Wha...the whaaaat? So, I had to put it back, as cool as it looks. I just couldn't do it...sorry kids! Just thought I'd let you know...gross to the gross max...eew!

In other news, our Easter Egg Hunt went smashingly. The weather was great and the kids actually filled their baskets with eggs...success! My hubby usually works Saturday mornings so the only hiccup was that I was chasing two kids running in opposite directions. Yes, you got it, Noah is going towards the eggs and Penelope is running away from them!?! So, I had to pick her up and run to catch up with Noah...lots of fun when you are pregnant. Good thing Easter Egg Hunts only lasts about 2 minutes :) And yay for meeting friends there!

The hubs did surprise us and sneak away from the office to meet us there afterwards!!! Total excitement for me and the kiddies. He even had a moment to enjoy some donuts with us, our traditional breakfast after finishing the big 'Hunt'. Here's a little peek at our day:

Noah, lovin' on the Easter Bunny...

And grabbing some eggs.

Penny was a little unsure of what the heck was going on but she figured it out quickly. Although I think she still didn't get why we were stuffing eggs into baskets. Not to worry though, Noah promptly showed her what was inside once we came home and she couldn't have been happier :)

Where's Waldo...I mean Noah!

Proud new owners of some Easter Eggs!

Our donut breakfast afterward...I really needed it and apparently so did Noah.

See, Daddy really did show up!!

Hope you had a super duper weekend too!

4 Wheels Big!

So, we've reached yet another milestone in the Smashed Peas household. Noah, my little man has upgraded to a BIG boy bike! I can't really believe it...no more little baby tricycle for him...now it's all Penny's (the lucky duck gets to inherit a Little Red Rider Tricycle with a bum front wheel...such is the way of a second child!)

It was so funny to watch Noah ride that little trike outside after the snow melted here and the weather warmed up a bit. His little body was so squished pedaling that thing we figured it was time to move up to the next level as unbelievable as that was to us. Can we say knees to ears? So now he has moved on, from 3 wheels to 4...sigh...where has my little baby gone?

Look momma...I can ride a BIG boy bike!

I just love this picture...of Noah...please ignore the fact that Penny's face is missing and let's also not mention my weird face. It was cold, that's all I'm sayin'!

Just look at that concentration, would ya!

He even got the hang of, 'if you stand up you can pedal harder'!

And a shot of Penelope of course...we gotta be fair!

I'm so happy she is still lovin' being pushed in the car!!

Happy Weekend to you!

We are off to an Easter Egg Hunt...Woo Hoo!

(More candy for the pregnant lady!!)

Blog Swap with A Little Tipsy

So, today I am doing another blog swap-a-roo, yay fun!! Come see me over at A Little Tipsy today, I'm pretty positive you're going to like what you see!!

Also, if you are looking to enter the Echos Art Jewelry Give Away...click here!

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Hello There! I am so excited to be here on Smashed Peas and Carrots today! Mommabear is amazing and I can't wait to try her glazed fabric ring tutorial!

Michelle, from A Little Tipsy here, taking the wheel for the day!

Nope not drunk (what a relief you will not be taking your tour with a drunk driver), I may or may not be a bit clumsy though.

A little about me, I am a SAHM with one crazy two year old boy and a big geek for a husband (don't worry, he calls himself a geek). I love keeping busy and sharing all my projects and adventures whether they be Holiday decor or discovering how to get permanent marker off granite counter tops.

Here are a few of my favorite projects as of late. Everything below has a tutorial so you can make it too:

I recently did a whole week dedicated to fun baby things I made for my brand new niece. Here are a couple of highlights.

DIY baby legs with matching Scrappy hair accessories

Ribbon Embellished Burp Cloths

This last project is technically from last year, but with Easter coming up I thought I would throw it in anyway!Chenille stem Easter flower arrangement

I recently made this No Sew Burlap Easter Egg Pillow.



I am in love with this "No bunny loves me like ewe do" Spring/Easter banner. It was so much fun to make!

Well, I guess that about wraps things up. Thanks to Mommabear for swappin' it up and thanks to you for letting me be your tour guide today. Watch your step on the way out and don't forget to come visit soon!

:: :: ::

Isn't she great? Thanks Michelle! It was so good to have you here for the day!!! Now go on and blog hop over to Michelle's blog and check her out!

Giveaway...Echos Art Jewelry!!

Ba bada baaaa...Ok, so it's finally here...the super cool giveaway I was telling you about! You are going to love these goods, truly! I am so happy to have Lisa Ziegler from Echos Art giving away some love on my blog today cause I just adore the way she designs her jewelry, she has such an eye for nature's beauty, a true talent!

And, how sweet is this giveaway...Lisa is letting YOU chose the piece you win from her Etsy shop...cool! You know how much I really LOVE you guys and wanted to let you know how much I appreciate your love for me and my blog...ahhh, ok let's all wipe the tears away now, there's just so much love going around :)

Lisa's Etsy Shop, Echos Art is chock full of hand-crafted, one-of-a-kind, earthy inspired jewelry...what more could you want!? Wanna know an interesting factoid about Lisa besides the fact that she owns her own business? She's also a momma to three, count 'em three, boys!! Crazy cool I tell you and yet another reason you should go immediately to check out her shop and all her goods! I don't know how she does it, I'm getting a little nervous to have 3 little ones under foot come this July. All I have to say is that I'm super lucky to have her giving away one of her gorgeous pieces to one of you!

LUCKIES!

(really, there's no jealousy in my voice)

Wanna see some of her amazing jewelry? You'll start to drool, I warn you, it's soooo pretty!

Alright, shall we let the salivating begin?

Labrodorite Wire Wrapped Pendant

Mountain Ridge--Calcite and Antique Brass Necklace with Oriental Coin Charms

Harmony--Shell and Seed Wrap Around Bracelet

Ok, I'll give you a chance to wipe the drool off your computers for a moment. Tick, tock, tick, tock...I told you she has beautiful stuff, me likey bigtime! Here is a little peak into Lisa, her shop and her life:

Hello! I'm Lisa Ziegler, owner of Echos Art. I've been creating and selling jewelry for over ten years, and opened my online Etsy shop almost two years ago. I do numerous craft shows throughout the year, and I have begun doing home shows as well, which are really fun! I am a stay at home mom of three awesome boys and I am lucky to have a wonderful husband who supports me and my business. I LOVE being able to stay at home with my kids AND pursue my dreams at the same time. My passion is jewelry, but you may find me painting, felting, drawing or doing just about anything that has to do with art.

My jewelry creations are all one of a kind and handcrafted by me. I use a variety of materials such as gemstones, metal, glass, wood, and shell beads to create pieces that are unique and affordable. I am inspired by nature and the world around me, so I use a lot of natural colors and textures in my work. My jewelry is always evolving, and I love to try different styles of jewelry. I also make and sell wine charms, keychains, magnets, bleached clothing and photographs in my shop.
I am always open to custom orders, so if you have something in mind, I'd love to work with you to make something special.

My email is echosart@live.com
My website is www.echosart.etsy.com

I'm also on Facebook: www.facebook.com/EchosArtJewelry
And Twitter: www.twitter.com/EchosArtJewelry

She's so neat, isn't she? Well like I said before, Lisa is kind enough to giveaway a piece of her amazing collection to one of MY blog readers!!! LOVE! Winning is easy too, all you have to do to enter is:

1. Check out her shop, here, and pick out what piece you'd like to be sporting and leave it in your comment.

2. And for a second chance to win, you can add another comment if you are/become a follower of my bloggity blog...yipeee!

I am so excited for you guys :) If you want, you can pick that awesome Mountain Ridge Coin Bracelet and send it to me, maybe as an early Easter gift?

Also, Lisa is giving Free Shipping through the month of April to any of my blog readers who find something fun in her shop!! All you have to do is mention Smashed Peas and Carrots in the Seller's Notes or email her and she'll refund the shipping fees...can it get any better?

This giveaway will end next Monday, March 29 at 7 pm Illinois time...meaning central time folks ;)...when I will have the good 'ol Random Number Generator pick the winner in the most fairest of manners possible.

Good Luck!

French Dip..Crockpot Style!

Here is a super easy crockpot meal that is great for a super fast weeknight dinner or a weekend get-together with a house full of good friends.

We like to make this when we have company over, we start it in the morning and by the time nap time is done and everyone has gathered at your place you have an easy meal that didn't keep you in the kitchen all day...Hip Hip Hooray! It's also great for football season, since it's carnivore-friendly and the men-folk can load up their sandwiches with piles of meat during the shortest of commercial breaks!!

Make it soon, you'll be soooo glad you did :)

Oh yummy, yum, yummerson!

Kids aren't the only ones who love to dip their food :)

French Dip in the Crockpot

4 pounds of some type of roast meat (rump roast, chuck roast, etc!)

1 can (10.5 oz) beef broth

1 can (10.5 oz) french onion soup

1 bottle or can (12 oz) beer (or equal amount of water or broth)

french rolls or other crusty rolls

sliced cheese (we love Swiss or Provolone with these!)

Place your roast in the crockpot and pour the broth, french onion soup and beer on top. Cover and cook on low heat for 7-8 hours. About 30 minutes before eating, take out the meat and shred. Place meat back into the juices and stir to flavor all the meat. Split your rolls and top with sliced cheese. Bake at 200 degrees for about 10 minutes or until rolls are nice and toasty. Top rolls with shredded meat and add a cup of the au jus (yummy meat juices) on the side to dip your sandwich in...SUPER YUM!

Place your roast in the crockpot along with one can of French Onion Soup, Beef Broth and a Bottle of Beer...

Take out your meat about a half hour before eating and shred it up into nice sandwich-sized pieces.

Put the meat back in the juices and let simmer until you are ready to eat...

When you're ready to eat, split your rolls and toast in the oven at 200 degrees for 10 minutes or until your cheese is good and melt-y!

Serve your sandwiches with a cup or bowl of the au jus...

Eat, Dip, Devour!

Now, that's a dinner that you'll want to make often :0

DE-LISH!