There are a lot of play dough recipes out there and I have tried a few. This one is, so far, my favorite:

Homemade Play Dough

Ingredients:

1 cup flour
1/2 cup salt
2 Tbs cream of tartar
1 cup water
1 Tbs vegetable oil

Mix the flour, salt and cream of tartar in a saucepan. Combine water and oil in a small bowl. Stir into flour mixture gradually. Cook over medium heat for approx. 5 minutes or until very thick, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and allow to cool for a few minutes. Knead until smooth. Add food coloring of choice. Store in Container.

If you would like more detailed directions (with pictures!) Keep reading!

First, take out a sauce pan or stove-top pot of choice and add a cup of flour:

Next, add 1/2 cup of salt:

Then, add 2 tablespoons of cream of tartar and mix all the dry ingredients together:

Now, in a separate bowl, combine 1 cup of water and 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil:

Add the water/oil combination to the flour/salt/cream of tartar mix and stir:
NOTE: I mixed in a little tumeric to give it a yellow color.

Cook over medium heat, stirring CONSTANTLY until you see the mixture start to get really thick:

Now, take it off the heat, let it cool for a few minutes and knead it until it is smooth:

Finally, Let the kids try it out!
It is officially Lemon Drop Approved!

I also saved the old Play doh containers we had to store our new homemade play dough:

Next, put threm on a hot grill and cook for 5-10 minutes (depending how hot your grill is)
Be sure to flip the corn over once to get the husks event charred and the corn evenly cooked

NEXT remove corn from grill and let cool for a couple of minutes while you admire the grilled charred-ness of the husks

FINALLY remove the corn husks and prepare to eat!
EXTRA BONUS: The silk threads come off a lot easier when you cook the corn this was as opposed to removing the husks BEFORE you cook the corn

ENJOY!

Tonight’s dessert!
It is as simple as the title:

Organic banana, sliced
Chopped, roasted walnuts
Local honey drizzled on top!

Delicious…

Here is a great, fast, EASY way to make your own ice cream (without those ice cream machines that you hardly use, takes up space in the kitchen or that you never bothered to buy because you would hardly use it! (Smart you!)

I love strawberries, so here we will make strawberry ice cream. But no worries if you prefer another flavor. You can create any flavor ice cream you like. And include the kids in this recipe! It’ EASY and they love ice cream.

Ever since I could remember, ever summer my mother would take me strawberry picking at the local farm. It has been a tradition that continues to this day and one that I hope my children can be a part of as well…

My Mom

Now onto the ice cream.
This is how it goes…

WHAT YOU NEED:
1/2 cup milk
1 tbsp sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
Salt
Ice
2 small Ziploc sandwich bags
1 Large Ziploc freezer bag
Kitchen towel
Flavor/Toppings of choice

DIRECTIONS:
FIRST – Choose your flavor!!! (Note: Cookies tend to get too mushed up)

In a small sandwich bag, mix:

1/2 cup milk
1 tbsp sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla extract

And add the flavor of your choice! (strawberries, chocolate chips, etc. etc.)

IMPORTANT!
Be sure you seal the ice cream mixture bag VERY well and be careful to not poke a hole in the bag otherwise, you end up with salty ice cream :p
As an extra precaution, sometimes, I use two sandwich bags for the ice cream mixture (one inside of the other).

In a larger, separate freezer bag, add lots if ice and salt.

Place the ice cream mixture in the bag of salt and ice and knead for approx. 5 minutes or until the mixture starts to harden. (This is where the kitchen towel comes it handy – ’cause it’s cold!)

Remove your ice cream mixture from the large Ziploc bag and empty your ice cream contents into a bowl.

Add your favorite toppings and enjoy! Eat fast because the ice cream will melt fast (and be careful of brain freezes!!)

Make a Science Project Out of It (Optional)
Have the kids measure the temperature of the ice BEFORE and AFTER the salt is added.

How does the salt effect the temperature of the ice?
Why does it have the effect that it has?
How does that effect the ice cream making process??

Here is one of my favorites.
It’s healthy and it’s chocolate!

Now, I can probably guess what you are thinking – you’ve got to be kidding me, right? But before you totally dismiss this, TRY IT! If you don’t like avocado, no worries. It doesn’t taste a bit like avocado. As long as you don’t expect this to taste like a sweet, chocolate buttercream I think you will be pleasantly surprised.

Try it on top of some fresh strawberries or sliced banana. It is a great excuse to have some chocolate for breakfast without the guilt…  ;)

Here is the recipe:

2 cups Avocado
1 cup Cocoa Powder
1/2 cup Honey
1-2 tsp Vanilla Extract

Blend until smooth!