I am happy to be a partner with ADA Mideast and bring you this dairy-filled recipe that my family loves.

I’ve tried for so long to be a GSD (Green Smoothie Drinker). As much as I love a healthy breakfast I just can’t give up my frothy warm morning cup of coffee for a cold bitter green smoothie. Believe me I’ve tried! Here’e the thing though- I have kids that I’m supposed to be all responsible for. That includes setting a good example even when it comes to healthy eating.

So in my quest to become a GSD I have made many, many green smoothies. Sometimes they turn brown from all the berries I like to put in there. Sometimes at the last minute I forego the “green” all together and just enjoy a cheery pink strawberry banana smoothie. But a few months ago I found my green smoothie nirvana and we’ve been enjoying it every week. Since my kids like frozen treats in the hot summer months I knew this naturally sweet green smoothie parfait would make the perfect popsicles!

One of my sons struggles to reach his daily protein requirement so I’m always looking for creative ways to incorporate some of his favorite sources of protein. Six ounces of Greek yogurt typically contains 14-17 grams of protein which will leave you fuller longer! It’s creamy, healthy, and delicious too. I don’t add any additional sugar to these Green Smoothie Parfait Popsicles because I like the sweet taste of mango and pineapple, but you may like to add up to 1 tablespoon honey, agave, or sugar.

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Before this year I was a first time cruiser and I found myself scouting the internet for cruising tips and tricks. Specifically I wanted to know what to pack for my trip with Princess Cruises to the Eastern Caribbean. Here I’m outlining my personal uncommon cruising essentials. I brought lots of things on the trip, but these are the items that I will definitely be bringing again! We’ll start out with the ones that are a bit more obvious and we’ll end with my off the beaten path must-haves. (more…)

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Anyway, can we talk about Katrina for a second?

The first (and only) time I met her was at a food conference. I walked in the door and she ran right up to me, grabbed my arm, and said “you can sit by me!” Then she felt like a weirdo and started apologizing for kidnapping me. You guys. I had never loved her more than I did right then. I hate walking into a conference and wondering who is going to be nice to me and let me sit by them. I feel like the new kid in the cafeteria on their first day of high school. She totally saved my life by letting me sit with the cool kids. I will love her for always. Katrina is just as sweet in person as she is online.

Okay, enough mushy stuff, because gross.

I made y’all some s’mores. I don’t know about you, but around this time every year I start thinking about all of the s’mores I missed out on over the summer. I’m not much of a campfire kind of girl (if we could only figure out how to bring the fire inside, with the air conditioning and lack of bugs…), so I don’t always get a lot of traditional s’mores. I have to go a little crazy in the kitchen to get my fix. This time around, I’m doctoring up a box of brownie mix. You can certainly use your favorite recipe, but I like to cheat every now and then. Shortcuts are my friend.

So, I hope you enjoy these heavenly little ooey gooey treats! And, Katrina? I love you, girl. Get better. I miss your face.

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S'mores Brownies

Ingredients

• 1 box brownie mix prepared according to the package, but not baked
• 12- ish graham crackers
• 2 cups mini marshmallows
• 3 Hershey's bars

Instructions

• Prepare the brownie batter as directed on the box and preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
• Spray a 9x13 baking dish with cooking spray.
• Line the bottom of the baking dish with graham crackers, breaking them into pieces to fit as needed.
• Pour half of the brownie batter over the graham crackers. Top with 1 cup of the mini marshmallows. Break the Hershey's bars into pieces and place half of the pieces on top of the marshmallows.
• Top with the remaining graham crackers as evenly as possible. Pour on the remaining brownie batter, top with the rest of the marshmallows and Hershey's bar pieces.
• Bake according to package directions or until the brownies are baked through.

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It is now officially fall, so pumpkin is officially acceptable. I am a little slow to get on board this year though.  I am all for things with a little bit of a pumpkin spice, but I haven’t opened a can of pumpkin yet!  I know you come to In Katrina’s Kitchen for the sweets, so I am here to please!  I made pumpkin spiced Rice Krispie treats and I added frosting.  Thus “cake” in the name.   I am pretty sure these would be Katrina approved!

These Rice Krispie treats are flavored with a little pumpkin muffin mix.  You can use whatever mix you can find in the store; cookies, cake, muffins, pudding.  Anything that is powdered will work perfectly, and give that hint of flavor you are looking for.  Layered with a little bit of cream cheese frosting, and you have the perfect fall dessert that comes together in 20 minutes, without having to turn on the oven.

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Pumpkin Cake Rice Krispies Trats

Ingredients

• Krispie Treats
• 1 10 oz package marshmallows (about 40)
• 3 Tbls butter
• 6 cups Rice Krispie cereal
• 1/2 cup pumpkin muffin mix
•  
• Frosting
• 2 Tbls butter
• 2 oz cream cheese
• 2 1/2 cups powdered sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla

Instructions

• Prepare a 15x11 inch jelly roll pan with nonstick spray.
• Melt butter in a large microwave safe bowl.  Add marshmallows, stirring to coat.  Microwave for 1 minute.  Remove and stir until smooth.  You can heat for an additional 30 seconds if needed.  Stir in pumpkin muffin mix.  Add cereal, and stir to coat.  Press mixture firmly into the jelly roll pan.
• Meanwhile, prepare the frosting.  In a bowl mix together butter and cream cheese until well combined.  Stir in powdered sugar, and mix until fluffy.  Mix in vanilla.
• Cut the Rice Krispie treats down the center of the pan.  Smooth frosting over 1/2 of the treats.  Fold over the unfrosted half to make a "sandwich".  Allow to set up for about an hour before slicing.

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Have y’all been camping before? My husband and I just took our kids for the first time this past August. And actually, it was MY first time, too. (Which is crazy considering my father is a nature photographer, and growing up our summers were always filled with road trips to the national parks. My idea of camping was staying in a log cabin!) But friends, we had so much fun. Took us three days to wash off all the dirt, but worth it! Spending time near the water, seeing deer and lizards, and being unplugged from electronics was so therapeutic. And, of course, no camping trip would be complete without S’mores.

So, I know it’s Fall now. And it’s the rainy season. And ya, nobody’s going camping anymore. But who says S’mores have to be relegated to camping? And since Halloween is around the corner, these bars are perfect for any left-over candy you might have!

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Kit-Kat S'mores Bars

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 50 minutes minutes

Servings 9 -16 bars

Ingredients

• • 1 stick unsalted butter
• • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• • 1 large egg
• • 1 teaspoon vanilla
• • 5 full sheets graham crackers crushed
• • 3/4 cup all purpose flour
• • 1/4 teaspoon salt
• • 1 teaspoon baking powder
• • 16 miniature Kit-Kat bars crushed
• • 1 1/2 cups mini marshmallows

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Generously coat an 8-inch square baking pan with nonstick cooking spray.
• In a large bowl, with an electric mixer, beat the sugar and butter together until smooth and creamy. Add in the egg and vanilla until incorporated. Add in the graham crackers, flour, salt, and baking powered until combined. (Dough will be sticky.)
• Coat the back of a spatula with nonstick spray; spread half of the dough into the pan evenly. Sprinkle the Kit-Kat pieces over the dough, followed by the marshmallows. Flatten pieces of the remaining dough and place them on top of the marshmallows.
• Baked for about 30 minutes or until golden brown. Let bars cool slightly before cutting and enjoy!

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I couldn’t be more pleased to be here, but let’s be honest, the reason isn’t really a fun one. While Katrina is working on feeling better I’ve worked on a post for you to enjoy while she’s getting some rest. Katrina – if we were neighbors this is what I’s be bringing over to you to help in your recovery. Muffins make everyone feel better. Get better soon because we all miss you!

So who am I? Well I’m Melissa from over at Bless this Mess. I’m a photographer, recipe developer, Urban homesteader,  momma and general lover of all things delicious. My blog, Bless this Mess, is an honest picture of a happy small town life. You’ll find posts about raising backyard chickens, remodeling our house while living in the mess and lots and lots of family friendly recipes, dessert included.

Zucchini Banana Muffins are just what the doctor ordered when you are in need of a little gift to take to a friend, an after school snack, or something to go with scrambled eggs in the morning (or for dinner!). These muffins are light, fluffy, and moist. Plus, when you are combining America’s two favorite quick breads you are bound to win. Now you no longer have to pick a favorite; they come together!

I hope you enjoy the recipe and be sure to come over and say hello!

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Zucchini Banana Muffins

Servings 24 Muffins

Ingredients

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 4 eggs
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup vegetable or canola oil
• 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 2 medium ripe bananas mashed (about 1 cup)
• 1 1/2 cups shredded zucchini

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and grease 2 12-cup muffins tins pans. Set aside.
• In a large bowl combing the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt. Whisk to combine.
• In another medium bowl combine the eggs, sugar, oil, applesauce, and bananas. Stir until well combined.
• Add the egg mixture to the flour mixture and stir until just incorporated. Don't over mix at this point of the batter will get tough. Add the shredded zucchini and gently fold it into the batter. Pour the batter evenly into the prepared pans and bake for 18-24 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean.
• Let the muffins cool in the pan for about 10 minutes, remove from the pan, and then let it cool some on a wire rack before serving. Store in an airtight container.

And if you enjoyed this recipe, here are a few more from my blog that you might also like!

1. Chocolate White Chocolate Chip Cookies with M&M’s – my husband’s all time favorite cookie with a fall twist
2. No-bake Chocolate, Peanut Butter, and Pretzel Granola Bars – the best homemade granola bar on the block
3. The BEST Caramel Dip – This recipe is perfectly smooth caramel for dipping apples or pretzels. It’s surprisingly easy to make and turns out great! I make this for party after party in the fall. It’s definitely one of my favorite recipes!

Thanks so much for letting me entertain you while the boss is out and I hope you enjoy these recipes! Have a great day.

And I’ve got to give Kristi from Love from the Oven a big thank you. She’s behind the scenes getting posts organized and I wouldn’t be here without here. She is a great friend indeed! Thanks Kristi!

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If you’ve never met Katrina in real life, let me assure you she is just as sweet and kind as you would imagine – probably even more than you could imagine! She is a true gem and I feel lucky to call her a friend and colleague.

(Can you tell I’m a sappy emotional pregnant woman?? Sorry!!)

Let’s talk about these Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Granola Bars for a moment. Chewy, chocolatey and packed with pumpkin flavor – these hearty granola bars are perfect for brown bag lunches, stashing in your car or serving as an after school snack.

They usually don’t last long around our house but they will keep for up to a week stored in a resealable plastic bag in the refrigerator.

Thank you again for having me and I hope you swing by and say hello over at The Lemon Bowl sometime!

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Raising humans is a funny job. What’s funny to me is how much my children learn from me without me ever sitting down to teach them. After coloring eggs this past Easter my 6-year-old wanted to take a picture of his creation. I gave him my camera and thought to myself, “Aww isn’t that cute?!” The next thing I know he’s styling his shot next to our largest window to get better light just like he sees me do.

My toddler has now proclaimed that he is a “cooker.” He tells us to refer to him as The Cooker. Every morning he gathers bowls and spoons and random toys and gets to cooking. Most recently he made a pretend cake. Well, when his brother sneakily pretend-ate his Pretend Cake the whole neighborhood heard about it. You just don’t pretend-eat someone’s Pretend Cake unless you are invited. Besides, the cake wasn’t even finished- it still needed SPRINKLES! How infuriating! So what is a big brother to do? Thinking quickly, he opened his mouth and pretend-gave-it-back. Kids are gross. They did not get that from me.

Since I’m in this business of raising kids it’s  my job to feed them and make sure that they eat more than popsicles and dry cereal (the 2 most requested foods at my house). My youngest {The Cooker} is turning his nose up at almost anything that has protein in it right now so I have to be sneaky. I filled this Cherry Limeade Fruit dip with Greek yogurt and a scoop of protein powder. Visalus sent me some Vi-Shape Shake Mix. The flavor is Sweet Cream and they say it’s “the shake mix that tastes like cake mix.” I’ll take it!

This dip tastes like summer. It is sweet and tart at the same time and perfect for dipping fruit, graham crackers, or even salty pretzel sticks. If you like Sonic Cherry Limeade (or you are mildly obsessed with it as I am) then you should give this dip a try.

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Call me the Independence Day Scrooge but I dislike fireworks. Don’t get me wrong- they are pretty from afar but I just don’t think my life would be incomplete without ever having to deal with them myself. I don’t like playing with fire. I don’t like when my neighbors play with fire for weeks and weeks after July 4th has come and gone. I think this all stems back from an ill-fated night when as a child I was struck with  a fire cracker. Not only was I scared and jumpy after that incident but as a girl I was furious that MY HAIR CAUGHT ON FIRE because somebody pointed their firecracker the wrong direction.

And let’s be real here. A sparkly cupcake is adorable and all. But it lasts about 2.5 seconds. And it’s fire. And we’ve already discussed how I feel about fire. If you choose to use sparklers there is also the chance that your cupcake will be covered in ashes and that makes for a sad cupcake. As an alternative I used these festive straws (found at Target) and the sparkle lasts more than 2.5 seconds.

Even if you’re not into setting your cupcakes on fire you must try this vanilla bean frosting! It is fluffy and delicious and so pretty piled high on top of simple vanilla cupcakes. I also drizzled the cupcakes with some festive vanilla syrup. Each layer of flavor is working together to make these sparkly cupcakes the star of your July 4th celebration. 

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I’m over at Rachel Cooks today sharing the recipe for these fun Cherry Limeade pancakes. If you haven’t heard, she is having a whole month of pancakes, so be sure to look around. There’s something for everyone at the Pancake Party: S’mores, Bananas Foster, Lemon Poppyseed, and so many more! You all know I’m hardly ever conventional so I decided to convert my favorite summertime drink into pancakes. These reminded me of last summer when I made Cherry Limeade Popsicles and now I want them again in the worst way!!

I jazzed up my favorite classic buttermilk pancake recipe with a box of cherry Jell-O. Add a sweet and sour lime icing to dip, and you’re all set! Come over to Rachel Cooks to grab the full instructions for Cherry Limeade Pancakes.

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